What's with Boards and Ireland-bashing?

TheIrishGrover · 20-07-2010 12:54PM #1

Y'know what annoys me? It's these types of threads: Why is Ireland so homophobic, why is Ireland so small-minded, why is Ireland a nation of begrudgers, etc etc etc. It always goes: I've been to XYZ on holidays and Ireland seems so small minded in comparrison. Or: I saw these scumbags harassing someone another country, why are all Irish people so racist?

Ireland has racists? Of course it does. Tell me France, or England, or the US doesn't have race prolems. Try being Irish in England in the 80s and 90s.
Ireland has homophobes? Of course it does. Tell me the US and half of eastern Europe doesn't have a problem with homosexuals. Try holding a Gay Pride parade in Eastern Europe.
Ireland has problems with corruption? Hmm, I wonder are there any other countries in Europe with corruption issues.
Everybody goes on about how the US applauds people who do well. Bull. I have friends who are just as envious of lotto winners and sports stars and actors as the next guy.... and, shock, horror, they are American.

Every country has the same problems because people are people the world over. You are going to get your racists, your homophobes, your bitter begrudgers, your corrupt in every country in the world. It's time we stopped thinking we are the small, bitter, racists homophobes that the rest of the world seems not to be. Because it's not true

Hogzy · 20-07-2010 12:56PM

tl:dr

kfallon · 20-07-2010 12:57PM

Ireland is great, I love our little country

NothingMan · 20-07-2010 12:57PM

Racist.

Abrasax · 20-07-2010 12:58PM

Eh?

Eastern Europeans don't have problems with homosexuals, OP.

mathie · 20-07-2010 12:59PM

You know what really grinds my gears...

Sea Sharp · 20-07-2010 01:01PM

That's ironically a very begrudging OP.

Biggins · 20-07-2010 01:01PM

mathie wrote: »

You know what really grinds my gears...

Castrol GTX ?

Riamfada · 20-07-2010 01:02PM

Yes but Ireland is collectively shit. Yes we have racists but so does everyone else but when its coupled with general organised shitness that seeps through everyday life people become more pessiminstic about the little things.

Sinfonia · 20-07-2010 01:05PM

TheIrishGrover wrote: »

Ireland has racists? Of course it does.
Ireland has homophobes? Of course it does.
Ireland has problems with corruption? Hmm, I wonder are there any other countries in Europe with corruption issues.

So what you're saying is that Ireland deserves to be bashed as much as any other country. Fair enough, the people creating the threads you dislike are doing their part.

Hasmunch · 20-07-2010 01:07PM

TheIrishGrover wrote: »

It's time we stopped thinking we are the small, bitter, racists homophobes that the rest of the world seems not to be. Because it's not true

Irish people complain to irish people about Irish small, bitter, racists homophobes.

American people complain to American people about American small, bitter, racists homophobes.

British people complain to British people about Britishsmall, bitter, racists homophobes.
etc....

You are always going to get first hand accounts from the country you are living in. Plus people like to complain a lot

dlofnep · 20-07-2010 01:07PM

Ireland is lovely.

AnonoBoy · 20-07-2010 01:12PM

I loves Ireland me.

I just hates some of the people there within.

upmeath · 20-07-2010 01:12PM

Can't we all just get along?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnOyMSEWNTs

mike65 · 20-07-2010 01:23PM

What the OP expecting for fupps sake? Good news is no news. After Hours would die pretty quickly if there were no threads trashing the country as based on everyday experiences.

Oh there's a thought...

orourkeda · 20-07-2010 01:29PM

Grimes wrote: »

Yes but Ireland is collectively shit. Yes we have racists but so does everyone else but when its coupled with general organised shitness that seeps through everyday life people become more pessiminstic about the little things.

Why dont you leave then?

Yakult · 20-07-2010 01:41PM

TheIrishGrover wrote: »

why is Ireland so small-minded,

You know, Boards doesnt really speak for the rest of Ireland like you're pretty much saying (maybe you just mean the community on here, but you refere to us as a nation so I assume you mean everyone).
Most people I know love this country and so do I but like every other country it has its faults.

losthorizon · 20-07-2010 01:49PM

Hasmunch wrote: »

You are always going to get first hand accounts from the country you are living in. Plus people like to complain a lot

No, they don't. They love to argue.

jester77 · 20-07-2010 01:50PM

Sure if we didn't complain about ourselves we'd be xenophobic... oh wait

Dermo · 20-07-2010 01:51PM

TheIrishGrover wrote: »

Tell me France, or England, or the US doesn't have race prolems.

France, or England, or the US doesn't have race prolems

mikemac · 20-07-2010 01:53PM

TheIrishGrover wrote: »

Y'know what annoys me? It's these types of threads: Why is Ireland so homophobic, why is Ireland so small-minded,

Boards is in no way representative of Ireland, and that's probably a good thing.

So don't get angry over threads you read here.

Brendog · 20-07-2010 01:55PM

TheIrishGrover wrote: »

Y'know what annoys me?

Y'Know what really grinds my gears?

saywhatyousee · 20-07-2010 02:01PM

i agree op.
i think sometimes people go out of there way to make ireland look bad

Terry · 20-07-2010 02:04PM

Pay no mind. They're usually started by first year college students, who are basically know-nothing know-it-alls.

TheIrishGrover · 20-07-2010 02:16PM

feelingstressed wrote: »

Boards is in no way representative of Ireland, and that's probably a good thing.

So don't get angry over threads you read here.

Ah no, not angry. I just saw yet another thread and thought to myself: Ah, here we go, another one. My post sounded harsher than it was meant to. It wasn't meant to be harsh at all. All I was trying to say was that Ireland has it's problems the exact same as every other country out there and we should try to remember that. That's all.

enniscorthy · 20-07-2010 02:17PM

TIOCFAIDH ÁR LÁ

mike65 · 20-07-2010 02:19PM

Boards day is already here.

Morlar · 20-07-2010 02:23PM

Terry wrote: »

Pay no mind. They're usually started by first year college students, who are basically know-nothing know-it-alls.

I was just going to say I blame all those smarmy sociology students.

I have lived /worked /travelled in other countries and Ireland (despite it's problems) is not so bad as some people seem to think.

changes · 20-07-2010 03:54PM

I think ireland is a kipp and a badly run one at that.

I don't understand this idea that you have to love and be proud of ireland just because you happen to be born here.

I remember falling out with someone one night because i didn't like gaelic football and another time for saying i didn't support the IRA... so i wasn't really an irishman in their eyes.

Its people that matter not this rain soaked sod we all live on.

Kasabian · 20-07-2010 03:58PM

I think you'll find a lot of the begrudgers in this country have not experienced life outside these shores.

*Travel broadens the mind, sweeps away stereotypes and can make you appreciate what you have at home.

Travel is not 2 weeks in a drunken haze in some sunshine escape hole.

southsiderosie · 20-07-2010 04:00PM

I think it's normal to compare your country to other countries and think "why can't we have that"? But I think there are a lot of people who romanticize what goes on in other countries. At the end of the day, people in Ireland are pretty well off compared to people in most other parts of the world (and certainly compared to earlier generations in Ireland), you live in a democracy, you have an unbelievably rich literary history, and are generally seen as some of the friendliest people in the Western World (if prone to drinking too much). If not for the ****e food and weather, Ireland would be about as good as one could hope to get these days.

tl; dr: chill out, you're grand.

What's with Boards and Ireland-bashing?

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