Cyprus-Forum.com

[Issy1956]

Cypezokyli-I would like to read the contents of your links-but I dont speak Greek!
As a general point I note that there are not many GC on line papers that have English editions. In interest of trying to see it from their point of view I would love to read them. Failing that I will have to learn Greek.

[cypezokyli]

hi issy i am sorry.
the reason i chose the specific newspaper is because in general cypriots consider sources that dont agree with their view as "biased". so in order to make my point i had to post phileleftheros.
even though it took a while , but i was sure i read it somewhere.

anyway the research is one years old.
its quitelong so i will not translate all the findings. in general what the research found out is that the average gc student , in general
-wouldnt choose to emply a foreign workers. if he had to he would start from west europe , east europe , far east ...in that order
-isnot sure if you would marry someone black or someone believing in another religion
- believes that the greek race and the orthodox religion are the most superior in the world (with that you didnot need a study, just take a look in here )
- believes that foreign workers effect us negatively
- wouldnt want to have a mosque or a boudist temple in his region
- shows an understanding to humanitarian issues.

one , interesting question that i believe is worth translating was if they consider themselves racists. thats always a funny question bc the whole attitude is already expressed , but still.... 46% said no , 13% said yes and the rest placed themselves somewhere in the middle

...
i tried to find the report of the "wise" that suggested educational reform on the net , but somehow i couldnot find it. there are only some articles here and there but the research itself i was not able to find. their remarks were also interesting.

[miltiades]

cypezokily , I have read the Phil.report you posted . It doesnt tell us anything that most of us do not already know and understand , that race selection , I do not use the word "racism" purely because its a a description that
has many interpretations and is open to abusive usage , The entire human race since the beginning has been selective in all fields of human interaction.The ancient Greeks , the Romans all selected.
The fact that the majority of Cypriot youth would prefer to interact with Europeans rather than not Europeans is a perfectly natural inclination . The selection of cultures and race have been with us from the start, we will never eradicate these perfectly natural tendencies to select a spouse from your own" tribe " to employ a European house help instead of non-European , to learn Europian languages rather than not European.I do not see Cypriots as "racists " but as eclectic .I think that in years to come the word "racism" will change to a new word that better describes the basis of selecting from one race or another , this word would be , I think "culturism" .I hope that the Cypriots in their drive to eradicate the perceived "racism" do not , like the UK , introduce stupid laws that have become so hilariously funny , ie BA BA BLACKSHIP , BLACKBOARD , COLOURED , GOLLY WOG and so on.

[Issy1956]

Hi cypezokyli- thank you for the explanation.

[cypezokyli]

cypezokily , I have read the Phil.report you posted . It doesnt tell us anything that most of us do not already know and understand , that race selection , I do not use the word "racism" purely because its a a description that
has many interpretations and is open to abusive usage , The entire human race since the beginning has been selective in all fields of human interaction.The ancient Greeks , the Romans all selected.
The fact that the majority of Cypriot youth would prefer to interact with Europeans rather than not Europeans is a perfectly natural inclination . The selection of cultures and race have been with us from the start, we will never eradicate these perfectly natural tendencies to select a spouse from your own" tribe " to employ a European house help instead of non-European , to learn Europian languages rather than not European.I do not see Cypriots as "racists " but as eclectic .I think that in years to come the word "racism" will change to a new word that better describes the basis of selecting from one race or another , this word would be , I think "culturism" .I hope that the Cypriots in their drive to eradicate the perceived "racism" do not , like the UK , introduce stupid laws that have become so hilariously funny , ie BA BA BLACKSHIP , BLACKBOARD , COLOURED , GOLLY WOG and so on.

are you sure that we all knew ?
i was under the impression that everything was ok , and pefectly fine. when even phil , argues that half of our children have xenophobic tendencies. its just a matter of what you feel when you read such research. you can either get terrified , like me , or sit down in your couch and say : enen tipote re koumpare , en maskaralikia touta. ratsistes mishimou. fonaxe tou mavri na mas ferei kanena anapsyktiko. (now that i am writing that , did you realise that a number of mastroi (bosses) change the names of their employees to something greek ? they do not even bother to learn their names , they just give them a new one!!!


this eclectisism is an excuse imo.
i was reading a book in the summer , it was a study done with greek teachers. (i ll post the exact title later on) . the study admitted that it was done after the crisis with fyrom , and that could have been a source of error (i.e. higher nationalist tendencies).
but in short the greek teachers (they who teach the children) felt inferior towards the west europeans , felt close to the italians , and felt superior to turks albanians and slavs. (they also feel inferior in comparison to ancient greeks) . that explains their usual reaction to what they consider inferior - when we had civilazation you were in the caves ...as if anybody cares

they also denied any cultural influence from the turks , and the balkan people!!! no influence as if there was no 400 years of interaction!!
again they believed that foreigners increased unempoyment and crime when there was no study ever proving that.

in short this is not ecletisism . its clasification of the kind : better or worse race. and even worse the criteria that are used for that better or worse are usually economic. these things are not natural. these things are learned. they are stereotypes that are put into our head.

and these are racist tendencies. if you read the second article you get a clear definiiton of what racism is. when we dont dress in white and brun crosses , that means we avoid the extreme forms of racism , but that doesnot mean we are racists. rasism can be expressed with non-violent methods as well

and the first step if we want to ever change sth , is to at least recognize it.
i am glad that you have also recognised it miltiades

[miltiades]

cypezokily , a very interesting reply and one that requires a comprehensive reply , however one always runs the risk of being mis understood and classed as a racist. Let me just put my cards on the table , and state categorically that Im a "culturist "and have been one for more than 30 years during which period , certainly in the UK , but also in most European nations multi culture societies were praised and elevated while the native cultures were denigrated.Well look at any serious newspaper in the UK now, you will quickly see that the multi cultural philosophy is no longer considered the ideal social structure that the indigenous populance at large were encouraged to accept and unconditionally respect. The danger here is that the "racist " label is ready to pounce and adhere on your person. So what is the difference. "Culturism " is a perfectly natural human response . there are cultures that although perfectly normal for the devotees , it is in contradiction to our cultures.There are numerous examples of cultures that have slipped into Europe utterly obnoxious and unacceptable to the vast majority of the indigenous population.
Back to Cyprus now and your comments re: MAVRIS , and the name change by their employer. Well I was born in a village in Pahos and every single member of the community was called not by his name but by a nickname. In the UK MOST cypriots also have a nickname, I know of one that because of his hard labours he is called" O GAROS" What is wrong by calling a redhead O KOTSINOS , or Chinaman O KINEZOS , O ROSSOS etc etc.
So mavris is no more a racist remark than GreasyGreek as I was called when first came to the UK.

Classification , choice with whom you tie the knot with , choice where to reside , with whom you share a drink or two , choice of who you employ , and befriend are all part of the fibre of every human . This is not a racist philosophy , and neither are the Cypriot youth who show preferences towards individuals with whom the culture syndrome does not clash.
Finaly can I just correct your last comment quote" im glad that you have also recognised it, "
In all my years visiting Cyprus , I have never experienced racism to a level that it would cause me offence. my foreign English wife who at times spent months on end with our daughter in Cyprus also never experienced racism.
A lot of Anglo Greeks have complained that the locals look down on them. I have never come across this attitude , when in Cyprus I do as the Cypriots do , it works fine for me.

[RichardB]

I agree with Miltiades comments. I am usually refered to as O Anglaisos especially in my wifes village, Lemythou. (where i am sure even after 27 years they dont know my Christian name.) I certainly dont take offence. Also agree with his sentiments 'When in Cyprus do......

[Antreis]

I agree with Miltiades comments. I am usually refered to as O Anglaisos especially in my wifes village, Lemythou. (where i am sure even after 27 years they dont know my Christian name.) I certainly dont take offence. Also agree with his sentiments 'When in Cyprus do......

I know a lot of people called O Englezos or o Germanos or anything else for that matter and it is not an offence.Actually i knew an English person for over 20 years and i found out that his name was Ken on the day of his funeral!!!!

[Sotos]

Is it me or is it lately Cypriots and Greeks are accepting turks? Have they forgotten what they did to us for centuries? Not only to us but to many other nations. I cannot stand these people

We always accepted Turkish Cypriots. What we don't accept and we will not accept is the Turkish army in Cyprus

[cypezokyli]

turkish cypriots are still turks. You dont even know the things they say about the Cypriots on some websites. They are the minority and think Cyprus is turkish. They should all be shipped back to turkey.
I cannot stand turks or turkish cypriots they are the same to me.
They are barbarians. If you would read history and see what they have done you wouldnt accept them so easily.

Is it me or is it lately Cypriots and Greeks are accepting turks? Have they forgotten what they did to us for centuries? Not only to us but to many other nations. I cannot stand these people

its sad that you are prooving the title of this thread.
its just so sad