What national Stereotypes of Your country do you like and dislike? [Archive]

Mark in Oshawa

11th January 2010, 19:57

A fun one since we always argue about everyone's countries being this or that (I do know that this board has made me want to go to Finland after arguing and joking with Eki, Tomi, Dex and the rest). So here we go...what stereotype of your country do you like and which one bothers you?

Canadians are always seen as friendly, which I like, and what I don't like is when people in Europe consider us part of the US (not true) and the Americans either ignore us or THINK we should be part of the US.

I can state other stereotypes good and bad but that was what I had on the top of my head...have at it kids!!!

schmenke

11th January 2010, 19:59

Eh?

Mark in Oshawa

11th January 2010, 19:59

oops...it is I cannot edit the thread title, maybe a Moddy can help, I should have written "What National Stereotypes of your Country DO you like and dislike". If A Moddy wants to change that, I would appreciate it.

Daniel

11th January 2010, 20:31

i quite like the way Canada is shown in The Simpsons :)

GridGirl

11th January 2010, 20:34

I'm not sure whether or not I like us Brit's love for queueing! It's civilized yet so boring! :s

Mark in Oshawa

11th January 2010, 21:01

Well I drink tea and apparently thats a stereotype.. So looks like I live up to that one. I do ocassionally eat fish and chips, but I don't dance with bells on my ankles and bash sticks.. :)

I do love it when someone calls me a "Pom" and expects me to be offended lol... Its got to be the most inoffensive insult I'ved heard. :p

It is like when people in the US think they are insulting me calling me a "hoser". I resemble that remark!!!!

Funny.....the typical old school Canadian drinks tea in the evening and is always polite in lines. Must be our British heritage coming out of us....

Mark in Oshawa

11th January 2010, 21:02

i quite like the way Canada is shown in The Simpsons :)

I laughed....it is the Simpsons, but I saw their 20th anniversary show that Morgan Spurlock hosted for them, and apparently the Brazilians got REALLY offended with the Simpson's in Rio....while they are wildly popular in Argentina of all places...

Eki

11th January 2010, 21:05

I hate the stereotype cherised by Swedes that Finns are knife wielding maniacs. It's not a knife, THAT's a knife:

01NHcTM5IA4

Mark in Oshawa

11th January 2010, 21:09

Eki...you guys are knife wielding maniacs?? Oh...only the Swedes say so? What do they know...they are Swedes!!!!

Daniel

11th January 2010, 21:12

Yeah I think perhaps the Brazil episode was a little too accurate :) I think the writers like Canada though and they have no problems saying that there are ways in which the US is inferior to Canada :) I also loved the Australian and British episodes as well.

Mark in Oshawa

11th January 2010, 21:20

Mark in Oshawa

11th January 2010, 21:22

Teasing people about their national stereotypes is only workable if they are great nations, and that person you tease understands that.

I wouldn't go up to someone from the third world and poke fun at them....that would be vicious and stupid.

Teasing Americans for their general cluelessness about anything happening outside their borders is fair game although isn't always taken in a good light either. Teasing Aussies or Brits? Great sport....

Daniel

11th January 2010, 21:23

The episode that they did in India was well done. Didn't show slums or anything though of course.

Eki

11th January 2010, 21:24

Eki...you guys are knife wielding maniacs?? Oh...only the Swedes say so? What do they know...they are Swedes!!!!
The Swedes, and Daniel the sheep-shagging Foster's drinking racist who can't decide his national identity.

Daniel

11th January 2010, 21:45

I'd rather be a sheep shagging racist than a Swede :)

Mark in Oshawa

11th January 2010, 21:58

The episode that they did in India was well done. Didn't show slums or anything though of course.

I missed that one but I suspect Apu was a major character. The hardest working man in Springfield....

Daniel

11th January 2010, 21:59

He wasn't actually. They had his brother though

Mark in Oshawa

11th January 2010, 22:09

I'd rather be a sheep shagging racist than a Swede :)

You could be a drunken Finn tho? I think we could all sneak out to the Sauna, drink lots of vodka and go for a swim in the hole cut in the ice...but would it be smart?

Mark in Oshawa

11th January 2010, 22:11

He wasn't actually. They had his brother though

That figures...

Brown, Jon Brow

11th January 2010, 22:13

I can't think of any British stereotypes that I like, perhaps I like sophisticated British sense of humour e.g. Monty Python

Lots that I hate though.

*) We don't all talk like the queen.

*) We don't all have bad teeth

*) We aren't all from London

*) Very few of us have ever met the royal family.

Daniel

11th January 2010, 22:30

Mark, most of the drunk in Finland were not Ffinnish the two times I was there.

edv

11th January 2010, 22:34

I'm a lumberjack and I'm okay..!

anthonyvop

11th January 2010, 22:48

Like: That the USA is Great

Dislike: People from other countries who are jealous of that fact.

Daniel

11th January 2010, 22:52

Tony, let's not be silly about things. We're talking about the people, not the country

Josti

11th January 2010, 22:56

Like: That the USA is Great

Dislike: People from other countries who are jealous of that fact.

Wow, you're really living up to the subject. :up:

The obvious stereotype I dislike about Holland (edit: Dutch people) is drugs this, drugs that. The sex part is ok. :)

Daniel

11th January 2010, 22:59

Josti, how do you post when you've always got one finger in a dyke? :confused:

I loved Amsterdam except for the silly tourist crap. Felt great going back to my ancestral home :)

Josti

11th January 2010, 23:06

Josti, how do you post when you've always got one finger in a dyke? :confused: :

Since the saying is pretty old, we managed to learn that over time. ;)

I loved Amsterdam except for the silly tourist crap. Felt great going back to my ancestral home :)

Amsterdam is pretty cool, indeed if you take the alternative road. Nice to hear you have some ancestry here Daniel.

Brown, Jon Brow

11th January 2010, 23:07

Wow, you're really living up to the subject. :up:

The obvious stereotype I dislike about Holland (edit: Dutch people) is drugs this, drugs that. The sex part is ok. :)

I like the drug side in Amsterdam

Tomi

11th January 2010, 23:10

Wow, you're really living up to the subject. :up:

The obvious stereotype I dislike about Holland (edit: Dutch people) is drugs this, drugs that. The sex part is ok. :)

Agree, Holland is one of the nicest places I have been to, if I would have to move for some reason, Holland would be on my top 3 list, together with Sweden and Germany.

Daniel

11th January 2010, 23:14

Josti

11th January 2010, 23:15

I like the drug side in Amsterdam

Personally, I have no problem with it either.

It's just a shame many people relate Dutch people to Amsterdam, in which case they instantly relate to drugs. Probably because we're such a damn small country... oh well.

Drew

11th January 2010, 23:30

I don't really care, it doesn't really bother me, as long as people aren't so stupid to carry on believing stereotypes when it's right infront of their eyes!

Do like a cuppa though ;)

Tomi

11th January 2010, 23:30

A Finn wanting to live in Sweden? WTF? Next you'll want to move to Russia Tomi!

Josti, I think my whole ancestry is Dutch! My parents are both South African and AFAIK don't have any other ancestry but Dutch, but I could be wrong :)

Lol, Sweden is a bit "extreme" i think, need to wear steel pants and so on, but here is good to live, and in Sweden its about the same, and i speak Swedish better than English, thats why.

Hondo

11th January 2010, 23:34

Except for being in the room when it was on a few times, I have no experience with the Simpsons so I quess I'm out of this one. Wasn't that some cartoon with an obnoxious kid and an idiot father?

donKey jote

11th January 2010, 23:35

Josti, how do you post when you've always got one finger in a dyke? :confused:

eh? You're not implying Clarence Birdseye was Dutch are you ? :confused:

:uhoh: :arrows:

Brown, Jon Brow

11th January 2010, 23:42

Except for being in the room when it was on a few times, I have no experience with the Simpsons so I quess I'm out of this one. Wasn't that some cartoon with an obnoxious kid and an idiot father?

A stereotypical American family is what the they wanted to create.

GridGirl

12th January 2010, 00:10

Brits are currently living up to their reputation of always talking about the weather. This is currently boring the living daylights out of me. I had a day's annual leave last weak (it wasn't a snow day) and when I was expecting to watch some rubbish tv all I got on BBC 1 was a special news bulletin due to adverse weather. I wanted David Dickinson and cheap as chips...not extended weather reports.

I've never watched The Simpsons. :s

ShiftingGears

12th January 2010, 01:08

Stereotypes about Australia are pretty much always funny.

Camelopard

12th January 2010, 01:21

I don't like the 'Barry McKenzie, ocker' stereotype that young australians when they go overseas believe they have to live up to. Goings on at the Munich beerfest in particular.

Rollo

12th January 2010, 01:23

Mark in Oshawa

12th January 2010, 01:24

Lol, Sweden is a bit "extreme" i think, need to wear steel pants and so on, but here is good to live, and in Sweden its about the same, and i speak Swedish better than English, thats why.

Tomi, your written English has improved in the time I have seen you on the forums if that means anything...

Mark in Oshawa

12th January 2010, 01:26

http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,7404299,00.jpg
This seems to be the opinion that is being swept up by the Indian media against Australia. The cartoon in question was orginally published by India's Mail Today which is connected with the UK's Daily Mail of all things.

I think they are awfully quick to condemn the Aussies on that one. I want to keep this a little light hearted.

I think Tony missed the point of the thread. What of your national stereotype as you see it do you like or not like Tony. Americans tend to be boastful, and I see that as a bad and good thing, just like the stereotype of Americans being overtly friendly and generous. IF I worked in the service community in a tourist trap, I would love and hate that too...

Another good one I know of is I like the Germans and their propensity to be naked at the drop of the hat. At least their women....lol. Their downside? God they have no sense of humour....

janvanvurpa

12th January 2010, 02:38

Personally, I have no problem with it either.

It's just a shame many people relate Dutch people to Amsterdam, in which case they instantly relate to drugs. Probably because we're such a damn small country... oh well.

Well can just about drive across to the German border in the time it take sto find parking in Centraal Amsterdam.

DexDexter

12th January 2010, 07:55

The Swedes, and Daniel the sheep-shagging Foster's drinking racist who can't decide his national identity.

Norwegians think that Finnish men are straight from the forest: strong, bad-mannered and chauvinistic. That's really weird, they are our neighbours but know very little about us. Then again, I don't really know what Norwegians are like, I've got no clue, they seem so isolated.

But as Mark stated, people from developing countries or immigrants may be a bit touchy about this type of topic.

Eki

12th January 2010, 07:59

Josti, how do you post when you've always got one finger in a dyke? :confused:

I loved Amsterdam except for the silly tourist crap. Felt great going back to my ancestral home :)
The Dutch like to finger dykes?

leopard

12th January 2010, 07:59

Tomi, your written English has improved in the time I have seen you on the forums if that means anything...
besides improved written English the posts itself are friendly disposed...

Eki

12th January 2010, 08:03

Norwegians think that Finnish men are straight from the forest, strong, bad-mannered and chauvinistic. That's really weird, they are our neighbours but know very little about us. Then again, I don't really know what Norwegians are like, I've got no clue, they seem so isolated.

They practice telemark skiing from the fells wearing a Norwegian woolen sweater.

leopard

12th January 2010, 08:13

But as Mark stated, people from developing countries or immigrants may be a bit touchy about this type of topic.
maybe yes, perhaps developing countries have its own culture showing consideration for others, tact, and observance of accepted social usage, but posting fruit juice is not a touchy topic...

Tomi

12th January 2010, 08:17

Tomi, your written English has improved in the time I have seen you on the forums if that means anything...

Much possible they have.

gadjo_dilo

12th January 2010, 09:32

The most annoying stereotype about romanians is the beauty of the girls. Everytime a foreigner is interviewed about his impressions about the country he'd say he was amazed by the romanian women's 'beauty. When he doesn't say, the interviewer himself would ask: what do you think about our women? Of course, you may say it's not a stereotype, that the easterners are really beautiful, but sometimes the plane has just landed, the foreigner only did a few paces and he declares that he's already stucked by the girls which is ridiculous. It's also annoying that most of romanians really believe that our women are the most beautiful in the world.
Another stereotype that I dislike is that we're a nation of gypsies. Of course in our country this minority is quite large but it's annoying to see that every reference to us is accompanied by some disgraceful images of this ethnic.

Don't think I like any of the stereotypes. But I have a good laugh when I see that foreigners see us as " the land of Dracula " ( and when I say Dracula I'm thinking about the vampire not about the king ). It's good for the tourism and it's funny to see that everybody wish to visit Dracula's castle which in reality has nothing to do with him.

Tomi

12th January 2010, 09:47

I remember reading an article years ago which stated that the most beautifull women in the world came from Hungary. I've been there many times and wouldn't argue with it, and it certainly beats a night out in Basildon... :p

Dont forget that if you sometime visit Romania and they happen to ask, im sure they are delighted. :)
Budapest is a nice place, the Balaton area too.

gadjo_dilo

12th January 2010, 10:23

Dont forget that if you sometime visit Romania and they happen to ask, im sure they are delighted. :)
Budapest is a nice place, the Balaton area too.

Ha! We have our share of hungarians here and their girls already have a reputation. And moldavian girls too. :laugh: :laugh:

Drew

12th January 2010, 13:20

I remember reading an article years ago which stated that the most beautifull women in the world came from Hungary. I've been there many times and wouldn't argue with it, and it certainly beats a night out in Basildon... :p

I remember thinking the same to when I went to Budapest, I was massively dissapointed, I thougth the girls were ugly and extremely weird, in fact we only saw one really good looking girl, who had 2 reasons for being so ;) . I was impressed by the Polish girls in Krakow :cheese:

gadjo_dilo

12th January 2010, 13:24

So many of you visited Budapest.....

I've just discovered another stereotype: Budapest is the city I should visit. :laugh:

Tomi

12th January 2010, 14:10

So many of you visited Budapest.....

I've just discovered another stereotype: Budapest is the city I should visit. :laugh:

Good idea, then you dont have to rely on fairytales, and stereotypes.

gadjo_dilo

12th January 2010, 14:21

Good idea, then you dont have to rely on fairytales, and stereotypes.

Talking about Budapest and stereotypes: a lot of people who happened to come to Bucharest think they're in Budapest. It happened from politicians ( even at a NATO summit somebody said:we're here in Budapest...) to pop/rock stars ( Hello Budapest! Wanna see your hands in the air! ). Wonder why. The 2 cities have nothing in common.....

Eki

12th January 2010, 14:33

Talking about Budapest and stereotypes: a lot of people who happened to come to Bucharest think they're in Budapest. It happened from politicians ( even at a NATO summit somebody said:we're here in Budapest...) to pop/rock stars ( Hello Budapest! Wanna see your hands in the air! ). Wonder why. The 2 cities have nothing in common.....
Both are pests, sorry ests.

Mark in Oshawa

12th January 2010, 19:32

Geeze...it could be worse. Famous Airhead but cute country singer Kellie Pickler once thought Budapest was a country on the celebrity version of "Are you Smarter than a 5th Grader". She wasn't.....but she is damned cute....

Daniel

12th January 2010, 19:33

Mark in Oshawa

12th January 2010, 19:33

As for the most country with the best looking women, Well, I think I will say something about Canada having them because we have taken immigrants from places like Russia, Romania, Hungary, Scotland, Venezuela and everywhere else and intemarried with em. Best looking women I have ever seen on a spring day was I was stuck in Calgary with a breakdown 13 years ago. Didn't want to see that truck get fixed believe me.....

Mark in Oshawa

12th January 2010, 19:36

Don't worry, Gadjo_dilo seems to be pretty much impossible to please :p

Naaah..Gadjo is a nice girl..stop it Daniel....or she will come up there and kick your rear end. You do not want to make a Romanian mad..

donKey jote

12th January 2010, 22:46

The Dutch like to finger dykes?
kwaMFFtRI7I

Daniel

12th January 2010, 22:49

Personally, I have no problem with it either.

It's just a shame many people relate Dutch people to Amsterdam, in which case they instantly relate to drugs. Probably because we're such a damn small country... oh well.

You forgot cheese as well :p Mmmmmm I do like a nice bit of gouda :)

MrJan

12th January 2010, 23:09

That we like tea

http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs052.snc3/13967_195217386417_634181417_4287265_7463809_n.jpg

That we all talk like either a character from Pride & Prejudice or a Guy Ritchie film.

Hoooor cor blimey guvnor, apples & pears in a right 2 'n' 8
http://blogs.warwick.ac.uk/images/rootesn3/2006/02/13/steve_2_lock_stock.jpg

christophulus

12th January 2010, 23:27

The tea drinking is pretty accurate. My girlfriend's teaching in France at the minute, all the stereotype over there seems to be that British people are not very emotional people, which I guess is accurate too. We just grumble and get on with things..

Drew

12th January 2010, 23:38

Is that you Jan, why the wrist supports? :p : And did you drink it all?

Mark in Oshawa

12th January 2010, 23:40

leopard

13th January 2010, 03:55

Jan, I think you need straw, not glove :)

gadjo_dilo

13th January 2010, 07:57

.... You do not want to make a Romanian mad..

That's another wrong stereotype. In fact we are the most mellow nation in the world.

gadjo_dilo

13th January 2010, 08:06

Apart from a similar sounding name combined with a slip of the tongue.. :p
Bucharest-Budapest... Hmm both start with a "B" and end in an "est".. I think we can forgive their ignorance..

That's interesting. Then if I ever travel to Boston I'd be happy to salute Brighton. :laugh:

Rudy Tamasz

13th January 2010, 08:36

That we all talk like either a character from Pride & Prejudice or a Guy Ritchie film.[/img]

I honestly think that you all talk either like Jeeves or like Wooster and there is no middle ground.

Daniel

13th January 2010, 08:36

I guess I look like this? :p

http://scrapetv.com/News/News%20Pages/Everyone%20Else/images/paul-hogan-as_michael-j-crocodile-dundee.jpg

gadjo_dilo

13th January 2010, 08:41

I guess I look like this? :p

Didn't know you have such nice fangs, Daniel. :laugh:

Eki

13th January 2010, 08:51

I guess I look like this? :p

Nah. I've heard you look like this:

http://www.filmdope.com/Gallery/ActorsR/56893-4108.gif

Eki

13th January 2010, 08:53

kwaMFFtRI7I
Is that girl on the right a dyke?

MrJan

13th January 2010, 09:27

Is that you Jan, why the wrist supports? :p : And did you drink it all?

Nah it's a mate, the tramp gloves are because he's a bit weird. We managed to drink it all between the 2 of us, took over and hour. I worked out later that it was about a gallon of tea and needed 4 teabags and half a pint of milk :D Good times. Although I had to be sick halfway through. Bad times.

NB: Nausea may have been a result of the copious amounts of alcohol I'd consumed prior to drinking the giant tea ;)

schmenke

13th January 2010, 14:41

Beats being French....

:mark:

Josti

13th January 2010, 15:37

You forgot cheese as well :p Mmmmmm I do like a nice bit of gouda :)

Can't deny that!

Did you knew we put mayonaise on french fries instead of ketchup. We drown them in it. :p

Daniel

13th January 2010, 15:39

Can't deny that!

Did you knew we put mayonaise on french fries instead of ketchup. We drown them in it. :p
Nah I went to Amsterdam and never had fries in a cone! :p

If ever I go to Amsterdam I'm heading back here -> http://www.mannekenpis.nl/ Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm :) No mayonaise or ketchup for me though :)

Josti

13th January 2010, 15:45

If ever I go to Amsterdam I'm heading back here -> http://www.mannekenpis.nl/ Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm :) No mayonaise or ketchup for me though :)

Aaahh, there's still some Dutch heritage left in you Daniel. :)

Eki

13th January 2010, 16:21

Chili mayo on fries is good.

Tomi

13th January 2010, 17:14

Did you knew we put mayonaise on french fries instead of ketchup. We drown them in it. :p

No point to eat french fries in Holland, there is many very good Indonesian restaurants.

Mark in Oshawa

13th January 2010, 18:00

:mark:

France French...not Quebecois...lol

C'mon Schmenke, I love the French women....it is the Habs and the men I am not always sure on..lol

OH yes..and I love the Poutine, with real cheese curds and beef gravy over really good fries...mmmmmmmmm

donKey jote

13th January 2010, 18:28

Is that girl on the right a dyke?
I don't think so, but Captain has fish fingers regardless.

No point to eat french fries in Holland, there is many very good Indonesian restaurants.
:up:

DexDexter

14th January 2010, 08:17

Another stereotype which springs to mind concerning the Brits, is the fact people think we are stiff upper lipped, and serious.

I have noticed from the F1 forum that lighthearted jokes often get miscontrued, and offence is often taken from our foreign chums. Perhaps we do have a weird sense of humour? I do find the Fins are very similar in their humour, which is probably why I get on with them so well.... :)

Yep, when I lived in England I noticed the same, our sense of humour is pretty close, generally speaking that is.

Can't deny that!

Did you knew we put mayonaise on french fries instead of ketchup. We drown them in it. :p

I've never been to Holland but I've been to the Flemish side of Belgium and they did the same, mayonaise, mayonaise.... :) They speak roughly the same language, right?

Eki

14th January 2010, 14:28

Yep, when I lived in England I noticed the same, our sense of humour is pretty close, generally speaking that is.

Finnish cartoonist Kari Suomalainen once said: "The British have a wonderful sense of humour, they can laugh at themselves. Us Finns can laugh too..., at the British."

Mark in Oshawa

14th January 2010, 18:01

Finnish cartoonist Kari Suomalainen once said: "The British have a wonderful sense of humour, they can laugh at themselves. Us Finns can laugh too..., at the British."

The British sense of humour we Canadians get, and we have been translating them for the Americans for years. As for you Finn's, I find you wonderfully outwardly looking and with a great sense of humour. A few of you I argue with, but you Finn's march to your own drummer and seem to poke fun at yourselves like the English do....

Mark in Oshawa

14th January 2010, 19:22

The world has been laughing at you Brits for years....Benny Hill, the Carry ON gang, On the Buses, Monty Python, Blackadder, Mr. Bean.....the Office...the IT crowd...Hell Top Gear has had me in tears laughing...

You have no idea how well the British sense of humour has gone over on the rest of the world.....

Mark in Oshawa

14th January 2010, 21:02

I'm well impressed that our comedy is exported to your shores.. :)

I get told quite alot that I remind people of Roy from the IT Crowd... Although I think Douglas is the dude... :p

A buddy of mine who is an IT guy downloaded and burned a disc for me and told me to watch it....I was in stitches watching the first episode. Then I never got around to watching the rest of them, and when I moved, the CD went missing...lol....But It was QUITE good.

Brit comedy has been a staple on public TV in Canada and the US, and CBC has always imported Coronation St. so British culture is quite easy to find. Now BBC has their BBC America and BBC Canada service, so we get even more....

gadjo_dilo

15th January 2010, 08:03

Mark in Oshawa

15th January 2010, 14:30

Due to this thread I remembered that In one of my drawers at work I keep a book " The mid-atlantic companion or how to misunderstand americans as much as they misunderstand us " by David Frost and Michael Shea, a humorous pararel between USA and Britain dealing with how biased they are about each other and how prejudiced in favour of themselves.

I'm reading it now and I have a good laugh.

Now THAT would be a fun read. David Frost was a brilliant guy......I do know the Americans have misconceptions about the people next door...(US!) so I know they understand the Brits even less....