Which misconseption annoys you more?

[SckizoBoy]

"ALL GERMANS ARE NAZIS HERP DERP"

Brings my piss to a boil. Stupid Call of Duty...

Two things... that generalization annoys me too, but how in the HELL did Call of Duty contribute to that?

I would've thought Wolfenstein started that off first. *shrug*

Anyway, ('twas thinking on the way back from work) I don't know how poorly this reflects on me, but it took me all of 21 yrs to figure out where in Germany Saxony is/was... and that Savoy is in Italy... *hrk*

 

[bdcjacko]

I hate the misconception that skateboarders are all 'punk kids' just out to rile up society, rather than partake in a social and creative hobby. I hate that people think that just because I have a skateboard I'm going to come over and beat them with it, or push over grandma or something. In reality, me and my friends are all intelligent and polite.

I won't be responsible for the action I take on the next person who sings 'Sk8rboi' or shouts 'Oi you! TONY 'AWK!'

Now while I realize skaters can be intelligent. But the problem is when you see the long greyish black wax marks across steps and privately owned buildings and flower boxes. That is why other people don't like skaters. If skaters stay in the parks build for skateboarding, built their own parks, ramps and spots, no one cares. It is the destruction of property that annoys the public.

Now I realize you nor your friends are hardly responsible for all the waxed up stairs. But realize you are part of a group that seems to want to be marginalized. I mean we have all seen "Keep Skate Boarding A Crime" shirts, and every skateboard video game has been about skate boarders being anti-society. Also Bam Margera doesn't help the case that skateboards can be cool people.

 

[Giest4life]

That canadians say about "aboot" I have been all over Canada and I have never heard a Canadian say "aboot"

This one bugs me too. I've never said "aboot" and I've never heard anyone else I know say it.

Anyway, one thing that bugs me a lot is people who think Ontario is in Saskatchewan. Yeah, I have some stupid friends.

I had a Canadian relation who crossed the border to attend her cousin's wedding, and she did say "aboot".

But, of course, it's ludicrous to think everyone in Canada must say it that way.

 

[Agayek]

It really is - do you seriously think that you get a better idea of the whole of France, say, by visiting Paris - let alone a completely different country - than you do of the US by visiting, say, Chicago? And that the US alone has more variation than the 50 countries in Europe? Honestly I'm offended that you could think that - amazing display of arrogance.

I guarantee that Paris is a better sample of the whole population and culture of France than Chicago is of the USA. Culturally, the US differs dramatically as you move around, on a scale European folk simply don't seem to get. Chicago is culturally different from New York on roughly the same scale as London is from Paris. And New York is just as different from New Orleans, which is just as different from Houston, which is just as different from San Francisco, etc etc. The simple fact of the matter is that because of the vast geographical area of the US combined with the "melting pot" concept, there is no real country-wide culture. It changes drastically as you travel around, within a mile in some cases.

And before you say anything, I've been to most of Europe. I'll freely admit my grasp on the intricate details of every country isn't as strong as a native, but I have traveled rather extensively, and nothing I've seen contradicts my statement.

 

[icaritos]

That all heavy or obese people are that way because they are lazy. Sometimes it really IS caused by medical reasons.

You know what annoys me, when people try to invalidate a trend by pointing out a exception. It makes any form of analyses utterly pointless and derails any attempt at discussion.

 

[Agayek]

That canadians say about "aboot" I have been all over Canada and I have never heard a Canadian say "aboot"

I've met some Canadians, and thus far only one of them has ever said "aboot", and that was only because she was incredibly flustered/irritated. Outside of that state, she never said it.

 

[cahtush]

when creationists say "its just a theory". A THEORY IS NOT A HYPOPHOSYS DAMMIT

 

[undeserving]

Scientific Theories are not Fact.

The word theory in the theory of evolution does not imply mainstream scientific doubt regarding its validity; the concepts of theory and hypothesis have specific meanings in a scientific context. While theory in colloquial usage may denote a hunch or conjecture, a scientific theory is a set of principles that explains observable phenomena in natural terms. Evolution is a theory in the same sense as germ theory, gravitation, or plate tectonics.

 

[Brian Hendershot]

Let's see here:

- Both of the ones you listed. (Some people even think Africa is a country....)
- The inability of some people to realize that not all Asians are Chinese.
- The idea that teachers are lazy. (See Wisconsin.)
- The Idea that all Asians know karate
-Poor People are lazy
- Last and by no means least, the idea that all Asians have small penises. I hate people that ask me about that directly at parties. Makes me wanna take it out and slap the fake tan out of them.

EDIT: Does the ignorance of Religious bigots count as a misconception too?

EDIT2: I hate people...now that I think about it.

 

[not_the_dm]

I find it more annoying when British people call the European mainland just 'Europe', as if they aren't part of it. Sure they may be an island but that really doesn't make them any less European.

Probably a mixture of British self infatuation coupled with the fact that most European countries hate us, we're kind of the America of Europe in that sense.

Yeah, I usually separate us, Iceland and Scandinavia from mainland Europe, and then I usually refer to Western Europe and Eastern Europe seperately. Call me wierd. Oh, and we have a different currency. Although you will note that we switched to a decimal currency to make things easier for everyone. How nice of us, thinking of you and your only counting to ten...[/jokey patronisation]

Aynho, something that irritates me... I'll just say one or we'll be here all week. The assumption that the French invented champagne (not the place, the sparkling wine...). What happened is that we imported flat green wine from Champagne, made it fizzy and then sold some of it back. You'll also notice that you're only allowed to call it champagne if it's made in the Champagne region, or, (wierdly) if it's made in the USA. (For political reasons? I don't actually know why.)

 

[fundayz]

The word theory in the theory of evolution does not imply mainstream scientific doubt regarding its validity; the concepts of theory and hypothesis have specific meanings in a scientific context. While theory in colloquial usage may denote a hunch or conjecture, a scientific theory is a set of principles that explains observable phenomena in natural terms. Evolution is a theory in the same sense as germ theory, gravitation, or plate tectonics.

That's what I was getting at...

Which misconception annoys more? That scientific theories are not fact.

 

[icaritos]

that all american conservatives are rush limbaugh imbecilles, some of us are actually fairly sane individuals,

Just wondering (please don't take this personally or as a means of offense), but how do you rationalize the consistent butchering of the middle to lower class? If I understood this it would go a LOOOONG way in allowing me to see them with more respect, it is kind of difficult at the moment.

 

[Kathinka]

It really is - do you seriously think that you get a better idea of the whole of France, say, by visiting Paris - let alone a completely different country - than you do of the US by visiting, say, Chicago? And that the US alone has more variation than the 50 countries in Europe? Honestly I'm offended that you could think that - amazing display of arrogance.

I guarantee that Paris is a better sample of the whole population and culture of France than Chicago is of the USA. Culturally, the US differs dramatically as you move around, on a scale European folk simply don't seem to get. Chicago is culturally different from New York on roughly the same scale as London is from Paris. And New York is just as different from New Orleans, which is just as different from Houston, which is just as different from San Francisco, etc etc. The simple fact of the matter is that because of the vast geographical area of the US combined with the "melting pot" concept, there is no real country-wide culture. It changes drastically as you travel around, within a mile in some cases.

And before you say anything, I've been to most of Europe. I'll freely admit my grasp on the intricate details of every country isn't as strong as native, but I have traveled rather extensively, and nothing I've seen contradicts my statement.

having lived in various cities over the u.s., i disagree. most were fairly similar from a cultural standpoint (the dept of the cultur being another point, how much cultur can really develope in merely a few hundred years), be it east coast, west coast, chicago or the south. of course there were differences, but already in a single european country you will find way more cultural diversity, and obviously even more so in completely different countries, say, the difference of for example london and istanbul, or berlin and rome..

 

[undeserving]

That's what I was getting at...

Which misconception annoys more? That scientific theories are not fact.

Good just checking <3

 

[rokkolpo]

Clearly the one where people think Europe is just one country is the greater scandal

I mean come on.

 

[Chancie]

Probably the one that people seem to think Europe is all one country. I've encountered that more than the US-state-law one.

 

[Cheesus333]

People think Europe is one country? I have lost all faith in humanity.

Welcome to the Escapist! You and twelve[footnote]Approximation. Actual value may - and probably will - be greater.[/footnote] other people today.

Stay out of the basement, unspeakable horrors, etc. etc.

OT: The Europe thing is worse for me, but that may be because I am in Europe. Great Britain, specifically.

 

[undeserving]

It really is - do you seriously think that you get a better idea of the whole of France, say, by visiting Paris - let alone a completely different country - than you do of the US by visiting, say, Chicago? And that the US alone has more variation than the 50 countries in Europe? Honestly I'm offended that you could think that - amazing display of arrogance.

The US has more diversity than the 50 countries in Europe? Surely that's got to be wrong??
Are you aware that London alone has more than 300 spoken languages?

 

[sinterklaas]

For me, I'd have to say the misconception that Ignorance/Education has anything to do with intellectual ability.

An uneducated/ignorant person isn't necessarily stupid, it would be a mistake to assume so.

An ignorant person is stupid, an uneducated person does not necessarily have to be stupid.

I hate people that don't think for themselves.

 

[Moonlight Butterfly]

I find it more annoying when British people call the European mainland just 'Europe', as if they aren't part of it. Sure they may be an island but that really doesn't make them any less European.

The UK got dragged into two massive conflicts by "mainland" Europe in recent history.
Since then we've had more going on with the US in terms of economy and politics, 53rd state and all that.
In the last 10years our military and logistic support of the US hasn't won us any friends in Europe either.

For the UK to become and completely feel like part of Europe, i guess we'd have to cut a few diplomatic/economic/military/political ties to the US so the rest of the continent could clearly see which side we were really on.

I always feel like we have more in common with the USA than Mainland Europe which is ironic considering the makeup of the USA and our colonial history. That's probably due to language, our culture mixes and transfers easily.

Mainland Europeans just seems so different to us. It might be to do with the Empire aswell which someone else brought up.

Maybe if the rest of the continent starts to understand sarcasm and fish and chips.

Also Eurovision Song Contest...do not want.