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

[Mariakitten]

In New England people are very polite, well educated, and not fat. Stereotypes are wrong.

 

[Jewrean]

I hate defending my country, but I think I'll have to. It's not that America matters more, it's just that it's such a large country. On some online games they show where people are, Halo 3 has a map. Look at where the people are. There are two major areas, America and Europe. As a whole, Europe beats America, but as individual countries they just can't match up.

Right there you've just proven my point. The fact that America is NOT the majority of players in the world (even though it's quite a few) doesn't mean you should assume every player you meet is from your own country. You start by saying your country, then your specific location. Anything other than that is simply being ignorant.

Due to the programs that match people up on online games Americans get matched up mostly with Americans. What's wrong with them assuming they'll be matched up with an American?

Because they don't? Because of the software's biased design, I am forced to play with Americans (or anyone outside my own country for that matter). I can't tell you how many times people have started by saying what American state they are from (like that means anything to me).

I know this is getting long, but bear with me. It's about relevance as well. I think people in other counties should know New York City and other major cities. Just as I know Moscow, St. Petersburg, London, Tokyo, Paris, Mexico City etc...

But most of the time they talk about what state they are from (and there's like 50). If I asked you what Australian city was located in the ACT state would you know the answer without Googling? And don't you dare say the city is irrelevant or not popular enough because that would make you a hypocrite.

Globally these cities are relevant. So if you know you'll be playing or talking with people from all over the world then, yes, Americans should stick with saying they're from America or a large relevant city as I do on the escapist.

Saying your from America is fine in-fact that's what I want people to say! What infuriates us 'foreigners' is if you ONLY put what state your from. Being specific is fine when you actually know everyone in the forum or particular gaming lobby is local (in your country). However if you're describing your location to a stranger then you need to start with your country. Starting with your state to a stranger is stupid.

Edit: I just looked up your state(?). It really wouldn't be fair to people to say your state name. It's roughly the same population as Colorado(cool!) and it also has a fairly common name. Victoria is also the capital of British Columbia, Canada as well as other things. So you can't really be surprise if people don't know what it is. Just saying.

That's quite arrogant. I know very little of American states and couldn't care less of them. I know a lot about my own state seeming as I live here with bias. By saying "people should know about major cities and states" and then saying my state isn't important enough is hypocritical. Either saying ALL states (regardless of country of territory) is fine, or none is. Make up your mind! If I'm not allowed to say Victoria then you're not allowed to say Colorado (which by the way I know very little of). How is me saying my state unfair and you saying yours fair? Why do you assume the entire world knows about Colorado?

 

[Marik2]

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.

America is a huge place and it all depends when you go really. Those stereotypes can have truth in some states but not in other states. Saying that EVERY american fits that stereotype is a really dumb generalization. (Not saying your dumb)

 

[Vrach]

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?

I'd be really scared if that was the case... my cousin went to a town near New Orleans as an exchange student and her assessment of your high school education was scary to say the least.

I'm not in the habit of labeling people by stereotypes, but it's two different things between perception of the country as a whole and the individuals within it.

 

[Blackality]

I've never had problems with americans on online games though, despite the fact that they always answer the question "Where are you from" with the name of the state or city.

Why wouldn't they? If they think you're from America then they'll assume that you know where North Dakota or Phoenix is. I'm sure I'm guilty of saying I'm from Colorado to foreigners.

That's not really a problem, after all, the USA is a big place.
To tell the truth I'm not a genius when it comes to USA geography, I recognize the names but I rarely can fit them in my mental map. It's normal I guess since I'm European.
But when they answer with names of small cities, that's just insane, it's like it is my obligation to know everything about their mighty country.

It's like you asked me where I'm from and I said "Alta Extremadura".
What does it mean to you? Nothing.

 

[Duragorr]

Are all blonds stupid? Do all black people have big lips, like watermelon and chicken? Are all Jewish people penny-pinchers? Do all English people have horrible teeth? Are all Muslims terrorists waiting to kill people? The answer to all these are No, of course not. Stereo types are usually made by small minded people who don't want to see past what they don't like about someone else. All those stereotypes can be found and applied to every type of nationality, race, and religion. There is a large spectrum of people and we are all on it no matter what we are.

 

[open trap]

The fat part i dont get, but when you get to know people you see there true stupidity and douchbagness, i loath most of those who live in my town, but not every one is bad, and when you go to a city there might be a bit more intelligent people who are nice.

 

[Malyc]

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.

I'd actually expect LA to be the world capital for assholes, tbh. Of course, Candycornia tends to get a bad rap around the midwest, so maybe thats a stereotype too...

 

[fletch_talon]

Isn't the LA stereotype stupid, skinny and impolite?

 

[Funkysandwich]

I have met a fat, stupid, obnoxious American before, but having said that I haven't met many Americans.

 

[Chromanin]

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.

You were just in the wrong place. Come visit New Jersey. Also, did you go into a Wal-Mart? Those are the stupid, fat, impolite people clubhouses.

 

[Connosaurus Rex]

People in Boston are generally nice, we have Banditos Misteriosos to prove it. Well unless you say for us to say to park our car in Harvard yard, then you will spat on after being shanked and then we'll say it perfectly, Unless we're from south Boston.

 

[holographicman]

YEAAAAAAAH AMERICA SUCKS!
Yay!


just remember we have the second largest stockpile of nukes

 

[Dys]

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?

I'm not sure that using words like 'stupidest' encourage people to believe you have the second highest education system (actually I'm fairly sure the American system is rated fairly low on the global scale, the first google source tends to disagree with you).

Of course, other than a great many yanks warning me to steer clear of downtown LA, hearing about a shooting in Denver city and hearing gunshots fired in Honolulu (which, combined, add up to about as much violence as I'd expect in any large scale city) I didn't find America or Americans to be hugely different from Australians. In fact, they seemed oddly polite (almost unnaturally) and very mild mannered compared to us. Given that Australia is fatter per capita than the USA, it's not surprising that I didn't notice anyone being particularly fat, and despite my understanding of the US education system being a mess, people didn't seem especially unintelligent[footnote]This does not apply to people on TV. Every single damn advertisement seemed to have been written by morons, for morons. Presumably there is a sizable portion of the populace who are affected by the crap these ads were pushing, they just weren't especially apparent during my stay there.[/footnote].

I suppose I was only there for two weeks, and as an Australian (complete with an Australian accent) I may have been welcomed a little more warmly than, say, a Frenchman, so my experience could be the complete opposite. On the most part though, I can't see Americans being anywhere near as arrogant or whatever as it's cool to make them out to be.

 

[4484448444844484]

It's just that the ones that fit the stereotypes are the ones that get media coverage most of the time.

 

[Susan Arendt]

Los Angeles has a higher percentage of attractive people than the average town in middle America, because that's where Hollywood is.

Is everyone in the US a fat loudmouth? No, of course not, but we certainly have our fair share. It all depends on where you visit. Where I come from, Philadelphia, it's an odd mix of worldly, educated folks, and ignorant xenophobes.

 

[Desert Warrior]

I find it funny as in how some of you guys are talking about the obese and how far you live away from them...
That sums the stereotype up preeeety well.
Not in a good way of course.

 

[Rensenhito]

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?

More like the 12th or so, but that's still not TERRIBLE.
OP: Well, try coming to the Southeast next time. You'll be surprised at how nice people can be here, even when they're impolite.

 

[Danny Ocean]

IT seems to me that one of the things about the big ol' USA is that it's a land devoid of middle ground: Public Schools Vs Private Schools; Fit vs Fat; Dems vs Reps; Rich vs Poor; Black vs White; Super Healthy vs Unhealthy. Just a guess, but it'd be interesting to see if US demographics are more dichotomised than others- is the bell curve flatter over there, or even reversed in some instances?

But I dunno, just throwing that out there.