# Map of the world according to Americans! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 13, 2011, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/map-of-the-world-according-to-americans/599554 "2011-10-13T16:57:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2011, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/map-of-the-world-according-to-americans/599554/21 "2011-10-13T21:19:04Z")
> [@Wheelz](#): > > \ There’s a _New_ Mexico? \ It’s like Canada. All tucked away in that tiny little corner. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2011, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/map-of-the-world-according-to-americans/599554/22 "2011-10-13T23:38:40Z")
> [@miss\_elizabeth](#): > > You certainly aren’t doing much to disabuse anyone of that notion. Durr. I’m STOOOOPID. Durr.. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2011, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/map-of-the-world-according-to-americans/599554/23 "2011-10-13T23:40:14Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > [The Average American’s View of the Muslim World](http://www.derfcity.com/cityarchive/dubyayears/dubyayears8.html) What do you think a map depicting “Muslim World’s View of America”, or indeed of the rest of the world, would look like? ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2011, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/map-of-the-world-according-to-americans/599554/24 "2011-10-14T00:24:10Z")
**Argent Towers** , if your bunched panties will allow you to get your hands to the keyboard, the [Mapping Stereotypes](http://alphadesigner.com/project-mapping-stereotypes.html) site has dozens of maps mocking non-US countries. ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2011, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/map-of-the-world-according-to-americans/599554/25 "2011-10-14T00:45:25Z")
Obligatory [xkcd counterpoint](http://xkcd.com/850/), because nobody else has linked to it yet. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2011, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/map-of-the-world-according-to-americans/599554/26 "2011-10-14T01:00:38Z")
I’d like to add “reliable cars” to the Japanese label. ---
**Author:** ![PandaBear77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@PandaBear77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PandaBear77)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2011, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/map-of-the-world-according-to-americans/599554/27 "2011-10-14T01:08:15Z")
Duh. If this map were accurate it would say "ZOMG MOAR AMERICA!!’ ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2011, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/map-of-the-world-according-to-americans/599554/28 "2011-10-14T01:11:32Z")
Heh, [Berlusconi’s Europe](http://www.flickr.com/photos/alphadesigner/5394124406/sizes/l/in/photostream/): Rich Pussy, Inexpensive Pussy, Blonde Pussy, Criminal Pussy, Beach Pussy, Big Nosed Pussy, etc. ---
**Author:** ![miss\_elizabeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@miss\_elizabeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miss_elizabeth)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2011, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/map-of-the-world-according-to-americans/599554/29 "2011-10-14T01:56:21Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > Durr. I’m STOOOOPID. Durr.. > [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > What do you think a map depicting “Muslim World’s View of America”, or indeed of the rest of the world, would look like? I wish this hadn’t been moved from the pit. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2011, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/map-of-the-world-according-to-americans/599554/30 "2011-10-14T02:05:59Z")
This map represents the foolish idea that the notion of ethnocentrism is somehow _unique to Americans._ That’s what I object to about it. Yeah, Americans view the rest of the world in simplistic terms that are relative to how it affects America. This is also true of all other countries, basically. The attitude of “we’re the best; everyone else doesn’t matter” is shared by basically every nationality on the planet. America, at least, is tolerant of people who make fun of it. Many other countries aren’t. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2011, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/map-of-the-world-according-to-americans/599554/31 "2011-10-14T02:28:29Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > This map represents the foolish idea that the notion of ethnocentrism is somehow _unique to Americans._ That’s what I object to about it. Yeah, Americans view the rest of the world in simplistic terms that are relative to how it affects America. This is also true of all other countries, basically. The attitude of “we’re the best; everyone else doesn’t matter” is shared by basically every nationality on the planet. > > America, at least, is tolerant of people who make fun of it. Many other countries aren’t. Ah but AT, as others have linked to, there are lots of these maps, lampooning local prejudices and myopia. It’s a common sport and not expectionally anti-American. Although American stereotypes of the rest of the world are better known internationally so American maps of this type have more mileage. ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2011, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/map-of-the-world-according-to-americans/599554/32 "2011-10-14T02:41:36Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > The attitude of “we’re the best; everyone else doesn’t matter” is shared by basically every nationality on the planet. No, it isn’t. And forgive me for saying so, but to make such a sweeping generalization without first-hand experience of a wide range of other nations is _exactly_ the kind of arrogance that typifies Americans and some other Westerners. Apologies if you do have extensive experience living and working with the people of other nations, **Argent Towers** , but I can’t imagine that you do or you wouldn’t make such a dismissive and simplistic comment as the one above. I will give you one counter-example that I am deeply familiar with. Indonesia is no better or worse than the US in terms of its people and their foibles. But I assure you, among the Indonesian citizenry the unequivocal notion that Indonesia is “the best” in most measurable ways is emphatically not the case. I work in the aid biz, previously in projects funded by America and more recently by Australia. Day after day, year after year, I have worked side-by-side with Indonesians who manage to graciously accept that a bevy of foreigners are coming to their land and telling them how to dispense better health care, manage better factories, build better buildings, develop better agriculture, create better schools, and just generally do better by taking advice from Americans, Europeans, and Australians. Sure, national pride and a certain amount of resentment is apparent from time to time, but on the whole Indonesians welcome assistance and actually try to learn from people who come in to advise them, despite the fact that these advisors often have little understanding of Indonesian history, politics and culture, and zero ability to speak the language. If the tables were turned and Indonesians started turning up in droves to tell American policy makers what to do, I cannot imagine that Americans would be as humble and receptive as Indonesians are. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2011, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/map-of-the-world-according-to-americans/599554/33 "2011-10-14T02:49:59Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > That’s what I object to about it. Yeah, Americans view the rest of the world in simplistic terms that are relative to how it affects America. This is also true of all other countries, basically. The attitude of “we’re the best; everyone else doesn’t matter” is shared by basically every nationality on the planet. It is, however, a common American stereotype, one with a real kernel of truth. A lot of it probably deriving from the sheer size, wealth and media dominance of the U.S., not to mention its relative isolation in terms of foreign borders - it is just a lot easier to be insular in this country. And sometimes you have to be willing to to laugh at yourself. Some shrill hipster pontificating tediously and humorlessly about how ignorant and arrogant all Americans are can get tiring pretty quickly. But sorry, that map is funny. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2011, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/map-of-the-world-according-to-americans/599554/34 "2011-10-14T03:31:56Z")
If you think the map is funny, good for you. Everyone should laugh; it’s good for your health, supposedly. I personally don’t find any humor in the map because to me it is not saying anything clever or interesting. Most Americans really think Mexicans “do our laundry and lawns”? I’m not aware that most Americans have maids and private yard workers. Only a small percentage of America’s population is in any kind of position to think of Mexicans as doing “their” laundry and lawns. America is not in great economic shape right now and most people cannot afford those kind of services for themselves. Many Americans do, in fact, have first hand experience with getting bounced out of jobs because industry is moving _to_ Mexico, and for lots of people, this phenomenon would be what comes to mind when they think of Mexico. Americans think that Canada is uninhabited? No they don’t. Not even the dumbest Americans are unaware of Toronto, which has professional basketball and baseball teams that play against American teams. Americans think that all of Europe are “pussies”? No. Some Americans think that the French are pussies. I’m not aware of many Americans thinking this way about the UK, which served alongside us in Iraq and Afghanistan, as many deployed military people would know. And there are veterans of these wars in every city and town in the country, even the most backwards and supposedly ignorant places, who knew that British troops were there and in harm’s way, even despite the extreme unpopularity of America’s wars. I think most Americans know that Russia is not communist anymore, and I think the summary of the African continent for most Americans would not be “zoo animals” but rather “AIDS and civil wars.” In short - the map is not making any clever or true observations about the character of America’s attitude towards the rest of the world. I think that it is a dumb cartoon. As I said before, if you think it’s funny, then feel free to laugh at it. ETA: I know people are inevitably going to say “wow, you’re overthinking this/you have too much time on your hands/TLDR” and so on. But I am not reacting to this map just from this thread; I have seen it posted by _many_ people on Facebook, which is why I feel so strongly about it. Things don’t go viral on Facebook unless people think there’s something true and clever about them, and in this case, I think the people who find this map clever are wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hypnagogic_jerk/32/4252_2.png) [@Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypnagogic_Jerk)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2011, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/map-of-the-world-according-to-americans/599554/35 "2011-10-14T04:07:18Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > Most Americans really think Mexicans “do our laundry and lawns”? I’m not aware that most Americans have maids and private yard workers. There is an image in the US of Mexicans as maids and manual labourers. It doesn’t matter that most Americans do not actually hire such workers, the stereotype still exists. See Consuela from _Family Guy_. > [@](#): > > Americans think that Canada is uninhabited? No they don’t. Not even the dumbest Americans are unaware of Toronto, which has professional basketball and baseball teams that play against American teams. To be fair, Canada _is_ largely uninhabited. And it may be a way to express the fact that Americans are for the most part largely unaware of Canada’s culture, history and politics. (That is, to them it’s “uninhabited” in the figurative sense.) Not that it’s wrong for Americans to be largely unaware of a country whose population is only a tenth of their own. Also, Toronto? That’s in the US, as Watson the _Jeopardy!_-playing computer has told us. > [@](#): > > Americans think that all of Europe are “pussies”? No. Some Americans think that the French are pussies. I’m not aware of many Americans thinking this way about the UK, which served alongside us in Iraq and Afghanistan, as many deployed military people would know. You’re right, nobody questions the virility of the London Silly Nannies. > [@](#): > > I think most Americans know that Russia is not communist anymore, and I think the summary of the African continent for most Americans would not be “zoo animals” but rather “AIDS and civil wars.” Interestingly, “AIDS” is how most of sub-Saharan Africa is described on the Mapping Stereotypes’ American map of the world. (Somalia is “Jack Sparrow” which cannot help but make me crack a smile, despite the seriousness of that whole situation.) > [@](#): > > In short - the map is not making any clever or true observations about the character of America’s attitude towards the rest of the world. I think that it is a dumb cartoon. It is a caricature, of course. It’s not claiming that all Americans think that what is written on the map is literally true. And as **Tamerlane** points out, there are many maps of the same kind done from other perspectives. What do you think of them? ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2011, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/map-of-the-world-according-to-americans/599554/36 "2011-10-14T04:12:11Z")
The other maps are a lot more detailed, clever and interesting…this particular map in the OP is just a poorly done drawing with very hackneyed, tired cliches as the punch lines. I’m _not_ totally against the idea of calling attention to peoples’ geographical misconceptions, but this first linked map has no subtlety, it’s just saying “Americans r dumb.” ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2011, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/map-of-the-world-according-to-americans/599554/37 "2011-10-14T04:22:29Z")
**AT** , with respect, I don’t think you’re overthinking it but I do think you’re taking it too seriously. The map is just a parody, like _Team America’s_ “America, Fuck Yeah!” No one really believes Americans think Canada is uninhabited or that Japan exists solely to provide us with TVs and cameras, and frankly anyone dumb enough to believe otherwise has much more serious things to worry about in life than how Americans view the rest of the world. In short, it’s just a gag, man. Lighten up. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2011, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/map-of-the-world-according-to-americans/599554/38 "2011-10-14T04:32:08Z")
Ahem, make that “much more to worry about” or “many other things to worry about”. Editing sometimes is not my friend. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2011, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/map-of-the-world-according-to-americans/599554/39 "2011-10-14T04:49:37Z")
Wait… where’s Lord of the Rings land? I think it’s near that kangaroo place. And Harry Potter land! Or is that included in the pussy territory? ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2011, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/map-of-the-world-according-to-americans/599554/40 "2011-10-14T04:56:55Z")
> [@Jragon](#): > > Wait… where’s Lord of the Rings land? I think it’s near that kangaroo place. And Harry Potter land! Or is that included in the pussy territory? Stupid. Hogwarts isn’t a real place! It’s imaginary, like Belgium. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/map-of-the-world-according-to-americans/599554.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/map-of-the-world-according-to-americans/599554.md?page=3)