Great blog Tarazkp, it hit a lot of notes with me, as I'm English living in Asia and I have had judgement of cultures and people within Asia from the English perspective, and from people who have never even travelled to Asia, then within Asia, you have one Countries view of a neighbouring Country, and that can be based on history or government propaganda, never from actually knowing a person from that Country.
I had the shock of my life two years ago when I was giving a lecture to a Company in one Country within Asia and I was asked where I was traveling to next, when I told them, which we were only having a polite conversation in a break between the lecture, the director sitting near me in front of her staff came out with the most insulting comment as a description of the people from that Country.
Her view would have created an option with her staff, and no one in that room had visited the Country or even knew anyone from the Country, and the Country I going to visit, I know many people from that Country and have visited many times, and they are a breath of fresh air compared to many of the people in the Country I was giving the lecture.
After living in Asia for over 8 and a half years now, and having a lot of experience within both Countries, I would like to think I am qualified to make that judgment.
Well written and to the point, thank you for sharing your thoughts.
The same issues exist here and everywhere no doubt. Most people judge based on for limited or hearsay information and quickly embed it as truth. This is why it is so easy to unite people against a foreign enemy who have no experience with those people at all.