Geography-related
Questions 61-70
Feel free to browse the following questions, some of which may
still await answers. You can then post an answer or counter an answer
that has already been posted. Please read the
guidelines for answering questions
before making a posting.
Previous 10 this topic
area 
Next 10 this topic area
THE
QUESTION:
G70: I am going to the Dominican Republic this summer and
would like to know a little more about the culture, religion, food,
currency and anything else you could tell me.
POSTED FEB. 16, 1999
14, non-denominational
<Provokesgirl@yahoo.com>,
St. Louis, MO
To
respond
BACK TO TOP
THE QUESTION:
G69: Why, exactly, do most American women feel it necessary to
shave their armpits?
POSTED FEB. 15, 1999
B.K., 20, Baltimore , MD
ANSWER 1:
I was taught by my peers as a teenager that unshaved
armpits (or legs) are gross, unsexy, unfeminine and a sign of being a
dead beat (I think the last was an anti-hippie sentiment). Though I
gave up on shaving my legs years ago, I still shave my armpits every
month or so - the hair seems to make it harder to keep them clean,
and while I don't mind getting stinky and sweaty, I do like to be
able to wash it off.
POSTED FEB. 16, 1999
Catherine H., 25, female
<tylik@eskimo.com>,
Woodinville, WA
FURTHER NOTICE:
The main reason is that it's what fashion dictates. There
may be some, but I've never seen a supermodel with hairy armpits.
Secondly, and this is only a personal observation, I feel cleaner
with my underarms shaved. And my legs, too, for what it's worth.
POSTED FEB. 16, 1999
Jen, white female, 28, Detroit, MI
FURTHER NOTICE 2:
Because Coco Chanel announced in the '20s that shaving was
de riguer. As Americans tend to take their fashion sense from Europe,
the custom stuck. It's ironic that nowadays many European women don't
shave.
POSTED FEB. 23, 1999
Emma, female, Los Angeles, CA
To
respond
BACK TO TOP
THE QUESTION:
G68: A while back I moved from a Miami suburb to the Boston
area for college. People here seem less inclined to greet one another
on the street and less courteous in general. Does anyone have an
explanation for this, which many others have noted as well?
POSTED JAN. 20, 1999
Alex, 18, white male
<purdy@fas.harvard.edu>,
Cambridge, MA
ANSWER 1:
It is not so much that people are less courteous in the
Northeast, but that things are quite a bit faster paced. Boston has
been called "The fastest city in the country" by USA Magazine, and
not without reason. If you can get the average Bostonian to stop and
chat with you, you will find they are the same as anyone else.
Granted, we of the Northeast tend to be more brusque and hurried, but
we're really not that bad.
POSTED APRIL 16, 1999
Marc, 18, male, college student and Massachusetts native
<MDeScham@lynx.neu.edu>,
Boston, MA
To
respond
BACK TO TOP
THE QUESTION:
G67: Is it true that Polish women give strength to their
family when they get married? In which ways do they, if this is true?
What does an average Polish man expect from the marriage and from his
wife? Is there an open communication between wife and husband in
Poland?
POSTED JAN. 14, 1999
Lidia, female
<lidia_morales@mailcity.com>,
Guadalajara, Mexico
To
respond
BACK TO TOP
THE QUESTION:
G66: Do people living in the South have more racist attitudes
than people living in the North?
POSTED JAN. 14, 1999
Nicole, 21, white female
<ngebhart@hotmail.com>,
NJ
ANSWER 1:
As a white female raised by well-educated parents who are
both native to Birmingham, I never heard a racial slur in my house
while growing up. I never had reason to fear or hate black people,
though there were neighbors who took exception to my brother's best
friend being black. Now, still living in Birmingham, my roommate
(white, from Wisconsin) is dating a great guy who's from here who is
black. Although I am not inclined to date black men myself, I love
Reggie as a dear friend and enjoy spending time with him. In all the
time they've dated (well over a year) they've encountered no
hostility and precious few awkward glances from strangers. Sure, I
know people with prejudices, but they live all over the country. I do
find my rural friends are more inclined to react badly to black
people, but I think that is a function of their lack of exposure to
them. So I guess my answer, from my own narrow exposure, is that
although we are often portrayed as fearful, narrow, Bible-thumping
conservative teetotalers, I would not buy into that stereotype if I
were you.
POSTED JAN. 18, 1999
KR., Southern born and bred, single white female, 28
<kathryner@ehsmed.com>,
Birmingham, AL
FURTHER NOTICE:
I doubt if people in the South are more racist than people
in the North. Those Southerners who are racist just happen to be more
open about it. I believe I experienced a lot more racism in Boston
than in all the places I have been to in America. Maybe that's
because I know where not to hang out in the South.
POSTED JAN. 18, 1999
Donna, black female, originally from South Carolina
<djg73@hotmail.com>, Los
Angeles , CA
FURTHER NOTICE 2:
I don't know that there is a blanket answer for that
question. I am a white Southern male. I grew up around some rather
racist people. I also grew up around people who thought everyone
should be treated with respect and dignity. When I was in the
military I was around some non-Southern white people who were more
bigoted than anyone I ever knew when I was a child. I also knew
liberal non-Southern whites who assumed because I was a white
Southerner I had to be a member of the Klan. Talk about pre-judging
someone. There is no definitive answer.
POSTED JAN. 18, 1999
Jas, white Southern male, Norcross, Ga
FURTHER NOTICE 3:
We are a mixed race couple who moved five years ago from
Berkeley, Calif., to Florida's "Redneck Riviera." My husband, who is
African American, says racists are simply less subtle in the South.
He says employment and police discrimination are less here than in
California. And I have to admit the LAPD hassled him much more than
any Southern sheriff ever has. But as a white person,I hear a lot
more blatantly racist conversation than I did "up North," which he
doesn't hear. Part of it seems to be things they consider "Southern"
that I consider racist, like Confederate flags and Civil War
reenactments. They don't seem to want to take responsibility for the
way their symbols are interpreted by people of color. My husband, who
has more experience with Southern white folks, says they are more
used to being around blacks than Northerners and that although they
have stereotypes, they don't have that Northern liberal paranoia. I,
on the other hand, find the South vaguely discomfiting, and I have
yet to meet any white person born and bred here who has not, when
push comes to shove,made it clear that white is right.
POSTED JAN. 18, 1999
Lori, 39, white female, Fort Myers, FL
FURTHER NOTICE 4:
I would have to say that they do. I have lived most of my
life in the North, but I lived in southwest Virginia for six years.
Even though that area of the country is not very far into the South,
there were quite a lot of white people in the area who were violently
racist. They were also very unfriendly toward white people who did
not share their views. In general, people in the South were very
hospitable when in your presence, but they would do anything possible
to undermine you when you were not looking. This attitude eventually
led me to move back to the North, where people may be more up front
with their prejudices, but at least they are not hiding anything.
POSTED JAN. 18, 1999
John K., 25, male
<the-macs@geocities.com>,
Cranford, NJ
FURTHER NOTICE 5:
I feel qualified to offer some insight here because I was
born and raised in Astoria (Queens), New York (that's "Archie
Bunker's" neighborhood), and have lived in Texas for more than 10
years. I will not pretend that either the North or the South is a
paradise for blacks, or that race relations are ideal in either
region. However, the nature and scope of racism differs from place to
place. In my opinion, if racism is measured by how often racial slurs
and epithets are used, I would say that blue-collar New Yorkers are
far more prejudiced and bigoted than anyone I have encountered in
Texas. If racism is measured by how much intermingling of the races
one sees, again, I would say there is far more interracial mingling
and socializing in Texas than in the North. On the other hand, where
hiring and school admissions are concerned, I think blacks get a
fairer deal in the North. This may be an oversimplification, but my
feeling is that people are less racist in the South, while laws and
institutions are less racist in the North.
POSTED JAN. 18, 1999
Astorian, white male, 37
<Astorian@aol.com>,
Austin, TX
FURTHER NOTICE 6:
My answer, having lived in both places, would be no.
However, I think Southerners are quite a bit more open about
expressing whatever racist views they have. Northerners are just as
bigoted, I think, but are more careful about how they express it. In
any case, actions speak louder than words - do you think minorities
are in a substantially better position in the North? I don't. Just as
in the South, Northern minorities are more likely than whites to be
murdered, not hired for jobs, live in depressed neighborhoods,
etc.
POSTED JAN. 18, 1999
Andrew, 35, white, former Louisiana resident
<ziptron@start.com.au>,
Huntington , NY
FURTHER NOTICE 7:
I was born and raised in the North, and lived in the South
as an adult for more than seven years, and my experience with
Southerners during this time showed them to be much more open-minded
and honest than the Northerners I grew up with. In the South, if
someone has a racist attitude, they have the backbone to state that,
and why, thereby giving one a clear point of reference to work from.
In the North, racists will smile in your face, and spit after you as
you walk away, wipe their hand after you shake it (after they offered
it to you), etc. They try to present themselves as being open-minded,
but their actions give them away. Many times in the South, I worked
with people who stated they did not particularly care to work with,
or be around black people, and knowing their true thoughts made it
easier to work with them. In the North, however, people will smile in
your face, act pleasantly and then undermine you the minute they get
a chance - instead of being up front with how they really feel, so
that you can deal with them accordingly. It's worth noting that a few
of the Southerners who stated they did not care to be around blacks
made sincere attempts to try to find out why they felt this way; I
can't imagine any of the racist Northerners I know to have enough
gumption to do this. If it weren't for the fact that I have older
parents who need me here, I would move back South in a heartbeat.
POSTED JAN. 18, 1999
G. Long, 37, black female
<gelong@usa.net>, Chicago,
IL
FURTHER NOTICE 8:
Northerners tend to feel superior to Southerners in terms
of not being racist. However, it's not justified. I see an analogy to
family life where there has been some divisive development. The South
has had some ugly "family arguments" since 1960, but much of the air
was cleared and people are more open to discussing the matter.
Northerners are smug because they didn't have the arguments (soldiers
in school doors, etc.), but it just means there are a lot of unspoken
grudges under the surface. For example, Massachusetts is a very
liberal state (Ted Kennedy, Barney Frank), but go to Fenway Park in
Boston and see if you can find one black in a crowd of 30,000. It is
a highly segregated city.
POSTED JAN. 19, 1999
B. Hale, Northerner
<halehart@aol.com>,
Hartford, CT
FURTHER NOTICE 9:
My high school teacher (a Southern white male probably not
offended to be called a redneck) said Northerners are more likely to
accept black people (for example) as a group but not individually,
i.e. "They're OK, but I wouldn't have them to dinner." Southerners,
on the other hand, are likely to accept black people individually but
not as a group, i.e. "Old Roscoe is a decent fellow, but the rest of
them ..."
POSTED MARCH 16, 1999
Kevin, male
<jones@ecel.ufl.edu>,
FL
To
respond
BACK TO TOP
THE QUESTION:
G65: For television, movie and screen writers: Why are
less-intelligent characters always portrayed as Southerners? Why is
there a perception that Southerners aren't as "smart" as people from
other geographical areas? Do you really believe that more "laid back"
translates into "not as bright"? Would you be willing to spend some
time with us to learn more about our lifestyle, our beliefs and way
of living before you write the next character into a "Southern"
role? Deliverance wasn't a documentary.
POSTED JAN. 7, 1999
Curtis J., 40 white Southern male, NC
To
respond
BACK TO TOP
THE QUESTION:
G64: To Australians: What is your opinion of Pauline
Hanson?
POSTED DEC. 30, 1998
Jackie, 40, female, Japanese/American
<vegemate@yahoo.com>,
Chicago, IL
ANSWER 1:
Australia's perception of Pauline Hanson seems to mostly
be disgust - easily seen when she was voted out of her electorate,
her "One Nation" stronghold. Her nationalist policies cut against the
grain of multiculturalism in Australia, yet paradoxically fit in with
the Australian image of either the blond-haired, blue-eyed tanned
surfie, or the rugged countryman. Her opinions most certainly do not
represent anything of Australia - the school I attend is very diverse
in ethnic backgrounds - and practically everyone has been
"assimilated" into the Australian way of living. I think Australians
will heave a sigh of relief when Pauline finally sinks into
obscurity. It has adversely affected our image - especially when it's
considered "un-Australian" to be unaccepting of new experiences and
new "mates."
POSTED FEB. 19, 1999
Alex V., 17, white Australian male
<yasha@zip.com.au>,
Sydney, Australia
FURTHER NOTICE:
If your question relates to the perception of Hanson as
anti-Asian (or pro Anglo-Celtic), then the answer is that there isn't
much sympathy. Australians understand both the advantages as well as
the adjustments brought by diversity. Some cope less well than
others. The political machine that uses Hanson as its masthead
adroitly weaves the insecurities of a range of groups, especially
rural communities coping inadequately with economic change, into a
not particularly coherent coalition that (on a good day) can attract
electoral support in the range of 8 to 10 percent. That level of
support is transient, heavily dependent on the declining relevance of
a major, rural-based party, and will eventually bind itself to some
other mainstream cause. In the meantime, a party that professes
sympathy for just about anyone who is unhappy about anything is bound
to attract interest. Interestingly, the demographics indicate that
support for Hanson is strongest among middle-aged males. And, while
more than 90 percent of Australians neither agree with nor support
Hanson, they rather like a phenomenon that signals to mainstream
political parties that the electorate can't be taken for granted.
POSTED MARCH 30, 1999
Peter M., 40, white, male, Canberra, Australia
To
respond
BACK TO TOP
THE QUESTION:
G63: What are the politics of Zambia in southern Africa?
Specifically, does anyone know its position on current events related
to the conflict in the Persian Gulf?
POSTED DEC. 27, 1998
Frattaruolo B.,
<BFRATTARUOLO@HOTMAIL.COM>,
Turin, Italy
To
respond
BACK TO TOP
THE QUESTION:
G62: Why does it seem that the French hate Americans so
much?
POSTED DEC. 21, 1998
J.P.P., 28, MI
ANSWER 1:
Some reasons I've heard of (not only in France but also in
my country): 1) They envy the United States for its power in foreign
affairs. Especially in France, where people still believe in "la
grande nation," it is unpleasant for them to see that the United
States plays a greater role in international relations. 2.) People
become angry because American people are not as interested in their
country as they are in the United States. For example, I felt a
little angry when an American teenager asked me if there was a moon
in Germany (no fun). 3) Some (especially older) people feel
threatened by the American culture that is assimilated by their own
country. This is more important in countries with a strong national
self-esteem like France.
POSTED FEB. 5, 1999
Phil, 19, male, Germany
<pmal42qgmx.net>
To
respond
BACK TO TOP
THE QUESTION:
G61: Why do people think that people in the Midwest of the
United States are all boring, uncultured idiots?
POSTED DEC. 18, 1998
B., 28, white male, Minneapolis, MN
ANSWER 1:
I grew up in New Jersey and have lived in the Midwest the
past seven years. In my experience, Midwesterners aren't particularly
boring or uncultured. However, I find many white people here in
Minneapolis terribly naive and awkward when it comes to people who
are not white. I'll never forget meeting a young suburban man who,
upon hearing I was headed to a Hanukkah party, proclaimed: "Oh! I
know someone else who's Jewish, too!" I'll never forget an
acquaintance who casually infomed me that he moved to Maple Grove
because it has the lowest minority population of all the suburbs. I
like Minneapolis, but I miss the diversity of the East Coast, and I'm
sick of suburban hicks who think that anyone different from them is
exotic.
POSTED DEC. 21, 1998
Rhiannon, 28, white Jewish pseudo-Midwestern female
<rock0048@tc.umn.edu>,
Minneapolis, MN (for now)
FURTHER NOTICE:
I am from the Midwest and now live in Buffalo. Look at how
the Midwest is portrayed in the media, TV shows, movies, and in
general. That is where people get their ideas if they have never been
there. Also, while traveling through these parts to go down South, my
husband and I have encountered many people who are not open to a
cultural mix. Not all people believe this, but people without any
experience from the real world are not open to change. Let's face it,
we are all creatures of habit, and not many of us adjust to change
and new ideas very well.
POSTED DEC. 21, 1998
Babs <Babs127@aol.com>,
Buffalo, NY
FURTHER NOTICE 2:
I am from Minnesota, and while serving in the Marine Corps
I was stationed in Virginia and really loved that state, but the
people thought that we closed down the state during the winter
months. They truly wondered how we got from point A to point B
without dying from the bitter cold. And many of them thought
Minnesota was either over there by Montana or east of Michigan. Don't
get me wrong, I really thought the people and culture of Virginia
were wonderful and kind. It is just that those I met didn't travel
much farther than the western border of their own state.
POSTED DEC. 21, 1998
34, male,
<gjmurd@willmar.com>,
MN
FURTHER NOTICE 3:
I don't think they all are, but I think there's less
divergence from the norm there, and less tolerance for being outside
the norm. This may sound terribly elitist, but here are some things
I've had a lot of trouble finding every time I've ventured into our
nation's middle: Excellent ethnic restaurants. Unusual book stores.
Theaters specializing in foreign and/or independent films.
Neighborhoods full of art galleries (not just one or two). Decent
coffee. Good radio. I'm sure all these things exist in some parts of
the Midwest, but when I've lived on the east and west coasts and in
New Orleans, I had all of those things at my fingertips.
POSTED DEC. 21, 1998
Andrew, 35, tri-coastal (East, West and Gulf)
<ziptron@start.com.au>,
Huntington, NY
FURTHER NOTICE 4:
I lived in the Midwest (Kansas and Missouri) for more than
15 years and was happy to return to the Northwest recently. The
Midwest is quite bland. Sorry if that offends. In religious, moral
and racial terms, I fit in with most Midwesterners, yet I still find
them boring. There is too much willingness among Midwesterners to
accept and even celebrate the status quo, rather than seeking
anything new or perhaps better. I can't tell you how many
Midwesterners I know who have never lived more than 30 miles from
where they live now. I realize that builds stability in a community,
but it does lend a very limited worldview as well. The tendency to be
absorbed by country music, rodeos, trucks, hunting, guns and the like
doesn't allow much room for discussions of things that happen outside
the area, and in fact, most of the news reporting in the Midwest is
along the lines of "A huge earthquake rocked Southern California
today. We'll tell you how it's affecting Wichitans." The Midwest is a
white-bread world, and that gets incredibly boring when you can't
even look out the window and be diverted.
POSTED FEB. 17, 1999
Cathy, 29, female
<gwalchmai@tenforward.com>,
WA
FURTHER NOTICE 5:
To me, the Midwest has a culture of its own. Like other
cultures, it is stereotyped and exaggerated by individuals, such as
in the previous posting. One can just as easily say of the Northwest
that "alternative music" and coffee shops/Internet companies are the
dominant theme there. If you don't like those types of things, maybe
you won't like the Northwest. Of course, there are a whole lot of
white hillbillies in Washington and Idaho, and I've never heard
Oregon described as a bastion of racial diversity. Basically, some
people don't like country music, hunting, guns or farmers. That's
fine, because there are plenty of other places to live in this big
old world. And to quote a Kris Kristopherson song, "If you don't like
Hank Williams/ you can kiss my a--"
POSTED FEB. 18, 1999
B., white male, 23, Kokomo , IN
FURTHER NOTICE 6:
I am a native Minnesotan and have lived in many different
cities, most recently in San Antonio. I think it is naive to say the
Midwest is without culture. Chicago is one of the most cosmopolitan
cities in the country. Minneapolis has some of the finest art museums
in the nation, and an excellent symphony orchestra. Compared to South
Texas and other areas with significant populations of non-Anglos,
however, Minnesota always struck me as too homogenous. Growing up as
a child, I did not meet a non-Anglo until I was about 14. I always
find myself wondering what I would have been like had I stayed in
that world. I am glad I moved out and experienced a variety of
cultures and points of view. I am glad my children have that
opportunity at an early age. They think nothing of the fact that
others are different. They will never be able to mark the time when
they first met someone of a different race.
POSTED FEB. 18, 1999
Jeff, male
<jbermel@aol.com>, San
Antonio , TX
FURTHER NOTICE 7:
I live in Minneapolis and don't find it boring or bland.
Minneapolis may not be as culturally diverse as Chicago, but I don't
think it could be considered homogenous, either. Rap, alternative,
pop and dance music are much more popular than country music, and the
idea of going to a tractor pull would be ridiculous to anyone I know.
The music scene here has produced groups such as Soul Asylum, Prince
and Johnny Lang. Janet Jackson comes here to work with Jimmy Jam and
Terry Lewis. Walking down any street in Minneapolis you can find
stores owned, operated and catering to Chinese, Somolian, Cuban,
Japanese, Mexican and every other culture you could think of. We have
world-renowed medical centers and art museums people come from all
over the world to see. This diversity may not be true of the whole
Midwest, but it is here.
POSTED MARCH 26, 1999
Becki, 17, white female
<beckione@netscape.net>,
Minneapolis , MN
To
respond
BACK TO TOP