7 ms·
There is also a fair amount of xenophobia inherent in the Swiss national identity. I know Germans who have lived there for 10+ years and are still considered ou
by santaclaus 10y ago
There is also a fair amount of xenophobia inherent in the Swiss national identity. I know Germans who have lived there for 10+ years and are still considered outsiders.
- Malice 10y agoCan you name a place that doesn't have that? I've lived in three different (Western) countries and felt the same thing in all of them.
- gnopgnip 10y agoToronto, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco
- coldtea 10y agoTalk to some immigrants in those places that are not white/asian and/or successful.
- y4mi 10y agoyou've lived in three western countries for 10+ years each, and your mother tongue is one of the official languages of the 'foreign' nation?
- Malice 10y agoIf I understand your question correctly, then yes.
- erinnh 10y agoSwitzerland is very much worse than a lot of other country in that regard. It might happen in other countries as well, but its very much the majority in Switzerland.
- kgwgk 10y agoSwitzerland has one of the largest percentages of foreign-born and non-citizen residents, so probably it's not so bad. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_foreign-born_population https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_foreign...
- Pica_soO 10y agoActually, that is a human trait you will find everywhere. Sometimes it comes in a cultural disguise (unbelievers), sometimes hidden away, because the rich guy/woman might share the wealth, but wherever you go, people are suspicious/hateful of strangers. Only group exempt from that is teenagers, who seem to be less risk averse, but if socially lower ranking also go full foreigner hatred to boost self-esteem. Milk the hatred and distrust for the benefits (Always double-check on foreign science! ) and name it to everyone falling for it as what it is: Ancient Ape bugs. So mild mockery would be the best reaction i guess. Social suppression seems to have failed on a large scale recently.
- rabidrat 10y agoBeing considered an outsider is not bad. Being treated as subhuman or as an enemy because you are an outsider, that's when it becomes a problem.
- marktucker 10y agoIn my experience, all you have to do is (passably) speak swiss german to be accepted by the locals. A lot of Germans live here 10+ years without speaking swiss german and I notice some distaste from the Swiss since a Swiss guy will feel like it's rude if he doesn't speak high german with a German, and many really don't like speaking high german. There's definitely other forms of xenophobia here, though. There are a lot of negative stereotypes about some of the refugees that have come to Switzerland over the years, and many Swiss I talk to dislike the idea of refugees coming to Switzerland and choosing not to work (being unable to work is a different story).
- lacampbell 10y ago> and many Swiss I talk to dislike the idea of refugees coming to Switzerland and choosing not to work I'm sorry, but who actually likes that idea?
- dgfgfdagasdfgfa 10y agoI mean, it's kind of weird to feel anything about what others do with their time.
- coldtea 10y agoDepends if they do it on your dime and in your country -- the one you're supposed to take care of because you live in it.
- dgfgfdagasdfgfa 10y agoIt's all one damn earth. People already take advantage of each other. Why worry about the person next door? At least they aren't trying to kill you.
- coldtea 10y ago>At least they aren't trying to kill you. Depends. Most are not, but in some cases, they are (e.g. islamic terrorism in France and Germany). But the main reason is that some peoples/places have developed their own culture over centuries, and don't particularly appreciate some large rush of newcomers bringing their own stuff and messing the nice thing they have got going.
- RUG3Y 10y agoPreserving a distinctly Swiss culture and society is what allows them to remain successful.