Originally posted by Bluesma

Originally posted by thoughtsfull
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Having lived within swimming distance of France all my life, and the last 40 years popping back and forward, working in France and across Europe, I can safely say most people I know, including most of my friends and colleagues in France base the whole snootiness on the attitude of Parisiennes, and to be honest, that seems quite a fair stereotype.

The Parisiens have that reputation even amongst the rest of France !!
I guess this just goes to confirm my earlier statement that for many Americans (maybe British too, I have no idea) France has one city- Paris. I have actually had Americans ask me about how it is to live in the country of Paris!!
(I live in the south, six hours away from Paris)

LOL... But even amongst Europeans having a dig at each other is part of the natural order of life, even when you know it is untrue.. there are so many "Europe according to *insert nation*" out there it makes me chuckle.. and London is Frances 5th largest City

And the French join in.. at least all the ones I know do.. I guess it depends if you take it to heart.. From my perspective we have a dig at the French and they have a dig back.. the change from "Les Rosbifs" to "Les F*ck offs" seem quite an apt stereo type change one that makes me smile and cringe at the same time.

When visiting here, my colleagues and friends from France have taken to naming the frogs in my pond after themselves I guess it depends how you view these things and if you take all the comments to heart.

I think you are right, and I think there is a difference in that way they tease each other in Europe, which is not the same for the US- because these countries in Europe have a long and intertwined history and anscestry. They may have very distinct cultures, but there is still an air of related-ness that I don't experience in the US in regards to other countries (except maybe Canada). It is like the way family members tease each other or have long standing disagreements.

America is so cut off from these other parts of the world, and with such a young history, that might make it different.
They don't hear such teasing like it is coming from a family member, but rather, from an outsider, which makes it seem more threatening. They don't mean in a good natured way either, in general.

But people in different states can mock each other with no problem.

This is really pertaining to the OP. Being young, being far away from other countries, they may be missing some of that feeling of deep ties with the rest of the world (except Israel, as the OP pointed out! )

The image is just about right....most Americans really do think like that. But it is just years of propaganda and by being told you're the best country in the world as soon as you come out the womb.

And most Americans do not even make enough money to travel overseas.

Originally posted by micmerci

Originally posted by ararisq

For Africa "Obama came from here" would have worked.

Sorry - couldn't resist.

Now that is funny!!

Facepalm* think you just answered the ops question

The map looks right to me, although the ops comments are a bit wacky.

Now if the map were redrawn to opinions of people in other countries, only the locations would change, maybe some descriptions would change slightly.

I love it when americans hate on canadians and native Americans.
Firstly, to us British, Americans and Canadians are exactly the same, except Americans say trailer park, and Canadians say trailer pirk.
Secondly they're called natives for a reason. Its their country, they were there first.

Americans are, naive, ignorant, fat, lazy, unproductive, undereducated, oh yeah and the envy of the rest of this heap of sh*t we call the modern world. We get it there is a large percentage of the world who envy us, and hate us. I get it. However I myself am damn glad to have been born and raised in the USA despite all of it's inadequacies! Can't piss me off cause I hold all human beings in contempt whomever they are and wherever they come from.

the map is funny as hell!!!
i am canadian,and to my american neighbors,yes my country is inhabited! i live here!!!
and just so yo know,it doesn't snow here all the time! i don't play hockey,i don't own snow shoes,i dont ride a snowmobile (for you southerners,a snowmobile is kinda like a jet ski,it rides on snow,not water-but some people try!).
if you think this map is a generalization of american thinking,let me put this to you.
my uncle is from the states (ohio) and he is a successful insurance broker that is well educated and worldly.
he was up to visit my family recently,and brought his whole clan with him.
they are very nice people,and i always have a good time when they come.
heres the funny part!
they wanted to learn about canadian culture (?)
they asked what day we celebrated christmas on.
do we celebrate halloween.
do we drive with chains on our tires all year long.
what year did we buy canada from the queen of england.
why do we keep australian aboriginals on a reserve.
what time did it turn midnight in canada.
it goes on for a bit! but i'll leave it at that.
what was more impressive was what they didn't know about their own country!
for example:
the tsa was stockpiling hollow point bullets
barack obama's birth certificate was in question.
who the president was in between george bush senior and junior (oh ya,the guy with the cigar!)
who ross perot is.
what an actual 'green back' is (look it up people!)
who was involved in the war of 1812,why,and who actually won. ( we did!)
who laura secord was (ya the ice cream lady_look that up too!)
being at war with spain
the bay of pigs.
not trying to put my american friends down,but all of this info is taught in canadian public schools on a grade 5 level!
i'm tempted to take all my canadian tire money to the states and buy a bunch of stuff,and tell them the old scottish guy on the bill is our prime minister!!!

(ya , thats a canadian joke!)
peace to all,and please,never stop learning!

Originally posted by americanbuffalo1
Americans are, naive, ignorant, fat, lazy, unproductive, undereducated, oh yeah and the envy of the rest of this heap of sh*t we call the modern world. We get it there is a large percentage of the world who envy us, and hate us. I get it. However I myself am damn glad to have been born and raised in the USA despite all of it's inadequacies! Can't piss me off cause I hold all human beings in contempt whomever they are and wherever they come from.

I think only a few places like India and some eastern countries envy you guys.
I think the rest of the world is sick to death of your crap. The only reason our British government bums you and supports everything you do is because you'll throw a hissy fit if we don't.
Americas still Young, and it really shows. Its like one big 8yr old school bully.
Full of insecurities, thinking its the envy of the world slapping down anyone who says otherwise.
I think Americas whole extradition system is a good example.
People committing "crimes against america" from the other side of the world.
Did Americas parents ever teach it to stand up and ignore petty insults? My mother taught me that, also an eye for an eye is never the way to go.

Originally posted by Wongbeedman


I think only a few places like India and some eastern countries envy you guys.
I think the rest of the world is sick to death of your crap.

I am kinda surprised that it took this long for the "everyone is jealous of us" comments to step in!

I am sure we'll get some "every other part of the world is a bunch of socialists living in poverty and repression"
too...

This is a fun thread, just been reading through it for half an hour

I believe that only stupid people believe these steriotypes to be a real description of countries, others use it as banter with each other.

The Germans and British have a lot of banter with each other, (Two world wars and one world cup! Is a chant you will always hear when we clash at football).

Europian countries share alot of this banter, im not too sure if Americans typically fit in with it though, as one person posted earlier, Europe has a long, rich history between every country, and we share the same sport, football, which brings the ordinary Joe from any country together for some friendly banter with their opponents.
It's much like the banter shared between rival towns, but on a national scale.

I know Britain and USA share banter between one another, because USA history came from Britain, we share the same language and exchange our music/films/shows with each other, It's only stupid people that take this banter to heart as an insult, those who can not take a joke.

You really have to be totally blind not to see that Americans are programmed by our Government our MSM, that the rest of the world is evil. We are taught to fear the Muslims, fear the Muslims, fear the Muslims, fear the Muslims, The bad ole Muslim people are gonna come and make us all pray five times a day. Make our women wear burkas. We will live under shia law,....No the hell we're not. Just like with Communist Russia, it's a fear campaign for alll of us to fear all of them. Divide & conquer. It's worked since the dawn of time.

For the better part of my life I was taught to fear Russia & communism. About ten years ago I meet a guy named Alexi, we called him Alex. He is Russian, same age as me 49 ready to turn 50. We are so much alike in our thinking it's wht we are good friends, He said he came here because he wanted to see if we were as evil as he was taught. We are'nt. He aslo taught me that the folks I was told to fear, were just folks like me. With families and bills and wanting better for their children. We are all the same, when you take away the the monikers, the stero-types all the crap we label each other with, we're just simple human beings, trying to get thru the 80 or so years we have of life.

For the record I would sit and break bread with any one from anywhere. Because a good meal, is a good way to start the conversation as to why can't we all just get the hell along. Dinners starts at 7:00pm. Hope all has a great day.