“What Is A Common Myth About Your Country That Is 100% False But Many People Still Believe?”: 30 People Share Their Answers
The misconceptions about countries around the world are as diverse as their culture.
A few weeks ago, Reddit user u/orionve posted a question to the platform, asking "What is a common myth about your country that is 100% false but many people still believe?"
The comments — of which there are nearly 40K — quickly proved that even though we live in the age of cheap flights and when information is more available than ever, people still have very wild and very wrong ideas about places across the globe.
Here are some of them.
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Romania. Many people believe we have vampires, but in my 700 years of living here, I haven't even seen one.
I asked my mates back in the castle and they also haven't seen any, and they've been around for longer than I.
That the Irish are the biggest drunks in the world, completely false and mean as we're only the second biggest drinker in the world but we hope to get first place next year
People think British people are either stiff Upper lip public schoolboys or cockney brick layers/football hooligans. There's a whole world of people in between! Some of us don't even like football. One of my friends DOESNT EVEN DRINK TEA! Not sure why she's my friend to be honest.
Australian here. Glad u asked. Everyone thinks it's as dangerous as f**k, that spiders, drop bears, snakes, feral cats and dogs will rip ya f**king heart out every time you step out the door. The truth is that unless you act like a halfwit, poke said snake/spider with ya finger then you'll be fine. Battle echidna, dervish spiders, saltwater crocodiles and drop bears don't live in suburbia; you need to go into the bush to even see a lizard which usually promptly f**ks off the moment a stone footed oompah loompa waddles past.
That Japan is incredibly efficient and futuristic. Major LOL. So futuristic here that I can’t even pay my bills online, and if I want to set up an auto paying bill I have to request a form by mail, fill it out, and then take it to the bank in person. Not to mention I have to send in all my monthly reports by fax.
This is true and ironic, really. Japan is amazing, and it still is amongst the leading countries when it comes to technology, but it's also a pretty conservative culture, so some things don't adapt to change. Still love Japan. ♡
Makes sense for the elderly though. I live in Sweden which is almost entirely digitalized now, cash barely exists. It's difficult parking your car without an app. Healthcare, taxes, all is online. I see many older people confused and stressed about this so maybe there is something good about holding onto the paper systems for a while, not to sound conservative. At least offer both systems for a while until all generations are adapted. Also love Japan❤️
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I've spent a lot of time in Japan and it IS like the future - but the future as imagined from 1982. The fax system is a good example of that. It's, I think, the most advanced and fancy fax system in the world. But it's still fax! And last time I was there, paying on card was a bit of a palaver, but paying with a suica (subway travel pass/card) was a doddle.
Yep, the amount of PAPER here in Japan is ridiculous. In some what related news, my kid's daycare accepts monthly snack fees only in CASH and IN-PERSON. Every month there's a ridiculous line of people in front of the daycare holding an envelope with the cash inside. And it's longer than usual bc we have to keep distance :/ And yes, my workplace still uses fax machines.
I found it interesting Japan is still very cash based society. Quite a few places still don't accept card, leading to several panicked searches for a nearby ATM!
My small social group of friends out there (mix of foreigners and locals) had hoped that the Olympics would have pushed more places into having card readers or more visible ATMs due to the sheer amount of foreigners and their cards, but then everything happened. Here's to hoping Japan or at least the major cities still get their push!
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Wow. My socialist midlle European country is somehow miles in front of Japan. 😳 Our bureaus are. Which is even more chocking because those are the worst
Just that the ultra conservative people are unwilling to learn/don't trust new technology.
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Efficient yes, mostly, futuristic... not really, at least not to the extent of the stereotypes. But I've only been once.
You can't use a parking spot in Japan without the police first coming to measure its dimensions to see if it fits your vehicle. Not even joking.
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And you have to pay with cash for almost everything. It was shocking to see how few shops took cards outside of city centers. Trains stop at midnight so if you want to stay out later you need to be hanging out in your neighborhood or in walking distance. And banking and house rental as a foreigner was hell. I had so much paperwork and stamps.... nothing was electronic and all offices closed at 4pm in my area so if I couldn't leave my own office building til 8pm...oh well. That was that. I had to take vaca days to handle any other "just trying to live" business. However, everyone was generally nice and helpful (talked mad s**t about you in Japanese tho if you weren't following the norms in any way). I would go back to visit in a heartbeat.
Same with Germany. The government actually keeps a lot of documents on PAPER. (And it’s not exactly progressive that everything is closed on Sunday.)
Well, at least online banking is completely common in Germany.
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We aren't all overweight people wearing Old Navy American flag t-shirts and khaki shorts. Only, like, 60% of us.
Scotland: We’re all ginger alcoholics who hate the English and run amongst the hills in our ‘skirts’ screaming “FREEDOM”
OK I'm Scottish and I know that one of those three characteristics is true. Guess which?
Oh so much, according to popular opinion I should be a weed smoking, clog wearing tulip farmer living in a windmill. Can you guess where I am from yet?
Kenyans are all long-distance runners, live in huts, speak no English, and have pet wild animals. Ugh.
So here goes: The long-distance guys are mainly from one community/ tribe called the Kalenjin that's about 15% of the population. Next, Kenya is still a developing nation with a lot of poverty, but there's a lot of modern architecture. Next, the country is rated 18 out of 100 on the English Proficiency Index. And lastly: you can apply for a special (and rarely-granted) permit for your bobcat named Babou, but keeping wildlife is not at all common. And the Kenya Wildlife Service will conduct regular visits to ensure Babou isn't being kept in Meowschwitz-like conditions.
Not exactly myth but decent amount of ppl still think that Czechoslovakia still exists. We split apart in 1993... We are Czech Republic, not Czechoslovakia anymore.
Woo. Singaporean here.
No, we're not part of China. We're not even in the same region. Yes, the population is 60% ethnically Chinese, but that doesn't make us part of China any more than it makes the USA part of Britain. As a matter of fact, there's a problem of racism against mainlander Chinese, since locals tend not to see them as "true" Singaporeans. This is exacerbated by the fact that lots of mainlander Chinese are pretty pro-China (human rights violations and all), while the local Chinese don't like China and the CCP very much. We're closer culturally to Taiwan.
It is not illegal to be naked inside your own home. You can be starkers while bathing or fucking if you like. You just cannot use "I am in my own home" as a defense against streaking or showing everyone your rude bits. 90% of the population live in government apartments and we don't need pervs flashing their dongs through their windows. Incidentally, this law came about because pervs were flashing their dongs through their windows. Singapore used to have a big flasher problem back in the 80s - times were weird.
It is not illegal to chew gum, only to import/sell it or bring it onto the trains. This is because dickheads used to literally gum up the train doors and make everyone late for work. The government put up with it for a few months and then said fuck it, no more gum for everyone, this is why we can't have nice things.
The government doesn't fine people for every little offence anymore. They used to, but enforcement has become lenient in the last two decades. Sadly, this means there's a ton of litter where the streets used to be pristine. Still, you might not want to litter or spit right in front of a police officer.
When I started dating my now wife (who is from Oklahoma), she informed me that her friends and family were convinced that Canadians didnt have ice or toilet paper. They wanted her to ask me about it apparently because they were confused by that. I had never laughed so hard. I mean.. its Canada.. we are ice 70% of the year basically.
People generally assume that when you're from Belgium, you are French-speaking.
While a big part of the country is Francophone, the majority population is Flemish (Dutch-speaking).
I blame this on mostly 3 factors:
People mainly visiting Brussels (which is bilingual, but has a Francophone majority)
Americans mostly having been stationed in the French speaking part in WWII
Hercule Poirot
I felt bad when I realised Tintin was Belgian, not French, I'd just assumed! Although upon reading Tintin Au Congo, even though yes it was written a while back, made me feel less fond of Tintin
All Germans have some secret knowledge of the Second / World War II they would love to share. I always found that interesting when I lived in London and esp English people 40+ would ask me of some first-hand experience of the War (keep in mind that not even my parents were born at that time) ?!?! Fact we know the same as you do from History classes etc.
That we say "shrimp on the barbie", it was an ad campaign to appeal to Americans, it was the most successful tourism campaign still to this day, but literally no one in Australia says that
No Italian aren't all short, black haired, fat, mobsters that wear wine-stained tank tops and coppolas. We are loud tho
I know MANY quiet Italians. Unless you get them talking about their one hobbyhorse. Then, my God...
Germany: We don't have humor and live to work
Das war nicht lustig! Geh zurück zur Arbeit! :D :D :D Nur Spaß!
That Africa is a country.
That's not a common myth but rather rare misinformation. People with a basic level of education don't think it's a country.
I live in South Africa.
Many people still believe we have wild animals roaming around and people living in huts etc
That does happen in certain parts of Africa but i live in the suburbs of Cape Town, we have better internet than some first world countries.
The myth is that everyone here is always drunk on vodka and people all ride bears, play on balalaikas and dance the kazachok and that we're either drunk or mad.
While there IS a problem with alcoholism, a lot of people don't drink, especially not vodka.
Funnily enough, bears do appear, but VERY rarely. And the people that ride bears or have them as pets? They're considered unusual by other Russians.
Balalaika is dead I know one person that plays it and thats it
We dance the kazachok only ironically at this point lol
We're not always mad. We're. Just people. With emotions :|
But, ushankas ARE great and warm, so people do wear them - not ALL of them though Also we're not all superpeople
Sweden is a socialist paradise.
It's neither socialist, nor a paradise (though it is a nice country to live in except for the weather).
That Brazil is a huge tropical jungle in which people speak Spanish.
Brazil actually has several major cities and different environments. São Paulo for instance is a huge sprawling metropolis with as many inhabitants as New York and Los Angeles combined. In some southern areas of the country it actually snows.
And we were a Portuguese colony, so we speak Portuguese.
I'm American but I lived in Egypt for a while. It's incredible that more than one American who wasn't a child asked me if I lived in a pyramid..
If someone says "isn't Ireland part of the UK tho" one more time...
OMG, wha tidiot calls the Republic of Ireland part of the UK? That's a brawl waiting to happen even in parts of the US!
All of our country is just weed and red districts. Yes we have these things.. but the Netherlands has lots of culture!
I feel like Russia is commonly hated especially lately (not that there are no reasons for that huh).
I have a strong feeling that people simultaneously think that Russia is a dangerous shithole and that we all here love and support Putin and his government. Both of those things are not true.
Well, some parts of Russia are poor and I myself have friends from different places who have only 10-15k roubles monthly to spend ($150-200).
At the same time, even though I am pretty privileged being born and raised in Moscow in an upper middle class family, have a flat that I don’t need to pay rent/loan for (my husband’s family got it for free during the USSR period); my very first job ever pays me enough money to spend on anything I want except for big purchases like a new iPhone or a car; I have a degree (not for free but for reasonable money ($2500 a year)); and last year our free healthcare literally saved my life (yeah I know, taxes, I pay them, nbd).
Small quality of life things we have: I haven’t used any cash in years, everything can be paid via Apple/Google/Samsung Pay, even in the smallest shops. Our delivery services are on point, I can order any groceries I want via an app and they will deliver them in 7-15 minutes. Moscow is covered in carsharing cars and, even though we don’t have our own car, we don’t need it because parking prices are high and carsharing cars are literally on every corner here.
I think what struck me most about Russia is that it was like watching a video from the '80s. It seemed like the fashions and hair and styles and images were all really dated. Also, I felt really sorry for people in the high rise blocks of flats that are now experiencing 90+ degree temperatures every single summer, but there are no air conditioners.
Iceland was not named as part of some conspiracy to keep folks away from a good thing. The name comes from the fact that early settlers arrived during summer and then suffered horrible losses of livestock and people once winter hit and icebergs were seen filling the fjords. It was more of a warning than anything, that this place sucked. Greenland on the other hand was probably named as such to make it sound more hospitable
That we are all are tech scammers and like eating cow dung
guess which country
Note: this post originally had 65 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
Another one: Eastern Europe is Russia. I've travelled a lot around it, and am from Ukraine, and I can assure you we all have quite different cultures. Russia is historically barely related to the Kivean Rus, and claiming it's the motherland of slavs is just false. Oversimplifying can lead to things like war--Russia is currently annexing territory and trying to take over Eastern Europe because we are all "brothers." No.
Thank you. There are many peoples in Eastern Europe, and Russia just got the press. I'd like to point out that no, Slavic people are not all "one" or in "brotherhood". Nor is all the language "basically Russian". That's irked me since childhood.
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None of these are myths. They are called stereotypes and no one believes everyone fits the stereotype. It's just an overly simplified image of a country/its people. Like the Dutch only have tulips, windmills, wooden shoes and weed...
So you're saying we should stop discriminating against Dracula because he's been stereotyped...?
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Desi here. NO WE DO NOT ALL SPEAK FLUENT HINDI AND HEAVILY ACCENTED ENGLISH. I SOUND JUST LIKE YOU. I SPEAK NO HINDI. THERE ARE OVER 20 LANGUAGES IN INDIA. Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk/rant. :)
Colombia: Colombia doesn't mean Pablo Escobar or that we have cocaine in our pockets. NO we aren't all drug dealers, and there isn't a narco war in every corner. It is safe to travel here, you are not going to be kidnapped. Also, is COLOMBIA not COLUMBIA....
Spain: Yes, we do have drinkable water (three people has asked me this). While siesta is a thing here it is not true that everybody does it. Most people are at work and dont have time to do it. But it is true that in small villages things often close for the siesta. We dont dress like sevillanas. Tapas are a snack, not a meal. Paella is only typical from the Comunity of Valencia and its only good there.
Norway: that it always cold, dark and snowy. We do have Summers and the Winters aren't always as cold as one might expect that far North.
Italy. Every single time it's very cold or it rains nonstop for days, I think about those foreigners who think of Italy as a sunny country....
Same as for those europeans that think that Spain= beach and sun. My region is very warm and sunny but most of the country doesnt have beach and has extremely cold winters. We had -35C this year
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Not country but state , I live in Alaska and everyone seems to think we live in igloos and there's no stores/restaurants/ normal life here , yes it's different than everywhere else in a lot of ways but it's also the same
Finland: it's either "never heard about it" (from Europeans) or "part of russia with all russian stereotypes" (from US) Some have also thought polar bears live here but I think that's common misconseption about all northern countries/areas.
I don't know much at all about your country, I'm sorry to say :( in fact, reading this list made me realise I need to look at my own assumptions about these further off places. At school our focus was on south pacific and south east Asia as that's our (NZ) neck of the woods! What I would say I think I 'know' about Finland without googling is it's more northern than equatorial, colder climate, fairly progressive maybe I don't really know. But I'm gna do some looking up on it ^-^
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Common myth about Australia is that we're a progressive country. In actual fact our two party options are very conservative or slightly less conservative, we're swimming in corruption, and we have our own Trump.
I miss the days when I could think of us as more progressive (when I was in high school around Kevin07 era). Every year I am more disappointed :(
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Canada: We all live in igloos, we have a population of 5 people, we drink maple syrup and only eat poutine, and we ride polar bears to school of course.
What is with people from other countries thinking the locals ride around on native animals? (We do not ride kangaroos or emus in Australia either)
Load More Replies... That Scots are cheap. In FACT Scots are much more generous to charity, for example, than the rest of the UK.
This thread makes me want to start traveling again! My first overseas trip was 30 years ago when I was 17. I was floored because I thought the U.S. was so superior in every way, but meeting teenagers from other countries was a major wake-up call. It's embarrassing to remember, but I literally thought everyone would be super quaint and backward, or even somewhat dumber, but the people I met were the opposite. I'm convinced that had I never gotten out of my bubble I would still be that naive and judgy!
People just blindly believe India has only Hinduism and the only language we know is Hindi. Second largest english speaking population, pandas. Besides, I'm a Tamil girl (south indian culture) in a English medium school who failed Hindi. not that I'm proud, but, point proven :'). And we also have a decent population of ALL the major religions, so stop wearing saffron shirts with " jai shree ram" when you give us a visit.
Growing up, everyone told me that a Mexican will give you a good day's work in exchange for a 12 pack of beer. Now, as an employer, I have never had an honest opportunity to make this deal.
I think Hollywood likes to make money. And they will say anything --- holy crap. Politicians run hollywood.:-O
How about practically everything posted by Europeans about America on myriad American bashing threads?
Another one: Eastern Europe is Russia. I've travelled a lot around it, and am from Ukraine, and I can assure you we all have quite different cultures. Russia is historically barely related to the Kivean Rus, and claiming it's the motherland of slavs is just false. Oversimplifying can lead to things like war--Russia is currently annexing territory and trying to take over Eastern Europe because we are all "brothers." No.
Thank you. There are many peoples in Eastern Europe, and Russia just got the press. I'd like to point out that no, Slavic people are not all "one" or in "brotherhood". Nor is all the language "basically Russian". That's irked me since childhood.
Load More Replies... None of these are myths. They are called stereotypes and no one believes everyone fits the stereotype. It's just an overly simplified image of a country/its people. Like the Dutch only have tulips, windmills, wooden shoes and weed...
So you're saying we should stop discriminating against Dracula because he's been stereotyped...?
Load More Replies... Desi here. NO WE DO NOT ALL SPEAK FLUENT HINDI AND HEAVILY ACCENTED ENGLISH. I SOUND JUST LIKE YOU. I SPEAK NO HINDI. THERE ARE OVER 20 LANGUAGES IN INDIA. Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk/rant. :)
Colombia: Colombia doesn't mean Pablo Escobar or that we have cocaine in our pockets. NO we aren't all drug dealers, and there isn't a narco war in every corner. It is safe to travel here, you are not going to be kidnapped. Also, is COLOMBIA not COLUMBIA....
Spain: Yes, we do have drinkable water (three people has asked me this). While siesta is a thing here it is not true that everybody does it. Most people are at work and dont have time to do it. But it is true that in small villages things often close for the siesta. We dont dress like sevillanas. Tapas are a snack, not a meal. Paella is only typical from the Comunity of Valencia and its only good there.
Norway: that it always cold, dark and snowy. We do have Summers and the Winters aren't always as cold as one might expect that far North.
Italy. Every single time it's very cold or it rains nonstop for days, I think about those foreigners who think of Italy as a sunny country....
Same as for those europeans that think that Spain= beach and sun. My region is very warm and sunny but most of the country doesnt have beach and has extremely cold winters. We had -35C this year
Load More Replies... Not country but state , I live in Alaska and everyone seems to think we live in igloos and there's no stores/restaurants/ normal life here , yes it's different than everywhere else in a lot of ways but it's also the same
Finland: it's either "never heard about it" (from Europeans) or "part of russia with all russian stereotypes" (from US) Some have also thought polar bears live here but I think that's common misconseption about all northern countries/areas.
I don't know much at all about your country, I'm sorry to say :( in fact, reading this list made me realise I need to look at my own assumptions about these further off places. At school our focus was on south pacific and south east Asia as that's our (NZ) neck of the woods! What I would say I think I 'know' about Finland without googling is it's more northern than equatorial, colder climate, fairly progressive maybe I don't really know. But I'm gna do some looking up on it ^-^
Load More Replies... Common myth about Australia is that we're a progressive country. In actual fact our two party options are very conservative or slightly less conservative, we're swimming in corruption, and we have our own Trump.
I miss the days when I could think of us as more progressive (when I was in high school around Kevin07 era). Every year I am more disappointed :(
Load More Replies... Canada: We all live in igloos, we have a population of 5 people, we drink maple syrup and only eat poutine, and we ride polar bears to school of course.
What is with people from other countries thinking the locals ride around on native animals? (We do not ride kangaroos or emus in Australia either)
Load More Replies... That Scots are cheap. In FACT Scots are much more generous to charity, for example, than the rest of the UK.
This thread makes me want to start traveling again! My first overseas trip was 30 years ago when I was 17. I was floored because I thought the U.S. was so superior in every way, but meeting teenagers from other countries was a major wake-up call. It's embarrassing to remember, but I literally thought everyone would be super quaint and backward, or even somewhat dumber, but the people I met were the opposite. I'm convinced that had I never gotten out of my bubble I would still be that naive and judgy!
People just blindly believe India has only Hinduism and the only language we know is Hindi. Second largest english speaking population, pandas. Besides, I'm a Tamil girl (south indian culture) in a English medium school who failed Hindi. not that I'm proud, but, point proven :'). And we also have a decent population of ALL the major religions, so stop wearing saffron shirts with " jai shree ram" when you give us a visit.
Growing up, everyone told me that a Mexican will give you a good day's work in exchange for a 12 pack of beer. Now, as an employer, I have never had an honest opportunity to make this deal.
I think Hollywood likes to make money. And they will say anything --- holy crap. Politicians run hollywood.:-O
How about practically everything posted by Europeans about America on myriad American bashing threads?
