Idk, I can see where it gets the reputation, because a lot of people can't cook for shit, and as previously pointed out: things can be intentionally bland on spice with the intention of tasting the thing itself.Basically a bunch of retarded racists claimed that White people food (ya know, only the most popular and global cuisines on the planet) is bland and shitty.
Likely because the only 'White people food' they have been served was in a school for free or prison.
When made right, it's not bland.
But I can also see why someone who eats really strong spices all the time might be underwhelmed. A good steak, for example, doesn't have a lot of seasoning. The point is to taste the quality of meat, not the spices.
As for cuisine that is made with heavy spices to cover for the lack of quality (because of poorer areas and such,) that can be some of the best fucking food too, because they've gotta know how to work with very little. I tend to enjoy most ethnic foods I try. I like the different (and sometimes heavy,) spices. It's just different.
Poor people can be pretty damn good cooks. They've gotta cook to survive, and they've gotta make do with cheap stuff, so they learn to fix it up well.