Rivalry. Petty or not? *bit rantish*

[Vanitas likes Bubbles]

So just a few minutes ago I was having a discussion with my friend on Facebook (yeah I know, sue me) and he was talking about coconuts. I asked a legitimate question and one of his friends went on about how Australians dont' even know what coconuts are.

And ofcoarse, them both being New Zealanders they must have some sort of grudge against someone that is Australian

This is how the conversation went on about

Friends status about coconuts:
Me: Legitimate question
Sir Douchenstein: oh dear, Australians.......next thing he might ask what's a coconut?- how will you explain that *insert friends name*?
Former friend: I do not no Bahahaha
Me: Bacon answer (because I just coulnt be bothered argueing with small minded people)

Peoples names were changed to protect the innocent and retarded.

So ofcoarse this might be blown right out of proportion.

Now I hate it when people generalise a population due to their geography. I really do. Now this kind of rivalry happens all the time between New Zealanders and Australians but I find it all idiotic. I know how you Americans feel now. All this bullshit rivalry for what, to cause conflict betweens friends, to tear apart diplomatic relations. *end rant*

Ahhhh.... I think I've calmed down now.

TL;DR: Read it please, it took me awhile to write and will only take a few minutes

So I ask you escapists, do you find all this petty rivalry a bit stupid. Share stories if you want.

Discuss, please.

Captcha: case closed...... no captcha, it is not.

 

[Vanitas likes Bubbles]

I'm Australian and Kiwi, I get shit from both
OT: My friend constantly tries to show me all his 3000 friends on Facebook that he never met as proof that he's more popular than me. Which I don't give a shit, but you can't get logic through to this retards brain.

I can honestly say none of my friends have done to me........ But I know a few friends that have thousands of "friends" that they havent even met.

But this friend of mine also points out the fact that some Kiwi football beat some Australian football team, and frankly I don't even give a shit about football.

 

[Vanitas likes Bubbles]

I think rivalries between countries can be quite nice.

Of course I am talking about the sort of rivalry that makes for a great game when the Netherlands play Germany in the football (soccer) world cup, not the kind that spawns legitimate hatred and war.

Poking a little fun on Facebook never hurt anybody.

(Well, I guess it did hurt all those people that committed suicide because they were bullied, but whatever...)

Obviously you havent seen the coversations between an Aussie and a Kiwi

Aussie: Did you see us beat you in that *insert sport here* game
Kiwi: Well you're a dumb arse because the country you come from sucks
Aussie: Well you fuck sheep..... hur gah durga

I don't mind little arguments, it's just stupid arguments like that, that piss me off.

 

[Vanitas likes Bubbles]

But... Who cares? They dont hurt anyone. I do that shit all the time. I still remember the Facebook feud that went on on my wall when Germany beat England 4-1... Glorious.

Anyway, bottom line was a week later everyone had forgotten about the whole thing.

As long as the dont literally bash their heads in I dont see the problem.

I just find it all a bit petty that's all.

Or maybe I'm the one being petty, I think I might need to sit down and think about it.

 

[Thaluikhain]

Well, yeah, it is "petty". It's small and unimportant because it's supposed to be.

 

[Vanitas likes Bubbles]

But... Who cares? They dont hurt anyone. I do that shit all the time. I still remember the Facebook feud that went on on my wall when Germany beat England 4-1... Glorious.

Anyway, bottom line was a week later everyone had forgotten about the whole thing.

As long as the dont literally bash their heads in I dont see the problem.

I just find it all a bit petty that's all.

Or maybe I'm the one being petty, I think I might need to sit down and think about it.

Yeah, you are the one being petty right now.

But I can see where you are coming from. Things like sports rivalries look very stupid when you dont like sports.

I just hate the whole, "my country is better then yours because I said so". I just need to sleep, that's all.

 

[Jonluw]

Uh, dude. Sounds like they were just joking.
This kind of sibling rivalry between states isn't uncommon. It's all just in good fun.
What's petty is you taking what they say at face value and actually getting angry about it.

I remember I was chatting with an Australian girl once. I made a couple of jokes about how in Australia everything wants to kill you, even the platypuses. She got mad and left the chat, not understanding that I was fooling around.

Whereas if I go "Hey, you know what separates Norwegians from monkeys? The Swedish border." (Joke involves a pun that's sort of hard to translate to English).
A Swede would be able to see that I'm joking around and retaliate with some witty banter of his own. He would understand that I'm not saying that stuff with malicious intent.

This comic pretty much revolves around the concept.
http://satwcomic.com/
It's not just Scandinavia. Australia and New zealand often make appearances as well. New zealand is portrayed as a sheep. Her boyfriend is Wales.

Spoiler

 

[dumbseizure]

One I don't like (to do with geographical stereotypes (in relation to generalisation on geographical location)) is when I go to America and someone says "YOUR AUSTRALIAN?!!?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!! PUT ANOTHER SHRIMP ON THE BARBIE"

1.What the F@#$ is a shrimp?
and
2. Why is it, that everywhere I go in America, at least 1 American has to say that?

OT: I think that arguments between countries on SOME subjects are stupid and petty.
Arguments on SOME OTHER topics on the other hand are deserved because the action taken by 1 country, or an argument within the country itself is stupid.

See for example, arguing with people from America about obama-care (or the lack of) and Australia's health insurance.

 

[Jonluw]

New zealand is portrayed as a sheep. Her boyfriend is Wales.

Laugh out fucking loud. No seriously, I really did. Thats hilarious.

Hey, Germany makes appearances as well.

Spoiler: Here is his first appearance.

Oh, and there are a couple of jokes that are comments on recent events or are sort of obscure. The artist explains what the joke is about at the end of each strip. Fun way to get some insight into Scandinavian culture.

 

[SckizoBoy]

I still remember the Facebook feud that went on on my wall when Germany beat England 4-1... Glorious.

Lemme guess, your English friends got their backs up over this (namely the non-goal) while your German friends were wondering when they'd get to play De Oranje... -_- Folks in the UK can't seem to get it into their heads that the Germans don't really care at all about the England/Germany football 'rivalry'.

OT: Anyway, this sounds less like a 'rivalry' per se and more a petty grudge that'll most likely blow over within a week once that post moves gradually down your list of updates before disappearing entirely.

And surely you've got better things to stress about...

 

[SckizoBoy]

New zealand is portrayed as a sheep. Her boyfriend is Wales.

Laugh out fucking loud. No seriously, I really did. Thats hilarious.

Hey, Germany makes appearances as well.

Spoiler: This one is funnier

How cute! X3

Spoiler: Head south for beer!

 

[Vanitas likes Bubbles]

Uh, dude. Sounds like they were just joking.
This kind of sibling rivalry between states isn't uncommon. It's all just in good fun.
What's petty is you taking what they say at face value and actually getting angry about it.

When someone insults my intelligence due to geographical location, then I pretty much take it as an insult on me. I don't give a shit if they were joking or not. Stereotyping someone I find unfunny and just plain lame. I used to do shit like this but then I just grew up and used better insults. If you wanna insult me, make an insult on my character rather then my nationality and stereotype.

None of this will be happening when I invent "the device".

 

[Jonluw]

Uh, dude. Sounds like they were just joking.
This kind of sibling rivalry between states isn't uncommon. It's all just in good fun.
What's petty is you taking what they say at face value and actually getting angry about it.

When someone insults my intelligence due to geographical location, then I pretty much take it as an insult on me. I don't give a shit if they were joking or not. Stereotyping someone I find unfunny and just plain lame. I used to do shit like this but then I just grew up and used better insults. If you wanna insult me, make an insult on my character rather then my nationality and stereotype.

None of this will be happening when I invent "the device".

Here's the thing though: They most likely weren't trying to insult you. Sounds to me like they were fooling around. Taking the shit. Making witty banter.

 

[Vanitas likes Bubbles]

Here's the thing though: They most likely weren't trying to insult you. Sounds to me like they were fooling around. Taking the shit. Making witty banter.

Did you even read my OP

He said: oh dear, Australians.......next thing he might ask what's a coconut?- how will you explain that *insert friends name*?

Therefore, he is insulted my intelligence (remember that we haven't even met). Infact he made me sound like an ape. You can pretty it up however you want but that is still insulting. You can call it "fooling around" but that is still insulting me. Alot of my friends could take that shit, but I will not allow it.

 

[IamQ]

"Hey, you know what separates Norwegians from monkeys? The Swedish border."

"A Swedish man sees a Norwegian man trying to fix his car on the road. He goes to the Norwegian man and asks what the problem is. He says that his turn signals aren't working and asks if the Swedish man could go into his car and turn them on for him to see if perhaps they work now. The Swedish Man goes into the car and turns on the turn signals and hears the Norwegian man saying "It works! No it's broke! It works! No it's broke!""

Your move Norway...!

 

[Jonluw]

Here's the thing though: They most likely weren't trying to insult you. Sounds to me like they were fooling around. Taking the shit. Making witty banter.

Did you even read my OP

He said: oh dear, Australians.......next thing he might ask what's a coconut?- how will you explain that *insert friends name*?

Therefore, he is insulted my intelligence (remember that we haven't even met). Infact he made me sound like an ape. You can pretty it up however you want but that is still insulting. You can call it "fooling around" but that is still insulting me. Alot of my friends could take that shit, but I will not allow it.

Well, that's an issue of you being oversensitive, then.
Those NZ'ers acted in a way that's perfectly acceptable in most social interactions. They aren't being dicks, you're the one who's not compatible with what the rest of society considers innocent joking around.

 

[Vanitas likes Bubbles]

Well, that's an issue of you being oversensitive, then.
Those NZ'ers acted in a way that's perfectly acceptable in most social interactions. They aren't being dicks, you're the one who's not compatible with what the rest of society considers innocent joking around.

Yes it is me being oversensitive. But does that give the right of some random I've never met to insult me, I think not.

 

[Jonluw]

"Hey, you know what separates Norwegians from monkeys? The Swedish border."

"A Swedish man sees a Norwegian man trying to fix his car on the road. He goes to the Norwegian man and asks what the problem is. He says that his turn signals aren't working and asks if the Swedish man could go into his car and turn them on for him to see if perhaps they work now. The Swedish Man goes into the car and turns on the turn signals and hears the Norwegian man saying "It works! No it's broke! It works! No it's broke!""

Your move Norway...!

A deaf Norwegian, a blind Dane and a wheelchair-bound Swede were walking - and rolling, respectively - along a path in the outskirts of town when they happened across a strange cave. The Norwegian decided he wanted to check the cave out and asked his friends to wait for him outside.
After a while, the Norwegian came running back out, saying a genie had appeared before him and granted him one wish. The Norwegian had made his wish, and the genie gave him his hearing back.
The blind Dane was very excited about this, so he went into the cave next.
After a few minutes he came running back out without his cane, kissing the earth in glee over being able to see again.
The Swede saw all this and was baffled. He figured he would have to try out this magic cave as well.
The Norwegian and Dane waited outside in excitement. For some reason, a strangely long time passed while the Swede was in the cave.
The two were just about to go looking for the Swede in the cave when they could see a man in a wheelchair appearing in the cave's opening.
It was the Swede rolling back out of the cave.
"Titta grabbar: Nya hjul!"

 

[Jonluw]

Well, that's an issue of you being oversensitive, then.
Those NZ'ers acted in a way that's perfectly acceptable in most social interactions. They aren't being dicks, you're the one who's not compatible with what the rest of society considers innocent joking around.

Yes it is me being oversensitive. But does that give the right of some random I've never met to insult me, I think not.

Yes it does. Because they weren't meaning to insult you.
You may not think they have the right to insult you, but they definitely have the right to make jokes that they assume you aren't going to find insulting.

 

[Vanitas likes Bubbles]

Well, that's an issue of you being oversensitive, then.
Those NZ'ers acted in a way that's perfectly acceptable in most social interactions. They aren't being dicks, you're the one who's not compatible with what the rest of society considers innocent joking around.

Yes it is me being oversensitive. But does that give the right of some random I've never met to insult me, I think not.

Yes it does. Because they weren't meaning to insult you.
You may not think they have the right to insult you, but they definitely have the right to make jokes that they assume you aren't going to find insulting.

Is that what humanity has been reduced to, a bunch of inconsiderate jackasses. I dont' mind it if a friend does it to me but when a random that doesnt even know me does it just pisses me off. The fact that all viewpoints are not considered I find just plain inconsiderate. What if I had been some mentally incapable person that was unable to recognise coconuts?