I think it's very much a class thing... I've met educated Polish people who are "Normal" and decent... But as for the uneducated working class Poles, such as the guest workers that we have in Sweden, I agree that a very substantial number of them are rude, arrogant, noisy and aggressive. They have no regards for other people. They're loud and play music late at night or very early in the morning... They never say hello or thank you... that sort of thing... Of course there are exceptions to the rule...
Yes, Poles are right in being disrespectful. But they are very nice and respectful towards the "colored" people such as the blacks and the Indians. To the extent that I have the thinking that Poles are very desperate to show the world that they are not racist. Just a thought.
At a time when western Europeans used hands and fingers to eat (as it nicely states in medieval chronicles), Poles had `sarmatism` as cultural movement of ultimate equality, democracy and multiculturalism. Yugoslavia existed on same principle with just one Serbian addition even as constitutional amendment and that was - `Even if slave come on land of Serbs (Slavs), he is slave no more.` Still, Anglo-Franco-Germanic coalition in deal with Islamic league ruined Yugoslavia. See, they now dare to patronize Poles.
Point is, if pushed, Poles defend themselves. They are old people and have ways and tradition to organize themselves. Sure, in their realm, Poles are those who define cultural frame and societal rules. If let alone, they could be perfect example for rest of the world.
That's right. History says it all. Poles will defend. Not just honor, dignity but also reputation. It's important that the world thinks that Poland is not racist. And that is why other races that are not white should be treated with more respect and be more gentle with them. Well, at least we don't have to wash their feet. ;)
See, before visiting Poland every single person asked me, why are you going there!? Or, Oh my God you're joking? Their perceptiom of Poland is that it is poor and almost barbaric with high crime and high violence.
Yet coming here I see the total opposite. Just the way the guy at this pizza shop smiles when I try my hardest to place an order in the worst Polish accent ever, you walk around some places and everyone is relaxed and happy.
But it is true, in England, in the cities, especially Birmingham, there is a lot of crime and violence overall, and a lot in the Polish area, maybe that is where people get their perception from.
As for women being disrespectful to English? I went on Tinder while in Poland just to see how many girls would like me, and the number was quite high;)
I've always enjoyed the company of Poles in the UK. Everyone I've worked with or met I've befriended.
Seems curious to complain about your experience of Poles, for what else brought you here?
I've found the girls especially endearing
It saddens me to think I'll be branded with the same iron as other Brits, when in Poland, because I agree with their perception of Brits. I'm no patriot, why do you think I'm flying away from us, we're terrible people, in general.
I don't think they are disrespectful at least not on purpose anyway but they love their banter. The polish i have met at work love to tease and make jokes at everyone even the bosses. But sometimes some people take offense or just not in the mood. It's mainly the younger polish men and woman who engage in the banter the older ones not as much but still prevalent. Europeans just have different sense of humor you just need to laugh it off and tease them back they love that. The only problem with polish is they can be a little messy and some of the woman can be very loud at work but otherwise they make life much more interesting.
Social intercourse is culture specific,.a little like sport. Unless you have grown up practicing it, you won't do well "in that style", and as such will avoid it. You can learn it, but it requires some effort and will take time to become good at it. As oftens is the case, untill you see yourself succeeding, innerly you can only hate it. Polish women abroad,.especially the not particularly switched on, may come across as disrespectful because they have difficulty learning it, hate it, and get scared of seeing themselves fail.
This thread is ridiculous. Poles are not disrespectful of The English. Poles think I am a typical Englishman if I don't tell them my parents were Polish and have always treated me with complete respect.
If I tell them,their respect doubles! When it comes to non Europeans,at first Poles are a bit wary,maybe even a little bit racist. They call Hindu Indians "Kropeks" because of The dot they wear on their foreheads. But in time they learn to get on.After the initial shock of meeting strange foreigners and realising that they are human too,just different, young Poles are just as tolerant as most Europeans,more so than some.
So let's put a stop to these negative threads about Poles. Most of them are B###$##t.
The pecking order is as long as all population lined-up in choo-choo train. And self-delusion, of thinking one is someone other than who they actually are, as common as Sunday migrane.. It would be lovely to have a pill for it developed, so all couples can keep at home in their medi- box.
I'm an American woman who's part-Polish. Sorry, Polish women are rude and narcissistic. There are exceptions, but for the most part, they roll their eyes, act haughty, sigh in exasperation at others' "stupidity." They lack social grace entirely. I'm so embarrassed to be part-Polish.
they roll their eyes, act haughty, sigh in exasperation at others' "stupidity."
I would give you a Ph.D. for this short essay. Spot on. My wife of 48 years (that's a miracle) still can't get it that the 'whatever' response with that special tone of voice of slight exasperation and annoyance is just another form of 'f*** off'.
Somewhere, through evolution and the years of practice, Polish wives lost the ability to speak softly. They always near scream. Happy or angry. It doesn't matter. They are just naturally louder that the acoustics and the distance would justify.
In my experience they (Polish women) are very cold towards other communities and do have an issue with narcissism and rudeness. Hungarians, Bulgarians and other eastern european communities I've met don't act like this. In fact, Hungarians are very friendly people.
Poles, Czechs, Romanians, and particularly the Russians themselves, suffered dreadfully under Communism, forcing women in particular to "grow up", shall we say, faster than in most other countries, not to mention those outside of the former Eastern Block!
Young women, even teens, among the above three nationalities were often forced to sell themselves into prostitution merely to stay alive, selling their bodies in exchange for food as well as basic supplies. It was a tough grind in those years and so, although guaranteed work and a place to live, life was horrible under Stalin's post-War minions. The latter undoubtedly left its imprint on the peoples personalities, especially the female population, made to appear cockier, older, and infinitely more self-assured than most men.
Hungary's "Goulash Communism" was more Western, therefore not really comparable with Poland, erstwhile Czechoslovakia, Romania or the one-time Soviet Union.
were often forced to sell themselves into prostitution merely to stay alive, selling their bodies in exchange for food
What on earth are you talking about, I have family here who lived through those years, no one starved or were forced to prostitute themselves, poles are a resourceful people they on the whole worked their way through those times without losing their dignity.
One, even several select personal experiences such as yours, dolno, scarcely qualify to exclude the general masses of people who suffered greatly under the Black Market years!
Carry on enlighten me on the mass prostitution of the Polish people during those times , sounds like you were here at the time and this is your first hand recollection of what happened is that correct?
I know from the first-hand knowledge and experiences of those whom I spoke with about such things! Sure, people aren't going to come up to you and say, "Yo, I was a slut for the KGB!" or something of this nature, but it was known to have occurred.
Because something is unpleasant doesn't mean it should be put on someone else's lap, dolno.
I know from the first-hand knowledge and experiences
But Lyzko you have only visited Poland once, is that correct, whom and where were these people you have "first hand" knowledge of ?
I live in Poland with family and friends in Poland and allot that you say just does not figure one of us must be totally out of touch.
You won't even take me up on my offer to come visit, If you did I could introduce you to many people who have had first hand knowledge of the darker times, then you might see why my understanding is at odds with your fleeting experience here in Poland.
I know Poles for years, directly from Poland, right here in the US! A Pole conversely can comment on what's going on the the UK based upon
relevant conversations with Poles as well as Brits who presently live there, even if a person hasn't physically been back to the country in many years.
One has relations, e-mails, phone conversations, newspapers etc..
Concerning my remarks about women having to prostitute themselves in those places I mentioned, one also must face such facts however unpleasant! Think it's easy for me to fess up to the abuses among scores of US servicemen in Germany after the war who gang raped German women??
Yet it happened, and I as an American (forget about as a Jew) simply must accept it, difficult, indeed shameful, as it may well be to shed the image of G.I.'s as some sort of conquering heroes.
US servicemen in Germany after the war who gang raped German
Errm did you deliberate not include the Russians who did that by the tens of thousand
shed the image of G.I.'s as some sort of conquering heroes.
you mean the soldiers who freed the world from Nazi, Japanese tyranny, the very brave souls who gave their lives to free people from concentration and death camps.
Bad things happen in war mate, US G.I's were amongst the least offenders when it came to war crimes, you need to move your focus to the real genocidal criminals of that time Germans, japs and Russians.
Bad things happen in peacetime too, buddy! My point being that what occurred during the lean Black Market years throughout much of Eastern Europe was nothing to be proud of, it cannot, indeed should not, be whitewashed either!
The US troops were on the whole a valiant bunch, yet as with the Jews who wound up in concentration camp and later turned kapo, there will always be plenty of rotten apples in the bunch to go around.
you mean the soldiers who freed the world from Nazi
The ones who really defeated the Nazis were the Soviets. That the Americans and Brits were the ones who liberated Europe is a severe case of "history is written by the victors".
US G.I's were amongst the least offenders when it came to war crimes
That is true. I think I've read somewhere that the French were particularly bad when it came to the treatment of German POWs.
Lyzko never served so he is aTOTALLY clueless. These kids were 18 &19 years old and trained/brainwashed to kill. At that age their hormones are flying off the wall. They have been away from their wives/girlfriends for two years or more. They saw their buddies get blown up and killed. Do you think they were totally responsible for their actions being in that mental state ? Lyzko you don't know the definition of sacrifice while judging from your armchair behind your computer screen. These guys came home to no psychological help and became wife beaters and alcoholics to forget the hell they had been through. And you really wonder why they went off the deep end and raped ? War is hell Buddy and EVERYONE suffered, not just the Jews.
