# What's America's stereotype, Non-Americans please respond! **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 8, 2004, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-americas-stereotype-non-americans-please-respond/233196 "2004-03-08T22:43:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2004, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-americas-stereotype-non-americans-please-respond/233196/21 "2004-03-10T16:25:20Z")
I’m kind of surprised that we’re seen as overly religious, since the majority of people I know are jaded to the point of being agnostic. I guess all the poofy-haired TV evangelists made their mark on the rest of the world. \ ---
**Author:** ![Spiff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiff/32/9852_2.png) [@Spiff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiff)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2004, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-americas-stereotype-non-americans-please-respond/233196/22 "2004-03-10T16:26:36Z")
> [@mnemosyne](#): > > \To me, this was a classic stereotype of an american company dealing with canadians but not taking the time to respect the fact that there ARE differences between the two countries (such as the two units of currency). So basically, the stereotype that Americans don’t care about other countries and people was shown by this company. Or, you could have taken this as a lesson that “cusatomer service” is an oxymoron ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2004, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-americas-stereotype-non-americans-please-respond/233196/23 "2004-03-10T18:12:07Z")
> [@Nightsky](#): > > In the _bandes dessinees_ (French comic books) I read as a kid, your Stock American was a cigar-chompin’ millionaire in a cowboy hat. You just described me to a T, partner. YEEEEEEE-HAWWWWW! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Bongmaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Bongmaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bongmaster)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2004, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-americas-stereotype-non-americans-please-respond/233196/24 "2004-03-10T22:05:31Z")
The scary thing is that many of the stereotypes are coming from American television…if perception of the typical American are coming from Married with Children and The Simpsons reruns we’re all in big trouble. ---
**Author:** ![kellner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c2a13f/32.png) [@kellner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kellner)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2004, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-americas-stereotype-non-americans-please-respond/233196/25 "2004-03-10T22:38:57Z")
> [@Bongmaster](#): > > The scary thing is that many of the stereotypes are coming from American television…if perception of the typical American are coming from Married with Children and The Simpsons reruns we’re all in big trouble. More or less. But you forgot the 1% “Sex and the City”-style upperclass. The rest is “Married with children”. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Raymond\_Luxury\_Yacht](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raymond_luxury_yacht/32/4099_2.png) [@Raymond\_Luxury\_Yacht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raymond_Luxury_Yacht)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-americas-stereotype-non-americans-please-respond/233196/26 "2004-03-11T05:39:52Z")
> [@Bippy the Beardless](#): > > I hope people here are wise enough to know that steriotypes do not contain much truth. I humbly disagree. IMHO stereotypes contain a lot of truth, but they are usually the worst traits of a particular group. That being said, I’m of Irish heritage, and I don’t know any Irish folk who are heavy drinkers that eat potatoes and are social climbers. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![notquitekarpov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@notquitekarpov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notquitekarpov)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-americas-stereotype-non-americans-please-respond/233196/27 "2004-03-11T11:09:23Z")
The stereotype, right, well OK here goes… [ul] Overweight Overly loud Overserious Overly impressed by foreign royalty Religious Overworked and undervacationed Culturally arrogant Geographically and historically ignorant Family loving Personally generous Right wing Terrible dress sense Bland food Worse beer Either racist or else excessively racially aware [/ul] ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-americas-stereotype-non-americans-please-respond/233196/28 "2004-03-11T11:25:27Z")
Ridiculously litigious. ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-americas-stereotype-non-americans-please-respond/233196/29 "2004-03-11T13:24:00Z")
Unable to “get” satire or irony. Take things very personally. Dislike strong language Of course, this is from an Irish standpoint, where the phrase “f\*\*k me dead, it’s Sean, how are ye, ye wee bollocks?” is a common greeting in some circles. ---
**Author:** ![Bruce\_Daddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Bruce\_Daddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bruce_Daddy)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-americas-stereotype-non-americans-please-respond/233196/30 "2004-03-11T13:37:22Z")
> [@irishgirl](#): > > Unable to “get” satire or irony. > Take things very personally. > Dislike strong language FUCK YOU BITCH! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![js\_africanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@js\_africanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/js_africanus)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-americas-stereotype-non-americans-please-respond/233196/31 "2004-03-11T14:40:15Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > Ridiculously litigious. Uh-oh. Note to self: Scrap slip-and-fall scam in Ireland. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-americas-stereotype-non-americans-please-respond/233196/32 "2004-03-11T14:46:23Z")
> [@js\_africanus](#): > > Note to self: Scrap slip-and-fall scam in Ireland. Only because you’d have to get in line behind all the Irish people who are doing it. 😃 (I’m serious - Ireland is the most litigious country in Europe AFAIK.) ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-americas-stereotype-non-americans-please-respond/233196/33 "2004-03-11T14:56:27Z")
> [@Bippy the Beardless](#): > > As a Brit I take some exception to the idea that British food is bad, I have witnessed a huge change in the character and quality of British food since the late 70’s to the late 90’s. I don’t think people are bad or foolish having a belief in British food being bad, but I dot think it is up to me and people like me to try and render this steriotype obsolete. > > If as an American you find some or all of these steriotypes unfair, that is because steriotypes are always unfair, it is up to you to help educate people of this unfairness through not acting according to the steriotypes you don’y like, and by showing such steriotypes are false. How do you explain this? [Mr. Brain’s Faggots](http://www.mrbrainsfaggots.com/) …and what is West Country Sauce? (In my taste imaginings I’m sure it must be equivalent to Salisbury Steak Gravy.) ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-americas-stereotype-non-americans-please-respond/233196/34 "2004-03-11T15:05:46Z")
Ah, but for every Brain’s Faggot, we can produce a salmonella-ridden Taco Bell burrito; for every plate of tripe and onions, we can show you chittlins. _Some_ British food is bad, as it is in every country. However, it isn’t universally bad, as befits the stereotype. Though I’ll warrant it used to be. ---
**Author:** ![Kiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Kiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiger)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-americas-stereotype-non-americans-please-respond/233196/35 "2004-03-11T15:17:35Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > Ah, but for every Brain’s Faggot, we can produce a salmonella-ridden Taco Bell burrito How about a [finger salad](http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/Midwest/03/05/offbeat.fingertip.food.ap/)? ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-americas-stereotype-non-americans-please-respond/233196/36 "2004-03-11T15:21:16Z")
> [@](#): > > She had eaten most of her salad when she put the fingertip in her mouth, Franks said. > > She first thought it was a piece of gristle, a health department report said. :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: ---
**Author:** ![epepke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9de0a6/32.png) [@epepke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epepke)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-americas-stereotype-non-americans-please-respond/233196/37 "2004-03-11T15:34:42Z")
> [@jehovah68](#): > > I humbly disagree. IMHO stereotypes contain a lot of truth, but they are usually the worst traits of a particular group. That being said, I’m of Irish heritage, and I don’t know any Irish folk who are heavy drinkers that eat potatoes and are social climbers. 😉 Stereotypes seem either to contain great truths or great falsehoods but little in between. ---
**Author:** ![epepke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9de0a6/32.png) [@epepke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epepke)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-americas-stereotype-non-americans-please-respond/233196/38 "2004-03-11T15:37:19Z")
> [@Bippy the Beardless](#): > > As a Brit I take some exception to the idea that British food is bad, I have witnessed a huge change in the character and quality of British food since the late 70’s to the late 90’s. That’s because it isn’t British food any more. It’s Indian food. ---
**Author:** ![Mehitabel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mehitabel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mehitabel)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-americas-stereotype-non-americans-please-respond/233196/39 "2004-03-11T16:07:56Z")
Hmmm…so as a quietly-dressed, 127-lb., non-gun or car owning, sorta liberal, Roman Catholic, loves irony and Britcoms, etc. 1/4 Canadian big city gal, I get the feeling I could infiltrate Europe and just travel around under everybody’s radar. Kewl. NOBODY WILL SUSPECT ANYTHING UNTIL I STRIKE!! I mean…won’t that be nice. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-americas-stereotype-non-americans-please-respond/233196/40 "2004-03-11T16:17:58Z")
> [@Mehitabel](#): > > Hmmm…so as a quietly-dressed, 127-lb., non-gun or car owning, sorta liberal, Roman Catholic, loves irony and Britcoms, etc. 1/4 Canadian big city gal, I get the feeling I could infiltrate Europe and just travel around under everybody’s radar. Kewl. Aha! You forgot to remove your stetson! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-americas-stereotype-non-americans-please-respond/233196.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-americas-stereotype-non-americans-please-respond/233196.md?page=3)