tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8442430064359197279.post2180886241568922903..comments2024-03-26T10:03:51.827+13:00Comments on Karl du Fresne: Cultural stereotyping: a licence to sneerKarl du Fresnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05054853925940134404noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8442430064359197279.post-41124994906056730182018-10-10T10:38:51.598+13:002018-10-10T10:38:51.598+13:00'more sohisticated places like...' yeah, n...'more sohisticated places like...' yeah, nah! Everywhere is unsophisticated in places, parts, portions! Everywhere that people live I mean. It's plain nuts to sneer at America(ns)...quite apart from the huge & multifarious cultural leanings, our very own PM (& plenty of her generation) speaks like one for heaven's sake. I'm aiming at a similar road trip to yours Karl...can't WAIT!! Hilary Taylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00240590567749247083noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8442430064359197279.post-50343017023055487892018-10-08T17:47:55.782+13:002018-10-08T17:47:55.782+13:00In support of what you say Karl, many NZers make f...In support of what you say Karl, many NZers make foolish negative generalisations about the USA out of ignorance, jealousy, etc. In my opinion the USA is the most diverse country on earth, diverse in just about any dimension you care to name. Pretty much anything and every extreme of human endeavour is present there. Generalisations are just inappropriate. In my travels there for both business and pleasure over the last 35+ years I have always felt welcome. I used to be mistaken for an Englishman, then later as an Australian and once or twice correctly identified as a New Zealander in more recent times. Culturally, the USA and NZ have a huge amount in common, so why do so many people slag Americans here? I suggest an additional reason to those you set out is that many American tourists speak quite loudly with a penetrating accent, are quite direct and can thereby come across as crass to us South Sea Poms. We associate that style of communication with blowhards and loudmouths in our country. That conclusion is usually incorrect when applied to North Americans - there are notable exceptions however, eg, Trump.khrusthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07205236386273808326noreply@blogger.com