National Stereotypes and laughter

[Anonymous]

Kind of makes me laugh how people use national stereotypes and are stupid enough to believe them...Like I am British and we're not all:

Tea drinkers

I haven't drank tea in years, and many of us do not.

Revere the Queen and her family

Considering Prince Philip is a racist, their eldest son is dopey, and his eldest son is 34 and bald...(lololololol..) then I don't revere them any more than a racist old man, a dopey old man, and a bald late youth/middle aged man. It's who or what they are, so what?

They're there, and it's tradition. Tradition is important in many human cultures, it's only people who truly don't get life who say tradition is bad. and sorry for doing you twice, Prince Charles, but I couldn't help it... And we're bad for having a monarchy. Like how Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Monaco, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Saudi, Morocco, Malaysia, Brunei, and Japan are bad for having monarchies. and how many Saudis say we're shitty for having one, but our Queen doesn't ban women from driving. And her ancestors haven't had the power for about...well 300 years...Oh, and Australia and Canada and NZ, no need for you to keep her or him (below and above), you're your own countries now.

Revere the Empire

Yes, it was large. Yes, it spread English...er, so what? yes, it did bad things. Though India still oppress women (that was pre-John company...admit it..) and Nigeria and Sudan do FGM. Don't tell me the British told you or influenced you to do that. ALL human cultures have good and bad. Like in India, the food, history, culture override the bad.

Hate Germans because of the war

Erm..no. Even in the Third Reich, the average Joe didn't and couln't stop Hitler. Even people who fought in D-Day, or Market Garden, or discovered Belsen don't or didn't hate the Germans. I never was drafted to fight in Normandy, so I see no reason to do so. Besides, I won't hate a country that makes Volkswagens or BMWs. It'a crime in itself...

And as said, we've done bad shit too. Germany never shipped millions of slaves from Africa, or the Irish potato famine, or massacres in India and colonial torture in Kenya....get off the high horse..

I'm taking a lead from Mr. Cameron and Frau Merkel. Let's smile, laugh, and shake hands.

British are reserved, cold, rude, and arrogant. Erm...no, again!

Perhaps it's generational, but most younger people aren't. We tend to act lively and loud. I've seen younger people in several countries, and basic behaviours are the same.

Only eat fish and chips. No!

No, this is.... And we're a less racist country than many, meaning this had the opportunity to become our national dish....Take note USA...

Hate the French...No!

A country with this:

Montparnasse Tower, best look out point in Paris.

And this:

And this:

Doesn't deserve to be hated imho...... And the first imho is the best place to visit in Paris.

So yeah...education goes a long way. ;)

What shitty beliefs of your country do others have that make you laugh?

[lanternhill]

I think it's funny that people have been so afraid of Germany (and consider Germans "warlike") and yet Britain was actually the scariest country (interesting considering it's not all that big/is an island). Guess that's because we learn western history as recorded by us/our allies.
Also, surprisingly considering the jokes about the French surrendering - France was once feared by pretty much all of Europe.
I wonder how these countries became considered non-scary in the popular view?

People seem to think all Americans are obese (not that far off) and from Los Angrlss or New York (lol what). Not sure what else right now.

[Anonymous]

You are right about most, except tradition.

"it's only people who truly don't get life who say tradition is bad." no it isn't, slavery was a tradition, racism can be a tradition, monarchy is a tradition (a bad one really, undemocratic and expensive). There are many good traditions and many bad ones, tradition in itself is neutral.

You have to pick and choose your traditions carefully.

[Deft_maiden]

Cool.. Vast majority of people don't fit every streotyoe.

[Nuqood]

I'm English and pretty much all of those are true of me.