Open Letter to All Americans

Have you ever felt that life was easy in America? Do you believe "land of the free" means that anyone can do whatever they like, anytime, anyplace, with no consequence? Would you argue that Americans are tolerant? How about that we are racist? Both? Neither? If someone told you that Americans were rude and loud, how would you respond? Americans are rich and drive fast cars, true or false? What about American students, are we less prepared than students from other countries in terms of academics? Have you ever perceived American society as classless? (Source) Does everyone you know here in America have a "hickabilly" accent and love country music?

Did any of that offend you? Maybe it made you laugh because it all seems so "wrong" and "ridiculous"... or maybe you can find yourself agreeing with a few of those statements, albeit ashamedly...

Either way, you have just learned of a few stereotypes the world holds against American people. Are they true? Did they hurt your feelings?

Have you ever laughed in a movie when a character visits France and a French citizen is portrayed as smoking a long cigarette, wearing a beret, and speaking in an over-the-top accent speaking rudely to the tourist? Do you find jokes about Asians being bad drivers humorous? What about stoic Germans who have Hitler-esque mustaches? All of these are stereotypes that Americans hold against other cultures, and I'm setting out to prove these stereotypes as false and, most of the time, harmful to relations with other cultures.

I'm here to explore, to hopefully teach, and mostly to learn myself about other people and the way they live. Each week, I will chose a well-known stereotype about another culture foreign from our own (although there are plenty we hold against each other on our own shores I could take years and years hunting down and exploring) and explain perhaps how it started, why its still popular, and do interviews, research, and develop hypotheses about whether the stereotype is relevant or meaningful. Stereotypes come from somewhere. They are mostly hurtful, but they will be the springboard for my blog so I can lead you around the world from your computer screen. Help you meet new people, learn new things, view the world and the people in it hopefully a little less stereotypically and far more realistically.

Care to join me?

Next week, we're exploring stereotypes Americans hold against our neighbors in the Great White North: Canada.


Let me know in the comments any specific cultures you'd especially like me to explore in the future or any thoughts, questions, concerns, or ideas you have for this blog. I look forward to traveling with you!