Thread: Reflecting on good neighbors

Okay everyone. No, Desperate Housewives is not an accurate representation of an average American life. Less than 2% of American television is. Why would someone want to watch what they are already living =\. Most shows are a radical and absurd drama filled 30 minute experience not anything like what we live. For the purpose of language learning and such (as apposed to a sort of grand ethical argument), this is okay. Since you are watching what we, at least the majority, watch as entertainment. As for the topic of bias and "stereotypes" in America, they are ever so present. Here's the thing, America, though positioned practically alone, (taking in to account that most americans aren't living near the southern border, where any actual other culture is: Mexico. Canada isn't much different than us in terms of beliefs or anything.), likes to think it knows a lot about other countries, when it definitely does not. We are riddled with ideas of "what it's like" in other countries. (Remember, America is large, and extremely different from coast to coast. My observations are being taken from the Northwest, with some varied connections to people near the mexican border, and stories of the East Coast). Sweden isn't what I'd call a center of our false ideas, I suppose the positivity towards Sweden in the show comes from Sweden being, in our minds, "a nice little european country", though mainly, I think the idea is that other countries would be "worse". With every country and people, we have some sort of stereotype for them. Generally countries we have a negative idea towards (if the chosen person randomly happens to not know any better) : France, Russia, Mexico(unless Mexican American, sort of a debatable one), China, NORTH KOREA. Perhaps more positive countries in our blind eyes: England. "Smaller" northern european countries for reasons unknown to me, such as Sweden, or Finland. Africa( Because we have this absurd idea that they are all still in huts and tribal camps, and feel sorry). Canada (Have a reputation for being super inexplicably nice). South Korea ("the good korea", I've heard it called) . It's important to remember that an Americans knowledge of other countries is entirely random, some know ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, others are quite unbiased. Just the other day I saw a person on Facebook, not someone I'd have thought to be particularly... cultured... post a Russian video, in russian. Granted, it was a video of a cat, but still, I was surprised to see that there was any sort of connection from this person to russians.

I'd say two typical Americans' idea of Russia is expressed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4cdRcRCwUU