Whats with the french bashing in the US?

watto said:
hokiethang said:
We could have left them to become western germany... and just protected the only ally that had a chance. The fact that the British, Americans, Canadians (and the French Resistance) managed to push the Germans out of France, is an amazing feat.

*ahem* Australia too *ahem*

Sorry I forgot the australians :-D, I probably should have said "and the rest of the allies".

As for the wars are good for economies remark, It's highly dependent on the area, at least for this current far away war. I'm in the Northern Virginia area, which could be called the Defense Contractor capital of the world, and as a result the economy here has expanded greatly. It may not be as good as it used to be, but the war in Iraq is allowing companies like Lockheed and Northrop to continue hiring people in this area and paying them good salaries. I'm sure the same could be said for other areas of the country where these contractors do business.

But I can see that it doesn't have the effect it once did, since only certain areas are really reaping the benefits of increased defense spending. But the US economy didn't recover as a result of the war, but a couple of trillion dollars in defense spending isn't going to hurt (for the time being) either. I do think however someone needs to step up in government and take away the credit card, because things are getting a bit out of hand.
 
French bashing is just the popular thing to do. It's been like that for a while now.

It definately I think peaked around the time when the Freedom Fries popped up, which was one of the biggest jokes I had ever seen in my life. Renaming the title of a food, which wasn't even invented by them. I had a good laugh at that one, especially when it caught on for those few months.

It sucks ass for me, I live in the US, and I'm 1/2 French, 1/2 American. So yeah, I defiantely see both sides of it, and it's annoying as all hell.

Unfortunately, stereotypes and generalizations will never go away, so there where always be this stigma around France, just because people will form their opinions based on assumptions, and not with actual experiences. Same goes for generalizations/stereotypes about the US, it's not a one sided thing.
 
I can't believe you all speak of: "they helped us, we helped them against Germany".

What the hell does that have to do with it?
First of all it's in the past.
Second of all, nobody of those days still lives. It's another country with other people.
Third: It's not because you saved a country 50 years ago, the country doesn't have the right to critisize you.
And above all, if you live by the principle someone has to repay you everytime for what you have done for them, that's just sad.
 
jensked said:
I can't believe you all speak of: "they helped us, we helped them against Germany".

What the hell does that have to do with it?
First of all it's in the past.
Second of all, nobody of those days still lives. It's another country with other people.
Third: It's not because you saved a country 50 years ago, the country doesn't have the right to critisize you.
And above all, if you live by the principle someone has to repay you everytime for what you have done for them, that's just sad.

I'm not sure if this was directed at me (it's still early here :p). I agree, it's over and in the past, and we should have the right to say whatever we want about whoever we want. We don't owe the French anything and the French don't owe us anything.

I'm also moving this to the Political Forum, since that's more appropriate for this topic.
 
Re: Whats with the french bashing in the US?

Kebab gud said:
a few years ago .. lets say.. 2003-2004. alot of americans where bashing the french
why?

For the love of god.. i just can figure it out.
they have done more for the US then you (americans) can ever repay yet you still treat them like crap..
is this something that only one part of americans do or is it all of you?
and is it still as bad as in 2003-2004 ?


The brits on the other hand have a reson for there bashing of the french :p
A lot of Americans forget that we'd be flying the Union Jack instead of the stars and strips had it not been for the french. A lot of french forget that they'd all be sprechen german had it not been for us. each country feels the other owes them something of a debt.

In addition, France, as far as I can tell, has remained closer to the ideals and original focus of our forefathers than even we, as such we have differing opinions on many things. The french are proud, americans are proud.

It's also something of a passtime to poke fun at the french, kind of like how europeans poke fun of us. the french also smell bad, and are usually rude. ;)
 
Re: Whats with the french bashing in the US?

zenkidori said:
It's also something of a passtime to poke fun at the french, kind of like how europeans poke fun of us. the french also smell bad, and are usually rude. ;)

To be fair, that's just Parisians. And usually if you make an effort to get along [read : at least learn basic French phrases] you'll never have any trouble.

jetsetter said:
As mentioned above. We helped/saved/bailed them out of WW1, WW2, Vietnam. You could also say that we helped to inspire their revolution.

So did we, y'know...[well, at least with the two World Wars]. And we don't bash the French. Heck, we [at least in Scotland] have historic ties with them.


I like the theory it's just something to do, to counter the Europeans bashing the US. :p
 
All the americans here should remember that the states and britain are part of anglosaxon culture where richness (usually..) is considered a good thing, there is liberal economy and you can clearly distinguish poor from the rich and educated.

In France (and indeed in all of the eurosclerosis countries) you can't because rich pay 50% taxes for the poor just so they can buy themselves a R. Clio and then complain how bad people the rich are (in the meantime doing some strike just to ruin the country more...)

As James May said "they're mainly peasants and communists"

I live in France now for 7 months (and I had lived for 5 earlier) and this country really starts to annoy me. No one speaks English and no knows what TG is :thumbsdown: Their defy everything what came from England but still listen to US/UK music and watch Holywood movies (while writing that I can hear Born in the USA by springsteen in the RTL radio in my lab).
The amount of hipocrysy is off the scale in France.

Fortunately this will end soon..

I'm not an American nor Brit...I a Pole who lived all over the world for the past 8 years ( Japan is better than France)

Cheers
 
Just on a sidenote the tax-burden in the UK is now higher than in Germany, thanks to Gordon Brown. But in France you should still pay more ;) RTL on the other hand is owned by Germans and a Belgium, Sony BMG is part of the corporation as well. Not much french about that ;)
I dont like the whole socialist and nationalistic thinking in France and you have some good critism about the french.
 
There is a french guy at my work(I am one of only 2 people who were born in the US during my shift) and he reeks of B-O. He's a nice guy, and really helpful, but he really fills the stereotype well. He also listens to some funky french pop.
 
One thing, it's kind of hard for most english speaking people to learn the language of every country they go to. rarely do people at least from the US go to europe and visit one country, they usually do a huge tour thing, so when you are suddenly being exposed to 15 different languages it's a little daunting for most people. I love learning new languages myself, and could probably get by in europe without any problems, but if you're in a tourist area in the US you don't expect people to know much english and there's usually resources in other languages. It would be best to learn the language of wherever you go, but it may not be realistic many times, just wanted to point that out before someone brings out the, "OMFG these lazy arrogant americans think everyone should speak english" crap. tourists usually carry little pocket translators too.
 
I don't think he was talking about tourists. More about someone who relocates permanently/for a extended period of time to another country.

At least try to learn a few basic expressions. You'll find that people will be a lot more helpful/friendlier.
 
well moving there and not at least knowing basic words and phrases is about the dumbest thing ever. That's a huge reason a lot of people dislike Mexican immigrants in the US.
 
jensked said:
wtf

Why would you want people in another country to speak English?
If you go to their country, learn their language.

I wasn't talking about off-work life, I speak French quite well.

However, I didn't specified my position. I'm a medical/biotechnology scientist and I work here on certain autoimmunological problems (very uninteresting for normal people). And as science international network goes nobody gives a shit about French language (or any other), you have to speak English to be able to read the publications and consequently to know the neccesery terminology and basicaly to gain knowledge. Now, as a supervisor of a group of poeple I need to know I can rely on them when I give them the paper and/or procedures (which are in English). And sometimes I can't which is really annoying and discredit the educational and world observetion ability of these people and their parents.

And I would like to see you being a Belgian (which part?) going for a year or so to Japan (extreme, I only know one of their alphabets) or Hungary or indeed any other european country and be back with a at least intermediate knowledge of their language. I can see that easily, mate!
 
jayjaya29 said:
I have nothing against the French, but they did get the idea of a Revolution from America.

Hi, I am just arriving in the conversation

Things are not so simple...

American "fathers" (Franklin, Washington, etc..) have been very influenced by French philosophers (especially JJ Rousseau)
On the other hand, the ideas of the American revolution brought back to France by Lafayette triggered the French revolution

French king helped America to annoy UK but Lafayette was really honest.
One interesting thing it that this war costed so much to the king that it triggered the revolution

I am to said I am French, but I am a big US fan.
I do not approve the anti-US thinking which is in France, mainly people in France say they are so to be "fashion"
 
jensked said:
Hawaj23 said:
I live in France now for 7 months (and I had lived for 5 earlier) and this country really starts to annoy me. No one speaks English and no knows what TG is :thumbsdown:

wtf

Why would you want people in another country to speak English?
If you go to their country, learn their language.

i would agree with you if that comment was about any country besides france
the french would invent a new word, just to have a different one than they use in english

it's about bloody time they realise there are other languages in the world as well

besides that, i adore france 8) (except the cities)
 
Hawaj23 said:
In France (and indeed in all of the eurosclerosis countries) you can't because rich pay 50% taxes for the poor just so they can buy themselves a R. Clio and then complain how bad people the rich are (in the meantime doing some strike just to ruin the country more...)

I have to agree with you, even if I have a Clio.
I have (for France) a good salary and I quite fed up paying for slothful people how always complain

Concerning the people on strike, it is also a big problem, even if foreigners are not really aware of the French strikes and unions

Hawaj23 said:
I live in France now for 7 months (and I had lived for 5 earlier) and this country really starts to annoy me. No one speaks English and no knows what TG is :thumbsdown:
That is right! Our TV car shows are really really bad
I do not agree with you when you say no one speaks English. French people do not speak English as German do but many do.

Hawaj23 said:
Their defy everything what came from England but still listen to US/UK music and watch Holywood movies (while writing that I can hear Born in the USA by springsteen in the RTL radio in my lab).
The amount of hipocrysy is off the scale in France.
Cheers

No one will say he likes US/UK (Even if I do) that is a tradition

You are on the east of the country, things are different in the North and in the West where I live.

Hawaj23 said:
Japan is better than France

It depends....
For crime, other's respect, ...
One of my best friend is in Japan, and he told me how racism is high there.
I do not like the "group" mentality other there. They do not act as individual
The way how they treat the women is also disguting
 
Keep in mind there are two fundamental Japanese cultures, the old and young. Younger japanese are very accepting of foreigners usually and love western culture. The women can also be very independant and there's a recent fasion trend in copying western style and attitude, California in particular. The older generation don't really like "gaijin" in general, and can be very racist, although because of thier manners it's usually in a passive manner which is at least tolerable. Unless of course you run into some zoku losers.
 
zenkidori said:
Keep in mind there are two fundamental Japanese cultures, the old and young. Younger japanese are very accepting of foreigners usually and love western culture. The women can also be very independant and there's a recent fasion trend in copying western style and attitude, California in particular. The older generation don't really like "gaijin" in general, and can be very racist, although because of thier manners it's usually in a passive manner which is at least tolerable. Unless of course you run into some zoku losers.

I do not know Japan, I just tell what my friend told me.
I know a little Korean, where there is these same barrier between old and young people.

I had the impression that the country modernised too fast, that mentalities do not follow
They seem very modern but they continue the old traditions.
 
Top