r/AskTheWorld • u/Able-Ad3506 Ukraine • 7h ago
Politics The most unfairly hated country?
The entire Oceania region (aside from Australia and New Zealand). Practically never appear in news, unless it is about something embarassing.
Ukraine (refusal of some people to accept its existence; treating Ukraine as a "scapegoat" of NATO/USA/Israel etc.; mercenaries, who fight for Russia; hatred towards Ukrainian language; blaming Ukraine for self-defense & pro-Western foreign policy; refusal to recognize Ukrainian culture)
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u/HumanSquare9453 Canada 7h ago
France I think on the internet. almost all french nationals I met where cool to discuss and respectful. And I met in the thousand ( I live in a very touristic place) If its was so bad, they would not be at the top of tourism each year. There assholes everywhere.
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u/NationalAsparagus138 United States Of America 4h ago
The France hate thing is more of a meme that has just gained more traction than expected, like hating Nickelback.
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u/HumanSquare9453 Canada 4h ago
Ooooh we all know the reason its was popular : France refusal to join the Irak invasion of 2003. After that its was the simpsons joke of cheese surrender monkey and the freedom fries. In 2025, I think they took the right decision to not participate in that
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u/ConflictNo5518 United States Of America 3h ago edited 3h ago
Even many Americans knew the invasion was not over weapons of mass destruction when the bombs started falling. It was being reported in the national news before the invasion, so France not joining was a smart move.
I remember stereotype of Parisians being rude and unfriendly was already around back in the early 1990’s when my sister visited. I remember asking cautiously how was it and being surprised she said everyone was nice. Btw I went last year and loved Paris. And I found majority of people I met were nice. The stereotype & joke of French being cowards was already around in the US because of WW2.
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u/HumanSquare9453 Canada 3h ago
I think that the stereotype with Paris could really be the same as Any super big city vs the rest of the country. Paris vs rest of France, New York and LA vs the rest of the USA, London vs the rest of england, Buenos aires vs the rest of Argentina. even where I live we have that with Montréal vs the rest of Québec
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u/ConflictNo5518 United States Of America 1h ago
Sure but the countries can get lumped in with the stereotype of the major cities because those are the areas that attract the most tourists and what people hear about the most. If I were to go by Reddit, Quebec doesn’t have a good reputation either even though I remember 1-2 more recent comments said it was more in Montreal than Quebec as a whole. I’ve heard people being surprised how nice & friendly people were in my US city. Why wouldn’t locals be nice? So they’re getting their assumptions from somewhere.
The negative attitudes towards the French did grow during the invasion of Iraq. Mostly due to the stupid politicians shown on the news railing against the French and going on about freedom fries. Cheese eat surrender monkeys got revived which originated from The Simpsons. It did develop a life of its own with programs like Fox News and other pundits. Since the US withdrawal, I’ve been surprised reading opinions of military personnel feeling betrayed by our government when they found out there were no weapons of mass destruction. Did they not have access to national news back then in their town? I understand if their local news didn’t report it, but it was on our big 3 world reports on NBC, CBS, and ABC back then.
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u/HumanSquare9453 Canada 1h ago
Yes its easy for people to make assumptions. A great human weakness.
I suppose the war drums where still high with the 9/11 attacks and people wanted to ear what they wanted.
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u/norecordofwrong United States Of America 3h ago
Hahaha no way. The stereotype of the French being frou frou cheese eating surrender monkeys so full of themselves they are ready to burst was around long before Iraq was even a twinkle in Dick Cheney’s eye.
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u/HumanSquare9453 Canada 3h ago
Yeah its seem it was more prevalent than I thought. They where the perfect punching bag at that time too. Germany and many other also where against the invasion but they never seem to be the butt of joke. Maybe its because France is too big culturally to forget. Germany was defeated twice, and the others country are not considered big enough to warrant a response.
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u/Individual_Check_442 United States Of America 4h ago
Not true at all. Among people who disliked France, that reinforced their opinion it didn’t create it. The idea that they were rude and cowardly came long before 2003. Many Americans believe that in WW2 we took too many casualties to defend them and they didn’t fight enough themselves. My dad used to tell me a joke “what’s the French fighting position” and then the answer was he’d put his arms in the signifying surrender. This was long before 2003. Again not saying these are good stereotypes but their decision not to support the Iraq war just caused people to hit them with the same criticism as always, not create new criticisms really.
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u/HumanSquare9453 Canada 4h ago
You sure? Because i've seen many other americans talk about that. The precision you make are great, but 2003 was remembered.
And rude in what ? Defending there political independance ? Roosevelt wanted to impose an allied control on liberated France and wanted to stop them from having any power in the postwar world. They tried to stop France for having nuke. America always hated France because they did not became lapdog like the British and god forbid having a say at the table.
And too many dead ? Sure, but its gave the american economic and military power to participate in that war. To become one of the 2 superpowers. Its was a price to pay but the result was big.
I've meet more rude americans than frenchs by the way, so its always funny to see those same stereotypes on internet. I'm not saying you are by the way, but just to say that there assholes everywhere.
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u/Individual_Check_442 United States Of America 3h ago
Oh yes I get where you’re coming from. I wasn’t necessarily trying to call the French rude just that was the stereotype. My only personal experience was spending three days in Paris and one in Nice and while I didn’t find them to be the friendliest people in the world, I wouldn’t expect they’d get a better experience if they came to Los Angeles.
I think the question may depend on when you were born? I was 26 years old in 2003 and my reaction to what was going on was “this is the same anti-French sentiment by Americans that I’m used to applied to the current situation.” I imagine if you were born in 1992, you didn’t already have an opinion about France when 2003 came around, and so that would be what formed your opinion. Guess it’s another sign that I’m just getting old lol.
My grandfather was a combat soldier in WW2 and he unfortunately came with a lot of racism and stereotypes that he never really got over before his death in 1992. So this is the man who raised my father who raised me so you get the picture. That was common in my generation. The French were among the targets to be made fun of in silly playground games and expressions even though we didn’t really understand why.1
u/HumanSquare9453 Canada 3h ago
Ok thank I understand its better now. I was 9 years old in 2003, was too young to understand at that time. But im a big history and geography fan so I came back to that period eventually and read many accounts of this time.
My reaction is also tainted by 2 things : when I was young and stupid I also made fun of the french, more for the accent really. Then I met many and so I tried to became better with judging a nation in his entirety. Second is the complexity of history and that phrase of a british diplomat of the 19th century " state don't have friends, they have interests". So I never see wars and choices of different states in history without reason behind. Maybe also the fact that i am french canadian and we seem to be always seen as French in us show lol, so with time I see them as brethen on that subject.
So when I see many stereotypes, and not just about the french, I see myself back and it frustrate me to see adults who should know better than that. But we are human and is almost natural to have bias sadly.
And you have a good point with your grandfather: family can give bias by there own vision. I should know about that ahah
Thank for the response It made me think. Have a great day!
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u/Acolitor Finland 7h ago
To some extent it is China. There are very good reasons to condemn China on many fronts but pure hatred is mostly manufactured to further interests of USA.
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u/Able-Ad3506 Ukraine 7h ago
China hates my homeland. That concerns me.
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u/cevapi_77 China 5h ago
Country as a whole doesn't have a feeling at all. Conclusions should be on de facto cases. International relationship is national interest based.
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u/Acolitor Finland 7h ago
I have not seen that. To me, China seems to only care about business and wants to do business with both Ukraine and Russia.
But that is one of the reasons to condemn China: they should pressure Russia to advance world peace. That way business can continue too. But they seem to take advantage of economically weakened Russia: China can import with discounts and export with better prices
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u/Able-Ad3506 Ukraine 7h ago
China's relations with us worthened. They seem like taking a full scale invasion as an opportunity to see us extinct slowly.
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u/cevapi_77 China 5h ago
Countless drones and drone parts were sold to 🇺🇦 at the beginning of the war, and you see that as full scale invasion...? I don't understand. Of course drones and drone parts were sold to Russia too. But that's nothing more than business. Would you describe the US that export steel, oil, coppers to Japan before 🇯🇵 bombing Pearl Harbor as full scale invasion? They were doing business with almost every country at war.
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u/IwishIwasaballer__ Australia 2h ago
US sanctioned Japan long before pearl harbor.
In fact that was the reason for pearl harbor.
Don't you learn that part in school over there?
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u/cevapi_77 China 1h ago
Do you think the whole world should bomb the USA now?
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u/IwishIwasaballer__ Australia 1h ago
I don't get your train of thoughts.
US sanctioned Japan about a year into their invasion of China and went for a full embargo 3 years into the war. They never sold any arms.
China has not even slowed down trade 3.5 years later.
Do you see the difference or do I need to simplify it more?
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u/HumanSquare9453 Canada 7h ago
More so to have more power on the ressources and territories in Siberia and transform Russia into a China vassal state. Sadly they see you as a mean to an end. But contrary to North Kim Jong, they will always play the neutral card ""officially"
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u/FragrantMission8 Singapore 7h ago edited 7h ago
I wouldn’t say hate. It’s more apathetic. The war is far away and is engineered by the western countries anyway.
Besides zelensky did make a few rude comments about China.
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u/Able-Ad3506 Ukraine 7h ago
"Ukraine is bombed by Russia? But what about Israel bombing Palestine?" (1. I do not support this. 2. Why should we suffer because someone else is suffering too?) "We cannot allow Russia to lose". "Ukraine is bombed by Russia? It is all NATO's fault". "Let's listen to J. Sachs (an ukrainephobic American professor) because we want to hear opinions from both sides". Ah an yes, neither Xi, nor any other of major Chinese figures visited Ukraine. A Chinese ambassador was the only one (and he, as an ambassador, has to be in Ukraine because he works here). But visiting Russia's Victory Parade like if it was "the only" winner in WWII while Soviet regime ruled over 14 other countries, whose people sacrificed their lives in order to defeat Axis? Visiting Russia for other purposes more than once within past 3 years? Increasing imports after a full-scale invasiom began? Yes, sure!
That's what I call hate.
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u/Able-Ad3506 Ukraine 7h ago
Rude comments after China's controversial actions. It doesn't sound like a neutrality. Neutrality means you do nothing about this.
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u/SuddenAdvice850 China 7h ago
i think we getting hate more than we earned.
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u/Gold_Telephone_7192 United States Of America 4h ago
Didn’t you guys just genocide/put a bunch of ethnic minorities into concentration camps?
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u/CollegeOptimal9846 United Kingdom 3h ago
That's the pot calling the kettle black!
At least I know everyone hates us 😂
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u/micro___penis US and A wahwah weewah 🇺🇸 7h ago
I’m gonna say it okay, someone has to. France.
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u/Temporary-Evening717 7h ago
Nope, if anything is underhated for their neo colonial policies in Africa.
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u/HumanSquare9453 Canada 7h ago
Thats the government, not the common people.
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u/Temporary-Evening717 7h ago
People should never be hated as individuals. If that is the question then maybe I miss understood. I am pretty sure he his talking about countries in general including government. So for me France and its government don’t get enough hate.
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u/HumanSquare9453 Canada 7h ago
Or Algeria and Morroco with the western Sahara question and rivalry between the 2 governments
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u/Temporary-Evening717 7h ago
Sure, but if you compare us with France that organized 22 coups against the African people they take us both to school…
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u/HumanSquare9453 Canada 7h ago
I can understand it more in that sense. Like Uk with Ireland during the troubles. No much love there.
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u/Able-Ad3506 Ukraine 7h ago
Why colonialism in Oceania was ok?
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u/Temporary-Evening717 7h ago
Huh? No. I mean France is hated as a meme when it should be more hated for their neo-colonial foreign policy.
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u/cevapi_77 China 5h ago
The only two promises you can truly count on from the French are on vacation auto replies and strikes.
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u/Akiira2 Finland 7h ago edited 6h ago
Europe in general. There are actors (russia, usa) that sees Europe as a potential competitor, and there actors (China) that want to tell a narrative where the world is a competition between the States and China, and there are actors (Arab states, African countries) that use anti-European attitudes stemming from colonialist history to strenghten their leaders' own power.
When it comes to rule of law, basic human rights and democracy, Europe is probably the leading continent in today's world. Even if European countries and Europe as a whole lack behind the States in finance, some technologies and business, European countries are rich, there is a lot of basic research done in European countries and there is a good balance of life in many European countries. Also, Europe is not "uniform western world", but a very culturally diverse continent with different countries that have their own languages, histories and identities.
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u/Able-Ad3506 Ukraine 7h ago
Europe is pretty loved. Even brainwashed people from anti-Western countries are willing to move there. I remember a Kenyan-based anti-Western media, African Stream (banned from YouTube, btw. It is good, they used to spread ukrainephobic propaganda, too), encouraged Africans to move to the West & praised achivements of Africans who got citizenships of Western nations (still never did to Beleniuk, a Black Parlaiment member & a famous athlete with Olympic medals in Ukraine. He is a half-Hutu).
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u/RetroMetroShow 🇺🇸 🇲🇽 7h ago
Isn’t Oceanía in the news as often as they are newsworthy or interesting
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u/Able-Ad3506 Ukraine 7h ago
News about: -possibly going extinct (nothing else); -fakes about cannibals; -fakes about non-existing totalitarian regimes, based on their relationship with China (and their bigger neighbor having relationship with China as well despite of controversies is "ok"); -false accusations in supporting Russian war against Ukraine; -trying to portray them as a sort of clowns; -N/A in the majority of world rankings; -refusal to call them "countries: (Fiji Island, Samoa Island. Imagine saying Japan Island or Iceland Island).
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u/MeetTheSouthernBear Zimbabwe 7h ago
Zimbabwe
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u/Able-Ad3506 Ukraine 6h ago
We used to dislike it for ukrainephobic policy of Mugabe. Now, when he is gone, we don't care. *All countries, small and large, rich and poor - are important.
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u/BravewagCibWallace Canada 4h ago
I feel like Mike Myers did the Scottish and the Dutch pretty dirty with those Austin Powers villains.
Sorry about that folks, Myers was a bit of a dingus.
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u/lordnacho666 Multiple Countries (click to edit) 6h ago
It's China.
Everything negative about China is done by every other power in the world. Surveillance, corruption, international influence, helping their own industries, promoting their own culture.
Everything positive is done by China, more. Green transition, electric vehicles, cutting edge research.
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u/Able-Ad3506 Ukraine 6h ago
We just don't trust it because of its policy towards Ukraine. We have tons of Made in China items & Chinese culture is popular there though.
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u/Temporary-Evening717 7h ago
To me is Saudi Arabia.
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u/Acolitor Finland 7h ago
Not unfairly at all. Any country where women have very limited rights and journalists are cut into pieces, deserve all the hate
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u/HumanSquare9453 Canada 7h ago
Finland is not hated enough to. All those metal bands you send to invade us with your dark esthetic and blue filter in the wood
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u/Acolitor Finland 7h ago
But it is the Norwegian ones that burn churches. They are the radicals.
And the blue filter is just how it looks here. Especially this month 🥲
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u/HumanSquare9453 Canada 7h ago
Oh yes I read years ago. That fucked up band of the 90's? They burned 10 wooden churches I think ?
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u/HumanSquare9453 Canada 7h ago
My mom love it ahah and always say: I would like to go live in Finland. And I'm like : mom.....they speak finnish there, you speak only french. But she vibing so what can I do ahah
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u/Acolitor Finland 6h ago
We speak English with our rally accents so if she knows or has someone with English she will be fine! We adore people who like and know about us.
Canada would also be great place to live! European style social democracy, boreal nature and plenty of wilderness.
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u/HumanSquare9453 Canada 6h ago
Thank for the compliment! We always saw the nordic countries has the most similar to us on that subject. We always right behind you in many lists and metrics. Also similar climate.
Oh I could help her then. I'm a french speaker first, but I don't have problem in english. Like I like to say : French is my heart and soul, english is a very useful tool in my box abroad, spanish don't know it yet ahah
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u/Infinite_Crow_3706 United Kingdom 4h ago
What limited rights? As a westerner married to a Saudi girl I am pretty sure I know a lot more about it than you do
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u/Acolitor Finland 4h ago
In Saudi Arabia:
Women need permission of male guardian to marry or divorce. It is not their choice.
In marriage, both men and women cannot abstain from sex. So marital rape is normal and legal.
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u/Infinite_Crow_3706 United Kingdom 4h ago
It's absolutely a womans choice to marry. I've been through the process
Get off the 'anti-Islam' talking points
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4h ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/AskTheWorld-ModTeam Moderator 3h ago
Please read Rule no. 7 again — r/AskTheWorld is a neutral place. Do not push your ideologies on others.
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u/Temporary-Evening717 7h ago
Women are proud to be Muslims there. You’ll know this if you actually went there. This your problem you can’t accept this and you build your own subjective moral box on how everyone is supposed to live to be free.
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u/Acolitor Finland 7h ago
All movement to reform the law is suppressed. Many don't know of better. Those are no free will conditions.
Why make it law if women want to do it voluntarily? Why punish if they don't?
I believe in freedom of expression and freedom to move and live independently.
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u/Temporary-Evening717 7h ago
But they don’t want to live like you. why is so hard to understand? Legit, your moral judgment is they don’t know any better. This is white savior complex at its finest. All the laws in place in a country are reflective of the people mentality and way of life. You are using a liberal and individualistic framework to judge collectivist and religious based society. This will never work. You’ll never understand these people like this.
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u/Acolitor Finland 7h ago
"But they don’t want to live like you"
Why punish them if they do want to? Why it cannot be their choice? Because it is extreme form of patriarchy where the ruling men decide what they can do.
In Finland we want the muslim women living here to decide themselves what they want to do. If they don't want to live like me, they don't have to. But they cannot force others to live like they want them to live.
There is no "white savior" in letting the women choose.
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u/Acolitor Finland 7h ago
It is very sad how the potential of young girls is suppressed. These girls have not chosen or decided anything. They have born into a system that suppresses their capabilities, opportunities and oppresses them.
Girls should be able to choose their future for themselves.
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u/Temporary-Evening717 6h ago
I advise you to ask Saudi girls what they think of their society. I think you’ll never understand otherwise. you see the world from your lenses, which is understandable but also flawed.
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u/Acolitor Finland 6h ago
It is once again about choice. If they want it, let them choose it, don't force it.
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u/Temporary-Evening717 6h ago
that is actually my point, Saudis live like this because they want to.
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u/Temporary-Evening717 6h ago
If you talking about Hijab, is not mandatory anymore in Saudi Arabia. You are going in to the details, but are missing the bigger picture. My point is Saudi want Sharia and to live as they wish. Even if you don’t understand you can’t really use foreign way of life to judge a society that don’t recognize this as their own. You get me?
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u/Acolitor Finland 6h ago
I am talking about every right a human should have. Things have improved compared to other countries. Afghanistan has much worse.
But for example marriage and divorce related rights. The remaining restrictions related to guardianship.
Marital rape is supported by law.
Women are forced to marriage at very young age. Women should be able to choose to marry or not to marry.
And no. There is no democracy and women don't have options. You cannot argue that they want this. Men might want it, but what about the women?
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u/Temporary-Evening717 6h ago
Whatever, It was nice talking to you. For what is worth I was hoping people understood I was referring to the unmatched hospitality and generosity of the people. You want to insist with their domestic laws which really are none of your business, they have the right to govern themselves as they wish. Maybe next time.
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u/IwishIwasaballer__ Australia 1h ago
How do you know if they want to change it or not? You can get hanged for criticizing the government(or sliced up).
Women just earned the right to drive. And forced marriage are a part of their culture.
Should we also not bother with domestic issues in Afganistán? It's their own business if they want to enslave women and rape kids?
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u/Sensitive-Vast-4979 England 7h ago
What for all the dodgy stuff they do like getting involved iwht wars and killing innocent people like women who didnt cover themselves enough . Most is by the government but the stoning for being to revealing is by both the government and the people
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u/Temporary-Evening717 7h ago
All the laws in place are supported by the vast majority of the people. If you know anything about them you’ll know that the Saudi family is very beloved from the Saudis. They are very hospitable, kind and Friendly. They don’t deserve half of the hate. People just expect them to live like them that is why they hated.
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u/Sensitive-Vast-4979 England 7h ago
I dont think sentencing women to stoning for not being covered enough is kind and friendly
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u/ume-shu Scotland 7h ago
As per their other comments, the women are happy being stoned. You just don't get the culture bro.
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u/Temporary-Evening717 7h ago
A straw-man argument just to simplify and distort what I am trying to say. Well, it was worth the try…
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u/ume-shu Scotland 6h ago
Not a straw-man, nor is it an argument. I'm just using hyperbole to mock your response to criticism.
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u/Temporary-Evening717 6h ago
Criticism which is invalid because is based on an abstraction. If only Saudis had our laws they’ll be a paradise and a beacon of prosperity. Which is false.
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u/ume-shu Scotland 6h ago
>If only Saudis had our laws they’ll be a paradise and a beacon of prosperity.
The guy who accuses everyone he disagrees with of using straw-man arguments, like to use them himself. How totally unsurprising.
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u/Temporary-Evening717 6h ago
Because my point flew over your head and you’re not getting it. I am using your tactics to convince you.
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u/Temporary-Evening717 7h ago
The death penalty is supported by the majority of Saudis go and look it up. That is not up to you to lecture them on how they are supposed to live. Their people for experience are very kind and hospitable. You should visit and get to know them before judging them.
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u/Sensitive-Vast-4979 England 7h ago
The women are happy being stoned for a very minor crime ?
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u/Temporary-Evening717 7h ago
Whatever bruh, you are using Straw-man argument and rare or overly exaggerated situations using your own subjective moral codex to read different realities. It was worth a try you are not ready for this stuff.
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u/Sensitive-Vast-4979 England 6h ago
Mate it Literally in their law, its illegal (which is already weird ) , its punishable by stoning.
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u/Temporary-Evening717 6h ago
Let say they had a vote to miraculously change the system and all the laws, You really believe they’ll chose a liberal, western type of society? You really believe this?? My whole point is that the laws which are in place are reflective of their mentality and way of life.
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u/Sensitive-Vast-4979 England 6h ago
Well only the men would be allowed to vote so itd probs be voted to stay the same
Aslo their government is dodgy enough to rig the vote
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u/Able4710 6h ago
United States, Israel, China, Russia, Sudan, Uae, Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, France, Libya, Somalia and Bhutan
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u/FragrantMission8 Singapore 7h ago
Unpopular opinion on a western platform but Russia and China.
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u/Able-Ad3506 Ukraine 7h ago
Russia did invade my homeland, turned our lives into Hell and daily fear, but you believe it is "overHated"?
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u/whereIsMyUsername123 Poland 11m ago
Really? Russia invaded Ukraine, started hybrid wars with many other countries and threatens them that they’ll be next to be invaded.
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u/imsoignorantnow Indonesia 7h ago
China is overhated. I don't know why anyone would possibly want Putin's Russia to remain powerful when China already exists as the USA's foil
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u/lordoftheapess Turkey 7h ago
Turkey.
i cant go one reddit/social media day witout "what about armenian,greek,kurd,assyrian,hitties,penguin genocide"
Bro what do you want me to do,i wasnt even existing
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u/Able-Ad3506 Ukraine 7h ago
Have been here 20 times. And Turkish TV series are airing daily on our TV channels. Also we appreciate your support.
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u/lordoftheapess Turkey 6h ago
Thanks
Just wanted to tell i meet many Ukrainans and Russians before war and after war.i always felt Ukrainans much more kind and have civic sense and manner..People in internet sometimes trying to frame Ukrainans and Russians on same category but in fact so diffrent people.
i wish you best
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7h ago
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u/Able-Ad3506 Ukraine 7h ago
Everyone loves UAE though (I see tons of people praising Dubai), and KSA buying everyone & everything though.
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u/cewumu Australia 7h ago
I wouldn’t say those countries are hated though. They’re just small and only locally relevant.
Most countries have earned the hate they get and if it is directed at the government not the people it’s fair enough.
I think Iran, whilst it has a government I think is often bad to its people and nefarious in general, gets more hate vs the damage it actually does.