# How are Indians viewed (in the UK)



## saurabh.the.expat (Jan 12, 2010)

Hello folks!

Having gone through and liked the thread _ How are Americans viewed_, I am wanting to know what about Indians?

Please feel free as per your true views.

Best Regards,
Saurabh


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## voltron (Aug 19, 2010)

Hi,

its a hard question to answer honestly (ie how the average person NOT ME views indians) without getting some idiot accuse me of steriotyping and racism... Unfortunately a question like that can only be answered by describing the reaction to the steriotype.. 

now that sounds bad, like your in for a rough ride, but you are not. the uk is a very very multicultural society and im sure you will have no problems.. perhaps the only issue is the fact that Indians tend to gravitate together, thus reducing our contact with other groups.


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## saurabh.the.expat (Jan 12, 2010)

voltron said:


> Hi,
> 
> its a hard question to answer honestly (ie how the average person NOT ME views indians) without getting some idiot accuse me of steriotyping and racism... Unfortunately a question like that can only be answered by describing the reaction to the steriotype..
> 
> now that sounds bad, like your in for a rough ride, but you are not. the uk is a very very multicultural society and im sure you will have no problems.. perhaps the only issue is the fact that Indians tend to gravitate together, thus reducing our contact with other groups.


Thank you, Voltron for your post 

Regards,
Saurabh


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

saurabh.the.expat said:


> Hello folks!
> 
> Having gone through and liked the thread _ How are Americans viewed_, I am wanting to know what about Indians?
> 
> Please feel free as per your true views.


Your biggest problem, esp in the more urban parts of UK, is to be confused (or lumped together) with other 'Asians' (generic word for brown-skinned people from Asia, but esp from the Subcontinent), who may have a poorer reputation. Currently Pakistanis and Muslim Asians generally are villified by the far right (e.g. British National Party and its sympathisers) for their supposed links to terrorism and Islamisation of Britain. On the whole, Indians are better regarded by the white community, because they are better integrated into society (e.g. many are in the professions, esp doctors and dentists), their religious and cultural background, predominantly Hindu and Sikh, is more inclusive and generally have moved into the middle classes in terms of social and economic standing. Like eveything else, how you are treated by others depends largely on how you conduct yourself. If you are friendly, polite etc, chances are it will be reciprocated, and vice versa.
In more rural parts and areas with small ethnic population, racism shouldn't be an issue (regardless of what an individual may think privately), but you may come across ignorance, novelty value and paternalism, but little ill intent.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

saurabh.the.expat said:


> Hello folks!
> 
> Having gone through and liked the thread _ How are Americans viewed_, I am wanting to know what about Indians?
> 
> ...


I think it depends where you go. There are alot of areas where Indian/asians live and have all but "taken over" in the eyes of the average Brit, so altho they're pleasant enough and cause no trouble there is a feeling of resentment - You often hear "they come over here, take our jobs, our houses, our NHS...blah, blah..." - Totally wrong in my opinion, they need to look at some of Brit natives (chavs) who do just that, from what I've seen foreigners who go the Britain work are prepared to work hard and not complain!! , but nonetheless there is that mentality in some parts with some people! You also have to remember that some British towns have been home to Indian/asian people for a couple of generations now, so those towns are just a mix n match of all nationalities! - mixing pot and that can only become more diluted with time!

Where I used to live, there werent many Indians/foreigners, altho I knew a couple. One a GP/Doctor who was lovely, I'm still in touch with him now and a nicer man you'll not meet. His best friend was from Pakistan, another GP and they used to tease and ridicule each other all the time, but were both great people, kind, fun to be with and worked hard. So I think mostly, the attitude in my old town was simply "live and let live" if someones nice, then it doesnt matter where they come from. I pretty sure most people felt that way and racism was something that didnt enter anyones thoughts!!


Jo xxx


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## voltron (Aug 19, 2010)

On the subject of Racism... My Indian friend has said he has got much more issues from the local pakistani Muslim community for living close and being a Hindu than he has ever had off of a white person.. Just remember that racism isnt always a white person picking on other people as the press would have you believe!!


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## once a jolly swagman (Jan 3, 2008)

I think very much the problems arise when the locals have settled into a routine where they may be able to do better but just want to be "ok". The in come expats...who are motivated very differently and are very much frontier I guess, but usually with backup...going to places where like people live and merging into the village concept network and finding a spot them working on it. Money is often available and banks also give preferential rates to some races who's communities they know will keep them honest and paying the bills. The routine is broken and peace shattered, a few wolves are following us, we need to gear up to fight them, hell now there's so many all we can do is hate them because we really are not driven to their level of success and achievement and nor do we have the ability, network, cash, wish to do better than just enjoy life as it is. 

These expats provide competition which affects the social network but then that empowers them, they get Kudos and money, they buy goods at prices the other's cannot. Indians are one of the hated races for coming over and being successful where greater success is not the goal of the indigenous.They resent the foreign language signs and foodstuffs as reminders that things have changed. They feel excluded and when they try to be included it is a facade. It's very understandable...

It's not my country any more" one hears. It's a most serious issue governments of all manifestos ignore because the more preoccupied citizens are the more change can be secretly pushed through the parliament and as well, wooing community leaders DOES have an effect especially on new expats in controlling voting. 

Yes Indians, like Arabs see the huge opportunities we do not but they also have family village concepts we have long capitulatedto the TV companies. We could follow them in their ways but we resent that and as well our culture is too different, we want to be empowered individuals and earn a living without great stress. We don't only not want to take every advantage available but more, we want that advantage left where it is, we don't want soe "barbarian" to arrive and nest on it. 

The Indian culture is very different...opportunity abounds in their mind when they travel overseas and they have the way of cheaply cooking and eating we generaly do not. The Indian power culture I think can be quite justly despised but nothing excuses abuse or violence. 


It also shouldn't all be up to us. Governments advance through "multiculturism" but most citizens do not. We should mke "ethnic education" a priority and enjoy providing education. 

Over a hundred years ago Indians were brough to Sth Africa so as to work in the mines. At the end the Government knew the Indians wuld settle o they rouded up all they could and shipped them back home. ...ignored the protests..yet in Durban just as one example..whites are struggling to compete. All that happens on earth is for two reasons...profit and politial change. If its iNdians V Fiji or Africa or France....pas de problem so long as the plot is heading in the same direction as wanted by the US Central banking magnates. 

If we take control of our governments and demand they educate us all in assimilation, the costs, our rights and the expat rights and themselves step away from alien controllers then we and the expats can survive but when cleverdick cultures actually want power and often the advantage of going deaf to our complaints, being blind to the cultural change and mastering guilt._ Voila_


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

Wherever you go in the world, whatever your culture or ethnic background, you are going to be hated and ridiculed by some, whereas others will offer you the hand of friendship. that is the way it is not all humans are nice humans.


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## mrtutz (Oct 14, 2010)

You will do OK in the UK, be prepared for a pretty major culture shock! This country has its faults and flaws, but where I live at least, we welcome hard working individuals of any nationality or creed. I cant really say the same for other areas of the UK.


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## once a jolly swagman (Jan 3, 2008)

Fair comment from the senior Mod but it's not so simple as that for rectification of the situation



In my letter I went through some human emotions because in recogniiton of why we do something and why people attract criticsm, and I do it purposely quite often. I give people an oppportunity to change. What's normal in my village which assists me to find a niche in a city may well deform not reform that city. Breeding vast numbers of people with high intelligence, the self confidence which comes from surviving and hard work and adding that to excellent education which some few access in India or from India (as we are speaking of India) sees them wanting to access the wealth and opportunity outside of India, though several expat Indians I meet often have said over the last 25 years that they would be better off in India...that's true but they give little credit automatically to the place which gave them succour over the previous 35 years. The other side of the coin is that the presence of foreign culture when not in its place of origin brings fear to many and one of my truisms is that what you fear you cannot love. You may do the things best for your survival even have confused emotions but you cannot love what you fear. 

This is the basis of the sociological side of the reforming of the world by the reptiles...fear and debt and when engaged in fear and debt people are in bulk ready for a saviour. When one feels disempowered in their country of birth people typically strike out at the obvious and look around and see which nationalities keep popping up in their toll booths, petrol stations, education systems, computer shops, taxis, hospitals, public service for example . They get frustated by the narrow mindedness of "people with accents" who seem to man government and institutions' phones and seem to be displacing their own people on railway stations for exampe. One can be nice to those men and women yet dread the change of landscape. Once this was less significant though India has a long history of commercial colonisation probably risen sharply since it was in part colonised by Britain under which they could examine the weakness and strength and operating methodology of "the west". 




When we see injustice perpetrated on Indians, as this is the specific aspect of the poster, every time we care for them we are thwarting in minute aspect, the New Order, we are taking control of our lives. At the same time anyone who realises they are targetted as a race or religion would be wise to say "why" and do self examination or f not capable of it ask the indigenous locals why they are so despised and then to moderate those aspects of behaviour. The only alternative ultimately is to become. "metaphorically" an island on which the Indians group and try to resist and ignore the natives and the cycle of action and reacton escalate. 



Are we "not nice" to despise their practices? and can one separate the man from his deeds when that man is committed to his deeds? Should we just permit the carbonated conquest in its various forms from alien countries? why should we submit to globalisation and its profit driven practices? How is niceness and nastiness judged when neither is effective?

The question of the Indian immigrant is merely the doorway to a much wider longer and deeper set of issues of "my country"


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

Please keep to the topic being discussed..


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## saurabh.the.expat (Jan 12, 2010)

jojo said:


> I think it depends where you go. There are alot of areas where Indian/asians live and have all but "taken over" in the eyes of the average Brit, so altho they're pleasant enough and cause no trouble there is a feeling of resentment - You often hear "they come over here, take our jobs, our houses, our NHS...blah, blah..." - Totally wrong in my opinion, they need to look at some of Brit natives (chavs) who do just that, from what I've seen foreigners who go the Britain work are prepared to work hard and not complain!! , but nonetheless there is that mentality in some parts with some people! You also have to remember that some British towns have been home to Indian/asian people for a couple of generations now, so those towns are just a mix n match of all nationalities! - mixing pot and that can only become more diluted with time!
> 
> Where I used to live, there werent many Indians/foreigners, altho I knew a couple. One a GP/Doctor who was lovely, I'm still in touch with him now and a nicer man you'll not meet. His best friend was from Pakistan, another GP and they used to tease and ridicule each other all the time, but were both great people, kind, fun to be with and worked hard. So I think mostly, the attitude in my old town was simply "live and let live" if someones nice, then it doesnt matter where they come from. I pretty sure most people felt that way and racism was something that didnt enter anyones thoughts!!
> 
> ...


 I would say @What a Nice [email protected] even if I were not an Indian :clap2:


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## once a jolly swagman (Jan 3, 2008)

Maybe if all you people know so much you could answer all the questions yourselves..and in the way that makes you feel better than you like to perceive my responses. .That doesn't happen perhaps because you don't see the connections that make things happen in this world but chopping up my letters will not change the facts even if it makes my letter more palatable in your view. The things you get tushy about might well be things other people might find draws them to learn more eve if it is to confront me.

The courteous thing to do would be to discuss an issue you have a problem with to see if you are misinterpreting it but I see already tonight that that's not the way here.... it's much easier and feels more potent to accuse someone of something and strike them than to understand what's being said. I have no obsessive need to help people here, I do it amidst a massive work load and in a manner which an intellectual would recognise as offering discussion points through muse. You'll bevery satisfied and pleased to know I really don't care anymore. Voila


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