Stereotypes are always strange that way, the ones about our own country feel weird or even embarrassing to us, but stereotypes about other cultures, they are fine, they don't bother us. We realize how silly some stereotypes are that are made about our own culture, but yet, we are usually susceptible to adapt the ones of another culture. For example, Germans are often portrayed with Dirndl or lederhosen, but if you travel to Berlin or Frankfurt, it is quite unlikely that you see any such outfits, except as a costume in a theatre or similar situation. Same in America: The stereotype is cowboy boots and cowboy hat and yet, when you go to New York, you will not see any, and even in Texas, you will not normally see them, if you happen to be in Dallas or Austin or other bigger city. On a farm in Texas, yes, there you will certainly find them. Americans also do not eat burgers every day either. Yet, these stereotypes stick, because they do apply to a small subset of the population or exemplify something that stands out a bit from other nations. If people bring up stereotypes, that normally just means, they know very little about another country, and have nothing else to go by. It is a great opportunity to tell more or show more of a country that is so unknown to most of us.
russian tanks is not a stereotype..
Happy New Year to both of you. I wish hapiness and success for you and peace for all.
Stereotypes are always strange that way, the ones about our own country feel weird or even embarrassing to us, but stereotypes about other cultures, they are fine, they don't bother us. We realize how silly some stereotypes are that are made about our own culture, but yet, we are usually susceptible to adapt the ones of another culture. For example, Germans are often portrayed with Dirndl or lederhosen, but if you travel to Berlin or Frankfurt, it is quite unlikely that you see any such outfits, except as a costume in a theatre or similar situation. Same in America: The stereotype is cowboy boots and cowboy hat and yet, when you go to New York, you will not see any, and even in Texas, you will not normally see them, if you happen to be in Dallas or Austin or other bigger city. On a farm in Texas, yes, there you will certainly find them. Americans also do not eat burgers every day either. Yet, these stereotypes stick, because they do apply to a small subset of the population or exemplify something that stands out a bit from other nations.
If people bring up stereotypes, that normally just means, they know very little about another country, and have nothing else to go by. It is a great opportunity to tell more or show more of a country that is so unknown to most of us.
I am from Canada, we are much the same.