Top German Stereotypes of America
Having taught German 10th, 11th, and 12 graders now for about 6 weeks, I have pretty much learned all of the stereotypes that they have about Americans. In the process, I have also explained to them what stereotypes Americans have of Germans. The pattern that has emerged is fascinating. Both sets of stereotypes largely stem from pop culture, particularly movies and TV. Both stereotypes have spread because they do hold a certain grain of truth. Yet, I would say that the majority of the population does not fit into these stereotypes. Simply put, cultures are too complex-you cannot pigeon-hole an entire nation to fit a certain group of characteristics or behavior.
So, without further ado, the top stereotypes German teens have about America and its people. Brace yourself...they aren't pretty!
1) Americans are overweight and are constantly eating at McDonald's and other fast food chains.
2) Many Americans own guns and are constantly afraid of their houses being broken into.
3) Americans drive big SUV's. They drive these EVERYWHERE and rarely walk.
4) Americans are stupid, particularly when it comes to knowledge about the rest of the world.
5) There is a lot of crime in America, mostly related to gangs.
6) No one cares about the environment. Americans are wasteful, don't recycle, and litter too much.
7) Kids at American high schools throw wild parties and don't seem to be able to deal well with alcohol.
8) Most Americans don't have passports and don't travel very much.
9) There are lots of poor people, especially black people in innner-city ghettoes.
10) Americans are far too patriotic.
So, without further ado, the top stereotypes German teens have about America and its people. Brace yourself...they aren't pretty!
1) Americans are overweight and are constantly eating at McDonald's and other fast food chains.
2) Many Americans own guns and are constantly afraid of their houses being broken into.
3) Americans drive big SUV's. They drive these EVERYWHERE and rarely walk.
4) Americans are stupid, particularly when it comes to knowledge about the rest of the world.
5) There is a lot of crime in America, mostly related to gangs.
6) No one cares about the environment. Americans are wasteful, don't recycle, and litter too much.
7) Kids at American high schools throw wild parties and don't seem to be able to deal well with alcohol.
8) Most Americans don't have passports and don't travel very much.
9) There are lots of poor people, especially black people in innner-city ghettoes.
10) Americans are far too patriotic.
posted by Ben at 5:51 AM
2 Comments:
hahaha, thanks matt! but i am afraid they did not mention that.
1) I agree, it's sad but true. The difference is that Germans eat fatty food, and then they go walk and exercise. It's amazing what just walking a lot every day does for your help.
In my semester in Berlin, I literally drank at least a beer a day, constantly ate sausage and chocolate, and yet I lost 15 pounds because I walked everywhere and used public transit instead of driving. So simple, yet so effective.
2) I beg to differ. The 2nd Amendment is a joke. It was created during war-time and to prevent the rise of an oppressive government, not to give any yahoo the right to have a gun in his home to shoot intruders.
I do support the right to bear arms, but you have to admit the gun violence in our country is ridiculous. Germany and other EU countries OCCASIONALLY have school shootings, but it's a major news story and a shock when it happens. In America, we've practically come to expect such events to happen regularly, especially in inner cities such as my great hometown of Philadelphia.
3) Sad but true. Directly related to #1.
4) Actually, I completely agree with you, to a point. Most Europeans only know New York and California. But you'd also be surprised how many 5th graders and 8th graders know about states like Kansas and Wyoming.
The thing about size is completely true, though. I always point out to my students that Germany is roughly the size of Alabama, and then I show them this on a map. Their jaws somewhat drop at this.
Americans DO have a pathetic amount of knowledge about the rest of the world, though...
One girl studied for a year in South Dakota. Apparently someone told her they thought Germany still had a king!
5) The crime thing is completely true, sadly.
Even in the so-called worst parts of Berlin, I would pretty much walk there any time of day without being too afraid.
Seriously, there is virtually no violent crime in Germany.
6) Also completely true. You should see how psycho Germans are about recycling(mostly in a good way). Words cannot convey the confusion of the Grüne Punkt and the Gelbe Tonne. Maybe I'll have to do a whole entry on the complexities of German recycling.
7) Hahaha, touche. But yeah, the alcohol thing is really interesting. My students always ask me about it. It is due to them viewing American Pie and whatnot. But also, when you're raised with alcohol like them, you're not going to become a binge drinker.
8) You make a good point, and one which I bring up regularly in my classes. Yet the fact that less than 1 in 4 Americans hold passports is still sad. I mean, Mexico and Canada are not that far from most of the population...
9) Also sad but true....my experiences in inner-city Philly have made me mostly agree with the Germans on this.
10) Yeah, too much patriotism, especially if misguided, is definitely a negative.
In the Germans' case, they have virtually no national pride due to WWII and the Cold War(I live in East Germany, remember).
But burning down the country over soccer? Please...this is not Brazil.
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