Isn't British influence in the world overrated?

[polska_potega_swiatowa]

I'm 36 and half of my life spend in english speaking country- US,
being born and raised in Poland, I have a pretty good knowlege of
both cultures Slavic and Anglo-Saxon.

Compairing UK to Poland I can say that while Great Britain have some
important achievements, its overall influence in the world and
credit given is way overrated, while Poland's role and achievements
is way downgraded. Factor contributing to that is a deep seated
resentment, and superiotity complex of Anglo-Saxon western europe.

Mostly thanks to UK isolated location, an island, and the US, Canada
and Australia also geographically isoleted, had all had a fortune
and perfect geo-politics to grow an further expanded influence of
English lanuguage and British culture along with it.

For example a British can learn brely 500 words in one of foreign
languages and he considers itself an expert and a fluent speaker of
Swahili, Japanese, Russian, Chinese or whatever.

While when someone who is not a native english speaker, let's say a
Japanese, Pole or Italian even if he's english vocabulary is 10 000
or more, more than that of average educated Brit or American, he is
still considered as speaking "bad/broken english"

I mean it seams that if a piece of human poop was produced by a
British person, it is constatnly considered a 7th marvel of the
world, while if a Mountain of Gold was in Eastern Europe or
Poland....British, Americans, Germans or other Anglo-Saxon
Protestant countries would would go out of their way to look the
other way and pretend they never saw it. Such is a Anglo-Saxon and
Protestant mentality that it just does not allow it to consider
anything Slavic or Polish a worth while or valuable even it it was
superior to a British or Western European.

I'm sure Mr. Oakely that when you first time set your foot in
Poland, Czech Rep or other East European countries you understood
exactly what I mean, beforu you came to Poland you felt like a
representative of the superior culture, expected to dodge a wild
boar and polar Bear, hopeing to make it through your stay in Polish
forest, when came a reality...Europe does not end on German eastern
border, quite the oposite, ofthen the Polish, Czech or Hungarian
cities are grander and oppulent then Dutch, English, Mediteran or
Scandinavian. I hope one day we will end all this pharse, Western
Europe and especially British "importance" is way overated. Many
visitors to Central Europe and Poland can account to that :)

[Gość: Steve]

I am very pleased to read this.

I have been telling Polish people in Poland for the last 15 years how great it is, but I have constantly been met with surprise that an Englishman might think that Poland is a marvellous place. England and other 'western' countries were places of hope and opportunity. Poland offered them nothing.

It is only since the EU that Poles have moved abroad in large numbers and found elsewhere is only a place to dream about as long as you don't actually wake up there. People are starting to like home again.

Your anger is just a way of working out an inferiority complex, so please go ahead it with it. Sure the Brits and Americans think they are better than others, but so do the people of most other countries: its called nationalism. It may be self-centred and arrogant but its a normal part of the human ego.

[Gość: Steve]

Sorry to add another comment, but I just saw your last post on your other theme.

I shouldn't have accused you of having an inferiority complex. You already believe in your superiority. I wish more Poles felt the same way.

[polska_potega_swiatowa]

Gość portalu: Steve napisał(a):

> Sorry to add another comment, but I just saw your last post on
> your other theme.
> I shouldn't have accused you of having an inferiority complex. You
> already believe in your superiority. I wish more Poles felt the
> same way.

Appologies accepted :) It is not about believing in ones superiority
it is about being competetive and knowing its worth and a rank in a
world.

No, I do not believe Poland is superior, I just think that the
world, especially our western European friends need to accept the
fact that Poland is the number 5 in Europe and the 18th words
largest economy.

Problem is that many weste Euro countries that Poland long
surpassed, go out of their way to prevent Poland being accepted to G-
20.... Before Poland claims even highter, then it would be even more
clear than Poland is discriminated against, not being allowed to get
a credit for its worth.

[polska_potega_swiatowa]

When 2 different countries make similar achievements, but only one
of them is given credit, based on its ethnicity or religion, its
called a preferential treatment and favorism.

Just as in sports, in international affairs have to be an equal
impartial judging system. Unfortunatelly world is still biased,
especially the so called western world, having resentment towards
everything Slavic, and non-Anglo-Saxon.

Last example; if you had a coworker who did exactly same tasks as
you din, but he did much worse job than yourself, and he would be
rewarded with recognition, awards and a wage raise, instead of
yourself...aren't you going to be angry? Of course you will.

[jeanie_mccake]

Whenever this pretentious gobshite writes in Polish (on the
Spoleczenstwo forum for example), it's always about how Poles are
lazy and useless and their problems are all their own fault, but
when he starts gibbering in English it's always about how Poles are
noble and cultured and some Anglo-saxon conspiracy is to blame for
their problems.
Waldek, you've shown time and time again that you have absolutely no
idea about life in Poland or anywhere else in Europe. When you're
man enough to admit that, then folk'll maybe start taking you
seriously.

[polska_potega_swiatowa]

Hello Jadzka!

It is called self critisism, what I do in fact scruitinize Polish
attitudes and mentality, at the same time giving credit to my
countrymen for their all accomplishments and virtues. One think does
not necessary eliminated the other. If you ever studied psychology
or had any knowlege on how bussiness works, it is all about getting
down to business :)

Noone is spared when reprimand is due, just as noone will miss the
profit bonus who deserves one. Polish people in general do great in
their profesions, but they do mess up big time when it comes to self
rule.

[jeanie_mccake]

It's not called self-criticism, it's called verbal diarrhoea. You
live in America and you get your knowledge of Poles and Poland from
the TV.

[polska_potega_swiatowa]

jeanie_mccake napisała:

> It's not called self-criticism, it's called verbal diarrhoea. You
> live in America and you get your knowledge of Poles and Poland
> from the TV.


Last time I've checked your profile, you lived in Scotland, and that
was yesterday :) So what are you doing on polish daily forums???

Believe me I have met hundreds of Poles like you who think they are
exception and are above any social category or a critisism
altogether.... A lot of Poles, including yourself a self
appointed "experts" on America critisize it all the time, although
they never been to USA. I happend to live in both US 18 years and 19
years in Poland, so I guess I'm better qualified then you and anyone
here to discuss both countries.

P.S. Your cussing and swearing shows your lack of inteligence and
low personal standards. You must be one of those provintial polish
women who thinks she is better because you have learned few english
worlds and bought yourself some western clothes....You are
ridiculous.

[Gość: Jeannie]

Are you really from Poland? I recall you made some perceptive comments on the meaning of some phrases in Scotland in a previous post and I had taken you to be native. I always look forward to your excellent contributions, as on this occasion.

Sorry to you and Jonathan if I encouraged the guy, but I miss the drunk bar-stool type conversation that I could find so easily in London.

[polska_potega_swiatowa]

Gość portalu: Jeannie napisał(a):

> Are you really from Poland? I recall you made some perceptive
> comments on the meaning of some phrases in Scotland in a previous
> post and I had taken you to benative. I always look forward to
> your excellent contributions, as on this occasion.

Thank you I guess... :)

> Sorry to you and Jonathan if I encouraged the guy, but I miss the
> drunk bar-stool type conversation that I could find so easily in
> London.

I do not recall being offended by anyone on this forum so far at
leas, I mean I have visited this forum for the first time few days
ago. Plus my opinions are quite sober and not at all induced by
alcohol; whishey, vodka or any time of drugs :)

[Gość: Steve]

Sorry, but it was not Jeannie who sent the message before last, but me. I made a
mistake by putting 'Jeannie' in the wrong box. (If anyone can delete it, please
do so.)

It should have read:

"Jeannie

"Are you really from Poland? I recall you made some perceptive
comments on the meaning of some phrases in Scotland in a previous
post and I had taken you to be native. I always look forward to
your excellent contributions, as on this occasion.

"Sorry to you and Jonathan if I encouraged the guy, but I miss the
drunk bar-stool type conversation that I could find so easily in
London."


For polska_potega_swiatowa, I should now add for clarification that I did wonder
whether you were drunk (or high in some other way) when you wrote your first
message but soon realised that you were following your normal way of thinking.
It was the type of conversation I was referring to, not your condition:
apologies to you (again) if anyone reading the previous post thought otherwise.

[polska_potega_swiatowa]

That's OK Steve, I will let you and Jeannie enjoy "a drunk bar-stool
type conversation" you missed so much :) With her constant cursing
and tomboy attitude she definitely sounds like a perfect drinking
companion for you :)

[Gość: Steve]

Thanks. You like a bit of sarcasm as well, I see. However, I would probably like
your conversation much more: I do enjoy your banter. (This is honestly intended,
not sarcasm.) However, it doesn't seem to fit in with Jonathan's "Ask an
Englishman" Forum, which is described as being intended for asking Jonathan
questions rather than being 'competitive', as you describe it. I already feel a
bit guilty about using it a lot and normally try to keep to the right theme. I
do get a bit over-enthusiastic sometimes, however, as on this occasion.

it is a discussion forum not a "ask a wiseman"

[polska_potega_swiatowa]

Gość portalu: Steve napisał(a):

> Thanks. You like a bit of sarcasm as well, I see. However, I would
> probably like your conversation much more: I do enjoy your banter.
> (This is honestly intended, not sarcasm.) However, it doesn't seem
> to fit in with Jonathan's "Ask an Englishman" Forum, which is
> described as being intended for asking Jonathan questions rather
> than being 'competitive', as you describe it.

Oh, so you say you would prefer if I treated this forum "Ask
Englisman" as some sort of guru or a wise man, who should be
adressed with respect, and not second guesed?....Come on who you
think you Brits are? You think you can use this forum as a platform
to englight a "wild easterners"? :)

Sure I come here to discuss some misconceptions about Britain, and
not to be enlighted. Since your opinions might be biased, as anyones
who tends to speak hightly about his own country, while downgrading
others.

I'm here to listen, and infer what you saying is true, and what is
just self congratulating lecture.

[jeanie_mccake]

polska_potega_swiatowa napisał:


> Last time I've checked your profile, you lived in Scotland, and
that
> was yesterday :) So what are you doing on polish daily forums???

I divide my time between Scotland and Poland, so I'll write on
Polish forums if I want. You on the other hand divide your time
between America and some bizarre fantasy world.

> appointed "experts" on America critisize it all the time, although
> they never been to USA.

I'm not criticising America, I'm making fun of you for wasting
several years of your life writing inconsistent, illogical
uninformed bollocks based on stereotypes, your vague memories of
Poland and the laughable idea that you're some kind of artist or
genius.

> P.S. Your cussing and swearing shows your lack of inteligence and
> low personal standards.

What cussing and swearing?

You must be one of those provintial polish
> women who thinks she is better because you have learned few
english
> worlds and bought yourself some western clothes....You are
> ridiculous.

I'm neither provincial nor Polish, and you have a very strange idea
of what is ridiculous. Personally, I think this is ridiculous:
forum.gazeta.pl/forum/w,29,97667749,97667749,Talent_a_geniusz_.html

[glasscraft]

jeanie_mccake napisała:

> Personally, I think this is ridiculous:
"https://forum.gazeta.pl/forum/w,29,97667749,97667749,Talent_a_geniusz
_.html"

OMG, Jeanie we should stop tormenting poor bloke, he is not some
stuck up his own backside nincompoop, he is clearly insane and
should not be ridiculed and argued with as this – no doubt – may
make his condition worse…

[polska_potega_swiatowa]

jeanie_mccake napisała:

> I divide my time between Scotland and Poland, so I'll write on
> Polish forums if I want.

Wow!? Really, you think that you are the only sole on earth who have
discovered international travel or spending some time abroads? :)


> I'm not criticising America, I'm making fun of you for wasting
> several years of your life writing inconsistent, illogical
> uninformed bollocks based on stereotypes, your vague memories of
> Poland and the laughable idea that you're some kind of artist or
> genius.


I met 3 groups of people in my life, those that understand my right
to free thinking and expression, those that do not care much, and
people like you who are think that they can somehow get ahead by
only by getting others down.


> I'm neither provincial nor Polish, and you have a very strange
> idea of what is ridiculous.

for Chinese it is silly to eat with a minature showel or a pitchfork
what western people call respectively spoon and fork. It is called
the ethnocentrism.

If you are ashamed to be Polish and claim you a British, than you
should not teach a Pole who is proud of his country, what is Polish
or what is not.

[jeanie_mccake]

polska_potega_swiatowa napisał:

> Wow!? Really, you think that you are the only sole on earth who
have
> discovered international travel or spending some time abroads? :)

You asked me why I write on Polish forums, so I told you. I'm not
boasting.

> I met 3 groups of people in my life, those that understand my
right
> to free thinking and expression,

I'm not denying your right to express yourself, I'm exercising my
own right to point out that you have absolutely no idea what you are
talking about.

> If you are ashamed to be Polish and claim you a British, than you
> should not teach a Pole who is proud of his country, what is
Polish
> or what is not.

Any discussion with you is a total waste of time. It always starts
with people making fun of you, then getting bored with trying to
explain things to you which are obvious to anyone with more than 5
brain cells.

[polska_potega_swiatowa]

Obviously you are not capable of reading with understanding. We have
already established it is not about me, it is you who are making
fool of yourself, poor village girl posing as a British lady.
Ridiculous.

are you in a 3rd grade or something?

[jeanie_mccake]

Yes, whatever, I'm in 3rd grade at a rural Polish school and you're
a misunderstood genius rather than a pompous uninformed tit. Happy
now?

[Gość: Steve]

I know I should shut up really, but I just loved your description that "geniuses are often people mentally or in some way socially ill-adapted to normal life". (Thanks, Jeannie for signposting the web page.) However, geniuses usually do something unusual to separate them from us ordinary mortals. Criticising other people, rationally or irrationally, is a completely normal part of human activity. Its fun, sure, but you need to add something more. The great extremist politicians long ago beat you to your polemic. Better luck next time.

[polska_potega_swiatowa]

Sure, geniuses do "something unusuall to seperate them from you
ordinary people" as you rightly put it, but it is not required off
them to prove their genius on ...Gazeta Forums :) There are places
venues for that, this one is definitly not it.

One more point; why do you think people like Jeannie reacts so
agressively to self confident people like me? Maybe she is just
yealous that the a pretender like her, meets the real thing like
myself.. :)

[Gość: Steve]

Actually I wondered whether she was your accomplice: the standard American type comedy routine where the comedian on the stage has a plant in the audience to ensure a strong reaction from the rest of the audience. Whether intentionally or not, you made a good combination. Thanks to both of you.

[polska_potega_swiatowa]

Believe me I wouldn't want nothing to do with Jadzka, Jeanie or
whatever her name is. Actually it seems like you guys getting along
wonderfully, I would go as far as saying that there's a chemistry
between you two :)

[jonathan.oakley]

Too much sterotyping! Try some Zen:

The Barn has
burnt down
now I can see
the moon

Islamic Republic of Britain

[polska_potega_swiatowa]

jonathan.oakley napisał:

> Too much sterotyping! Try some Zen:
> The Barn has
> burnt down
> now I can see
> the moon

You are right let's ignore Britain, its way overrated.

By the way, do you believe that UK suppouse to change its name and
replace adjective "Great" with "Mediocre" or "Islamic" is the
best? :)

Advice for trolls

[Gość: zieeewam]

Robisz z siebie takiego samego idiote tu, co na innych forach.
If you want to provoke people, you have to say something shocking or
original, instead of just endlessly repeating the same thing. Are
you really so desperate for attention?

Anglo-Saxon countries are provokingly arrogant!!

[polska_potega_swiatowa]

Gość portalu: zieeewam napisał(a):

> Robisz z siebie takiego samego idiote tu, co na innych forach.

A co to znaczy byc "normalnym" wedlug Ciebie? Powtarzac to co jest
politycznie poprawne lub nakazuje jakas "wieksza sila" np; wiekszy
kraj???


> If you want to provoke people, you have to say something shocking
> or original, instead of just endlessly repeating the same thing.
> Are you really so desperate for attention?

No, I'm not going to pretend that British deserve to play leading
role in The world in terms of politics, finance and culture. All I'm
asking you is tu accept the fact that Great Britain meaning in the
world is 10000% percent larger than it really is.

For now it seem's like UK receives too much attention for NOTHING!
For example Shakespeare wrote average poetry and plays 500 years
ago, and it's treated like a 7th marvel of the world. Jan
Kochanowski i Mikolaj Rey wrote great poems and plays and the world
pretends it doesn't matter.

Hollywood makes movies and western historians write endlessly about
British Knights, in medieval times, instead about Polish Knights and
Hussaria although Poland was more powefull and had better victories
than British did.

Even today, Polish cities look way more impresive then British one,
but the Brits and Anglo-Saxons are just to conceited to admit that
Poland surpased Britain.

All I'm suggesting is that UK suppose to step back where they belong
instead of jumping in a front of line. Anglo-Saxons are not superior
and they DO NOT deserve all attention and credit they are given.

You want to speak about Britain on world media networks? OK, but it
should not be like 90% about Anglo-Saxon countries, 9% about Asia
and Arabs, and 0.1 about Poland :)

It is just like a Brit was doing same job as Pole, he was paid
1milion Euro a year, and Pole 20thousands Euro. I'm proposing that
countries ranting, credit and attention given was based on impartial
measures, it shouldn't be that Brits proclaim themselves "best in
the World and there's no discussion about that!"...? :)

[Gość: zieeeeeeeeeewam]

Who mentioned normality? I'm simply pointing out that you're boring
and repetitive, you don't know what you're talking about (you've
never been to Britain and you haven't lived in Poland for nearly 20
years) and nobody takes you seriously.
Other people have already told you this, but you're so determined to
make a fool of yourself that you just continue to repeat your
cliches and stereotypes.
Koniec tematu.

[polska_potega_swiatowa]

somehow your comment did not make impression on me... Besides who
are you to tell me what is right or wrong? Duh...

I respect people who are not afraid to speak the truth regardles how
politically incorect it might seem. For me Great Britain is way
overrated, you can go ahead and slavishly give your blind allegance
to your master England. Looser!

[Gość: Steve]

I (a Brit) agree with the views of both of you in these two messages.