Comments by "SmallSpoonBrigade" (@SmallSpoonBrigade) on "Top 10 Rudest Countries." video.

  1. I think that's a lot of it. If you speak a few words of the local language, it does make a difference. French has a uniculture, that's how they've opted to deal with mulitculturalism, people are expected to assimilate into French culture. If you can say hello, thank you and several other helpful phrases in French, the experience will be a lot different than if you expect to go and say everything in a foreign language. It's not a high bar, most people could manage that level in less than a week. Similarly, knowing any Mandarin at all, will get a very different view of China than you'd otherwise get. I was mostly in rural areas and I get invited in to cafes by the locals or have these amazing interactions with people. It was kind of stressful because I was representing hundreds of millions of white people when I did it, but for the most part they didn't have a fixed mindset about foreigners, just most of them had never met any , so it was puresly based on what they saw in the media.
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  2. It's worth noting that the ugly American stereotype is largely a historical thing. Yes, there are Americans that are jerks when traveling, but we're more likely to learn some of the language and make an effort to experience the country than in the past.
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  3.  @stevecarson4162  That's definitely true, but I'd also suggest that it's probably less common than it used to be and you'll find that from most other citizens as well.
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  4. I used to live in China and it's really a mixed bag. I met some of the nicest people there as well as some of the scummiest dirt bags there. A lot of it depends on where you're from and what you look like. A lot of the Chinese I was dealing with in rural areas had never met any other white people before, so I had to be on my best behavior constantly, as one bad encounter with the only white person they've ever met could cause the rudeness. In cities, it was a lot less so, they had some sort of an idea what to expect in a lot of cases, but the society is very tribal in the sense that guangxi and personal and family connections are important. Guanxi doesn't really translate, but it's a relationship, a debt and obligation and partnering. If you're coming in as a tourist they don't really know how to categorize you, so a lot of the normal social scripts don't necessarily apply. Additionally, most tourists are on tours and don't get much beyond where the typical tourist areas. Also, if you speak any Mandarin, or the local dialect, you'll find that they warm up a lot, much of the "rudeness" is just that cities are busy and the culture is very introverted with outsiders being viewed with suspicion for political reasons.
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