Emotional stereotypes
Stereotypes are present in every culture. It is
always emphasized that they are false, and the reality is exaggerated and
simplified. However, is there anyone who never thought stereotypes? Is there a
possibility of living with other people without pigeonholing them? I would like
to look at a few stereotypes concerning emotionality of Europeans
Brits, the nation of contradictions. On the one
hand, we have a picture of phlegmatic tea-drinkers but on the other, loud and
vulgar partiers. But where does the truth lie? Studies show that the British
are primarily secretive emotionally. They are often stressed, angry and
worried, but you will not see them display Those feelings. We associate mainly
with negative emotions. . I know couple of Brits and with my own experience I
can tell they are cheerful, polite, thankful and proud. But also kind of
bitter, homesick and selfish. Full of contradictions.
And here we are with us, Poles – one of the
least liked European nations. Most of the world finds us lazy, aggressive and
impatient. Even we consider ourselves unhappy, miserable and jealous. But the
negativity is only one side of the coin. According to statistics we are happy,
curious, amusing and hardworking nation.
Where do you think the truth lies?
Do you know any emotional stereotypes of other
countries?
Sources:
I think there is a little truth in every stereotype,it does not relate to individuals but to a whole society. People are surprisingly good at noticing weird things that other people do, especially while visiting new countries.
ReplyDeleteFor instance, there is a stereotype that all Lithuanians speak Russian. It is false, Russian is a foreign language like English, German or Spanish, although you can find a lot of people who speak this language.
I think that every person is different and we can't measure a person as a nation. Of course, these stereotypes come from somewhere and it's hard to get rid of them, and may even be impossible.
ReplyDeleteI know some stereotypes. French encoded by many nations as arrogant artists, about the cowardly tendencies, not fond of English and other languages besides their own, eating bizarre foods, like snails or frog legs.
The Arabs are portrayed as terrorists having many wives and gallons of oil. And the Jews are considered to be wealthy, smart money-lenders, bankers or lawyers and who want to secretly take over the world.
There is a great deal of beliefs and thoughts, which are only myths! Unfortunately, they don't accurately reflect reality and should be dispelled. For instance, all Arabs and Muslims are terrorists or one claims that all white Americans are one of the biggest cheeseburgers and generally fast food enthusiasts on Earth, who suffer from obesity as well as laziness.
ReplyDeleteI think that stereotypes are usually harmful but we can't avoid them. As a Poles we are really hard working nation and we are not thieves as some people say. I can remember that people from Greece are told to be lazy.
ReplyDeleteI think that stereotypes are mostly just the result of bad or stupid people actions.For example Poles are known in Germany as thiefs and Americans are thought to be stupid.I don't think it's true for 90% of people, but we just tend to "judge the book by the cover".Moreover we rather spot negative things than positive and share our opinion about things that are bad for us and forget to thanks for good things.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Emilia, that there is a little truth in every stereotype. If they have nothing in common with reality, how have they come into being?
ReplyDeleteThere is a stereotype that people from southern Europe are little bit lazy and, according to my observation during holidays in Spain, I can say that it's true. I think they have slightly different approach to work.
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ReplyDeleteIn my opinion stereotypes are really common these days. All of us tag people even if we are not aware of it. I agree with Ewa - every stereotype comes from some actions from the past, however at the same time I agree with Marta - stereotype could be harmful. For example Poles who are associated with theft and dishonesty. It is caused by small group of people who showed up from this "dark side" abroad. The big group of honest Poles suffer from being seen though the prism of stereotype.
ReplyDeleteLike with many other things, the truth usually lies in the middile. I think that the same is with stereotypes. We could meet one hundred people who are walking definition of stereotypes and one hundred more, who are totally different! I don't know if we can fight with this. We could always feel better by thinking that almost all nations have a negative stereotypes, f.e. French don't like to clean, Italians live with their parents for ages, Russians drink vodka all the time...
ReplyDeleteWhen I come up with the stereotypes, think that on the one hand majority doesn't think by stereotypes, but on the other hand that is still present in our perception of people. For egzample italians. I have never been in Italy and in fact I do not know Italians but because of the films or stories telling by people, my first thought about them is men acting like little boys or big dinners wiht all of family. I think partly it is true but I am sure that not everyone behave like that. And it is the same with everything.
ReplyDeleteIt seems to me that stereotype is some common but false opinion therefore I think u can't trust it, thing is there is whole group of believes that we call stereotypes even though we shouldn't. For exemple the one that says that we ( Poles) drink a lot or the one about Italians talking very loud.
ReplyDeleteI think that the stereotypes are created in some basis. I agree with it that a lot of Poles are agressive, impatient and lazy, but they are hospitable, open, amusing and hard-working, too. I think that we can't generalize. It's naive to think that every Pole is impatient, aggresive and lazy or every British is pesimist.
ReplyDeleteYes, I know few emotional stereotypes, for example Germans are stiff, French are too emotional or Rusians don't have their own opinion.
To my mind the true lies in the fact that in every stereotype there is a grain of truth, but also there is an exception to every rule. I don’t know many stereotypes about emotional features. Maybe only that people form mediterranean countries are happier and they don’t worry so much about the everyday life.
ReplyDeleteI think, that we can treat stereotypes just like lies - there might be a bit of truth in each one, but I don't like to think stereotypically about anyone. They say, that Germans are hardworkers nad Italians are football addicts, and it may be true, but it doesn't have to. I wouldn't be happy if somebody who do not know me personally would treat me like "a lazy Pole" - it's just not fair.
ReplyDeletePolen in for example in United Kingdom are considered hard-working, but also for thieves. Because we working hard, but also many of Polens are stilling. But not everyone. So I think that stereotypes are bad. I've met a lot of British and I think, that they are kind, helpful and cheerful.
ReplyDeleteSo don't fous on who is from, but who is good person.
I think that the truth always lies in the middle, but it depends on particular people. In Poland I got many friends who are hardworking, curious, sociable and positive but I also know people who always complain and who always want to find something negative in every situation.
ReplyDeleteEvery country or region has its stereotypes, for example the French are stylish and fit, the Italians are loud and sociable, the Russians like drinking, they are not smart and they like fighting.
To be honest, I have never heard that Poles are among least liked European nations. Really? And where does this information come from that most of the world finds us lazy, aggressive and impatient? I believe that majority of world’s nations know nothing about Polish and where Poland exactly is. Stereotypes appear among societies that knows anything about other countries’ residents, so primarily they are formed in neighboring nations or in countries with huge minorities.
ReplyDeleteStereotypes very often show completly wrong and cotrary situation. But sometimes tell us the truth. It comes from one's nation history and local condictions. For example many of negative stereotypes about Poland and Poles come from many years of communism and socialism in Poland.
ReplyDeleteI think that devil's in the detail. There is a little truth in every stereotypes. People creates a society that's why it is so various, full of many types of personality and obviously habits. It really depends on many actions and situations. There's a little probability that if you are abroad, you notice a suitable behavior of the nation who you are looking at. Generally speaking, stereotypes include some beliefs concerning psychological attitudes. I think that national character stereotypes isn't an exaggeration of real differences. We don't have to take them seriously.
ReplyDeleteI know many stereotypes about nations. For example, Italians are football addicts who never pay taxes. But on the other hand they are shown as a people who love drinking coffee, eating pasta and pizza which is almost sacred. Of course, it cannot be denied that the best way to avoid working is to go to cafe and just order a cup of coffee and cornetti. Another thing is that Italians are recognized by the sound of their voices. Is it fact or myth? This combination of information is truly weird when we want to imagine a pizza lower who loves watching TV, drinking coffee and of course use some gestures to express yourself. Possible? Why not... Who want to believe that it is true?
My favorite type of stereotype is people from Spain. It is known by fiesta, party in the night, siesta in the afternoon and of course macho. From the outside it could be thought that Spanish people don't have any time for working because they spend days and nights dancing and partying. Why not? Yeah, who says? Don't forget that Spanish people are also laud and lazy! Ladies, avoid this types of men, it is unprofitable!
And what about Poles? According to some stereotypes and surveys we are hard drinkers - better than German! Of course, as a Polish nation we can explain that fact - our alcohol is the best in the Europe. But if you want to contrast it with the fact that Poles are confirmed Catholic, there is a probability that the first thought will be: where is the logic! What about respecting the seven deadly sins, the most gluttony? Stereotypes..
I've been to Canada and all stereotypes I heard eariel were true. They say sorry all the time and a lot of the finish their sentence with 'ei'. It was funny experience because before my trip I thought those stereotypes were fake.
ReplyDelete"Truth lies always in the middle." said one wise man and I think it might be true. Stereotypes often have something in common with truth, but, of course, they are almost never indentical.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion stereotypes are result of some situations done (usually) by stupid people. Once you do something really wrong, the other will always remember about that and tell other people about the situation. People don't like details, so they will try to simplify the whole original story into one sentence - the stereotype. Human being have big tendention to simplify everything. That's why fighting with stereotypes is so hard - you have to break the limits of human mind.
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ReplyDeleteThe truth lies in the middle. I think that we can separate mainly hallmarks of people form particular region because they live in common culture, which affects them a lot. I can't say this pattern works for everyone and using only stereotypes is a bad move. If it's about other stereotypes, I know that for exmple people from Asia are mostly calm and quiet, also Frenchman usually dosen't like to use english language.
I've always heard of Poles as hardworking folk.
ReplyDeleteAs for other countries, apparently all Hispanic people are happy and satisfied 24/7, which we all know must be untrue in some degree. There are similar stereotypes for everybody living in the southern hemisphere.
The truth lies somewhere in the middle, I guess. Stereotypes usually have a grain of truth somewhere in them but are always exaggerated or misused. We can't exactly treat them as cold,hard facts, but they can be used for making an overall impression on people. And they are a great material for jokes.
In some way, it's hard to disagree with author. Polish people have high sense of superiority against East countries, but at the same time They feel worse toward USA or other West nations. i mean, they're jealous for many things.
ReplyDeleteMany people believe that Japanese people think only about sex, manga and they're more focused on games. Furthermore, they comapare them with Chinese. Believe me or not, I think it's a big exaggeration. Most people don't know but there's some similarity between Poland and Japan. I don't mean religion or technology, but history. We both suffered during the World War II, we respect our traditional culture and we are sympathetic countries.
That's normal that people need stereotypes. Of course, we shouldn't generalize, but there is a reason why those stereotypes exist. Some of them are true or partly true. I think that stereotypes exist about almost every nation, at least about the most known ones. For example, people say about Spanish that they are lazy, but from the other hand so open-minded and talkative. And I think that in most of the cases that's truth! Even Spanish people themselves are saying this.
ReplyDeleteOn each country in Europe are many stereotypes. They are sometimes genuine but sometimes false. I agree with Andrzej that people from south Europe are happier than other countries. Sun give good endorphines like happines.
ReplyDeleteThere always will be stereotypes and noone will change it. People sometimes need to feel better than others, that's why we sometimes are rude and unkind in our verdicts. Nowadays our nation are making new stereotypes about... ourself! And it's sad but I agree with part of them. So better is to think and check what is truth by yourself.
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ReplyDeleteI think that every person is very different and it's very tactless to treat a person as all nation.
ReplyDeleteThere is a stereotype that Belarus is just the part of Russian and many people in Europe don't know where Belarus is situated. Or that all the Arabs are terrorists. Or the worse one, about what I have read in the article some days ago, that Slavic women are the easiest of white women:/
So I prefer no know people better before I will decide what qualities they have because of their origin(for example).
Stereotypes could be quite useful but only taken with a pinch of salt. They are often wrong and unjust. You can't, or rather you shouldn't, describe the whole nation just because of some people you have met. Personally, every time I go abroad I ask people from the other countries what do they think about Poles and I'm trying to fix their view as much as I can.
ReplyDeleteI really don't know where the truth lies. I think it isn't simple. These people, who I know, they are very hardworking persons - polite, kind, cultural, with a sense of humor.
ReplyDeleteYes. Many people think that Germans and Swedes are very hard working people and they're systematic and very fond of order. Probably it's true.
I know lots of stereotypes. Germans are believed to be mean, grumpy and tight-fisted. Most people think that they are also modern, industrious and self-disciplined. People believe, that Greeks are troublemakers, deadbeats and they love having fun. French are believed to be arrogant, chicken-hearted and assuming.
ReplyDeleteI think that we shouldn't believed in stereotypes, because every person is different and it's not fair to generalize. Personally I wouldn't like it if someone would say I'm aggressive and impatient just because I'm from Poland. That's why in my opinion we shouldn't do the same thing to others.
Stereotypes are harmful but unfortunately in some cases true. I know a lot of them. They were pointed by my previous speaker above. Of course I can't disagree that in Poland we are aggressive or impatient but I would say that Poles create themselves as such people to a large extent. And it is the same with other nations. But I find some stereotypes true. French people are in fact a little too proud in my opinion becuase when I were in France on a class trip the only place where I could communicate in English was McDoanld's. It just an example and there are far more. However, we should not misapply stereotypes because everyone is different and in your life you will definitely meet a kind German, a Russian who doesn't drink alcohol or a humble Frenchman.
ReplyDeleteIn every stereotype there is a grain of truth. However, everything depends on the man, on his personality and upbringing. What kind of man we depend to a large extent depends on the environment in which we grew up, on what values have been given to us and on what purpose we have in life. Therefore, you can not measure all people by one measure, because we do not know how his life has been in the past.
ReplyDeleteI do not know emotional stereotypes about other countries. However, from observations, for example at World Youth Days, I can conclude that the people of South America are extremely cheerful, friendly and laughing. The Brazilians were able to dance all night long.
Stereotypes are an interesting social phenomenon, which I encounter almost every time I meet new people from outside my country. Of course there are some stereotypes about Poles, for example that we drink a lot of alcohol (which is not exactly a stereotype, but rather a fact;)). Nevertheless, I have the impression that the young generation is becoming more open to the world and does not blindly believe in stereotypes.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion stereotyping can be wrong and hurtful if people expect form the people who the stereotypes are about that will act exactly like it is said they do. All people are different and people shouldn't judge others just by a stereotype they have heard about a group of people they seem to belong. Of course there will always be people who fit the stereotypes so it is good to keep them in mind but at the same time not expect form others to behave just like the stereotype says and do not have prejudices against anybody before meeting them in reality.
ReplyDeleteStereotype always be in our tradition and life but we shouldn’t come single person to nation. The behaviour depends on or character and up-bringing and when we met someone we shouldn’t describe the whole nation just because of new-known person. As an example of the stereotype is Italian or French people are the best lovers. I think that being lover depends on our character and views not for our nation.
ReplyDeleteThe whole idea of steretypes is nonsense. How you can group all nations to fews personalitites? Fourty million in only one character? I prefer to get to know a person, his personality and only after that get to know his nationality. Of course I know a lot of stereotypes, for example: Russians drink vodka all the time, Poles are lazy and thieves, Bielarus is a part of Russia, everyone from Arabic countries is a terrorist, French are great lovers or Americans are stupid. And like I said – everything is a huge nonsense.
ReplyDeleteLet's start with the fact that you should not identify the characteristics of a few people with the characteristics of the entire nation. No one can know where truth really lies and what kind of person a given nationality will be. Everyone is individual and has its own distinct character. I understand that many citizens of the country may have similar characteristics, but I think that first you should get to know the person, later his origin. Answering the question whether I know some stereotypes about other nations in Poland, the answer is yes. For example: Americans are stupid; Italians are loud; Russians are alcoholics; Turks are a terrorists; The Spaniards are lazy and German women are ugly.
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ReplyDeleteI think there isn't something like characteristic of all nation, everybody is different and individual. And very important is to not size up by stereotype. There is a lot of stereotypes of every nation. For example Germans like neatness and drink a lot of beer, French are too emotional and they are artists and many others.
ReplyDeleteI think that stereotypes are always only - stereotypes. There is no point to believe in them. It's easier to think about people from other countries by using stereotypes, but they are hardly ever true. Every single human being is different from each other - we all have flaws and advantages. We should always remember about that. Stereotypes about people from other countries? Well, I think that people from Italy are lazy and they never hurry in life. Also people from Korea are super smart and they are great at school in subject like Maths or Chemistry.
ReplyDeleteWe have tendency to generalize a behavior and characteristics of people we’ve met to the whole nation they come from. That’s why I think there is something true in stereotypes although it can be harmful to the rest of nation. I believe it’s a kind of statistics. You can always find a group of people (even if not too large) who matches to the stereotype. Beside a nation is a society which some parts of genes, culture, norms, styles of upbringing, and values are preserved and repeated. So, it’s natural, in my opinion, that some characteristics and behaviors can be similar in one nation, especially if they are different than ours.
ReplyDeleteI would say that Brits are reserved and self-controlled. Poles like complaining a lot. Germans are disciplined and thrifty but also stingy. Italians are hotheads – they are loud, gesticulate, and the family is very important to them.
In my opinion stereotypes are somethings that we can't avoid. People need to have some informations even if most of them is not true. I know stereotype about blondes. When some people see woman with blond hair they think that she is foolish. But to be honest if does hair color has really big meaning?
ReplyDeleteThe truth about stereotypes usually lies in the middle. They exist because every nation has a different culture which could seem weird for others. People have a tendency to exaggerate the reality and think in a simplified way about other countries. On the other hand, there are certain behaviours treated as faults that are common for the whole nation. If stereotypes have nothing in common with reality, then how have they come into being? However, I think that they are often very harmful and not true to each person, for example, not every Muslim or Arab is a terrorist, not every Brit is phlegmatic and not every Pole is a thief.
ReplyDeleteI think that we will never get rid of stereotypes. The only way to find the truth of something is to examine it yourself. It true that some of the polish people are lazy, aggressive and impatient but there are many of us that are happy, curious and hardworking. It all depends on individuals.
ReplyDeleteI heard many times about Italians. The stereotypes say that they are loud, get nervous easily or that they are lazy. But on the other hand, they are thought of as a real family nation and very open to others.
In my opinion Brits are happy nation but also they are kind of selfish and secretive. What about Poles I think that we are happy nation and open for other poeople. Actually I have met during my summer break many people from all round the world and I have asked them what they think about stereotype that Poles are impatient and aggresive. All of them replied that we are very polite and they like Polish people. There are many stereotypes about other countries for example that Russian drinks always Vodka and that Africans do not have internet and phones.
ReplyDeleteTrue lies in every human being. We can meet quiet and shy Spanish man or Russian man who doesn't like drinking. Everything depends of the person. The birth in the country doesn't determine our character.
ReplyDeleteI know a few emotional stereotypes. Mainly about Jews, Russians and Polisz people. A lot of people says, that Jews are traitors of every nation, and they always have much money and they can buy anything as they want. One the most famous stereotype about Russians is that they love to drink vodka and that they very agressive - the same things if we ask somebody about Polish people.
I believe, that if you can find one exception to the rule, you should reject it, because it can't true of course. That's why stereotypes are useless and so often hurt people needlessly.
ReplyDeleteThe worst is that there aren't only stereotypes about other nations, but also about blondes, women, elderly people, etc.
"All Arabs and Muslims are terrorists."
"Italian or French people are the best lovers."
What a crap! But... From a psychological point of view, they are needed by people and can not be removed. Therefore,we must remember not to judge a man before we know him.
Stereotypes not come along out from nowhere. In each country we can observe diverse behaviour. However we can choose, in what we will be believe. It is inevitable to block it all out. When we hear that Britons are phlegmatic tea-drinkers we can't bin this picture from our imagine. So we should remember to try form an own impression about each nationality.
ReplyDeleteI don't know more emotional stereotypes about other nationalities. But just as Ania, in WYD I saw that for example the Spanish are very emotionally charged and loud. And they love take photos!
I personally hate the idea of emotional stereotypes of the country. I think that people differ from each other so much that it is very harmful to put them all in one box.
ReplyDeleteIf some foreigner would try to talk with me and threw a bunch of Polish stereotypes at me I'd probably feel a little annoyed. We all try to simplify the world in some way, that's human nature, but I think that we should also be aware that these beliefs don't reflect reality...Some stereotypes have some truth to them in general but if you try to judge a person on the basis of their nationality, then it's problematic.
Again, again and again, stereotypes is a neverending topic of hate, bitterness and hatred. And obviously we know they are not true in general. So why even trying to categorize people like that? Just to infuriate some individuals? Anyway truth is too big word in this case - defying the whole society by misbehavior of small part of it...
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion there is a lof of truth in stereotypes, but we should treat them more like hints than sure things. Stereotypes base on observation. For example Spanish people are considered as outgoing, loud party-lovers. Those information are a perfect hint if you also love parties and meeting new people and you are looking for a place for holidays. But you need to remember that even if majority of Spaniards match this stereotype, still there is a group of people that are completely different and we can’t blame anyone for this.
ReplyDeleteThe article is about the role of stereotypes in the modern world. Today people associate other nations with some stereotypes. To my mind it is connected with some historic facts etc. that people start to associate different nations with different characteristics, such as cheerfulness, laziness etc. Maybe, stereotypes help people to associate a country with some traits of character. Of course, all people are different and if the stereotype of any country is that people who live in this country are lazy and angry, it does not mean that all people are the same without an exception. All people in every part of the world have almost the same traits of character. The only fact is that one nation can have a characteristic on a larger scale than, for example, a country with the opposite stereotype.
ReplyDeleteThat is why I can say that stereotypes can be true only for a small group of a society. I know the stereotype about Korean people. They say that they are smart in all things. This stereotype appeared because of the inventions and different successful firms opened in Southern Korea. I can say that this stereotype is true. Most of Korean people like to study. They are also rather polite.
In conclusion I can say that the stereotypes help people to associate some nation with different traits of character. They are not obligatory true but are partly from the history or tradition of the country or other aspects.
There is no doubt that all native is characteristic. Societies have different personalities or habits. Generally speaking, I personally find stereotypes false. Nevertheless, there is a little truth in every stereotype. Another important aspect is that the wheel turns so some of stereotypes are behind the curve. Obviously, if we compare British with Poles or with other nation they are various. Some people claim that British are stressed, worried and angry only because it is widely believed. I have ever heard about a plenty of emotional stereotypes of other counties. However, what should I add is that I am not convinced of their validity. For instance, it is said that the Italians are emotional intelligent. I also know about a number of emotional stereotypes of Poles. As a nation Poles are different from the others and I find it completely natural.
ReplyDeletei think in every stereothypes is some truth. They could be cruel or completely imagined, but they had to come from some source. I've heard from my foreign friends living in Poland that people are hardworking, but also very rude and tedious. I can't decide that's true or not, because I'm not objective being Pole, but I can see a grain of truth in it.
ReplyDeleteI think stereotypes are commonly and we need it. Of course stereotypes wrong very often, but people use categories to think. Stereotype is one of them
ReplyDeleteIn some stereotypes there are piece of truth, in some country there are more people with same character traits than in other. But stereotypes generalize and simplify reality. Judge every single person measure by stereotype about nation can be harmful, unfair and false.
ReplyDeleteThere is some piece of truth in several stereotypes, but most of them are pretty old so they are not modern. For example, everybody hates Russian tourists because they drink a lot and they are loud. In fact modern researches shows that German people are the loudest one and they drink more than Russians do. On the other hand, I agree that Russians are very aggressive but from the other point of view I can say that they are very protective in the good meaning of this word.
ReplyDeleteStereotypes can be very harmful, but sometimes they say something about nation. They didn’t arised from nothing, there had to be some reasons that they exist, so I believe that there is a grain of truth in it. Of course it's not a rule that every person in nation is like this, but it can be direction for us what we can expect from someone and how to prepare for meeting with foreigner. Stereotypes result from historical experiences, cultural background and generally upbringing in certain conditions. There is nothing inappropriate in talking about stereotypes if it doesn't result in insulting someone and if we remember that we can make some judgements only after meeting someone and talking with him, never relying only on stereotypes.
ReplyDeleteAll stereotypes come from somewhere, so there's always a grain of truth in them. I like to think of stereotypes as a double-sided coin. There are negative stereotypes on one side, and positive on the other. When put against a particular stereotype, like here about nations, it might be worth it to flip that imaginary coin before jumping to conclusions. It can give you a glimpe at both sides of the nation, not just the negative one. (Because lets face it, we always start with the bad side...or that is also just an another stereotype)
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ReplyDeleteDagna Raczkiewicz
ReplyDeleteI think, that there is a little truth in every stereotype. If they have nothing in common with reality, how have they come into being? Sometimes it is a bad truth, sometimes it’s changing that after many years it is more like a legend.
Of course I know many stereotypes of other countries but after many of my journeys I’m trying not to focus on that and be more open minded.
In my opinion in every stereotype there is a grain of truth.Geographical location and historical background are the factors in creating natures of nations. Obviously we should remember that everybody in this world is different and when we meet people for abroad we shouldn't evaluate someone before getting to know.
ReplyDeleteIf we talk about emotional stereotypes, many times I heard about laziness of Greeks and amorousness of people from Italy and France. Norweginas are always cold and controlled.
I think that every stereotype has sme part of the truth within. I can't agree with any of the statements about the Brits either. On one hand, I've met a lot of loud and impolite british people, maily when on vacation. On the other hand, I've had english lessons with a British man for almost ten years, and he is the most polite, great person. Some of the stereotypes concerning other nations that I know are for example that Germans are hardworking, strict and economical, Greeks on the other hand are said to be lazy, loud and nosy, nowadays the internet makes us all believe that men from india are desperate to find themselves some women, and are quite awkward. Though I think even though our environment has an influence on us, we all are different still, and we should not think stereotypically
ReplyDeleteWell, I can say that we can find a piece of truth in every prejudice or stereotype. Otherwise, how would they form and exist so long? On the other hand we can't generalise and call the same millions of people. However, I understand the way the general and main impression impression is born. It takes also its roots in history, we learn from experiences and try to foresee actions, I think it's one the concepts where these opinions come from. What I find very important, is the fact that we always should confront such information with reality and no matter what don't really only on things we hear. There's no danger in being a little bit open-minded.
ReplyDeleteI believe that stereotypes are unnecessary and mostly harmful. They generalize people too much. A lot of them can offend other cultures and be racist. For example, because of them, Poles are often considered as thieves.
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In my opinion, the truth lies in every single person. Not every British citizen is sad and not every Pole is impatient. The stereotype is subordinate to the group, not the unit. One of the stereotypes is that of the Russians, who are said to consume a lot of alcohol, especially vodka, we are not sure if we are talking about a few people or the whole nation.
I believe that stereotypes may have their origins somewhere. However, I don't think that nowadays we should take them more seriously than like some funny quotes. I really don't see the point in such generalizations. Of course we may meet someone that fits into stereotypes, but they doesn't characterize the whole nation.
ReplyDeleteStereotypes have always been around us and always will be. Stereotypes spoil most people; they spoil a person. Steriotypes can spoil the impression of a whole nation or nation. About a country or continent. We can’t get rid of them, we can only try to abstract ourselves so that we can better express ourselves and better see people in other people
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