By: Denish Ghayal
I’m angry today. I mean really angry! I am sure many of you have found yourself sometimes on the internet just surfing. One of my favorite pass times is to go on Google and randomly search. Now, I’m not sure if you all know, but Google uses a special algorithm and has auto text when you begin your search. When you enter keywords in Google, the search engine refers to its database and displays all the results. The most relevant results are at the top of the list. So I decided that I would do some research on Indians (not Native Indians). So I began to search. I started to type in “why are Indians so…” and before I knew it, Google’s auto text began spitting out results based on their “highly sophisticated” algorithms. Just so you believe me, I’ve pasted below exactly what it displayed.
“Why are Indians so ugly?” Ok, deep breath. “Why are Indians so smart?”, “why are Indians afraid of dogs”, “Why are Indians vegetarian”, “why are Indians smelly?”, and the list goes on. Are all of these not stereotypes!? So is this what the Google system of algorithms are based on? Although the auto result “why are Indians alcoholics” is a huge stereotype, I believe it is directed towards Native Indians. If you don’t believe me, watch Dave Chappelle’s stand up on Native Indians (if he says it, it must be true. JK). So I did what any person normal person would do and clicked on the “why are Indians so ugly” link. I clicked on one of the related links and I saw a blog site with the following opinion.
Now, this was not the only post like it. There were many, many, and many…many more. I tried to look beyond the ignorance, and spelling mistakes, incorrect sentence structure, and lack of support for the claims being made, but could not figure out why or how people like this still exist. I mean, that post is still relatively new, dated 9/19/08. All opinions are not created equal and stereotypes like this will constantly remind us of how uneducated people really still are.
Now let’s talk about the second drop down before I snap. Although many Indians are smart, there are plenty who are just as dumb. I believe that the image of Indians being smart all began as Indians immigrated to the US with a work/education visa and had to work really hard to make it for family back at home and for themselves living in the US. If you haven’t already noticed, most Indians prefer to get a degree and get a job which doesn’t involve hard labor. The only way Indians could get anywhere in India was through school and facing intense competition, you had to be on top. Did I mention parents whooping their kids if they didn’t do well in school?
Let’s get to the good one. “Why are Indians smelly?” Now I would be lying if I told you I’ve never given off strong aroma of spices coming out of my house when I leave to hang with my pals, but I wouldn’t go as far as saying I’m smelly. Because if I was, that would mean I eat smelly food, which is a serious insult. This smell is a wonderful aroma and is exotic. Yes, I agree, the spices are quite strong and can clear out your sinuses even in the severest of colds, but this gives no one the right to call Indians “smelly”.
This all really makes me upset. It is alarming to see over 200,000 to 3,500,000 results relating to these stereotypes. I really don’t know what to say and don’t want to put a conclusion to this article, because, there really isn’t one. I just hope that if you’re reading this, you go and check it out for yourself and create a blogger username and fight back. Ok, you really don’t have to do that, but let’s start spreading some honest and good words around about ourselves. Maybe, just maybe, that algorithm will eventually change to result with topics like “why are Indians so frugal”, “why Indians are not involved with any type of professional sports”, or “how did Indians become power negotiators”, etc. These are the real issues that need to be addressed.
Well…I completely agree with your standpoint on these stereotypes. I have a friend whose roommate doesn’t let her cook Indian food because she is bothered by the “smell” of the food and the stains it might leave on her precious dishes. I think that’s terrible! Americans are so ignorant and ethnocentric…what about their obsession with eating pigs and that “smell”?!
Anyway, I actually just wanted to leave a comment about the term “Native Indians”…I try to refer to them as “Native Americans” as much as possible and correct people, usually educators, everywhere I go. These were the original Americans of this country so they are native to America, whereas Indians are native to India. Does that make sense? I really hate it when people call Native Americans “Indians” because it gets confusing and we shouldn’t continue using a term that originated from someone who couldn’t use a compass and was convinced he was right (Christopher Columbus).
Sorry, but I just had to say something.
woww this made me so angry denish! i just read this..people are so iggnorant.
and amira i totally agree on ur point of calling the first people here “Native Americans”..everyone always gets them confused with Indians in Asia.
I completely agree! Though all of these major stereotypes bother me, the “why are Indians so ugly?” and “why are Indians so smart?” questions anger me the most. Firstly, Indians are NOT ugly, and for any Indian who begins to think of themself this way, don’t, because you are beautiful. Darker skin and more hair than many of your Caucasian friends doesn’t mean thy you’re “ugly” by any means. In fact, what does the word “ugly” truly mean? Do we seriously think that we have the right to label people with such words?
Secondly, no one is born smart, like many people think. Those who work up to their potential are the ones who are considered “smart”, an those who don’t, get called “dumb”. On their level of intellectuality and comprehension, these “smart” people could be “dumb”, ad vice versa. It all depends on how hard you work and try to achieve your goals and to your best. Thus, not all Indians are “smart”-it’s just that many of us are brought up to work hard, and do well in school, and as we strive to get good grades, we are labeled as being “smart”.
I definitet agree with everyone’s comments, and had to grin at what Amira said about Christopher Columbus, because it is true. Not to say anything against Americans, but they have no right to say anything against India, let alone any other countries! I think in this country, many people are trapped in the mindset that this is the best country, and that we do everything the right way, so everyone should do the same. Though we do live in great conditions compared to other countries, we are definitely not the greatest, we shouldn’t go around telling others that they should do things re same as us. Many Americans feel that they were in this country, as well as world, before anyone else, and that they should recurve re most appreciation, wealth, and authority. Though they think like this, it’s not right, and everyone needs to stop stereotyping Indians, because we are much more than everyone thinks.
the reeason that google spits this out is because the process takes into account what THE MOST POPULAR KEYWORDS ARE FOR and then it spits out suggestions based on this. That way when you type in, for example, pizza, google will try to sugesst hut – as in pizza hut, since thats such a popular search.
S
so please dont worry; GOOGLE is not racist.
Amira you are right!!!!! I agree that Indians are not perfect…….but HEY!!! Who the hell in this world
is perfect????????? The others like Americans,Britishers,Pakistanis etc.have no right to insult us….
Get over it, I’m American and according to everyone in the world I’m an ignorant, fat NASCAR fan who wants to hang black people and bomb Iraq. It’s this type of uneducated generalization that keeps racial stereotypes alive and well in this modern world.
well see there are ugly people in every country of the world. i just think indian people have bad,selfish,stubborn attitudes that’s why they’re labeled ugly or not very desirable!
I know. Why do people have problems with indians? Lets make a list of american problems now:
why do americans sweat?
Why do they party too much?
Why do they use really bad words?
Why do they say we’re mean? Parents beat indians sometimes for getting a b so thats why we get As.
Why are americans obseesed with cell phones?
why do they skip school for rock bands? Wnd they call us dumb!
There
To you americans who are racist. White isnt the best color in the world okay? And why do you go to church every sunday? Religion right? Same with the vegetarian.
But i appreciate those americans who dont judge by skin color. You guys are equally smart we just work our butts off and do all homework and we are vegetatian because of religion. Thank you.