where do people get the idea that the English are shy, and Americans are overly cocky?

Question

I don't understand this at all. I have spent a lot of time in England (London especially) and people are not shy necessarily. Shyness is uncommon everywhere, being shy is not average in any culture. Why do people think Americans are the most confident people in the world? Why do people thin k the English are shy? Does anyone get this?

Answer 1

Being introverted or having perhaps gentler manners does not mean that one is shy. Americans ARE overly cocky that's why people get that idea.

Most Americans suffer from the worst form of arrogance, i.e. arrogance based on ignorance. An average Bubba is usually shocked that the USA did not invent English, Christianity, the railroads, paper currency, rockets etc....

Answer 2

I at one time did a lot of trade with people in England. I am in the USA. I did not see them as shy. I did see them just a little old fashion. Very very friendly people and I love to hear the English women speak. Some of their voices can melt a man. It is the French that is viewed as shy and with no backbone. I would think the Americans would be happy to go anywhere with the Brits would feel safe with the Brits standing guard at night while we sleep.

Now the Americans being I am one are pretty cocky. It is forced on us by the attacks on us. We seem to be the most hated people in the world and we have to watch our backs. If we do not walk tall and talk loud we would be viewed as weak and would be attacked even harder. We can not appear weak it would surely mean our death.

Answer 3

I don't think English people are shy. I think they're a rowdy bunch of Hooligans (sometimes). But I think you've got a bit of a point there. In America, English people tend to pretend they're all sophisticated. I think they're living up to a preception.

As for Americans... 5% of Americans have passports. And of those 5%, a majority of them are LOUD - don't ask me why. You can't hear yourself think over their brash American accents - it's almost as if they want you to know that there's an American in the house.
I've lived all over the world and currently I live in California. Americans aren't too bad in their own environment... but somehow, when you bring the American out of America, they become obnoxious. I think Americans too are living up to a preception.

Answer 4

People are people the world over. They conform to the norms of the societies and cultures in which they live. What is shyness in one culture is seen as politeness in others.

I'm living in England so I'm probably too shy to answer any more fully.

Answer 5

I know what you mean, i come from london and they are not shy at all (well you get shy ppl everywhere) but i s'pose thats what other countries associate britain with, like we apparently all drink tea, talk posh and are reserved. But then most brits think americans are arrogant f*ckers and not all of them are so it's just the stigma thats attached to your country. We brits have words that come to mind when we think of other countries so for the rest of the world they probably just think were shy ppl, god knows why tho!

Answer 6

the english are often stereotyped in movies and stuff as being reserved which people can mistake as being shy and the americans have a tendency to be a bit arrogant and be stereotyped as such which is mistaken as being confident

Answer 7

Well, I kinda do. It's because of stereotyping. How some people think you can put an entire country in a box and slap a label on them is beyond me.

Answer 8

I don't know - those English hooligans that rampage over Europe are not very shy.

Answer 9

These are common -and pretty much harmless- stereotypes perpetuated for many years in books and films.

Answer 10

i dont knw