Poll: Do people over-stereotype America?

[Dragonpit]

and stupid (George Bush, among others).

Now I'm not saying he was a good president by any means, but he was a president. That doesn't just happen by accident.

Maybe so, but some of the actions he chose to take were not exactly the most...inspired.

But if you imagine him doing those things with a Bud Light, cowboy boots and that laugh of his it becomes amusing.

Yes, well...the same could be said of our avatars.

 

[Tdc2182]

and stupid (George Bush, among others).

Now I'm not saying he was a good president by any means, but he was a president. That doesn't just happen by accident.

Maybe so, but some of the actions he chose to take were not exactly the most...inspired.

But if you imagine him doing those things with a Bud Light, cowboy boots and that laugh of his it becomes amusing.

Yes, well...the same could be said of our avatars.

Touche

 

[hem dazon 90]

yes.

But so does everyone else get generalized

 

[Sarge034]

Yes, the US is just the biggest target out there so we catch the most flack.

 

[Sean951]

and stupid (George Bush, among others).

Now I'm not saying he was a good president by any means, but he was a president. That doesn't just happen by accident.

Maybe so, but some of the actions he chose to take were not exactly the most...inspired.

But if you imagine him doing those things with a Bud Light, cowboy boots and that laugh of his it becomes amusing.

Yes, well...the same could be said of our avatars.

It's all good, he didn't really run America most of the time... We were really run by Dick Cheney, which was probably worse for our international standing, but can't really change that now, can we?

 

[rossco86]

i blame tv and the media, we get so much crap from the states jammed down our throats reality tv, talkshows, shitty sitcoms not to mention peoples fasination with celebrity gossip and somewere down the barrel we get this missconception that all americans must be like this. we seem to see the bad aspects more than the good. and while we, the other countries, are in the wrong for assuming this, america are equally to blame for letting us see it.

 

[mrsultana]

If you have ever seen any American tourists overseas, the stereotype actually does a decent representation of Americans. When out of country, we behave arrogantly as if our shit doesn't stink, most don't bother learning or making an attempt to communicate in the native language of the country, and genuinely feel they are superior to others.

If you think otherwise, you probably have very little world travel under your belt. Suffice it to say I have visited 10+ other countries outside the United States and see how the typical American behaves. 95% of the time, they live up to the American stereotype; hate to burst your precious little bubble.

I hate to break YOUR bubble, but that is not how American tourists act; IT IS HOW ALL TOURISTS ACT.

I worked at Walt Disney World, in Miami, FL, and at several Colorado ski resorts. Do you have any idea how many tourists I get who fake not knowing English so they can try to get away with something they aren't supposed to? People who jump lines, get drunk and rowdy, and generally behave in a manner they never would at home? Look at Mardi Gras in New Orleans sometime.

Case in point: Working at one of the Disney water parks, I walk up and ask a gentleman to very kindly move his chair (that I just saw him move to a new position behind a red "no sitting" line) to a place a few feet back where a wave won't pick up the chair and hurl it at a kid.. He has a Venezualan flag on his backpack, barely looks at me, and says "No comprende Ingles". He then goes back to talking to the woman standing next to the chair. I then reply, "Por favor, mueva la sienta alla. Es muy peligrosa a sienar aqui." He stands up, crosses his arms, and says (with very little accent), "I don't speak Spanish". He then sits down and begins talking to the girl in English.

I've seen incidents of Dutch, French, Brazilian (some of the worst offenders!), Japanese, Jamaican, British, Russian, and, yes, American tourists behave in this type of manner in multiple US destinations, but also in every one of the 12 countries I've visited. And in one case, a tourist died because they had the attitude "I'm paying a bunch of money here; the rules don't apply to me."

 

[Gearran]

Dear GODS yes. I mean come on, the U.S. stereotypes the U.S.!

 

[thylasos]

One thing we Americans do (generally, not always) is have this pre-determined image of German people as big narcissistic jerks despite having never met a German. I know German people, and they are very smart, outgoing, and kind people.

I know Germans who're total dicks, for balance there.

I think we all know total dicks of every race and nationality.

Very true. I should have really qualified that, but it was five in the morning.

Stereotypes don't work, I think was my point. No matter which way you cut it.

Not original, but it was five in the morning. It's four hours later and I still haven't slept. Woo!