Generalization: It’s The Name of the (Most Annoying) Game
I just read this ‘piece’ in Kuwait Times, and I don’t know if it was meant as full-on joke (I’m sure at least a part of it is), but it seems to compare “the Kuwaiti man” with every other kind of man from around the world–because men are divided into several genealogical species, don’t you know?–and, apparently, to the sorry luck of Kuwait’s female population, they’re stuck with what seems like the male equivalent of a living, breathing, 21st century Neanderthal.
At least when compared to the males from every other Eastern Asian and European country which–hello!–are so wonderful and perfect they could make Barney the Purple Dinosaur look like a fiend.
Aye.
Look, I’m not Kuwaiti. I don’t really know many Kuwaiti men (or even had all that much association with them). In fact, the extent of my knowledge about Kuwaiti men has been mostly what I’ve heard from my spurned girlfriends. Honestly, there isn’t a reason in the world for me to start standing up for the Kuwaiti brethren all of a sudden.
But, I have to say, I find this kind of weird ‘article’ (if you must call it that) somewhat annoying. Here’s why:
I understand that the writer tried to spin it in this comical, tongue-in-cheek kind of way (and, I swear, no one appreciates a witty, harmless jab like me), but something about this article just reeks of this supreme, look-down-thy-nose attitude that kind of muffles any attempt at harmless humor.
I mean, when you list all these commendable attributes that men from places like Switzerland, Malaysia, and Korea have which the Kuwaiti man does not only lack but represents the exact opposite of you’re not just poking harmless fun. As the writer of an article in a widely read news source which many people who are unfamiliar with Kuwait could definitely read, you’re now officially helping perpetuate several negative and, in some cases, quite scary generalizations about the nature of an entire population.
And that right there is no laughing matter.
It’s not even really about Kuwaiti men. Its about all these insanely annoying, unfair, overdone, very negative generalizations that I’ve heard constantly plastered on whole racial groups that later become a part of their identifying characteristics which the rest of the world is supposed to chuckle at all the way up from that high horse of theirs (trying to pretend that there isn’t yet another group sitting above and similarly laughing at them).
It’s polarizing and harmful and just not amusing.
So as someone who’s never really had any meaningful encounters with a Kuwaiti man, has no ulterior motives, and who, actually, fits the perfect profile for someone who might possibly buy into these generalizations, I actually think I’m a little offended here.
Not because I have any specific interest in the way that any man is portrayed to the world, but because I just don’t like seeing something as big as–oh, I don’t know–a population of millions all painted with the same crazy annoying brush.
All my love!
There is no such thing a “The Kuwaiti men are..”. Nationality doesn’t form the personality. While some countries have some legit stereotypes. But you still can’t say it applies to all the population. People are born with different mentalities, no matter what their nationality, religion, education, or society is. The writer is ignorant and doesn’t deserve to have a space to express his ignorant opinions.
Well, I’m sure that at least a part of that opinion was made in a joking manner but, like I said, something about it is a little condescending and creates negative distance between Kuwaiti people and anyone who is non-Kuwaiti who does read this article.
I completely agree with the idea that it is beyond stupid to try and paint someone’s personality based on their nationality, or to use their nationality as any indication of what kind of person they might be. For the most part, stereotypes are generated out of the big things that a few people do. The reality of most populations who are stereotyped is very different, if not the exact opposite, from these false ideas that identify them to the whole world.
Its a shame that this writer might (unintentionally perhaps) be making this sorry gap even larger with his very ignorant choice of words , and an even bigger shame that Kuwait Times would even choose to run an ‘article’ like this.
Well thanks for defending us in a way but i wont blame the writer much although he is generalizing in a stupid way the main problem is within kuwaiti men ( although men r men no matter what is their nationality ) only a few try to change the image of the lazy koala which is the typical stereo type of a kuwaiti male & only those who r trying their best to show the world or even the community how much they can achieve r the ones being demotivated by the same community.
I know that there is an issue with underachievement in Kuwait and, you’re right, to a certain degree there is an encouragement of corruption in the place of proper conduct. But I think that many of the generalizations he made had very little to do with these societal failings and more to do with the character of “Kuwaiti men.” For example, the way that “the Kuwaiti man” treats his wife or the way that he talks about Kuwaits generational history.
These kinds of generalizations harm the image of Kuwait to a naive outsider and is unacceptable in the case of any country.