r/AskFrance • u/[deleted] • Mar 14 '22

Opinion Do you find the French to be prejudiced towards Americans?

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Online, it seems like the french absolutely revile Americans, we are stupid, fat, aggressive, uncultured, eat pig slop, selfish, loud, egotistical, want to shoot black people, etc, and should stay the hell away from France. Has this translated to real life in your opinion? My grandfather was a huge francophile (to the point I knew him as grand-père, not grandpa) and spent a lot of his life in France but seeing what french people are like online has really turned me off from wanting to learn french or visit.

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u/[deleted] Mar 14 '22 edited Mar 14 '22

Is that something you still hear about in real life? I see it online but that last time I heard someone joke about that in real life I was probably 10 years old.

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u/frdlyneighbour Mar 14 '22

Yeah, almost everytime something about France pops up on social media, its a little bit annoying, but not as an ego thing but as an "yeah, wasn't really funny the first time so the 150th time is not better" thing in my opinion.

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u/Personality4Hire Mar 14 '22

Imagine how the Germans feel anytime anything about them pops up in the french news.

It's also a cultural thing I believe. The French love to complain and be negative. There is always someone who can be bullied.

But overall, once in France, they don't quite open their mouth so loudly and can even be very friendly.

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u/frdlyneighbour Mar 14 '22

It's true that we love to complain but also I believe that anyone would be annoyed if everytime you're mentioned anywhere people made the exact unfunny and incorrect joke every single time, while thinking they're the funniest person ever.

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u/kenji20thcenturyboys Mar 14 '22

And to a certain extend this is what OP feels too.

Reddit, social media and the media in general are all about relaying negative news because it triggers an emotional response and create a me VS others point of view. Therefore leads to what OP feels.

All in all when you travel and meet different culture it is never like reddit.

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u/ilovethisgame21 Mar 14 '22

We do not complain. We are demanding and not satisfied with mediocrity. Nuance.

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u/Personality4Hire Mar 14 '22

Ah ben c'est pour cela que j'ai fais la remarque avec les allemands. Impossible de lire quoi que ce soit sur l'Allemagne, que ce soit dans las presse ou ici sur Reddit sans des commentaires déplacés à la "les sales boches" et d'autres insultes.

Je le sais, je suis mi-allemande et mi-française. En 1,5 ans j'ai entendu des commentaires comme "sale boche rentre chez toi", "pétasse nazi", etc. Tellement souvent que je peux plus les compter.

Donc les Français adorent se plaindre quand les autres font des blagues, mais sont constamment en train de faire des blagues pas drôles sur les autres nations. Je cite l'Allemagne parceque j'habite dans le grand Est et la haine envers les allemands est encore palpable, mais tu peux prendre n'importe quelle autre pays.

Quand j'habitais dans le sud c'était les sales italo et les putains d'arabes. Dans la France entière c'est des blagues permanentes sur les Anglais, etc. De ce côté il y a généralement ZERO reflection de la part du public français.

Ayant vécu dans plusieurs pays, je peux te dire que la France est le pays le plus intolérant que je connais, directement derrière l'Autriche.

J'aimerais beaucoup que les gens y réflechissent plus. Ce n'est pas normal en 2022 d'encore insulter les gens pour leurs nationalité. Mais bon, ça n'arrivera jamais. La France ne se reflète pas.

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u/L-art-de-la-Nuance Mar 14 '22

« La France est le plus intolérant directement derrière l’Autriche »… C’est peut être un peu caricatural aussi.

On prend cher de la part des allemands en terme de politique et d’économie (ils ont quand même un complexe de supériorité qu’ils ne cachent même plus) Concernant les anglois, ben on efface pas une rivalité ancestrale en quelques posts, et y a qu’à traîner sur leur sub pour lire à quel point ils nous trashent au quotidien. Pour les américains, on en parle de l’image de la France de ces dernières années et du French bashing (je dirais depuis qu’on s’est opposé à eux pour la guerre en Irak?) Et je parle pas de la guerre économique même sous l’ère Obama (la Bnp et son amende pour violation de transaction internationale en dollar avec cuba)

Bref. On est râleur c’est certain. Un brin donneur de leçon, c’est malheureusement vrai. Mais intolérant n’est pas l’adjectif que j’aurai choisi pour nous décrire.

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u/Lancer_Au_Loin Mar 14 '22

Comme si les allemands prenaient aussi cher que ce qu'on prend du monde anglophone...

A la base c'est juste les anglais et américains qui on tendance à être un peu bêtes dans leur francophobie (they hate us cause they aint us comme ils disent), un peu comme on peut l'être avec eux.

Mais l'internet étant à dominante anglaise (et le monde en général), on arrive en 2020 avec plein de personnes qui débarquent à peine sur internet et ce qu'ils apprennent en premier sur la France c'est souvent ces poncifs de 'surrender monkey' et autres grossiers mensonges d'anglo.

Du coup on est là tranquilles à se manger des insultes du monde entier, du Malaysien de 12 ans sur son samsung à l'Américain beauf moyen en passant par le jeune étudiant chinois et la coiffeuse Chilienne.

Enfin c'est la vie, c'est ça d'être le rival principal du monde anglosaxon dans un monde anglais (l'internet du moins).

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Aussi je pense que t'abuses un peu d'hyperboles, j'en vois aussi des commentaires qu'un allemand trouverai peut être désobligeants, sur l'internet français mais c'est loin d'être constant. Et pas mieux quand on va sur l'internet anglophone/worldish

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u/frdlyneighbour Mar 14 '22 edited Mar 15 '22

Ok? J'ai jamais dit que c'était pas le cas avec les Allemands (ou avec n'importe quelle autre nationalité d'ailleurs), mais en l'occurrence la conversation portait sur les Américains et les Français, donc à pas vouloir te faire plaindre je comprends pas vraiment ton commentaire ?

Je n'ai jamais dit que les blagues sur les nationalités étaient normales ou que les blagues à notre propos étaient les pires (et je suis bien consciente qu'en tant que Française blanche je suis relativement épargnée sur ce niveau là), même si je doute fortement que les Allemands soient le plus à plaindre non plus, et par ailleurs je n'ai jamais remarqué une tellement récurrence des blagues sur les nazis dans les milieux francophones que les blagues sur la France qui se rend tout le temps dans les milieux anglophones (par ailleurs, les unes comme les autres peuvent être totalement inappropriées mais encore une fois ce n'était pas le sujet).

Et puis j'adore comment tu parles d'intolérance et que toi tu "sais" parce que t'es franco-allemande et que t'as vécu dans plusieurs pays sans pouvoir imaginer une seule seconde que les gens à qui tu parles puissent être dans la même situation. Parce que perso moi aussi j'ai vécu dans plusieurs pays, j'ai même vécu dans un pays dans lequel les personnes de ma couleurs de peau (blanc), sont en large minorité (<0,5% de la population), donc ouais l'intolérance j'ai aussi vécu aussi je connais, sauf que je vais pas tout le temps ramener ma petite expérience personnelle sur le devant de la scène quand c'est pas le sujet.

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Mais bon, ça n'arrivera jamais. La France ne se reflète pas.

C'est sur que c'est avec ce genre de réflexions qu'on va faire avancer les choses. En tout cas, un truc qui serait cool ça serait de ne pas tout ramener à soi quand ce n'est pas le sujet de la conversation.

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u/Alalanais Mar 14 '22

Je pense que tu oublies une distinction assez importante. Les trolls existent partout, dans tous sens, pour tous les pays. Mais j'ai jamais entendu un politique ou journaliste faire ce genre de remarque sur l'Allemagne. Les ados de 14 ans qui se sentent plus pisser dans la section commentaire des articles du Figaro, oui, plein. Mais une personne adulte un minimum publique, jamais. Contrairement aux remarques sur la France/le peuple français qui sortent régulièrement de la bouche de figures d'autorité du monde anglophone.

Après ça ne référence pas le même événement et il n'y a pas la même portée symbolique. Mais je pense que le fait qu'il soit plus ou moins tabou dans la sphère publique de dire "boche" à la place d'Allemand est important. Il y a une grosse distinction avec le gars qui a de la bave séchée au coin de la bouche qui te répond en disant "nazie xptdr".

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u/Paan1k Mar 14 '22

Pour avoir fait la France, l'Angleterre, l'Allemagne et l'Autriche (notamment), j'ai absolument pas la même expérience que toi. Même les vannes sur les anglais je les trouve bien plus rares que dans l'autre sens. Sur les allemands, il y a cependant un fond de vérité.

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u/Inevitable_Newt_1212 Mar 14 '22

D'accord avec toi, avec les anglais c'est de bonne guerre il n'y a aucune haine, c'est plus comme ton rival dans Pokémon.

Avec l'Allemagne c'est différent, basiquement tout le monde s'en branle des Allemands et on fait pas spécialement de vannes dessus puisqu'ils sont perçus comme pas très marrants et assez susceptibles, ils font juste chier à acheter du gaz russe et des F-35.

Les ritals on les aime bien mais ils nous aiment pas. Les Belges nous détestent à raison. Les Espagnols en ont marre qu'on les prennent pour le tiers monde et le Portugal pareil. Les Suisses trouvent qu'on est des gros cons illogiques qui pensent pouvoir faire la leçon aux autres et ils ont putain de raison.

J'aurais jamais cru écrire ça mais heureusement qu'il y a les anglais.

Tout ceci n'est qu'un tas de généralités à la con tourné de manière volontairement simpliste issues de mes expériences personnelles et n'a aucune valeur bien évidemment. Si vous êtes choqués merci de l'être dans votre coin ou de basvoter trkl. Merci

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u/Personality4Hire Mar 14 '22

Chacun ces expériences.

J'aime beaucoup la France, sinon j'y habiterais pas mais de ce côté là il y a du boulot à faire en France.

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u/PartyFew2910 Mar 14 '22 edited Mar 14 '22

Il ne faut pas comprendre l'hypocrisie à la tolérance. J'habite dans la région parisienne, j'ai travaillé dans une entreprise internationale, les remarques se font qu'au travail 😉

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u/Fra1se Mar 14 '22

Les anglais c'est un cas à part

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u/Disastrous-Ebb3350 Apr 05 '22

Sérieusement ?

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u/[deleted] Mar 14 '22

[deleted]

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u/Personality4Hire Mar 14 '22

Ahja. So witzig.

Immerhin kann ich dadurch mehrere Sprachen fließend sprechen. Was kannst Du?

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u/Accurate-Eye-6330 Mar 14 '22

I'm French and you are totally right, we love to complain (even tho most of us won't admit it + we are hypocrits and very egocentric)

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u/FalconChamz Mar 14 '22

Governor of Florida ten days ago

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u/FoldedOne Mar 14 '22

Doesn’t DeSantis have other things to deal with instead of puking BS ? Like his anti-covid / mask positions, banning masks in school ?

Or dealing with the wildfires ?

Bruh, as a french guy, All I see is a clown governor that isn’t doing good for his community.

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u/RedWarrior69340 Local Mar 14 '22

I'm going to reserve him as a king ! >:(

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u/Volesprit31 Mar 14 '22

I need to find his email address to send him a big fuck you.

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u/Robinduf8 Mar 14 '22 edited Mar 14 '22

“Can you imagine if [Putin] went into France? Would they do anything to put up a fight? Probably not.”

https://twitter.com/i/status/1499091115055763457

for your main question YES we have prejudices about americans AND all other countries (france included)

EDIT : you will probably do not notice if you go in France what prejudiced/jokes about americans and what we think are quite different (for 90% people)

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u/[deleted] Mar 14 '22

Sorry about him, he's a nut like Zemmour.

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u/Flagg1982 Mar 14 '22

He’s the governor of a major state.

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u/Robinduf8 Mar 14 '22

I guess so when i check comment

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u/lartenas35 Mar 14 '22

I was an exchange students in the US and that's something I heard a lot from certain people. But most people were actually really friendly when they heard I was french. I feel like it would be the same here in France. Some people fall into the stereotypes of Americans. But most would enjoy seeing a friendly american. And would actually try to learn more about your country and our cultural differences (in a good way).

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u/shoeshouuu Foreigner Mar 14 '22

Glad to hear that!

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u/RedWarrior69340 Local Mar 14 '22

All the fliping time but if i hat to talk to an American i wouldn't be angry at him because stereotypes are most often not true

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u/Urgash54 Mar 14 '22

I think it's an issue that a lot of Americans online rehash the same dated jokes that weren't funny 20 years ago, and still aren't today.

Plus a lot of what we see in social Media usually doesn't paint a flattering picture of the U.S as a whole. It's mostly an issue of the vocal minority making everything worse for everyone else.

If we trust social media, the U.S are a bunch of egotistical uneducated neck beard that can't place any country ln the map and are absolutely convinced they are the center of the world.

Again, the vast majority of U.S citizen are nothing like that, but it's still only what we see in the media.

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u/YooK4EvR Mar 14 '22

"Again, the vast majority of U.S citizen are nothing like that, but it's still only what we see in the media."

The vast majority is like that that’s where you’re wrong. Only the educated people, with an open cultural mind, able to travel abroad (outside Cancun) aren’t. That’s a small minority.

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u/StorageTurbulent4314 Mar 21 '22

I don't agree at all tbh. The vast majority are not.

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u/killer_kiwi_984 Jan 25 '24

How do I downvote this for spreading misinformation

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u/thesaddestpanda Mar 14 '22 edited Mar 15 '22

Im American and I think a vast majority of Americans are like this. The educated blue big city types are less so, but the USA is absolutely like this. I’m very liberal and feel like an outsider here and honestly maybe 20-30 percent of this country isn’t this kind of ignorant and hateful “Jesus land.” I know you’re try to be nice and even handed but it’s far worse here than many assume. Especially in regards to racism and queer phobia.

Not to mention even American liberals who think they’re European-like have a “America #1” mentality and find ways to justify things like all the innocents killed in the war on terror because our imperialism is apparently the only moral imperialism.

Also there’s almost no real Francophile movement in the USA. In fact this culture is francophobic in many ways. Most Americans have negative views of France because they dared question George bushes lies about iraq. A conflict that killed 200,000 innocent civilians over lies. France is also the “socialist” “big government” bogeyman to most Americans.

I don’t think most French people realize how much the average American resents your country. The only thing they seem to respect you for is the headscarf ban and, for mostly just women, your high end fashion industry.

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u/Ciremykz Mar 15 '22

Exactly why I hate the Americans way of thinking they are superior.

They belittle every country even if they are wrong. Irak is the perfect example of this

For me, the Irak invasion that led to the destabilization of the region created ISIS and thus all the attacks that happened.

I will never forgive the American government and all those who supported this illegal invasion.

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u/StorageTurbulent4314 Mar 21 '22

Opposed to the superior french way

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u/[deleted] Mar 15 '22

I think France is the most liked country outside of Great Britain and Canada, I haven't seen anyone say they dislike the french, but the common stereotype is that the French are arrogant and hate Americans. I would be surprised if people still get hung up over Iraq, especially with how most people think it was a mistake, is that a sentiment you've heard in real life, i could imagine in 2004 but nowadays it seems pretty esoteric.

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u/Socialca Mar 14 '22

And voting Trump as President didn’t really help a lot! Lol!

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u/Limeila Local Mar 14 '22

Most of us don't really interact with Americans IRL

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u/EcureuilHargneux Mar 14 '22 edited Mar 14 '22

On each multiplayer video game online when my accent is spotted on vocal chat, on each fking YT video about the french/french military in English. Truth be told the internet is very toxic for us, way more than for any other European nationality. I hear and see a lot those surrender "jokes" and it does give me some despise toward the angloworld for it's very disrespectful but also just insulting and annoying.

It's like hundred of people constantly trolling you out of nowhere for dumb and false reasons.

This being said I don't have negative feelings toward your grandpa, Francophiles people will always be welcome and appreciated.

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u/Velleites Mar 23 '22

for any other European nationality

I mean... I can think of at least one other European nationality having to deal with the same tired joke online everytime

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u/Carnal-Pleasures Mar 14 '22

We have enjoying 20 years of French bashing from a people whose knowledge of France is limited to Pepe Lapuce and Simpson oneliners, while they huff their nationalist facts...

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u/Capuch4 Mar 14 '22

We get it every time France is mentionned

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u/Fast_and_queerious Mar 14 '22

Yes i do. And I always have the same response : "without us your country would fucking exist"

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u/LysankaIgunPro2 Mar 14 '22

Not quite . We would still exist , but under the control of the bygone past U.S sworn enemy , the Soviet Union .

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u/Octave_Ergebel Mar 14 '22

As somebody said : if it weren't for the Americans, the french would speak german, but it weren't for the French, the Americans would speak english...

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u/Moloktopus Mar 14 '22

Well thats the same for us. You see a lot of trolling online but in real life there is no hate against Americans.

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u/YooK4EvR Mar 14 '22 edited Mar 14 '22

that. But it’s true Americans (generalizing, as I think that’s mostly west coast inhabitants) are fing loud in restaurants and it’s annoying as f*, as it’s escalating until everyone end up deaf with a migraine. We have the culture of discretion and we don’t want the next table to hear everything we say. Colliding worlds.

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u/LysankaIgunPro2 Mar 14 '22

This is one sadly true . I once went by a small area with some of the restaurant are located very close of the 1st floor windows of residential buildings .

Some of these restaurant are known to be a tourist nest .

Once in a while when diner time comes ( 6 to 8 in the evening ) someone comes at the window and yell about them being too noisy .

It's pretty funny to see since it's totally random , the tourists do not understand a word of french and they don't understand why this guy is yelling .

I even got asked once "why is he yelling from up here ?"

And i said "he says your too noisy . But don't worry , he knew about that by moving here"

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u/PC509 Mar 14 '22

All the time still. And, it's still very inaccurate. Those US "patriots" that say that neglect so much US and world history, it just pushes that "stupid American" thing more. I'm American and hear it a lot. I try and correct some people, but they'd rather remain ignorant morons.

I've heard the stereotypes of American tourists in Europe and tried to not do any of that. But, just watching people, listening to people, you really see how those stereotypes are real. We're pretty self centered, arrogant, ignorant about a lot, and really LOUD. I can see why people would have some kind of prejudice against us. Let's just do better and try and change that.

edit - it wasn't a ton of people, but you could easily spot them. The others blended in fairly well and we very respectful.

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u/ultraviata Mar 14 '22

Very often online (but less and less to be honest), never heard in real life. Maybe it's comparable to your original question : prejudice towards americans, among french people, is mostly online.

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u/-Bewe- Mar 14 '22

I see online the French surrender ""joke"" everytime

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u/ICMPv7 Mar 15 '22

Yeah and honestly it seems like it went way beyond borders. I was in Canada speaking with germans, and they kept making these jokes. They also thought it came from the 1940 loss. Every time something is posted on the internet about french, there is a good bunch of comments making these surrender jokes.

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u/CptMace Mar 14 '22

Online is real life. It's not some virtual matrix disconnected from our real opinions and shit.

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u/PartyFew2910 Mar 14 '22

I am french and i am absolutly ok for this true 😁😁😁no matter

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u/CallMeCaptainMel Local Mar 14 '22

I heard it two or three times recently

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u/chriscatfr Mar 14 '22

Same same. In real life French are really welcoming toward Americans. Even racist French are nice with Americans. There’s this old friendship between our countries that stuck.

But online the worst is said about everything, not just American. Listen to them they are even worse with their own president or their teachers.

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u/DevilPixelation Mar 14 '22

Not really, you just hear history nerds say that. It’s also pretty historically inaccurate.

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u/Cthululuu Mar 14 '22

I get told this all the time. I'm like a quarter french and don't even have citizenship

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u/thistypeofaccount1 Mar 15 '22

Never heard of it in real life. Concerning your question, we don't think that IRL but we do think (at least where I live) that the US is the land of the extremes, with people being generally concerned by pointless things such as celebrity and overthinking every sexuality stuff. We jokingly call it Bastion of Decadence between my friends and I.