american stereotypes in the UK

After an earlier question about common misconceptions, I received a number of suggestions of things the British think about us, some based on incidents that happen with one American. (Americans, if you think you're not responsible for representing your whole country, you're wrong, apparently.) I was warned that these are stereotypes, so not really exactly what people think, but ideas that are floating around about Americans.

Here's the list with my comments below:

• 1. All Americans are loud, pushy, obnoxious and patronising;

This is obviously the stereotypical American tourist. I haven't run into any Brits who seemed to assume this and I haven't given them any reason to believe it, I hope.

• 2. All Americans are fat/obese/suffering from diabetes;

The Brits don't have much room to point and laugh here. Britain is the most overweight country in the world I was shocked to learn recently, since I rarely see a heavy person here. I know few heavy Americans either.

• 3. All Americans are badly dressed slobs;·
  

I can see where this might come from, Americans don't tend to wear suits and business clothes as much as the Brits do. Does it start with school uniforms here?

• 4. All Americans own guns;

No. I addressed this in an earlier question. None of my friends at home owned guns. It's regional. Where there are hunters and in crime ridden areas mostly. The interenational medias focus on guns creates this impression.

• 5. All Americans think the USA is the greatest country in the world;5

It's true, we're very invested in the greatness of our country. Having  been to a few other countries, I think there are some great things about the US myself, but a lot of other places are pretty great. It depends on what you're after. Not everyone is the rabid American fanatic that this assumes. But I will say that when I've been abroad, I've met dozens of people who appear to want nothing so much as to live in the United States. Where the streets are paved with gold, and you can "buy anything you want." It has been with great dismay that I've had to debunk some of the glowing things people have assumed about my country.

•  6. All Americans believe US law extends across the world.
  

Some probably do. But most who have traveled or wanted to travel abroad will have been warned otherwise, particularly with respect to drug laws.

• 7. All Americans think socialised healthcare is a socialist/communist plot to destroy the USA;

Not all, but this is a shocking contingent of people. My own parents, for example. The lesson here is DO NOT call it socialized. Socialism is a bad word in American. in American dialect 'socialism' means 'the opposite of democracy' which is what we have. I'll do a full post on socialism.

• 8. All Americans are right-wing Conservative creationist nuts.

We know this isn't true. Obama got elected. Twice.

• 9. All Americans expect foreigners to be as rabidly patriotic towards their country as Americans are to the USA;

This may be true of some of the rabidly patriotic. But I'm not sure. This was based on this person's experience with a single American who got angry with him for disrespecting the flag of his own country. This person may have been former military or military family. A lot of emphasis is placed on defending the flag. There are a lot of soldiers and former soldiers in my country, but also a reverance for the flag as the symbol of the revolution that started our country.

• 10. Americans are very parochial hardly going abroad or even leave their home state, and US news is the same;

There are, in fact. many Americans who don't have passports and who have never left their coutnry. It's not as easy as hopping over to another European country in your car (which thanks to the Channel Tunnel, even the British can do now. But obviously there are plenty of Americans here in London. I know them by their accents. There's a good article here that talks about why two thirds of Americans don't have passports.

• 11. Americans think the World Series is a world championship.

I don't really get why the Brisih are so miffed about this. It's not like they have worldclass baseball teams. *snark* But obviously it's not an actual world championship. The Brits also get upset because we have NANOWRIMO. They object to it being called 'national.' I think we inherited our tendency for overstatement from you guys. You know, the people who use the word 'shattereed' for tired, and 'gutted' for 'sad'

I tease the British affectionately. I adore you.