Odd stereotypes you don't get

[Hal10k]

To everybody wondering, believe that the stereotype of black people liking watermelon dates back to when slavery was still employed by plantation owners. Rather than giving out water to keep slaves from dehydrating, plantation owners would often opt to feed them watermelons instead, because they were easier to distribute and offered a large quantity of water.

I have no idea where the whole Kool-Aid thing came from. I've always assumed that the Kool-Aid man was Caucasian. He looks sort of like a 1920's political cartoon.

 

[Jegsimmons]

I was wondering about the various stereotypes that we have in society, and one or two struck me as really odd that I had no idea where they came from. Now, this isn't a thread to complain about how wrong stereotypes are, just the ones that don't seem to make all that much sense or have little to no basis.

The stereotype that all black people like fried chicken just sounds completely ridiculous. I know that most stereotypes are at least partly based on fact, but there are loads of non-blacks around the world who like fried chicken, and there must be loads of actual blacks that don't like fried chicken or are vegetarians/vegans. If not, KFC (invented by a white guy) wouldn't be so successful.

That's why, whenever I see these Photoshopped pictures or videos of black people going mad over a Bargain Bucket, the joke completely passes me by.

i can honestly say...that this stereotype, isnt much of a stereotype....because its pretty much true.

i live in the south with a high concentration of black people, and if you ever drove past a pop-eyes, KFC, and (god help you) a churches chicken, you would completely understand.

Blacks loving watermelon and grape drink. Never made sense to me.

watermelon was back in slave days to keep them from dehydrating in the heat.
Grape drank (i said that correctly) and kool-aid actually makes sense if you ever been to a black neighborhood.


the only think i dont get, is actually the racial slur 'cracker'.
or honkey for that matter.

 

[DoPo]

Let's see what stereotypes don't make sense to me: women have lots of cats. Apparently it's something related to not being successful with dating or something.

I thought it only referred to old women.

It's more a reference to crazy ladies rather than a specific age range.

I know and understand the one about old and/or crazy ladies. What I'm getting at is this [http://failblog.org/2011/12/28/dating-fails-dating-fails-it-always-comes-back-to-cats/]

Spoiler: and this video

And there was a chart for something along the lines of how many cats should a woman get per unsuccessful relationship. There were a hell of a lot more but I can't look for them.

 

[krazykidd]

Blacks loving watermelon and grape drink. Never made sense to me.

I can vouche that black people love grape drink . They love everything grape flavoured . I am black and love everything that has grape written on it , and i only learned it was a stereotype like 3 years ago ( i am 23), needless to say i was astonished!

Now i also love cool-aid and fried chiken ... I guess that makes me a stereotipical black man ,...

OT : white people can't dance . Thats one i don't get . Can someone explain this to me? And can someone else explain why everyone assumes i am a great dancer?

 

[theSteamSupported]

I don't understand why women are supposed to be poor drivers. Sure, they have a MARGINALLY inferior depth perception, but I seriously doubt that would count. Does it have to do with some macho ideal?

 

[ElPatron]

What the hell is wrong with grape soda and watermelon? I love it and I am white.

Oh, got ninja'ed.


I understand the Fried Chicken stereotype. Basically a lot of black people like it. Now it's a stereotype.

About the sheep-shagging: that stereotype exists in almost every culture, I think. Shepherds are lonely with their sheep all day, it's obvious that the stereotype would pop up.

 

[DoPo]

OT : white people can't dance . Thats one i don't get . Can someone explain this to me? And can someone else explain why everyone assumes i am a great dancer?

There is such a stereotype? Really? Wow. I mean, if you said "white people can't jump" then yeah, but "dance"? I never though of dancing as a racial thing.

Then again, I'm white and I can't dance, so maybe it's not just me being ungraceful but just an inherited trait.

 

[MisterM2402]

That Scots are drunken, miserly auld bastards. Surely every culture/country has people like that, no? And I wouldn't say there's even a particularly high incidence of them here.

 

[Hero in a half shell]

A stereotypical Native American wearing blue jean jackets and pants never made much sense to me.

Clearly they are wearing the natural hides of the denim bison:

Almost hunted to extinction by Levi strauss, but there are still a few herds out there.

 

[DoPo]

About the sheep-shagging: that stereotype exists in almost every culture, I think. Shepherds are lonely with their sheep all day, it's obvious that the stereotype would pop up.

Well, to be fair, there's just a lot of sheep there. Hence, they shag sheep...apparently. Same goes for New Zealand, as far as I've heard.

Also, I just remembered something that really annoys me because I've no idea where it sprung from. Now, I'm an international student and study in the UK. If I tell that so somebody back home, a lot of times I get asked "So how fast did you learn English since starting University?" or "Do you know good English now?" and things along those lines. I doubt anybody can tell me that but why in Hastur's name do people assume that I didn't have or I didn't show any knowledge in English before setting foot to the UK? Do they think that I won the University lottery or something instead of applying and being approved like everybody else? Seriously, even my own grandmother asked me how many lectures in English I have. When I was in my second year, mind you. That's why I avoid telling people where I study. Unless they ask specifically, I'll just tell them "I'm in University".

CAPTCHA: "that's right"

 

[Elementary - Dear Watson]

Well, I think the one about Welsh people and sheep is explained easily enough. It's because of all the sheep we shag.

Exactly... it's why our farmers wear Wellington Boots... to put the hind legs of the sheep in, to stop them running away!

 

[Elementary - Dear Watson]

That all Austrian's are Nazi's and since I'm Austrian I am therefore a racist.

I understand that one.
I'm from Australia, and I can understand why someone would think that everyone here is racist.
Mostly because a large, ignorant, alcoholoc, vocal part of our population is racist.

Aah... you inherited all the best British traits then...!

 

[Malty Milk Whistle]

i never understood the whole "All Christians are bible bashing homophobic evil racists" thingie, all the actual Christians i have met are among the nicest people i have ever met.

 

[Auron225]

i never understood the whole "All Christians are bible bashing homophobic evil racists" thingie, all the actual Christians i have met are among the nicest people i have ever met.

Sadly its only the bible bashing homophobic evil racists, which call themselves Christians, that make the news =/

OT: For a long time I couldnt understand why Americans in particular thought it was an Irish custom to eat corned beef and cabbage on St Patricks day. Ive lived in Ireland my entire life and not once have I ever seen that happen or even heard of that happening anywhere. Until it was eventually explained to me. Apparently it started after the potato famine when the Irish immigrants in New York substituted corned beef for bacon which was originally the meal to have on St Paddys day. Having said that, it doesnt seem to be a custom to eat bacon either...

 

[Agow95]

I find the Welsh-sheep thing offensive, but some of the jokes about it can be pretty funny I'll admit.

 

[Slayer_2]

I don't understand why women are supposed to be poor drivers. Sure, they have a MARGINALLY inferior depth perception, but I seriously doubt that would count. Does it have to do with some macho ideal?

Because all young women are hooked to their phone, and would rather die than put it down for a minute. They are fine drivers for a quick jaunt, as long as it is a very short distance, or provides plenty of phone-checking time at frequent red lights.

 

[SwimmingRock]

I don't understand why women are supposed to be poor drivers. Sure, they have a MARGINALLY inferior depth perception, but I seriously doubt that would count. Does it have to do with some macho ideal?

In my experience, it's to do with lack of assertiveness, unwillingness to go fast and inability to maintain a steady speed. I'm actually not sure if that's what the stereotype refers to. It's just that my mother, grandmother, aunt and one female friend with a drivers license are completely hopeless drivers. I suspect that they're actually a minority and women on the whole don't really drive worse than men.

OT: Men can't cook. Everybody I know who can cook worth a damn is male. I'm considered a great cook by my friends. Every guy I know is at least a moderate cook. The only people I can swap recipes with or discuss kitchen techniques with are male. Every woman I meet "hates" cooking. For real, I've never once met a woman who has stated she enjoys cooking.

And, once again, my mother is completely hopeless in the matter; either burning or under-cooking everything she's ever made to the point we eventually banned her from the kitchen. Once my father took over cooking dinner, the food quality went way up in our house.

 

[Vern5]

I'm part Asian so I don't understand this whole stereotype of Asians always being good at math and having small penises. I'm terrible at math and endowed enough that it has actually been a problem at times.

Also, people always assume I have rice in the apartment. I don't. I used to but I don't enjoy rice enough to have it with every meal. I don't think any Asian really ENJOYS rice. It's just natural to have such a thing around because that is what we grew up with. Now that I have a choice in groceries, I don't bother with it. I do have noodles though. Lots and lots of noodles.

Some people assume that I know the exact dates for determining what Chinese Zodiac sign they are. First of all, I'm Filipino. Second, there's a reason why that sort of knowledge is written on Chinese restaurant place-mats: no one intelligent would bother making a mental note of what year of birth makes you a dragon or whatever sign.

 

[TheAceTheOne]

A stereotypical Native American wearing blue jean jackets and pants never made much sense to me.

Clearly they are wearing the natural hides of the denim bison:

Almost hunted to extinction by Levi strauss, but there are still a few herds out there.

I laughed incredibly hard at this for whatever reason. Thank you, sir!

The "Vegetarian = Animal Activist" thing gets me, as does the "All Christians are homophobic, intolerant freaks".

Off topic: I feel like I haven't commented on here in a very long, long while. :O

 

[Risingblade]

That all Austrian's are Nazi's and since I'm Austrian I am therefore a racist.
Also that vegetarians are always hardcore animal activists. That too.
And that I listen to hardcore music, that means that's all I listen to.

...Yeeeaaaah those are the three I have to deal with regularly haha ^_^.

Also, the post above me made me lol xD.

AND WELCOME TO THE ESCAPIST, SIR

Wait Austrians are suppose to be the Nazis? I've been making nazi jokes about the wrong people then!