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30 People Share What’s The Myth That Many Foreigners Still Accept As Reality About Their Country
Each country has a unique history, a unique culture, usually a unique language as well. But despite all that, some of them are well known for other reasons – for myths that often have nothing in common with the truth.
Such myths were recently discussed by members of the ‘Ask Reddit’ community, after one user asked them about the false narratives about their countries. Quite a few people contributed to the thread, so if you want to see if something you believed about a certain country is but a myth, scroll down to find the netizens’ comments on the list below.
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#1
Canadians are nice.
We are not nice. We are polite.
That means we say “ excuse me”, please” and “thank you” appropriately.
“Excuse me, could you please take all this 51st state b******t to a corner somewhere and f**k yourself with it? Thank you.”.
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#2
Canada is not a frozen wasteland all the time. We have Summer here. It's my favourite day of the year.
#4
Romania: that we have vampires…. Please, my friend Vlad has not seen a single vampire in the past 300 years.
Also, our national anthem literally begins with “wake up from your slumber of death”. :).
#5
America was founded for religious freedom. The Pilgrims were intolerant bigots, driven out of everywhere else because of their intolerance and zealotry.
They also didn't start America. The Jamestown Colony was the "start" and it was a 'company town'. So America was founded for corporate wealth expansion.
#7
Japan is not like what you see on the internet. Japanese are not the nicest most polite people. Japanese smile a lot do to social pressure but they are really thinking “I hate you”
The working culture here is really really bad with very little work life balance. The government is just as corrupt as Americas. It’s very crowded and fairly expensive to the point that people are no longer having babies.
It’s a great country to visit for like two weeks. But living here, it’s very difficult to survive ESPECIALLY if you don’t speak any Japanese.
Edit: Also, all that nerdy Anime s**t is also considered nerdy Anime s**t here too.
Panda Kicki 9 months ago
I thought this was common knowledge along with the harassing on women on the trains and suicide rates for kids.
#8
French are not cowards and we do not surrender or run away in every war.
Countless military words have french etymology, because we were the dominant military power for centuries. It is true we collapsed in 1940 and disgraced ourselves, but that one event does not erase everything else
It is especially annoying coming from illiterate US simpletons who are not aware of the role the french military played in the American war of independence.
ucp 9 months ago
I’m English, so I know how much the French like war. We basically spent 1000 years at it! Having visited Arras, I have a great deal of sympathy for the French being unwilling to fight WWII. WWI was a world war largely fought in France/Belgium that wiped out entire towns and regions. Rebuild for a generation, then face it all again? No thanks.
#10
"Iceland has an app everybody uses to see if they are related before having sex". While it is true that it was an app, the app was made as a joke. Iceland has birth records so extensive and complete, I can trace my family back 33 generations to Úlfur Óargi who was born in 740.
So a group of students made a joke app called "Incest Spoiler" which used this data to give you how closely related any two people were, but nobody has seriously used it.
Panda Kicki 9 months ago
With a small population and limited immigration it isnt that bad of a idea though. If you dont just use the birth records for that.
#11
Well, I'd say that we don't eat pasta on a daily basis, but we Italians absolutely f*****g do.
#12
That new Zealand is 'clean and green'. Around 60% of the rivers are unswimmable due to pollution.
Littlemiss 9 months ago
Not to mention how filthy a lot of places have become due to freedom campers trashing areas, leaving rubbish and fecal matter everywhere. There's little clean about NZ.
#13
That the country is called Holland. Holland is just 2 of the 12 provinces, the only two most people visit.
#14
Idk if it’s a myth but I’m tired of people associating berets with France. NO ONE wears that. NO ONE.
Multa Nocte 9 months ago
Some of the older men in the rural villages do but no, not many of the younger people.
#15
That British food is s**t.
It was probably true 20 years ago, but British cuisine has gone through a bit of a renaissance over the last decade and a half. We actually season stuff now. As evidenced by the fact that outside of Paris, the city with the most michelin-starred restaurants in the world is London.
One thing that *is* a bone of contention for me is that when I see memes about British food, it's almost always pot-shots at our "poverty meals". Beans on toast and stuff like that. We've never eaten beans on toast because we *like* it; we eat it because it's literally cheaper than instant noodles.
It just feels very cheap to mock poverty food when 60 million Americans rely on food banks.
kissmychakram 9 months ago
Excuse me? Beans on toast is fecking delicious and I absolutely used to eat it because I liked it. Especially the beans with the little sausages.
#16
We are the land of the Free.
Reality: USA is a flawed democracy ranking in the high teens in the various freedom indices.
So perhaps some nuance to the 100% part unless you get technical.
#17
That all of Germany is like Bavaria (all of the German stereotypes only depict Bavarian traditions). Although the country is a pretty small one, people will have different traditions, customs and veeeery different dialects if you drive for only 2 or 3 hours. .
#18
Scotland - many people think that Wild Haggis are a myth created to wind up tourists but they’re actually very much real animals although their numbers have declined quite significantly so I can see why they think it’s a myth. Luckily, you can see one on display in the Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum so hopefully that helps dispel the myth of their existence!
#19
Ireland. We're not all alcoholics who eat nothing but potatoes.
#20
That we in the USA think we’re better than everyone. Some do but many have a deep respect for other cultures and a fascination to learn more.
(Our recent election may not support this but it’s 100% true!).
DE Ray 9 months ago (edited)
I feel I should add some clarity about US elections: the winner of an election doesn't mean the majority of the people. This last time, he got 75.5 million votes. Of a population of 340 million. 2020, when he lost big, he got 75.1 million votes - Biden got 81 million votes, Harris only 71 million. 10 million fewer people voted. But in any case neither of those - not even all the votes added together - make up a majority of Americans.
#21
UK - that we all love the royal family & are offended when other people insult them.
A large chunk of the population is in favour of having no royal family anymore (certainly compared to previous generations).
#22
Mexico. We eat tacos every 2 seconds. We all look like: have a mustache,sombrero,named Juan.
#23
That Vikings had horns on their helmets. Thanks Wagner.
That polar bears roam our streets.
And my personal favourite: that the midnight sun is a physically different sun.
#24
Australia - that everything is trying to k**l you!
#25
As a Canadian, I don’t think we’re particularly “nicer” than anyone else. I would say that we’re less confrontational. We’re more likely to keep quiet then post about it later on social media. .
#26
Canada - we live in igloos and say aboot.
#28
The Netherlands - a majority of people do not in fact smoke pot on the regular, nor is it technically legal.
We also don't wear wooden shoes, the country does not exist mostly out of farmers that are stuck in the 19th century (thank you for that one Marvel) and we do not have no-go zones in big cities.
#29
Sweden. That we've got no go zones all over the place. We don't..the only time I've felt threatened walking around in my city have been on friday/saturday nights when some random drunk(s) are trying to pick a fight..a fist fight...
Panda Kicki 9 months ago
I disagree. Most cities has crime infested zones many hesitate to visit. And if you are woman, esp with non nordic looks, you can get severly harassed for going there unveiled. Attacks on fire trucks and ambulances are frequent and we have more bombs going off then any country not currently in war. We have so many kids under 15 sent on murder missions the laws are currently being changed.
#30
Australia and all the wildlife. The vast majority of the time, if you leave wildlife alone, they’ll leave you alone. Snakes and spiders are not particularly brave.
Usually this whole “aUsTraLiA iS sO dEaDlY” comes from people that have f*****g bears, wolves, mountain lions and more to worry about. I’m way more worried about those than a spider you can smash with a newspaper.
Rose the Cook 9 months ago
If you live in any Australian city it is most unlikely you will ever encounter anything worse than a spider and a small harmless one at that.
#31
That Brits don't go to the dentist.
There are people in literally every country with bad teeth, but us Brits get labelled the worst.
#32
People assume Greeks are lazy but we are some of the hardest-working people. It's always funny when the German tourists come and are surprised that we aren't running around naked stuffing our faces with food or napping. So sorry to disappoint you.
#33
Norway. Polar bears isn't an everyday lurking threat. I told a guy in my guild back when playing wow, that I was heading out, going for a jog in the nearby woods close to my home. And he asked seriously, if I had to be armed in case polar bears attacked.
#34
So many people believe Denmark has a set minimum wage. We do not - in fact the Danish government has stated they don't want that because it may make companies lower the wages that unions have fought for.
#35
That David Hasselhoff played some sort of integral role in the fall of the wall and the reunification of Germany.
Oerff On Tour 9 months ago (edited)
He did! West-Germany threatened East-Germany to send him across the wall. East Germany caved immediately, whilst at the same time protesting the breach of the Geneva Convention and Human Rights
#36
That in Poland, everyone is an alcoholic, I know more people who nearly never drink than people who drink very often.
François Bouzigues 9 months ago
Napoleon is to blame for this one. When Napoleon troops befriended the polish troops, they discovered vodka... On the following day, the french troops were have the worst hangover in history. Napoleon, passably pissed said the following: "if you want to drink like the polish, then be drunk like the polish" for the polish troops were in pristine conditions, as if the vodka had had no effect on them whatsoever.
#37
Im from germany and many people believe, that every german wears ,,Tracht‘‘ which is basically traditional clothing for the Octoberfest on a daily basis 😂🫣.
#38
Everyone assumes we're all obese idiots. Only 40% of our people are obese get it right.
Panda Kicki 9 months ago (edited)
Thats obese. How many are overweight? And what country? If we are talking US, 74% weighs to much. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/search/research-news/12328/ And as a majority just voted for a criminal I think we can safely say there is a fair share of idiots.
#39
It’s more a joke than a myth but I swear to god if I hear “Finland isn’t real” one more time…
Panda Kicki 9 months ago
What? Never heard that. Finland always carries vodka and a knife on the other hand...
#40
Apparently quite a few Brits think that electric kettles don't work in the US because the voltage isn't strong enough or something.
Plenty of us have electric kettles and they work just fine. The rest of us use stovetop ones to preserve counter space.
Bored Seagull 9 months ago
They're not too wrong, since the UK uses 230 volts, while the US only uses 110 volts. If you connect a electric kettle built for 230 volts to a 110 volt line, it results in only half the electric current, and a quarter of the electric power (as electric power is the product of electric current and voltage), compared to a 230 volt line. While a british electric kettle should work in the US, it will take a long time to get the water to boil. On the other hand, the electric power of a kettle built for the US would be quadrupled when connected to 230 volt. In theory it would boil water very fast, in practice you'd either blow the fuse, or you'd release the magic smoke from the kettle (or its cord), as they're not built for that much power.
#41
That all/most Icelanders believe in elves.
#42
That Norway has a boring and outdated cuisine. You can literally buy a bacon covered, cheese filled hot dog at every corner in the entire country. That’s pretty innovative to me!
#45
Dracula was neither a vampire nor from Transylvania.
Virgil Blue 9 months ago
He did make corpse-kebabs. And had a "pr-team" that made him look like an absolute savage to outsiders for political reasons. But when you are leader of a small nation constantly under threat of invasion I get you want to show a very clear and demoralising message to the next army to show up.
#46
That we Wear leather pants, drink beer and only eat Pretzels and Sausage.
Multa Nocte 9 months ago
Who? Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia? Come on BP, it shouldn't be too difficult to put in the country with the myth.
#47
That we all sleep siesta every day.
#48
As an Australian, you’ll never know and we’ll never tell!
#50
We don't say "OPA!" every chance we get and plate smashing is kinda a thing of the past.
Multa Nocte 9 months ago
I am going to have to pretend this is Greece, but would it be too much to ask that BP label the country in question?
#51
That George Washington was an honest, christian, leader.
#52
We are in fact not the country with the highest obesity rates in the world. We're ranked 13th, still pretty high though.
#53
The the US is a massive monoculture. Theres like 8 major subcultural groups recognized within the US, not counting smaller ones or Native Americans.
#54
There are so many that I’ve lost count (I’m Israeli).
cerinamroth 9 months ago (edited)
It is a land so full of contradictions that it is absolutely impossible to categorise! The rude Israeli stereotype totally applies for people working in public service, but if you are invited into someone's home you won't be able to leave until you've gained at least two dress sizes and been set up with some random guy. Lots of strangers are chatty and friendly, and I've had individuals go out of their way to help me there in a way that I have only ever experienced in Japan. But the glaring problems of inequality and poverty are there, as they are in many places. Plus right-wing nutjobs (partly cowering behind pretend religious conviction) in power for far too long, as is also the case elsewhere.
What do you think ?
Multa Nocte 9 months ago
BP - the article is about countries and the myths about them, but you have somehow forgotten to note the country in a number of these. Would it be too much to ask that you go back and put the name in the title if it's not already there?
Aroace tiger (she/they/he) 9 months ago
They're too busy copy and pasting to do that!
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T'Mar of Vulcan 9 months ago
We in South Africa do not have lions and zebras running in the streets. We also do not live in mud huts. Also, most racist white people emigrated to Australia years ago. Those of us who are left love our rainbow nation and will moer you if you diss us, so don't be a poephol.
StrangeOne 9 months ago
The stereotype that comes to mind is that South Africa is racially divided and that white people are not safe living there, families take turns guarding their homes and carjackings and kidnapping are guaranteed. What is the truth on this?
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Multa Nocte 9 months ago
BP - the article is about countries and the myths about them, but you have somehow forgotten to note the country in a number of these. Would it be too much to ask that you go back and put the name in the title if it's not already there?
Aroace tiger (she/they/he) 9 months ago
They're too busy copy and pasting to do that!
Load More Replies... T'Mar of Vulcan 9 months ago
We in South Africa do not have lions and zebras running in the streets. We also do not live in mud huts. Also, most racist white people emigrated to Australia years ago. Those of us who are left love our rainbow nation and will moer you if you diss us, so don't be a poephol.
StrangeOne 9 months ago
The stereotype that comes to mind is that South Africa is racially divided and that white people are not safe living there, families take turns guarding their homes and carjackings and kidnapping are guaranteed. What is the truth on this?
Load More Replies...
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