The Off Topic Topic

[garbon]

Honestly (....) I've never had much bother with the famous Dutch bluntness.
But then I think I do sway that way a bit myself.

I do find Dutch "honesty" a bit too much some times

That was definitely a take away I had from my time in Europe.

Are Texans fake with their pretended friendliness all the time? Yes. Yes we are. We will pretend to like you even if we hate you. But do you know what? I am ok with that. Having to deal with people's honesty all the time is annoying.

The problem I find with the American way is that its just all surface. The real feelings aren't hidden in there.
With Brits or Japanese for instance it's be reasonably clear we are politely telling you to fuck off.

I'd disagree. If you are familiar with the English it is clear but those with incidental contact are bewildered by what English people mean. I still have to check what sort of fine my husband means when he says 'fine'.

[Maladict]

I'd disagree. If you are familiar with the English it is clear but those with incidental contact are bewildered by what English people mean. I still have to check what sort of fine my husband means when he says 'fine'.

So do I with my American wife 

[The Brain]

I'd disagree. If you are familiar with the English it is clear but those with incidental contact are bewildered by what English people mean. I still have to check what sort of fine my husband means when he says 'fine'.

So do I with my American wife 

How many wives do you have?

[Valmy]

The problem I find with the American way is that its just all surface. The real feelings aren't hidden in there.
With Brits or Japanese for instance it'll be reasonably clear we are politely telling you to fuck off.

Sure. It is just all surface. But I am fine with that.

But it isn't reasonably clear at all to people who are not from here. When I was in college many of my friends were Euros and I had to explain to them that all those people being nice to them actually weren't their friends.

[crazy canuck]

That was definitely a take away I had from my time in Europe.

Are Texans fake with their pretended friendliness all the time? Yes. Yes we are. We will pretend to like you even if we hate you. But do you know what? I am ok with that. Having to deal with people's honesty all the time is annoying.

Yeah Brits are dishonest/hide what they really feel. But I think that's worth it and is just politeness

I have a friend who did his PhD in the Netherlands and the "directness" almost destroyed him mentally. He had some horror stories and to British ears some just seem incredibly rude - and in some cases just an excuse to be racist.

You called to mind the time we were sitting in a restaurant with a Dutch friend who pointed at a woman with obvious and badly done plastic surgery and exclaimed in a loud voice, "Oh my God, look at the damage she has done to her face".  We recoiled and our friend said to us, "what? it's true!"

On one level I love her sincerity, but she could be a bit more polite.

[Threviel]

Did the woman hear it? I mean, I'm laughing at the botox trolls all the time, but not to their faces.

[Josquius]

Did the woman hear it? I mean, I'm laughing at the botox trolls all the time, but not to their faces.

Yeah, their Russian mafia husbands shouldn't be poked.

[Maladict]

You called to mind the time we were sitting in a restaurant with a Dutch friend who pointed at a woman with obvious and badly done plastic surgery and exclaimed in a loud voice, "Oh my God, look at the damage she has done to her face".  We recoiled and our friend said to us, "what? it's true!"

On one level I love her sincerity, but she could be a bit more polite.

It probably didn't raise any eyebrows.

[crazy canuck]

You called to mind the time we were sitting in a restaurant with a Dutch friend who pointed at a woman with obvious and badly done plastic surgery and exclaimed in a loud voice, "Oh my God, look at the damage she has done to her face".  We recoiled and our friend said to us, "what? it's true!"

On one level I love her sincerity, but she could be a bit more polite.

It probably didn't raise any eyebrows.

 

Did the woman hear it? I mean, I'm laughing at the botox trolls all the time, but not to their faces.

I don't know how she couldn't have. Unless she had work done to her ears too.