Stereotypes can be hurtful and harmful. Blanket statements are rarely ever accurate, and it’s unfair to make assumptions about anyone based solely on what you’ve heard. But occasionally, cliches about nations just so happen to be true. So as long as they’re approved by the locals, these stereotypes are harmless.
People from all over the world have been opening up on Reddit about assumptions people make about their countries that are rooted in reality. We hope you’ll enjoy scrolling through this list and learning more about various cultures around the globe, pandas. And be sure to upvote the replies that you wholeheartedly agree with!
#1
My Pakistani Mom to my Swiss friend: 'oh you don't eat meat? How long has the doctor told you to do this for'
Me: 'he is not ill mom, he just doesn't eat meat.'
Mom (visibly confused): "really? Ok I'll make chicken instead...".
Me: 'he is not ill mom, he just doesn't eat meat.'
Mom (visibly confused): "really? Ok I'll make chicken instead...".
40points
#2
We eat a lot of potatoes.
You won't believe it until you visit one of our restaurants and try a potato plate. That's hashbrowns, chips, wedges, baked potato with a little of mash on the side.
Yes, Ireland.
You won't believe it until you visit one of our restaurants and try a potato plate. That's hashbrowns, chips, wedges, baked potato with a little of mash on the side.
Yes, Ireland.
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39points
#3
Ukraine: If you visit my parents' house as an invited guest and don't eat, my mother will annihilate you.
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38points
#4
United States Of America: Elderly black women do indeed call everyone they see baby.
38points
#5
United States Of America: We smile at strangers in public.
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38points
#7
Netherlands: We have more bikes than people and biking around with 2 kids and a week worth of groceries all on one bike isn’t unusual. I saw a man riding his bike while carrying another bike on his shoulder a few days ago.
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37points
#8
Mediterranean-Australians: One of my friends are coming over for nibbles, I'm just going to quickly buy a few kilos of eggplant, harvest the olives and buy and raise a cow. Oh that's right she's vegan, forget the cow, I'll put on some chickpeas.
Australians: Alright we have twelve people coming over, I've cooked 18 sausages so that's one and a half for everyone, I got the cheapest cake from the supermarket, and Dave's new girlfriend is vegetarian so she can eat bloody grass. I've designated a beer room that will hold nothing but thousands of cold beers.
Australians: Alright we have twelve people coming over, I've cooked 18 sausages so that's one and a half for everyone, I got the cheapest cake from the supermarket, and Dave's new girlfriend is vegetarian so she can eat bloody grass. I've designated a beer room that will hold nothing but thousands of cold beers.
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36points
#9
German efficiency is a myth, but the other end of that stereotype - the insanity of German bureaucracy - is unfortunately very true.
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36points
#11
New Zealand: We are indeed imaginary. Our country does not exist.
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35points
#12
Poland: We have a resting mean face. It does not mean we don't like you or anything. We just look like this unless we have a reason to express other emotions.
Also, if we did not like you: you would not have any doubts about it. Poles have verbal diarrhea and if "something lyes on our liver"( meaning: something bothers us or we simply have an opinion) it needs to come out.
It can be exhausting but the same time you always know where you stand with a Pole.
Also, if we did not like you: you would not have any doubts about it. Poles have verbal diarrhea and if "something lyes on our liver"( meaning: something bothers us or we simply have an opinion) it needs to come out.
It can be exhausting but the same time you always know where you stand with a Pole.
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35points
#14
Papua New Guinea: Knowing 3-5 languages just for your one village alone.
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34points
#15
Germany: We hate tardiness and unpunctuality.
34points
#16
India: We won't shut up about our food. And don't get us started on mangoes.
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32points
#17
Australia: "It's just down the road."
3 hours later...
3 hours later...
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31points
#19
(Dutch) We're very direct and speak our minds. Often with much less regard to our relationship to the other person than in other cultures.
We're often misunderstood as rude. In The Netherlands it's seen as normal/a virtue. So please, we're really not trying to insult you. It's just talking straightforwardly.
We're often misunderstood as rude. In The Netherlands it's seen as normal/a virtue. So please, we're really not trying to insult you. It's just talking straightforwardly.
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31points
#20
Canadians do say sorry a lot. I and many others apologize to inanimate objects reflexively it's just that ingrained. We had to put it into law that an apology doesn't equal an admission of guilt. 😅.
31points