While attending a fine-dining dinner with a colleague in the US, an NRI was met with a series of remarks that left them questioning the “bubble” some people live in. From being told that lasagna doesn’t exist in India to being asked if elections exist, the professional took to Reddit to share a recap of what they called a display of “confident ignorance.” The post has since sparked a conversation about the bizarre misconceptions some Americans hold regarding the world’s largest democracy and its modern lifestyle.
“You won’t get lasagna in India + other dinner table gems,” the Reddit user wrote, adding, “I recently attended a dinner where a colleague’s cousin (a textbook redneck) dropped a series of mind-boggling comments. I wanted to share them here to see if anyone else encounters this specific brand of confident ignorance.”
Also Read: Indian woman in US shares why Indian work experience ‘absolutely counts’ abroad: ‘It helped me land my first job’
The conversation took a bizarre turn when the man claimed, with complete sincerity, that one “won’t get lasagna in India,” apparently believing that 1.4 billion people are entirely cut off from global cuisine. This was followed by a baffling question about a “yellow animal” that Indians supposedly use for commuting.
The tone grew patronising as the American casually remarked that he didn’t mind immigrants “as long as they work,” a comment the NRI found ironically narrow-minded given his own professional success. The man further displayed his confusion by asking if it was even possible to “go to” India, leaving it unclear whether he questioned the traveller’s freedom or the country’s basic accessibility.
The “grand finale” came when the man asked if India even held elections. Recalling the conversation that followed, the NRI wrote, “‘Are there elections in India?” This is the third time I’ve heard this in the US (twice before from Uber drivers). I just looked at him and said, “Yes, which is why we have a Prime Minister and not a Supreme Leader or a King.” It is exhausting how some people here live in an absolute bubble regarding the rest of the world, especially when it comes to the world’s largest democracy.”
What did social media say?
The post prompted varied responses. While some showed understanding for the post, others argued.
An individual wrote, “LOL! You got the real illiterate comments. Mine have been ‘you speak English so well’, and I’m like ‘you too’. I’ve started giving it back to them, same comments. ‘So, can you like go back to India?’ – ‘Yeah, we’re not settlers’. The silence after my replies is like a drug to me now.” The OP responded, “LOOOL I love the replies. My barber once said, and I quote – ‘So, you’re from the rich side of India, right? Because your English is… I mean, if you hadn’t told, I wouldn’t have known. ‘Cause I know most Indians are unfortunate to live like they showed in that movie… Umm… I don’t remember the name… Umm… SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE’. And then ended with ‘Well, good for you’. I laughed it off, but now I have a great response. Thanks a lot! Those damn ‘poverty porns’ sigh.”
Also Read: ₹500 to ₹1000 me ho jata’”>Indian woman in US shocked after paying $250 for small leak repair: ‘India me ₹500 to ₹1000 me ho jata’
Another commented, “OP, you need to grow a backbone.” The OP replied, “What do you mean? How is this related to my spine?” The Reddit user responded back and posted, “These questions aren’t that bad, ignorance is not very uncommon anywhere, in fact, I’ve started to realise the more ignorant you are, the happier you’ll be. Also, my wife is white. When we visit India, the kind of questions she gets from Indian relatives are questions you can’t even imagine.”
The OP responded to the jab and replied, “You’re right. There’s nothing remarkably surprising about this. This happens in rural India, too. The average middle-class Indian is equally ignorant and uneducated about anything outside their small town and local community. Cultural isolation breeds the exact same bubble everywhere in the world. However, the point of the post is not to highlight the ignorance; it is to highlight the patronising tone. I am assuming that your Indian relatives may not be asking questions to your white wife in a patronising tone. Average middle-class Indians are generally quite humble when talking to unknown people – especially if they know that the other person is a well-educated person and has done quite well for themselves.”
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)
