☆ENGLISH ONLY☆コミュのStereotypes

Hi, I know there's probably been a topic on this in the past but i looked back over the past 100 or so topics and couldn't find one so i thought i'd put it up anyway.

A couple of months ago I got into a "discussion" with a guy in my team at work. The problem started when he turned to me and said- "you lived in Japan, you must've eaten sushi every day while you were there." I nearly laughed out loud because I thought- wow, fish every day for three and a half years???

Anyway, I turned to him and said, "Mate, that would be like saying Australians eat red meat every day"...

His reply- "Australians do eat red meat every day..."

I took a deep breath, wondering if this discussion would be really worth it or would it be easier to just bang my head against the wall now... I said "I don't eat meat every day. Does that mean I'm not Australian?"

His reply- "Well you mustn't be a real Australian..."

I got up and walked out of the room.

What other stereotypes really annoy you?

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[1] mixiユーザー 08月31日 19:51

Did that really annoy you? I could think of much worse stereotypical views than being told "you eat x type food!".

The british stereotype is that all brits like and drink tea constantly, which we don't. Doesn't bother me in the slightest. I think it is important to be able to laugh at yourself. I have some interesting heritage which brings comments with even more interesting stereotypes, some which could be offensive to some people, but i find it humourous.

A lot of stereotypes have some sort of basis, like the fact that a lot of english people DO like tea. However some, like japanese eat sushi all the time, is just from ignorance.

[2] mixiユーザー 08月31日 20:03

After being in another country for several years, I came across wide variety of stereotypes. I do have several.

I think everyone has some kind of stereotypes. I came to think that it is O.K. to have some as long as you don't say it aloud.

Majority of people are generally ignorant (and this may be my stereotype, too). Many people are just not fortunate enough to have opportunity to learn about other culture.

I am sorry that my comment does not answer your question....

The funniest ones are the following:

Do Japanese have Independence Day?
Do Japanese cerebrate Memorial Day?
Did you have to learn how to use knife and fork before coming to the U.S.?
What part of China is Japan?

Believe it or not, those questions were asked by better educated people who have never been to abroad.

By the way, when I lived in Japan, I ate fish every day. Some people do eat fish every day if one lives near fish market.

[3] mixiユーザー 08月31日 20:05

It's not so much the stereotypes that annoyed me, it was the fact that someone would make assumptions like that based on one fact and try to base an entire conversation stating stereotypes as fact.

[4] mixiユーザー 08月31日 20:11

豊次郎さん, I actually really liked your comment- I know people make assumptions that may be based on stereotypes. I lived in Hiroshima for 3 and a half years, but I also have an allergy to shellfish and that's part of the reason I don't eat fish every day- Not that I'm allergic to fish too, but sometimes the smell is just too much!

I loved the list of questions people have asked you. Thanks for commenting!

[5] mixiユーザー 08月31日 20:23

I know an African American guy, he's always the
first guy picked for any sport...because all
African Americans can play basket ball right???

I have a Chinese friend who actually does know
kung fu...well actually not kung fu. He's a
very good martial artist who trains in Tai Chi
and Bagua. But it still bugs me that people
expect everyone who has Chinese origins to know
kung fu.

[7] mixiユーザー 08月31日 20:43

hmmm a stereotype that all english people have bad teeth, we drink tea constantly, we put salt in every food, et etc.

when i was growing up, someone asked me

" how can u tell the difference between people when u all have black hair and brown eyes"

lol
i was like err so u cant tell the difference between brunetts??

[8] mixiユーザー 08月31日 20:54

I'm Japanese and I don't really like onsen.
When Japanese people hear that, they look so surprised or shocked, and blatantly tell me;
"I knew you're not typical Japanese."
"You're not real Japanese."
"you lived abroad too long." etc.

er.. actually I don't mind hot spring itself but really don't like the idea of sharing bathing water with other people. can't be arsed to explain it though. It's best to let go (nagasu). If it's really annoying or from spite, I'd give them equally stupid remarks to wind them up...

I would usually take such stereotypical remarks as a joke. hardly offended.

BTW, I enjoy my cuppa rosie every morn although I'm Japanese! :D It's easier to get hold of English tea rather than quality Japanese green tea here in UK.

[9] mixiユーザー 08月31日 21:28

ティキティキ :

you can't find nice japanese tea? surprising! at least in london, there is many japanese shops you can buy nice food from.

[10] mixiユーザー 08月31日 21:55

that's was a really funny story.....

The other country, people think about Japanese wear KIMONO everyday..

Or when it comes to think about Japanese,
a little bit of person who really don't know about Japanese, Japanese = SAMURAI & NINJYA sth like that...

Ha ha ha...

[11] mixiユーザー 08月31日 22:29

> 9: Ｊ美ー
well they are OK. Have you seen IPPODO tea in London by any chance? I really like their stuff. otherwise I'd get it sent over from Japan.

Also what I meant easier is to shop from my local Waitrose, Sainsbury's etc than go all the way to Brewer St, me lazy arse...

sorry, it's off topic.

[12] mixiユーザー 08月31日 22:32

Many people outside of Japan think Japanese people are cruel and vicious.
But many of them modify this long-held belief after they get to know ME!! hehehe :)

[13] mixiユーザー 08月31日 23:32

I got the same situation when I went back to my country as the image of Japan is sushi and kimono and the people somehow the think that Bruce lee is Japanese..and nobody believes that he is chinese..and even met people believes that everything works by romote controler..doors, windows, ovens..and there are no spoons and forks

[14] mixiユーザー 08月31日 23:37

I find it funny that I've hardly ever been asked a stereotypical question about the Japanese even though I've been in the U.S. for over 17 years. I dod remember being asked whether Japanese eat sushi every day. That came from a friend who grew up in the Midwest and had not known any Japanese before me. :)

I agree with the OP that it gets annoying when people turn mere stereotypes into "facts" and try to judge you based on those. It's one thing to believe Japanese like onsen in general; it's quite another to consider you "not real Japanese" when you say you don't.

[17] mixiユーザー 09月04日 07:06

I don't like it when people think Japanese eyes go down, and Chinese eyes go up, and all that rubbish. Does it really matter what our eyes are like? Oh, and Japanese people MUST like raw fish, and that's the only thing we eat!

[18] mixiユーザー 09月04日 07:24

Not all stereotypes, but I'm Scottish and wish to correct these assumptions which people frequently make:

Scotland is NOT a place in England (that one really annoys me).

I DO NOT have red hair.

Scottish people DO speak English even although they DO NOT live in England.

My name is NOT JOCK or ANGUS.

A Kilt is NOT a skirt... it costs a lot more.

Braveheart is NOT a particularly true story.

Ahhh, that was good to get off my chest

[19] mixiユーザー 09月04日 07:44

oh wow...I would say he is so stubburn and offensive...

[20] mixiユーザー 09月04日 11:50

I'm from Hawaii, so I must know how to surf and dance hula. I have also been asked if I live in a grass shack. That was kind of a shocker. :)

[22] mixiユーザー 09月04日 12:08

My parents are from India. And most people ask if I am vegetarian or if I know hindi. I am Catholic, so I eat meat. And I don't know hindi.

[23] mixiユーザー 09月04日 13:43

When I was in Australia, many Aussie asked me "You are Japanese so you must like sushi & row fish! You eat everyday?"
I said, "I'm not very keen on them, actually."
99% of them asked me, "Are you really Japanese??" in all seriousness.

The other thing. I've never been to Mt.Fuji. I only watched it on TV. When I told them about it, they asked me the same question.

My family, relatives are all Japanese, but maybe I'm not Japnaese???

[24] mixiユーザー 09月04日 14:32

While I was in Japan, people would ask me if I'd been to Uluru- A lot of people don't realise how big Australia is. I used to use the Mt Fuji example to emphasise that just because it's a famous place in a country doesn't mean all people from that country have actually been there. A lot of people also assume that Sydney or Melbourne is the capital of Australia. But, we're not the only country to have that problem... For the record, I actually have been to Uluru and it was an amazing experience, but a lot of Aussies haven't.

[25] mixiユーザー 09月04日 14:34

SOME people think that all Americans own guns.

[26] mixiユーザー 09月04日 15:04

unbdaveable> don't forget about the part where we all have them on our persons at all times, and shoot them at the drop of a hat.

[27] mixiユーザー 09月04日 15:29

25 + 26, You're not telling me that's not true, are you??? Seriously? Oh, and apparently all Australians use sarcasm as a form of humour!

[28] mixiユーザー 09月04日 15:32

>His reply- "Well you mustn't be a real Australian..."

Did he say this totally deadpan? If so, then I want to be friends with him. Top-notch sense of humor. He earns extra points if he's Australian himself.

I have friends who are certain that I must love tentacle porn and bukkake porn by virtue of me being Japanese.

[29] mixiユーザー 09月04日 15:34

Summer Soldier, unfortunately, there was absolutely no hint of humour... He was serious about it. You should hear what he had to say about smokers- which was made even funnier when he said it in a room of about 12 people half of whom are smokers...

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