About strange myths that permeate MN about other countries and cultures

[Wetsummers]

Does anyone else know what I mean - in particular about ‘Africa.’ I’m not claiming to be an expert on African culture or social norms but I’m pretty sure the ‘African tribes’ often referred to on here are a myth.

See also the insistence that we start children at school too early. Pretty sure most 4/5 year olds are in some form of education / kindergarten or whatever.

And you can’t open a thread on sleep without someone confidently stating the Japanese all co sleep.

“Hot countries all have the infrastructure and air conditioning to cope.”

Vs the reality: www.seforall.org/chilling-prospects-2022

Yes, in most European countries children are in school at 4 or younger, they just don't call it school. They are still in an educational setting and in many cases learning to read and write. It's a myth that Norwegians are 35 before they learn to read etc.

That if English people move to Scotland they will subjected to anti English xenophobia

There are a fair few know it alls on here who like to cite things as if they have academic sources at their fingertips

in reality a lot of it is assumption (hot countries surely would have figured it out by now), racial projection (the Japanese are good at everything that is lifestyle related so they’ll have cracked this) or just pure conflation of things

The tribes you refer to are true. Although here they are more referred to as cultures. They each have their own traditions and languages. In SA we have 11 official languages.

Some of the stereotypes about Italian men are stuck in the 50s, my dad and brother both cook better than I do, and my dad is chief washer-upper at home.

It's true a lot of people live at home till they get married but they still have jobs/lives/do housework.

I'm confused. African tribes do exist.

That anyone with a non English name will be utterly tormented by having to spell it for the rest of their lives . I've also seen so posters making assumptions on how to pronounce certain names (specifically Irish/Gaelic names) who obviously don't know how to pronounce them.

Of course they “exist” - as do Norwegians over 35, hot countries, and anything else cited in this thread.

what the OP is referring to is how “African tribes” are used as an example of how a society manages a thing, yet the person has absolutely no source or reference point to back up this citation. Its a lazy shorthand to try and make a point. It’s just a projection that “African tribes” somehow manage to do a thing, therefore we should all do it also.

HTH

There are many different ethnic groups in Africa, including many who live in ways that fit the ‘African tribe’ stereotype in various ways. But anyone claiming anything on the basis that ‘African tribes’ do it, is usually just pedalling stereotypes. Anyone with knowledge would name the group and region they’re actually talking about - because there are huge cultural differences.

also that’s a stereotype about countries. Africa is a huge continent. 🤦🏻‍♀️

Mn opinion. Nasty old Middle East. Africa sweet people not their fault they aren't as clever than us. But because they are thick they forget about MENA with NA being by far the most brutal with slavery, women's rights and homesexuality laws. Its pointless debating with these folk because they have never travelled or worked or done anything with their lives.

What is this "African tribes" thing people are alluding too? I've never seen "African tribes" mentioned on here but perhaps I'm not on the right threads to see it. Can someone explain?

I’m nearly 60 with a non-English name.
i can only remember one time when I did not have to spell it.
it does get a bit wearing.

I have a fairly standard English name with as far as I know , no alternative spellings , and have had to spell it multiple times in my life

I have an English name spelt in the conventional way and still have to spell it. Then there’s Catherine/Katherine/Kathryn Amelia/Emelia/Emilia etc

Nope. German and Austrian kindergarten, the Hungarian equivalent etc - they have absolutely nothing in common with English reception classes. They are basically childcare settings. They’re also not compulsory, you can keep your child at home until they start school at age 6 if you want.

@TrashyPanda - I know exactly what you mean. I have a French surname and have to spell it every single time. I remember being in France and my amazement when they didn't ask me to spell it and, even more amazingly, that they wrote it down correctly.

Don't underestimate how boring it gets having to spell your surname EVERY single time (and one of the reasons I didn't saddle my DC with it - although no one on MN ever believes this).

I’m Scottish and have a very normal surname.

I had to spell it all the time - in Scotland.. less so in England. Now my married surname is a monster and spelled phonetically (as it’s translated) and it’s always mangled (it’s rare where it’s from so I can’t complain). I always threaten to double barrel (but it would fit in a credit card!)

But in theory can't people keep their children home in the UK until 5 when it's compulsory? It's only a year difference. People on here often act like it is compulsory that we send children to hard core school at 3 and all other countries no children go to anything similar before 7. When really its not a huge difference when you're looking at types of school/nursery/childcare and ages.

Indeed @Oobydo , but the myth prevails that everywhere but the uk (and America) has children running around in the fjords or alps or whatever for at least seven years.

Apparently everyone in America risks being shot every time they put a toe outside of their house. Also all 330 million of them think and act the same way and so should be just lumped together when making assumptions.

And the African tribes tends to come up on discussions about attachment parenting. African tribes are all (apparently) doing it right. It’s never specified which ‘tribes’, are they from Zimbabwe, Egypt, Sierra Leone? We will never know.

My (married) surname is English and an actual English word BUT still requires spelling out or correcting pronunciation in England and the uk ..but thankfully less so that my previous non English surname. It is a source of irritation.

Op suggests African tribes are a ‘myth’. I took it the same way pps have. Also confused about where all these tribe discussions are taking place as I don’t think I’ve seen one!

Also fully agree with the hot countries / air con one.

I had a Scottish maiden name and now an English married name, and I had and have to spell both all the time, because there are alternative spellings.

Sigh, I accidentally gave my daughter names with a variety of spellings.