There are many a stereotype in the world. Here are a few (as taken from this site:
Here we have the Canadian Stereotype:
American – arrogant; assertive; open-minded; materialistic; ambitious; progressive; efficient; straight-forward; alert; practical; US-centered world view; egoistic; anxious; fast food eaters; war mongers; God is with us!
British (UK) – drinkers; lousy food; stiff upper-lips; ultra-traditional; steady-on, old chaps; bulldog spirit; bad teeth and hygiene; rude; thin; smoke cigar or pipe; scruffy hair; “fitted” clothing; heavy binge drinkers; swear all day long; artistic; “fashionable”; deep thinkers; intelligent and articulate; boastful; anti-American; ride bikes; God save the Queen!
And just because I see some people in France are reading my blog (Sacrebleu! lol), here we have the French Stereotype:
French – good lovers; best cuisine in the world; chaotic; irresponsible; introverted; selfish; cultured; social “players”; do not like to work – prefer to strike; always surrender in war; don’t speak English; rude to tourists; anti-American; ungrateful; live in a bureaucratic Socialist system, totally dependent on the state; don’t use soap; arrogant and conceited; distant and difficult to meet; don’t respect religious freedom; snobs; God who?
Brazilians – body-centric; party animals; impulsive; incestuous; megalomaniac; most women are super-models, most men are gay or machos; always late; carnivals addicts; soccer and coffee lovers; criminals and robbers; lazy/manana attitude; bean and meat eaters; beach and sun-worshipers; bikini (called: dental floss here) inventors; active; inventive and constructive people; always trying to outwit government and regulations; impossibly favor-oriented; family- and community-oriented
The whole point of this post started because in the last two days (and of course on other days as well) I've heard some very negative stereotypes about Brazilians being spoken out loud. By Brazilians. It seems to me that Brazilians have a very negative stereotype of themselves and I really didn't understand where it came from. In Canada, at least, the impression Canadians have of Brazil is beautiful women, small bikinis, beaches, carnival, soccer. At least, that's all I really knew about before meeting a (real life!) Brazilian. Of course, it's a true stereotype but maybe it just perpetuates the Canadian stereotype that we're all so nice and open-minded, that we really wouldn't have a negative opinion about anyone anyway (except Americans of course!)!
Anyway, the only things I ever hear Brazilians saying about themselves is that they are lazy, hate working, and steal everyone's shit. Oh that, and they are all so friendly because they kiss hello (and North American's are cold because they don't). Getting off topic! Note to self: Don't turn this into a rant!
In the last two days I mean, I've heard 2 Brazilians talking about how Brazilians hate working and if they didn't have to work they wouldn't. And they were telling this to their BOSS! And the 3rd guy said that in Canada, the reason Canadian are able to carry our bikes on the front of busses (side story) is because no Brazilians live there! They say in Brazil, you would never be able to do this because someone would steal your bike.
I just wanted to get to the bottom of whether or not certain stereotypes exist cross-culturally and if these stereotypes are generally true or not.
What do you guys think of this stereotype? I personally have never even seen this type of behaviour in 'real' Brazilians. At least, no more than you see it in any other culture.
The point is, stereotypes exist because 'apparently' the majority of the population is like that. According to the website I acquired this info from though, it says that “National character stereotypes are not even exaggerations of real differences: They are fictions.”
I dunno though! You tell me - what do you think of your own stereotype? Is it true for a lot of people or totally off?
I agree it is totally rude, but I honestly think it is pure intimidation, many Brazilians are very intimidated with foreigners.
ReplyDeleteBrazil is not diverse at all when it comes to foreigners.
Stereotypes have always driven me crazy - especially when someone's behavior reinforces my stereotype! I think stereotypes are not so much based on the characteristics of the few that are then generalized to the group as they are an expression of condecention and superiority of one group over another - so one can feel better about oneself.
ReplyDeleteLet's face it you could grab a collection of characteristics and just keep repeating it about a group and it may stick -- but it may just as easily have stuck on another group.
Again - but then someone goes and acts in a way that reinforces my stereotype of them -- it's a struggle...
I have an older, native Brazilian student who holds SO MANY negative stereotypes about Brazilians it drives me crazy. He is always so critical and negative. It is hard to maintain some level of neutrality so as not to piss him off and drive him away. But he really talks Brazilians down - and he has no empathy for the experience of poor people. I told him I would work on an English lesson that would address the issue of stereotypes - but again, I fear I will push too far and he will fall out of love with me and leave.
That´s untrue... Brazilians work a LOT!!! We wake up early everyday, and then we need to hunt monkeys, and to fish crocodiles... Then we use our BAIACU eyes to pay for some fruits (bananas, of course), and some exotical plants of the Amazon...
ReplyDeleteOur computer just work because we use the energy of some electric fishes of the Amazon river.
We got a difficult life!!!
Observation: that´s partially true, in some regions..
Well, I'm Brazilian, but I'm pretty different from the Brazilian Stereotype, you know. But really, most of the Brazilians are Soccer Lovers,Carnival Lovers, Ass Lovers, Beer/Chopp Lovers.
ReplyDeleteI'm a Boobs Lover, Video Games Lover, Christmass Lover, Wine Lover. Totally different from my comrades. (=p)
This thing that Brazilians don't like to work is partialy true. Depends on the Brazilian. (XD)
The problem is not that Brazilians don't like to work, but those who don't have conditions to have a better life, have to work in things that they don't like, that's sad, and very common here as we have this inequality. (=\)
But Brazilians are also very "batalhadores". (=p)
They don't stop when they see an obstacle. (XD)
The main problem of Brazil, is our government. We need to change this, but this only work, when everyone battles together. (;-D)
I liked Wellington's post. I'm Brazilian too. And I have to say that we DO work a lot. And it all depends a lot on the region in Brazil... I'm from the south part of Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul, and we really like our country, but even more, we like our STATE. BTW, this is one of our stereotypes: peolple say that "gaúchos" (the people from this part of Brazil) love their state even more than the country and that would totally live independently of the country lol.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that there are robbers... too many of them. But let's not overdo it and tell it's part of the stereotype. IT IS NOT, FCS! It just tends to happen more since we are still part of the "third world". Jay. (@jeroltramari on twitter)
Thanks Wellington and Jay. I think you're right - it depends on the region and the Brazilian! When I think about it, it's never poor working-class Brazilians expressing their dislike for work.
ReplyDeleteIn fact, it's usually young people who come from families with money. So, it's maybe obvious why they don't like working. They have many things given to them without having to struggle for it.
Jay, I didn't know that about Gauchos. Do you think it's true? Do you love your state more than the country? That's true about French-Canadians too. In fact, 10 years ago they had a referendum trying to separate Quebec from the rest of Canada!
The criminals is also an unfortunate stereotype. Whether there are or not, I'm not sure. But the fact is Brazilians really don't trust each other because they are very afraid of this. What do you think?
Hey Lindsey...
ReplyDeleteWhat Brazilians don't like isn't the work itself, but the payment they get from it. We are really badly- or under- paid in Brazil. And there is also the fact that you mentioned about the young people coming from rich families is really true...
About gaúchos stereotype... well.... lol - it is kinda true. There were fights to separate RS from Brazil and what I mostly hear from people coming from other states is that we, gaúchos, think we are "better" than the rest or they use the term "superior"... I really don't think it is like that... But... STEREOTYPES lol... BTW, I'm an English teacher too and I'm preparing a conversation class about stereotypes which has brought me here... That's nice and cool to be talking about it with you, guys.
All this "criminals" thing in Brazil, comes from the very beggining of our foundation. I don't know if it's legend or not. Some say it is, some say it isn't. (=p)
ReplyDeleteA little brazilian history:
Many years ago, in the old Europe, when the time of traveling to America came, many countries began to come to the "new world", and one of those countries was Portugal. They didn't had a sailor, so, they had to find one. It was when they found the jobless Pedro Alvarez Cabral. After fiding him, they needed a crew for the ship, but as the ship wasn't so good in terms of "preserved", and they didn't had a great expectation with the trip, they just got a bunch of criminals from their jails, and put them to be the crew to "discover" Brazil.
I don't know if this is true or not(and my resume made it a little more strange), but that's what some say. There's many other things in our history that seems strange, I would say, and that you should really search for it, if you find it interesting. (XD)
But that's only the beggining of things. The slaves transactions from Africa were very determining to our culture too.
Well, by being a brazilian I claim these stereotypes are sort of true. About being Carnival-lovers,
ReplyDeleteit's mostly because of the party itself - and by that I mean
alcohol, "available" women, loud music and whatnot. I don't believe that happens only in Brazil,
today almost all people go to those places. Know that because I
watch Skins and Dawson's Creek :D
Yes, I can say people here abuse of their freedom. Freedom to outwit rules, and mainly to express themselves.
That's something I'm still trying to understand. The
music, the way some people dress - especially girls -, the language... it's slightly coarse, you know?
And we're not lazy at all! I'm a student, I wake up at 5 am and come back home after 6.30 pm. Most of us don't
like to work because our unfair system barely offers us ways
to sustain ourselves, so imagine by working with something we're fond of and feel pleased to do? It's really hard
to be accepted in a good university here, our public
schools are terrible, private ones are really expensive, and other options such as technical courses are way
undervalued. In summary, we make too much effort for
little return, it's right discouraging.
And hey, our country may be full of burglars, cheaters and opportunists, but only a honest person is able to identify one of them!
That means we do have trustworthy people, otherwise we wouldn't feel affected by those thugs.
Nonetheless, there's a fact I'm still trying to comprehend. Why are we so harsh to ourselves, but can't bear a foreigner criticising us?
Well, by being a brazilian I claim these stereotypes are sort of true. About being Carnival-lovers,
ReplyDeleteit's mostly because of the party itself - and by that I mean
alcohol, "available" women, loud music and whatnot. I don't believe that happens only in Brazil,
today almost all people go to those places. Know that because I
watch Skins and Dawson's Creek :D
Yes, I can say people here abuse of their freedom. Freedom to outwit rules, and mainly to express themselves.
That's something I'm still trying to understand. The
music, the way some people dress - especially girls -, the language... it's slightly coarse, you know?
And we're not lazy at all! I'm a student, I wake up at 5 am and come back home after 6.30 pm. Most of us don't
like to work because our unfair system barely offers us ways
to sustain ourselves, so imagine by working with something we're fond of and feel pleased to do? It's really hard
to be accepted in a good university here, our public
schools are terrible, private ones are really expensive, and other options such as technical courses are way
undervalued. In summary, we make too much effort for
little return, it's right discouraging.
And hey, our country may be full of burglars, cheaters and opportunists, but only a honest person is able to identify one of them!
That means we do have trustworthy people, otherwise we wouldn't feel affected by those thugs.
Nonetheless, there's a fact I'm still trying to comprehend. Why are we so harsh to ourselves, but can't bear a foreigner criticising us?