# Nationalism, stereotypes, and mocking of other cultures **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 15, 2011, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nationalism-stereotypes-and-mocking-of-other-cultures/606332 "2011-12-15T20:15:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Gukumatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/74df32/32.png) [@Gukumatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gukumatz)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nationalism-stereotypes-and-mocking-of-other-cultures/606332/21 "2011-12-16T05:28:07Z")
> [@chiroptera](#): > > So, what are you doing, concretely and for real, to combat whatever it is you’re combatting here? Because if the answer is “nothing, actually” then STFU. If the answer is “something, and this is what is is” then let’s hear it. > [@Candyman74](#): > > GFYS. **[Mod Hat]** We do “get” abbreviations and acronyms, you know. Telling someone to “shut the fuck up” or “go fuck yourself” is way over the line for IMHO and the latter is even [especially prohibited even in the BBQ Pit](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=508858). I’m lenient enough to make this a Mod Notice only, but going any further in this thread - or indeed anywhere else than the Pit and there only according to such rules as apply - will result in this being upgraded to a Warning. - Gukumatz, Game Room & IMHO Moderator **[/Mod Hat]** ---
**Author:** ![GoodOmens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@GoodOmens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GoodOmens)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nationalism-stereotypes-and-mocking-of-other-cultures/606332/22 "2011-12-16T10:46:19Z")
> [@Candyman74](#): > > Aha! Thank you. That’s the very attitude I’m querying. > > When you say “it’s all in fun”, is this a generic position? Can a white man use the N word when addressing a black man as long as it’s “all in fun”? Fun to whom? To you? To the target? > > As for concern - it’s a fairly casual query (which is why it’s not in Great Debates). It’s like a teeny minor debate. I don’t think it’s a major problem, just a curious one. I think the issue is that the “acceptability” of a particular word or name depends a great deal on personal, individual relationships. The vast majority of the time, it would be improper to call a black man “nigger” or a gay man “fag.” Those are words with powerful social and emotiona attachments, which is why they are used as slurs. But I’ve had friends whom I could call horrible things, and they could do the same to me, because we had a relationship in which we both understood it was all in fun. This will seem an odd analogy…when I was growing up my family had an Alaskan Malamute, pure-bred, around 110 pounds. Big, powerful dog with big powerful teeth, who I always knew could hurt me very very badly in the blink of an eye. But I could rough-house with that dog, smack her around, throw her around, and she didn’t harm a hair on my head. It’s because we trusted each other. There’s no way she would have allowed that from a different person (well, other than the rest of the family), and there’s no way that I would have walked up to a random dog and smacked it across the face. ---
**Author:** ![Namkcalb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c89c15/32.png) [@Namkcalb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Namkcalb)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nationalism-stereotypes-and-mocking-of-other-cultures/606332/23 "2011-12-16T10:53:27Z")
> [@Gukumatz](#): > > **[Mod Hat]** > > We do “get” abbreviations and acronyms, you know. > > Telling someone to “shut the fuck up” or “go fuck yourself” is way over the line for IMHO and the latter is even [especially prohibited even in the BBQ Pit](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=508858). I’m lenient enough to make this a Mod Notice only, but going any further in this thread - or indeed anywhere else than the Pit and there only according to such rules as apply - will result in this being upgraded to a Warning. > > **[/Mod Hat]** Are we still allowed to use WTF? I use it in situations where I’d never use “What the fuck!!??” ---
**Author:** ![Capitaine\_Zombie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@Capitaine\_Zombie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capitaine_Zombie)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nationalism-stereotypes-and-mocking-of-other-cultures/606332/24 "2011-12-16T11:02:11Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Just be glad you’re not French. I’ve been to France many times, and it’s my favorite country except for the U.S. (in some respects more than the U.S.). You’re so gay. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nationalism-stereotypes-and-mocking-of-other-cultures/606332/25 "2011-12-16T12:40:01Z")
> [@Candyman74](#): > > When you say “it’s all in fun”, is this a generic position? Can a white man use the N word when addressing a black man as long as it’s “all in fun”? Yes, of course. It is just a word. A powerful one certainly and with it comes a duty to use it with care, but just a word nonetheless. > [@](#): > > Fun to whom? To you? To the target? Both of course. It is shared experience that we all join into, to and fro, back and forth. You do have to know your audience of course and seeing as we live in an imperfect world there is always the chance that we get it wrong from time to time. In my opinion, that is a risk worth taking. The important think is always…_always_, the intent of the words. The foulest language can be used in an affectionate way and the most innocuous phrases can be poisoned by ill-intent. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nationalism-stereotypes-and-mocking-of-other-cultures/606332/26 "2011-12-16T13:41:03Z")
> [@Namkcalb](#): > > Are we still allowed to use WTF? I use it in situations where I’d never use “What the fuck!!??” Yes, it’s OK. You’re not using the abbreviation to insult anyone. You can even say, “What the fuck?” But I know you’re way too nice a guy to do _that_. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Cinnamon\_Imp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@Cinnamon\_Imp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cinnamon_Imp)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nationalism-stereotypes-and-mocking-of-other-cultures/606332/27 "2011-12-16T14:25:48Z")
> [@Harvey\_The\_Heavy](#): > > It may be due to the British having a reputation for having a great sense of humor. I can’t imagine a Brit taking American mocking seriously. Plus, the common language spares us from needing to have our mocking translated. I’m Scottish and find the US stereotypes of British people as having bad teeth and poor hygiene offensive. Mainly inexplicable, but still offensive. Same goes for the reputation of our food as bad, and don’t even get me started on the assumption that me and my bighearted generous countrymen are a nation of stingy misers. I know I don’t speak for every single Scot/Brit on the board, but rest assured at least one of us doesn’t find outdated prejudices particularly funny. ---
**Author:** ![Dennis\_Arthur\_PERRETT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3e96dc/32.png) [@Dennis\_Arthur\_PERRETT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dennis_Arthur_PERRETT)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2011, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nationalism-stereotypes-and-mocking-of-other-cultures/606332/28 "2011-12-18T00:08:10Z")
Going through all your threads/comments, the best points regard what some have termed as “growing a thicker skin” but also agree that at times “fun” can go overboard to the nth degree. Ones sense of humour is the key. You yourself use the term mock and in essence its all just a war of words, parleying thoughts and opinions with each other, but leave it at that because thats all it is. As an Australian I feel we are aligned more with the English sense of humour, Americans can be somewhat crass if not plain ridiculous in getting their cultural, political et cetera and they do, as we say in Australia, “rub us the wrong way”. Instead of letting it depress you think of the humour of John Cleese as Basil Fawlty and handle it in the same way, or Ricky Gervais with his subtle stupidity, or even think of how John Inman as the camp Mister Humphries. Laugh at yourself, with others, grow a thicker skin and for Gods Sake don’t take it to the nth degree. Ps-us Aussies are full of Bullshit aren’t we!!! ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2011, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nationalism-stereotypes-and-mocking-of-other-cultures/606332/29 "2011-12-18T01:19:09Z")
Thing is, Americans’ sense of humor tends to be either crude, cruel, or nonexistent. ---
**Author:** ![palacheck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a88e57/32.png) [@palacheck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/palacheck)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2011, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nationalism-stereotypes-and-mocking-of-other-cultures/606332/30 "2011-12-18T01:55:04Z")
Is there any country on earth that’s mocked more than America? And guess what? I simply could not give less of a shit. Some of it’s funny and I laugh. Some of it isn’t and I don’t. What I don’t do, ever, is let it get to me and somehow undermine my self esteem. That would be pathetic. Developing thicker skin is the only solution. Period. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2011, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nationalism-stereotypes-and-mocking-of-other-cultures/606332/31 "2011-12-18T02:02:34Z")
As long as its good natured I don’t mind. I’ve engaged in self deprecating ethnic humour. ---
**Author:** ![Waxwinged](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c2a13f/32.png) [@Waxwinged](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waxwinged)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2011, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nationalism-stereotypes-and-mocking-of-other-cultures/606332/32 "2011-12-18T03:49:20Z")
Ehh… As far as I’m concerned, one can (and should) mock ones’ own culture to folks within it, so long as it’s justified. Other peoples’ cultures are outside the mockable range, though. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nationalism-stereotypes-and-mocking-of-other-cultures/606332/33 "2011-12-19T03:13:07Z")
> [@chiroptera](#): > > Because we’re tribal creatures, and the tribe we belong to is always better than those other tribes? Here in Minnesota, during a session with friends from Iowa and North Dakota, telling jokes about their states, I stopped & asked them who they told jokes about. The Iowa guy said they told jokes about Missouri, while the North Dakotan said theirs were about Montanans. And that they were mostly the same jokes, just the locations changed. I recall some jokes in the ancient Greek comedy plays about other Greek city-states that would work just fine if you changed them to be about Iowa or North Dakota. So I don’t think this has changed much over the centuries. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nationalism-stereotypes-and-mocking-of-other-cultures/606332/34 "2011-12-19T03:23:23Z")
> [@Throatwarbler\_Mangrove](#): > > Americans spend far more time and effort mocking other Americans in much more vicious ways. You think Americans say mean things about Britain? I have a friend from England (Croixdon) who has told me more jokes about the Royal Family than I had ever expected. And some pretty nasty ones, too. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nationalism-stereotypes-and-mocking-of-other-cultures/606332.md?page=1)