Odd stereotypes you don't get

[CardinalPiggles]

British people holding canes and wearing bowler hats or top hats and all speaking like Jerry the Butler.

It's such a bad stereotype it's not even funny. Have you ever seen the Inbetweeners? We're more like that I think.

I can't stand that stereotype! It's such bull crap! It's especially bad in The Simpsons I find. They seem to think that all British people are either Victorian or from The Sex Pistols. I know in the show it's only supposed to be a joke, but I always find it irritating when I see it. But strangely when I see it in a far more extreme form in Family Guy it makes me laugh. I guess it's because in there they just go to such absurd lengths that there's no way anyone could take it seriously. That and there tends to be a bit more to the joke than "HAHA THEY WEAR OLD CLOTHES AND TALK FUNNY WITH THEIR UGLY TEETH!"

I guess The Inbetweeners is a more accurate portrayal, although I actually really don't like that show. I wouldn't like to tell people that is what we are like. Whenever I try to think of a way to explain how a real English person looks or sounds I tend to think of someone like Ricky Gervais (although I don't like him either) or Jimmy Carr.

Absolutely agree, with everything you said actually.

I guess I was thinking more of my own age group, because Carr and Gervais are a lot older than me so I don't relate well to them. But yes if you want a good example, I think Jimmy Carr or Ricky Gervais both show the world what Britons are like in a general manner.

I don't think even Americans consider all Britons to have bad teeth in this day and age though, I guess it's just a joke that stuck since their independence. Just like Britons calling Americans stupid. They aren't (for the most part).

 

[Thespian]

I don't mind gay jokes or anything but it bothers me when people legitimately associate 'gay' with girly/feminine/camp et cetera. Camp is one thing, gay is totally different. Like I said, jokes based on the correlation between the trait and the sexuality are fine, I can deal with those and make them myself. But when people actually say "Huh, it's funny, you don't act gay" or "Man, he said that in such a gay way" it just ticks me off slightly.

 

[krazykidd]

Blacks loving watermelon and grape drink. Never made sense to me.

I can vouche that black people love grape drink . They love everything grape flavoured . I am black and love everything that has grape written on it , and i only learned it was a stereotype like 3 years ago ( i am 23), needless to say i was astonished!

Now i also love cool-aid and fried chiken ... I guess that makes me a stereotipical black man

Yeah, speak for yourself. That's not everyone. I'm black, and I hate grapes. I don't like hip-hop. I don't wear baggy trousers and casually use the word "nigga" to refer to my friends. I've never even tried watermelon or Kool-Aid. I don't follow basketball, sprinting or American football. You know why? Because it's a -stereotype-.

Way to miss the point .

 

[Elementary - Dear Watson]

British people holding canes and wearing bowler hats or top hats and all speaking like Jerry the Butler. It's such a bad stereotype it's not even funny.

Meh... My avatar is a picture of me... I am smoking a pipe, and I have a top hat and cane with me, although not pictured... I also pride myself on teaching the colonials about correct pronunciation... I don't think I am helping that stereotype at all!

The thing is, if you like wearing those items, do it. The problem is when people from other countries generalise and say, 'it's because he is British' no it's because he likes wearing those items, I would say.

Don't be afraid to fit with the stereotype, but also don't be afraid to correct people who like to generalise. It's moronic, and they should be made aware.

I like that 'tache by the way! I wish I could grow one that well.

Cheers! To be honest, the pic was at a fancy dress party... I wouldn't wear that normally, i'd probably get mutilated by some chavs somewhere...!

I grew the moustache because I was a military officer on deployment, and a lot of people do, for fun, and I was working for and with the US. As the only Brit in a large office I was stereotyped as the British aristocrat, so I played up to it! It was fun, strangely!

The thing is that the actual people don't beleive we are like that, they know that we are no different to them, it's just the media playing it up... like when you only see the french on the telly wearing stripes, and having silly thin moustaches... we don't think they are like that, it's just a fun misconception!

I spent most of my middle east tour playing about with the Americans, delving into our cultures and picking apart at the differences... it was actually really interesting! There are a lot of differences, a lot of strange differences too, but sometimes it's just fun to have some stereotype banter!

 

[DoPo]

That French people are cowards and Englishmen are ugly.

About the French, I believe it comes (at least partly) from World War 2. When the German invaded France, the French retreated so fast that the German army could barely catch up. They chased them through all of France until the French boarded some English ships and just left. Or something along those lines.

 

[Jegsimmons]

i can honestly say...that this stereotype, isnt much of a stereotype....because its pretty much true.

i live in the south with a high concentration of black people, and if you ever drove past a pop-eyes, KFC, and (god help you) a churches chicken, you would completely understand.

Do you even know what a stereotype means? Just because you live in the South with a high concentration of black people that like fried chicken doesn't mean that ALL black people around the world like fried chicken. That would be like me saying that all lesbians are short-haired and butch just because I live in an area with a strong LGBT scene where most of the lesbians are short-haired and butch.

A stereotype is a popular belief about specific types of individuals.
And how they come about is through the habits of a majority or a strong numbers of a certain group.
And since im around black people alot, i see alot of these habits that create stereotypes.
so i know exactly what im talking about. i never said all of them liked chicken, but i can say that the stereotype does hold true in a good chunk of cases.
also, who doesn't like fried chicken? its awesome.

 

[Arakasi]

That all Austrian's are Nazi's and since I'm Austrian I am therefore a racist.

I understand that one.
I'm from Australia, and I can understand why someone would think that everyone here is racist.
Mostly because a large, ignorant, alcoholoc, vocal part of our population is racist.

Austria is next to Germany, Austrians come from Austria

Australia is near Malaysia, Australians come from Australia

Yes, if you had read the rest of the thread you would have realised that I already noticed this mistake.
Thanks anyway.

 

[Da Orky Man]

That British folks have bad teeth. Don't get me wrong, as a Brit myself even I find it kind of funny sometimes but... where in the hell did that originate from? We have nice teeth, dammit!

[sup]I get the tea thing, though. Yeah, we love that stuff.[/sup]

We 'like' tea the same way most people like air. I believe the last figures I ran across said something like only China drinks more tea than we do. Not per capita, but overall. Only a country with more than a billion people drink ,ore tea than one of about 60 million.

 

[Dhatz]

I think many stupid stereotypes can be traced or spread with stupid overpopular comedy series.

 

[Lawllerskater]

Why white people are always accused of being racist to black people, mexicans, asians, and other minorities.

Where the heck does that stem from?

 

[Colour Scientist]

Why white people are always accused of being racist to black people, mexicans, asians, and other minorities.

Where the heck does that stem from?

Probably the hundreds of years of white people being racist towards black people, Mexicans, Asians and other minorities. That's just a wild guess though.

 

[Philol]

That the English have bad teeth, sure there are some, but I for one don't have bad teeth and neither do most people I know.

 

[m1garand23]

The very annoying stereotype that says that because I listen to heavy/death/thrash metal and wear black, therefore I must worship satan or that I am a Goth.
It drives me absolutly mental to walk to the shop and have some 5ft chav in a tracksuit yelling "goth" or "get a hair cut". Normally i just shout back a couple of choice insults to egg them on a bit to start a fight, as there is one little gift that comes from listening to death metal and going to gigs of that type of music, the ability to take hits and fight numerous opponents by going batshit crazy, thank you mosh pitts.

 

[manic_depressive13]

Austria is next to Germany, Austrians come from Austria

Australia is near Malaysia, Australians come from Australia

Australia isn't that close to Malaysia. It's closer to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and New Zealand.

 

[CardinalPiggles]

Cheers! To be honest, the pic was at a fancy dress party... I wouldn't wear that normally, i'd probably get mutilated by some chavs somewhere...!

I grew the moustache because I was a military officer on deployment, and a lot of people do, for fun, and I was working for and with the US. As the only Brit in a large office I was stereotyped as the British aristocrat, so I played up to it! It was fun, strangely!

The thing is that the actual people don't beleive we are like that, they know that we are no different to them, it's just the media playing it up... like when you only see the french on the telly wearing stripes, and having silly thin moustaches... we don't think they are like that, it's just a fun misconception!

I spent most of my middle east tour playing about with the Americans, delving into our cultures and picking apart at the differences... it was actually really interesting! There are a lot of differences, a lot of strange differences too, but sometimes it's just fun to have some stereotype banter!

That sounds amazing, maybe now I'm officially an adult in both countries I will go back there. Although I doubt I could have the same bonding experience you did.

I would also need to drop any cynicism I seem to have built up too.

You have given me a lot to think about, thanks.

 

[Yopaz]

Blacks loving watermelon and grape drink. Never made sense to me.

Why doesn't it make sense that black people love water melon? Water melon is one of the best fruits there is. Great in the summer when it's warm since it's something you eat for your thirst. I guess it has to do with the time we had slavery though since it's great way to get water.

I don't understand why women are supposed to be poor drivers. Sure, they have a MARGINALLY inferior depth perception, but I seriously doubt that would count. Does it have to do with some macho ideal?

Statistics usually place women as the better drivers, but more men get involved in motor sports. It's clearly because driving is a macho activity for the most part you'll find men who are better at certain things when it comes to driving, but more likely to overestimate their skills and end up in accidents more often.

 

[dark-mortality]

I've heard that Irish people speak perfectly English, but when an Englishman comes by, they instantly switch to their own accent... How lovely, and most likely not true~ Or maybe that is what they want us to think? *Dun Dun Duuuuuun*

Also, I have heard several people say that Norwegian, for some reason, is a beautiful language, because when we speak, it sounds almost like we sing... In my opinion, as a Norwegian person myself, I think it sounds more like we are drowning half the time XD