What other terms denote a stereotype in the USA? Why do you think these stereotypes have formed? Is there any truth to them? Explain, giving details from your experience to support your response.
"Being American" has changed more in the past fifty years than it has in the entire history of America. In the present, the American stereotype is of the fat, lazy, powerful American that intrudes into the business of other countries. This stereotype began during the Cold War. Most foreigners and many Americans did not see the point of conflicts like Vietnam and the Korean War. It felt to these people as if the United States had no business interfering with conflicts that did not concern the US. This, paired with the huge consumer economy that developed in the US after the Second World War, depicts a fat, war-crazy American. Although stereotypes are never true for all members of a culture, many Americans do reflect this stereotype. The large obesity rate in the US and continued anti-isolationist attitude in US politics also illustrate reasoning behind the stereotype. Even so, stereotypes reflect only the top of the "culture bell curve," and many on either side of the curve are not at all similar to the stereotypes. From my personal experience, most Americans are reasonable people and are not obese or war-crazy. The Stereotype also depends on where in the United States one looks. There may be more Americans that fit the stereotype in another part of the country, such as the north or the west.
I am an international student and I do agree with the stereotypes mentioned above. there are some overwhelming evidences that support my opinion. Some American friends are sharing me the same point of view, which surprised me once I listened to them. However, I do agree with you that the way we perceive America plays a role in how we judge and draw a picture about it.
I agree with you!!! I am a student in English Programs for Internationals in USC. And I am from S.Korea. I think many Americans think Koreans are quiet. However, it is because of our traditional thinking. We consider silent as gold, very important thing! But it is just when we present our opinions to other people. So, when we talk about everyday life or have conversation about hobby, we talk a lot; maybe we are even chatty. While I am studying in here, USC, I found that many students ask a lot of questions to professor during class. It hardly happen in Korean classes. We don't ask any questions during class time unless the teachers or professors ask for students to say something. Although the teachers or professors order to say something, the students hardly say anything. However, as soon as class finished, we started to talk a lot even with professors.
I'm a Chinese student in EPI. I totally a agree with you about American stereotype. when I was in China, i had been watching a lot of American movies. these movie are talk about every American is rich. but now i don't think so because I saw a lot of homeless people round here.
I believe that American people are being completely deceived by the media, and it is always that the government that controls people's minds the way it wants. For instance, when the USA invaded Iraq to tell the world that it has a good intention to help Iraqis from Sadam, where in fact, it has it's own economic and political agenda to attain. Americans are just pathetic!!
On the other hand, when government fails to deliver the image it wants to the world, especially, when it comes to war, the whole world gets the negative idea about Americans.
I am a Korean student in EPI. Since I was in the middle school, I have noticed that these days society is changing very fast and everybody is respected its personality so each people have different personality. Therefore stereotypes can't be formed and if stereotypes are formed, it can't conclude all people and represent all people. Actually many people think Koreans are polite. But I think it is not true. Still a lot of people are polite but not a few people are not polite. Some cruel game and individualism make children impolite and such children grow then have children as same as them. So I think it is getting worse and worse to be polite.
Stereotype is a human condition. Prejudgment is inherent to our societies; in certain way, it reflects a border of ideas and behaviors, between different countries, cultures, or even social status. I agree with your position, because not all Americans are like other people think that they are, but as I mention before is a human condition. Since I came here, I have met people who are different as they are stereotyped. I am from Guatemala, and people stereotype us and we stereotype people from other conditions or countries. For example, People from other countries would think that we are poor, lazy, and criminals, however this is not true. I could say that many people in my country are different to these stereotypes. Furthermore I think that the media has a culprist in stereotype and it influenced in the way of think of the societies.
I'm an international student who study at the English Programs to Internationals. I've been in the States for two years. I thought that the American stereotype was fat, intelligent and very confident. In these two years, some of the American stereotypes that I thought before have changed. Most of the American students are very fit; they are not fat at all. They are very independent, but a little bit over-confident.
I am A EPI student and I couldn't agree more with your personal view because I am in the US and I saw a lot of people who are reasonable, not obese, war-crazy. But, people outside the US do not know.
There are a lot of things that show people in other countries that Americans are fat like movies or media in general. I have the same situation most of American think that all Arab people are terrorist and they are not, all of that depends on the media.
I'm student at EPI and I see some of these ideas are true about american people, such as, they like to go through another countries issues and cultures and they like to changes these countries' cultures. Also they try control the world.But they are very active or not lazy people. Most of them have nice smile and they are friendly. However, most of them have stereotypes about another countries and some ethnics and they do't want to change them, such as stereotypes about arabic and chines, people and mexican people. Despite, they don't know any information about a lot of another countries
I'm from Chile and a student at EPI. I always think there are stereotypes in all countries, but we must try to have an own opinion before to say something. I was lucky to visit U.S. three times, and I will live here for two years. When I arrived the first time, Miami's people were friendly maybe because they were latinos. Then, when I went to Los Angeles, and I could talk with people, I felt more cold from them. I don't have prejudice, but people of South Carolina are more friendly and cordial.
The Chilean people say we are very cold and formal in South America. For example, Brazileans are warmer than Chilieans. I think anytime it is true because the weather is a very important factor in friendliness. Moreover, we are living too far from the big cities of the world.
"Being American" has changed more in the past fifty years than it has in the entire history of America. In the present, the American stereotype is of the fat, lazy, powerful American that intrudes into the business of other countries. This stereotype began during the Cold War. Most foreigners and many Americans did not see the point of conflicts like Vietnam and the Korean War. It felt to these people as if the United States had no business interfering with conflicts that did not concern the US. This, paired with the huge consumer economy that developed in the US after the Second World War, depicts a fat, war-crazy American. Although stereotypes are never true for all members of a culture, many Americans do reflect this stereotype. The large obesity rate in the US and continued anti-isolationist attitude in US politics also illustrate reasoning behind the stereotype. Even so, stereotypes reflect only the top of the "culture bell curve," and many on either side of the curve are not at all similar to the stereotypes. From my personal experience, most Americans are reasonable people and are not obese or war-crazy. The Stereotype also depends on where in the United States one looks. There may be more Americans that fit the stereotype in another part of the country, such as the north or the west.
ReplyDeleteI am an international student and I do agree with the stereotypes mentioned above. there are some overwhelming evidences that support my opinion. Some American friends are sharing me the same point of view, which surprised me once I listened to them. However, I do agree with you that the way we perceive America plays a role in how we judge and draw a picture about it.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you!!!
ReplyDeleteI am a student in English Programs for Internationals in USC. And I am from S.Korea.
I think many Americans think Koreans are quiet. However, it is because of our traditional thinking. We consider silent as gold, very important thing! But it is just when we present our opinions to other people. So, when we talk about everyday life or have conversation about hobby, we talk a lot; maybe we are even chatty.
While I am studying in here, USC, I found that many students ask a lot of questions to professor during class. It hardly happen in Korean classes. We don't ask any questions during class time unless the teachers or professors ask for students to say something. Although the teachers or professors order to say something, the students hardly say anything. However, as soon as class finished, we started to talk a lot even with professors.
I'm a Chinese student in EPI. I totally a agree with you about American stereotype. when I was in China, i had been watching a lot of American movies. these movie are talk about every American is rich. but now i don't think so because I saw a lot of homeless people round here.
ReplyDeleteI believe that American people are being completely deceived by the media, and it is always that the government that controls people's minds the way it wants. For instance, when the USA invaded Iraq to tell the world that it has a good intention to help Iraqis from Sadam, where in fact, it has it's own economic and political agenda to attain.
ReplyDeleteAmericans are just pathetic!!
On the other hand, when government fails to deliver the image it wants to the world, especially, when it comes to war, the whole world gets the negative idea about Americans.
I am a Korean student in EPI. Since I was in the middle school, I have noticed that these days society is changing very fast and everybody is respected its personality so each people have different personality. Therefore stereotypes can't be formed and if stereotypes are formed, it can't conclude all people and represent all people. Actually many people think Koreans are polite. But I think it is not true. Still a lot of people are polite but not a few people are not polite. Some cruel game and individualism make children impolite and such children grow then have children as same as them. So I think it is getting worse and worse to be polite.
ReplyDeleteStereotype is a human condition. Prejudgment is inherent to our societies; in certain way, it reflects a border of ideas and behaviors, between different countries, cultures, or even social status. I agree with your position, because not all Americans are like other people think that they are, but as I mention before is a human condition. Since I came here, I have met people who are different as they are stereotyped. I am from Guatemala, and people stereotype us and we stereotype people from other conditions or countries. For example, People from other countries would think that we are poor, lazy, and criminals, however this is not true. I could say that many people in my country are different to these stereotypes. Furthermore I think that the media has a culprist in stereotype and it influenced in the way of think of the societies.
ReplyDeleteI'm an international student who study at the English Programs to Internationals. I've been in the States for two years. I thought that the American stereotype was fat, intelligent and very confident. In these two years, some of the American stereotypes that I thought before have changed. Most of the American students are very fit; they are not fat at all. They are very independent, but a little bit over-confident.
ReplyDeleteI am A EPI student and I couldn't agree more with your personal view because I am in the US and I saw a lot of people who are reasonable, not obese, war-crazy. But, people outside the US do not know.
ReplyDeleteThere are a lot of things that show people in other countries that Americans are fat like movies or media in general. I have the same situation most of American think that all Arab people are terrorist and they are not, all of that depends on the media.
I'm student at EPI and I see some of these ideas are true about american people, such as, they like to go through another countries issues and cultures and they like to changes these countries' cultures. Also they try control the world.But they are very active or not lazy people. Most of them have nice smile and they are friendly. However, most of them have stereotypes about another countries and some ethnics and they do't want to change them, such as stereotypes about arabic and chines, people and mexican people. Despite, they don't know any information about a lot of another countries
ReplyDeleteI'm from Chile and a student at EPI. I always think there are stereotypes in all countries, but we must try to have an own opinion before to say something. I was lucky to visit U.S. three times, and I will live here for two years. When I arrived the first time, Miami's people were friendly maybe because they were latinos. Then, when I went to Los Angeles, and I could talk with people, I felt more cold from them. I don't have prejudice, but people of South Carolina are more friendly and cordial.
ReplyDeleteThe Chilean people say we are very cold and formal in South America. For example, Brazileans are warmer than Chilieans. I think anytime it is true because the weather is a very important factor in friendliness. Moreover, we are living too far from the big cities of the world.