American stereotypes?

Particular thanks to NightmareHippieGirl and MyNameIsKC for trying to answer my question!

KC, when I asked this question I was particularly interested in knowing what a stereotypical African American was, because as far as I'm aware black and white people have lived together a long time in America and they share the same culture — so any generalisations about black people can't be based on culture. Which left me wondering how black people can be stereotyped at all.

After reading NightmareHippieGirl's reply, it would seem they are stereotyped by their music stars. It's quite an unfortunate stereotype (considering most hip hop stars deliberately portray themselves in a negative light), but not too surprising considering music is just about the only career that still divides people of different races, since there is so much tradition and history associated with the genres of each race.

I think the reason we don't have black stereotypes in the UK is that our music isn't anywhere near as racially polarised as it is in the USA. So there aren't really any careers or lifestyles exclusive to any particular race, hence no strong stereotypes.

I wonder, do black Americans stereotype white Americans based on music of white origin, or is white music too diverse to grant any stereotypes?

 

yes, we are also stereotyped. you can tell the difference between white music and non-white music. i just don't give a shit. i like it if it's good. but then, thankfully, there's that beautiful region in between the different styles of pop music where there's a more normal and dynamic blend of styles. but for my taste, i'm a blues girl. i mean old blues, and maybe some kick ass foot stomping old gospel. can't help it, lived in lower long beach for too long not to be heavily affected by the music culture. but i'm your stereotypical looking white girl. grandma was middle class southern brit.

 

yes, white people are stereotyped according to what music they listen to. there are the "goths" (all black wearing,listening to marilyn manson, worshiping the devil), the "rednecks" (listen to country music, drives a pickup truck, wears overalls), and the "wiggers" (listen to rap/hip hop, supposedly tries to "act black").

 

what about trailer trash? what do they listen to?

 

generally country music, i guess.


or maybe some 80's mullet rock bands

 

YEAH......MULLET ROCK Like REO SPEEDWAGON and TOTO!!!!!!

 

Mmm...so many annoying stereotypes...

If you are Italian and from New Jersey (which I am...) your family MUST be in the Mafia (which they aren't...damn Sopranos...) and you have that weird "Joisey" accent (which mostly people from North Jersey have...like my mom...)

If you are from Utah...your Dad has 15 wives, if you are from PA...you are Amish...if you are below the Mason-Dixon line...forget it...you're a hick until you reach Florida...which is full of Latinos and Old People....

Sterotypes are so retarded I swear...those are some I haven't seen already...

 

yeah. i think the whitest music i can stand is electronica. but i'm not a rah rah raver, either. find the scene to be interesting. then there's always big band and swing. love that shit. i just don't like stuff that sounds like every fucking thing you hear on the radio. talk about mental stagnation. there HAS been a country western song i've liked from time to time. there's that smoke rings in the dark song, got that one from my navajo buddy. lots of navajos adore country music.

 

So if that is an American, what do you say about Canadians?

 

that's your meek, dressed in denim and terrified of americans.

 

What????

I'm British and that's Not how I view American people at all...

I View them Like us...Yeah...



They're so much Kewlish Though...

 

my dad is the ultimate american stereotype. he's so fun to travel with, because people go nuts over him. they're so thrilled to have a huge (tall, not fat), loud (he's partially deaf), rude (he's from new york) american. he was a commander in the navy, and actor in college and one of the most flamboyant americans you'll ever meet. he would always dress the part of american tourist, down to the black socks and camera around the neck. he'd strive, badly, to piece together a few words in the native tongue of wherever we went. he's got a huge heart and the adventurous party nature of a teenager. it's no mystery that wherever we go he makes a new friend that invites us home to show to their family.


as for the rest of us, we're a pretty quiet bunch. quiet wit and roll with the punches personalities are the order of the day. it doesn't hurt that we're very good looking people that everyone assumes is rich, even though we lived in a house that was falling apart.

 

Dunno. Don't think we have a canadian stereotype. We don't really have that many stereotypes of other countries. Only the big countries, I guess.

Stereotypes aside, I personally love Canadians. I think they're really great people. I have a lot of respect for them.

KC,
Your Dad sounds like a fun and popular guy!

Mine's fun and popular, too. Only in a very British way! He drives me mad at times but I love him so much.

Wonder what would happen if our dads ever met?

 

Why do you want to know the steroetypes? Are you trying to be a racist?

 

Yes, I'm learnding how to be a racist but my book hasn't arrived yet so I have to surf on the interweb to get you guys to learn me.

 

hahaha...holy shit! you two just pretty much summed up my neighborhood... in fact my next door neighbors were listening to REO SPEEDWAGON just last night drinkin beer and singing along blasting it at 1 AM !!! hahaha that is so funny! i am glad i live here now...

 

i think the meeting of such forcefully opposite creatures would cause some sort of collapse of the universe or something. better to keep them seperated.

 

p.s. candians are dickheads, too.

 

I am not.