Topic: In what ways do you get stereotyped?

[Blair]

(I have a short story about this later, but I wanted to get the basics out first.)

For everyone, be it by race or country, there is a set of "standards" set upon the individuals as though the entire grouping has the exact same traits. Many of these traits are very unflattering and disrespectful while a few others can give an ego boost.

We call these stereotypes.

I know the stereotypes said about my "group" in some respect when it comes to others in my own country, but rarely do I hear what people from other countries say about me or what they say about each other. That's what this topic is fore. I'm curious to hear the stereotypes that people hear about themselves or that are said about others from their "groups."

[Blair]

I am a Caucasian male from the southern part of the United States (which we call "The South" here.) Some of the sterotypes about us (spoken from others in my country) are:

All white southerners are redneck racists. A redneck has varying degrees of insult (for instance, Jeff Foxworthy used the catchphrase, "You might be a redneck if..." jokingly and while many things said may be true for a few people, it is meant in an amusing way and pointed out that such traits aren't always limited to people in The South.)

We are all missing half or more of our teeth, particularly one front tooth (but not both... to make it obvious that it isn't an illusion) and never bathe except maybe in a muddy creek once in a while. We are all married to our first cousins and have a 3rd grade education (if we are lucky.)

We are all "back woods" farmers, wear overalls and straw hats, drink constantly, chew tobacco and spit it every chance that we get. We are all hearty churchgoers who have a strong belief in God and therefor push it on everyone else whether they want to hear it or not, telling them they will burn in Hell if they don't agree with us.


That's all that I can think of at the moment. I know that there are more

[Achim]

I am German.

We are represented by the Bavarians, as the Octoberfest is world famous.

We are serious folks.

[DJ Doena]

Let's just say, by the looks I am a textbook Trekkie (being an actual Trekkie doesn't help my case ).

Other than that I think I defy most stereotypes other people have about Germans - for example I don't even like beer. And I do like good humour, may it be shallow or black. I'm also a lazy person - though I can go into serious work mode if need be.

BUT I do like to race my car over the Autobahn (my personal speed record is 140mph).

[MEJHarrison]

I'm from the Northwest and Portland, OR.  Both I think carry their own stereotypes.  Some would say we're coffee nuts (since Starbucks is headquartered in Seattle [Northwest for those unfamiliar]).  Lots of micro brews (beer).  We're pot smoking hippies.  Eco-nuts.  Big into bicycles (Portland particularly). And hiking.

Actually, I don't pay attention much.  So I'd be curious to hear what others think about my region!  But I'd say a lot of those stereotypes are actually true.  For me however, I hate coffee and I'm certainly no hippie or eco-nut.  I also have a large DVD collection, so I do fit the couch potato stereotype (no biking or hiking for this guy!)

[DJ Doena]

As for german stereotypes about Americans (prepare for the worst!)

First of all, you are all dumb, fat and backwards. The worst are the ones in the middle from the George Bush region. The only slightly acceptable Americans live in New York or the west coast.

You are all ultra-patriotic imperialists who have no idea what's happening outside your own border - unless one of your warships gets attacked in a region where it doesn't belong in the first place.

You say you stand up for freedom and democracy but that's just hypocrisy since you install and support dictators whenever it serves your purposes (yes, once upon a time both Saddam and the Taliban were your best buds - when they fought against Iran and the Soviets) and you throw your basic principles overboard as soon as there is a crisis (yes, Patriot Act, Homeland Security, Gitmo and Abu Ghraib, I'm looking at you). Have you forgotten Benjamin Franklin and his little speech about freedom and security?

And we consider you broke. It's only a matter of time that you go the same way your Soviet Union counterpart went - into bankruptcy. Neither of you won the cold war, you just don't know it yet.


PS: Was that too blunt? I guess some stereotyoes are true.

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Ehem,
what was the difference between "stereotype" and "prejudice" again?

Germans are (depending on your CoO):
Sauerkraut (USA + GB) and/or Potato (Italy) eating, humourless (worldwide) beings named Otto or Fritz (if male) and Gretchen or Marlene (if female).
The only positive characteristics we seem to have is that we are capable of designing functional electronics (Braun) and good cars (Mercedes, Porsche, BMW, Audi). But this is by far outweighed by our tendency to invade our neighbour countries and starting worldwars.
When we are not trying to erase religious minorities we are heavily occupied with burning down the homes of people applying for political asylum.
Some of us are Nazis, some of us are communists, the rest of us is both at the same time.
Since, as already mentioned in another post, we are nowadays doomed to be represented by our Bavarian fellow-Germans (as they present themselves on the Munich Oktoberfest) we also are considered to wear funny costumes, perform strange dances, drink hectolitres of beer. At least that's better than the Prussian stereotype we had before since this meant that we are stiff, overly anal about secondary virtues (punctuality, regularity, tidiness).


Well, as for stereotypes:
My name is Michael!

[BigTim]

I am a Hard Core Conservative Republican.  I love Glenn Beck and Ronald Reagan was the best President since George Washington.... I get called a War Monger, Hate Monger and Racist more often than I can recall.  I love truth, freedom and the American Way.  And have fought in the Navy to protect those rights.  I have voted Republican since my 18th Birthday and get called many derogatory names for proudly displaying my American Flag and 9/11 Memorial Sticker on my car.  I will never forget the people who died for merely being American no matter what I'm called.  You can't pigeon hole a whole country by the Television and Movies you see.  I am unique and different.  And do not hate.

 

Just my opinion.  There is enough hate in the world already!

Big Tim

[Blair]

Big Tom, this topic isn't meant to be an insulting jab toward any individuals. (You may not have taken it that way, but I just wanted to be sure and clear.) Quite the opposite. I'd simply like to hear the truths about what people hear about their area from others. Since I live in only one tiny part of this whole world, I know what people here might say about other countries, but not other countries say about themselves.


During my last year in college, I met a guy who was born down here, moved north for a few years, and then moved back south only a year or two earlier. Somehow a topic of this nature came up, and (with him being completely serious) said that when he moved to the northern part of my own country, many people are surprised to know that we had indoor plumbing and slavery wasn't a way of life anymore!

Again, all of this being said by people only 800 miles away within my own country!  

[hal9g]

I was born in New York, grew up in New England, married a southern belle, have lived in the the mid-west, California, Florida and the deep south (lived in 10 different states all told), traveled to at least 15 different countries and have found that stereo-types do not actually exist except in the minds of small people without life experience (regardless of age).

Some are amusing, but most are demeaning and derogatory and without merit.  I  have no use for them.

[Eric]

I'm Quebecker.........................we don't suffer from any stereotype.................nobody gives a sh.. about us.

As for german stereotypes about Americans (prepare for the worst!)

First of all, you are all dumb, fat and backwards. The worst are the ones in the middle from the George Bush region. The only slightly acceptable Americans live in New York or the west coast.

You are all ultra-patriotic imperialists who have no idea what's happening outside your own border - unless one of your warships gets attacked in a region where it doesn't belong in the first place.

You say you stand up for freedom and democracy but that's just hypocrisy since you install and support dictators whenever it serves your purposes (yes, once upon a time both Saddam and the Taliban were your best buds - when they fought against Iran and the Soviets) and you throw your basic principles overboard as soon as there is a crisis (yes, Patriot Act, Homeland Security, Gitmo and Abu Ghraib, I'm looking at you). Have you forgotten Benjamin Franklin and his little speech about freedom and security?

And we consider you broke. It's only a matter of time that you go the same way your Soviet Union counterpart went - into bankruptcy. Neither of you won the cold war, you just don't know it yet.


PS: Was that too blunt? I guess some stereotyoes are true.

Stereotypes about germans..............................they really don't know how to make friends  

[Jimmy]

I'm Quebecker.........................we don't suffer from any stereotype.................nobody gives a sh.. about us.

Except for the French who always think that our streets are filled with Indians wearing feather hat and that we live in wood shack

BTW it isn't true that my region had 7 girls for each guy, that we always end our phrase with la-la, that we are affraid of the foreigners and that we can't talk in english.

[DJ Doena]

many people are surprised to know that we had indoor plumbing and slavery wasn't a way of life anymore!

This has become somewhat of an urban myth in Germany, too. Whenever you hear a story about a german exchange student in America, you will hear the story that his new class mates have asked him if we (the germans) had electricity, refrigerators and TVs - and if we're still Nazis.

[DJ Doena]

I'm Quebecker.........................we don't suffer from any stereotype.................nobody gives a sh.. about us.

True, we know most of the US states (or at least recognize their name when someone mentions them) but I think most would consider British Columbia a former colony somewhere in Central America (you know like French Guiana).

But since you are Canadian, you're either a Mountie or aa lumberjack, wearing plaid flannel. You ride your Husky-pulled sled. But in general you seem to be nice people.

Stereotypes about germans..............................they really don't know how to make friends 

That's not true! We even had a non-aggression pact with Stalin! 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

many people are surprised to know that we had indoor plumbing and slavery wasn't a way of life anymore!

This has become somewhat of an urban myth in Germany, too. Whenever you hear a story about a german exchange student in America, you will hear the story that his new class mates have asked him if we (the germans) had electricity, refrigerators and TVs - and if we're still Nazis.

Another anecdote, somewhat outdated (mid-eighties) but nevertheless true.
When we picked up an American exchange student, who was doomed to spend the next few month at my parents house, at Frankfurt airport the first thing he wanted to know was if we built this whole airport just because he arrived. I'm still not sure that he believed my "No". At least he had heard about the "Autobahn" and the myth that we don't have any speedlimits here.
To finally finish this myth off: Only about 10% of the German "Autobahn" has no speedlimit.