Why do so many Americans dislike the French?

[Chefguy]

@ombre12

One country we have NEVER fought a war with is France.

Well, there was the so-called French and Indian War, known in some quarters as the Seven Years War. We were still British colonies at that point, but technically it was British backed Americans against New France colonials, backed by France. The American militia was led by none other than George Washington.

I’ve been to France many times and never had a problem with anybody. They don’t stink and they’re generally as polite as anybody else. Parisians can be a bit snooty at times, but that’s usually reserved for Frenchmen who aren’t Parisians.

[John_Mace]

@panache45

I’ve been to France many times, and I’ve only encountered one rude French woman. And nobody, including her, smelled bad. I’ve found them to be courteous, helpful and patient. I wish I could say the same for some American tourists. Or worse, Germans.

On the count of smelliness, I can attest. I was in a meeting once in a conference room and had to take a break to visit the men’s room. On returning, the B.O. was so bad I could hardly breath. I suspect the nonuse of deodorant is not what most Americans are accustomed to.

[JBDivmstr]

@pseudotriton_ruber_ruber

If the French were decent people, they would speak English, and stop pretending that their gibberish holds a candle to English. The Brits at least try to speak our language and make themselves understood.

@silenus

They’re French.

And there you have it, ladies and gentlemen!

They ain’t American!

[rowrrbazzle]

Jackie Kennedy weighs in http://www.france24.com/en/20110914-recorded-interviews-reveal-candid-critical-jacqueline-kennedy-opinionated-schlesinger

“De Gaulle was my hero when I married Jack,” Jackie Kennedy confides. That changed quickly when she met the French leader in 1961 on a visit to Paris, when she found him to be an “egomaniac” and a “spiteful man”. And although she spoke fluent French and spent a year studying at the Sorbonne, her assessment of the French people in general is no kinder. “I loathe the French,” she admits in the interview. “They are not very nice, they are all for themselves.”

[Der_Trihs]

I don’t think that what one woman said they were like 50+ years ago necessarily says much about what they are like now, though. I wouldn’t expect a very accurate impression of modern America from some French person who visited us back in 1961 either.

[Onomatopoeia]

I can only give a personal anecdote to perhaps explain some of the mutual animosity.

In 2004, my then boss and I went to Paris to give a speech at one of Pfizer’s investigator meetings for their atorvastatin patient recruitment program.

During one of our afternoon’s off, I recommended my boss and I head to the Eiffel Tower as this was his first trip to Paris. We were staying at a Sofitel, which wasn’t really that far from the Eiffel Tower, and could have walked, but my boss wanted to take a cab. I convinced him to take the Metro, which is Paris’ subway system, instead, but first we had to find it.

After a few minutes walking around, we realized we probably should ask someone where the Metro was, so he walked up to a couple and asked, in English, “can you tell me where the subway is?” The couple looked at him like he had 3 heads. He then said “The subway. Subway. Where?” while waving his hands perpendicular to his body. I wanted to sink into the pavement. Although I can’t know for sure, I was afraid that at any moment my boss was going to begin yelling at the couple, so before my embarrassment got the better of me, I walked up, excused myself, and asked where the Metro was, in French. The woman then smiled and responded to my query by providing instructions in French, then asked if I understood, in English. I said I did, thanked her, and my boss and I, at my urging, walked briskly away.

As we rounded the corner toward the Metro entrance, my boss, who was now pissed, said “I can’t wait to leave this fu**in’ country.” Although we did end up at the Eiffel tower, needless to say, I didn’t offer any other excursions after that, even though I’d planned for us to visit the Louvre.

As I sat in my hotel room that night, the term ‘ugly American’ sprung to mind, to which I thought “yep.”

I’ve been to Paris 3 times for work, and once on vacation with my wife, and one thing I’ve noticed is you don’t have to speak French fluently, or even very well, to get around in Paris, but some French people will take small offense, or react dismissively, if you don’t at least attempt communication in their language, especially when asking for a favor. Makes sense to me.

[movingfinger]

I’m no friend of France or the French for a variety of historical and political reasons, but I think they would be better understood if there were more French living in the US. With the exception of the Cajuns in Louisiana and some French speakers in Maine the French have continued to be strangers in this country.

That said, I spent a few days in Paris long ago and was annoyed to find the people unfailingly polite and helpful, almost as though they wanted me to feel welcome. I couldn’t even find a supercillious waiter or someone who wanted to cheat me.

Ditto for my one visit to Montreal.

One last thing: during the Vietnam war I saw a great political cartoon showing DeGaulle doing a Gallic shrug and asking why Americans insist on staying where they are not wanted. In the cartoon’s background there was a US military graveyard with white crosses stretching to the horizon.

[Askthepizzaguy]

The French like you to speak French in their country, and they are very proud of their history, language and culture and wish to remain independent so they can make their own decisions regarding which wars they want to go fight. They don’t like being seen as subservient to the United States or in any way dominated by its cultural influence or language.

The United States, on the other hand, predominantly insists on English first or English only, and we’re proud of our history, language, and culture. We wish to remain independent of world government and we particularly don’t want to be ruled by the laws of Europe. We don’t like more socialist systems, and we don’t like having our hands tied by the UN and we don’t like feeling subservient to it. We particularly don’t like people with other languages and cultures moving here and failing to assimilate, particularly illegally.

Bottom line: France and the USA are nearly identical, and we hate everything about the other that would be perfectly acceptable if it was coming from us. Two egos bigger than the ocean between them. Hilarious because we’re fraternal twins when it comes to this whole liberal democracy thing.

[aruvqan]

I have no problem with the French, though once my dad told me he didn’t really like the French - not an active dislike, just didn’t think much of them in general. When I asked why, he said that right after WW2 the Germans immediately started digging themselves out using their hands, a few shovels and wheelbarrows and a lot of sweat. The French waited for the US to come with heavy equipment and push the rubble around.

He much preferred people that helped themselves rather than wait around for someone else to do it. He wasn’t thrilled with Communism as a whole but he had a great deal of respect for the Soviet people themselves. [If you go back into newsreel footage of the WW2 cleanup, you see Germans and Soviets of assorted previous nationalities digging themselves out with picks, shovels and wheelbarrows. You see the French standing around watching some grunt in some piece of heavy equipment shoving the rubble around. ]

[willthekittensurvive]

@aruvqan

I have no problem with the French, though once my dad told me he didn’t really like the French - not an active dislike, just didn’t think much of them in general. When I asked why, he said that right after WW2 the Germans immediately started digging themselves out using their hands, a few shovels and wheelbarrows and a lot of sweat. The French waited for the US to come with heavy equipment and push the rubble around.

He much preferred people that helped themselves rather than wait around for someone else to do it. He wasn’t thrilled with Communism as a whole but he had a great deal of respect for the Soviet people themselves. [If you go back into newsreel footage of the WW2 cleanup, you see Germans and Soviets of assorted previous nationalities digging themselves out with picks, shovels and wheelbarrows. You see the French standing around watching some grunt in some piece of heavy equipment shoving the rubble around. ]

apparently the post WW2 US army had so many complaints about the French, the released a FAQ:112 gripes about the French

[handsomeharry]

@Der_Trihs

I don’t think that what one woman said they were like 50+ years ago necessarily says much about what they are like now, though. I wouldn’t expect a very accurate impression of modern America from some French person who visited us back in 1961 either.

I think Jackie’s quote wasn’t used as a yardstick for the French. I think it was in re: what helped shaped US opinion (of some) about France.

[handsomeharry]

@movingfinger

One last thing: during the Vietnam war I saw a great political cartoon showing DeGaulle doing a Gallic shrug and asking why Americans insist on staying where they are not wanted. In the cartoon’s background there was a US military graveyard with white crosses stretching to the horizon.

I think that this is most of the reason that some (and there really aren’t that many, even among conservatives) people disdain the French.
After saving France from German domination in WW2, we expected to be treated as though we…had saved France from German domination. The French saw things differently. But, we shrugged, since the Germans were defeated. Then, the Cold War came along. The French double-crossed the US by kicking out US troops from France in the 60s, and MOL withdrawing from NATO (i.e., no military support), all of which was seen to be vital to the role the US had chosen as world peacekeepers/saviors from the Commies. The French compounded their treachery in that they had even started electing socialists to office during many of those pivotal years.
Of course, along with memories of WW2, and the Cold War, the disdain has weakened considerably. Even the Jerry Lewis jokes are boring. Nobody remembers these three elements, and we aren’t the Hatfields and McCoys, after all. Even the non-cooperation in the 2nd Iraq War was pretty much a non-event.

The French women not shaving their armpits/legs stories (true or not, I don’t know/care) certainly didn’t help matters, tho.

[Ruken]

We did fight Vichy forces in WW2, but I haven’t seen much evidence of that playing into public opinion.

[HMS_Irruncible]

It tends to rankle Americans anytime a nation has the nerve to be defiantly socialist without having the courtesy to be a complete economic ruin.

[excavating_for_a_mind]

The company I used to work for was bought out by a French concern. Now, several companies I have worked for over the years have been bought out by another firm, and it isn’t always nice or fun. The French weren’t really any different. However, every job I have ever held has involved kissing ass, in one way or another; the way the French want you to do it, well, let’s just say it leaves a bad taste in your mouth.

excavating (for a mind)

[bump]

@Onomatopoeia

some French people will take small offense, or react dismissively, if you don’t at least attempt communication in their language, especially when asking for a favor. Makes sense to me.

Seems rather assholish to me. If someone came up to me on the streets of Dallas and was obviously speaking French and not attempting English, and was asking me where the “Metro” was, I’d probably go out of my way to find a French speaker or do my best with gestures and pointing and my dozen or so French words to help them find the bus stop or the light rail system.

Just dismissing them because they weren’t trying to speak English seems awfully arrogant to me, and I can see why people might take offense to that.

(that’s not to say that the “Ugly American” stereotype doesn’t have basis in fact, but so does the “Ugly Brit”, the “Ugly Russian” and the “Ugly Italian” in my experience as a tourist in Europe)

[kayaker]

I do enjoy their food, especially their onion soup and fries.

[Gary_T]

@bump

Seems rather assholish to me. If someone came up to me on the streets of Dallas and was obviously speaking French and not attempting English, and was asking me where the “Metro” was, I’d probably go out of my way to find a French speaker or do my best with gestures and pointing and my dozen or so French words to help them find the bus stop or the light rail system.

In general I agree with you. However, I can see a possibly critical difference between your scenario and the one in Onomatopoeia’s story. The word “Metro” is used in Paris, Washington D.C., London, and any number of other cities, and would likely be recognized by the majority of people in the respective countries. “Subway,” however, is not a term I’d expect many French folks to have in their vocabulary of a dozen or so English words. I think it’s quite possible that the French couple had not the slightest inkling of what Onomatopoeia’s boss was trying to ask. And they may well have tried to find an Anglophone if O hadn’t obviated the need for it.

[Ulfreida]

I have an American friend who lived in France and speaks the language with a close to undetectable accent who told me the story of a guy from Texas who visited her there. Stereotypical Texan – tall, large, genial, loud, wore a cowboy hat and cowboy boots everywhere. He spoke French fearlessly and unintelligibly with a broad twanging Texas accent, grinned a lot, and the French universally loved him.

[panache45]

@Onomatopoeia

I’ve been to Paris 3 times for work, and once on vacation with my wife, and one thing I’ve noticed is you don’t have to speak French fluently, or even very well, to get around in Paris, but some French people will take small offense, or react dismissively, if you don’t at least attempt communication in their language, especially when asking for a favor. Makes sense to me.

Yes, wherever I travel I learn at least some basic words and phrases in the country’s language. Sometimes it’s only the essentials (“Where’s the restroom?” and “How much does this cost?”). I lived in NYC for 25 years, and many times was stopped by a tourist looking for something on a map. If they went to the trouble of using a few basic English terms, I tended to be more helpful.