Americans are stupid, fat, and impolite...I don't get it.

[MoNKeyYy]

So I just got back from a vacation in LA and I don't understand some of the stereotypes centred around Americans. I imagine most of us have heard these stereotypes, and I myself have been guilty of making them from time to time. But in the week I was there, I didn't see an abnormally high number of fat people. I didn't think anyone I talked to was stupid. Everyone seemed polite and there were few people who were especially inconsiderate. I didn't notice a higher number of any of those types of people in the US than anywhere else.

So are these stereotypes just untrue? Because I've known people who would swear that they are, and insist that every stereotype is accurate. Did I just have an unusually pleasant experience in the States or is are people in California just a breed apart from their countrymen? Please Escapists, enlighten me.

 

[Julianking93]

You must have fantastic luck, my friend.

Everyone here in my town is a fat fucking moron.

 

[TOTL_UNIALAYSHUN]

You probably just talked to a bunch of lying Canadian tourists. xD

 

[S-Unleashed]

Some of it is true, but not all.

 

[BlumiereBleck]

Well people world wide are fat, and Frnce is a very impolite place ya know. And we aren't the stupidest we have the what 2nd highest educational system?

 

[Sinclair Solutions]

No, most of them are true, but you have to remember that a stereotype is a generalization. Not everybody is going to be fat, loud, and obnoxious.

Plus, those stereotypes that other people think of Americans are usually those boisterous Texans and trailer trash. It's no wonder you did not see anybody of that kind in LA.

 

[Sacman]

it's because the stereotypes only applies when we're in other countries... I know it does to me...

 

[SnootyEnglishman]

As far as fat and stupid go there's a few people here. But in Ohio i have come across very polite people. So we have two out of the three.

 

[Joe Matsuda]

hmmmmmmm...that doesn't sound right at all...

are you sure it was America? L.A, California, America???

could it have been a dream? or you landed in Canada by mistake?

 

[Kapol]

Well, a lot of us are pretty good, but there are a lot of us who are fat, stupid, and impolite. But the majority of us aren't all of those things, or most of them for that matter. It's just that people tend to remember the ones who are fat, stupid, and impolite. Who are you going to remember, a person who holds a door open for you, or someone who calls you a stupid foreigner (just using it as an example, not trying to actually insult you)? Not to even take into consideration that the stupid and impolite are normally the loudest and most obnoxious most the time.

 

[Alakaizer]

People are just people, and stereotypes are bogus. In my D&D group, there's only one single guy, and none of us are virgins.

 

[Danglybits]

We're just like anyone else. The stereotype does walk and talk but it's not the whole population. That and you were in LA, go to a smaller city and things might change.

 

[MagicMouse]

Stereotypes, while sometimes very accurate do not work well on countries. As there are many different cultures and sub cultures in a single country, especially in America

And living in America I have never heard of LA being a particularly nice place as far as politeness. I always here people say that about the Midwest and the South.

 

[Peteron]

I am from the U.S., and I understand you completely. However, some areas are different than others. My town is full of well educated, and for the most part in shape people. However, I have been to NYC, and that is just about the opposite. It is where you live I suppose. Unlike many countries, the U.S.A is very diverse in different areas. Most countries are similar throughout, but there are different areas with different peoples. We have a lot of immigrants who chose to deny a proper education. The way I see it, we are a giant country full of different peoples, and theses stereotypes come from those groups of people that are mixed together.

 

[BreakfastMan]

I have never understood it either. I live in the states, and I have never seen an unusually high number of fat people, stupid people, or rude people (Full Disclosure: I live in Washington state). It could just be that I am used to it from living with it all my life, but I do not think that is the case.

 

[awsome117]

I rarely see fat people where I live, then again I live in a small town really.

Most of my friends are jackasses though, but only around each other.

Stupid... I think we(every human) are stupid in there own way so I guess that's true.

 

[Necrofudge]

Depends on the city. There are less fat stupid people as you go north and toward the west or east coast. The rudest and fattest people I've ever seen were around when I was in Houston and a flight got delayed.

 

[Rhiehn]

Stay out of the south and the midwest and most of these stereotypes won't be very true.

 

[numbersix1979]

I think it would help if you shared what your native land happened to be? I know there are in fact fat stupid impolite Americans, but there's also fat stupid impolite French, Italians, Polynesians and Chinese et cetera et cetera. There's also healthy, intelligent and polite Americans, Kenyans, Australians and Indians, and so on. Each and every country has people that fill every niche in the spectrum, and I know it's a lot of fun to participate in stereotypes like school-aged children whispering about how the older kids are all dumb and the girls/boys all smell. Everyone does it, we're hard-wired that way so we don't let are our guards down so the other tribe of Neanderthals across the hills don't have a chance to steal our prized bit of meat from the last hunt.

In closing, I'm American myself but haven't had the chance to be particularly international. However, I've spent a considerable amount of time among people with other cultures, and I think the bottom line is that while every culture has certain distinguishing characteristics that make it unique, we're also the same human animal at a base level. Infighting over which of us is stupider than the other isn't going to get us anywhere.

Btw, glad you had a good time in LA