Differences in Polish, American and British mentality

MEMBER ♂

Edited by: Havok Mar 9, 11, 17:51 #1

In your opinion what are the most obvious differences between Polish, British and American mentalities? How do you spot Polish way of thinking? How can you tell when someone “reeks” of being British or American?

It seems very intriguing how noticeable this really is. Is it only me who thinks that?

Examples:

Polish-American: i nie jeden poszedł na studia.

British: Very good of you not to let the neighborhood down.

---

Polish person who travels: A co robił twój tatuś po przyjeździe do "Staniu"? Był taksówkarzem czy zbierał azbest?
American-Polish: *dziesięć głębokich wdechów.... zignorować debila...*

----

Polish: If you are Muslim an embarrassed you should convert to Christianity before coming to Poland.
American: Why would she be embarrassed?

----

Polish-American: The VD Baby Jesus clinic made my day though.
Polish: Why?
Polish-American: Oh nothing, my buddy owns a funeral home with the same name

---

Let me hear your input.

Thx.

pgtxThreads: 49 Posts: 6,327 Joined: Feb 14, 09 MEMBER ♀	Mar 9, 11, 18:03 #2
hard to say... i don't know many Poles here.... they all kind of blend in, sometimes i don't even know i'm speaking with a Polish-American or a Pole... btw Havok, do you know any Poles in Houston? are there many of them?

TeffleThreads: 28 Posts: 2,105 Joined: Aug 26, 10 ♂	Mar 9, 11, 18:05 #3
Havok: Very good of you not to let the neighborhood down Didn't see the context, but for those who mightn't realise, this was almost certainly a joke.

MEMBER ♂

Mar 9, 11, 18:25 #4

pgtx:

hard to say... i don't know many Poles here.... they all kind of blend in, sometimes i don't even know i'm speaking with a Polish-American or a Pole...

btw Havok, do you know any Poles in Houston? are there many of them?

I know a lot of people and some could be Polish. What I’m trying to say is that I don't really reach out and look for Polish living here.

Polish people tend be really paranoid, and it pisses me off, so I gave up.

Here is an example of Polish mentality:
Some lady: Looking to meet some Polish in a casual setting.
Me: We live near Houston, if you want we can meet at http://www.poloniarestaurant.com/.
Take care.

Some lady: sure thing - tell me something about yourself.

I’m thinking: seriously? Do you interview everyone before you meet them at the bar? Somehow this kind of paranoia just turns me off. I’m sure it’s perfectly normal to ask that question in Poland though.

♀

Edited by: puella Mar 9, 11, 18:30 #5

Teffle:

Didn't see the context, but for those who mightn't realise, this was almost certainly a joke.

It was Harry vs PennBoy. The whole discussion in in the trashbin.
I also don't understand those pairs of sentences. Is an example of what?

Jugding by comments of Americans here:
Polish male Americans (including you) are very arogant. They feel as if they were something better than Poles who live in Poland and look down on Poles.

Pure Americans seem to barely get jokes, sarcasm etc. unlike British who mastered sarcastic remarks even better than Poles :)

British (including Irish) have lots of good sense of humor and are more laid-back. Poles are easy to upset and go angry easly. They have very little distance to "Polish issues".

I think that British are much better into Polish way of being, they understand pretty well Polish "culture" and Polish issues, they get on well with Poles... much better than Americans, I guess. Maybe that impression of mine is due to the fact that there are far more active British users on PF than American ones.

Havok:

Polish people tend be really paranoid, and it pisses me off, so I gave up.

Yeah, that's true.

Havok:

I’m thinking: seriously? Do you interview everyone before you meet them at the bar? Somehow this kind of paranoia just turns me off. I’m sure it’s perfectly normal to ask that question in Poland though.

well, yes. You might be a raper for instance...

MEMBER ♀

Mar 9, 11, 18:34 #6

puella:

I think that British are much better into Polish way of being, they understand pretty well Polish "culture" and Polish issues, they get on well with Poles... much better than Americans, I guess. Maybe that impression of mine is due to the fact that there are far more active British users on PF than American ones.

don't judge Americans on what you see on this forum... they are great people in general...
sense of humor slightly differs everywhere..

Havok:

Polish people tend be really paranoid, and it pisses me off, so I gave up.

i don't have this problem w/them... :)

♀

Mar 9, 11, 18:39 #7

And example conversation between a A and B. Who is Polish and who is American?

A: Isn't the weather wonderful today?
B: Yes, but it's going to rain tomorrow.
A: Oh, we need rain. All the beautiful flowers need to grow.
B: Which reminds me, I need to go and clean my gutters.
A: Isn't it a blessing that you can do it by yourself?
B (slightly irritated): Trust me, I would prefer to pay someone to do that.
A: We have a great guy who comes and does the gutter cleaning for us. Such a wonderful guy. He is from Guatemala. It must be terrible there with all the wars going on now.
B: I really need to go now.
A: Bye, have a great day.

pgtxThreads: 49 Posts: 6,327 Joined: Feb 14, 09 MEMBER ♀	Mar 9, 11, 18:40 #8
A - American B - Polish :)

HavokThreads: 14 Posts: 1,508 Joined: Mar 12, 10 MEMBER ♂	Mar 9, 11, 18:44 #9
Teffle: Didn't see the context, but for those who mightn't realise, this was almost certainly a joke. It just feels like this is something that a British person would say. Here is my reasoning: Polish person would say, sure, but your neighborhood sucked, and wszystkie dzieciaki mialy ciasne bereciki. American would say, ok but who gives a crap?

Marynka11Threads: 8 Posts: 1,447 Joined: Nov 3, 10 ♀	Mar 9, 11, 18:44 #10
You cracked that in no time pgtx :)

IronsideThreads: 59 Posts: 6,789 Joined: Feb 26, 09 ♂	Mar 9, 11, 18:44 #11
Havok: North Korean: Why? a little correction :) Havok: Polish in America: The VD Baby Jesus clinic made my day though. North Korean: Why? Polish in America: Oh nothing, my buddy owns a funeral home with the same name North Korean: I must give you that, you are easily amused ! Polish in America: Really ? North Korean: ding - dong ! Polish in America: hahahahaha! applause !

PennBoyThreads: 157 Posts: 3,443 Joined: Dec 7, 08 ♂	Mar 9, 11, 18:46 #12
Marynka11: A: Isn't the weather wonderful today? pgtx: A - American I've never heard any American talk like that.

pgtxThreads: 49 Posts: 6,327 Joined: Feb 14, 09 MEMBER ♀	Mar 9, 11, 18:47 #13
PennBoy: I've never heard any American talk like that. maybe because the weather, where you live, sucks... :)

Marynka11Threads: 8 Posts: 1,447 Joined: Nov 3, 10 ♀	Edited by: Marynka11 Mar 9, 11, 18:49 #14
PennBoy: I've never heard any American talk like that. There are barely any Americans in Richmoń.

PennBoyThreads: 157 Posts: 3,443 Joined: Dec 7, 08 ♂	Mar 9, 11, 18:50 #15
pgtx: maybe because the weather, where you live, sucks... :) Actually Pennsylvania has good weather mostly sunny days even in the winter, unlike Europe. What i meant was it sounds prissy like how Brits talks, American don't talk like that.

HavokThreads: 14 Posts: 1,508 Joined: Mar 12, 10 MEMBER ♂	Mar 9, 11, 18:50 #16
puella: well, yes. You might be a raper for instance... yeah LMAO, ok. We... my wife and I we're stalking polish restaurants and rape people. That's insanely paranoid way of thinking.

♀

Edited by: puella Mar 9, 11, 18:51 #17

Marynka11:

And example conversation between a A and B. Who is Polish and who is American?

are you sure that this American is not really a British expat in the USA? ;)

Havok:

It just feels like this is something that a British person would say.

Here is my reasoning:

Polish person would say, sure, but your neighborhood sucked, and wszystkie dzieciaki mialy ciasne bereciki.

American would say, ok but who gives a crap?

But Harry is Australian...

Wroclaw BoyThreads: 57 Posts: 5,478 Joined: Jul 3, 09 MEMBER ♂	Mar 9, 11, 18:51 #18
Marynka11: And example conversation between a A and B. Who is Polish and who is American? Neither you made the whole thing up.

Marynka11Threads: 8 Posts: 1,447 Joined: Nov 3, 10 ♀	Mar 9, 11, 18:54 #19
Wroclaw Boy: Neither you made the whole thing up. You've never been to American suburbs, were you?

HavokThreads: 14 Posts: 1,508 Joined: Mar 12, 10 MEMBER ♂	Mar 9, 11, 19:27 #20
puella: arogance, see? This is what happens to Polish mentality when it collides with American reality and merge in to one. Very explosive mix. I can really easily associate with PennBoy. I used have the same perception; I had similar experiences and outlook at life. Boso ale w ostrogach… Seems wierd that you guys don't see it being Polish and all.

pgtxThreads: 49 Posts: 6,327 Joined: Feb 14, 09 MEMBER ♀	Edited by: pgtx Mar 9, 11, 19:30 #21
i guess, we don't even need to be on topic to see the diffrences between Am/Pl/Br.....

♂

Edited by: Moderator Mar 9, 11, 19:39 #22

pgtx:

Am/Pl/Br

The difference is Polish mentality is always comparing someone else and trying to look down on others. "I will have a U.S passport i'm the best." You barely speak English your visa expired a long time ago but since you will be a citizen in the future you're better than others. You live in a good neighborhood but thanks to you husband, try working and moving up on your own don't look at other peoples past. That Polish backward hick mentality. Americans don't give a **** whats ur history.

MEMBER ♀

Mar 9, 11, 19:48 #23

PennBoy:

The difference is Polish mentality is always comparing someone else and trying to look down on others. "I will have a U.S passport i'm the best." You barely speak English your visa expired a long time ago but since you will be a citizen in the future you're better than others. You live in a good neighborhood but thanks to you husband, try working and moving up on your own don't look at other peoples past. That Polish backward hick mentality. Americans don't give a **** whats ur history.

you just described your own attitude... :)

SeanBMThreads: 41 Posts: 8,727 Joined: Mar 10, 08 ♂	Edited by: SeanBM Mar 9, 11, 19:59 #24
Americans on here seem to be more right wing these days. While the Brits seem to be more liberal on here. * "Liberal" not in the American sense of the word.

enkiduThreads: 18 Posts: 983 Joined: Sep 23, 08 ♂	Mar 9, 11, 21:40 #25
It could be a good, interesting and entertaining discussion. But it wont. Because this is a PF, dammit - that's why the topic would be as usual: "Who is the biggest moron and why?" Sometimes I fell sorry.

pgtxThreads: 49 Posts: 6,327 Joined: Feb 14, 09 MEMBER ♀	Mar 9, 11, 21:46 #26
SeanBM: Americans on here seem to i don't think "on here" gives a true picture of Americans... and thanks god...

♂ [Suspended]

Mar 9, 11, 22:02 #27

PennBoy:

The difference is Polish mentality is always comparing someone else and trying to look down on others. "I will have a U.S passport i'm the best." You barely speak English your visa expired a long time ago but since you will be a citizen in the future you're better than others. You live in a good neighborhood but thanks to you husband, try working and moving up on your own don't look at other peoples past. That Polish backward hick mentality. Americans don't give a **** whats ur history.

Wow. That was a rather clinical self-observation.

♂

Mar 9, 11, 22:11 #28

pgtx:

they all kind of blend in, sometimes i don't even know i'm speaking with a Polish-American or a Pole...

People who come from Poland don't tend to see the difference but citizens do. The same when a foreigner comes to Poland, he can be spotted a mile away. Polish people stick out by the way they look, the way they dress, the way they walk, talk and behave.
When Poles come to America, their mentality is: "I came here to make money", "I am in America so I am better than everyone else", "I know how to do everything", "who can I cheat now and how to get more money". Yes, there are many nice Poles, but their mentality is greed and pride to show off that they have more and are better than everyone else.
When Americans come to Poland, they visit the country, find their roots, they are interested in the history of Poland, culture, food, etc. Poles on the other hand say negative things about America and it's culture, that our food is no good and that we are stupid and fat.
Poles mentality is that they are always better than everyone else

MEMBER ♀

Mar 9, 11, 22:15 #29

tygrys:

When Poles come to America, their mentality is: "I came here to make money", "I am in America so I am better than everyone else", "I know how to do everything", "who can I cheat now and how to get more money". Yes, there are many nice Poles, but their mentality is greed and pride to show off that they have more and are better than everyone else.

some do, some don't... let's don't generalize...

♀

Edited by: puella Mar 9, 11, 22:33 #30

tygrys:

greed and pride to show off that they have more and are better than everyone else.

sorry to say that but sounds like Havok (I remember when he started to post here and laugh out that young people in Poland leave home so late)

tygrys:

When Americans come to Poland, they visit the country, find their roots, they are interested in the history of Poland, culture, food, etc. Poles on the other hand say negative things about America and it's culture, that our food is no good and that we are stupid and fat.

That's intresting because many Poles find such Americans very arogant - they don't like anything here and they don't mind at all to criticize every small thing aloud.

POLAND . The Unofficial Guide	Unanswered \| Archives
POLAND . The Unofficial Guide	Republic of Poland Online	Witamy, Guest \| PF Members \| Gold Members

Home \| Unanswered \| Archives \| Random \| Statistics	Time in Poland: 04:07 / May 27
About Us \| Contact Us \| Rules, Privacy \| Poland Advertising	© 2005-12 PolishForums.com