Advice on how to deal with xenophobia?

[Macoleco]

I’ve been living in Japan for around 5 months already for my postgraduate studies.

The experience has been amazing so far. But unfortunately there are some xenophobic classmates in the laboratory.

This has been stressing me lately, although it is partially my fault, as I have been dedicating too much unnecessary thought to it. It is just that it is the first time in my life that I experience something like this.

I have met some very friendly Japanese, and they are what makes it worth it living here. But of course, the laboratory is where I research and spend a a lot of time there.

I decided to post this in Philosophy in case anyone wants to share some writings about a philosopher or philosophy.


Any advice is welcomed. Thank you.

[Objectivist]

I’ve been living in Japan for around 5 months already for my postgraduate studies.

The experience has been amazing so far. But unfortunately there are some xenophobic classmates in the laboratory.

This has been stressing me lately, although it is partially my fault, as I have been dedicating too much unnecessary thought to it. It is just that it is the first time in my life that I experience something like this.

I have met some very friendly Japanese, and they are what makes it worth it living here. But of course, the laboratory is where I research and spend a a lot of time there.

I decided to post this in Philosophy in case anyone wants to share some writings about a philosopher or philosophy.


Any advice is welcomed. Thank you.

It's hard to do and it takes time but you just have to get over caring what other people think of you, especially the concrete-bound, anti-conceptual mentalities that abound.  It's their problem and not yours.  Find some conceptual people to hand out with and forget about those others.

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

I’ve been living in Japan for around 5 months already for my postgraduate studies.

The experience has been amazing so far. But unfortunately there are some xenophobic classmates in the laboratory.

This has been stressing me lately, although it is partially my fault, as I have been dedicating too much unnecessary thought to it. It is just that it is the first time in my life that I experience something like this.

I have met some very friendly Japanese, and they are what makes it worth it living here. But of course, the laboratory is where I research and spend a a lot of time there.

I decided to post this in Philosophy in case anyone wants to share some writings about a philosopher or philosophy.


Any advice is welcomed. Thank you.

Talk about yourself as often as you can in a way that helps to dispel the xenophobic myths people have about you. 

I grew up in a heavily Protestant area of Northern Ireland. Coming from a Catholic family, I ran into a lot of bigotry. Cursing the Pope every so often helped.

Boru

[Macoleco]

I’ve been living in Japan for around 5 months already for my postgraduate studies.

The experience has been amazing so far. But unfortunately there are some xenophobic classmates in the laboratory.

This has been stressing me lately, although it is partially my fault, as I have been dedicating too much unnecessary thought to it. It is just that it is the first time in my life that I experience something like this.

I have met some very friendly Japanese, and they are what makes it worth it living here. But of course, the laboratory is where I research and spend a a lot of time there.

I decided to post this in Philosophy in case anyone wants to share some writings about a philosopher or philosophy.


Any advice is welcomed. Thank you.

It's hard to do and it takes time but you just have to get over caring what other people think of you, especially the concrete-bound, anti-conceptual mentalities that abound.  It's their problem and not yours.  Find some conceptual people to hand out with and forget about those others.

I’ve been trying. Sometimes I manage to, but then I get the memories back and start wondering the why if their behavior. I need to learn to stop thinking about why people act how they do.

But indeed not caring what they think or say is the best approach. Just need to learn to do it in real time lol

[Macoleco]

I’ve been living in Japan for around 5 months already for my postgraduate studies.

The experience has been amazing so far. But unfortunately there are some xenophobic classmates in the laboratory.

This has been stressing me lately, although it is partially my fault, as I have been dedicating too much unnecessary thought to it. It is just that it is the first time in my life that I experience something like this.

I have met some very friendly Japanese, and they are what makes it worth it living here. But of course, the laboratory is where I research and spend a a lot of time there.

I decided to post this in Philosophy in case anyone wants to share some writings about a philosopher or philosophy.


Any advice is welcomed. Thank you.

Talk about yourself as often as you can in a way that helps to dispel the xenophobic myths people have about you. 

I grew up in a heavily Protestant area of Northern Ireland. Coming from a Catholic family, I ran into a lot of bigotry. Cursing the Pope every so often helped.

Boru

I’d rather learn how to deal with it than trying to change their mind about me. Such a feat has proven impossible as I already tried and ended up burned

[Objectivist]

It's hard to do and it takes time but you just have to get over caring what other people think of you, especially the concrete-bound, anti-conceptual mentalities that abound.  It's their problem and not yours.  Find some conceptual people to hand out with and forget about those others.

I’ve been trying. Sometimes I manage to, but then I get the memories back and start wondering the why if their behavior. I need to learn to stop thinking about why people act how they do.

But indeed not caring what they think or say is the best approach. Just need to learn to do it in real time lol

Yeah, I know, it's a hard thing to do.  It's easier for me because I'm a sigma male.  It comes pretty much naturally to me but when I was younger, it was still hard.  

Xenophobia is a hallmark of a stunted conceptual faculty and it's self-inflicted many times.  So is racism.  Learn to identify it and it will be easier to not care.

[Jehanne]

A software developer I work with is finishing-up his undergraduate computer science degree and has an internship in Japan this spring. He's polite and witty; would you like to meet him? No guarantees, of course!

[arewethereyet]

I know that xenophobia specifically pertains to people from other countries but even moving around in the states has at times been a struggle.  You are the wrong religion, you don't have the same accent, you didn't go to school here...basically - You ain't from 'round here, are ya?  

I suppose with all the moving I have done in my life it just became a fact.  When living in SC, other women my age had friend groups that consisted of sisters, cousins, and other women they had known since kindergarten.  They were friendly enough when I attended ball games but they drew the line at anything outside of that.

It was also weird to be ostracized for being a Yankee.  I have a Southern mother and had a midwestern father, and was born in the south myself.  It was the accent (or lack thereof).  It's not easy to break into established groups.

[Macoleco]

You guys disappoint me

[arewethereyet]

You mean we didn't give you the answer you want?