What do you think about these "myths" about the USA?

Question

Hello there,
As an European, I am curious how do you find some myths that most europeans think about the USA people...for example "the Americans are naive", "the Americans are hard working"...so here I divided the good and bad things that most europeans associate with USA:

Good things:
-USA is the richest country in the world and middle and rich people live great.
-People work hard and are punctual.
-They have sense of humour.
-Girls are nice.
-Cool cities such as LA,Miami,New York
-Funny president aka Bush :)
-Nice pronounciation of the English language
-Optimistic way of thinking.

So here are the "bad" things:
-People are naive.
-A lot of fat men and women.
-A lot of serial killers hehe.
-Crime is more than even Columbia :)
-A lot different races...Chinese...Mexicans
-People are too conservative and too religious
-They dont care enough for how they look.
-Very "tight minded"..for example they dont know where is Australia?

Thanks alot!

Answer 1

this is a really cool question that you posted. here are my opinions (i am american):

GOOD things:
- we are rich because we strive to be the best (although japan and china are way ahead of us in electronics and the technology). the rich live great and the middle class is good, but many struggle with expense.
- people do work hard and "most" are punctual. a lot of people are lazy and rather stand on the corner and ask for food or donations
- yes, we have a sense of humor
- yes, girls are nice (personality wise and physical beauty), but some are can be bitches and overdone with plastic surgery.
- cool cities to visit: san diego, LA, miami, new york & vegas
- "funny" president... hopefully you are just referring to his last name. although, i side more with democrats, bush is our president and as a citizen should support my president
- thank you! i am around others who sound similar, so i wouldn't know the difference. however, if you travel from california to texas... you will definitely hear a different accent in the english language. i love listening to various european languages.
- we definitely try. life is too short... you have to be happy and remember tomorrow is a new day. the U.S. has overcome a lot of events in history... part of success stems from optimism.

BAD things:
- yes, many people are naive (stemming from "old school" beliefs and being uneducated), but not all.
- obesity is a growing epidemic in the US. everywhere you go... it's all about "supersizing" your meal. i think many are overly consumed in competing with their neighbors to become successful and they omit the importance of a balanced diet and exercise. as a result, they sit in front of a computer most of the day and don't get out much (i am not obese, but i am guilty of being glued to the computer). it's all about choice though.
- yes, lots of serial killers. they are all over the world though.
- crime rates depend on what region.. again, crime is all over the world.
- many different ethnicities. we are a very very diverse nation. the backbone of this country is immigration... so it is expected to see people of all cultures. hey, the chinese helped build our railroad system. diversity is beautiful!
- yes, "some" people are too conservative and "too" religious - God Bless America!!!
- yes, some people don't feel like they need to impress anyone... it's not a matter of having to impress anyone, people should want to present themselves in a decent way. but there are others who care too much about their looks! again, it is the land of the free... so we are all free to look the way we want.
- "tight minded" = uneducated? although we have many educational opportunities in this country, not everyone takes advantage of it... it's unfortunate.

you're welcome!

Answer 2

I'm an American and I have heard many of these myths, both good and bad. I was surprised to see some of the things you mentioned though. I had never heard the following myths about America:

Americans are naive
Americans have a nice pronounciation of the English language
Americans work hard and are punctual
Americans have a good sense of humor

I have a great sense of humor but I just assumed that most people in the world also had a good sense of humor. Hey, maybe I AM naive if I think that ;-)

We hear in our news media about how lazy and spoiled Americans are so I've sort of started believing it. So it's odd to hear someone outside the USA comment that they've heard Americans are hard-working and punctual. I'm extremely punctual and I work hard most of the time. But occasionally I look at bird houses on eBay when I'm supposed to be putting together the monthly report.

I love hearing European accents so it also floors me to hear someone say that Americans have good pronounciation of the English language. I know pronounciation isn't the same as accent but I wonder if anyone out there likes 'American accents'.

The USA does have a lot of rich people but there are tons of poor people too. I personally have $12 left in my bank account and I don't get paid for two more weeks.

There are a lot of different races here but that makes it interesting. Maybe our serial killers just get more media coverage? Some Americans are definitely fat. But we're very clean. I don't believe in God but certain areas of the country are definitely religioius and conservative. There are some cool cities here. I'm a girl and I used to be nice. Now I'm getting older but there are plenty of beautiful girls everywhere I look. I guess that myth isn't really a myth ;-)

Some areas do have a lot of crime. Someone stole my yogurt from the refrigerator in the break room at work last week. I hope it wasn't a serial killer.

I would like to continue with my answer but there is a thunderstorm outside and I'd better get off the computer. I'll optimistically predict that I'll be back to answer more of this question later.

Answer 3

A1. US is one of the richest, but they also are the most greedy. They only countries that will benefit the US somehow.
A2. People work hard? Sure. They also complain a lot.
A 3. Humor is a vague since of value. Rednecks are abundant.
A 4. Girls are nice and mean in every culture.
A 5. Miami is cool?
A 6. Bush is terrifying. That man should NOT be control of the US.
A 7. So many dialects...
A 8. Optimistic? Try extremists.

B 1. Naive and pathetic.
B 2. Fat, yes. Yet the makers of work-out clothes don't make clothes for the obese. Hmm.
B 3. Serial Killers are everywhere.
B 4. More than Columbia? Don't know about that one. We don't hold random people hostage.
B 5. Europe is a melting pot too.
B 6. People only use religion when it can benefit them. AKA the American way of life. Only Christian when we can use it to our advantage.
B 7. I think the plastic surgery rates show that this is wrong.
B 8. Not tight minded. More like ignorant to anything outside of the US.

Answer 4

Random thoughts.

The poor in the US live better than the poor almost anywhere else, too. If you don't have shelter, enough food to eat, access to the internet and information at a public library, then you are trying to avoid a decent life for yourself. Many communities have decided that the 'harmless' mentally ill to walk the streets rather than be forced to get treated. This is the source of most of the homeless.

"American Time" is on time, especially compared to Southern Europe, where "Open at 10 AM" is often a suggestion at best. Stores are open all day and well into the night. People have much less vacation than in most of Europe - two weeks is the norm, and often takes a few years to earn that much.

Traveling to different areas of the US could be a bit like my train ride from York to London, as the accents changed as I traveled south. The "California" english, along with the "BBC" english is the dominant English in the world.

I think that American are very hopeful about the future - we are descendants from the rebellious religious pilgrims and criminals that had to get out of Europe, along with immigrants who came here because the "streets were paved with gold". We are a little bit wired to find a better way. By the way, this matches up with being too religious and conservative - more of us make our own lives, rather than be content with what the government gives.

The US is both more isolated and more fat! Wait till you see how much a restaurant will serve you...Since the nation is so large, there is more internal opportunities, so less need to learn about the outside world.

I'm surprised to see Mexicans and Chinese as a disadvantage. Both cultures have added something important, at least in California.

There is low crime - prood is that a murder investigation can become national news - it's rare and different. A regular person getting killed in Colombia isn't news - it happens all the time.

American's are often very image conscious, but it's a particular image. You might find clans of folks that are proud of their 35 body piercing, their blue hair. But they don't really care what YOU think. That, usually for better, sometimes for worse, is the American Way.

Answer 5

I agree with all except these 2
-People are too conservative and too religious
-They dont care enough for how they look.

It depends what city you are in - the US is completely 50/50 split right now Republican Vs Democrat , Conservative Vs Liberal. Half of the US is crazy, doing drugs, not giving a **** and the other half is uptight in church 5 times a week.

And Americans are VAIN AS ALL HELL. They spend hours in the mirror, plastic surgery and cosmetics are huge industries here. Girls spend thousands of dollars to have the best designer jeans and purses and wear so much makeup they look like whores.

Answer 6

Since when having a lot of different races (Chineseor Mexicans) is bad? The United States is culturally diverse and that is what makes it great.

Answer 7

Very interesting---I would say 85% correct but what's with the "a lot of seriel killers" WTF....what are these people in the middle east blowing up residents everyday for no good reason...I like it here...thanks

Answer 8

From your observations, I'd say Europeans are pretty naive about the US. Trying to stereotype us like that is ridiculous. Ours is a highly varied culture.

Answer 9

as an American i don't agree about the hard working part. i feel most of our citizens are lazy and are always looking for the quick buck, but i feel that, as foar as my friends and i go, we don't get enough credit for our knowledge of the world, world leaders, geograghy, etc. all the rest i can say is true. oh also, for the bad, we are the only first world nation that still has capitol punishment

Answer 10

ha ha ha ... myths ???
you are giving a general description of any country in the world .... come on ... deaths, crimes, fat people, ignorance, killers, nice people, mean people, religious or non, sick, healthy... good.. bad ... it is every where .... it seems like everyone dislikes America and Americans, but they just cant stop talking about it or keep themselves from coming here.