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Where did the stereotype of Polish people being stupid come from?


miranda  
26 Oct 2008 /  #61
the stereotype is originated in the US so no point in discussing it in a different environment.
theblueenigma 3 | 188  
26 Oct 2008 /  #62
Odd how a lot of Irish stereotypes orginated in the US also. Mass emigration and the racist attitudes prevalent back then served a lot to fuel them I suspect.
Seanus 15 | 19,674  
26 Oct 2008 /  #63
No, many teachers here are smart. I'd know as I know many.

I meant finding work in Poland after graduating, not abroad.

Without those options abroad, the unemployment rate here would be much higher.
theblueenigma 3 | 188  
26 Oct 2008 /  #64
I suspect if work in what they were qualified at in Poland paid anything close to what they could get waiting tables abroad . . . Im sure they would choose to remain at home. Thats a good point you make about the unemployment rate. With the rising economy now in Poland, I wonder if it can sustain all those returning home ?
Seanus 15 | 19,674  
26 Oct 2008 /  #65
I just wanted to provoke, sorry, an emotional moment. Seriously tho, conditions here were not favourable upon graduation. Those that were grounded in reality found out the hard way that their hard work at Uni wouldn't pay dividends. They decided to leave, sensibly using an option they had.

A lot of new opportunities have popped up so let's hope that many find what they are looking for.
theblueenigma 3 | 188  
26 Oct 2008 /  #66
Provocation works, Im a dab hand at it myself. The next decade is going to be very interesting in Poland, it intrigues me to be honest. Its almost a carbon copy of Ireland in every way, but without the mass influx of returning emmigrants possibly saturating every secotor. Time shall tell !
Seanus 15 | 19,674  
26 Oct 2008 /  #67
As long as super strict birth control methods aren't introduced for 'demographic convenience'
theblueenigma 3 | 188  
26 Oct 2008 /  #68
lol Next thing you know they are eating cats and making dog soup like the Chinese. Enforced birth control hasnt worked out there, female kids are almost chucked away these days. Birth control in Poland, well with all the mass immigration the UK is experiencing due to their relaxed entry visa laws, im surprised Mr Brown hasnt suggested it there :D
Seanus 15 | 19,674  
26 Oct 2008 /  #69
Well, that raises an interesting point. Many feel that more than enough benefits are being handed out already. Babies are a costly business.
theblueenigma 3 | 188  
26 Oct 2008 /  #70
Indeed, and enough there to fill a whole new post. They certainly are a costly business, and you know my tax is inadvertingly paying for Polish babies :| By law, anyone from the EU working in Ireland can claim child benefit for their children that reside in their home country. While I have no objection to anyone receiving child benifit whilst residing here, thats not on. I wouldnt mind if it was at least relative to salaries and inflation in their home countries but its paid in tangent to Irish income levels !
Seanus 15 | 19,674  
26 Oct 2008 /  #71
The world is rapidly moving in this direction enigma. Who has what and who should have what are 2 very different things. Taxes are high and I like to think that the majority of taxpayers wouldn't condone such actions as u alluded to above. It's not the Poles that are stupid for claiming this, it's the lawmakers for neglecting to follow common sense and allowing this situation to come about
miranda  
26 Oct 2008 /  #72
Mass emigration and the racist attitudes prevalent back then served a lot to fuel them I suspect.

yes, there was a reason for that back then to keep the new immigrants in check, but that was a looooong time ago:)
theblueenigma 3 | 188  
26 Oct 2008 /  #73
The world is rapidly moving in this direction enigma. Who has what and who should have what are 2 very different things. Taxes are high and I like to think that the majority of taxpayers wouldn't condone such actions as u alluded to above. It's not the Poles that are stupid for claiming this, it's the lawmakers for neglecting to follow common sense and allowing this situation to come about

Absolutely, if they are getting it for nothing why not ! We have little or no power over these hand outs to families living abroad, regardless how furious people are about it . . . . its EU policy and its going to get worse.

yes, there was a reason for that back then to keep the new immigrants in check, but that was a looooong time ago:)

Not so long ago, its takes centuries to change oppinions engraved in the consciousness through generation after generation
Seanus 15 | 19,674  
26 Oct 2008 /  #74
I like to think of it as justice being served. Although I don't like the means, I like the end. Poles have slaved their guts out for peanuts. It's time that sb at least tried to redress this imbalance.

The EU has made this bed and they must lie in it.
theblueenigma 3 | 188  
26 Oct 2008 /  #75
True but they always had the option of emmigrating, like we did when we had to. The Irish hardly had a prosperous and wealthy history either.
Seanus 15 | 19,674  
26 Oct 2008 /  #76
I'm well aware of the harsh times of the Irish. I used to discuss it often after work with my Irish friend.

Emigration was much easier after May 2004. Emigrating can be risky and costly too. Set up costs can be quite high.
theblueenigma 3 | 188  
26 Oct 2008 /  #77
I suspect very dark days are ahead of us also. In recent times the 80s were tough, but at least we never knew what it was like to have anything and we had no debt. This time around we know what it is like to have nice things and what some consider a 'lifestyle' but now we are under this massive blanket of debt !! Who knows, perhaps the tide will turn and we will all be emmigrating to Poland ?
joepilsudski 26 | 1,389  
27 Oct 2008 /  #78
I was speechless for a while. This moron never meet a Pole in his life, never went outside his state not to mention country, has farm so filthy as I never see in Poland and just making himself feel better at someone’s else expense. Lovely.
Later this channel apologized to polish community in ...polish newspaper. They said they will not re-run this episode. Big deal. They just know Poles will not protest like the others would certainly do.

First of all, why surprised?...And don't take it so seriously...Paris Hilton is a 'Hollywood' Jew, the show was produced by Jews, Jews think Poles are idiots....I don't even need to know the name of the show...Just ask Joe.
jayyay  
20 Apr 2009 /  #79
In my experience the stereotype is true, as a landlord I have rented property to many nationalities, the polish are definitely the studious people in Europe. I've have had to show polish tenants how to turn taps on before and one polish family didn’t know how a key worked.
szarlotka 8 | 2,208  
20 Apr 2009 /  #80
studious people

Turn your spell checker off. It's not helping;)
Calicoe 2 | 133  
20 Apr 2009 /  #81
For centuries few bothered to actually check Poland out. Until about 1945 there was not a serious book on Poland's history, culture, politics outside Western Europe/USA that had not been largely a translation of German sources.

Yes, this is the most accurate. It started with Prussia, Germany and the partitions. There were then mass immigrations of both Germans and Poles to the U.S. where it continued, and then carried over to the media up until the 1970s.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-Polish_sentiment

(I've read this elsewhere but cannot be bothered to find the articles right now).

Uhm, and I'm pretty sure America is not the only place that has harbored ethnic slurs.
wildrover 98 | 4,441  
20 Apr 2009 /  #82
Most idea,s about Poles , or any other nationality being stupid comes from their failure to understand simple conversation...If you talk to somebody , and they do not understand you , its not because you are not very good at comunicating , or because the other person does not speak your language , its because they are stupid...

This is human nature , people will always laugh at the stranger in their midst rather than try to understand them...I consider myself quite inteligent , but i have no doubt that some Poles think i am a retard when i do not understand what they are saying....
southern 74 | 7,074  
20 Apr 2009 /  #83
It started with Prussia, Germany

From Germans I believe too.They wanted to ridicule the eastern neighbour.(of course they would not dare to make such jokes for Russians).
freebird 3 | 532  
20 Apr 2009 /  #84
(of course they would not dare to make such jokes for Russians).

sh*t I would lol
southern 74 | 7,074  
20 Apr 2009 /  #85
Try to tell a joke in the face of a Russian and you will not wait some seconds before the punch comes.
freebird 3 | 532  
20 Apr 2009 /  #86
I'd take a chance, lol
Bratwurst Boy 12 | 11,746  
21 Apr 2009 /  #87
From Germans I believe too.They wanted to ridicule the eastern neighbour.(of course they would not dare to make such jokes for Russians).

Any link for that opinion?
Arise_St_George 9 | 419  
21 Apr 2009 /  #88
Not all Polish women are stunners, I've seen some right horrors. Very few though. Polish women seem to be more flirtatious than anyone.
ShelleyS 14 | 2,893  
21 Apr 2009 /  #89
Try to tell a joke in the face of a Russian and you will not wait some seconds before the punch comes.

But don't all jokes have "punch" line ;0)

Polish women seem to be more flirtatious than anyone.

Are you trying to say English women are not flirtatious?

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