EDIT: Originally this was about positive stereotypes but I can see how it may sound limiting. So it’s now a foreigner Pakistani appreciation thread. If you are a foreigner what do you admire/like most about Pakistanis? If you are a Pakistani, what have your non Pakistanis friends said they like most? or personally what do you like most about Pakistan/Pakistanis?
I notice there is a thread on positive pakistanis and lots of threads on negative stereotypes. I couldn’t find a threadpositive stereotypes people have heard from others.
Here is a list of few stereotypes that i’ve come across. It is not extensive by any means. No intention to cause any offence.
Pakistanis have a great sense of music and wide variety of diverse songs and genres of music. Coke studio Pakistan is quite popular beyond Pakistan and there is appreciation for Pakistani singers.
Pakistani dramas are awesome especially the ones on Humtv such as humsafar, kankar, halka na lo etc My parents watch them every day along with their other tv serials. My dad when he meets Pakistanis asks them what tv serials they watch. If they don’t watch Pakistani serials he says they should. They like how they don’t drag on and have creative storylines. They often recommend it to friends and family. Pakistani stage dramas and comedies are also awesome and I hope many more get produced.
Pakistani products are of great quality especially cooking products. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t love shan masala or sweets from Karachi. These are more than just cooking products. They can help amateur cooks like myself make decent meals.
Food street Lahore is famous for its diverse products and the stereotype is Lahore is all things awesome. Lahore is known for it’s glamour and Karachi for it’s diversity.
Natural beauty which is often overlooked especially swat valley, northern areas and K2. I don’t know if i’ll ever get to go but my friend bought me a postcard once.
Generally from experience i’ve found Pakistanis to be quite warm, friendly and unassuming when i’ve met any in real life.
Not afraid to stand out. Also, i admire how Pakistanis generally are not shy of wearing traditional clothes like salwar kameez in west. Other desis tend to settle for western clothing. Nothing wrong in that. But i think it takes guts to stand out.
Great spirit during cricket games. One of my closest friends is Pakistani and i enjoy the banter we have during cricket games. At the end of the game I congratulate her when her team wins and she congratulates me. To be honest Pakistan has won more games when it comes to international tournaments.
Pakistanis are often quite resilient. We all know Pakistanis fall across a spectrum of views like all nationalities. Yet I feel outsiders whether desis or non desis are quick to generalise based on few examples in media. I can only admire that it takes great sense of character and resilience to correct media exaggerations. Personally, i would find it exhausting.
I’m going to get flak for this one but i’ll mention it anyway as it’s a well known positive stereotype. I’ve seen it mentioned here as well. The stereotype that Pakistanis are generally better looking than other desis. Beauty is subjective and some may get offended so no personal comment.
I feel like the media in the West emphasises too much on negatives about brown people in general but especially I feel Pakistanis are unfairly targeted. Many people in the West are not even aware of all the positive attributes that Pakistanis in general have. Or contributions in various fields. **So,personally, what other positive stereotypes about Pakistanis have you come across from other nationalities of people or even within? From other desis, arabs, white people etc. Do you think positive stereotypes like the ones above still generalise and can be offensive?Some may. What other things do you think foreigners should be aware of about Pakistan and it’s uniqueness that few know about?
**
I found this article. Kind of old. I found it interesting to read about how well known Pakistani truck art, handicrafts and Sindhi ajrak are. Not to mention Peshwari chappals and shawls.
Things Indians And Pakistanis Like About Each Other | Youth Ki Awaaz
By posting this from my perspective as someone who is Indian. I am in no way trying to minimise experiences people have or the history and issues that exist. Or say everyone is like me. Instead I am trying to highlight positive stereotypes that actually exist and that maybe few express. It’s easier to critique what we see as negative but harder to appreciate the positive which is what i wanted to do.
Re: How do you deal with stereotypes from foreigners? Can positive stereotypes offend
I think that even positive stereotypes can offend. The trouble with stereotypes, positive or otherwise, is that they are rather limiting and assume that everyone of a certain ethnic background/nationality is the same, and that can be offensive to people who do not fall within the stereotype.
Take, for instance, the stereotype that all Asians are extremely intelligent and medical professionals. I have a couple of Indian friends who do not work in anything remotely related to the medical field (one in fashion photography and the other in journalism) and they've commented that, while at uni, they found it irritating that everyone assumed they were going into the medical field and felt that this implied that Asians are not capable of doing anything else. They also stated that people assumed that they were not smart because they did not go into medicine "as expected," an assumption and expectation that people would not have if they were not Asian.
Re: How do you deal with stereotypes from foreigners? Can positive stereotypes offend
I think even positive stereotypes can offend. The problem with stereotypes, positive or otherwise, is that they are rather limiting and assume that everyone of a certain ethnic background/nationality is the same, and that can be offensive to people who do not fall within the stereotype.
Take, for instance, the stereotype that all Asians are extremely intelligent and medical professionals. I have a couple of Indian friends who do not work in anything remotely related to the medical field (one in fashion photography and the other in journalism) and they've commented that, while at uni, they found it irritating that everyone assumed they were going into the medical field and felt that this implied that Asians are not capable of doing anything else. They also stated that people assumed that they were not smart because they did not go into medicine "as expected," an assumption and expectation that people would not have if they were not Asian.
Thanks for the insight. I didn't think of it that way but you definitely are right. I appreciated your comments in the other thread. As someone of afghani background do you ever come across any stereotypes ? Afghanistan has some absolutely amazing shrines and monuments. Not to mention the mountainous landscape and the famous rugs.
I think stereotypes are often used as shortcuts and can be limiting. There are lot of things outsiders don't know about.
Re: How do you deal with stereotypes from foreigners? Can positive stereotypes offend
Thanks for the insight. I didn't think of it that way but you definitely are right. I appreciated your comments in the other thread. **As someone of afghani background do you ever come across any stereotypes ? Afghanistan has some absolutely amazing shrines and monuments. Not to mention the mountainous landscape and the famous rugs. **
I think stereotypes are often used as shortcuts and can be limiting. There are lot of things outsiders don't know about.
I've come across some stereotypes about Afghani women, particularly of the sensationalised variety that was splashed all over the news and other media post-9/11. I'm not terribly bothered by it though as most people simply repeat what they hear on the news, which in reference to Afghanistan is usually rather limited, and don't know any better. Personally, I think it's rather unfair to hold people accountable for things that they've never been exposed to and may not know.
Re: How do you deal with stereotypes from foreigners? Can positive stereotypes offend
I've run into both positive and negative stereotyping. Two examples are:
Positive - Before a doctor's appointment, I had some blood tests done as part of my annual checkup. When he saw that stuff like HIV and Hepatitis came out negative, he said that people like you shouldn't have to worry about that type of thing.
Negative - The only negative stereotyping I can think of is when people automatically assume that my wife wears burqa/niqab because I force her to.
Re: How do you deal with stereotypes from foreigners? Can positive stereotypes offend
I think that even positive stereotypes can offend. The trouble with stereotypes, positive or otherwise, is that they are rather limiting and assume that everyone of a certain ethnic background/nationality is the same, and that can be offensive to people who do not fall within the stereotype.
Take, for instance, the stereotype that all Asians are extremely intelligent and medical professionals. I have a couple of Indian friends who do not work in anything remotely related to the medical field (one in fashion photography and the other in journalism) and they've commented that, while at uni, they found it irritating that everyone assumed they were going into the medical field and felt that this implied that Asians are not capable of doing anything else. They also stated that people assumed that they were not smart because they did not go into medicine "as expected," an assumption and expectation that people would not have if they were not Asian.
Totally agree with you. While my career is in the medical field, both my siblings had to fight really hard to drift away from the norm. Stereotypes really hinder a community in my opinion.