Pet peeve: Westerners romanticizing 3rd world countries

[Brainfade]

As an academic, I come across these people all the time. "Oh, I visited __________ (Morocco, Ghana, Egypt, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Venezuela ....) for 2 weeks. I lovvvvvved it ... it's so beautiful ... and you know, the people ... they're like so nice to you. I would love to live there." I just roll my eyes and walk away from these limousine libs (thinking "you wouldn't last there a month without your $$$") . Watch this interview with Ozzie Guillen (Venezuelan manager of the Chicago White Sox), where he rips Sean Penn. Reminded me of this peeve. http://sports.yahoo.com/video/player/news/Graham_Bensinger_InDepth/26116827#news/Graham_Bensinger_InDepth/26116827

[punjabi_khota]

Limousine libs

[Serani]

All the mofo rich kids from uni who go on about there gap yah to Indiyah, Cambodiyah and other gap yah places are the kind of people I never get on with. Like when this girl was chatting away to some asian lad about her favourite places in India like they should be friends or something, anyway he informs her at the end of her speech that he has never even been to India. UK'ers will be familair with this, but basically sums it up. eKFjWR7X5dU

[Anonymous]

All the mofo rich kids from uni who go on about there gap yah to Indiyah, Cambodiyah and other gap yah places are the kind of people I never get on with. Like when this girl was chatting away to some asian lad about her favourite places in India like they should be friends or something, anyway he informs her at the end of her speech that he has never even been to India. UK'ers will be familair with this, but basically sums it up. eKFjWR7X5dU

**** yah..I was at this party at my univ and there was this really drunk blonde who gave me a lecture on this video..****in lame ****

[ganeshran]

Pet Peeve: People calling the developing countries as 3rd World.

[akshayxyz]

This one has good potential for pet peeves. Mine: 0) what OP mentioned. a) Someone making those slurrping noises (sudkiyan) while sipping tea/coffee. Sometimes when I become conscious of the noise, I can become very restless. b) Talking to someone with shades on, esp when you yourself are not and there is no direct sun-glare to his/her eyes.

[Mariyam]

Pet Peeve: People calling the developing countries as 3rd World.

Actually, thats incorrect, politically speaking. Developing countries are those who economies have not fully developed ( classified by ratio % of GDP from industry+services to agriculture among many other things). Third world countries are those who were not aligned with either the first world- USA, UK, West Germany and the other capitalist nations or with the second world- USSR, China, East Germany etc. It is possible to be a developed country which is third world. Yugoslavia. Or a developing country which is first/second world- Cuba.

[IKnowU]

Actually, thats incorrect, politically speaking. Developing countries are those who economies have not fully developed ( classified by ratio % of GDP from industry+services to agriculture among many other things). Third world countries are those who were not aligned with either the first world- USA, UK, West Germany and the other capitalist nations or with the second world- USSR, China, East Germany etc. It is possible to be a developed country which is third world. Yugoslavia. Or a developing country which is first/second world- Cuba.

Im pretty sure my History teacher telling me that United Nations decided to use Developing/Developed phrases since we are in the 21st century and it is more politically correct. Although everyone ignores it and still uses first, second, third world to describe various nations.

[akshayxyz]

Hrithik baba says this..

Among the things that bring happiness in today's world is money - and as a superstar you would have no deficit of it. Doesn't it make it easier to have a philosophical take on things? I have a good understanding of how important money is. And now that I have children, I want to gather as much of it as I can, yes. But I know what it means. Money is a means to an end. For me, it is also a means to help people. I can never say no to anyone, and if I am in a position to help, I help. I have seen my father struggle for 20 years. I know what it is like to have no money at all. I have slept for four nights on the floor in a house with no furniture and not even a fan, and I remember crying to my mother that I couldn't sleep without a fan.

4 nights and he has seen it all!! Except for ^this part, his interview was a decent read. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-interviews/We-couldnt-afford-rent-Hrithik-Roshan/articleshow/9492955.cms

[Brainfade]

Actually, thats incorrect, politically speaking. Developing countries are those who economies have not fully developed ( classified by ratio % of GDP from industry+services to agriculture among many other things). Third world countries are those who were not aligned with either the first world- USA, UK, West Germany and the other capitalist nations or with the second world- USSR, China, East Germany etc.

Good point. As it turned out, many of the non-aligned nations were also developing, hence the synonymous use. I meant to say "impoverished" in the OP, but got caught in the trap of "3rd world" lingo.

It is possible to be a developed country which is third world. Yugoslavia. Or a developing country which is first/second world- Cuba.

Yugoslavia? They've been passe for a while.

[Brainfade]

Hrithik baba says this.. 4 nights and he has seen it all!! Except for ^this part, his interview was a decent read. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-interviews/We-couldnt-afford-rent-Hrithik-Roshan/articleshow/9492955.cms

And on the other end of the spectrum, there's desis in the West who spend entire cocktail parties criticizing India - the traffic, the dirt, the slums, the perceived lack of civic sense etc etc. Dude, you escaped that world ... either do something about it or just STFU.

[Mariyam]

e for a while.

Yes, you are right. There isn't a Yugoslavia anymore. The erstwhile Yugoslavia was a developed ( or semi developed) nation and 3rd world. That was my example.

And on the other end of the spectrum' date=' there's desis in the West who spend entire cocktail parties criticizing India - the traffic, the dirt, the slums, the [i']perceived lack of civic sense etc etc. Dude, you escaped that world ... either do something about it or just STFU.

In fact, I would extend this to many middle class people, those that the local media calls comfortably middle class and upwardly mobile. They have nothing better to do than criticize every aspect of Indian life. So much so, that they distance themselves from the reality around them. They are angered by the portrayal of India like how it was in Slumdog Millionaire, but they aren't angered when they see abject poverty all around. At times, such people feel 'humiliated' that the other India exists and they behave as if they have nothing to do with it. My Legal Practice ( ethics of the profession) professor had a good term for such people. March violets. In March, when the flower blooms, they're fans of the violet. When people from the 'other' India make it big they are applauded as national heroes. The rest of these people (and problems) are ignored from their conscience as if they don't exist.

[ravishingravi]

Yes, you are right. There isn't a Yugoslavia anymore. The erstwhile Yugoslavia was a developed ( or semi developed) nation and 3rd world. That was my example. In fact, I would extend this to many middle class people, those that the local media calls comfortably middle class and upwardly mobile. They have nothing better to do than criticize every aspect of Indian life. So much so, that they distance themselves from the reality around them. They are angered by the portrayal of India like how it was in Slumdog Millionaire, but they aren't angered when they see abject poverty all around. At times, such people feel 'humiliated' that the other India exists and they behave as if they have nothing to do with it. My Legal Practice ( ethics of the profession) professor had a good term for such people. March violets. In March, when the flower blooms, they're fans of the violet. When people from the 'other' India make it big they are applauded as national heroes. The rest of these people (and problems) are ignored from their conscience as if they don't exist.

I think those are absolutely valid points and I have also been equally guilty of it at times. On the specific mention of SM, I was also enraged the first time I saw the movie because it was so blatantly exploitative. Then I thought about it, if I were the white guy, coming for the first time to Mumbai, what would stick to my mind. I remember going for the first time in Beharampada which is primarily a slum area. I have very little memories of it, but I can quite distinctly recollect the stench of the place. While I was just struggling to breathe, I saw three firang documentarians gliding along the place. Yes they have a fascination. It is not always disengunous as we would believe. Some just admire the humanity and systems existing in these God forsaken places. But not many.

[Vijay.Sharma]

Pet Peeve: People calling the developing countries as 3rd World.

LOL! Yeah, that term hasn't had any frame of reference for 2 decades now and yet ppl use it...lemme do a poll on it