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Heaven is where the cooks are French, the police are British, the mechanics are German, the lovers are Italian and everything is organized by the Swiss.

Hell is where the cooks are British, the police are German, the mechanics are French, the lovers are Swiss, and everything is organized by the Italians.

This is an old popular joke that never fails to make those who hear it cringe or laugh. National stereotypes have been the subject of many jokes for centuries. Even today when the international community promotes diversity and encourages tolerance, certain people are still tagged according to their nationalities.

Heck, I’m sure you already have heard or thought one or more of these stereotypes-turned-jokes:

  • The Romanians are vampires.
  • The Swiss love clocks.
  • Japanese men have small dicks.
  • (Thus) Japanese women love Caucasian men.
  • The French have poor hygiene.
  • The Chinese know kung fu. And so on…

To some, national stereotypes may provoke racism. To others, national stereotypes are harmless jokes based on the identity that a certain nation or people has established or projected towards other countries through the years.

But is there a sliver of truth in these national stereotypes? Or are they just inaccurate preconceived notions, which can be pretty offensive to many people? Whatever your views are, here are ten of the most common national stereotypes and why they are somehow false. Note that these are stereotypes based on nationalities and not race.

10. Italians are good lovers but bad workers.

Italians are good lovers but bad workers.
Italians are good lovers but bad workers.

The Italians are known for three P’s: pizza, pasta and passionate sex. Who wouldn’t want that kind of reputation as a people? However, it doesn’t end there. Italy is also seen by others as the land of the inefficient and the disorganized. Hmmm.

This preconceived notion is truly unfair to the Italians. If they were such bad workers who could only spend the entire day at a restaurant, make love, or exact revenge Mafia-style, how could they keep their gigantic textile, chemical and engineering industries going?

Aside from that, the Italians run and organize everything in Italy, which, by anyone’s standards, is one of the most glorious nations in the world. Italy takes pride in its great cuisine, fantastic culture and fine architecture. If they were such an inefficient people, how come Italy’s history is littered with splendid achievements?

9. Canadians are boring.

Canadians are boring.
Canadians are boring.

Those who say that Canadians are boring are probably the same people who think that the Canadian capital is Toronto, that the Canadian culture is based around Celine Dion, and that Canadians live in igloos.

The truth is, the climate is not the only thing that is cooler in this country. Canada offers a wide range of exciting activities such as snowboarding, kayaking and many other sports for the adventurous. You’ll also not run out of reasons to laugh in this more-than-maple country. After all, many comedians in Hollywood are Canadians — Mike Myers, John Candy, Matthew Perry, Eugene Levy and Jim Carrey among others. Their names hardly sound boring, don’t they?

8. Filipinos are uneducated island people.

Filipinos are uneducated island people.
Filipinos are uneducated island people.

In early 2007, someone asked this question on Yahoo! Answers:

Where is the best Architecture school in the Philippines?

Hmmm. Interesting. But you know what’s more interesting — the one and only answer. Okay, Breathe in… breathe out…

Janjararaaaaan, the answer:

“I don’t think they have any schools in philippines, its a 3rd world country they live in poverty with no running water. its sort of like africa but like a jungle.”

Hey, hey, hey. Whaaaaat?!?!? Good thing the page is now closed.

 

Many people also hold a misconception that Filipinos are uneducated. Again, what they don’t realize is that the people who answer their calls and tell what to do because they can’t figure out how remote control works are actually Filipinos. The Philippines is the world’s texting capital and Asia’s blogging capital.

And trust me, there are lawyers, doctors, writers, businessmen and engineers here in the Philippines. And oh, architects, too.

7. Indians are poor, narrow-minded, conservative people.

Indians are poor, narrow-minded, conservative people.
Indians are poor, narrow-minded, conservative people.

India has a long history of slavery; thus, this type of stereotype doesn’t really come as a surprise. Even so, it is still inaccurate. Although a significant fraction of the Indian population is still below poverty line, India has improved drastically in recent years. In fact, it is one of the fastest growing economies in the world, viewed as a potential superpower.

Moreover, it is also one of the countries with leading software industries as well as a prolific film industry. It is also the largest democracy in the world. Not to mention that with a variety of religions — Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism and Christianity among others — all of which survive in tolerance. Is that what anyone could call narrow-minded?

6. The British are violently mad soccer freaks.

The British are violently mad soccer freaks.
The British are violently mad soccer freaks.

They say that British men love football more than they love their wives. Although their affection towards their partners may be very hard to prove, their supposedly extreme zeal for soccer doesn’t need to be measured. The Brits love soccer. It is damn obvious. What should be debunked is the idea that they would always get into trouble for this almost romantic love for the ball.

If the Brits are violently crazy over their favorite soccer team, how come, according to The Economist,  it is Sweden where there are more soccer-related assaults each year? If there’s one reputation that the Brits should earn, it’s that they are a business-crazy people. After all, the London Stock Market is bigger than any other European market and is one of the world’s largest.

5. Spaniards are lazy.

Spaniards are lazy.
Spaniards are lazy.

Siesta is a well-known part of the Spanish culture. But is it enough to conclude that the entire Spanish people’s deadly sin is sloth? If indolence could be measured, wouldn’t it be by looking at the output or product?

In other words, a people’s assiduity and laziness should reflect on the country’s economic performance. But if that’s the case, then it is Germany, and not Spain, that could be dubbed as the lazy man of Europe. Germany has been showing disgraceful economic performance in the past few years. Germany’s GDP growth is only a little over 1%. Spain, on the other hand, is growing at a rate twice higher, with an average annual growth rate of 2.8%. (Figures not updated, sorry.)

4. The Irish are drunkards.

The Irish are drunkards.
The Irish are drunkards.

In many movies, we have seen the Irish being portrayed as those ill-tempered drunkards who love to have some cheerful bantering in their spare time, which is every time. In fact, many of us think of Ireland when we hear the word “pub.”

However, if they were so addicted to alcohol like pop culture shows, how come Ireland is the best performing economy in Europe with a fast-paced 7.7% growth rate? Not to mention that its highly educated population attracts massive numbers of pharmaceutical, hi-tech and financial services companies, despite fierce competition for jobs within the EU.

And how come Ireland ranks only third in a 2004 survey by World Drink Trends, behind Luxembourg and Hungary? Okay, I know it’s still high, but…

3. Americans are very liberal.

Americans are very liberal.
Americans are very liberal.

Outsiders usually have a very defined vision about the Americans — liberal. In general, many see the United States as the land of the open-minded. But is America really home to the world’s most socially liberal society in the world? The answer is a big “no.”

Americans are a little too conservative. Virtually every country in Europe has a much more open and liberal view of things such as sex and other social relations. For example, in many parts of Europe, nudity is not taboo. You may find naked people at some random European beach or hotel pool. If someone takes off all his clothes in the US, he’ll be making a big scene.

Surprisingly, gay marriage is illegal in America and allowed in some provinces of Canada, a nation that some  see as boring.

2. The Chinese eat anything that moves.

The Chinese eat anything that moves.
The Chinese eat anything that moves.

They say that the Chinese can eat anything with four legs, except tables; anything on water, except boats; and anything that flies, except airplanes. Although Bruce Lee’s lot actually have a diverse range of foods to choose from, saying that the Chinese eats anything is a downright hasty generalization.

What many fail to realize is that every culture has its own food taboos. Some Asians find eating rabbits gross but it’s normal to Westerners. Moreover, for a culture as diverse as the Chinese, it can be very hard to group over 1 billion people and say that they ALL eat a certain “exotic” food. While some Chinese eat dogs, some don’t. Some like eating meat; some are Buddhist vegetarians. Some find cheese distasteful, but you’ll find cheese shops in some streets of Beijing and Shanghai. Besides, if people really don’t trust the taste of the Chinese people, how come Chinese food is so popular all around the world?

1. The French are arrogant.

The French are arrogant.
The French are arrogant.

“Never trust the French,” they say. When it comes to national stereotypes, the French suffer the most. Only the French think that they are not arrogant. Outside France, ask any random guy who the chestiest people are and they are likely to include the French with a passion.

However, do they really think highly of themselves to the point that they get the ire of foreign nationals? One argument that is often mentioned is that an average Frenchman do not smile at strangers. The truth is, it doesn’t mean that they are rude. It’s just not part of their culture. Unlike others who wear a smile all day, the French do not show emotions that they do not feel. No one is required to smile in France and it has nothing to do with being polite or rude.

Moreover, if the French are so drowned in their mightiness, how come they are humble enough to donate to countries in need more than any other European nation? According to “The Economist,” France is the third largest aid donor in the world, after the US and Japan. That is hardly what anyone would call “arrogant.”

Perhaps it’s about time that we stop perpetrating unfounded myths about other people and accept that mankind is a mixture of fine, unique individuals with different ways of living life. We should avoid branding a certain nationality with a negative notion for it can be offensive and dangerous. But maybe for some of us, they are stereotypes for a reason. Maybe there’s some truth in it. Maybe it applies to some people. But the problem with stereotypes is that they tend to generalize.

And remember that a person is judged not according to his race and definitely not his nationality. Humanity is defined by how good we have been to ourselves and other people, not by the country we live in.

image courtesy of msnbc.msn.com, cartoonstock.com, wulfwaru.wordpress.com
sources: www.sulinovadatbank.hu/letoltes.php?d_id=11308

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33 COMMENTS

  1. I hardly think we Canadians are boring.
    Last week there was a gay rights riot, over a store not letting a man try on a dress.
    It ended with a bunch of people getting stabbed.

    If anything we could use a little more boredom around here.

  2. Good list, but surprised not to see Russians here. We're very stereotyped and we're probably at least top 5.

  3. No-one believes the American’s are liberal do they! With the right to bear arms (/bare arms?), abortion control and the strength of Christianity?

    Also everyone knows it’s FOOTBALL not soccer that the British love

  4. Was this written by an American? I don't think anyone sees Americans as liberal – in fact the opposite. People stereotype Americans as conservative, gun-mad and arrogant.

    • Agreed, DONALD TRUMP Is a big part of This. Also, when were we British considered football fans? I thought our sterotype was tea.

  5. I agree with TM Bishop. i saw number three and was like "um no" as a Canadian i can strongly say we view the country as conservative and as Robin in HIMYM said "your country is divided on almost every important issue", so yeah i think only Americans see themselves as liberal.
    ALSO gay marriage is legal throughout Canada, not just some provinces.

  6. I have never met a single person who’s ever believed Americans to be liberal… the stereotype is that they are conservative, gun loving, rednecks, and in the last decade or so, the stereotypes also add “fat, arrogant and stupid” to the list…

  7. GERMAN MECHANICS?

    SO WHY ITALY= ITALIAN CARS SUCH FERRARI, LAMBORGHINI, MASERATI,ALFA ROMEO, PAGANI, AND EVEN BUGATTI WAS FOUNDED BY AN ITALIAN. ITALIAN MOTORBIKES SUCH VYRUS, DUCATI, MV AGUSTA, BIMOTA

    GERMANY= CHEAP BMW, AUDI VOLKSWAGEN

    CHECK ON YAHOO “FERRARI HAS BEEN NAMED THE WORLD’S MOST POWERFUL BRAND IN THE WORLD FOR THE SECOND YEAR RUNNING

    • Were you the guy that commented on that article about Italian stereotypes like a hundred times?
      Germans weren’t even mentioned in this article, what are you on about? Besides, they are stereotypes, that doesn’t mean they are true.

  8. Was I the only one that noticed that the stereotypes put onto Caucasians were all light-hearted and while ya they were offensive, it wasn't really a cruel remark about any of them, vs all of the 'colored' entries all being stereotypes that are highly demeaning with Indians being poor and narrow-minded, or the Filipinos being uneducated and the Chinese eating EVERYTHING as if to suggest that they don't have a problem eating things that would normally be considered taboo in the western world. Just something that I noticed, I feel like stereotypes need to get better, these are outdated.

    • I here, am an Indian, and i am really disappointed to say that this statement was actually TRUE till at least 10 years back. People here were, and some still are very conservative. People here feel violated when a guy and a girl are hanging out. They dont believe in falling in love, they just think that marrying a random stranger is totally appropriate. And this is true, people here are one of the richest ones like the ambani’s and half the population is under the poverty line set at just Rs 22 = not even 1/2 US dollar per day ! Some people earn in lakhs in a month and some dont even cross a thousand rupees !

      So, this is the hard truth that people are conservative and poor here.
      Reason- overpopulation and corruption.
      But yeah, i m sure this statement is going to change in the next decade, as the youth cant be even described with the ‘c’ of conservative(ness).

  9. Yes it was, or at least someone heavily influenced by American culture as they call football soccer.

  10. Americans can be sometimes liberal and sometimes just plain stupid. (No offence) Some Americans always have a way to have “open–minded” ideas and really screw things up. The other percentage of Americans have bright minds that are careful. I’m am not saying like Canadians are stupid. I have a Canadian friend that is AWESOME and can really make anybody happy especially me. I am just saying that a lot of the time (let’s say 60% of the time) Americans can be really liberal. But in the arrival it says Americans are a little conservative. And I really am not going to argue or anything right there.

    • Except by Americans. That’s our biggest stereotype about ourselves.

      In fact, it would be interesting to look at different peoples’ stereotypes about themselves and how they mesh with others’ stereotypes about them….

  11. I here, am an Indian, and i am really disappointed to say that this statement was actually TRUE till at least 10 years back. People here were, and some still are very conservative. People here feel violated when a guy and a girl are hanging out. They dont believe in falling in love, they just think that marrying a random stranger is totally appropriate. And this is true, people here are one of the richest ones like the ambani’s and half the population is under the poverty line set at just Rs 22 = not even 1/2 US dollar per day ! Some people earn in lakhs in a month and some doesnt even cross a thousand rupees !

    So, this is the hard truth that people are conservative and poor here.
    Reason- overpopulation and corruption.
    But yeah, i m sure this statement is going to change in the next decade, as the youth cant be even described with the ‘c’ of conservative(ness).

  12. Everything is about perceptions.

    Remember the European joke about Americans?
    "Come si chiama una persona che parla tre lingue? – Trilingue. Come si chiama una persona che parla due lingue? – Bilingue. Come si chiama una persona che parla una sola lingua? – Americano.

    Consider this:

    There are many people from many nations inside the United States, more than any other country in the world. We have a huge diversity of many ethnic groups with many regional or foreign accents, in despite of being born or educated in the USA. There are also several educational and cultural levels, and belief systems that create different perceptions. In New York City alone, we have many Americans who were raised with 2 and 3 languages in their homes. I’ve heard that joke before in Europe, but most people don’t realize that America is full of immigrants, who speak a lot of foreign languages at home.

    I personally got confused when I tried to speak Spanish with people from Middle America and the Southwest, because they were “Native Americans" who spoke Navajo. And sometimes I meet Spanish looking people who never learn the language from their foreign parents. This idea about languages is just a perception. I've spoken to people in China who speak better English than many people born in the USA. And I've seen Hispanic people living in Sweden who don’t speak Spanish at all. The other day I even met an American guy who was born in China, and spoke better Mandarin than some Chinese men. And I met a Russian girl born in South America, who couldn’t speak Russian with me. And sometimes it’s challenging to practice Norwegian with a Scandinavians, because when they hear your accent, they prefer to speak in English.

    Only in the UK there are many kinds of accents, and sometimes is a challenge to understand people from places like Wales, Manchester and Liverpool. And even though it may sound sophisticated to speak with a Scottish accent, it takes a little time to understand it. The same goes for the German spoken in Austria or Switzerland; and this happens in many other countries around the world. It’s just a matter of perceptions. America probably have more polyglots than Europe and we don’t even know.

  13. lol the rest of the world sees us as a bunch of nationalist religious zealots

    "liberal" my ass. Sweden is liberal.

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  15. As an American, I was wondering the same thing. I think our country is way too conservative and all of the things you listed.

  16. Indians are also perceived to be dirty litter bugs, smelly, argumentative, easy to take offence, boorish, uncouth, unruly and corrupt. Hypocrisy and double speak is supposed to be in their DNA. Delhi is supposed to be the Rape capital of the world. The country better have a fast rate of growth. Better late than never- if it wants to come out of the poorest nation in Asia tag. People lay some high hopes on their current PM Narendra Moody.

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