Perhaps literally about every country there are a couple of stereotypes, most of which rarely have anything in common with the truth. We decided to check if any of them are true, and we found them! Share what would you add to this list?

1. Italy: Italians are very emotional and gesticulate when talking

If you come to Italy, you will definitely notice that the locals often speak loudly, emotionally and actively gesticulate at the same time. Once the Apennine Peninsula was divided into many kingdoms and people spoke different dialects of Italian. To understand each other, they were simply forced to use gestures. And yes, they are indeed very emotional and temperamental, but not to the extreme.

This stereotype has already become almost a legend and causes a lot of jokes, especially from the Americans. Indeed, Canadian residents use the particle “eh” at the end of a sentence to make it interrogative-rhetorical, and just out of habit.

3. UK: The British are usually cool and polite. And it's hard to get rid of them in general.

Unlike other Europeans, the British really try to keep a straight face in almost any situation: they are very polite and even a little phlegmatic. In everyday communication, it is difficult to guess the real emotions of the inhabitants of Foggy Albion - they are simply not visible, because you need to keep yourself within the bounds of decency.

4 Japan: Never Say No Here

The people of Japan hate to say "no": every time they need to say no to someone, they begin to evade and choose a more polite expression. The origins of this behavior lie in "timmoku" - the Japanese art of silence: it is better to remain silent than to offend a person with a refusal.

5. USA: Americans often smile

The smile of Americans is a respect for one's neighbor brought up for decades, part of the established culture of behavior. From childhood, they explain to kids that if you give others a good mood, then it will definitely return to you. In addition, Americans love to give compliments, including to strangers - how can you do without at least a slight smile here?

6. Brazil: people here are in no hurry and are always late

As in some other southern countries, in Brazil it is customary not to rush anywhere and, as a result, to be late. Punctuality can easily be considered bad form, and if, for example, you were invited to visit by 19:00, you should not come before 20:00. Of course, service suffers because of such regularity, but, on the other hand, people here know how to enjoy life and are far from the eternal rush and fuss.

7. Argentina: almost every resident of the country loves football

Football for Argentines is a real passion and not just a game. The days when championships are held are even declared days off in the country! Any elementary school student understands this game no worse than a professional sports referee and, of course, is a fan of one of the local clubs. And what a unique atmosphere reigns at the stadium - perhaps you should come here at least for her sake and see everything with your own eyes.

Source 8France: The French are constantly staging strikes and demonstrations.

Although modern French people do not strike as often as previous generations, according to the French themselves, strikes happen regularly. This is due to the vigorous activity of trade unions, the crisis and high taxes. It is not always possible to achieve results, but every now and then others suffer: transport stops running, institutions are closed, events are canceled.

9. Australia: Christmas here is usually celebrated in the summer

This is not even a stereotype, but a fact that is hard to believe: when the whole world celebrates Christmas and New Year, Australia reigns ... summer! A typical Christmas party here is held on the beach along with a barbecue and at a temperature of 30°C. We would not refuse to celebrate a holiday there at least once - this will be remembered for a lifetime.

10. Russia: the most beautiful girls in the world live here

Of course, beautiful girls live everywhere, but it is in Russia that you can meet a huge number of people in whose veins the blood of different nations flows. As a result, girls are born with a unique, original beauty that is rarely found anywhere. Well, let's be honest: the author of this article is from Russia and simply cannot remain silent about what amazing women are here!

Writes an American under the nickname SnarkyNomad: Almost always, when I tell people that I was in Russia, they ask me why I went there at all. What they imagine about Russia is the grandmothers in the line for bread in fur hats, covered with snow. It is clear that grandmothers, fur hats and snow have not gone away, but, because. trips or just trips to Russia are not yet widespread, then the minds of foreigners are simply crammed with stereotypes about Russians of the 50s of the last century, or even the year before. Much has changed in the past 60 years.

On the other hand... These stereotypes are not unfounded, and sometimes turn out to be true. And by the way, after my stay in Russia, I realized that some stereotypes are incredibly true. This country is, of course, more than ingrained stereotypes, but if you still want to know if Russians love vodka, or is it true that entire cities are covered with snow in winter, well ... let's find out!

1. They love vodka.

And so, all Russians are alcoholics, and they are 2 steps away from alcohol poisoning, right?

Not really. Yes, vodka is still the queen of the holiday table, but back in the early 2000s, beer produced a boom in retail due to the low price and choice of strength. Beer was not even considered as an alcoholic drink until recently, and was considered a light refreshing drink. Cola type. Although, I think this even reinforces this stereotype to some extent, in the sense that Russians do not even consider beer an alcoholic drink, it is so weak for them.

The point is that things change. Yes, Russians love their national drink, but they also love beer and wine, and the bars and clubs are packed with popular Western brands.

They drink a lot. I mean really a lot. In whatever Russian family I was invited to dinner, they always took vodka out of the refrigerator and drank it. They drank as if it were their last night on Earth. Do you have any idea what 9 glasses are for half an hour of dinner? I am yes.

Moreover, mother and daughter drank champagne. In the same quantities.

Plus, although Russians are not the biggest alcoholics on the planet, they are close to it. Alcoholism has been declared a national problem, and when you assume that the majority of drinkers are men (whose lives are significantly shorter as a result), you realize that the lower percentage of women who drink is a kind of compensation. Therefore, such a picture as a drunken uncle with a deafening burp at a wedding is becoming more and more true.

2. They have stone evil faces.

I will indeed be happy to say that this is the most misinterpretation of the fact. Unfortunately, most visitors (tourists) see Russians in such places as: ticket offices, hotels, bureaucratic offices, passport control - which is natural, we reinforce the prevailing opinion that Russians do not look polite and friendly.

But as soon as you have a net at a common table with them, they will feed you until your stomach bursts and pour vodka until your liver shatters. What's the point?

This can be compared to a glass barrier. While they are behind him, they will not see any interest in meeting your needs, as soon as the barrier disappears, they will tell you all the ins and outs over a glass of tea in the kitchen.

Well, in order for you to really be able to say “I learned something new today”, you need to point out, perhaps, the most important thing: Russians do not smile to seem friendly. They only smile when they actually see/hear something funny and see a real friend in front of them. And you understand that it is normal to live with a stone face, because. they are great at getting things done without having to smile all over the place. Sometimes, in the US, I envied this feature of Russian society.

3. Bureaucratic nightmare.

I will be the first to say this is 100% true. Any attempt to deal with bureaucracy or some sort of red tape is a heartbreaking procedure that will test your faith in humanity at the highest level. Trying to get out of this situation as an optimist is the same as staying sober at dinner with Russians.

Everything from visas to train tickets and permits will take you 43% longer than you expect, 28% less successful, and 34% more expensive. In general, be prepared. And then get ready for something else. Get a stash to wash down all the sorrows and disappointments later.

One exception is trains. The more "modern" European railway system, compared to Russian Railways, looks like a wagon ride on a muddy road in a rickety sidecar.

A friend of mine knows how to solve these hassles and red tape with fees. "Speed ​​tax" (bribe) - works very effectively. But if you do not plan to give a bribe, then endure all these "pleasures".

By the way, speaking of bribes…

4. All police officers are bribe takers.

This is partly true.

The police, the authorities and all of them have a terrible reputation in Russia, hinder development and encourage cruelty. And this is true in a sense. The first day in Russia was remembered as a terrible passport check, or “give a bribe”, which, by the way, is common throughout the post-Soviet space. This is very annoying! But, I'm lucky. I am very polite and smart that all attempts to extort money from me have failed. I got caught only in Moldova.

6. It's really terribly cold there.

Something like that. If anything, then the Earth has its own axis, guys. Without going into details, I will say that the oceans maintain a moderate temperature, while all the temperature diversity is present on the continents.

So, if we are talking about Russia, then in places so far from the ocean, for example, Southern Siberia, ocean heat simply does not reach (well, maybe some meager percentage). Although the weather there can be very pleasant, and sometimes hot.

However, it is very cold there. Colder, probably, only Antarctica. The record for the lowest temperature in a populated area is shared between Oymyakon and Verkhoyansk - -67.7˚ C.

7. They love bears.

And who doesn't love?

It's stupid, but Russia has long been associated with bears. So I thought it would be helpful to tell you why.

Everything is very simple. A lot of bears live in their forests. They are large and strong and are a symbol of intimidation and ferocity. For a while, the bear was an element of the coat of arms, but, in the end, they replaced it with a double-headed eagle, apparently preferring anatomical accuracy.

Western countries made fun of Russia, associating it with a clumsy beast. Probably, these people simply did not have the opportunity to try to run away from the bear.

And yes, you can take a picture with a bear cub in almost every city. This is already more kitsch and tradition, so I can't imagine modern Russians who would say what kind of "bear fans" they are.

8. They love nesting dolls.

Yes, they are indeed widespread among souvenir shops in Moscow and St. Petersburg. In this sense, they are already becoming more of a tourist commodity than just traditional toys. But, given that after all, the majority of tourists are Russians themselves, then matryoshka dolls are not just toys that are stuffed into foreigners.

One of the popular styles for matryoshka dolls was images of Soviet leaders, which is a bit strange. Times passed, new leaders came, which means a new figure was added. This series has become the largest. Stalin became smaller and prettier with each new leader.

9. They love their writers.

Yes it is. Russians are VERY proud of their writers. Poets, composers and other talented people. And this is understandable. Tolstoy and Dostoevsky are considered the best writers all over the world. And not only them.

They put chic monuments on the graves; plaques of honor are hung on former houses; and Russians can even quote something from books.

But as far as modern cultural achievements are concerned... If you have ever heard Russian pop music in the last 2 decades, I am 100% sure you would immediately turn it off. Russia, turn to the classics. You did well.

10. They still love the USSR.

Mm... In a sense, yes. For many Russians, the era of the USSR is a time when great scientific discoveries were made, there was economic growth, etc. They even created their own version of Winnie the Pooh! By the way, many critics consider it the best in the world.

And all this happened after the Second World War, the most destructive war in all of human history. It's like rising from the ashes.

When the USSR collapsed, Russia's GDP halved, lawlessness and depression reigned in the country; it has lost half of its territory, millions of Russians are stuck on the other side of the borders of several newly independent countries; part of the nuclear weapons allegedly went missing, and the oligarchs seized the most profitable industries. And this is just a brief overview of all that has gone. Soviet history as a symbol of the rise and fall of the Russian people.

However, for non-Russian citizens, the story is not so rosy. Of course, it was obvious that the Baltic countries were suffocating from repressions and the Soviet regime. As soon as they joined the EU, their economy began to develop rapidly, although they faced some problems as former republics of the Soviet Union. And I'm not talking about the Gulag.

It is easy to see why the opinions are diametrically opposed to each other. The Soviet Union, of course, was not a paradise, especially for foreigners. But, I think one can understand why the USSR, despite the horrors of Stalinism and the ubiquitous labor camps, still evokes fond memories and feelings. I am not saying that I agree with such a policy, but I am saying that this is understandable, and I think that all these atrocities should be really ignored, that those times should be proud of.

This post was meant more as an educational post, I hope that this information not only reinforced Russian stereotypes, but, of course, gave perspective. There is much more behind these stories than just stereotypes. I certainly had a great time in Russia and people were very interested in what I thought about Russia and what it was like to live in another country. Life is life, wherever you are. I mean, who doesn't like to pop a glass during dinner? Idiots only. It seems that I have been infected by this tradition from the Russians...

We all, to some extent, believe in stereotypes about representatives of different nationalities, just not everyone admits it. If you ever have a chance to chat with a Dutchman in an informal setting, you will probably in the course of the conversation be sure to ask how he lives without the usual “joint”. But not all common stereotypes are based on true facts. As a rule, they are very far from reality. Let's try to debunk some of them.

Colombia is a country of violence and cocaine

Do you also consider Colombians to be criminals and cocaine addicts? In vain!

Due to a long civil war and rumors that Colombia is the world's top supplier of cocaine, the country has a not-so-attractive reputation. For many people, at the mention of its name, associations with drugs and violence immediately pop up in their minds.

In fact

Do you know which country actually produces the most cocaine? Not Colombia, but Peru. Thanks to the government's diligent fight against drug traffickers, Colombia lost its lead in the production of cocaine in early 2013. And in terms of its consumption, it is inferior not only to the United States, but also to such states as Argentina, Chile, Spain and even Canada.

Now for the violence. The civil war did devastate Colombia for half a century. But now peace talks are underway in the country, so it is highly likely that the conflict will end in the coming months.

The homicide rate in Colombia in 2014 and 2015 has fallen to the lowest level in decades, while many foreign investors are rushing to invest in the development of local businesses. That is, Colombia from the lawless territory of Escobar (a well-known drug lord and terrorist) is gradually turning into a prosperous South American state.

There are only racists in Australia

It turns out that Australians are not racist at all!

It is believed that in Australia racist views are popular to such an extent that comedians can perform concerts and evoke an enthusiastic reaction from the public, building numbers only on this topic. Even New Zealanders constantly complain that they face discrimination. And this despite the fact that their diaspora in Australia is the most numerous.

In fact

In 2013, scientists from the University of Sydney conducted a study on racism in Australia. They found that almost 90% of the population believes that racial diversity is good for the country. For comparison: a similar survey conducted in 2014 in Britain showed that every third resident of the United Kingdom admits to racial intolerance.

Of course, this can be explained by the fact that people do not want to talk about their prejudices. But sociologists from the World Values ​​Survey project found out in the same 2013 that Australia is one of the most tolerant countries in the world.

The French hate Americans and are too picky about food.

The French go to fast food more than restaurants

It is believed that France is home to the most gourmets obsessed with haute cuisine. They also say that the French can't stand the Americans.

Reality

From a report prepared by the Pew Research Center, we can conclude that only 9 countries on the planet treat the United States better than France. Almost 75% of the French admit that they feel sympathy for America and the Americans. This is more than, for example, in Japan (66%), England (66%) or Germany (51%).

What about another stereotype? Yes, France is really famous for its national cuisine and probably the best restaurants in the world. But the French do not visit them much more often than foreigners who come to the country. Stubborn statistics only confirm this fact.

This is interesting: It turns out that in the last 3 years, fast food cafes (in fact, fast food) in France earn much more than all the restaurants in the country combined.

Greeks are rare lazy people, and Germans are the most industrious

Greeks work 1.5 times more than Germans

Tell me, do you really not believe in this stereotype, especially in light of the latest news related to the default of Greece? On the one hand, there are irresponsible wasteful Greeks who manage to have fun and have fun even on the verge of bankruptcy of the country. On the other hand, the stern and efficient Germans work without sleep or rest to keep the European Union afloat.

In fact

In 2012, the head of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development presented a report that contained average data on the number of working hours in each country. The most hardworking were the inhabitants of South Korea. But let's talk about the European continent.

European countries, including Greece, have average rates in the region of 2000-2100 working hours per person per year. The touted Germany, on the contrary, was at the bottom of the table. German citizens work an average of just 1,408 hours in a full calendar year.

But this does not mean that the Germans are undeservedly getting extra days off. According to the report, Germany occupies one of the leading places in terms of labor productivity, while Greece trails behind in this indicator.

That is, despite the fact that the Greeks are not too tense in the workplace, they are there 1.5 times longer than the Germans. Also, representatives of this nation are less likely than Germans to take vacations, sick days or go on maternity leave.

What can be the conclusion? If scientists can somehow connect the DNA of the Greeks and the Germans, they will create the most tireless and productive worker army.

The Dutch love marijuana

Mostly foreign tourists consume marijuana, not the Dutch

Everyone knows that in the Netherlands it is officially allowed to grow cannabis. Smoking it, of course, no one forbids it either. Therefore, we believe that every Dutchman spends all his free time lighting up joints.

In fact

You will be surprised, but this is not true. Of the few European countries in which possession of marijuana is legal (Austria, the Czech Republic, Holland and Belgium), the Netherlands ranks fourth in terms of its use. And in comparison with the world's leading countries, there are practically no people addicted to marijuana. The French, Italians, Spaniards, Canadians, Americans and even Australians smoke much more marijuana than the Dutch.

This trend is clearly visible in all age groups. Despite the fact that the Dutch are legally considered adults 3 years earlier than the Americans, Dutch teenagers are much less likely to join the “weed”.

This is interesting: Most visitors to Amsterdam cafes that sell drugs are foreign tourists. Every year, local residents visit such establishments less and less. Probably, the Dutch do not even assume that all over the world they are considered, pardon the expression, stoners.

Venezuelans love plastic surgery too much

Venezuelan women go to the table of plastic surgeons less often than you think

Venezuelans make silicone breasts, reshape their noses, correct the shape of their butts ... The whole country is literally obsessed with plastic surgery, and local girls know the word "liposuction" even before they go to school. Even the owners of clothing stores allegedly enlarge the breasts of mannequins.

In fact

Venezuelans are really not indifferent to changing their appearance with the help of plastic surgery, but ... no more than representatives of other nationalities. Moreover, studies show that Venezuelan girls, on the contrary, are quite reserved in this regard.

The International Society of Plastic Surgeons recently calculated how many plastic surgeries were performed in different states (in terms of population). So, Venezuela in this ranking took a rather modest 15th place. It was outstripped not only by the USA and Thailand, but even by such countries as South Korea, Canada and Germany. Even in Latin America, Venezuelan girls are less willing to go to the plastic surgeons' table for Botox injections or breast augmentation than Brazilians, Mexicans and Colombians.

This is interesting: American women and Americans fill the pockets of plastic surgeons with about 2 billion dollars every year. And in South Korea, every fifth woman at least once resorted to plastic surgery.

The Irish are real drunks

Irish people drink 1.5 times less than Belarusians

We believe that the Irish will gladly knock over a glass of something stronger at any moment, or even more than one. And on St. Patrick's Day, every self-respecting Irishman is simply obliged to get drunk to hell! If not for Russia, then it would be Ireland that would have the proud title of the most drinking country in Europe.

In fact

Of course, the average Irishman is not a teetotaler at all. But the Irish consume as much alcohol as, for example, the inhabitants of Luxembourg.

So, according to the World Health Organization, Ireland occupies a modest 21st place with an indicator of 11.9 liters of pure ethanol per capita per year.

The French, Australians and Portuguese drink more than the Irish, while the Germans and the British drink about the same. Well, Belarus is considered the leader in this indicator - 17.5 liters. On the second place - Moldova, on the third - Lithuania, the fourth - Russia. Ukraine ranks sixth.

Spaniards love bullfighting

Not all Spaniards like bullfighting

Experienced tourists advise lovers of bloody sports to go to Spain. This Pyrenean country is known for several types of "folk fun" where animals are mutilated. But the biggest love of the Spaniards is bullfighting.

In fact

Do you say "love of bullfighting"? You are mistaken, it would be more correct to use the word "hatred". Numerous polls show that the majority of Spaniards hate bullfights, they consider them unjustifiably cruel and even shameful.

Journalists from the El Pais newspaper found in 2010 that more than 60% of Spaniards are categorically against bullfighting, and only one in three is positive about it.

Other polls have helped determine that over 75% of Spaniards want the state to stop funding such fun. And the last fact: in recent years, 28% fewer Spaniards go to bullfighting.

The British have terrible teeth

The British care about oral hygiene the most!

In modern pop culture, the British smile is reminiscent of a scene from a horror movie. You can't help but be scared if you don't see her.

In fact

You know who really deserves to be the butt of all those rotten teeth jokes? Poles. At the very least, Polish children have the most decayed, torn, fallen out, and filled teeth, according to the OECD.

Do you think England finished second? Not at all! In the same report, experts concluded that the British have much better teeth than even the Americans.

In fact, the British care more about oral hygiene than any other European country! And their teeth are considered the healthiest. True, it should be clarified that “healthy” does not mean “smooth” or “perfectly white”. It's about dental health.

Ebola is rampant in only a small part of Africa

Ever since the outbreak of Ebola in Africa, Europeans and Americans have avoided the continent like the plague. Hundreds of thousands of people, afraid of getting infected, abandoned their planned trips to this continent. The press even described cases when parents forbade their children to go to school if their classmates visited the Black Continent.

In fact

Africa is far from just a region. This is a giant of world geography. Africa is larger in area than the United States, China, India, and most of Europe combined. To say that Ebola is raging throughout Africa is about the same as to say that all of Europe is engulfed in a bloody civil war only because of the Ukrainian conflict.

But this is not the most surprising! You will not believe it, but the countries where Ebola really poses a serious danger (Sierra Leone and Liberia) are much closer to London than, for example, to South Africa or Botswana. And the above-mentioned schoolchildren, whose classmates parents decided not to let go to school, visited Zambia, which is 5,000 kilometers away from the affected countries. This is 2 times more than the distance from Moscow to London.

This is interesting: In most of the 55 African states, not a single case of infection with the Ebola virus has been reported.

It is time to abandon the widespread stereotypes about representatives of different nationalities. But this is not so easy to do: for too long we have considered the Dutch to be marijuana lovers, the French to be gourmets, and the Greeks to be rare lazybones, right?

Prevailing stereotypes about different nationalities in the UAE January 11th, 2012

At a local forum, an article about national stereotypes of different citizens was emotionally discussed. I collected excerpts from the article and the statements of various people from the forum into one burning post on national soil.

The United Arab Emirates is known around the world for its multicultural community and mix of cultures. At the beginning of 2012, the foreign population of the country amounted to 85%. Despite the fact that the mixing of people in the UAE from all over the world functions smoothly and does not cause problems, there are still some stereotypes that have developed in the country.

Stereotypes are also created and appear in relation to residents of the UAE of Filipino origin. Often, Filipinas are mistaken for housekeepers here.

"I'm married to a French man and we live in a family villa in The Springs," said one Filipina who declined to be named. - “Every time strangers come to our house and I open the door, they ask me to call the hostess or the owner of the house. It takes me a long time to explain that I am the hostess.

“Russian people are associated by many as heavy drinkers, and Russian women are considered some of the most beautiful in the world,” says Elena Loy, a Russian woman who works in one of the stores in the Mall of the Emirates. “I think this is nonsense. In my life I met many beautiful women of other nationalities, as well as drunkards who were not Russian.”

“We are not terrorists,” says Amjad Iqbal from Pakistan, and asks everyone to pay attention to his words, as he is very outraged by the insinuations that he often hears in his address.

Similarly, Ali Reza Muhammadi, an Iranian, claims to know nothing about a nuclear bomb allegedly being built in his country. “These allegations are believed by everyone because they are being hyped up in the press every day, but they are not true,” says Muhammadi.

Sometimes stereotypes, on the contrary, play a positive role in people's lives. “We have a reputation for diligent and hardworking employees who are punctual and never late,” says Christian Henn from Germany. - “To be honest, such a stereotype helps me a lot in my work, people very easily trust me with important work when they find out that I am German. I want to believe that this stereotype is true. Plus, I'm really never late."

A lot of people in the UAE believe that Western expats have a greater presumption of innocence and credibility than people from other countries. It is easier for them to find a job, they are less likely to be fined, it is much easier to get a visa for them to any country than for citizens of developing countries. For this, they are often criticized by those people who are deprived of such privileges.

“When it comes to driving in the UAE, it’s best to be an Emirati,” confirms a local citizen living in Abu Dhabi, who declined to give his name. “I am a very bad driver, and the reputation of bad drivers is already firmly entrenched in us. When people see the license plate of my car, they prefer to keep a respectful distance from me and do not risk getting close. (Below is a 50 second video about driving in the UAE).

The conversation turned to "why are Russian specialists here so poorly with employment?"
I thought that this situation comes from the fact that the recruiting business (and here it is akin to show business) is run by specific nationalities. They created a monopoly and firmly hold the market, not allowing anyone to penetrate. It is known for certain that Manpower (formerly Clarendon Parker) patronizes only its British to key positions, to bread places (moreover, people who are completely incompetent, do not have the necessary education and / or work experience) so that they, in turn, they were not forgotten and signed contracts "for supplies" or notified of vacancies.

The same is true in job scan, job line, abc, who protect their Indians. Those. "Minor" nationalities can, of course, fall into something, but it is precisely "fall" if others are already satiated, or "Russian peaking" is required, as a rule, not to the "executive level". On the "executive level" they will still stick their Indian, even if "Russian peaking" is required. Convince the employer.

Those. Russians are spread rot here, they are not allowed to feed, because they do not have strong positions in the recruiting business (or rather, they do not exist at all. What the Russian-speaking recruiting agencies in this country offer is kindergarten and amateurism, they have no positions here).

However, my opponent noted that it is not at all necessary that this is due to the lack of strong positions in recruiting. The Russians (Russian-speaking) still have a reputation that they like to steal at work (selling gasoline, diesel, other fuel, snatching everything that is bad. Maritime teams and airport workers were noticed). There are other sins for the Russians. For example, they do not like to work. All the time they are looking for any opportunity to work less or not work at all. And it's not that other nationalities do not sin with this, but they do it "in a smart way", when it seems that "everyone knows or guesses", but "there is nothing to complain about." Russians (Russian-speakers), on the other hand, do it clumsily, stupidly, and cannot stop in time.

Last night at the Giante. In the fruit section. A Hindu or Sri Lankan woman stands and chooses cucumbers. She moved away and then a cucumber rolled down, and onto the floor. She steps on him, sees this and steps aside.
I told her: came - lift. She picked it up and put it in a pile there. Again I make a comment. Hmm, I put it next to the boxes. No, are you stupid? And like decently dressed and clearly not a housekeeper.
A stereotype, not a stereotype, but I knew that she would not raise it.
A European will always pick it up if he drops it - he has noticed more than once. I drop it myself and also put it back.
And this ... .. is still far from culture.
Housewife once wrote that she was once visiting a fairly wealthy Hindu family, so they dumped crumbs on the floor after dinner.
A European or American will definitely say hello in the elevator and ask which floor.
These are extremely rare. And the Russians too.

There was a case in the office: a Hindu, a middle manager, a very educated, Europeanized lady, dropped half a hamburger bun on the floor. I nod to her, Dimple, you dropped something. She says let the cleaners pick it up, I pay them for it.
I told her: “It’s not you who pays the cleaners, but the general. The cleaners will come in the evening, why now it will be lying on the floor until the evening? bucket She didn't talk to me afterwards.

The Russians are doing very well. Especially here. Nobody wants to lose their bread place. However, the problem is that the Russians are aggressive and too assertive, conflicted - they have such a reputation, which is partly true. It is also believed that Russians do not know English well, and Russian women are whores. The Russians fail to build normal relations with the Indians, because the Russian will run into the Indians and resent why they do not work well. And the Indians will not allow it. So are the Arabs. Yes, and from the Russians.

If a Russian person works well in the office, it will still be difficult to grow, because they treat him suspiciously, and they simply envy his talent and are afraid to put him in high positions. I know one Russian who was put in a very good position. Everyone immediately hated him - because he is too smart and says what he thinks, that is, the truth. Let's see how long he lasts.

Based on materials

What is a stereotype as a phenomenon of a social system? Representatives of various sciences study the stereotype as part of their tasks. Philosophers, sociologists, culturologists, ethnographers are interested in the ethnic aspects of stereotypes. Psychologists consider the influence of gender stereotypes. A single concept of "stereotype" covers all spheres of human life.

Stereotype - what is it?

At the end of the 17th century, the French publisher F. Didot invented a device that saves time, labor and price in printing business. Before the invention, the text for the book each time was typed anew, which led to a huge expenditure of resources. Dido's new creative solution was to make casts from the typed text, then metal stamp plates were cast, allowing books to be printed in large numbers. F.Dido called his invention - a stereotype: "στερεός" - solid "τύπος" - image.

What does a stereotype mean as a concept in the modern world? In Walter Lippman, an American publicist in 1922 introduced the term "stereotype" into the social environment and described its meanings as: the impossibility of an individual to know the whole picture of the real world without simplifying it. A person carries out his activities, relying not on obvious direct knowledge, but on ready-made cliché templates introduced by others: relatives, acquaintances, the system, the state.

Types of stereotypes

A child is born and with mother's milk absorbs lullabies, fairy tales, traditions and legends belonging to his ethnic group. Growing up, the baby learns the norms and regulations that are characteristic of his family and clan as a whole. Educational institutions are doing their part. This is how stereotypical thinking is gradually formed. A person is literally “overgrown” with stereotypes. Common types of stereotypes identified by different experts:

• stereotypes of thinking
• stereotypes of behavior;
• ethnocultural stereotypes;
• response stereotypes;
• communication stereotypes, etc.

The functions of stereotypes can be conditionally divided into "positive" and "negative". The main positive aspect of the stereotype is the economy of human mental activity. A person, in his short life, cannot know everything about everything, but on the basis of the experience of others, he can have an idea of ​​many things, even if they are not related to his reality. The negative aspect boils down to the fact that personal experience (even a single one) confirming the correctness of one or another stereotype is fixed in the subconscious and makes it difficult to perceive people, phenomena in a different way.

Gender stereotypes

A person performs various social roles, including gender ones. The gender role determines the norms of recommended behavior, based on belonging to the male or female gender and the characteristics of the country's culture. What's happened ? The role of a man or woman in society is determined by many traditions and way of life that have been established over the centuries. So far, stereotypes have not become obsolete, the echo of which can be traced in proverbs and sayings of different peoples:

• woman - the keeper of the hearth;
• a man is a provider;
• women are fools;
• a woman without children is like a tree without branches;
• a lonely woman is a wingless bird;
• a man without a wife is like a barn without a roof;
• a man promises, a man fulfills;
• the little man is not a flirt, but loves to fight.

ethnic stereotypes

Effective interethnic communication today plays an important role in achieving peace and cooperation between peoples. National stereotypes are the cultural representations of a people as a nation about themselves (autostereotypes) and about other peoples (heterostereotypes) developed over the centuries. The study of stereotypes of ethnic groups - helps to find out the features, habits, culture for useful interaction between different countries.

Social stereotypes

What is a social stereotype? Stable and simplified matrices of images of social objects (person, group, profession, gender, ethnic group). At the same time, stereotypes of thinking can turn out to be false and form erroneous knowledge. As a rule, the stereotype is based on observations based on real facts and personal experience, but sometimes the stereotype plays a destructive role when it is applied in a situation that falls out of the general pattern and “sticking” labels on a person occurs. Examples of social stereotypes:

• without "blat" it is impossible to build a successful career;
• the child must be obedient;
• to be successful, you need to graduate from a prestigious university;
• all men need only one thing from women...;
• all accountants are bores, and lawyers are crooks;
• money is evil;
• Japanese cars are the highest quality;
• Jews are the most cunning;
• a man is a womanizer, a drunkard.

Cultural stereotypes

Cultural stereotypes of the society affect the emotions of a person, which are associated with physicality and are supported by gestures. Emotions and gestures are a universal language among peoples similar in cultural customs, but in some countries they can acquire a completely opposite meaning. Before you travel to other countries, it is useful to study the customs of these states. It combines Culture: stereotypes of goal-setting, communication, perception, worldview. Stereotypical behavior is an important stage in the formation of rituals (religious) of different cultures.

Popular stereotypes

What is a stereotype - this question is mostly answered “correctly”, “stereotypically”. Society is accustomed to thinking in popular terms, the reason for this lies in the lack or shortage of information and the inability to confirm this information. The stereotype of thinking (mental setting) - “I am like everyone else” means belonging to one's family, group, people, state, has a downside: it drives into the framework of restrictions, impoverishes a person's personal experience. Popular stereotypes accepted in society:

• audacity second happiness;
• figure standard - 90/60/90;
• it is good there - where we are not;
• beats - it means loves;
• eat breakfast yourself, share lunch with a friend, give dinner to an enemy;
• a woman on a ship - to be in trouble;
• get married before 30;
• girls should wear pink, boys blue;
• women are the weaker sex;
• expensive means high quality;

Stereotypes about Russians

Stereotypes about Russia can be traced in various tales and anecdotes, invented both by the Russians themselves and by other peoples. Stereotypically, Russians appear in jokes as “boys-shirts, extremely hardy, loving to drink and make a fuss.” Interest in Russia is great. This power remains a mysterious and majestic, and for some, a hostile country. What do representatives of other states think about the country, Russian women and men:

• Russians are the most drinkers;
• bears walk the streets;
• Russian girls are the most beautiful;
• men, walk with a stone face, do not smile;
• Russia is a country of balalaikas, nesting dolls and blouses;
• the most hospitable;
• uneducated and illiterate;
• girls dream;

Stereotypes about the French

The whole world follows the French catwalks with trepidation, buys French perfume, and is touched by the most romantic films on the planet. "See Paris and die!" - a phrase said by the Soviet writer-photographer I. Ehrenburg - has long become winged and is said with an aspiration and a dreamy look. Stereotypes of France strongly associated with this beautiful country:

• French women are the most sophisticated, elegant;
• Paris - dictates fashion to everyone else;
• the French are the best lovers in the world;
• croissants, wine, foie gras, frogs, baguettes and oysters are the daily national food;
• beret, vest, red scarf - standard clothing
• the most smoking nation in the world;
• strikes and demonstrations "for" and "without cause";
• the most inveterate pessimists;
• freedom of morals and frivolous behavior;
• get annoyed if foreigners mispronounce words in French;
• patriots of their homeland affectionately call the country "La dos France" ("France dear").

Stereotypes about Americans

America is a country of contrasts and unlimited possibilities, where the most cherished dreams come true - this is how Americans think about their state. The USA is a country largely incomprehensible to the Russian mentality, causing some rejection, and in the light of the existing tense relations between Russia and America, distrust of the most smiling American nation. Myths and stereotypes about Americans:

• a nation of fast food and fat people;
• like to organize surprises;
• want to take over the whole world;
• lack of style and taste in clothes;
• the most patriotic nation;
• every American has a gun;
• not shy about expressing emotions.

Stereotypes about the British

What associations do people have who have never been to England, but have heard about this country? Those who studied English at school remember the famous clockwork Big Ben (Big Ben) and that England is a country of rain, fog and oatmeal for breakfast. There are legends about the stiffness of the English. English detective stories about Sherlock Holmes are loved to be read all over the world. Stereotypes about the British:

• constantly talking about the weather;
• they drink tea according to the schedule;
• the English are the most polite;
• arrogant snobs;
• conservatives;
• strange English humor;
• everyone goes to the pub;
• the most law-abiding citizens.