What Americans think of Europeans
I wrote a hugely popular post on what Europeans think of each other, and we all know what Europeans think of Americans (that we’re fat and stupid – well, it’s a bit more complicated than that; I’ll delve into that in another post). In this post, I’ll write my experiences with my fellow Americans think about Europeans. Keep in mind, though, that the diversity of knowledge and opinion in the US is far greater than just about anywhere else in the world, so I’m not going to capture everyone’s sentiment.
At the outset, it’s important to understand this about Americans:
- a lot of Americans live by the “if you can’t say anything nice about (something), then don’t say anything at all” adage. So most Americans, who generally have a vague positive feeling about Europe, will only say vaguely positive things about Europe, if anything at all. (“I hear it’s nice over there.”)
- Most Americans are profoundly ignorant of geography and don’t give much thought beyond their immediate frame of reference. Before you think that means Americans are chauvinist, keep in mind they don’t give a shit about the next state over, or even next city, much less another country. Americans may be brilliant when it comes to technology, innovation and business, but they fail when it comes to geography. They are simply not interested. (This is why, I think, America assimilates foreigners better than Europe. They don’t know where other people come from, and soon forget; their foreignness ceases to be a liability, unlike Europeans who always remember that China had the Tiananmen Square massacre, a Serb killed Archduke Ferdinand and Serbia gave the world Slobodan Milosevic, etc.)
- the last few years have seen politically-active Americans attuned to world affairs much more than they have traditionally been, because of the wars, antagonism towards US foreign policy, propaganda by the Bush administration, etc. Growing up, I can tell you that no one ever cared what was going on outside our borders, other than to think the Soviet Union was a miserable shithole, and everywhere else was OK (but not as great as the USA).
That said, let me get down to the specifics, country by country. Remember that I’ll only include those that the average American has heard of and actually knows is in Europe (you ask the average American where Albania is, and you might be surprised at the variety of answers; I expect fully a third would say “Antarctica”). I’m being a little harsh on my fellow Americans, but, as an American, this is something we tend to do:
- UK – This is the only European country (and, like the Brits, Americans don’t always consider it part of Europe, even though it clearly is) that Americans tend to have largely uncritical views of, regardless of whether they’re at the political right or left (actually, let me add the neighboring Irish to that list). Brits are considered “polite”, “dignified” and “cultured” by virtue of their speech, which Americans, through decades of inculcation through movies and television, have come to ascribe values to. The only negative is of those with posh, elite accents to be thought of as devious or cunning; many Hollywood thrillers aimed at a middle-class audience have some greedy British villain who’s just too smart for his own good (stupidity is equated with a lack of guile, which middle-class Americans admire). I don’t think most Americans, until recently, have known that there is a substantial, vociferously anti-American contingent in the UK; many on the far left think it’s all directed at Bush and his policies (it is, only partially), so they tend to think of the Brits as being “on our side”.
There is a perception, poked fun of in popular media, that Brits have bad teeth, but it’s one of those stereotypes that is not really taken all that seriously, like that Poles are stupid or that Italians don’t bathe.
Among younger people, the UK is synonymous with London, where it’s imagined everything is cool, edgy, rock. For many young women, having a English rocker boyfriend has substantial cachet.
Other than that, I think most Americans are completely oblivious to the stereotypes that the English and Scots endure by Europeans (that they’re cheap, two-faced, etc.) - France - Mixed feelings, mixed feelings. Most Americans have known that the French enjoy criticizing the US and Americans; they know that Parisians are rude the minute you say something in English. But they still go there. Except for the minority of hard-core right-wing Americans who choose travel destinations on principle alone (they usually stay home), most Americans want to visit Paris.
But, the average American is going to use the following word when describing the French: “snob.” And by most accounts it’s probably the most offensive word you can use in America, where “he’s a regular guy” is one of the highest compliments you can pay to someone.
On the positive side, “cultured”, “sophisticated” and “thin” betray a certain jealousy that even the most hardened anti-French have towards this country, our oldest ally in the world. - Italy – American perceptions of Italians are shaped by Italian-Americans (who are mostly from Sicily, and are quite different from most contemporary Italians), the food, and, of course, Hollywood. Italians are considered laid-back, stylish, loud (in a good way; remember, we Americans are loud), and know good food. Think about it – if there ever were a universally-liked cuisine, it would be Italian. Italian women are considered very sexy – think Sophia Loren and Monica Bellucci. The men, too, are loved by American women (and gay men). The only negative stereotypes are that they’re mafiosos, and don’t bathe – very old stereotypes that made them the butt of jokes about 100 years ago. No one takes these sorts of jokes seriously anymore.
- Germany – Unlike the Brits and other Europeans, Americans don’t have anything against the Germans. This is probably due to the fact that a plurality of white Americans have Deutsch blood coursing through their veins, and because Americans have fantastically short memories. Of course, if an American hates any particular German, he’s going to call him a Nazi, but Americans don’t think of them as the humorless, stiff, nazionalsocialistischer automatons that your average Brit, French or Czech does. Beyond that, the only perception of Germany is beer, sausage, sauerkraut and Oktoberfest. And maybe lederhosen.
- Spain – I’m sorry to say this, considering Spaniards’ enormous sensitivity around it, but most Americans are going to conflate the Spanish with Mexicans. They’re going to assume Spain is poor, the people eat tacos and burritos, and they pay with worthless pesos. They’re going to assume Madrid is a suburb of Mexico City, and Barcelona is an island near Cancun. If they have fantastic memory, they might remember the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria, those famous Mexican ships sailed by that Mexican explorer, Hernan Cortes.
- Scandinavia – I’m throwing the Netherlands in here, too, because for whatever reason, most Americans think “Dutch” applies to Denmark, and that they speak Danish in Holland. (I tell people although they’re all tall blondes that speak Germanic languages, Dutch bikes are routinely stolen while Danish ones aren’t.) Scandinavia is considered advanced technologically and blonde, blonde, blonde, but beyond that, there’s no reason to ever visit any of those countries. And most Americans might think Scandinavia is a country, and they speak a language called Slavic.
- Ireland – Considering a happy, beautiful, green country full of shamrock-covered meadows and cheery little leprechauns. Maybe not too far from the truth, actually. The negative stereotype is that they’re drunks, but in America, that’s not really an insult anymore. Most Americans would be floored if they knew the per capita GDP of Ireland was higher than that of the US, and that Ireland has only 3.3 million people. Most Americans think it’s a huge, poor country.
- Portugal – Part of Puerto Rico.
- Greece – Based on the popularity of the 2002 film, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Greece is probably considered a quaint, colorful country full of charmingly nationalistic bumpkins. But the reality is that the country doesn’t cross the minds of most Americans whatsoever.
- Countries completely ignored except by some ethnic descendants – Poland, Czechoslovakia (that’s right – it’s still one country), Yugoslavia (v.s.), Hungary (most Americans will think you’re joking if you tell them this is the name of a country; they might even believe you if you tell them it’s near Thirstary), and anything eastward, until you hit Russia.
- Russia – Large, poor, cold, angry, gray. Again, not too far from the truth. Russia includes places like Moscow, Ukraine, all the -stans (sometimes even Paki- and Afghani-) and just about any other country with a majority white people that speak a language that’s not English that they’ve never heard of (Moldova, Georgia, Armenia, etc). Like the other former Iron Curtain countries, considered cold, depressing, nothing to see. They wouldn’t believe that St Petersburg is as beautiful as it is, as are Prague, Budapest, Krakow, etc.
These have been my perception of what the average insular white American knows and thinks. Here are some variants for different subgroups based on my conversations:
- African-Americans (black) – Love France. Neutral on the rest of western Europe. Have absolutely no interest in, knowledge of, or desire to visit Eastern or Northern Europe.
- Latinos – Love Spain. Positive on France and Italy. Have absolutely no interest in, knowledge of or desire to visit any other European country.
- Asians – Indians adore Britain. The Vietnamese adore France. Filipinos adore Spain. (Are we beginning to see a pattern here?) Other Asians are not particularly interested in Europe (unless they’re very “Americanized”).
- Gays – Europe is London, Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin and Ibiza. The Mediterranean is hot. So is Eastern Europe, paradoxically (so much Eastern European gay porn comes Stateside). Very, very confused on which city goes where; a widespread perception that London, Paris, and Prague are an hour-long train ride from each other.
- Lesbians – The only lesbians I know have gone to Amsterdam and loved it. Too small a sample size for me to form an impression.
- Hipsters – Love London, Paris, and slightly more “edgy” capitals like Copenhagen, Prague, Helsinki and Barcelona. They tend to be relatively well-off and educated, so they might buck a lot of the stereotypes I’ve laid out here.
This will, no doubt, make more than a few Europeans fume in indignation, or nod smugly that Americans really are as ignorant as they’ve thought. Remember that there is a small but not insignificant (maybe 5-10%?) number of Americans who are widely travelled and know a ton about Europe and its geography, national temperaments and culture. They tend to live in the “urban archipelago”, esp in coastal cities like New York or San Francisco.
Update: If you want to see it quantified, here are Americans’ sentiments towards other countries (not just European). Unsurprisingly, the current bugaboos harped on about in the media are at the bottom of the list.
Posted on July 28th, 2008 by JM
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Oh my, how embarrassing for you all.
Czechoslovakia (that’s right – it’s still one country)
Not since 1992:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Czechoslovakia
You might want to fix that so you don’t look like a stupid American.
Brian – I know it’s 2 countries now. I was writing that entire section from the perspective of your average, geography-ignorant American.
what about luxembourg…..
yeah….even european do not know that it exists…..
sad…but true….
This made me laugh. Sad but often very true. Americans also ask the worst questions.
“Do they wear Peter Pan clothes in the Never-Neverlands?”
“I love France! It’s right next to China, right?”
“How was the bus ride from Germany to America?”
And if you think Luxembourg has a bad situation (they’re all rich from cigarette money anyways), imagine poor Liechtenstein, Andorra, San Marino, and Monaco.
Haha Geweldig, but come on, those are probably exaggerations. And let’s be honest, “poor” is the not the word anyone should use when describing Andorra, Liechtenstein, Monaco…
Speak for yourself, America is too diverse for you to make blanket statements about what we think. You may have attempted to water it down with humour, but your disdain for America and Americans comes through loud and clear. It is unfortunate that many people that read this garbage will actually believe it.
I am ashamed to admit the truth of the stereotypes mentioned above. I am a geographically-educated american. I have a better understanding of the world around me than most of my more ignorant counterparts, so I will add to some of the common American ideas. Please do not attribute the following to my personal views:
first: Americans are not stupid, they are just self-centered. It is not that they (I say “they” because I do not think this way) are rude or stupid, but that they simply do not care about anything that does not directly influence their day-to-day life. even if something does influence them, they will forget about it the minute it is gone.
I live in Maryland, the state that contains the Nation’s Capitol, Washington DC. I find it strange how most Americans could not point to Maryland on a map of the country, and are mystified when they realize that DC is not a separate state. they have no idea what DC stands for, and think that Maryland, Massachusetts, Vermont, Main, Delaware,New Jersey, and Rhode Island are all just a cluster of states located above New York. Ask americans how many states are in the country, you’ll get answers anywhere from 39-52.
Before 9-11, most Americans were convinced that New York was the capitol.
And thats what they think about their own country…imagine what they think about yours!
We are also widely influenced by the media, the internet, and YouTube. When the media tells us that some random country in the middle east (and we dont even know where the middle east is) is responsible for our oil problems, we believe it, and curse that country until the prices fall again and then we go on forgetting that any other country exists.
oh, and we think Canadians are stupid, Iceland/Greenland (which we think are the same country, or at least interchangeably named) are part of Canada, and that any place in Africa is hot, any place in Asia is hot, and any place in Europe is cold and constantly rainy.
we also have a problem imagining that any places other than America, Paris, Tokyo, and London are civilized and have electricity.
one more thing: iceland/greenland are the same, japan/china are interchangable, any language/accent that is not french/italian/spanish/Chinese/Japanese must be german or russian. all south americans are mexican, and mexicans are the same as spaniards, and all of those people lumped into that category must be dirty and lazy.
and yet we think we are some sort of lovable, cant go wrong, center of the universe country that everyone admires and wants to live in.
I’m not sure what your error was for there, but the District of Columbia, though it is not a separate State with a capital S, is nonetheless separate from Maryland.
It is not one of the 50 States. Instead it is considered to be a District, a status somewhat analogous to being a territory, as with Puerto Rico, or American Samoa. I believe that, unlike territories however, residents of D.C. pay full federal taxes, yet elect no Representatives to Congress. The District is allowed one (rather than two) token “Senator(s)” who has speaking privileges on the Senate floor but does not vote in legislation.
This may in part explain the District’s contemporary motto “No taxation without representation”. It may also explain how the District’s working population is disproportionate to its residing population even when compared to similar urban centers.
From Wikipedia:
“The city is located on the north bank of the Potomac River and is bordered by the states of Virginia to the southwest and Maryland to the other sides.”
Also:
“Article One of the United States Constitution provides for a federal district, distinct from the states, to serve as the permanent national capital.”
It is generally believed that D.C.’s peculiar territorial status was intentional on the part of the Founding Fathers, as Congressmen from less powerful States feared the State in which the seat of government resided (then feared to most likely be Virginia) would have too great an influence on american politics.
This also is thought to explain the siting of Washington on the northern bank of the Potomac. That is, it was a compromise that placed it not too close to, but not too far from, the heart of the Old Dominion of Virginia.
Yup. I agree with this too. I grew up in Kansas and Indiana and except for that handful of friends that backpacked across Europe, there is little understanding of different cultures. As was mentioned here, it is embarrassing, but it is not a sign of stupidity. It is a sign of our self centered nature. People gave up everything to emigrate here. Many didn’t want to remember the place they left behind and in our short 200 years of existence, that attitude dictates the way Americans are raised.
To John Smith: It’s not disdain for America/Americans. It’s the truth. Simply ask some questions to people you know and you will see just how geographically ignorant the majority of Americans are.
I think a lot of the problem is that geography is no longer a required course. They’ve lumped it all together under “social studies” and children are studying it for a month or less. Quite a few people have never had a real geography course. It’s very sad, actually.
hahaha very tue
Wow. To ANN, the ” geographically-educated american,” who has a “better understanding of the world around (her) than most of (her) more ignorant counterparts,” I can only say, your arrogance and condescension are only eclipsed by your superior knowledge of geography and your fellow Americans’ lack thereof.
I have relatives staying with me for the weekend and there are 11 of us in our house, ages 71 to 8. Every one of us knows what “DC” stands for (what the hell?!) and how many states there are (unlike Obama, who seems to think there are 58). We all know where the New England states are and the difference between Spain and Mexico.
I printed this article, took it to work, and, although I cannot repeat what was said about you, they were all as geographically knowledgeable as you claim you are and with exceedingly more class than one who would paint their compatriots with such a broad brush and take it upon themselves to speak for them.
If you actually meant what you posted, you must be friends with the very stupidest Americans in the country. As my British best friend would say, “Get stuffed.’
The author needs to talk for himself/herself. The facts are different in reality and many Americans are a lot more educated than what she/he assumes they are, so they have a way different opinion about all the countries mentioned. It is just a pathetic article, better get another job, pal.
I agree that Americans don’t spend much time thinking about about Europe, but I think part of the reason is that the US is such a large country with such distinct regions. We are so rich in culture here in the States that the rest of the world is just off our radar. Look at the difference in culture between Nashville and San Francisco. There’s just so much to explore in our own back yards.
Personally, I agree with Ann. I think she hit the nail right on the head. Gabrielle didn’t make it clear where she was from. But if I had to make a bet, I’d say one of the “Eastern” or Southern States. (Maybe in a city like Chicago or Alabama.)
My experience while traveling in Europe and the U.S. has been that Americans are incredible ignorant. They take any criticism of America personally, and view the world by their measuring stick. (We’re # 1, We’re # 1 !!!! etc., etc….)
When I moved back to the states after living in Eastern Europe for years, I was shocked by the refusal of Americans to believe anything I told them about Europe that did not conform to their preconceived beliefs. I remember a conversation with my (politically conservative), father regarding the Soviet Union, which at that time, was in the process of breaking up. He insisted, and would not believe that everyone in the Soviet Union was not “Russian”. As for as he was concerned they spoke Russian and thought along the same lines, which was to destroy us Americans. When I tried to tell him about Georgia, Poland, Hungary, Latvia, Estonia, etc., etc.,…he just would not believe that they saw themselves as individual countries, culturally and historically.
Most of conservative America’s views were formed in the “50′s” and hasn’t really changed. They see America as “The World” and the rest of the planet as only mildly interesting, or important. If it doesn’t affect them directly, (like gas prices), then it’s not really significant. They see their president as “The Leader of the Free World”. (Although I don’t ever recall an election being held for that position, and I’m sure most Europeans would not see him as their “leader”)
In short they feel uneasy when something does not conform to a positive view of their country. Especially when something or someone like a black man has the gall to run for president, and feel obliged to insult him and his education. I’d bet good money that Obama has a higher education, knows more about the United States and the rest of the world then all 11 of the weekend occupants of Gabrielle’s house.
Education is a wonderful thing, and if one seeks out knowledge of other countries, cultures, etc. from sources other than main-stream American press, they’ll be amazed by how it changes your views and attitudes.
I agree, Europeans are not in the forfront of the average American mind. Americans tend to think that everything revolves around the USA and that the rest of the world is just a playground to vacation in. Americans rarely have anything negative to say about European countries (except France), but at the same time we tend to think that we have it better here than any other country. I think most Americans feel so good about their country that it doesnt even make us angry when others say terrible things about us. We know we have a great thing here.
The poster is wrong about how Americans feel about the French. I hear terrible jokes about the French all the time. Most of the jokes are about what cowards they are. There are also a lot of jokes about how bad their body odor is and about their lack of personal grooming. The term “French bath” is used to refer to the act of using perfume instead of taking a bath. I have hear people take about how perverted they are and how easy the women are.
Americans ARE self-centered and ignorant. They can be fed any information the media tells them about the world outside and they will believe it. I know this by watching my own family…college educated, middle class adults, all of them. They’re not stupid, they just don’t care, and they’re content in their stereotypes.
But along that line, Americans are ignorant of other Americans, too. don’t think east-coast Americans don’t have certain (wrong) perceptions of life in the west, either. They think everyone is either a cowboy, an Indian, a hippie, or a Hollywood star. And I’ve definitely come across those who think that people in the south (where I live) are all hillbillies, don’t wear shoes, don’t have electricity, and are incapable of forming a proper sentence and speaking coherently. I beg to differ.
I don’t know… I’m American and I love geography and other cultures. I’m always embarrassed when I have to admit that most American’s don’t know this stuff. Whenever I hear it, I just want to yell “but I do! I understand!” Hopefully this will someday change and we won’t all be ‘stupid Americans’ anymore.
It is normal for Europeans to feel that way. When you are to weak to protect yourself and you rely on someone else to defend your family, you will always be bitter and hold a grudge against your rescuer . I understand so I don’t dislike them for it. Just feel bad for them.
I always thought that Europe is to Americans what the US is to us Europeans, one big country.
I personall think most Europeans can’t tell one state apart from the other, and only a little grasp on US geography….
Everybody needs to chiiillll. It’s obviously a joke and I thought it was pretty funny. Although I wound amp up the negativity on our view of France. There’s still a lot of negative stereotypes (remember freedom fries? I know, I’ve tried to block it out of my memory too…) and jokes, mostly empty and teasing though. And I’ve never heard Spain equated to Mexico, like, ever. I’m pretty sure most americans don’t really have an opinion on Spain. It’s kinda just there.
And honestly, claiming that all americans are ignorant about geography is kinda silly. I mean, unfortunately there are a large percentage that don’t know where friggin Iraq is (which is so DUMB. Read a book damnit), but Europe is across the sea, and America’s a pretty big country. We’ve got quite a lot of stereotypes and almost little nations we’ve got to deal with ourselves. Which is no excuse for ignorance, of course, but perhaps a reason for it.
I would also hazard a guess that Europeans are more knowledgeable about Europe ’cause all the countries are so small and mushed together and affect each other so much due to the proximity. I doubt many Europeans would be able to name the states though, because it’s not relevant, just like Yugoslavia or whatever is not exactly relevant to America (sorry Yugoslavia
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Part of the problem is location. Yes, Americans are very self-centered and arrogant which contributes to our lack of geographical knowledge. But even if we weren’t these things, why would anyone expect that we would be as good at European geography as Europeans? Seriously, you live there, we don’t. And we’re not the only ones. I did a 1 year exchange to Japan when I was in highschool and I remember Japanese kids were just as clueless about European geography as American kids. The funny thing is that they weren’t that great at Asian geography either. No doubt because they hate other Asians and hate being classified as Asian. Maybe it’s an island country thing (i.e. British) I want to know how many European kids can point out Lesotho, Bangladesh or Uraguay on a map.
I’m an American (Texan, haha) going to uni in Germany and I’d have to agree with most of what’s said here. But I’d like to re-affirm that America’s self-centered mentality does indeed have it’s good points. Especially when it comes to racism. I would say the average European is by far more racist than the average American. If that fact stems from geographic ignorance, so what? And the whole “everybody wants to live here” mentality isn’t far off, since out of the industrialized nations, America’s the only one with significant population growth (which can be attributed mostly to immigration).
“I’m an American (Texan, haha)”
“I would say the average European is by far more racist than the average American.”
Oh really. You’re from Texas, a state where people dragged an african-american with their pick-up truck until he died.
Yes their are some racists in Europe, but Americans also have a large share of racists, some that are even more brutal than anything in Europe.
So don’t be proud of yourself.
hello everyone
This is a verry interresting aguement and I think i might add something to it. I find myself a worldly person beacause I am 17 years old now and am born in Iran ( so I went to school in Iran and i know the language)
when I was 9 my familly moved to belgium where I lived for another 7 years where I learned Dutch and French ( and of course the European way and vieuws of life ) I travelled through Europe the last few somers and I might add my best sins the 5th grade is hallf german oh and the past year I have been living in England.
So what it comes down to for me is that I know most of the wester-european vieuws of the US and the Iranian vieuws of Americans and Europeans what and what I do know about the US myself is only from movies series etc. so no observative information…
europeans rescently ( the dutch belgian french and german which I am in contact whit ) tend to hate the Bush administration and basicly think of Americans of ignorant bastards whom think they are all there is in the world while some of the British have similiar feelings because of the credit crunch and rescession most of them are changing their mind about you people because of Obama.
The Iranian comunity is devided by 2 – you know the ones whit death to america death to Israel – and there is a second group, significantly larger but unheared of who pray for an invasion of America to release the from idiots like Bush jr jr ( Ahmedinejad :p lol )
So where it all comes to for me is that you people are hated because you gouvernments political agenda and your own showbizz ( hollywood basically)
where I stand is from my experience 80% of all people in any nation DUMBASSES wether in Iran Belgium or England but you Americans are just in the spot lights right know so you have to deal with more critisism just like Britney Spears lol
I am from India living in this country for 18 years. Me and My husband are well educated and living a comfortable life.I consider Americans to be rude, mean, loud and ignorant people. They really don’t care about offending foreigners. They think USA is their universe and other countries in the world does not exist for them. Americans have asked me some stupid questions like…
1. Did your husband go to work on a CAMEL? How rude and ignorant and stupid is that question? They hear camel in India on TV and concludes that we all ride camels everyday. The city that I come from does not even have a single camel there.
2. Do you have a phone and swimming pool? What!!! they think we all live in trash cans because thats what this stupid media shows on TV and these ignorant idiots believe it.
3. How did you learn to speak such good english? They don’t know anything about British History in India. All they know is “Sati System and Caste System” because that’s what high school world history books teaches them and so that is Indian history for them. They have no idea that we have so much history to offer than just these 2.
4. Another rudest thing that I have experienced is staring at my food when I eat. I am a vegetarian. They look like they have never seen anything like that before. I find this really offensive because in my culture we are taught that staring at others food is wrong.
5. India!!!! Oh its a hot country!! Not all states are hot. There are some states which have very good tropical weather. NOPE!! they dont want to believe it, even after I said that I stay there. There is no country better than my USA is their mentality.
6. I told an American that I am afriad of snakes and his response was..”Why should you be afraid of snakes?You should be used to it.” What!!!!! Just because India has snakes does not mean that Snakes crawl under my bed and sofa everyday.
The Schools display messages to repect diversity and be sensitive to other cultures, but that is all words. I don’t see any respect , Its just BS.
I have to say that Americans need to be educated more about different cultures since America has immigrants from all parts of the world. I have to say that I get along very well with any immigrant than an American. We immigrants understand each other better than an American.
We work hard and pay taxes just like any AMerican. So, why this racism and hatred?
Manju-I’m sorry to hear that you’ve had a tough time here in the States. Americans have mixed feelings about Indian immigrants, but you’re being too negative. In the linked survey above India has the same favorability rating as American allies France, Israel & South Korea. Indians in America are often seen as a “model minorities”. Even Apu of the Simpsons is portrayed as a tireless worker with a PHd in computer science.
To most Americans, “where you come from is not nearly as important as where you’re going”. One should not confuse American ignorance of a culture with hostility towards that culture.
To answer your question-most negative stereotypes about India can be attributed to current American suspicion of Islam. The Mughal influence made India part of the Islamic world. This is more about politics than race. Islamists (not necessarily Muslims) have taken the place of the Soviets (not necessarily Russians) as the bad guys in American pop culture.
But India IS a relatively poor country. That’s not cultural insensitivity, that’s a fact. Get over it. You are not doing India a favor by soft-pedaling that nation’s very real economic problems. I can’t make excuses for some of the sillier stereotypes about India that you have encountered. Camels & snakes? But it was Nehru who created the phrase “Third World” to describe his country.
\Based on the popularity of the 2002 film… blah blah..\
HUH? JUST SHOWS THE LEVEL OF THIS \ARTICLE\.
\But the reality is that the country doesn’t cross the minds of most Americans whatsoever.\
THANK GOD !!!
BTW.. I’M SURE THOSE SAME AMERICANS CAN’T EVEN POINT GREECE ON THE MAP.. BUT HEY.. I BET THEY CAN’T POINT MONTANA EITHER !
Well, generalisations and condescension abound in most of this commentary. Didn’t you guys ever learn to see people for who they are as individuals? You can’t cluster people into “cookie-cutter” cutouts. Humans are the most hypocritical species. More people need to get of their superiority high horse and gain a little humility. (To those, that posted logical commentary this is not for you.)
“He insisted, and would not believe that everyone in the Soviet Union was not “Russian”. As for as he was concerned they spoke Russian and thought along the same lines, which was to destroy us Americans. When I tried to tell him about Georgia, Poland, Hungary, Latvia, Estonia, etc., etc.,…he just would not believe that they saw themselves as individual countries, culturally and historically.”
Speaking as someone whose Ukrainian relatives were forced to relocate elsewhere within the USSR and whose native language was officially suppressed in favor of Russian, it seems to me your father had a valid point, Pat.
This article is twaddle that reinforces the most self-congratulatory prejudices and ignorance of its author and most of the commenters. The small, blue collar town I grew up in had families only one or two generations removed from dozens of other countries, European, Asian and increasingly African as well. Many of those households were and are bilingual in English and whatever was spoken ‘in the Old Country’ and the religious services in our little town were often bilingual as well.
I don’t have to travel to the Ukraine to know a good deal about it (and yes I can find it on the map). I grew up knowing my family’s history and culture, celebrating it here alongside American customs, and I am far from being unusual among Americans in this way.
But if one needs to pull out credentials that matter to the backpacking set, then perhaps it’s also relevant that I speak / read 4 languages, have travelled on 3 continents and done business in Europe, the middle East and Asia.
I may be late to the party, but stereotypes between the US and Europe have always fascinated me.
I think the general thread that Americans just aren’t that interested in anything outside their immediate community is generally true. Most Americans do believe that the US is the best place to live, but they may have some reason. If you look over the past 50 years (the living memory of the baby boomers) can you point out a country that has had as much success and as little strife? Many Americans are captive to their media, and what they see of Europe can be summed up as: strikes, WW2 movies where Yanks die for Europeans, demonstrations, burning cars, sordid pedophilia rings, and football riots. Is that fair? Absolutely not. But its what people see.
I’d like to see a survey comparing US geographical knowledge with Canadian. I would expect the Canadians to do a little better, but not a lot. I would also be curious how many Europeans can name and locate the 50 states.
There are 2 reasons that Americans lack geographical curiosity: it is fundamentally and historically an isolationist country, and our education system is very poor. You want a real understanding of American geographic ignorance? read this description of what they are taught:
http://nces.ed.gov/pubs97/web/97579.asp
well Simon you have some points there but please tell me is it the same not being able for a european to locate all 50 states and this? :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hp4iI59BfpQ
I agree with every person who conveyed the message that you can’t paint all Americans with the same brush stroke. And since we are so diverse in this country alone, I refuse to form any stereotypes of people from other countries. Any pigeon-holing in and of itself is stupidity. Every country is going to have a certain amount of small minded people who harbor prejudices, but it’s also going to have plenty of people who carry a spirit of \Live and let live\. I was chatting on an U.K. site a couple of years ago. When one of the people found out I was an American, he said, \too bad, I liked you up until now\, or words to that effect. A couple of others from the U.K. quickly hopped on him for that comment.
I may be no expert on geography (forgive me), but I won’t condemn you for not understanding the things that I do know about that you may not be as versed in. There is too much to learn in this lifetime to absorb it all. Good enough for me to know right now that no matter where he lives, each man is my brother.
Hey people, i just wanna say stop hating on each other. why does everything have to be so negative? i have nothing against anyone or their opinions, but show some optimism. maybe if you give compliments instead of complaints people from different nations would start liking each other.
Also, i really like Europe, it never cease’s to fascinate me. and i really want to go to india, china and russia…. actually any country would be cool to go to: )
I shared this with a few friends, and here’s a quick list of stereotypes that we came up with. Oh, and we’re all mid-20′s from the US (Kansas City):
UK – Bad food, worse weather, but really cool accent
Ireland – Drunks
Spain – A wealthier, more cultured Mexico
Portugal – Spain’s Canada
France – arrogant and lazy (except when rioting)
Netherlands – Potheads
Scandinavia – Where vikings come from. Blonde hair, blue eyes, and everything there is really, really expensive.
Germany – Really into S&M and live off of Beer, brats, and saurkraut
Italy – Loud and emotional….but great food
Greece – See above
Poland – alcoholics
Russia – depressed and angry alcoholics
Point of contention….I have no idea where the author came up with “Americans think Scandinavia as one country.” I would bet that most know damn well that it is made up of Norway, Sweden, and Denmark…they just can’t tell the difference between any of them.
I don’t think the author is giving Americans enough credit. For example, I agree that a good chunk of Americans wouldn’t be able to pick out Portugal on a map, but saying that Americans think its a part of Puerto Rico is a huge stretch.
Just my 2 cents…..It was a fun read, thanks for writing.
ireland population in 1996 was 3 million, now its closer to 5. americans. technologically brilliant. don’t think so and the american friends i know, have little if any knowledge about outside the states but always have an opinion. i’m nigerian. cheers
I’m Italian.
Yes, we are a little bit mafious, but we bathe!
we also are very surprised that italy is the only country that, in the restroom, has the “ass-cleaner” next to the WC…
and we all say “how the hell the rest of the world clean the ass after…..”
anyway thank you for posting, very nice and true!
cheers
I am appalled by the vision Americans have of certain parts of Europe. I am Spanish but, I’ve lived in Mexico, the US, the UK, France and Germany…
And this article sadly only reassured what i was exposed to with when living in the US.
Spain is NOT in Latin America
Spain is a part of Europe!
Spanish cuisine has been rated the best in the world this last year – better thatn the French!
Spain has 5 official languages: Spanish, Catalan, Euskera, Galician and Valencià.
Spain is the 8th economy of the World!
It snows in Spain in the winter!
Spain (along with Germany and Japan) is a world leader in clean, renewable energies.
Spain’s high speed train technology has been developed in Spain and has been praised by Obama’s administration.
Madrid is at the same latitude as NYC!
Madrid and Mexico City are worlds apart (not to mention an entire ocean apart!) Madrid and Barcelona are both beautiful, cosmopolitan cities (unfortunately they have a constant feud with each other) And contrary to popular belief it is difficult to find Mexican food in Spain. And cities like Madrid and Barcelona are much cleaner than cities like Paris, or Los Angeles – and those comments I’ve heard from foreigners, not Spaniards.
When studying in the US (in a prestigious university, not a corn field) I got comments that ranged from what part of Mexico I was from, after saying i was from Spain, to what language they spoke in Spain, because i spoke English with a British accent. At the supermarket my friends always showed me all these Mexican products so that i could feel more at home, and at the end I took it as a joke but… I’M NOT MEXICAN!
It amuses me how impressed Americans are when they visit Madrid… “wow, this is nothing like Mexico!” – well, ya think? This is Europe!…
And about Portugal, Spaniards unfortunately don’t know much about the Portuguese and just ignore them. On the other hand, Portugal looks up to Spain and all the Portuguese i know speak at least three languages each.
Spain is a bit like Italy in the sense that there is a huge difference between the north and the south.
Spain is a great entrepreneurial power, however many people ignore this, not only the Americans, also the British and Germans that come every summer to get drunk at our beaches. hahaha! That’s a huge stereotype, but truth be told, my German and British friends are lovely people and know Spain for what it really is.
Well, sorry about his huge post… it’s just that i got really worked up when i read about Americans thinking Spain is like Mexico…
Hope you all can visit my lovely home country one day… And see it for what it really is (and not fall in the tourist traps!… lots of them! – that unfortunately don’t give the proper image)
If you’re in Madrid, go to the Prado Museum, the Sorolla Museum, walk through the Retiro, have a night out through Huertas and Plaza Santa Ana,
Go to the Palacio de Oriente, have a cup of coffee at the café in front of the Opera. There are so many cultural activities going on! And if you do come, do it in the spring… it is actually too hot in the summer
¡Besos desde Londres!
I am a 26 year old ignorant person, I have studied and i speak more just one language but I an unaware of many interesting topics and for example… i didn’t know Holland and The Netherlands were two different territories.
Just one last thing, there are dumb, tacky, brilliant and sophisticated people in
Europe just as anywhere else in the world.
But yes, Europeans can locate Bangladesh, Lesotho and Benin… on a world map, let alone Uruguay!
Yes there are chavs in Britain and gypsies in Spain – but generally the European education system has a much higher level than the US. This applicable to public education – Universities are all more homogenous so to speak. Also, Europeans may not be able to place all 50 states perfectly but they’d do better than most Americans think… and can any American name the provinces/regions in France, Spain, Italy or Finland? Europeans can’t either because that is national geography, not international geography – which should be general culture. Having a big country is no excuse for a lousy education. My best friend is Russian – biggest country in the world – and she knows where Malaysia and Milwaukee are.
My sister attends University in Boston, she’s a second year double major in biology and philosphy… she tells me that the stuff she studied in senior school in Madrid (high school) is what she’s being taught on her second year of University… in subjects like Chemistry and Biology.
Spain is not the best country in the world, nor is Sweden – There is no such thing as the perfect country. Americans tend to think they live in the best country out of ignorance… they don’t know how life is outside their borders.
They think the US is the most liberal country in the world, I BET TO DIFFER!
Europe has been much more progressive, especially since the 70s.
The US is not the best country in the world, at least not for me… Though I shouldn’t make this comment since i don’t know all the US… and would go to live to NYC quite happily. But for the other cities i know like LA, Boston, San Francisco… ( i love San Francisco) I’d rather live in Europe.
I am not anti-American, I am just quite happy on this of the pond, that is all. After living in the US for years, and I realise that Europe is more open minded, more liberal, has less censorship (all countries have censorship to some degree) than America.
This is just my insight, the insight of one person in this world, you may or may not agree with it… but these are the experiences that have shaped my opinions and thoughts. Oh, and by the way… it is cheaper to live in Finland than Madrid… though Paris, London, Venice are much more expensive than Spain. (Well it all has changed a bit since the crisis too)
As a final thought, this time i mean it by being final! hahaha, let’s stop whining about who knows less and let’s educate ourselves! Encourage the young with intellectually stimulating activities, and research on your own… you’ll never know everything… but \EL SABER NO OCUPA LUGAR\.: KNOWLEDGE DOESN’T TAKE UP SPACE. And I include myself this in this category… i should read more.
Very interesting blog! I do believe that some of the comments regarding Americans lacking knowledge about European nations is somewhat true. Although I do know many fellow Americans who are quite knowledgeable about other nations and continents. So to generalize and say that all Americans are ignorant and self-centered is absurd. It would be more appropriate to say that they simply have no interest in other countries or cultures. That is unfortunate. Personally, I find it intriguing and enjoy learning about this great world that we live in and its diverse population.
We actually have a globe in our home and frequently reach for it when watching television to locate the nation being viewed in the news or movies.
I’m sure that there are numerous Europeans who also lack interest in America. To call them ignorant is misguided. I think it comes down to an individuals interests, and those do change over time.
I am from Italy , and I am sad to say that American got 95% of this right about Europe!
> Scandinavia is a country, and they speak a language called Slavic.
THIS IS THE BEST JOKE I HAVE EVER HEAR!
[...] continue [...]
@Ray The Money Man:
It is normal for Americans to feel that way. When you are to dumb to set up a decent educational system and you rely on someone else to do all your thinking for you, you will always be bitter and hold a grudge against the people doing your job better than you, like Indians replacing all the doctors, and Honda and Toyota beating the car industry. I understand that Americans are dumb, so I don’t dislike them for it. Just feel bad for them.
Please, don’t feel bad for us. Americans are not dumb.
We are just not as smart as you think you are.
I feel bad for you because I think it is a sign of stupidity if you don´t know so much about other countries that you mix Spain with Mexico and Holland with Scandinavia! (don´t you have pictures of world maps out there?). When we were in Boston (Ma) 2 weeks ago and we´re having a sightseeing tour the guide asked my 12 year old son (who speaks fluent english!, most young people do in Finland) where he was from and my son answered, “Helsinki, Finland” and the guide said “okey”. So I understood that a) he had never even heard where Finland is (Nokia?) and b) he wasn´t even interested to know.
That is so sad. I have been to over 50 countries and learned so much about other cultures and everywhere I´ve been to people always come and ask where we are from etc and start a discussion but that never happens in the USA! People are not interested at all and it´s really difficult to start a conversation when they realize you are not an american.
Don´t get me wrong, I like the states but I guess the americans are a little bit self centered than other people
but I guess you have to be an american to really understand. And I have only been to the big cities, maybe it´´s different in the smaller cities and on the countryside?
Rita
Please understand that in my neighborhood alone there are Greeks ,Chinese,Irish,Italian,Hatian,Lebanese,and that is first generation.My father was from italy,my dentist is from Lebanon and my doctor is from Greece and my best friend growing up was Norwegian.
Americans not knowing Spain from Mexico is a little hard to believe but believe me no one I know would mix them up.
I don’t know too much about Finland but I will find out more about it.Thanks.
[...] interactions with Europeans, having lived there for 4 years. Here’s a run down: {Via} {More} {More} and {More [...]
Jeez, I think the lessons from the comments here and in the post about Europeans is that Americans are a lot more sensitive to criticism. Chill, people.
Yes, all of the above is a generalization. And that includes all the indignant comments raging that all the Americans *they* know are hyper-intelligent geography geniuses and this post isn’t true at all. That’s another generalization, based on the handful of people you associate with.
But really, if you want so badly to make your country look good, then learn to smile at posts like these.
Note how little actual *anger* was in the comments on the post about Europeans. If there’s one thing Americans as a whole (woo, another generalization) can learn from Europe, it’s that. Don’t take it so goddamn seriously when people poke fun at you.
God damn Americans – you are just too smart.
Sorry but only 1/3 of you are idiots (and most Nobel prize winners are American). Compare this to at least 50% idiots in my country that gave the world nothing but a toxic lake and borscht.
A good bunch of your 15 year olds can’t even point out USA on a map. Our children don’t even know what a map is. (I admit to still being confused by the concept myself)
Thanks to Google Translate for translating this from the original Russian….yet another American invention. (One of Google’s founders is Russian…or rather was. He, like most of the Jews, left our anti-Semitic hellhole when they got the chance)
You are not “hyper-intelligent” when you know Mexico and Spain are two different countries. Maybe the author meant the culture of the two are thought to be similar.
I’m from Portugal and have live in the US since i was a kid. I have never once heard anyone think Portugal was a part of Puerto Rico. lol. That made me laugh actually.
haha, i like the part where he said: ask any american where albania is, they’ll say antartica. i am albanian, and have tried that many times with fellow classmates and friends, and they had no idea what i was talking about, let alone that albania is a country. americans are extremely ignorant when it comes to the world’s diverse cultures. as for the people who are getting mad at the guy who wrote this: dont get mad & hate because someone finally exposed the stupidity& selfishness of americans. maybe you should grab a globe and educate yourself.
Funny article, pretty much what i expected.
Greetings from Spain.
Very funny article and unfornately quite true in many regards.
I still get a knee jerk reaction to calling Sweden/Finland/Denmark/Norway and throw in “Netherlands” as Scandinavia.
..one small problem, there is a whole country called Germany between there….but ok. Given the possible answers of many of my countryman, I suppose they would consider the coupling to be true..but you might as well through Switzerland in there as well then..because everyone seems to think Sweden IS Switzerland (sighh..someone get a map please….) The only thing they have in common was being neutral in WWII.
Anyway, great and fun article!!! For the rest of my countryman..I know it is very difficult, but try not to take everything so serious. They have their point of view with one possible exception, yes the french in Paris are jerks….;) Even if you TRY to speak french..still jerks.
Actually most Italian Americans do not originate from Sicily, Large numbers of Italian Americans come from Naples, and communities surronding Naples,and also from Calabria, Southern Italy at the beginning of the last century was a third world country which had more in common with poor Latin American countries then it did with Europe. Because of the lack of jobs, education, and even food the whole south of Italy including Sicily fled to the new world.
ROTFL at Portugal being part of Puerto Rico! Every semi-educated american I talked to said otherwise. It’s more like another person described it, we’re like Spain’s canada xD
I find it astounding at how stupid you think Americans are. I will agree with you that most of us are not the sharpest knives in the bag but… your perception of your country men is ludicrous. Where did you grow up? From what you’ve said it must have been a really terrible place… LA, Chicago, or what? Even the small town in the south I came from would laugh you out of the room for some of the accusations you’ve made here. Americans have a hard enough time abroad because of their government and the liberalized piss poor public education they receive … They don’t need people like you making them out to be complete retards. I won’t make excuses for stupidity and I call like it is… but then again maybe the people you have lived around were morons but… That’s certainly not the way American life is for all of us….
Great and funny article! I dont think most of the Americans (aka. US citizens) are like that, but probably some of them… Plus, I have some American friends, living in Europe, who very well educated and interested in other cultures. Maybe, thats why or because fo they r living in Europe.
Please, do not compare Montana with Greece. As someone said, the first is national geography (that all of u should know) and the second is general culture. Even though I do know some of the States in USA and more or less where they are located!
You should know about Greece (even if now its a small countruy with, apparently, any importance in the world politics) because it was the firts Democracy in the world, 2500 years ago! Plus it is a beutiful country with great people, great food…
Greece just to give an example, not to talk about amazing Spain
or any other country in the world. Again, just because knowledge doesnt take up any space.
I’m English although I grew up in Andorra (which I can’t imagine many Americans knowing where that is)!
I went to the US once and was flabbergasted when a guy on a train I was chatting to asked me what language we spoke in England.
He couldn’t believe it when I said English!
Seriously, this is no joke!!!
I have to say I’m a little insulted by the stereotypes that Americans are ignorant of the geography of Europe, but then again I consider myself to be well read and have traveled quite a bit in Europe. I could name every capital and point to every single European country on a map.
This is hilarious and mostly true of Americans (I am one but not insular). I am married to a British man and we often discuss how we each view other nationalities. He hates the Germans and I try to say who really cares but that leads to an argument! I think most Americans do not care about geography or other cultures, but I do and I am raising my son to know more as well.
I am a U.S.-born Korean citizen and I’ve spent most of my time in U.S. for 10 years in Boston and New York City and in U.K. for 7 years..My general impression is that there is nothing so special about “special relations between U.S. & U.K.” at all..To me U.S.A.-U.K. relations is just one of those friendship ties that’s all..That’s because I see Asia is growing its economy much stronger and New York Wall Street Crash in October 2008 signalled a shift in the economic center of gravity from NY to Shanghai,China.I am Korean but I have full confidence that China’s economy will match that of U.S. someday..U.S. better pay attention more on Asia than EU because the age of British Empire is dead now and it’s the dawn of the Asian Century even if Japan’s economy is in slump..Fortunately U.S. has military alliance with South Korea so Americans are still welcomed by the vast majority of South Korean people even if minority of Korean youngsters are somewhat biased against U.S.A. And please allow me to add I LOVE U.S.A.!!!
Seems about right for the average American. I hate when I encounter Americans who are ignorant of other countries and cultures. I am somewhat chauvinistic about our culture, but I still love exploring cultures very different from what I’m accustomed to in the US.
As an American traveling abroad, I had many people assume all Americans eat is pizza and hamburger. It really bothered me whenever someone offered to tell me where I could find these foods in their country. Then I came back and saw most of my fellow Americans stuffing their faces with pizza and hamburgers…
I find this list kind of insulting. You can’t lump the views of the entire United States into one list. That would be like lumping the views of all of Europe into one list.
American views are diverse and depend on what part of the country you visit. I’ve been in national sales for 20 years and been to multiple cities in every state…including Alaska and Hawaii.
If I were you, I’d really try and break things down regionally as the viewpoints are quite different. France, for example, is viewed much differently by people in the southern region of the US than by the North East region. Most of the south adores the French, especially in Louisiana, Georgia, and Alabama. New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland (on the other hand) have a neutral view of France. If you go into the Mid West…there’s downright hatred of the French. Then there’s the western states ike California, Oregon, and Washington. They simply could care less about the French what-so-ever. Then there’s Texas…oh God…then there’s Texas. I advise the French to stay far away from there unless it’s Dallas/Ft. Worth or Houston.
The United States is far to culturally diverse to create a definitive list.
Whenever a European has asked me if i know where (whatever, europe) is I answer with: what is the capital of california? 99.9% tend to think its Los Angeles. Stupid Europeans and their poor educations.
Look, it’s natural to be geographically aware when your country is bordered by 5 other countries. It’s natural to believe america has no culture when your own has become coopted and made into a charicature by your own tourist industry.
I believe Americans get a bad rap because we only get 2 weeks vacation a year. We throw money around and act like assholes who only have 2 weeks to spend a years savings.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading the article on ‘what Americans think of Europe’. And the comments it entailed were incredible — outlandish and misguided — we’re all biased.
It’s only natural for people to judgement, accuse and use stereotypes to help them understand their World.
I’m from Dublin and I’ve never been to America but I am heavily influenced by American “T.V. Culture” so my views are somewhat based on that.
I enjoy a lot of the entertainment and technology that comes from the USA but from the Americans I’ve met on my travels around Europe (I’ve never left Europe!), I have to say they’re hard to judge. They seem dismissive, ignorant, content and flaunt their American Culture as if it’s the best thing. However, they only do this because of the way they were raised — as we all do.
I’d like to point out that Czechs are widely regarded as “bigger drinkers” than us Irish, based on their GDP. It has also been taken into account that, even though there is a huge population difference [Ireland & Czechia], they still consume more alcohol than the Irish do. It does not mean they’re all Alcoholics; Europeans can control their “drink” intake better because it’s apart of our culture; and there less restrictions in Europe compared to America.
It’s sad to hear that Americans aren’t taught about the World they live in properly. The more knowledge, the less fear!
Thanks for reading and I enjoyed the humour and humilty of the article, once again. XD
I NEVER mix up Spain with Mexico. Sorry but I prefer Mexico not only because I’m Mexico but because I’m proud of my ancestors and the culture they left behind. Our political system is relatively new compared to Spain’s which would explain Mexican mentality; however, I will argue that I respect Spanish culture and Spain itself but I prefer mine.
Just little note: Santa Maria, Pinta a Nina were ships of Christopher Columbus not Hernan Cortes
“I am not an Athenian or a Greek, but a citizen of the world.”
“I know nothing except the fact of my ignorance.”
Is anyone else afraid that as a whole, we humans are deteriorating intellectually?
It seems that critical thinking and the ability to objectively examine one’s own ideas are dying virtues.
Someone much smarter than I, once said: “certainty is the sincerest form of ignorance.”
This was incredibly amusing and very painful to read. I’m an American (born in Minnesota close to Canada, lived on the west coast for 8 years) and I’ve done my very best to become as educated as possible on global affairs and cultural interactions, since I want to move out of the U.S. someday.
I’ve gotta say, a lot of your opinions cover the basics of most airhead Americans who would be interested in going to Europe just to buy souvenirs. A few of the things you said made me wince because I know better, and I really, really hate the fact that all Americans are viewed like ignorant bastards, but it is true: at least a third of our country are just this plain idiotic.
I’m young and I’ve never been to Europe but I’ve studied up plenty (advanced European history classes and befriending the German and French exchange students) and all I have to say is, I hope I can be part of a generation that will change the perception of Americans around the world.
@ ann- Maryland does not contain DC. It is not part of Virginia either. Washington, DC is a district unto itself.
@graham- It isn’t that we aren’t taught about geography or other cultures, its that it isn’t something that we remember. Think of it this way we have fifty states across a large land mass much in the same way that Europe has a multitude of countries across a somewhat similar sized land mass. Us, memorizing the states is like Europeans memorizing the countries that make up Europe. You have 44, the US has 50. We’ve heard of these countries but can we expect you to know the exact geographic location of Bangor in comparison to Boston. Not really. We have our states and you all have your countries. Its the same deal.
Hey, I´ve read the main text and some of the comments, and seen that Finland repeatedly have been mentioned as a part of Scandinavia, it isn´t.
Scandinavia is Denmark, Sweden and Norway. The geographical term is defined but areas where the scandinavian languages are spoken, and Finland belongs to an other branch of languages.
I can say that the “best” thing i´ve heard from people “over ther” is that Norway is the capital of Sweden. My experience is that Norway is the first country to be forgotten when one are talking about Scandinavia. Or people are mixing Scandinavia up with just Sweden.
Yes, most Americans are quite ignorant of other countries and their geographical locations. Shooot I’ve lived in other countries and have a hard time pointing out many as well…quite sad really!! But I do have a big giant map sitting behind me so maybe I can start studying locations
Oh yeah, and don’t forget to mention that you can see Russia from Alaska
It’s very funny actually; I’m an american but from a different perspective. My mother is Ecuadorian (literally not a citizen) and my dad is a true born country guy. We were originally from New York City but are now living in California (growing up I moved around a lot). I’ve got to point out some true and untrue things about this piece.
1) Yes, I’ve met plenty, PLENTY of americans who just don’t know their geography. A student admit at Columbia University, and old friend of mine, who had barely any idea where her homestate Texas was. There have been other accounts too; people thinking Asia was a country (fail), etc. I’ve got to agree with this.
2) Most average Americans don’t know how to travel. And I mean TRAVEL. I spent the summer studying in Malaga, Spain – where I lived with a family, I drank, I laid on the beach, I engaged with the people, I danced all night long at the Discotecas, I took trains to neighboring cities on my own. Most Americans are blindly scared to do this. Why? Because what every person living in Europe doesn’t understand is that America is SAFE – unbelievably SAFE. I mean sure we have bad places like the ghetto. But for the most part, the suburbs? Come on? How many American Citizens would flip if they didn’t have running warm water for a day? or a bathroom invested with ants? Life is different. Very different. And sadly often taken for granted. When most americans travel, they take ‘tours’. pathetic little tours as I like to call them. You see, they’re perfectly happy with their Cannon photography cameras, going on a cruise with all the other english speaking folk and never truly make an attempt to get to know the culture. This is where I bet some people get the idea of the ‘big stuck up american’ and why many have mixed feelings.
3) France is snobby. Now don’t get me wrong, I’ve known nice french people -natives to the country. But you talk to any other european country and they will give you their undying opinion about it “Nobody likes France” I’ve heard the same thing from Italians, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch and even Germans haha, nobody likes the french! Now don’t get me wrong, I like the french. I think it’s a beautiful language. And most peculiar culture at best. I’ve never been to France. One day I’ll have to make that judgement for myself.
4) Yes, sadly, americans will incorporate any spanish speaking person and classify them as a ‘Mexican’. I can’t tell you how many people think that Ecuador is next to Guatemala. They are so pathetic. And most other hispanics hate this! But it’s not the americans fault actually. Increasing illegals have caused severe problems, especially in California. It really is hard to not have a bais about mexicans. For example; I go for an afternoon jog around my town, like friendly neighbor I smile at all those passing by; the local jews, the local japanese, the local indians. Everybody is friendly enough to smile back. Except for the mexicans. Everytime I pass a hispanic by all the do is give me a death glare, no matter how wide I smile. It’s scary often. Like they want to stick a knife in my throat. So don’t blame an American for having their assumptions. It’s for our own protection. What often others don’t understand is that Americans don’t have a problem admitting immigrants and people who are in need of work, people who want to better their lives. There isn’t a single soul in America who wants to prevent that. However, the immigrants coming over are not coming over seeking better oppurtunities as an American, no. Even kids in highschool, flaunt their ‘mexican pride’ Which is fine, if it didn’t include violent threats towards the white children in spanish. (I’m being serious).
Anyway these are my opinions.
I’m an American, and proud to be one too. I can laugh when foreigners talk about how stupid some Americans can be (trust me, I do it myself) because I have actually lived in Ecuador, traveled the world, and have quite a different lifestyle then most of my average american friends. However, I think your assumptions are slightly off key.