h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Angela Merkel is landing in Athens airport and is slightly surprised that the immigration officer apparently doesn't recognize her and starts asking her qustions.
Name, Madame? Age? Nationality?
She answers: Angela Merkel, Fifty-Seven, German.
Occupation?
No, no, no, I am only staying a couple of days....

Did you watch 'Bron/Broen'. I'm guessing that they're having great fun with Danes' and Swedes' stereotypes of one another.

Well, yes and no. I watched it and they did mention differences, but none of them funny as far as I remember

I try *not* to stereotype people. Mishaps occur, though. I confess to a little bit of nervousness in the company of men with turbans and women with scarves. In many cases, if I get to know them better, I find that they are nice. If they're Americans, they mostly want to be good citizens, as do I.

I agree...there's a superficial cultural barrier. But isn't it great fun stepping over that barrier?

I found the joke in posting 1 on an old friends Facebook. I told him I thought it was so good it deserved a greater audience so took it here

Now another friend on Fb is asking "isn't it about time we stopped teasing the Germans about their past?"

I answered him I'm half German and I don't mid. There is a difference between evil mobbing and elegant irony

But what do you think (and I am putting this question to Germans in particular)?

it's all about context isn't it, and your audience.
I think it's funny (but I'm only a pretend-German)

I think people get really touchy about their nationality if it's a substancial part of their personal identity. I never thought I'd get offended by anything related to stereotypes, but when I was a fresh expat a few years ago, I started feeling really defensive and I felt like I needed to "right all the wrongs" when people referred to my origin. Prolly I just needed to defend my own identity, as being "oneself" can get confusing when living abroad.

(I hope I'm not being rude not introducing myself as I'm new here; well, hello all, anyway)

At least it's more than the reflex Germany = War that Britain hasn't yet got over. There's some contemporary relevance.

t was quite handy that Germany lent Greece all that money to buy German tanks to keep Germans in work. At least now they have some hardware to suppress revolution. They've done it before...

I wonder what German people think about bailing Greece out? Do they hate the Greek for needing help or thank them for giving more boost to German economy?
Anyone?

Certainly some of the Germans that I know don't follow the Merkel line that it's all the fault of the profligate Greeks.

But of course there's no one German opinion.

Profligate is a harsh word, sir, esp when "People who live in a beautiful place with beautiful weather and know a good thing when they see it," will do nicely.

straw poll in the office: it's nice if you can retire 10 years earlier than a German...

on the other hand: if the govt offers it nobody in their right mind would turn it down.

In short: everyone is blaming the politicians.

I blame Capitalism.

<<<Now another friend on Fb is asking "isn't it about time we stopped teasing the Germans about their past?"

I didn´t think of the past of Germany but in the present. Occupation is what is left to do against Greek folks.
However the joke would have been still relevant if instead of Merkel the visitor were the director of the European Central Bank, ( a legal mafia group) the same person who was working for Goldman Sachs when this firm falsified documents for the conservative Greek goverment so that Greece could enter the EU…

... my blood is starting to boil.

There are regional stereotypes in the UK and there are class stereotypes as well which is influenced by how they are portrayed in the media, ie Essex Girls and Hoodies.

Essex girls are really like Essex girls Chelsea is like dumbo's ruling the world; a bit like Cameron and Gideon but not quite as stupid: but would still be pressed if given an exam requiring more than memory.



look at them spiders

Nowadays Britain is a classless society.

I've seen clips of TOWIE, Made in Chelsea and Desperate Scousewives.

You're right there, Ed, you lot have no class

Thinking in terms of American "Good Ol' Boy" stereotypes, I must say that the behavior manifested is characteristic of the gangs, at least within the ethnic group, whether the gangs are rural gangs or urban inner city gangs, though the phenomenon is usually made out to be a regional characteristic or consequence of environment.