The French are arrogant.

“Never trust the French,” they say. When it comes to national stereotypes, the French probably suffer the most. Outside France, ask any random guy who the most arrogant people are and there’s a big chance they are likely to include the French with a passion.

Even the French think they are the most arrogant according to a survey…

However, do they really think highly of themselves to the point that they get the ire of foreign nationals? One argument that is often mentioned is that an average Frenchman do not smile at strangers. The truth is, it doesn’t mean that they are rude. It may just be a cultural thing. Unlike others who wear a smile all day, the French do not show emotions that they do not feel. No one is required to smile in France, and it has nothing to do with being polite or rude.

Moreover, if the French are so drowned in their mightiness, how come they are humble enough to donate to countries in need more than any other European nation? According to “The Economist,” France is the third largest aid donor in the world, after the US and Japan. That is hardly what anyone would call “arrogant.”

Taken from here

Maybe for some of us, they are stereotypes for a reason. Maybe there’s some truth in it. Maybe it applies to some people. But the problem with stereotypes is that they tend to generalize. Perhaps it’s about time that we accept that mankind is composed of fine, unique individuals with different ways of living life and avoid branding an entire nation with what we think are characteristics of just some.

Remember that a person is judged not according to his race and definitely not his nationality. Humanity is defined by how good we have been to ourselves and other people, not by the country we live in.

Date: 2015-01-12; view: 1391