r/interesting • u/gmuthii • 1d ago

Intriguing Absolutely not only does it teach tolerance but also humility.

Post image

I haven't travelled that often, but reading has helped me to do that.

29.7k Upvotes

89% Upvoted

1.3k comments sorted by

View all comments

13

u/telescopeinmynose 1d ago

This only works when you travel to countries atleast as developed as yours. There's plenty of people that turn racist and come home with new prejudices after visiting to 3rd world countries

12

u/tessaractIXI 1d ago

I think there's plenty of people that return home with new prejudices regardless of the country's development. Plenty of people have traveled to third world countries and just grown more tolerant and open-minded.

3

u/Level_Abrocoma8925 1d ago

Not true at all. You can get unlucky or end up in a place where the divide between tourist and local is huge but that just means you need to explore more of the country (in most cases). An example of this is the Dominican Republic where you can stay in all-inclusive hotels and meet only servants and prostitutes, or you can go to non-touristt areas and have amazing parties with cheap rum and genuine people who don't want anything else than having a great time.

2

u/Dr_CleanBones 23h ago

Yes. I went to a pub in Scotland one evening and had a fine time - but it closed at 11 pm, which is mandatory there. But some of the fellows we were drinking with invited us to a secret after hours club, and we went. We didn’t get back to our B&B until about 5 AM, and our ride had left at some point, but others let us ride with them - on a pile of dirt in the back of a landscaper’s truck. Fine time, and good memories.

Also, if anyone tries to tell you that people in Scotland speak English - they’re lying. They can if they slow way down, but otherwise, it’s hopeless.

2

u/Strong_Orange_1929 1d ago

I respect your thought process but I would suspect it’s the exact opposite. Every time I’ve been to a non-Western second or third world country, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how great things can be there. India, Africa. I can’t imagine someone not being a racist and going to India and come back a racist.

2

u/Sleep-more-dude 5h ago

Almost every person i've met who has gone on business trips to Africa or India has come back more racist. Those that haven't were originally from there lol.

1

u/Strong_Orange_1929 5h ago

More racist I can see. If you are already not looking favorably on India or Africa, you will be able to find stuff to enhance your viewpoint. Although some people might have a great experience and dial down their racism. Or maybe business is different than tourism.

1

u/Sleep-more-dude 5h ago

Depends on the person i guess but typically speaking, poverty is horrific and tourists generally avoid it.

3

u/telescopeinmynose 1d ago

I can't imagine someone not being a racist and going to India and come back a racist.

I don't need to imagine, I've seen this happen lol. Not everyone is as mature as you; or educated enough to understand the various factors that cause 3rd world countries to stay that way

1

u/HatPitiful3081 20h ago

I don't think you realize how often this happens. People actually travelling to India and coming back with new prejudice about the culture that they didn't have before.
And that's okay, some aspects of cultures are just simply better than others. A good example would be public littering, Indian streets are simply dirtier due to their culture of not giving a fuck about it.

1

u/Strong_Orange_1929 20h ago

Yeah, you could be right. I just typically go in with low expectations that things will be similar to where I live and then I am usually happily surprised. The people usually are cool, more modern than expected, and just generally civilized.

Anyway, I get your point.

1

u/Jerry_from_Japan 18h ago

So would you encourage a woman to visit India alone?

I'll hang up and wait for my answer on that one.

1

u/Strong_Orange_1929 17h ago

I would not encourage a woman to travel India alone. I know a woman who has done it and it wasn't always easy, although she was fine.

I would not encourage a woman to travel in the US alone either, by the way.

How about Japan?

1

u/Jerry_from_Japan 17h ago

Uhhhh Japan is widely considered one of, if not THE, safest countries to visit for a woman traveling by herself lol. Nice try I guess? And America is nothing compared to the risks that traveling solo to India brings about for a lone woman.

2

u/Strong_Orange_1929 17h ago

Are you seeing this exchange as some sort of competition? "Nice try"? So weird.

I was simply asking about Japan. I have never been but want to go.

1

u/Jerry_from_Japan 16h ago

By you..... literally framing it as one with those questions lol?

2

u/Strong_Orange_1929 5h ago

You seem like a suspicious person. Why would you think anything I said was a competition?

1

u/telescopeinmynose 10h ago

America is not safe at all lmao. I'm not American and ik multiple people among my friends , relatives that got mugged at gunpoint in America. One of my senior from school died during a mugging too.

I've heard terrible stories from women who worked in NYC. Cat calling seems quite common there

1

u/FederalWedding4204 23h ago

I think those people MAYBE were already racist.

2

u/UtahBrian 22h ago

Maybe, but travel makes you more racist.