What Americans can believe...

[ZeZar]

Hey everybody! Nice to be back!

Let me tell you something pretty funny. At least its funny for me.

I have this friend who goes to school in USA this year, Kansans or something like that...

Anyway, he knows a lot of Americans now of course, going to school there and stuff like that, and you wouldnt believe what he makes them believe about Norway.

Ok, first of all they think he is a rockstar in Norway. Thats not amazing, i could believe that to.

But something that really makes me laugh, is that they believe that there are still Vikings in Norway, who goes from town to town with axes and stuff like that, raping and stealing, and they also believe that we have icebears walking around in the streets. In addition to that they think that we are like ... in the middle ages ... or something like that ..

How is that possible? Norway is one of the richest countries in the world, Vikings are gone like a thousand years ago and i have never seen a icebear. They only appear in "Svalbard", which is an Island north of Norway (we kind of own it )

I hope you guys found this funny too, i couldnt stop laughing when my friend told me =p

Anyway, how is wildfire community these days?

[TheCobra1]

Haha! That's amazing. I talked to somebody (Canadian) and she says that a lot of Americans that she has talked to believe that Canada is like buried under ice and snow. With igloos everywhere and people running around with dog sleds as the usual way of life. You can probably fool a lot of people about your home country. People are gullible.

[Mythos_Ruler]

I'm sure I could go to Europe and convince everyone that

1.) George Bush eats unborn babies for breakfast.

2.) There is a McDonalds at every corner

3.) Everyone shops at Wal-Mart for everything

4.) The Salem Witch Trials are still going on

5.) Everyone in my family drives an SUV

[Argalius]

2, 3 and 5 should be easy, not sure about 1 and 4, though.

[Belisarivs]

I'd definitely believe 1. But rest? I guess not.

[Dnas]

Wait 2 and 3 aren't true? (I'm American, by the way...)

But yeah, I wouldn't be the slightest bit surprised if this problem is much more rampant in the US than in many other countries... we aren't exactly well-educated about other cultures and stuff here... many people in my classes don't know where Italy is... probably haven't even heard of Norway...

[Ykkrosh]

I think most of my recent memories of world geography come from Defcon. That's probably quite worrying, but at least I can locate Seoul on a map now.

[TheCobra1]

I learned most of my geography playing Axis and Allies. The board game, by the way.

[Paal_101]

I learned my geography when I was a kid via Where in the World is Carmen Sandiago, on PBS. Anyone else ever watch that show?

[Titus Ultor]

I had the video game, and I always got angry that it had nothing to do with San Diego whatsoever. I kept expecting to see Mission Beach and Boardwalk or something, I guess.

Young Americans (and Texans, but I don't count them) have very odd images for everywhere else. I think the reason lies somewhere in between poor geography education, popular media, and the utter lack of need or desire to care about other countries.

But Michael has it right, in my opinion: Europeans believe a lot of untrue things about Americans, as well. Maybe they understand more of our politics and geography, but we are the most powerful country around.

[Aeros]

How is that possible?

The same way you guys think our streets are paved of gold

[ZeZar]

Hehehehe, i have to disagree with some things. At least here where i live, we know pretty much how things are. Of course, we learn much about the American Culture from movies, so its easy to believe that all you eat is cheeseburgers, party with beer, drive big cars, always getting A's in school, that all rich dudes went to Harvard and that there are only really hot woman in USA.

I understand people believing icebears, but Vikings? Come on ... i dont believe that the Romans still own Rome, and that there are wars between Indians and Americans ? We actually just started learning about American History not long ago, it's really quite interesting... did you know that over half of Norways population immigrated to USA?

Anyway, lets educate eachother =p Vikings in Norway ... i cant get over it, its just so funny =p

[Mythos_Ruler]

The "problem" with America, is that it's almost like its own world rolled into one really big country. We are relatively isolated here across the pond. For generations, there was really no need for Americans to learn about other cultures - other cultures came to us (and still do), then we turn around and export the melting pot back out to the rest of the world. When you're the exporter of culture (for better or worse), there's no need to learn about other cultures. Europe on the other hand, one could drive for 6 hours and cross into 4 different countries. There was/is a need for Europeans to learn about other cultures. Since the beginning of time they have been assailed on all sides by each other and other invading cultures. Americans havent had any of that. Two World Wars started in Europe - not America. It's like Europe is piled up on top of itself - different cultures and regions competing with each other. Again, as diverse as America is, we are a united country, with one melting pot popular culture that binds us. For generations there was no need for the average American to learn about other cultures as has been the necessity in Europe.

[Titus Ultor]

All great points.

I can drive six hours and still be in California. Actually, it's fourteen hours up to the next state north.

[DeadHead]

I drove back with my Dad from Ontario to British Columbia (where I live) and I took us over three days, all in Canada!

The stereotypical American culture does not really care about other cultures that much and just expects everyone else to live like they (I guess it really is also Canada) we do.

[Mythos_Ruler]

It's not just the driving distance. Read my whole post.

[DeadHead]

I know its just not the distance. Canada for example is big, and because of that, it has lots of different cultures inside of it. The east has a far different culture then the west. Almost no matter what, distance will create a different culture, even within one country.

[Apomonomenos]

I could convince people in Europe that

• The roads are made of Gold
  
• Most land Americans acquire is from unfair ways & land fraud
  
• Most Americans would die of separation anxiety if McDonald's went out of business
  
• The president is elected by rich Nationalists
  
• Beer is celebrated like Vodka is in Russia (Kinda True)
  
• There is no such thing as Football (A.K.A. Soccer) in America
  
• people who aren't born in the country don't have as many rights as American Born
  

and the list goes on

But most kids @ my school believe

• In Canada, French is the official language
  
• All French hate America
  
• If I move to Canada, I will 1) Go crazy because of all the different laws they have in Canada and become a serial killer, or 2) I will be drafted into the Canadian Army and kill all my loved ones in America
  
• My space is filled with predators
  
• A series of unfortunate events is based on a true story
  
• Being nice to others is gay
  
• hitting (as in punching) Girls is gay
  
• if you don't like someone, they're gay
  
• The word "retarded" is spelled "retarted" and is a Present, not Past, form of speach.
  
• If you don't fit in with a group, you're gay.
  
• Gays are bad.
  
• swearing is not Bad
  
• Caring about something is Gay.
  
• Thinking about something a different way then others is gay.
  
• Gays won't have as much rights as Normal People (A.K.A. Straits) do.
  
• You're whether Gay or a Pervert.
  
• Most people prefer Pervert.
  
• Everybody in India and Mexico lives in a shack.
  
• Everybody in Iraq loves explosives (There IS an Iraqi kid in my school, and he LOVES weapons, explosives etc.)
  
• Asian people are weird.
  
• Life guards at a pool are only there to get kids into trouble (My experience: I had a reflex to dive into a pool while playing a game, and had to count all the bricks on a wall which was 3,000).
  
• If you say something twice, you're bragging.
  
• If you ask someone to repeat themselves, they get P.O.
  
• Pornography isn't bad, but you're not suppose to talk about it.
  
• Free things are crap.
  
• Things made in China are crap.
  
• Most Mexican-Americans are/had been illegal Immigrants at one point of their life.
  
• Mexicans will soon make more then 50% of the American Workforce.
  
• Armpit hair means you're a man.
  

Most of these things (if not all) are generalizations.

I can tell because for more then 3 years I lived outside of the United states, and I know a lot of people outside of school who are from outside cultures.

Edited July 15, 2008 by Alexthegod5

[Justinian]

I know its just not the distance. Canada for example is big, and because of that, it has lots of different cultures inside of it. The east has a far different culture then the west. Almost no matter what, distance will create a different culture, even within one country.

Thats even true in Australia. I don't know if this happens everywhere else, but in the east (where I live) we hate those darn westerners. All 5 of them. We also hate Tasmanians and New Zealanders. Not forgetting English.

[Hiram]

I guess that every part of the world have misconceptions about other countries, but it is true what Michael say that most of the americans are very easily fool because they dont have the need of learn about other cultures.

@Alexthegod5

• I dont believe that nobody in the world could believe that there are golden made roads
  
• I know that there are soccer games on the USA but you guys dont live them like in Europe or Latinamerica
  

But most kids @ my school believe

Everybody in India and Mexico lives in a shack.

Thats true and I love it, I work for a computer company in USA, and they really think that people in México lives in huts, rides in donkeys, and use big hats, and it makes me laugh to death

[Mythos_Ruler]

You mean Mexico doesn't have a mariachi band in every restaurant and on every street corner? You just ruined my day!

[Hiram]

Unfortunatly not, but let me tell you what you CAN find, at least on my city:

• There´s a 7/11 every two corners, sometimes closer.
  
• You can find tacos every 3 streets
  
• At least 35% of the population have a futboll shirt
  
• There´s a supermarket at least every kilometer.
  
• On our independence day (11/16) the sky gets cloudy because of the smoke produce by the fireworks and the grills
  
• No one wears hat
  
• Our streets are paved
  
• I have never see donkey on the city
  
• Oh, and there also arent any cactus nearby
  

[saxguy]

there are a tiny amount of horses though, and every corner cr@ppy reggueton music, at least where i live

Edited February 13, 2009 by saxguy

[Historicity]

My space is filled with predators

Lololol - thats the one reason I use for not joining myspace when people ask me why I don't have an account. xD

[Apomonomenos]

[*] I know that there are soccer games on the USA but you guys dont live them like in Europe or Latinamerica

Back in Poland, people would spray paint LKS (Łódzki Klub Sportowy) on every building. No, I'm serious. Every building at least twice. When I go back to America, people don't even know about soccer in Europe.