3 ms·

I think people are downvoting because dismissing huge swathes of the planet as "invisible" because you don't know much about them could be considered an arrogan

I think people are downvoting because dismissing huge swathes of the planet as "invisible" because you don't know much about them could be considered an arrogant view. Not only is Cameroon not invisible to the 29 million people who live there, it is not invisible to the many millions more who live in neighbouring countries and who emigrated (or whose parents emigrated) from Cameroon to other parts of the world, etc.

justrealist 4y ago
Cameroon is invisible to the vast majority of people who do not have a personal connection with Cameroon. On the other hand, the United States is invisible to nobody. There is nobody on earth with even a basic education who is not aware of the political entities of the US and China. People with no connection to the US, no relatives, no history, are aware of the US. The average Norwegian or Vietnamese person knows the internal politics of the US, and may, if lucky, know that Cameroon exists. This is not the same relationship. I'm not saying the imbalance is good, but it is reality.
- NoboruWataya 4y ago
  I didn't say the downvotes were from people disputing the fact that Cameroon is less widely known than the US. It's the idea that this makes them "invisible" that is probably perceived as a dismissive and arrogant take. They are not invisible - you just haven't seen them. There is a difference, particularly in the age of the internet where you can learn about any country you choose. I wouldn't call you invisible, and I do not like to think of myself as invisible, even though neither of us are (I presume) household names in every country on earth. (That said, it genuinely surprised me that there are people on HN who have not heard of Peru, as I would have thought Machu Picchu at least was a very well known thing in the developed world.)

3 ms·

I think people are downvoting because dismissing huge swathes of the planet as "invisible" because you don't know much about them could be considered an arrogan

by NoboruWataya 4y ago

justrealist 4y ago
Cameroon is invisible to the vast majority of people who do not have a personal connection with Cameroon. On the other hand, the United States is invisible to nobody. There is nobody on earth with even a basic education who is not aware of the political entities of the US and China. People with no connection to the US, no relatives, no history, are aware of the US. The average Norwegian or Vietnamese person knows the internal politics of the US, and may, if lucky, know that Cameroon exists. This is not the same relationship. I'm not saying the imbalance is good, but it is reality.
- NoboruWataya 4y ago
  I didn't say the downvotes were from people disputing the fact that Cameroon is less widely known than the US. It's the idea that this makes them "invisible" that is probably perceived as a dismissive and arrogant take. They are not invisible - you just haven't seen them. There is a difference, particularly in the age of the internet where you can learn about any country you choose. I wouldn't call you invisible, and I do not like to think of myself as invisible, even though neither of us are (I presume) household names in every country on earth. (That said, it genuinely surprised me that there are people on HN who have not heard of Peru, as I would have thought Machu Picchu at least was a very well known thing in the developed world.)