Culture misconceptions

Being chinese and a food-lover, part of me wants to yell every time I see a fortune cookie. Why? Because outside any Caucasian country, it does not exist. It was probably a smart gimmick used by some witty restaurant owner to attract oblivious diners. Same to those squarish paper take away boxes. We use foam boxes, and before that, there was no such thing as take away. People might have used metal boxes of their own but that's it. I was just as annoyed when my roommates ordered lemon chicken and honey prawns, basically deep frying one thing or the other and tossing it in some sauce. We DO have fried rice, spring rolls and sweet and sour pork, but we don't eat it every meal. In fact us ordering these would be like ordering a beef pie at a proper restaurant.

Here's the end of my rant. Now I'm interested in hearing yours. Go for it.

I always figured the "Chinese" places that are so iconic in the US were a lot like McDonald's is to us. They're all based off our classic food items but a far cry from top notch or representative of the "real thing." Yeah we have burgers but give me 10 minutes with some ground beef and I can kick McDonald's ***.

Since you brought up fortune cookies. Great marketing idea catered to our view of China as "mysterious." My rant: they don't tell you fortunes anymore. They're more like "general advice" cookies such as "you will succeed if you try hard."

Nice try cookie

mmm now i want Chinese food...er...fake Chinese food...I knew that about fortune cookies though yay! Though i rarely eat..fake Chinese food.

I have a rant: I am from Arkansas and i am so *** tired of hearing **** about people from the south. I have traveled all over this great country and i can tell you with out a doubt that there are no more racist people here than there are anywhere else yet we are all "racist rednecks" if you ask some people from the north. We are also uneducated(my spelling and grammer are bad because i CHOSE to be lazy in school and does not reflect that of people from the south) yet the worst schools in the country are in New York and they say WE are stupid.

One thing that pissed me off so much was when i lived in Noth Carolina i worked with a man from New Jersey and he liked to make fun of MY accent! Someone from NEW JERSEY!!!!If you have heard a thick Jersey accent then I shouldnt even have to explain why that made me angry.

I could go on but i wont.

Lol. I'm from New York. Overall I agree with you. Some rural schools are excellent as well as some State Colleges. I was in Oklahoma for a while visiting my brother and, at least there, the pace of life seems slower (its not its just an impression the people gave me) which leads to a lot of stereotypes. In my experience, very polite and well spoken people for the most part, just like home. Accent wise I was easily recognized as a Western New Yorker in Albany. People like to focus on stupid crap

I completely get why you'd be mad about the stereotype as it is sadly prevalent

Believe me I know, the food you get at "chinese" restaurants is vaguely Asian originating recipes that have just been changed and adapted to suit the western palate.

There's this kind of thing everywhere, it's just like when people say that chicken tikka masala is an Indian dish, when it was actually first created in Scotland

The one thing I hate is the AWFUL british accents that are used in films. We do not sound like that. Maybe we did 70 years ago when a certain man foretold that "we shall fight on the beaches", but noone sounds like that today

Thank you skarekrow lol...to be fair some the best schools in the country are also in New York. I saw a news special and they were talking about how one of the worst was within walking distance of one the best.

In my travels i have also noticed that people from more rural areas are generaly more polite(and willing to help someone in need) than those from larger cities...more laid back i suppose? Perhaps its just that there are the same percentage of rude people you just dont notice becuase there are less people? lol i may be reaching there though.

I know how you feel Serious...southern accents are generally horribly inaccurate and overdone in movies. I mean sure there are still some people with really thick accents but....jeez we dont sound like that.

Also Florida accents are different southern than Georgia or Oklahoma. I agree that rural gets identified with polite more often but some cities capture that. Oklahoma City and Buffalo both are small town feel

There aren't any misconceptions about us Austrians. We're actually skiing and yodeling nazis.

As a white, middle class male in America, I'm so sick and tired of this misconception everyone has that it's easy for me to get by in life because of it! I mean come on, my laundry machine breaks down just like everyone else's!

Darkson wrote:There aren't any misconceptions about us Austrians. We're actually skiing and yodeling nazis.

Don't forget the beer tankards and dungarees Darkson

There is just nothing less educated than spreading or beleiving misleading over-generalisations. Thinking about all the times I've encountered racists here makes my blood boil a little. They think that my english is too bad to understand or respond to their jests, but I simply can't be bothered to try. I mean for ****'s sake, you'd think a country with so many immigrants and overseas students would be more educated with this sort of matter. Granted, there are plenty of students here with english so bad I feel embarressed. Still, it just disappoints me that people enjoy making fun of other people.

I realise I'm ranting again so I'll stop here.

The Aussies not treating you well? :|

It's cool, they're just British convicts anyways... (Oh look how ironic I can be)

I absolutely hate that the rest of the world thinks Americans are total idiots. Excluding the bible belt states, there's a smart person for ever idiot in America, look at the smart people, not our idiots.

I however will not deny that a lot of us are fat though because once I went on road trip and when I went through Missouri and I stopped to get some grub, everyone there except me weighed well over 250 pounds.

Extertionist wrote:I absolutely hate that the rest of the world thinks Americans are total idiots. Excluding the bible belt states, there's a smart person for ever idiot in America, look at the smart people, not our idiots.

I however will not deny that a lot of us are fat though because once I went on road trip and when I went through Missouri and I stopped to get some grub, everyone there except me weighed well over 250 pounds.

I think a certain former president didn't help your cause for that stereotype

Racist guy: "Go back to your own countries you -insert racial slur here.-"
Native American: "..."

bloodpixel wrote:Racist guy: "Go back to your own countries you -insert racial slur here.-"
Native American: "..."

Some people...

*insert Australian fighting massive spider/kangaroo/scorpion/pack of dingoes joke here*.

Extertionist wrote:I absolutely hate that the rest of the world thinks Americans are total idiots. Excluding the bible belt states, there's a smart person for ever idiot in America, look at the smart people, not our idiots.

Uh huh and where are these bible belt states? This is exacly what im talking about.You know nothing of my state. What state are you from? Ill agree about Missouri though they suck.

Also no there is not a smart person for every dumb one. America is just like every other country in that respect. Human civilization is comprised of 80% morons...minimum. Yes im a cynic. What of it?

I for one dont mind other countries saying that we are stupid. Stupidity is how we accumulated all this power:roll:

They just jelly.

DoughGuy wrote:*insert Australian fighting massive spider/kangaroo/scorpion/pack of dingoes joke here*.

Here's one:

Yes I live in Australia, and yes, I ride a kangaroo to school everyday.

JY4answer wrote:

DoughGuy wrote:*insert Australian fighting massive spider/kangaroo/scorpion/pack of dingoes joke here*.

Here's one:

Yes I live in Australia, and yes, I ride a kangaroo to school everyday.

I envy you so much.

Also sinister there is definitely not 80% idiots in the human race, maybe that many are in america but yeah, you guys do have a reputation after all

sinisterapathy wrote:

Extertionist wrote:I absolutely hate that the rest of the world thinks Americans are total idiots. Excluding the bible belt states, there's a smart person for ever idiot in America, look at the smart people, not our idiots.

Uh huh and where are these bible belt states? This is exacly what im talking about.You know nothing of my state. What state are you from? Ill agree about Missouri though they suck.

Also no there is not a smart person for every dumb one. America is just like every other country in that respect. Human civilization is comprised of 80% morons...minimum. Yes im a cynic. What of it?

I for one dont mind other countries saying that we are stupid. Stupidity is how we accumulated all this power:roll:

They just jelly.

I am from Colorado and I may say this from lack of experience, but I have not met very many smart people who were born from these bible belt states, but I also haven't met to many and people who've come from these states like Santorum and Bush don't help my opinion of them at all. The bible belt consists of the southern states of Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida.

Uh, let's just say I don't think the south is any more racist than the North. Seeing that I know of KKK members operating around here, and tons of racists are found in the area. And, I'm pretty North.

Tolvo wrote:Uh, let's just say I don't think the south is any more racist than the North. Seeing that I know of KKK members operating around here, and tons of racists are found in the area. And, I'm pretty North.

The KKK still exist? seriously?

Sounds like some parts of society REALLY need to move on.

They have websites as well, and can even be public about it. It technically isn't against the law to be a member, or to preach racist ideals. Of course if they kill someone, *cough*they do*Cough*, then the law is going to come down on them hard, typically. So, they can openly operate actually.

EDIT: By the way don't go to any of their websites out of curiosity, it will put you on an FBI watch list.

Tolvo wrote:They have websites as well, and can even be public about it. It technically isn't against the law to be a member, or to preach racist ideals. Of course if they kill someone, *cough*they do*Cough*, then the law is going to come down on them hard, typically. So, they can openly operate actually.

EDIT: By the way don't go to any of their websites out of curiosity, it will put you on an FBI watch list.

lol, I think I'm outside FBI jurisdiction to be honest, though I had no intention of going on their sites