There are many cultural differences between Europeans and North Americans of the United States and Canada. If you call North America home, have you ever wondered what Europeans think of us?
If you are curious about the opinions Europeans have formed of Americans and Canadians, you might be interested in learning about some of the more common ideas and perceptions that abound pertaining to the ugly Americans and their Canadian cousins.
Some of the typical stereotypes that Europeans use to label people from the United States and Canada have their origins in history and events that happened long ago.
When examining these common stereotypes, it often helps to understand why they exist; or what historical happening or period was instrumental in forging a European opinion about North Americans in the U.S. and Canada.
We’ll start by taking a look at some of the more commonly held opinions where Americans are concerned.
Stereotypical ideas of Americans
Here is a sampling of the typical opinions held by many Europeans about Americans:
- Americans are fat – overweight and out of shape.
This is a common opinion of Americans held to be true by a lot of Europeans, who picture people in the United States as being overfed couch potatoes that don’t get enough exercise to stay fit and trim. But, is it true? Well…..sadly, to some extent it is true. According to a 2010 Gallup poll, 6 out of 10 Americans are obese or at least overweight. So, it appears there is more than a smidgen of truth in the European perception of Americans and their weight.
That being said, it is rapidly developing into a case of the pot calling the kettle black, because based on research by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development in Paris, over 50% of European adults are overweight or obese.
So, while there is basis in fact for Europeans to think of Americans as being a nation of fatties, Europe is quickly catching up with the U.S. Americans are also becoming increasingly health conscious, too.
- Crime is more prevalent in the United States. Americans are gun toting, violent individuals who practice vigilante justice and are given to brawling and fighting.
This is not, strictly speaking, accurate; although it is true that the United States doesn’t have laws prohibiting the private ownership of firearms as is prevalent in Europe. However, the average American doesn’t walk around with six shooters on each hip, ready for a shootout at any given moment. Nor are most Americans given to rowdy bouts of street fighting. This misconception is one that almost certainly got its start back during the days when the nation was young and raw; while new territories were being explored and settled, and there was a dearth of official law enforcement; a situation that led to vigilante justice and self defense/protection by necessity.
Today, although the United States admittedly has a horrific number of homicides every year, it still isn’t the dangerous place perceived by many Europeans. While the murder rate is higher, the incidence of violent crime is actually lower in the U.S. than the European Union.
- Most Americans are ignorant and uncultured.
This is one of the most common European conceptions of Americans. In fact, tertiary education enrollment in North America is higher – 50 students per 1000 in population -than most European countries, even though North American universities are not free as are so many in Europe. A higher number of students in America have completed college educations than any nation in Europe. Additionally, the U.S. spends more money per child on education in general from kindergarten on up.
As for culture, this idea that North Americans, including Canadians, are uncultured probably stems from both being relatively new countries when compared to most European nations. People living in a country steeped in thousands of years of culture and tradition have a definite advantage due to sheer length of history than those who live in countries such as Canada and the U.S who have only been around a few hundred years. Nevertheless, Americans borrowed more library books during 2001 than peers living in such European countries as France, all of the Mediterranean, Ireland, Germany, Norway, Luxembourg and Austria. Americans also write and buy more books than most Europeans, per capita.
- Americans are brash, loud mouthed, bold, bossy, pushy and rude.
Many Europeans see Americans as all of the above. Why? Perhaps one reason may be that Americans, as a nation, are more outspoken and outgoing. Although not perceived as rudeness in the United States, when American tourists are visiting a country like England where people consider it bad manners to speak loudly enough for those outside the conversation to hear them….this penchant for speaking loudly might certainly seem ill mannered.
But, according to recent research done by a large international travel search site, the U.S. isn’t even in the Top 5 of what are considered to be the rudest countries in the world. The Top 5 list included France in top position, followed by Russia, the U.K, Germany and “Other.” America actually came in Number 7 in the list. Not good, but definitely not as bad as many Europeans might have ranked it.
- Americans place financial gain and industry over the health of the environment and are wasteful; driving big luxury gas hog automobiles, for instance.
Back in the mid fifties and sixties, the U.S auto industry, both manufacturers and consumers, seemed to have the idea that bigger is better. However, since fuel became such a hot topic, the majority of current automobiles made in America are smaller and geared toward fuel economy. Oil use per capita in the U.S. is within European norms.
In regards to Americans being indifferent to environmental issues, this may have been true several decades ago, but is no longer true today. In fact, the U.S. is big on recycling – better than the British, Portuguese and Greeks, as well as the French and Finns. Since back in 1990, the production of waste per capita in America has barely increased. The same cannot be said of those European countries with data available on the subject. There have actually been increases in waste production during this time frame: 30% for Sweden, 60% for Italy and a whopping 70% for Spain.
Do Europeans care more about nurturing the planet than Americans, as they seem to widely believe? In point of fact, America’s percentage of protected national territory is approximately double that of Sweden, France or Great Britain. When it comes to agriculture, growers in the U.S use far less chemicals than some European counterparts. Italy, for example, uses seven times more pesticides than the U.S and Belgium uses even more than that.
Stereotypical ideas of Canadians
Overall, Europeans have a much better opinion of Canadians than their stereotypical idea of Americans.
Here is an example: Many American hikers exploring Europe have reported been advised to display a Canadian maple leaf symbol on their backpacks so that people won’t think they are “ugly Americans.”
Canadians are associated more closely with their British cousins and the French ones, too, to some extent. This undoubtedly gives them an edge in the popularity contest over people from the United States. That being said, there seems to be a generalized perception of Canada as abounding in bears, wolves and Native Indians.
This surely had its start back in the early days, when both the British and the French were battling it out to decide who ultimately ruled Canada. During its young frontier days, Canada was a vast, sprawling, wild land; largely unpopulated. Fur trappers, homesteaders, Mounties, moose, missionaries….these were included among the intrepid souls who explored Canada. Since Canada is officially both multicultural and bilingual, it is considered more European in flavor than America.
Another factor that might account for Canadians being viewed more favorably by Europeans than their American neighbors is that, although Canada fought valiantly in both World War I and II, they are usually more of a peacekeeping nation and tend to mind their own business more than Americans. An example of this is the United States invasion and war with Iraq, something that was almost universally frowned upon.
One frequent belief about Canadians as a whole is that they are all mad for hockey. This isn’t quite the case. Many – maybe even most – Canadians are hockey fans, but not 100% of the population.
All in all, Canadians are generally perceived to be more likeable than Americans, from a European standpoint.
There is a noticeable difference in the European opinion and stereotyped ideas about Canadians than Americans, with the advantage going to Canada.
Sources:
Deanne Aline Litman
Quiz : Who Are Citizens of The United States (Americans)?
When evaluating the characteristics of any culture, it must be pointed out that even an anthropologist is bound by his/her own culture. Hsu, an anthropologist who spent half his life in China found that Americans are obsessed with privacy. However, Americans don’t seem very private to the French with their unfenced yards, open office doors and the windows of their homes facing the street. It all depends, therefore, on who’s looking.
Adapted from F. Hsu’s The Study of Literate Civilizations by Judie Haynes, 2002
“America is so vast that almost everything said about it is likely to be true, and the opposite is probably equally true.” James T. Farrell
Write a plus behind the items you think are general traits of American culture, otherwise a minus sign.
1. The past plays a limited role in American culture. It is the foreseeable future that
counts.
2. There is an obsession and segmentation of time.
3. Americans believe that sitting around “doing nothing” is productive.
4. Group solidarity is more important than self-interest or self expression.
5. Privacy of the individual is not important.
6. Bigger and more is better.
7. Americans do not tolerate mistakes.
8. A person is defined by his/her work.
9. Religion is not important.
10. Americans are patient toward actions perceived as “slow”.
11. America is a “non-contact” culture.
12. Promptness is not highly valued.
13. Americans value speaking to the point.
Answers to Quiz on Americans
1. Tradition and the past play a limited role. It is the foreseeable future (5, 10 or 15
years) that counts. In older cultures, the past plays a much greater role. (+)
2. Americans are the most time-obsessed culture in the world. Time is sequential,
monochronic in the U.S. and divided into tight compartments. In many other cultures
people tend to do several things at the same time. They are polychronic. (+)
3. Americans stress competition in both school and play. Group harmony plays a
secondary role. In some Asian cultures, individualism is interpreted as selfishness. (-)
4. In both school and play, Americans stress “doing.” In other cultures, you can be
“doing” when you are sitting around doing nothing. (-)
5. The privacy of the individual is an inalienable right. The privacy of a person’s body
and property should not be violated. In order to have privacy, Americans need to be
left alone physically. In other cultures, privacy can be a mental withdrawal. (-)
6. Americans are obsessed with being number one. They will take this to extreme
measures. (+)
7. Americans are not motivated by a desire for perfection. Making mistakes is how they
learn. They value fixing things more than doing it right the first time. Once something
is fixed they are free to move on to something else and moving on is a major American
preoccupation. (-)
8. People are defined in terms of work and achievements. (+)
9. Religion is important. An individual should believe in or acknowledge God and should
belong to an organized church. Any religion is better than no religion. (-)
10. Americans are impatient toward actions seen as “slow.” (-)
11. Touching people is discouraged. Same sex touching is discouraged even among
children. In other cultures same sex touching is not prohibited. (+)
12. Promptness is a sign of being a responsible person. It is considered rude if people are
not prompt. In many other cultures promptness is seen as “apple polishing”. (-)
13. Being forthright is perceived as a desirable trait. In other cultures, speaking directly to
the point can be considered very rude. It is polite to talk around and around a point
and some things are not said at all. (+)
Deanne Aline Litman