Do the majority of people in France really hate Americans?

[Anton Redman]

I believe one reason believe one reason for comparatively low passport takeup in USA is that an American Citizen can visit Canada, Mexico & Bermuda without a passport.

There are a large number of French Avenues and Rues named after Theodor Roosevelt and John F Kenerdy.

[Iceni]

[quote user="Anton Redman"]

There are a large number of French Avenues and Rues named after Theodor Roosevelt and John F Kenerdy.

[/quote]

Are there ? I have not seen any. [:D]

John

[Iceni]

[quote user="Anton Redman"]

I believe one reason believe one reason for comparatively low passport takeup in USA is that an American Citizen can visit Canada, Mexico & Bermuda without a passport.

[/quote]

Another reason might be that they have no idea how to fill in a form.

John

[Anton Redman]

Bordeaux has : Boulevard du President Wilson and a Boulevard do President Roosevelt

Paris has : Avenue du President Kennedy and du President Wilson

 

 

[cassis]

I am in France and I quite like Americans.  With one proviso.  As long as they buy a decent flippin' map and don't turn up hours late.  Many seem to have no idea how long it takes to drive from A to B and they underestimate time/distance (or get lost because they are using a crappy free map picked up in a service station).

[brillow12]

[quote user="dr orloff"]

I've travelled all over the world and I have found that Americans are virtually universally unpopular.  However, in reality it's the idea of America - its politics, perceived cultural attitudes and brashness that is disliked, rather than Americans themselves.  I have encountered few places where there has been resentment on a personal level towards Americans just for being American. 

It's also true that Americans are regarded as stupid.  They're not of course but large numbers are unbelievably ignorant of the rest of the world.  However, the minority who do possess a passport will quickly overcome that perception.

 I have personally found Americans to be amongst the most openly friendly and hospitable people anywhere. 

 

 

[/quote]

 

I think u make an exceptionally good point.  I read an article rescently abot 'who now protects the world' ... the idea was that we all like to knock the USA but really.... REALLY ... how safe would the world be without them?  Of course such a statement is open to all the obvious attacks but take a tick... think about it... what if the USSR had Openhiemer and the H Bomb first... or the UK???  Fact is as much as I hate some of the US things... extraordinary and all that.... I have to say I sleep well knowing it is them with the finger on the triger and nut some nutjob in Tel Aviv! 

[AnOther]

Unfortunately the Americans seem to have perfected the art of being their own worst enemies.

I won't touch on George dubya but even without him I think the the general perception of Americans is (in no particular order) :

Stupidity, sometimes bordering on the moronic - remember that bizarre nonsense about hanging chads for gods sake.

Nievety and insularity - a dangerous, deadly even, ignorance of the rest of the world, including the places where they are 'introducing democracy'. The first rule of warfare is Know Thy Enemy !

Arrogance - it's our way or no way.

Profligate wasters - a nation of lard arses plus, outside of military applications, what other nation could have even conceived something like the Hummer - and as for complaining about $4 for gas, which BTW...........

Despite all that I have to say that during my travels, and indeed currently, I have met and worked with many americans and for the most part have found them not at all stupid, nieve, insular or arrogant and overall no better or worse than any other nationality.

As others have said, in large it's a perception problem.

Come on over, I think if you make a little effort by learning just a bit of French and not being afraid to try it out I'm sure you'll feel welcome

 

[Sunday Driver]

All the political nonsense about GWB et al and personal stereotypes aside, any Yank who has taken the trouble to come all the way to France to enjoy a holiday can't be all bad..... [;-)]

 

[AnOther]

Absolutely SD, and it marks that person out as extraordinary and welcome at my table [:D]

 

[WJT]

You have to remember that America is huge. England is approximately the size of Georgia for example geographically so it is not comparing apples to apples with a British person never leaving the UK. However, there are one or two that haven't and there are also perhaps one or two French people that have never left France either. In fact, I know more than that here in my part of France.Our neighbours have never been to Paris.  But I know that is neither here nor there. [:)]

[Georgina]

It's okay, Emily you come, don't worry, you will only be slightly less popular than us Brits.[:)]

 

[Iceni]

[quote user="Anton Redman"]

Bordeaux has : Boulevard du President Wilson and a Boulevard do President Roosevelt

Paris has : Avenue du President Kennedy and du President Wilson

[/quote]

Anton

I know it's hot but please pay attention and read what you type. Theodor Roosevelt and John F Kenerdy.?

John [:D]

[dr orloff]

I've always found it curious that Americans don't travel much.  Yes they live in a big country of their own, but go to the remotest, most obscure place you can think of and you'll always find an Aussie.  

[AnOther]

Or a Scott [;-)]

 

[Iceni]

[quote user="dr orloff"]I've always found it curious that Americans don't travel much.  Yes they live in a big country of their own, but go to the remotest, most obscure place you can think of and you'll always find an Aussie.  [/quote]

Agree totally but then if you were an Australian, wouldn't you wish to place as much distance between yourself and your fellow countrymen/women ? [6]

John

[PaulT]

[quote user="dr orloff"]I've always found it curious that Americans don't travel much.  Yes they live in a big country of their own, but go to the remotest, most obscure place you can think of and you'll always find an Aussie.  [/quote]

I remember going in to a bank in a backwater of Pennsylvania to cash a travellers cheque and the teller being extremely excited when I handed over my passport - she had never seen one before!

I do find it a little peculiar with americans that a non-american cannot criticise america. I had a very good american friend who was totally anti-Bush and would criticise him and what he was doing. If I voiced any criticism then I would be judged totally out of order - 'I can criticise my country you cannot'. As a Brit if someone wants to criticise Britain then quite happy to debate it and where my views coincide agree. This is where the american insularity comes in to play.

Paul

[mint]

[quote user="Iceni"]

[quote user="dr orloff"]I've always found it curious that Americans don't travel much.  Yes they live in a big country of their own, but go to the remotest, most obscure place you can think of and you'll always find an Aussie.  [/quote]

Agree totally but then if you were an Australian, wouldn't you wish to place as much distance between yourself and your fellow countrymen/women ? [6]

John

[/quote]

Your name may be Iceni but your remark is surely incendiary?

[powerdesal]

Its quite strange, in my many years of working around the World I have obviously come across most nationalities. Of those I have never met an American who I actively disliked, the same applies to Kiwis, but Aussies - thats a different story all together. Almost without exception they (male and female) have come across as loud mouthed, brash, arrogant, extremely self opinionated and generally not particularly nice particularly in respect of their penchant for foul language (in my view).

I am sure all Aussies are not like that, in fact the exceptions were an Aussie couple in their fifties who we met in Thailand, they were 'normal', the above comments seem to apply to the 'younger' Aussies.

The Americans, as mentioned by someone earlier, were inevitably well mannered and very conscious of the need to be a 'pride' to their country, and they were certainly good ambassadors. Even the younger squaddies on R & R immediatly following GW 1. They were naive certainly but nice young men (and women). It was a shame that our own UK soldiers did not give the same impression in similar circumstances.

[Stefan]

Ouch!!

 

Well as ex-Forces I could join in but...I lived in Aus for a while ..... How to annoy an Australian as a Pom? Tell them you have absolutely no opinion on wether they should become a republic or not, you don't give a stuff, your country, do what you want, etc.....for some reason that hits a nerve, certainly with the youngsters..in fact they can start behaving like my two when they had lack of attention tantrums....As for their attitude to sport? I'm dreading the possibilty of Cadel Evans winning Le Tour.....

 

As for our American friends...in general lovely people as individuals but don't get me started on their politicians.....or Immigration or TSA.

[Russethouse]

A few weeks ago an American friend was visiting around the time of the anniversary of the Dambusters raid. As she hadn't heard of it I thought I would send her the DVD of the film - then I read the first review here:

http://www.amazon.com/Dam-Busters-Michael-Redgrave/dp/B000H1RFSM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1214993398&sr=1-1

Minor incident  ? - I'm sure those that died, British and German, would see it rather differently - it's that sort of lack of sensitivity that sometimes makes me grind my teeth......Grrr.....

[powerdesal]

Philip Kemp obviously didn't bother seeing the film. Three dams not one. Wing Commander Gibson was not the decision maker, MOD were.

[Clarkkent]

The IMDB pages devoted to The Dam Busters clearly show why Americans are treated with suspicion by many non-Americans. One of the continuing discussion points is the name of Gibson's dog. I'm sure that if I try to write it here the software will censor it (and probably alert the mods to an undesirable who should be eliminated.)

The comments made show an inability to understand that things may have been different at other times and in other cultures. Intellectual curiosity about an important event in WW2 that was not led by Americans is replaced by moral distaste about an animal's name which was commonplace at the time but which would now be rightly unacceptable.

[mint]

My American friend claims to be English when she is over here in France!

[Just Katie]

[quote user="sweet 17"]My American friend claims to be English when she is over here in France![/quote]

Yes Sweet, I have spoken to a few Americans who consider doing the same.  I think they carry the same sort of apology as the Germans which is quite sad.  I would hate to feel that I were accountable for the political descisions of my country

[5-element]

[quote user="sweet 17"]My American friend claims to be English when she is over here in France![/quote]

Yes, that is quite common, especially for an American who has spent time in the UK. I have found that "anti-américanisme primaire" is alive and well in French backwaters, and can be quite insulting. This, from people who have hardly ever left their own village or town.

They seem to see the American way of life (whatever that is) as the biggest threat to French traditions and terroir. Although they do watch many American shows on TV, have children who wear baseball caps and dress up as dudes, they are suspicious and dismissive of much that comes from the USA, and they have trouble seeing the contradictions in their perceptions. Of course, this is in itself, a vast generalisation and not meant as such. Just something that I have witnessed over and over, first hand.