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Hey Pandas, Tell Us The Most Popular Stereotype Of Americans Where You Are From (Closed)
What are typical stereotypes you hear about Americans - good or bad. Are they big misconceptions or do you feel they hold merit?
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My answer is this: stop with this nonsense. Didn't we just have this discussion? You know, the one where we discussed how posts like this were basically hostile and totally uncalled for? If I started a post ridiculing another country and its citizens, all hell would break loose and don't tell me this isn't true. And yes, we Americans can skip over these types of posts and comments, and very often most of us do. However, there are times when we're just not in the mood to forgive and forget, like today. I won't apologize for defending my country from this nonsense and if I'm down voted, so be it. This shiit (and it is complete shiit) gets so old and these comments are so unoriginal, it's not even funny. At the very least, come up with something we haven't heard yet. We may be stupid, but we recognize ignorant redundancy when we see it.
Thank you! Well said! I too thought about just skipping this topic but couldn't resist seeing just what was being said. I'm only on #4 but is it not positive to have some uplifting comments? The whole of America is not the cesspool that people often think even if it is the most "popular." There are PLENTY of kind, caring, and generous people who live here. Wonderful landscapes and environs. There are plenty of negatives that could be said of ANY country. How about we talk more of good things people? No wonder the world is so hard to get along in as most people can only judge and see the bad in places.
You're brainwashed from a very small child to think US is the land of freedom and the greatest country in the world. You literally make kids repeat the Pledge of Alliance in schools. You also have zero workers' rights, no maternity leave, no public health care. If you don't work all the time, you are seen as lazy.
It's the land of extremes. You got dirt poor and filthy rich to the point of "I take 3 minute flights instead of driving bc I have a private plane and I can", big queer communities and loud anti-human rights christians, great education & research and the dumbest idiots of all times.
I am not certain you understood the assignment, which was to describe how people in your area fit certain stereotypes. This sounds more like a rant.
I'm usually careful with stereotypes, but here is one I can wholeheartedly call "an American thing":
They can (and will) file a lawsuit for reasons that are unthinkable in Europe. They sue anyone, for anything. It's just not possible here.
And it's a bit of a running joke, for example if you've hurt yourself bumping against something, it's "Damn, if I lived in the U.S., I could sue whoever placed this object here and they'd pay me!"
This is true. My parents were in a car accident. The driver was a teenager from a poor family. The lawyer was upset that his family didn't have enough assets to go after (this is AFTER they'd successfully fought insurance to cover medical and pain and suffering entirely). He told my parents they could go after the assets of the passengers in the car with him - other kids, none of them drunk or stoned or anything. Can you imagine riding along in a car one day, getting into an accident that's not your fault, and having your parents lose their house for it? Totally possible in the U.S. Fortunately my parents had integrity and told him to f**k off.
hard right, trump-loving, american flag raising, hat-wearing, truck-having, sweaty middle-aged men who want to take away women's rights because...well...america..??
ps. i'm in georgia.
Well only half the people love Trump the other half to completely despise him and see that he’s completely destroying the country even when he’s not in office
"No one wants to work" No one wants to work themselves to death and still be unable to survive.
That's all you hear about in news. There's a labor shortage & nobody wants to work. Well...let me tell you something. Working in customer service is a horrible job, especially now. The customers in my store were/are EXTREMELY rude. I have never experienced that level of disrespect in my life. The vast majority of labor shortage is in the customer service. Nobody wants to be treated like second class citizens.
Politicizing everything.
Being offended by how we do/say things. (and then proceeding to try and "educate" us on why we're wrong.) - My favourite (of many) is getting offended by the term "Coloured" when it's a legit ethnic group here.
As a black person, I feel like white Americans think that the word black is a curse word. Like... its not? I'm literally black?
Im from the uk and always thought americans were very polite, like they say bathroom instead of loo and dont swear, as all the tourists from the us ive met were very polite. I know not everyone is though
In the U.S., bathroom is the most common version of the word. Restroom is the most polite. Privy or head is slang from military contexts. Toilet is rare and usually refers only to the porcelain throne itself. Loo is never said, just not in our vernacular. Of course, the best amongst us just say shitter or republican voting booth.
Americans (and most western countries as well) are incredibly friendly and chatty out of nowhere.
Lol I’m an introvert and American, unless we are talking about my hyper fixation…
Americans seem to talk and socialize a lot more compared to people from other countries.
But Titas you are from the Baltic. You guys have a reputation for thinking that socialising is just something you do in a sauna, and otherwise to be avoided at all costs. /stereotypes/ sorry.
Loud and ignorant. Gets upset when traveling because things aren't done the way they are are in the US.
Not me or anyone I’ve met. Sadly their are Americans like this, go throw them in a whole along with the people who judge every single American for the bad ones. We’re a huge country with tons of people dude. Please stop.
Rude, unapologetic, abrupt, obnoxiously patriotic with backward laws. Believers of the "American Dream", as cheesy as it sounds. Americans really do live by that motto.
When I first learned about the American Dream in 4th 5th grade (P7 and P8 for IB students) I believed it. Not anymore.
Fat, uneducated in many domains (geography, language...), thinking all is better in the USA, having a Manichean way of thinking, mostly about politics, confusing "socialism" with what is "social".
As an American myself, I would like to object these stereotypes (for myself at least). I am not overweight and am currently in three different sports (but, being a teen girl and all, the scale haunts me), I love learning new languages and Spanish is my best so far, nothing is better in the USA from my standpoint: everything is more unhealthy, we have horrible politicians, wildfires galore where I live, and all those idiots MAGAts, and I barely care about politics, I just care about how it's making everyone argue and become worse people, and I very much do know what socialism is. Yeah, some Americans are spawn of toads, but others are really nice people... Or just, ya know, regular tempered people.
Not everyone, but it seems a lot of us (I am American) love our guns more than we love our children.
Don't forget animals. Some Americans care more about them than people. I love them too, but I'm human first.
That they are geographically challenger...
Loud, annoying, MAGA_hat wearing idiots. I'm from the US. :-)
Yeah a lot of people here suck, many are good though and the nice Americans are cool :)
We are all dying because we cannot afford the hospital or medicine. Not wrong er charged me 1,300 to come into it.
The ER just sent me a $6900 bill. I was discharged 4 hours after going in. The worse part? I have health insurance!!!! That's AFTER health insurance paid $10,000!!! They set an IV CATHETER, GAVE ME 1 BAG OF FLUIDS 2 MEDS IV. I had a CT scan and bloodwork too. They told me they found nothing wrong and sent me home. I got billed from the radiologist, the hospital, the doctor and Lab separately. The HOSPITAL wants $6900. CT cost me $3000, lab was cheap at $560. Reminder now the insurance paid 80% TOO.
CA. Hipsters that like complicated coffee, and live by the beach
Canada has beach-living, Venti with Organic Goats' Milk, Triple Frothed hipsters too. The Starbucks Mentality isn't only in the U.S.
You all are rich, very rich. And for all I've read it's very true honestly.
True extreme poverty in my country is eating from a trash can, in the US it seems to be eating McDonald's. I've read numerous stories from people who grew from poverty in US and said they would eat McDonald's like if that is something poor people can afford. Meanwhile I grew up knowing McDonald's is rich people's food.
Minimal hourly wage is equivalent to 1 US dollar. I paid about 8 dollars my first and only time trying Subway, 8 hours of work is the price of a sandwich.
I say that because I've read american people say they're not rich as we think, but you need to understand to people who live in about 240 dollars monthly sometimes even with a degree, you are indeed rich.
If you live in Texas and you are a Democrat then the repubs think you are poor, probably on welfare, drug using anti-law enforcement. We have advanced college degrees, live in a wealthy community and are retired from Federal law enforcement careers. It sure messes with them when they learn these facts.
I live in Florida on the Atlantic Coast. I don't really think all the crazy "Florida Man" stereotypes are true. There are a few redneck types, but overall people are reasonable and accepting of everyone. Floridians get a bad rap sometimes, but I don't think it's fair.
I hear you! Born, and have lived in South Florida almost all my life! Don't worry, "Florida Man" is based on our unique government transparency laws - as soon as you're booked your "story" and picture are publicly available to anyone. Not to mention, Florida is the 3rd largest state by population - so that combined with these laws make sense! Plus, it's crazy hot here 24/7-365, so you're going to see a ton of outdoor activity!
We have a name for them...
Fig Jam .... " F#%k i'm good ... Just ask me."
Racist white men who hold up fish on their tinder profile pictures, though I hate to admit that's like 75% of the state.
Ps: Pennsylvania
I'm white, I've never suppressed anyone, owned anyone, or care to do any harm or malice to anyone. Yet, I'm somehow responsible for every other white person? Like, I can police old white people throughout history but thought to myself, nah. Let's commit genocide...
Literally everything being religious, also people who aren’t the “normal” being ostracized. If you couldn’t guess, I’m from the Deep South. SWEET HOME ALABAMA!!!!!!!!
Look, I know that American citizens are just like me. I have met with a few and they are genuinely good people but....
"Oh, God, this place is so quaint! Can we buy it?"
"Is that the same moon that we've got?"
"What do you guys do in the winter?" (Thinking that we only live here for the tourist season and, somehow, go back to where we live).
I live in the Falkland Islands and we know that most US citizens are not like this.
Yeah, if you're an American who can travel over seas. For the rest of us, we know that's the same moon, and probably warm up in the winter. You got some rich ignorant ones.
Being more extroverted and a little too loud. Also kind of scary-religious, but then again better keep praying to Jesus to help you cause your government sure as hell won't...
Lol, I'm an atheist and am trying my hardest not to be loud... In public, I expect all those darn pigeons around here are all deaf now.
i've never heard anyone trashtalk themselves more than americans, but then i realized it's political; liberals trashtalk the conservatives and vice versa (they never mention that part though)
I thought you meant trash talking to ourselves... As in, I talk s**t about myself to myself lol, which is true for me, ngl.
Two things that all people from the United States (maybe around 20) that I have met or got to know in the past had in common: they were incredibly polite and chatty. I got along with them pretty well, from my perspective I can't approve all the typical stereotypes to be honest. Okay, often beeing chatty includes beeing loud and I read that here a few times, so maybe that matches. Germany
I’m an introvert but if your cool or my friend I am pretty chatty, you seem cool
That they spend most of their tax money on armies to invade oil-bearing countries. Whether that's true or not... mmm.
Yes I eat McDonald’s for breakfast lunch and dinner. Maybe it’s true for some politicians but not most of our citizens.
confederate batte flags
chesapeak blue crabsp
Let me try spelling right
Confederate battle flags
Chesapeake Bay blue crabs
Very poor diet that leads to obesity, uneducated and ignorant and strangely "proud"' of being American (whatever that means).. I find all of these stereotypes true
I am 100% not even close to any of those stereotypes. I have primary education (12 years) with a Bachelors in applied science. (6years) I also continue my education every year with at least 50 hours of CE classes or group educational seminars. 10 hours are required yearly to keep my license to practice. I COULD NEVER be proud to be an American. Just like if I was born England or Canada. What is there to be proud of? Growing up poor as dirt I didn't eat. We didn't eat fast food either. We ate lunch at school. That's usually it. McDonald's was rich people food to me as well. The first time I had steak was as an adult. So...
Seattle WA. Passive aggressive, unfriendly, hypocrite liberals who drive alone in their car bubble to work instead of talking a bus.
That's a fairly good description of liberals in any of our major cities, actually.
1. the damn stereotypes about gender and colors. cant all colors be for everyone?
2. "america is the home of freedom". they say it is the home for freedom, but they legit enslaved people a looooong time ago
USA still has active legal slavery laws? Because if the USA doesn't, then there's no need to keep bringing up slavery, it's like bringing hitler into anything. If we're going to talk slavery, look at the actual countries that still have legal slave trades. Additionally, sex slave trade, endentured servitude, ridiculously high debt for education that leads no where.
Wrestling alligators by my swamp home while I wear my worn down overalls. Maybe have some jumbo or jambalaya whilst I sit in my rocking chair just waiting to shoot something with the gun that’s in my lap.
P.S I’m from Louisiana, if you couldn’t tell. I visit up North a lot and someone noticed my southern accent and asked me why we wrestle alligators with our bare hands 🤦♀️
When I moved up North, and lived there for a few years, people were really surprised to here I was from Georgia. It's because they expect the redneck, beer drinking, smoking, worn down pick-up truck driving southerner. They don't expect a quiet, book-lovin, crocheting, knitting, tea-drinking southerner.
1. the price of health care
2. school shootings
3. guns
4. abortion rights
5. guns
6. fat people
7. rednecks
8. guns
9. college prices
To be clear I am not trying to offend anybody I know for a fact a lot of these are not all true but that's what first comes to mind for a lot of the people that I know
I don't feel like having an argument about them in the comments as some of the ones I diss agree with I just asked about 10 of my friends and these are what came up multiple times
These exist, people are like this, these things happen. It’s true but it just isn’t right to judge everyone in the country on it. I wish all of this stuff never existed in the first place though.
Can't spell ENGLISH words properly and think that there is actually something called American English .... no! It's English as in British !
"American English" is a thing. It's the most prominent dialect of English spoken in the US. We have many dialects here, with each one having its own name (just like every language has). That's also partially why some Americans "can't spell words properly." They're using the grammar and syntax appropriate to their dialectic.
*slaps knees* Welp, 'spose I should be headin' out now. Ope, dropped my pop! (Midwest)
Btw I'm from the Midwest and this is often just how we speak because of accents so it's less of a stereotype and more of a regional accent thing
that they believe America is the only, or best, country in the world
I live in Australia but I’m just going to go off my family
Overall, it’s just a lot of violence because we keep seeing things like shootings on the news (not to mention it is the home of Trump). Howverer, we may travel there (not for a vacation though, my parents think it’s a bit dangerous since people can just walk around armed).
NJ is very safe, we have nice beaches which aren’t that pretty but are very clean. Our people are nice and we rarely have school shootings. Feel free to visit.
I'm American and I've lived all over the USA and have noticed one "stereotype" everywhere:
Americans don't fix problems. We procrastinate, sweep under the rug, or just plain ignore it and hope it will go away.
But we rarely, rarely, fix it.
We know how. We just don't. I think because that would mean we acknowledge that we aren't the best country in the world. So we see failure as an affront to the American Dream and place blame on the people for not succeeding, when our system itself is set up for most of us to fail.
Obese and stupid, due to low level of education, and hence they are easily manipulated by politicians, comercials or employers trying to exploit them without giving a s**t about other people's well being.
Everything is absurdly big, which include tank like cars that only run a few miles per gallon, while they complain about how absurdly high the gas prices are (could the solution maybe be to get a smaller car with a better milage, if you, afterall, only use it to go grocery shopping on paved roads in the city?).
America is a country where you are left to die, in case a minor bump on the road knocks you a bit "out of balance" for a period, since you are completely left on your own. E.g. a jobloss, a natural disarster or a minor untreated health issue that is allowed to develop into a major problem that can ruin an entire life for economical reasons, however they cannot realise that sometimes helping people a little, so they can get back on their feet and be productive will be a good investment for society -because god forbid, you would have to pay for someone else, and that will reduce your freedom.
They all live by the dream that if they just work hard enough they will become a milionair, and hence the support a system that benefits billionairs while it actually reduce their chance of making it, because the system is rigged against the little man. Basically they are selling their well-being in order to keep an unrealistic dream alive, instead of actually doing the things that would better their current conditions. Therefore there are numbers of them that vote against their own best interest.
Guns have gotten a wierdly accepted to such a point that no one any longer reflect on the fact that giving anybody the option of killing anyone else almost instantinously might not really be nessesary in most situations, while guns comes with a lot of problems, that is completely ignored. E.g. shcool shooting have almost just become a cost of business, and no one really seem to care about fixing it, but only exercise proforma rituals of mentioning "thoughts and prayers", or saying "this is a too emotional moment to talk about guns", or just is blaming it on mental issues, without doing anything to help better the situation. Instead you will be presented with b******t ideas implying that more guns will solve the issue (so basically putting out a fire with gasolin). It has been proven time and time again that more guns is not the solution, but gunlovers are simply too dense for those arguments to work. Instead you will just hear the same lines over and over.
They have an absurd opinion about the danger level of certain things, you are simply not old enough to drink alcohol, but you can drive a car, get a gun or join the militairy, and God forbid it if someone is to see a naked body. Killing other is ok, but loving someone, oh no, and you better not teach children about sex, as you might inspire them.
Many of them have never been outside of the States, and seem like the could not care any less about the world outside. Hence they don't have good understanding of what goes on elsewhere, and cannot fanthom that things could be done differently and that there might be a better way to run the society, because the US is the best country on the planet.
They are too lazy to learn other countries, and get very offended that they cannot just speak English anywhere in the world.
I'm from PA and agree with every word! When I speak of the USA being the "greatest country in the world," it's always with a whole lot of sarcasm. It's not even close to being a great country. Stolen from native Americans, and let's not mention the fact that when they were rounded up and put on reservations, the US was kind enough to issue them blankets....that were infested with smallpox. Built on the blood of slaves and still to this day trying to deny it. Won't let it be taught in schools! The whole world knows our bloody history, yet we try to keep it a secret! And still have the guts to call it the "greatest country in the world." Sounds like tRUMP saying that he's the greatest president that ever was! What a joke!
I wonder how french people are seen. I mean, i already know some clichés about us: we eat snails, we are always in a hurry , paris is sooooo romantic ( trust me, it's not), but i'm curious about it. Oh, and no, we don't always wear a "beret" or have a baguette with us 24/7. No no no.
Yep you got most of them. 'French Rudeness" particularly towards Americans (like looking down at them) was a thing. Not that I ever bought into that. Oh and the French surrender easily. Think that's mainly a military stereotype. Plus these perceptions are a lil outdated I think. As an American man I have the perception of French Women as elegant, stylish, and beautiful/loving. Could be totally off and ignorant though. Willing to cop to it. Depends on the woman I'm sure.
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For those offended by the topic being about the US only, feel free to give me your Australian stereotypes, I find them hilarious :)
I wonder how french people are seen. I mean, i already know some clichés about us: we eat snails, we are always in a hurry , paris is sooooo romantic ( trust me, it's not), but i'm curious about it. Oh, and no, we don't always wear a "beret" or have a baguette with us 24/7. No no no.
Yep you got most of them. 'French Rudeness" particularly towards Americans (like looking down at them) was a thing. Not that I ever bought into that. Oh and the French surrender easily. Think that's mainly a military stereotype. Plus these perceptions are a lil outdated I think. As an American man I have the perception of French Women as elegant, stylish, and beautiful/loving. Could be totally off and ignorant though. Willing to cop to it. Depends on the woman I'm sure.
Load More Replies... For those offended by the topic being about the US only, feel free to give me your Australian stereotypes, I find them hilarious :)
