Xenophobia is a fear or dislike of outsiders. Yet, there exists an opposite perspective called xenophilia. A xenophile is a person who is attracted by foreign things such as objects, people, styles or customs.
Do you feel excited when you make acquaintance with a foreigner? Have you ever invited a foreign guy to take part in a birthday party of another friend of yours? If yes, you are probably a xenophile. But don’t be ashamed, xenophilia is not totally negative. If you set foot in another country, and you are surrounded by the local people who are xenophiles, then you can be welcomed on the red carpet or even treated like king. In stark contrast, groups of religious, racial or sexual minorities have experienced marginalization and mistreatment in many regions in the world. Also, being a xenophile, you can drive pleasure from showing your kindness and hospitality, which contributes to your well- being.
In general, Vietnamese people are labelled as typical xenophiles. Nonetheless, when asked, most Vietnamese women said they don’t want to marry a foreign man, though a Western guy is desirable to be added in their friend/boyfriend list. Why it is the case? In social science, xenophiles don’t necessarily have affection for real foreign people, but they tend to fall for things that define or conceptualise that person. Their affection sometimes originates from an idea of a collective population which has been generalised. Most of the time, these generalising comments are based on subjective perceptions rather than facts or evidence.
The answer to the question what causes xenophila remains inconclusive. The compelling theory is that xenophilia is a response to one’s negative feelings about his or her background. If you was born in a poor or backward country, you are unconsciously prone to welcome those whose background is superior to yours.
References: https://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-xenophilia.html
Questions to ponder:
1. Do you think you are a xenophile or a xenophobe? What are the clues for being a xenophile?
2. For whom your chemistry is stronger? A Vietnamese guy/girl or a foreign guy/girl?
3. What are the benefits of xenophilia?
4. Why do people become xenophiles or xenophobes?
5. In Vietnamese context, xenophilia may create different problems in society. What are they? How to tackle these problems?
6. Foreign English teachers are paid much higher than Vietnamese counterparts. Is it fair? Does xenophilia involve? How to cope with this?
Prepared by: Ngo Huy Tu
Advance English club
Address: Nguyen Cong Tru Secondary School – No. 8 Nguyen Truong To, Hanoi
Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/AdvanceEnglishClub
