Do other countries really think ALL americans are stupid?

[bladecuttersedge]

Well my girlfriend is American and goes to Cambridge...so its a fair bet she's smarter than I am.

A lot of the American tourists you notice around the place tend to be loud, generally ignorant of other cultures, and need things to be really obvious and explicit or they don't understand it. The reason is that all of the quiet, smart, subtle Americans are inherently less noticeable.

Also this a thousand times over. That being said, the loud obnoxious American tourists we see in the UK aren't half as bad as some of the locals in Bristol. (Even excluding last nights 'lets set fire to cars and break shit' episode, though I suspect it was more or less the same group of people)

 

[6037084]

all americans are fat and stupid, and all russians are alcoholics, and everyone in england has horrible teeth, and everyone from south korea is an awesome starcraft player, because stereotypes are 100% accurate

 

[Rawne1980]

A lot of British comedians generally do put Americans across as stupid (Russel Howard i'm looking at you) even if it is funny.

The fact America proclaimed themselves the most dominant country kind of left them open to be mocked by everyone else.

I don't personally hate Americans and I don't think all of them have the IQ of plankton, I do have the odd mocking debate with them just because some of them are fun to banter with and don't take themselves too seriously.

But, as a Brit, I believe we have no room to pass judgement when we allow Boris Johnson to roam around unsupervised.

Ladies and Gentlemen I give you (drum roll) .... the mayor of London...

Thank christ i'm a Scouser.

 

[Colour Scientist]

I don't think that all Americans are stupid I just find it really difficult to take American accents seriously. I can't explain it, it probably comes from watching television but whenever I hear something said in an American accent I automatically assume it'll be stereotypical or not very clever.

Of course there are Americans who are way more intelligent than I am and I'm sure, as a country, you can't be as bad as the stereotypes suggest but for me, it's just the accents.

Ladies and Gentlemen I give you (drum roll) .... the mayor of London...

Thank christ i'm a Scouser.

He's so cutesy on his little bike though. I don't understand how anyone put him in a position of power but I sometimes have an urge to give him a hug.

 

[scott91575]

A lot of British comedians generally do put Americans across as stupid (Russel Howard i'm looking at you) even if it is funny.

The fact America proclaimed themselves the most dominant country kind of left them open to be mocked by everyone else.

I don't personally hate Americans and I don't think all of them have the IQ of plankton, I do have the odd mocking debate with them just because some of them are fun to banter with and don't take themselves too seriously.

But, as a Brit, I believe we have no room to pass judgement when we allow Boris Johnson to roam around unsupervised.

Ladies and Gentlemen I give you (drum roll) .... the mayor of London...

Thank christ i'm a Scouser.

That is your fault for creating the position.

 

[Folksoul]

The people? no.
The politics? Oh sweet merciful god yes!

 

[Rodrigo Girao]

Three stupid things about Americans:

They insist on using Fred Flintstone units. (go metric already!)

They insist on routine infant male genital mutilation. (circumcision must be banned!)

They insist on not watching subtitled foreign movies. (dubs suck!)

 

[Pinkamena]

no, but you sure try hard to make people think so.

 

[smegmar]

I knew this stereotype and when I went to America a few years ago I was thinking that I'm about to see real Americans, that will be intelligent, fit, and mature.

EXCEPT NO.

Almost every American I saw did fit into the stereotype. Fat, stupid, lazy, slightly racist and very immature. There were people in high positions of companies that made fart jokes. Fat African American cleaners that said "oh lordy" in most sentences and liked to eat fried chicken.
Workers in most shops shuffled around with slack jaws and a vacant looks. Everyone was buying fast food for their meals. The idea of someone walking a distance longer then carpark to shop was unthinkable for most. No one had any clue of European politics of geography.

AND EVERYONE WAS FAT


I'm sorry I really went to America thinking I would dis-spell the stereotype, but some stereotypes are there for a reason and a very accurate. Well I've been told that's just Florida but I don't want to go back to America to double check.

I'm sorry if this feels insulting or abusive but this is really what I saw. I know there are good decent Americans living there, just in the small minority. You really have to sort out your culture.

 

[Asti]

They insist on using Fred Flintstone units. (go metric already!)

This. Definitely. My American classmates always marveled at my aptitude in physics class when all it came down to was that I knew how to calculate with metrics.

 

[Voodoomancer]

Plenty of americans are smart and fun people.

It's just that the stupid ones are much louder, so we notice those better.

 

[BlessedPaper]

Does all people from other countries really think Australians ride in kangeroo pouches?

Hopefully not...

 

[Daniel Ferguson]

I used to think so when I was young and impressionable (and didn't know any). Then I met some and they were redeemed. Then I read Hazzards of Duke.

 

[Avalanche91]

Let me step back and reflect for a moment here.

While it's true that not all Americans are stupid, Americans really let loose and seem to celebrate their own stupidity. A lot Americans remain ignorant of other cultures, or even other people in general, in name of freedom and patriotism. Which makes me, as a person from another country, facepalm in a way that would put Picard to shame.

While I acknowledge that there are a lot of intellectuals in America, (probably in the same degree there are intellectuals everywhere if not more so), the American 'stupid' is particulary loud and obnoxious.

The fact that Bush was reïnstated for 2 therms, the fact that Sarah Palin has a career, the whole second amendment, the fact that YOU. allowed. the existence of Jersey Shore, thus creating its european knock-offs, all reïnforce the stupid stereotype. I could continue the list, but I hope you get the gist of it.

And when I finally did get hope, when Obama announced his whole healthcare plan, the rest of the western world rejoiced. "Finally" we thought. "Finally, Americans understand that public healthcare is the best for their whole society." And then you people boo'd his plans out.

Sorry, but for these reasons, on a bad day I'd say all Americans are stupid.

 

[lettucethesallad]

I'm an American and while my country has done some things that I do not agree with I really don't understand why people judge everyone in America to be dumbasses? i hear things like "for those of you who are too american to understand" or "what is it with Americans and.." and it just goes on and on and on and i just dont understand. I'm not that person people seem to think i am just because of my american accent. What's with all the hostility?

This could be a reason why:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUE6Sl79rw8

Oh man, you made my day.

OT: Not all Americans are stupid. Then again, it's the people making stupid decisions and saying stupid things that are mostly visible.

 

[LitleWaffle]

I too, am American. While I agree that not everyone in America is stupid, all of the stupid things people do here are presented rather boldly to other countries.

America has a bad image because of the dumb people here blatantly presenting themselves everywhere. Though I have seen a lot of stupid people here as well.

Take pride in the fact you are not a stereotypical stupid American.

 

[Voration]

Everywhere Has this issue, and frankly, its bigotry. I'm not Americas biggest fan, but that's for political not personal reasons, and once you get into the "all Americans are stupid" and "all English people are in love with Margaret Thatcher" (you Americans would be AMAZED how hated she is over here, its brilliant )its just plain wrong. Its getting out of hand, as well, you get it in-between different areas of the same country; I'm from the north of England, and everybody from the south assumes I'm a racist pudgy flat cap wearing son of a steelworker.
Its Annoying, and needs to stop.

Brilliant, its generally south Britain thats more racist, the northerners are just poorer and have cooler accents.

As for the America hating thing, its all just generalisations and stereotypes, any individuals I meet are treated the same by me wherever they're from. (Until they match themselves to their stereotype, then I stop caring)

 

[M01070X]

no. not since I was a kid. I just realised that its just the real stupid pieces of work get more coverage so thats what we see

 

[Techno Squidgy]

I don't think all Americans are dumbasses. You're extremely vocal groups are most certainly. However stereotypes are fun for a laugh. Now if you'll excuse me I'll have to finish my tea and leave. The fox hunt is on and I wouldn't want to miss that.

 

[Demonicdan]

No, it's jusst the stupid ones are a very vocal minority.