What is the American Stereotype?

So these kids came over from france and visited our french class. They said the typical american stereotype is that Americans are all very very fat.

If you aren't in the U.S, what do you think of when you here 'American?'

My father worked for one of the Native organizations and when he would go up north the prices would astound him.

$10 for a little tiny block of cheese is one example.

But - a lot of the communities he went to are fly-in only except in the winter months.

I don't think we neccessarily believe the second half as much as hope for the first.

Hard work can and normally does generate success. But we don't immediately assume when someone hasn't 'succeeded' that it was because they didn't work hard enough.

glinda, it totally is that, but anytime i mention that, i get my ass kicked ;-)

ali, although american reservations are less isolated than canada's northern reserves, i doubt that things are much better on, say, the desert state reservations.  i've driven (and ridden) through arizona, where there are hundreds of miles of nothing but highway gas stations and convenience stores (not to mention some of the most spectacular summer thunderstorms i've ever seen).

Commenting on the original topic, America as a whole is extrememly diverse so you have to admit that there are stereotypes for every region. My husband is from a small town in Texas and when I first met one of his relatives she was relieved to see that I wasn't a "fancy Yankee" like she had been picturing me-- all because I was born and raised in the Boston area. I think she was expecting someone like a member of the Kennedy family, a tennis skirt and a sweater with the arms tied over my shoulders perhaps?

"...and she stepped on the ball!"

Original Post by pgeorgian:

i think lots of immigrants don't want to leave home, but home becomes intolerable. so they try to create a community in their new home. i don't see what's so egregious about that, and i don't understand people who don't see that as enriching and beneficial.

Btw, it's not enriching and beneficial to anyone (except maybe companies exploiting cheap labor) because it means you're participating in a much smaller economy with considerably less opportunity and room for advancement thus fostering poverty (and crime because of the poverty) to the area "settled".

Enriching and beneficial would be to make accessible parts of one's origin culture to their new home's inhabitants by living within, not segregated from, the english speaking population.

 

Very few US Native American communities aren't thriving, Pg. They are making money hand over fist in a lot of cases.

There has to be enough of a behavior present in a culture for other people to see and create a stereotype. Some stereotypes are accurate for a large enough section of that culture to perpetuate the stereotype. As other posters have said, stereotypes can be either positive and negative.

Some jokes that play on stereotypes are absolutely hysterical. I think it helps to laugh at ourselves. Where I currently live there's a fairly large group of people of Polish descent. They call each other dumb polak, and make fun of each other. It's OK for their non-polish friends to kid them about it. However, it's not OK for complete strangers to stereotype them as stupid.

I know that I am occasionally caught up in looking at someone through a stereotype or a prejudice. When I catch myself I feel bad and generally try to either educate myself about those people or to try to overcome that prejudice. Unfortunately not all people try to do this and believe in the stereotypes and perpetuate them so they can feel superior. I see this as a character flaw and I believe this is where true willful ignorance is displayed.

'gator - i don't get it.

but as far as my previous statement, i think the second part is implied.  there's always a flip side, you know?  doctrines are full of these dichotomies: in AA they say "it works if you work it."  the implied flip side is, "if it doesn't work, it's your fault."

I'd like to see proof of that, gator.

"making money" and "thriving" are not the same thing.  we have casinos, golf courses, and resort developments on reserves, too; typically it means that a small group is profiting while the majority are being exploited and/or pushed out.

A lot of those gambling communities that are making tons of money are really communities at all. A few of the tribal leaders and their friends are keeping all of the money and conditions for much of the community stay the same. The money often doesn't filter down to the individuals who need it the most.

I drove through a couple of these communities in 1998 where the casinos had been up and running for several years. Many, many of the natives were living in shacks. The schools and medical facilities were not modern by any means, yet the casinos and hotels were fancy. The workers were being exploited for cheap labor.

There's no denying that America has been considered 'the land of opportunity' for about 200 years. Every community, every sector of the population has successes and failures. Doesn't negate the hope that people harbor when they come here, nor should it.

The American dream exists as a beacon. Whether you think it is flawed or not, people believe in it. They come here. They work, they succeed, they flourish.

185 was a reference from "Trading Places"

...and this situation is made possible by the hierarchical system of band government (chief and council) that was imposed by the colonizers to replace the communal decision-making processes that existed for thousands of years.

They come here. They work, they succeed, they flourish.


That is not representative of everyone who comes to America.

just what i was going to say, ali.  and i think it's becoming less true all the time.  more and more, people are running from rather than running to.

Original Post by pgeorgian:

...and this situation is made possible by the hierarchical system of band government (chief and council) that was imposed by the colonizers to replace the communal decision-making processes that existed for thousands of years.

 Can I ask a question?  Are they required to live there?  Do they have to live with this "situation"?  I thought they were free to move wherever they wanted to.  I know quite a few people of American Indian heritage and they aren't suffering under any of what you are saying.

Original Post by alibuch:

They come here. They work, they succeed, they flourish.


That is not representative of everyone who comes to America.

 Well obviously...heck.  "they work, they succeed, they flourish" isn't even representative of everyone who was BORN in America...let alone everyone who COMES to America.

peaches... Your post is pretty naive I'd say. If you're brought up on a reservation with no money, no where to go... how are you going to leave and succeed?

they are free to move, peaches, but it's a catch-22; stay on the reserve (or reservation) and receive benefits, in addition to the support of family and some sense of belonging, or leave and give up all that.  in some communities, those who leave are not welcomed back.  and contrary to popular belief, living on reserve does not mean owning property or homes.  those who stay on reserve can't own their homes, so it's not like they can accumulate equity.  leaving typically means giving up everything.

also contrary to popular belief, not all indigenous people want to integrate.  some of them want to preserve the traditional ways, as difficult as that has become.  and those who are able to do so tend to be healthier mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.