What do you think of stereotypes popular with American media and american people?
552257
The American Media is Satan Incarnate. They will eat babies alive if it makes them money. They don't care who they offened, who they make look bad, or the results of what they show. And if you say anything your a violating their "freedom of speech". The American media is more a terrorist than every terrorist orginization in the world put together. I'm black, and according the media, I sell and smoke crack, don't care for my kids, am on welfare, blame white people for me not having a job, and is ignorant as all hell.
728114
I have learned that it is not the American people that the rest of the world doens't like, it's the politics and policies of the government.  Sometimes it comes across as anti-american.  I do wish that the ones who are saying these things would get to know some Americans as you have.  There are good and bad from everywhere.
1042104
Hey there. I'm a Malaysian (a country in South East Asia) and I may have a different perspective among other answerers (I do live outside of America, don't I?) Anyway, most people would view Americans as rich, well-educated, and sadly, trigger happy. Yes. Nobody here ever thought of Americans having troubles with drugs, illegal immigrants, and so forth, because the only news that we get about America in our news papers are about Bush's policies against the world, about Hollywood actors, and American sport. As a proof, give me a minute as I fetch today's paper.\n...\nOkay, from the Borneo Post on American related news:\nHome: None (for obvious reasons, haha)\nClassified: None\nSports: "Storms douse action at US Athletics championships"\nWorld: "US warships successfully shoots down warhead in test"\n"Poll finds great divide between West, Muslims"\n"FBI arrests seven in Miami"-suspect netted in raid over alleged plot to attact Chicago Sears Tower skyscraper\n"US Senate rejects Democratic deadlines for quitting Iraq"\nTV Guide: None\nPeople&Places: A lot especially on Keith Urban's and Nicole Kidman's wedding\nBusiness: None\n\nNo news on drugs. No news on illegal immigrants. We don't know anything about the real life of Americans unless we surf the internet and actually search for American news. America equals to Hollywood. If I were to tell my neighbour that I am going to New York, she would say "Are you going to Hollywood? Americans must be very handsome and pretty and rich. How can you afford to stay there? Don't they hate Asians and Muslims? You'd better not go if you want your mother to have a grandchild." Some also view that Americans are living in their own world. When the whole world is crazy about football (soccer), Americans would watch NFL. When the world is against George W Bush because of what he did to the world (such as invading Iraq without UN's permission and refusing to pay back US' debts), Americans kept supporting him. CNN controls the mind of Americans. Nevertheless, the American Dream is always on most pauper's mind, hence creating the illegal immigrant problem. I'm not suprised because before I saw your question, I came upon a question where someone asked "Which country is the richest?" and most answerers replied "USA". Americans are also vein for thinking that other countries are poorer eventhough most countries here have a lower unemployment rate and a higher buying power. Well, that's only from my humble opinion. I'm sorry if I made anyone angry but it is reality, and that is what we really think about Americans. I hope I helped out in a way or another.
1087318
I agree with you. Americans think that we can boss around every one we please. We have a severe case of nationalism, and arrogance.
1117018
Well, I have to say, you're being very stereotypical. It's obvious that you don't like Americans, but don't you think that you're generalizing, just a bit? Most Americans have moved on from being prejudiced. Now, I'm not saying that the whole of America isn't prejudiced, because there are a large number of prejudiced people. But isn't it the same in other countries as well? And how exactly do Americans show off? I don't understand. And perhaps we do sometimes get in business that maybe we shouldn't, such as Iraq, but that shouldn't be a reflection on our country, it's a reflection on the choices of the president. And like the person above me said, there are some tourists who think they're God's gift to mankind, but not everyone is like that. A few people shouldn't be cause to hate a whole country. No person, no country, is perfect.
447407
The main reason Americans are such prime targets of stereotyping is becuase they are part of the most predominent country. No, I'm not saying they're the greatest. The truth is that America itself is a very hypocritical nation in that it was first organized against imperialism ,but now has bases on almost every country. You ask why America is stereotyped? Well, would you like one of the newest nations just strutting around as if they could do no wrong ,in your own backyard no less? Anyway aside from America's bad points you are absolutely correct. However, America does feed most of it's own bad press in statistics and the news. The question you should be asking is why all news reporters just happen to find the least literate, fattest, and most interesting characters to interview. Its simple, it sells. America, whether people want to admit it or not is a bussines and what is a bussiness if they're product doesn't sell? Its not a bussines at all. So in reality all the stereotypes and slander that plague your tv set is old fashioned American ingenuity at work. By the way, America is a diverse country. I guess you could say America is a little bit of every country so when people in other countries stereotype America they're just laughing at what they would be if they had freedom. I don't hate America ,but i do hate some of its characteristics. No country is perfect and at the moment America is as close to perfect as we can hope for.
596172
Because whether people want to admit it or not, the American media plays an ENORMOUS role in how we perceive ourselves, and the world.  Watching millions of repetitive images daily via advertising (print and television); television shows; movies; magazines, and news (print and television)...all of these mediums combine to shape our images of who we are and our place in this world.  We get a sense of "normalcy" by our lives matching what we like on TV. That's why most Americans strive to be the nuclear family: two parents, two kids and a dog, and a nice house with a white picket fence.  \n\nSame is true with foreigners.  Our media tells us that the U.S. is one of the few developed countries in the world.  When we see images of Africa, we see naked people running around with flies on their eyes, starving and living in huts.  I have known many Africans from many different countries in Africa (North, South, East and West), and NOT ONE of them lived in those type of conditions, and I asked every, single one of them how they lived.  They laughed when I told them my images of their native lands.\n\nArabs are abstract to Americans, too.  Thanks to 9/11, now Arabs are almost synonamous with terrorism (and camels and sand).\n\nForeigners see lots of America thanks to the export of our movies, so our lifestyles aren't that foreign to others.  However, the media even twists what our reality is.  Many foreigners think we are all rich, which is bullcrap.  \n\nI think if the media were more honest, people would have a better, more accurate understanding of the world, but they aren't, so we don't.
772918
What do you mean "our media?" It's not only here in the US. This is the same advertising used throughout the WORLD! Do you think that only Americans are allowed to be vain? Yeah, right! \n\nI know it perpetuates stereotypes and enforces a shallow, superficial image, but when you get down to the bottom of it, they're making money. That's all they give a crap about. And the world does not operate without money. Sad, but true...
655234
i agree. American culture has such in influence on all other countries that they think they know us better than we no ourselves. Idiots oh and God bless America
1011064
I don't deal in stereotypes, because they are usually thought up by some person too stupid to actually do any thinking. Judging from some of the answers so far, I can see that I am right. Instead of stereotypes, lets deal with some generalities, instead:\n\nThe way that members of the Democratic Party look at life is that they feel that the first duty of a government is to protect its citizenry, and that society thrives when everyone who wants to contributes to society. this is often engendered by social programs designed to 'level the playing field' for all participants. Many democrats tend to feel hat big business tends to take advantage of the individual's rights, and have been instrumental in the creation of child welfare laws, and anti-pollution legislation. Many Democrats feel that the past was terribly imperfect and unjust, and are sometimes too quick to embrace ideas that have not proven to be effective. they are typically not traditional, and see themselves as progressive.they are not a close-knit group whatsoever, their membership being composed of usually everyone who does not consider themselves a Republican. they represent often different viewpoints and opt for conflicting solutions to issues. This has certainly affected their ability to coordinate election efforts in the face of an organized but minority Republican party. Many Democrats are not very good wartime leaders, usually because of their lack of connectivity to the military and big business; that being said, Roosevelt was a Democrat, and one of the finest Presidents in US history.\n\nThe most common way that Republicans look at life is that they feel that government is too intrusive in their lives, and in the pursuit of their happiness, frequently described as the doctrine of 'laissez faire'. They feel that they represent traditional values, and have a strong vision of what they feel America should be like. they tend to be a very close-knit group, seeing the world in 'us or them,' and 'my way or the highway' terms. this has worked both for and against them in the past. It simultaneously prevented the Union from sundering during the Civil War while working to eliminate black people and minorities from ever being part of the political process. Most Republicans are very good administrators in a wartime setting, since they tend to have close relationships with big business and strategic planning groups, such as the Trilateral Commission.
1136178
you start with education,everything else follows.but before that can happen all the media sponsored negative role modelsneed to disapear.in their subtle way mass media tells african american children,their path to success is entertainment,or atheletics,both of which are 1 in a million shots.the other stereotype put forward is gangsterism.african american children need to know about people like comer cottrell,he started with nothing and built a cosmetics empire.all the black doctors and lawyers,politician's and clergymen.
1116069
I think that aspects of the political and media elite have worked hard at dumbing down the media outlets to where most people don't even realize that there is a problem. Most are more concerned with who won American Idol or Survivor than what has been done to the Constituition. I also think that Americans are daily exhorted to act in our own interests rather than the interests of the whole of society and sometimes we succumb to the temptation. Buy the latest  greatest, must have thing, lose weight, but don't stop to think about the people that made a lot of the things we are able to buy that are on subsitence or less wages, and never question how is it that obesity is a problem here and there are people starving in every ghetto, and in other places around the world.. Sorry for the long answer..
1050616
Like other nationalities, some are good some are bad! Depends. I like Americans because they are friendly, open, direct, go getter but they can be too full of themselves, too patriotic and often feel they are the best.
495454
Yes, very good people, the US media does a pretty good job depicting people from other countries as a bunch of illeterate corrupted terrorist savages, when in fact most people all over the world have good education and show more respect and knowledge of other cultures than americans.
1116990
I can list some stereotypes of French people:\n\nThey smell\nThey don't shave their underarms\nThey're rude/snobby\nThey hate americans\n\nThe truth is, when I went to France two years ago, most of the French people there were very nice and curteous. If you smile at them, they smile back. One man even came running out of a restaurant to bring me my jacket that I had left in there. All of the americans I came across were rude. Go figure?\n\nOh, and a lot of them don't shave their underarms. And yes, they do smell a little bit.
826272
I am european, but I am a frequent visitor to america.\n\nI think that americans are generally unaware of how much they are manipulated by their politicians in terms of what they think is normal.\n\nAmerican culture is in itself militarised.  In Europe we laugh about how every worker in america has to have a uniform...and badges...and a batman type utility belt....\n\nWe also are amused at how every emergency is met by throwing as many uniformed people at it as possible.  This was beautifully parodied in 'The Blues Brothers' with all the SWATS going 'huck...huck...huck..while abseiling.\n\nAmerica is still a young culture, and the rest of the world still see it as a country full of people who are impressed by childish things, so the militarisation of your police departments is not slow...it is painfully and amusingly obvious to everyone but americans.
831892
I lived in Germany for four years and I absolutely loved it!  I want to go back.  Here are some stereotypes, good and bad.\n\nBAD - Many of them have type A personalities.  They ask very personal questions to almost total strangers or political questions like "what do you think about Bush".  They don't take nudity seriously - they get naked in front of anybody without any hesitation.  Because they have such type A personalities, they can be really rude, especially on the road.  They don't speak to people who they don't know.  So if you're walking down the street and you say "Guten Morgen", they'll just look at you crazy and keep walking.  The women don't mind having REALLY hairy armpits.  Some people believe that the not-so-well-off German women (the have nots) want to marry an American man so that she can get a green card.  \n\nGOOD - Food, beer.  Need I say more?  Once they know you, they are REALLY friendly.  They have almost photographic memories.  So don't try to lie to a German.  Americans tell white lies to try not to hurt someone's feelings, but Germans will call you on it.  The health care is EXCELLENT.  I had both of my babies in German hospitals and we were treated with great care.  Their villages are really clean.  They are family oriented.  The Polizei are friendly and ARE really there to protect and serve, unlike American police who are widely known to view everyone as a suspect.  I have NEVER been afraid of the Polizei.  They are healthy people.  You can see an elderly person on a bike or taking a walk in almost any village.  They are smart, especially as far as engineering.  I have never felt racial prejudice from German people, there are a small few who might not be too crazy about Americans, but they don't seem to be racist, which might be a surprise to many Americans.  Many people believe that only Germans live in Germany, but you can find people from many different races and countries in Germany.  People think that there are no Jews in Germany, since the war.  But you can find many Jews living in Germany, very happily.  Orthodox Jews, too.  They protect the environment.  EVERYONE recycles, which is not the norm in America.  They love animals.\n\nI can go on and on, but that's just some of the stereotypes that I know of.  And oh yeah, I'm an american from the south, so I was used to the southern hospitality thing.  So it was a big shock to me that when I would go to the market and say "Guten tag" to people and they wouldn't speak back.  When I learned that this was their norm, it was OK.  And then after seeing a few of the same people again, they began saying hello to me.  OH YEAH!  I absolutely LOVED the castles!  OMG!  They have such a long and beautiful history despite all of the Nazi stuff.  Many people think that most Germans have blonde hair and blue eyes, which is not true.  There are as many blondes in Germany as in any other country.