Housepets!

As far as I'm aware, Rammstein is significantly more popular outside of Germany.

Also what's the deal with David Hasselhoff?

He brought the Berlin Wall down.

I like Rammstein, they're awesome o uo
However, I guess most people over here don't like them as much for being so ~extreme~.
And David Hasselhoff indeed did bring down the wall, although rumours have it he laid down ontop and started eating while singing until the wall crumbled under his voice and weight.

I really like rammstein

Just saying...

Haha on the subject on Rammstein:
Amerika

and that brings me onto a good question..

Is it true going outside in USA almost guarantees you'll see a few obese people?

not just going outside, but if you go to public place like a mall, yeah, it's pretty likely. not necessarily morbidly obese, but obese.

Yeah, what he said. You'll see fat people but they're still a minority.

I don't think this qualifies as a stereotype, but what do they teach about the American revolution in England?

That's something I've always wanted to know.

We teach 2 things about America in England. That's Black Slavery, and Rosa Parks. I've wondered before that I wonder if the government wants us to dislike America through what they teach us. I mean, it wouldn't surprise me.

They teach Rosa Parks but not Martin Luther King, Jr.?

It was at least 4 years ago, so I'm a little rusty. I just remember hearing about Rosa Parks a lot. She came up in at least 3 lessons every year in Religion. Oh yeah, by law, we have to teach Religion in England (all the major ones though, Christianity, Islam, Judaism etc).

But yeah, Martin Luther King appeared in a whole 1 lesson. Thing is, it wasn't even on him. We were just handed notebooks on some famous people (Rosa Park, Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Bono etc). I just happened to have picked up the one on Martin Luther King...that's really all we ever did on him, and it was optional. There's a chance other schools would've taught more on him, but I don't really know.

Coca cola! Wunderbar!
I've noticed that US citizens tended to be patriotic and generally ignorant of the world outside of their country.
Well, it's obviously not true for all their citizens but this seems to be the case for a lot of people.

Big country with tons of internally-created culture: less awareness of outside.

44R0NM10 wrote:But yeah, Martin Luther King appeared in a whole 1 lesson. Thing is, it wasn't even on him. We were just handed notebooks on some famous people (Rosa Park, Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Bono etc). I just happened to have picked up the one on Martin Luther King...that's really all we ever did on him, and it was optional. There's a chance other schools would've taught more on him, but I don't really know.

Here he's pretty much the symbol of the civil rights movement, although Rosa Parks certainly isn't ignored

They're actually adding a bust of Rosa Parks to the National Cathedral sometime soon.

Sleet wrote:Big country with tons of internally-created culture: less awareness of outside.

You guys have culture at all?

Jk, jk.

But I noticed that too. All media in the US (besides some websites, and they're also the minority) are utterly parochial. You wouldn't find out about the bigger picture by going through them.

As a big country with disproportionate influence over the rest of the world this indifference can't be excused. Ignorant citizens beget ignorant actions.

The only culture i know of, was the indian's culture and they were almost (if not totally) decimated.

legendario13 wrote:The only culture i know of, was the indian's culture and they were almost (if not totally) decimated.

Liam was joking (thus his "jk"s, unless he was instead either intending to summon JK Rowling or reciting a portion of the alphabet). The United States has culture. Whether or not you like it is a different and more inflammatory question, but it's pretty hard to have a group of people that have no culture. That would involve acting in a way that has no discernible patterns or values whatsoever, which people aren't very good at.

Liam wrote:As a big country with disproportionate influence over the rest of the world this indifference can't be excused. Ignorant citizens beget ignorant actions.

There are a lot of things to be said about how the US interacts with the world that I won't go into because politics and also I'm not that smart (I like to spell). Though I will say that when it was founded, the physical isolation of the United States seemed like an impenetrable barrier against the rest of the world. Even though it obviously isn't anymore (considering that I talk to all of you guys every day) it still means that the country has only relatively recently become intertwined with everyone else.

I don't know very much about stereotypes of brazil outside(I know about some american movies speaking about Brazil, but it will be a very long post).

Only about thinking Maradona is brazilian*, Carmen Miranda is a representation of Brazil, little things.

If you guys want, you can tell me somethings about what you think about my country, then I will refutes you(or confirm you). x/

IF you want.

*There's a commercial about this, maded in Brazil.

Guaraná Antarctica - Maradona Nightmares

The video don't have the holy translation. Here the rest:

Even the best soccer players, one day, they had a dream about be in the our team.

Guarana Antarctica and Brazilian Team, "nobody does the same".

@Pea: I just said it was all i knew, not that i dont like it or something.
--------------
@Mctwisp: I dont know any brazilian stereotype, but i can imagine the fabelas are one of them

I have a question, to the entire world except USA.

In UK, BBC (British Broadcast Channel) News reports events from all over the world. I even recall hearing about how Australia spends their Christmas in one show. Even so, our news is mainly on 2 countries, them being UK and USA.

Soooo, is it the same everywhere else? Does the news seem to mainly be about your home country and the most powerful country in the world (at the moment)?

Mostly, here in Australia.

We have general coverage of things like the French election recently and Greece's current issues (looming bankruptcy and the Nazi party), but other than major current events from other countries it's just our own problems and the occasional story about whatever America's up to. Generally I don't think there's much more about America than any other country currently in turmoil (isn't the news fun?), but I really don't pay enough attention, the news sucks these days. I'd be interested to see if it's anything like the news my parents used to watch.

The issue with news is always that it's been a matter of consumption like any other media; while being able to report on worldwide happenings might be noble, it won't necessarily get people to listen. Hence, all news is local; the closer it happens to home the more important it is, the farther from home the higher the body count has to be.

I also imagine countries with smaller budgets and more recent history of being directly attacked/threatened with invasion are more concerned about international politics.

I guess we really are doing what Ranstain says ("living in America") if that's the case.

JeffCvt wrote:I don't think this qualifies as a stereotype, but what do they teach about the American revolution in England?

That's something I've always wanted to know.

We are not generally taught anything about the United States. We are taught about our own history such the First and Second World Wars, Jack the Ripper, the Black Plague, the Monarchy, and other stuff. Though I was taught about all the stuff the United States got up to during the Cold War in history class. And, in politics class, I was taught some about the American Revolution but it was mainly to do with how it all happened and how the United States and its Constitution came into existance. But, if you were to ask whether we resent the United States for the Revolution then I'm afraid the answer is no. The Revolution is just history, along with everything else that happened before 1900.
What do Americans think about the British?

44R0NM10 wrote:In UK, BBC (British Broadcast Channel) News reports events from all over the world. I even recall hearing about how Australia spends their Christmas in one show. Even so, our news is mainly on 2 countries, them being UK and USA.
Soooo, is it the same everywhere else? Does the news seem to mainly be about your home country and the most powerful country in the world (at the moment)?

The United States is not in the news all that often, its mainly just local stuff that is happening throughout the United Kingdom. And we seem to be more fussed over Europe rather than the United States. And the "C" in the BBC stands for Corporation, not channel.

Added:

44R0NM10 wrote:I've wondered before that I wonder if the government wants us to dislike America through what they teach us. I mean, it wouldn't surprise me.

No, they don't. It's just history, and to not teach something just because the United States doesn't like it would be foolish. But it is true that there is growing animosity toward the United States in both Britain and mainland Europe. Its not because we truly hate Americans, its just that we feel as though the United States takes its power, wealth, and its allies (especially its allies) for granted. We feel undervalued, and the fact that the government continues to follow the United States frustrates people. And there is not a great deal that can be done about it either.

Its always best to get your news from as many sources as possible and then draw your own conclusions. The best kind of news is the kind that is backed up by actual sources and not opinions and rumors. Its a useful way of developing those critical thinking skills.

The way I do it is through websites of individual web pages of news services and their pages on youtube. On YT, I watch France 24, BBC, ABC, CBC, Russia Today, al Jezeera English, Duetsche Welle English, Associated Press, PBS, and New York Times just to name a few.

By comparing the reports, you can quickly see who is biased and who isn't.

And yes, I did say al Jezeera English, which is based in Washington, DC. Despite what some networks who will not be named say, it is not "Jihad TV". It is actually some of the best, unbiased investigative journalism on the planet.

Oh, I think I have a stereothype. You think there's one kind of dance in Brazil and the dance is Samba, right?

Wrong.

You see, we have too Chote, Forró, Maxixe, Frevo, Gaifieira and Xaxado.

Example of Chote

Example of Forró

Example of Maxixe

Example of Frevo

Example of Gaifieira

Example of Xaxado

And you, is there only one kind of dance n your country?

Like you, EUA. Do you only have one dance in your country or you have more?

Radio Blue Heart wrote:Despite what some networks who will not be named say, it is not "Jihad TV". It is actually some of the best, unbiased investigative journalism on the planet.

This. A hundred times this.

Well, it was founded with the intention to be this in one of the more progressive Arab countries.

MilesKingford wrote:What do Americans think about the British?

Everything is like you said.

For the most part, we learn about out own history. We do have world history, but that focuses on things like WWI and WWII.

As for what we think of the British, no one hates them or anything like that.
It all happened in the past, we just given the history and cram it all in for the next test.

I find it interesting that you don't learn about the American Revolution, it's a part of your country's history.

JeffCvt wrote:I find it interesting that you don't learn about the American Revolution, it's a part of your country's history.

Perhaps we do in different parts of the country, some schools teach different things so its not all the same. Like Aaron, he said he learned about Rosa Parks and religion, but I didn't learn any of those subjects. Also, the United Kingdom is very old (its been around for over a thousand years) so it would be hard to fit in so much history in just school. Besides, the American Revolution is how your country came into existence, it is far more important to the United States than it would be to any other society in the world.

...Wait a second, you didn't have to learn about Religion? I swear it's law to learn about it.

We don't have to learn about it here.

Education on religion falls on the church, so only kids who get brought to church learn about it.

44R0NM10 wrote:...Wait a second, you didn't have to learn about Religion? I swear it's law to learn about it.

Nope. It may be the rules for a Religious School but I was not ever taught about religion. It was not until I went to college that I even met a religious person. We were taught Citizenship instead, which is generally about how to be a good, ethical citizen (rather than be about good and evil, it had more to do with civic duty and democracy). I loved that class but no one else did.

We don't have to learn about it here.

Education on religion falls on the church, so only kids who get brought to church learn about it.

Really? I thought that the United States actually was rather committed to the Church.

Interesting. This is one of the things every person I've ever met was forced to learn about, and there's even a Wikipedia article stating how we must learn about it if you went to a public school.

Did you go to a private school or something?

Its a good subject to learn about since it is a big part of culture and history. It helps to learn about because it creates different points of reference. We all draw from different histories and thus see the world through a different lens.

Its hard to think about as a whole what a country likes or dislikes. I can't speak for all of us, but the most malice anyone expresses are in the form of cheap jokes.

Personally, I feel no malice toward the Brits. Where would pop culture be without them? Then again, I have always gotten along with foreigners better than I have with my fellow countrymen. I am weird that way.

It surprising that I think this way considering that I come from an Irish family. My Great-Grandfather played the banjo and knew the song "The Foggy Dew" by heart.

Hate on a national scale is something that should never happen. I cannot conceive how someone can hate someone that they have never met. If a country has not caused your injury, then it is something that has to be fostered with some kind of propaganda.

Case in point is that I used to visit another internet forum for another web comic. The debates their would get fiercely political. One of the people who visited that same forum was from Russia. He seemed like a nice enough person, but the others went after him with a pole ax. His avatar was a hammer and sickle, and he said that he chose that because he grew up in the turmoil of the collapse of the Soviet Union and that his grandfather fought at the Battle of Stalingrad. One poster in particular would openly insult him on every possible grounds, even for being Slavic! Just spewing racist, ethnocentric rhetoric every time this Russian kid said anything! Eventually he left the forum after he could not take it anymore. It was so hard to believe that it was humor comic that brought all these people together! It was absurd! It must be all that Cold War paranoia and programming that made them believe that anything Russian or having to do with Russia was inferior, wrong or just outright evil! Its like they believed that "Red Dawn" was a documentary and not a bad movie. It just left a bad taste in my mouth and it horrifies me that they did their best to make all of us look our absolute worse.

Remember to keep things light here guys, just because we're talking about cultures and nationalities doesn't mean the politics and inflammatory-stuff rules don't apply.

MilesKingford wrote:

Education on religion falls on the church, so only kids who get brought to church learn about it.

Really? I thought that the United States actually was rather committed to the Church.

The US Government legally can't pass laws promoting any establishment of religion. Some public schools will offer a religion class, but it'll be strictly informative rather than spiritual and it won't be designed to promote one belief or the other. Private schools can do what they want what with being private and all.

44R0NM10 wrote:Interesting. This is one of the things every person I've ever met was forced to learn about, and there's even a Wikipedia article stating how we must learn about it if you went to a public school.

Did you go to a private school or something?

Went to private school? No, of course not. As for the law, it does state that a parent can withdraw their child from religious education class, and that must have been the case for perhaps everyone in the school. Either that or this law is generally not followed anymore by many schools, it is quite old and there are many laws that are still technically in effect but no one cares to follow them anymore, and the government doesn't care to enforce them. Besides, Wikipedia is not a reliable place to get information (my politics teacher forbad everyone from ever going on Wikipedia because, in his words, "It's ****!"

CaptainPea wrote:The US Government legally can't pass laws promoting any establishment of religion. Some public schools will offer a religion class, but it'll be strictly informative rather than spiritual. Private schools can do what they want what with being private and all.

Thank you for sharing that! I always swore that I would never move to the United States for as long as I live because I was led to believe that your government forces religion on their people. I am so glad that is not the case! Thanks again!

Added:

To Radio Blue Heart - Oh my goodness. I think the Russian guy you were talking about was around here but I have not seen him for a long time. He matches your description. I wonder what happened to him. And racism makes me ill, too.

Mctwisp wrote:Oh, I think I have a stereothype. You think there's one kind of dance in Brazil and the dance is Samba, right?

Wrong.

You see, we have too Chote, Forró, Maxixe, Frevo, Gaifieira and Xaxado.

Example of Chote

Example of Forró

Example of Maxixe

Example of Frevo

Example of Gaifieira

Example of Xaxado

And you, is there only one kind of dance n your country?

Like you, EUA. Do you only have one dance in your country or you have more?

Well, Though i dont live on EUA, I did thought Samba was one of the most popular but not the only one.
And that was Because (as ignorant i am) I didnt know you had traditional dances like those.

Let's go talk about languages in school. I heard in somewhere you must know english before the High School(countries who don't have english like first language).

In Brazil, we have to learn two foreign language: English and Spanish.

We learn english since first grade to highschool. But the learning is sucks. Somes learn english with your own(like me before) or find a language course(like me now).

We learn spanish sometimes in the High school(some schools don't have spanish) and learn a language for only three years(with inefficient learning) is waste of time.

I learned writing by myself and I'm learning to speak in a course.