Cultural Baggage Filled with Political Correctness

MSNBC today is reprinting an article from CondeNast Traveler with important tips on taboo topics in 12 different countries. The article is placed under a header "Where you should think before you speak" which gives a nice prelude of what will follow. The title is quite idiotic, of course. Uh-h-h-g, the answer to that question would be obviously, EVERYWHERE. The author claims that some topics are to be avoided at all costs in various countries (in fact he labels them as absolutely verboten). Examples are: do not discuss Israel and all things Jewish in Egypt, do not talk about the US and Canadian health care in Canada, do not talk about human rights in China, etc. Amidst the topics encouraged by the author are gastronomic delights and possibly cultural and sports achievement of those countries. In other words, when meeting people from other countries, try to learn as little as possible about how they view really relevant issues, and keep the conversation strictly within the range of small talk pleasantries. Speaking food and sports is probably the least enlightening of all conversations known to men. The author is advising us to do just that.

It is easy to see why he makes this bizarre and, really, stupid, recommendation. He proceeds from the premise that Americans have preconceived notions about those issues, and they may not be possibly interested in what other people have to say about them. There can only be a clash of opinions. He even admits it. Don't mention Jews in Egypt because you may hear conspiracy theories. So what??? Where else will I hear the conspiracy theories? What if I want to make my own judgement about them? Don't discuss Canadian health care with Canadians because they are fiercely protective of it. So what??? What if I want to hear that despite all the perceived drawbacks people are actually quite satisfied to wait for their elective surgeries for a year or more as long as they are free? The recommendation not to discuss the atrocities in Chechnya and Georgia with Russians betrays the author's lack of familiarity with the issue and effectiveness of brainwashing by American propaganda machine. The only atrocities committed in Georgia were those committed by the Georgians against peacefully sleeping Ossetians whose houses Georgian troops were shelling in the middle of the night. Atrocities in Chechnya were committed by Chechen fighters against hundreds of thousands of ethnic Russians who used to live in that area - and who were essentially killed or completely driven out of there. Russians would gladly talk with you about those facts.

My feeling is that the author is not trying to prevent us from committing a faux pas, he wants to prevent us from learning stuff which runs contrary to our comfortable cultural stereotypes.

What I absolutely detest about America is our political correctness. No! It is NOT good that we avoid conflicts in our discussions. Because we either never find out that our preconceived notions are incorrect, or our biases and anger settle deeper in our consciousness. I am a firm believer in talking things over, and arguing about them openly, rather than sweeping them under the mat, smiling politely and keeping the conversation down to small talk.

Plastic conversations, plastic people, plastic relationships. If this is the stereotype of an American traveler you want to perpetuate in the world, go ahead and follow the "safe" and patronizing recommendations. Stick to discussing hockey with Canadians. Does anybody else see how condescending and humiliating this advice is to both, Americans and Canadians/Egyptians/Russians, etc.?

What an ugly and barren animal this cross between political correctness and cultural baggage produces!