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Disclaimer: If you are easily offended by sheer honesty, or you think me having my own opinions is "being negative", then this is not the place for you, and I suggest you leave and head elsewhere. I call a spade a spade, and I don't sugarcoat anything.

Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Myths About Australia All Americans Believe, Except Me

I was watching a video this morning where someone went around and asked people in Australia what they thought of Americans' beliefs about Australians. Several people they spoke to said the same thing, and I wanted to get my 2 cents out there about what was said. My most prolific stereotypes about Australians has always been good-looking men, great music, and friendly people. Yes, that's true. That is what I always believed about Australians. Though I have found that to be less and less true these days. Some of the older folks from Australia maybe, but the younger generation I've found to be just as rude and vile people as they think Americans are! You know who sparked those stereotypes about Australians in my mind? It was INXS. Having met all the guys, and seen them and fell in love with them on first sight, plus them being the first Australians I've ever met, they were the ones that fixed my ideas about Australians. But some of the beliefs Americans have about Australians are downright ridiculous. I decided to cover some of those in this blog.

1. Australians are all cowboys.
Fact: OK, I admit Timmy was the one who stuck this idea in my head, not that it's a bad thing. I thought he looked awesome in his cowboy outfit! But Australia is not all cowboys and countryside. There are a lot of cities too. Big cities. Like Sydney.

2. Australians ride kangaroos to work/school every day.
Fact: I'm not quite sure how this myth got started, but a lot of Australians complain because a lot of Americans believe this. Shoot! Even I think it's silly!! This is not true! It can never be true! A kangaroo, even the largest kangaroo, cannot support the weight of a grown person on it's back. And kangaroos are not made for being ridden anyways. They're NOT HORSES!!!!! So, Americans can stop believing this fairy tale!

3. Australians are the friendliest people in the world.
Fact: Again, I think that was true in the old days, and may still be true for some of the older folks (people born before 1970). But it is definitely not true for the younger generation. Leastwise, not for the majority. I may get a lot of hatred for this, but the friendliest people I've seen in the world were the people I know from India.

Now some facts about America Australians need to stop believing...

1. Americans are lazy.
Fact: I hear this a lot! Most Americans are good workers. We have the biggest companies in the world. So, obviously we are doing something right. We cannot be too lazy. I think the people who believe this have maybe seen too many documentaries about Americans who play video games, watch TV and play on their computers all day. Not true for all Americans.

2. Americans are fat.
Fact: I hear this a lot too from people from many other countries. We are the fattest country now, although I heard the UK is quickly catching up with us. But is that really a reason to hate Americans so much??? Like Australia has absolutely NOOOOO fat people anywhere??? You expect me to believe that?? LOL!! Whoever started that needs to get over themselves. And pardon me, but fat people have better personalities than thin people anyways. So don't knock fat people!

3. Americans are rude.
Fact: OK, I heard this from a guy this morning, his name escapes me at the moment. But he was looking at hotels all in a line, and said "Americans are fat, lazy, stupid, and very rude." I wondered if, since he had a fixed idea in his head about Americans before he visited this country, maybe he had approached several Americans with an attitude like "You are ugly, fat, and stupid" and they were just being rude back to him, and that set his ideas that Americans are rude. I'll tell you, you approach someone with a bad attitude, I would not be surprised if they match your attitude with one of their own! I'd be surprised that you would be surprised!! If you're rude, especially to my face, you're going to get it back! If you're polite, you will get that in return. And I believe that is universal. It's the same no matter where you go.

Now, that's not to say all Americans are like that. I don't know what it is, but there are some Americans who actually do get their kicks by just being rude to random people they see. But they are just a few bad apples in the bunch. Most of us have been brought up properly by parents who cared, and we are not rude in any way. My advice, if you are visiting with a fixed idea about Americans in your head, is to just treat people the way you want to be treated. Most people will appreciate it. And if someone turns out to be rude to you, then just screw them and go on to the next person.

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