If someone said to you 'I just don't like black culture'?

[MrNedSchneebly]

This was in the context of a reason this person didn't want to go on holiday to the Caribbean.

How would you react? What would you say?

I big conversation ensued afterwards but am really interested to hear how people would handle it.

I would think that person was extremely sheltered with little experience outside their own cultural norms. I'd also think they were stupid, unintelligent and racist.

I'd be opened mouthed catching flies and assume they are ignorant as in lacking knowledge but also ask wtf they understood to mean black culture then educate them to best of my knowledge

I'd point out that it was a sweeping generalisation and/or ask what culture it was that was attached to skin colour in a very unimpressed tone.

I'd be thinking a WHOLE lot more than that though (not great with confrontations!).

I'd take it that they'd worded it poorly and probably meant 'I'm not interested in black culture'. This wouldn't stir much of a reaction in me at all.There's not a lot to react to. They weren't saying that black culture was a pack of lies or only for idiots or for a lower type of human. They were expressing a preference.

I have preferences too. I'm not interested in golf, musicals or iron age history. Generally I phrase that as "I don't like golf/musicals/iron age history". There's no big deal.

*There's NOT a lot to react to.

I would ask them what the bloody hell they think 'black culture' is.

What a bizarre thing to say.

I'd think they were a dick.
Black culture.
Yeah because every black person on the planet has the same culture.

"Black" culture? What? The food? The music? The family values? What???

Because obviously it's all the same everywhere.

It's awfully sweeping...
I'd want to hear more before I made up my mind; probably a position of applying narrow range of experiences too widely.

I would ask them what the hell they meant by "black culture", and how they could dismiss an entire culture so glibly.

And I would think that they were racist and rather lacking in intelligence.

I certainly wouldn't be planning a holiday with them, in case that's on the cards.

I would just say "what do you mean by that?" and let them dig themself into a hole

I think that even before I got to the 'wtf you weird racist' thoughts, I'd be more simply confused by what they thought they were getting at.

'Black' culture?! Surely so wide-ranging as to be utterly meaningless. It's like saying 'Oh I wouldn't be interested in holidaying in Spain/Australia/Germany - I just don't really like white culture'.

What on earth is it that they think they are identifying? Bizarre.

If think they were a bit thick, a bit racist, totally unimaginative and really not someone I'd want to spend any time with.

I would just think that person was a dick, tbh.

Odd thing to say. I wouldn't jump to any conclusions, but would ask them what they meant by it.

I wouldn't have reacted. I'd have nodded and smiled and kept my thoughts to myself.

Same as MajesticWhine.

I ended up pushing on it and regretting it. A lot was said but the real kicker was 'all Africans are bullshit'. I obviously said my piece but did eventually let it go and I'm now feeling upset with myself for not kicking up more of a fuss and walking out. Was at this persons house with DC and family and was quite a drive home and would have caused serious waves. BUT can you really just let blatant racism like that go for the sake of keeping the peace? I feel I shouldn't have.

You didn't let it go, you pushed it.

You don't have to go to the house again!

If all people who were not ignorant bigots refused to let it go, the world might just be a better place.
I would never let racism go for the sake of a quiet life, it's just too important to me.
You did the right thing by challenging it.

Yes but while I did challenge it and made it clear I thought it was not on after the discussion we carried on the day happily. I'm not sure that was the right thing to do. Ugh I feel sick about the whole thing. How is it possible to be racist like that! And also just to be so ignorant to think that it is any way ok to express those kind of opinions. I suspect my very elderly grandparents are homophobic but even they know that that is not an acceptable opinion to have and would never dream of voicing it.

You did the right thing. Don't be upset with yourself, it's this person who is at fault and is racist, be upset with them. You have done nothing wrong.