Sorry but I had to post this because I'm a little bit shocked myself of how people think Africa really is!

One day I told my sister Hey my new friend is from Angola immediatly my sister replied- I bet she's poor and she moved here to live better and that she smells.
My thought was wow people are dumb! Could you imagine? My sister like the rest of my friends and family tought africa was ALL full of starving people and diseases.

Even my friend is ashemed of how the media portraits Africa.
Man my friend had her own house with a yard, she went to a private school and she had everything! She only moved to get better education.
That's why alot of people are racists because they think africa is full of desease and poverty but it ain't always like that...and I know what the effect does to people who move out of the African Continent, they are made fun of,people say they smell and that they are poor yet maybe the foreigner is the one who is richer.
My friend always says ''well I never saw a starving child, I'm so ashamed people think that way''. I have to admit my friend is from a medium class here (money) when there she was a high class.

Yeah probably there are starving communities but not ALL Africa is poor!
I'm so mad right now, because I know a lot of people who are racists and say well Africa is full of poverty thats why they can't evolve...they don't work or do anything its their fault!
Well its not their fault and Africa is not full of poverty everywhere like the media seems to say!

You make an excellent point here, thanks OP S&F!!!
It's pathetic, the preconceived notions that many of us have about other countries and people based purely on what the idiotbox is feeding us.
You also pointed out that many feel that Africans just "won't do anything for themselves" and other comments of that nature. What these people don't get is that much of Africa has been used and oppressed for centuries, many of it's natural resources gleaned by outsiders with no regard for the native populations.
As you made it a point to mention, there are many lovely places to live in Africa and that is the side of it that is virtually never witnessed by many of us.

Very sad, the divide between what most of Africa IS and what it COULD BE.

[edit on 17-9-2009 by mpriebe81]

Many are just uninformed. I'd guess that 75% of the US population has never been off the mainland.

Well , not everyone thinks that .
Just ignorant people no real knowledge of the world around them .
Just ignore them , their uneducated opinions aren't worth anything .

Well if she is from a high class area and was living nicely then I really doubt she would be in a position or a place to see the starvation.
There was a reason they had live aid in 85.
There arewealthy people there of course but there still is lots of starving people there as well...your friend just might have been lucky enough not to see that type of thing if she had money.
Ever see a ghetto in a rich neighbourhood?

[edit on 17-9-2009 by DrumsRfun]

That's why i don't listen to the media. Neither should you, unless if your a good little sheep.

Africa is a big place.

What one person thinks of as poor is what another thinks of as "just the norm" or "that people's lot."

Some of Africa has a limited middle class.

Some of what we precieve as poor is merely cultural and climate differences.

However, I doubt very much that most African families with money are taking their daughters to the ghettos.

...there are people in this country too, that live in big houses, and huge backyards. who have never been to a council estate, been to an old block of council flats, been inside and met the people. with single mums having 25 pounds to feed the kids for a week.

it's the same in all countys. just because you dont see it it doesnt means its not htere. there is a reson for the countless charitys working the the african countries.

there is huge amounts of famine. violence desiese and human rights abuse.

there ARE people living in huts, with spears, and tribes.

These things are probably not even shown to upper class African residents.

[edit on 17-9-2009 by MR BOB]

Who are you telling?
Yanks? Europeans?

Yeah. Africa has done so much to lead the world in economics, industrialism, education, finance, transportation, technology, and philosophy.

Oh yeah.

That's one fine example.

I think this topic title should be that not ALL Africa is poor. While Africa does face a lot of poverty rates- I would agree that people shouldn't really just- obfuscate the problem.

There are people who live well there what I'm trying to say is that most of the world thinks Africa is a continent of poor people and no one is living well there, they are wrong and sometimes this stereotype (if im allowed to say it) leads to discrimination and racism.
And yes I know there are people who have difficulties specially with food there but the media leads to think everything there is low quality and poor.

I want to go to Africa myself, because all the pictures I see in the media are of kids starving with flies in their eyes. I think most of the northern part of Earth dont have any clue what that continent is like in reality. But we think we do.

So yes, you are right. A flawed image of Africa is implanted into our minds.

Originally posted by Danna

That's why alot of people are racists because they think africa is full of desease and poverty but it ain't always like that...and I know what the effect does to people who move out of the African Continent, they are made fun of,people say they smell and that they are poor yet maybe the foreigner is the one who is richer.


Yeah probably there are starving communities but not ALL Africa is poor!
I'm so mad right now, because I know a lot of people who are racists and say well Africa is full of poverty thats why they can't evolve...they don't work or do anything its their fault!
Well its not their fault and Africa is not full of poverty everywhere like the media seems to say!

I have to respond to you. This is NOT why a lot of people are racists. Racism is deeply rooted in some people and manifests itself as hate. It has absolutely nothing to do with how the media portrays Africa. That is secondary to the point.

People have different reasons for being racist. Sometimes it is a "home grown" type of racism. Like, your dad, grandparents, someone from an older generation, teaches the children from a very young age to not like other people who may be different from them.

I think that your equation of

Africa + media distortion = racism

is flawed.

It's way more complicated than that.

Thank you for this post.

As a Portuguese I am ashamed of what we've done there.

How could such a small country like Portugal be responsible for the "beginning" of Africa's decay?

I do have family in Angola and many other African countries.

You may find rather "developed" countries in the African continent but the exceptions don't give you the correct idea.

I'm afraid you are mostly wrong and most of African countries are rather poor and need to receive help from countries that keep stealing their resources and maintain the war state.

Don't be fool, for most human race ignorance is bliss and like the ones denying the holocaust, let's pretend African countries are fine and people just need us to stay away from them.

I'm sorry, I understand your point of view but that's just the tip of the iceberg.