I always enjoy comparing cultures on Geert Hofstede's website (read his works as well, they have great insights): https://www.hofstede-insights.com/country-comparison/denmark,the-usa/

Now granted, this mostly explains the what, not the why, but even that is quite interesting and certainly useful if you are about to work or otherwise interact with someone from another country!

As a German I have to confess, the joke is 100% true concerning German's WILL to organize everything. But we have "fallen off the other side of the horse"
We TRY to organize but we over-organize so things are NOT working. Taxes, internet, university, vaccination... in international rankings we're not doing well at all. Concerning internet: we're second-last after Albany...
So the joke might have to be Rechnung-written: "The EU will be a success if... the Germans leave Organisation to the Italians."
Sad but true, as soon as governing officials are involved. We've organized us to death...?

One measure of one culture against another is what constitutes profanity. For e.g. in France, the expression 'merde' (shit) is closer to 'damn' or 'oops!'- no big deal, it doesn't raise eyebrows but in other European cultures and languages, usage would be frowned upon, at least in front of the kids, or maybe the priest.

In 1977 UK, the word 'bollocks' was 'legalised' when the Sex Pistols' album 'Never Mind the Bollocks, here's the Sex Pistols' was found in court not to be profane (aka indecent) because, the literal meaning of the word is 'small balls'.

https://dangerousminds.net/comments/rumpole_novelist_john_mortimer_defends_sex_pistols_in_bollocks_trial_1977

What is allowed and what is not allowed, what shocks and what raises a laugh are where cultural differences can be observed every day. When someone drops a plate, or realises they left their wallet in the car at the end of the meal, or can't contain their frustration, horror, or delight, the reactions will be formed by local mores.

I’ve heard it before. But including the Swiss. I think it was this flavor:
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14583836

I’m French and I can attest French policemen can be vicious. Especiallly when it comes to car speed tests. While English police usually show when they do a speed test.The French hide it as much as possible.
About Germans I heard they are always are very disciplined when it comes to waiting for their turn to cross a walkway compared with the French. But I actually never went there.

About the difference about Asian and western cultures, there are some indicators in the book Quiet by Susan Cain, when it comes to culture induced introversion and extraversion.

Derek, hi~ Just wanted to let you know I've been pursuing these questions since Covid--gave up my apt. in Santa Monica and left the states--so far one month in Sicily, one month in Cordoba, Spain, one month in Sao Jacinto Portugal (by Aveiro), and now two months near Swansea, Wales with one to go before I head back to the "Schengens"--to France and mainland Italy each for six weeks—and then i don't know. And I've performed every place I've lived over here--formal concerts, and in parks ☺. I do have a sense of these personality stereotypes based on my living experiences, but that's a much longer conversation--or maybe a book, right?
All my best to you!~
kay

One aspect that can partially explain this is language.

In the US almost everyone speaks the same language, English. In Europe on the other hand, you have different languages right next door. You can make a wrong turn and start looking at signs in another language.

You can see something similar happening in South America. Most countries speak Spanish, so there's a common thread around most countries. There isn't a joke like this in South America.

That difference in language in Europe can translate in a different way of living life.

Of course there are many other factors in play, but language is a huge one, as the differences are reinforced from birth. Some languages have more words to express different kinds of things, and so on. Those differences grow larger as the people grow up.

Now hang on a sec… I must stick up for our (English) cuisine!! It’s become outstanding in recent years. However our government is a shambles

You know what, in fact I’m pretty sure the original hell version I heard with the Swiss was:
English: chefs (because of vinegar crisps, fluorescent peas and jelly)
French: organizers (because of the revolution and many strikes)
Germans: policemen (because of the nazi legacy and discipline)
Swiss: lovers (because well they like to be neutral)
Italians : bankers (because of the mafia and many pickpockets in the country)

Hi Derek,
As an Australian, I can say our culture of mateship, irreverence, humour, hard drinking, hard working, relaxed egalitarian attitudes are directly a result of our convict heritage.
Here’s a good article written by Miranda Luby for the BBC.
https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20170607-why-are-australians-so-laid-back
Ps
My husband actually used to trap crocs for a living in his early days! (What a cliche!). He says read Robert Hughes, “The Fatal Shore” for a real perspective on early Australian slavery, which may go a long way to explain why we as a collective mistrust authority.
He’s happy to send you a copy.

I really believe that none of that accounts to a single event, this bigger traits commonly perceived in a given society are direct (but sometimes diffused) result of how a certain collective decided to deal with their hardships. They first had to deal with it using whatever resources they have at hand, and by resources I also mean soft skills more commonly found among that group. As a culture evolves the solutions they manage to find are passed along and updated so an archeology of sorts that you usually find in anthropology books are quite enlightening on this. Just as some studies in psychology and if one finally wants to get it after knowing a bit of this theory the natural step would be diving into the culture and developing an empathic link will eventually make them get it. Actually, empathy triumphs over all else, whenever one wants to understand someone else's (or someone else group's) way of living. We all fall victim of collective choices took in the past and the present but the most important thing is how the society chooses how to deal with those choices. Finally some choices favors certain traits so explicitly that it is easy to point out a stereotype, maybe the uncle always burns the food because he wants to take that extra minute to tell a joke or brag about something but the real bummer is the overcooked food so the rest goes unnoticed 🤷🏻‍♂️

Do you know the book „East meets West“ by Yang Liu? It‘s a small book that uses illustrations to compare cultural differences between Germans and Chinese. It‘s entertaining and though-provoking as well. Highly recommended.

Now, that got me thinking too……

It's not just countries, it's about regions within countries as well. Every country has its "redneck" in Spain it's the "cateto" in France it's a "péquenaud" in Ireland it's a "culchie" and in the UK it's a "bumpkin" why is it generally accepted in all societies that country folk are less intelligent and put less emphasis on cleanliness and style or other more sophisticated concepts than "city folk." In the UK for example most people from the "West Country" are considered to be "ooh arring turnip-eating bumpkins" and people from Cornwall for example don't even consider themselves to be "English" as Cornwall has its own native language and a strange dialect of English is spoken. Johnny Two Kebabs writes very eloquently about these issues in his latest novella "Johnny's Ridealong" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B3NGNRJR
Personally I don't think country folk are less intelligent it is just that they don't use their intelligence. Diversity and inclusion should include the bumpkin but he has to help himself for others to be able to help him (or her)

I think there's such a thing as national consciousness or identification, the way a country sees itself and what the people expect and think of each other. But I think when you take a fine-grained look at individuals, you probably won't find it to hold up.

Lots of Germans (I'm German) are tardy, laid back, and disorganized. Especially Bavarians in the south are more laid back. (See what I did there? Hehe). The idea of being organized is just that, an idea that took hold of the culture for whatever reason (I know that's what you're after, the reason). They're stereotypes, not realities.

Differences in customs are another matter. Customs, it seems to me, do have an effect on a culture.

And, as someone else mentioned, language has an influence. Heidegger (not endorsing him, he was a Nazi sympathizer) said that, to paraphrase him, everything arises in language. I think he went too broad because we're more than just our brains (our bodies have their own story about life). But if you're willing to read him (if you haven't already) he may give you some insight into some of the ways in which language and experience are connected.

If I were to look for an answer to your question, I might study transformative changes such as from hunter/gatherer to agrarian, to industrial. From nature worship to monotheism...those are changes that obviously took place in most of the world. But probably differently, depending on local resources, topography, climate, population density, and the like.

The clarity and apeture of our lens determines the impact and hilarity of the joke. Polish and expand as we all evolve ;)

Maybe this is an interesting point of view. The Mission of Folk Souls https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/19100616p01.html

Geography can have a huge impact on cultures and when mixed with human insecurity and uncertainty has the power to explain a country’s actions and policies. Things like rivers and mountains (or oceans in the case of the USA) isolating and/or protecting a country have far reaching consequences for how they interact with the wider world and develop. Robert Kaplan and George Friedman are the two individuals I have read the most on this subject.

I'm a Brit, but had european family and friends form the beginning. I remember hearing that many years ago, and in several incarnations too - usually it's "heaven and hell" not the EU.

One of the funniest related EU jokes I heard goes as follows -

An Englishman a Frenchman and a Spaniard are discussing sex and marriage.

The Frenchman says (in his typical accent) When I make the love to mah femme, I cover her body with perfume and rose petals, and she rises one meter off the bed in ecstasy ....

So the Spaniard says - eez nothing! When I make love to my senora, I massage her body with exotic oil and aromatics, and she rises TWO meters off the bed in ecstasy.

So to the Englishman (in a broad cockney accent). Nah that's nuffin mate! When I shags me missus I wipe my cock on the curtains. She hits the effin ROOF!

Agree with the first commented on Hofstede.
A good accessible book on the topic is culture map (summary: https://kathrynread.com/the-culture-map-by-erin-meyer-a-summary-and-review/ )
Unfortunately both official websites paywall the more detailed stuff. Also most discussions/summaries online aren't too helpful as 50% is caveats on how not everyone country x is like that, and how every culture is the best in their own way :)

My favorite book on this is “The Culture Code” by Clotaire Rapaille. He’s a cultural anthropologist and also a marketing expert who has used his insights to help companies successfully market their products in different countries.

You might enjoy One Man's View of the World by Lee Kuan Yew. He discusses his take on the future of countries that play a key role in Singapore's future, and makes a lot of his analysis and predictions based on the temperament and culture of the people in these countres.

I'm Spanish and, in general, I have stereotypes so much... but of course, I loved your blog post, and it planted a seed in me. My girlfriend is Chinese, I'll discuss this with her too. The topic is truly fascinating.
Many years ago I read a book called "Foreign to Familiar: A Guide to Understanding Hot - And Cold - Climate Cultures" and now I really want to revisit it with a fresher perspective.
btw I have no words to thank you for all the ways you impact my life.

Hey Derek,

isn't that true for the States as well?
I mean, there are stereotypes by each state, aren't they?
(Can't tell. Never left this continent I was born in). The people on the east are perceived differently than those in the west. North and south were at odds in the past.

You've got some book recommendations. I second Quiet. If I were to add one, it would be The Culture Map.

Now, my personal opinion as German:
It is influenced by geography. That is, what is the weather like over the turn of the year (Russians have way more… opportunity to spend time thinking on winter whereas French enjoy the life). What food you can grow.

But also the historical background. Germany had a strong army. Preussian state introduced track recording (birth register, everyone had to attend school, etc) with a rigor not known before (church kept track to a certain degree, but was … eliterian).

Now, the USA promised The American Dream. Every single person was meant to have the opportunity to become a millionaire when starting as a dishwasher. How much of it is true, I leave to yourself to judge.

China on the other hand was more influenced by its philosophers. That you can achieve more when the group is prioritised over the individual. I remember you shared that Aha moment once you spent a few years in Asia.

So far,


André

GH

As a South African / Swede living in the UK (mostly London’s cultural metropolis)… multi-culturalism has been fascinating for me. To witness the cultural effects on behaviours in a place like London is a bit of a deep dive into melting-pots. I studied cross-cultural psychology at university and found that really interesting to explore what is universal versus cultural etc. language certainly does play a huge role as a cultural expression and set of blinkers / guide rails for interpreting the world. I see that in my use of English versus Swedish versus Afrikaans. Now married to a French-speaking partner and raising multi-lingual children I’m determined for them to get the benefit of broader cultural experiences through language.

I think you’d be fascinated by the Law of Jante (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_Jante) which permeates Scandinavian culture in so many ways. It’s a set of rules names after a fictitious person and it reflects a very socialist Scandinavian mindset. “It characterizes as unworthy and inappropriate any behavior that is not conforming, does things out of the ordinary, or is personally ambitious.” (Wikipedia).

It really helped me understand some of the Swedish quirks When I moved to Stockholm in the 90’s.

I suspect all that is very true. Both sides of my Family are from Germany. Doing a great deal of reading, about 15 books a month, has also helped with providing the same conclusions. Thanks.
Frank

https://www.erartperu.org/post/la-oportunidad-está-en-nosotros

I'd be very careful about generalising behaviours based on country of origin, it could be perceived as a subconscious bias, but there are certainly personality tendencies in groups of people from specific regions, possibly due to traditional habits, genetics and cultures.

I must attest to the fact the Brits tend to think a cup of tea will solve everything and the weather is always too hot or too cold. The EU analogy is scarily accurate too (something still dividing the Brits after Brexit's impact).

I do find it fascinating how different cultures personalities are presented in media though. Stereotypes have a lot to answer for.

I do not like jokes like this because I am a black American who have been stereotyped all of my life.
So I am sorry Derek but do not find this funny.

I think of it like the north versus the south. I grew up in New York and loved it. Thought it was perfect. Left to live in the south. Had heard all of the stereotypes about southern charm and northern aggression. Never believing it. Then voila. I move south and see first hand the culture and upon returning home to NY felt the reverse. The stereotypes had legs. The why I surmise comes from collective decisions that win out like Lamarckian evolution. A group likes a way of being and pushes the agenda. It gains unconscious credibility and soon becomes an ethos. My 2 cents. Chris

One need only to drive on the M5 with a GPS to feel the CONSTANT presence of cameras and transparency.(big brother)
The Swiss police themselves. Try J-walking and folks will yell at you. It has to be the cleanest country in the world. No dumping or dog dirt. No slums. People are constantly painting and repairing any damage on homes or common areas.
Our Swiss German relatives are so organized that they have their lives planned out with goals and action plans for the entire family. No
Resistance or procrastination. They are focused!
While at MIDEM the food was divine💫 even the train station served the freshest delicious pastries. No second day bread anywhere. Salads are bursting with flavor.
Also they walk and take the stairs. No fat French.
Food is an Art, the taste, texture, placement, colour, nutrients.
Sophia Loren films probably portray the epitome of Italian romance.
Clark Cable didn’t have a chance.
Love the joke. So happy we traveled the world and experienced the fabulous people and their ways.
As always, you bring thoughtful brain storms!

I always remember this joke when traveling:

No Americans are allowed to make noise after 11 pm, no Germans before 7 am.

Language helps to explain the Germans. It's a very precise and methodical language, and I'm certain that it reinforces that sort of precision in their general lifestyle.

Latin languages (e.g., French, Italian) are less rigid and more open to nuance...

Stereotypes exist for a reason, as do generalisations. They are patterns, and patterns save time and effort. That doesn't mean they're always accurate or reliable, and they aren't helpful at an individual level... but you need them for decision-making.

And you need them for jokes and humor. (My advice for those so easily offended... Don't open an email that mentions 'joke' in the subject line.)

A decent lighthearted look at the UK can be found in Bill Bryson’s Notes From A Small Island. It was a while ago when I read it but remember it as irreverent but also very astute.

I second the recommendation of "The Culture Map". It's insightful about how a lot of cultures vary on their orientation to time, hierarchy, etc. It's very good at avoiding delving into stereotypes, while outlining where people immersing themselves in a culture (with a focus on international consulting/management, but not limited to that) will routinely shoot themselves in the foot if they go in unaware.

As a Canadian, we're often described as "nice", which I've taken pride in.

Living in Toronto, it was once described as "New York, if run by the Swiss", which I thought was fair and funny. It was certainly not meant to denigrate. It doesn't put down New York or the the Swiss either.

Some stereotypes are loving and complimentary, and others obviously are quite harmful.

I'd be remiss if I did not mention the Nacirema. See what you think...

https://www.sfu.ca/~palys/Miner-1956-BodyRitualAmongTheNacirema.pdf

The 11th chapter of Genesis…Tower of Babel…God confused and divided and scattered the people by language. Distinctions and traits began there and have adapted and developed over generations. God’s design and plan…

Imagined Communities by Benedict Anderson was a big influence on my masters thesis. I wrote about suicide terrorism and the altruistic nature of those who give their lives for others vs the selfish reasons of others and how those reasons can be influenced by social and cultural scenarios - imagined communities.

I grew up as a "third culture kid" (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_Culture_Kid). I spent my early childhood in Colombia, a few years in Turkey, most school years in Germany and the final school years in Italy. I spent my university years and the rest of my current live in Germany. My dad is south-american latino (Chile) and my mom was German.

This history gave me both an inside view and an outside view of different cultures. Doesn't mean I have all the answers (perhaps more questions still), but I now think that "culture" is an emergent phenomenon, similar to how the shape of a flock of birds is a characteristic, emergent phenomenon: Each individual bird doesn't know or aim to create the overall shape, but as a group, they do, yet it's the result of the sum of all birds that make up the flock and how they interact with each other and their environment.

Culture is the sum of individual histories, challenges, choices, and actions. The inputs are historic (as Germans, we're deeply influenced by our role in WW II, for example), geographic (warm climates tend to produce different cultures like cold, mediterranean vs. mountain, etc.), and external (environment, borders, geo-politic, economic, etc.).

Even within countries, there are differences: northern Italians tend to be slightly different than their southern cousins, same with norhern vs. southern Germans, etc.

Culture changes, albeit slowly. I'm not very happy about today's Germany being "less organized" than the joke hints it to be. Just look at some large infrastructure projects like BER airport and Stuttgart main train station, or the back and forth of Corona policies and actions during the pandemic. Maybe climate change will also lead to cultural change? Today, it's very hot here in Munich and everybody is in a chilly, lazy mood :).

I guess these conditions are a product of the long term consequence of mimetics. The desires of the individual are defined by the models of people/groups he compares to and validates himself. The individual also affects the desires of the group on a reflexive cycle. On long term diferences just keep growing and autocompounding.

The book "When Cultures Collide" shines some light on this topic, but I think you already know it:
https://sive.rs/book/WhenCulturesCollide

Hi Derek, if you would deepen the subject, I would recommend an old book "We Europeans" by Richard Hill. Have a nice day!

I absolutely love the Xenophobe's guides, i read quite a few of them, they're amazing

Language structure and patterns definitely have something to do with it. Northern/Germanic languages tend to have more complex sentences which would mimic organisational skills. Southern/Romanic languages have more variety (cases/verb forms), which seems to relate to creativity. Same with melody.

The question is: did this come about because colder climates during longer periods of the year require long-term thinking and better planning which in turn favored more complex languages? While in the south, there was more time for social interactions which benefit from melody and variance?

I’d say the Xenophobes Guide to… [country], fits the request here very well.
http://www.xenophobes.com/

It’s very tongue in cheek, at times in depth, and reading your own countries “guide” alongside a foreigner makes you feel dressed down, bemused and utterly foreseeable.
I recommend giving these books a look :)

When I first went to France I was given an article by an American who was living in Paris for work. I clearly remember two suggestions in order to fit in better and get along while in France.
The first was to say hello in French when you walk into a small store. The boulangeries and other places like cheese shops etc. Americans have a tendency to treat people behind the counter as less than. “Just the help”. The French tree to proprietors and helpers at a business almost as if they were entering someone’s home. The second recommendation was to not yell everything you say. Americans tend to be at a higher volume with each other. The reason that the French can sit so very close together with people who aren’t dining with them directly, is that they don’t yell their conversations at each other.
I was telling this to a friend of mine who I traveled to France with years later. We had gone to a tiny French restaurant in Paris that was run by a family. We had gotten there early for dinner as the French eat at certain hours and we got there at the very earliest part of that timeframe. The family was wonderful and the husband was the chef and everyone came out to talk to us and serve our meal including the chef. It was a delightful experience. I was telling my friend about the volume of conversation comparison, and a few minutes later an entire group of Texans came in talking to each other as if yelling across a very large room (even though they were very close together). It was jarring after the very peaceful environment we had been eating in and both of us started just laughing because of the universe illustrating so quickly and bluntly the very thing I was talking about just a few minutes before hand. We both felt sorry for this small family handling this big group of Americans who were so boisterous, loud, and intense. Someone in the group mentioned that this place was recommended on some travel brochure and that’s why they all came. They were not all from the same family but they were on the same tour.

This is an example of cultural difference. I followed those rules and was treated very well everywhere I went. I didn’t understand the language and know that some people were rude about me at times (another stereotype about Parisians) but following these two rules has made my life very much easier whenever I travel to France. There are other rules that I don’t know but those two really set me in a good place as a tourist. The only other thing I do is also try really hard to understand and speak a language where I go so that they take pity on me and speak English. The effort does impress them because Americans have our reputation of thinking the English is the only language.

Thanks for bringing this up. Oh and one more thing. Canadians do have a reputation of being nice which I experienced when driving there. I got the impression that politeness is ingrained in the culture. For instance, I can put my turn signal on and other drivers actually let me into the lane.

None of these things is universal but there are areas in which you can see the stereotype of a culture showing up in their behaviors.

Ariana

I’ve lived in France for 38 years now, and the stereotypes that were true 27 years ago are, in my opinion, only partially true today. The historical reference to French cooking is accurate but Italian cooking is also creative, delicious and inventive. As far as “police” is concerned, the joke is probably referring to the disastrous handling of opposition to the Wars in Nortg Africa (Algeria) and the “civil rights” riots in May of 1969. The French are constantly on strike or marching for or against something or contesting the government so there have been a lot of opportunities for crack-downs.

Looks like you've been having fun for 27 years simply being curious. Maybe stay in the question?

Not a book. I would recommend that you watch a few episodes of a sitcom from decades ago called “All in The Family”.

It will become immediately apparent that the bigoted things Archie Bunker says are neither true nor funny; the humor is that anyone would be ignorant enough to say such things. We all laughed at Archie, not what he would say and do on the show.

The point of the show was to demonstrate the harm and counterproductive nature of bigotry/stereotypes, regardless of whether or not there is a case to made that a particular group of people may have, in general, a particular characteristic.

I've seen this joke countless times on tourist postcards. Everyone likes to make fun of other cultures, but it's just gentle ribbing. But as time has gone on, it's perhaps not completely accurate anymore. The Germans were once seen as ruthlessly efficient, but after living here for 21 years, I can tell you that that isn't the case anymore by a long shot. And obviously now, Britain is no longer in the EU, so we need to replace them with someone else in this joke!

And I thought the French were supposed to be the great lovers? As comedian Bill Maher once famously said "in France, even the mistresses have mistresses."

I'm sure there are similar jokes in Britain concerning England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. Friendly rivalry.

Learned behavior is truly fascinating, especially when regionally practiced.

Southern women in the US are a great example of a regional cultural expectation that creates behavior.

Gentle, kind, passive, deferring to the man, accommodating, hospitable - characteristics of a wonderful Southern woman. We'll welcome you in, offer you sweet tea, and smile & laugh while the men lead the conversations, then inevitably cluster for female conversation. It's an act we learn as kids.

Southern men are notorious for treating women as idiots and directing all questions to whatever man you are with, even when the woman is the business owner, not her husband.

For example, I'm the sole owner of an LLC & selling my business, yet the young male realtor continues to direct all questions and decisions to my husband, who has no legal authority to sign anything. The realtor knows this - I have told him, yet he continues. Rather than push it, I've resigned to letting them do their thing. When it's time I assert myself, but meanwhile I let them feel important. That's what we do.

Patrick Dempsey and Josh Lucas once asked me if I considered getting into acting. I smiled and cooly replied that it would be interesting to study the art. I was acting that very moment, and they had no clue.

Southern women are born actors. Being real is our challenge.

The most amazing conversations to be had are with southern women who trust you enough to quit acting. You'll hear the smartest, wittiest conversations from strong, intelligent women, and very quickly know the role we play is for our own amusement. We're not trying to be insincere, we've just learned bucking the system is tiring and unproductive. Being treated as equals happens, and we treasure those relationships, personal or professional.

If you don't play along with the cultural expectations, you're considered bitchy, pushy, mean, obnoxious, or my favorite, crazy. It's wonderful when we decide playtime is over and quit "hiding our crazy." We aren't bipolar, we've just had it, and you're about to experience "a shit show." There's no force to be reckoned with more powerful than an angry southern woman who sets her sweet tea down.

I agree with Sebastian (comment 6) about language shaping culture as well.

Southern dialects change drastically, though are usually lumped together by those who don't live in the South. Take 2 men from Leslie, GA (rural) and Auburn, AL (big town) - incredibly different Southern accents and different approaches to life. Leslie's sounds more country and has a longer drawl. Auburn sounds more sophisticated and Rhett Butler-ish. Auburn's dialect wants to impress you, Leslie's doesn't care but draws you in with it's musical nature. Leslie's you'd assume to be a redneck while the guy from Auburn you imagine plays golf daily and drinks bourbon on ice. In fact the man from Leslie owns 1000 acres and has travelled the world, while the man in Auburn makes $40k and hasn't been anywhere.

Language and dialect create assumptions about behavior and wealth, too. One of your commenters made the same assumptions about "bumpkins", illustrating rural vs urban stereotypes. The bumpkin on the little farm has no desire to live in a flat in the city, and vice versa.

Is there a place on earth where women are truly treated as equals and people are cherished for their character, not their location or assumed bank account? I'd like to live there and just be real.

There are 'small chunks' of meaningful data that once communicated don't change because people are too busy repeating that data's meaning. For example, most words are like this, we don't usually take the time to re-debate the meaning or use of a single word as we are busy using that word to do other useful things.

The small chunk of meaningful data is occupied. It is in active use, like a car or a part of a car. Culture is the same way- while on the outside it looks like a big scale thing(Britain is large) it's actually much huger than an outsider can perceive. For example, a local briton knows what manchester is while I do not.

As a cultural outsider you constantly have to transact in small chunks trying to grasp the bigger understanding of the culture at big scale. But here's the rub- people INSIDE the culture do this as well. So they accept French=cooks as a small chunk of meaningful data that is in use, and when someone brings it up they have already heard something like that hundreds of times so it's just a head nod on their part.

The scale of the perception doesn't matter. How many pieces the object is in doesn't matter- all of language is designed to remind of a larger amount of data somewhere else. Trying to frame culture as something that exists outside of perception first must occur inside your own perception of a culture- and every culture starts from someone's perception.

Humans think of themselves as an independent object by default, but of course that's not true. We live in relation to many objects in the world, both abstract and physical.

Research says funny does not exist. Humans laugh at irony, however, irony at its best requires suspending reality. About half of the people hearing a joke [irony] cannot suspend reality and may even be offended. For example, evolution created religion as a survival technique 🙂 That said, my Polish Uncle laughed at this joke:

Derek, thanks for the email! Research says funny does not exist. Humans laugh at irony, however, irony at its best requires suspending reality. About half of the people hearing a joke [irony] cannot suspend reality and may even be offended. For example, evolution created religion as a survival technique 🙂 That said, my Polish Uncle [and our whole family] laughed at this joke: WHY DO VERY FEW POLISH MEN WEAR NECKTIES? BECAUSE VERY FEW POLISH MEN HAVE NECKS :) Literally, my Uncle had a very short neck and rarely wore neckties :)

Hi Derek,

The first time I heard this joke it was a little more elaborate and was included in an episode of Yes, Prime Minister where Sir Humphrey talked about the European ideas of Heaven and Hell.

European Heaven was:
The French are the chefs
The Italians are the lovers
The Swiss are the doctors
The Germans run the trains
The British run the country

European Hell was:
The British are the chefs
The Swiss are the lovers
The Italians run the trains
The French are the doctors
The Germans run the country

I guess the joke is like the English and Americans: divided by a common language.

Hope all is well.

Best,
David

As always, Derek, you know how to spark conversation and thought!
In my international travels over the years, I found the Japanese to be the most polite (even more so than Canadians :). They were also the most tolerant of us loud Americans. In France, both Paris and in the south, I never encountered the "rude waiter" stereotype-- they were helpful whether choosing a wine or an entree. The Germans, whenever I attempted to order a meal in their language, immediately responded in excellent English and apologized for their limited language saying, "Only the Germans speak German these days."
In the U.K. sometimes I got the feeling that they loved to hear the American accent and colloquialisms as much as we liked hearing their British accent and terms. As Winston Churchill said so brilliantly, "We are two countries separated by a common language."
The Italians I've met in my travels love to show you the best of their country and cuisine-- even to the best gelato you will ever taste.
Mexico always seems to love Americans and believes that everyone from the USA is rich and they do their best to earn a big tip. All in all, people are people and while it's not polite to make generalizations, it is evident that customs and culture do play a role in the outward impression of a country and its people.

Factors reshaping human conduct & behaviors included; a) religion b) folk stories c) Literature/Movies d) conflicts (large scale) -Man-made or natural. The roots may be found deep in genetics (innate or acquired).

Though good Qs, I never thought about it.

Been studying media and imaginary as I´m taking my masters degree in communication and reading your post, one book that comes to mind is Orientalist by Edward Said (on the building of stereotypes and cultural studies). If you like audiobooks, here is a good version:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46a8QxHKp6U

Interesting article. I understood the joke. The only reputation I didn't understand was the Italians are unorganized but was able to assume getting the others.
Similar to this is the Chinese zodiac. I always found it ridiculous that my whole graduation class has the same personality but when sitting at a table with 3 people, when they read their own animal it kind of seems dead on.

I lived in the Netherlands for two years and during that time took a road trip through France, Switzerland, Italy and back through France and Belgium to home. The drivers in Belgium, France and Switzerland were pretty much the same. However, crossing the border into Italy, things went wild! Everyone was speeding (like going 150 km/hr vs 120 km/hr) and the lane markers appeared to be treated as suggestions! Cars were passing me on the left and right, and criss-crossing all over the highway. And don't get me started on all the motorbikes oozing up to the front of the lane at a red light.

I am also fascinated by these questions. But explaining why a person or group behaves as it does has become more difficult with globalization, travel, and social media.

I would add that statistics provides some good lenses. If a random person returning from Taiwan tells me that people there don't jaywalk, I believe them, because that behavior is easily and repeatedly observable. If, however, they tell me that people there are kind / rude, I am more skeptical, for the sample size is smaller, and the observer bias considerable.

Great question! For sure many of treats are coming from the language, for example in German “what time is it” goes literally “how late is it”. It explains a lot.
I loved two books about differences in cultures:
The Culture Map: Breaking Through the Invisible Boundaries of Global Business
Book by Erin Meyer

And

Bringing Up Bebe: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting
Book by Pamela Druckerman

Thanks for book’s recommendation, will comment more after reading them

Thought provoking joke. It's largely based upon cultural and historical stereotypes. But the main takeaway that I see is that everyone is gifted in something. Working together, we can accomplish a lot of good, just as our bodies use many parts to function properly. Hermit kingdoms seldom advance, but there is strength in uniting.

Wow. I just realized that not ALL Australians are like Crocodile Dundee! Kidding of course, but as an American who lived in the EU for three years and who has a son that is half American and half European, I can tell you now that I'm learning new things all the time. It's very interesting and sometimes very frustrating. Nonetheless, entertainment abounds. Father's Day is observed in 111 countries worldwide according to Wikipedia. I hope you and all those you love are doing well. Happy Father's Day!

I read with a slight different perspective. I see the jokes and each culture as gifts, if we live out strengths/ gifts in harmony with others who live on or out of their gifts the EU - this world would be a success. Conversely, if we are not true to our selves strengths/gifts and try to live as someone else the EU - this world will be lesser.

Try - Living Your Strengths: Discover Your God-Given Talents and Inspire Your Community https://a.co/d/bAwKIPO

Many years ago, I was invited to be a foreign teacher in China. My sister, a high school teacher in Texas, shared my email reports with her students. They sent me a list of questions about my experiences and observations. Part of my responses to them made it into my memoir, China Bound. One is relevant to this discussion:

What is it like being in the minority, surrounded by people who neither look like you or talk like you?
You asked how it felt to be surrounded by people who look different. One of the most interesting developments in my own transition occurred after I had been teaching for about seven or eight weeks. After two months of total immersion, I realized that I no longer saw my students as a group of Chinese students. The sociologists refer to this act as “labeling”. Such labels allow us to describe an entire large group with only a few simple terms. This practice is not fair or accurate - just simple. It also allows us to feel superior and detached from the group we are describing. Just imagine how you feel when you hear a Polish/blonde/lawyer joke if you are Polish, blonde, or a lawyer. (Someone please explain this concept to the Blondes. Use simple, one-syllable words.) I had completely forgotten that my students were Chinese; I only saw them as widely varying individuals. Indeed, sometimes it was a bit of a shock to hear them open their mouth and speak Chinese.

Approached with an open and welcoming attitude, cultural and language differences across tribes, nations, borders, etc., can enrich us all. The impulse for separateness can have the opposite effect: if we're a bit odd or extreme, with more exposure to our own nonsense, we can become more extreme in ideas, social and political circles.

Perhaps every 50 - 75 years, mainstream G8 cultures might go through a sort of cycle, from one end to the other, and then broadly repeat patterns. The only solution it seems is to foster tolerance, patience, and for societies to strive to helps its peoples become more equal -- at least as far as the basics in life.

Most likely, books that strive to 'explain' the quirks of a nation may only be partially correct or anywhere near accurate. Perhaps I guess we discover those realities as we live in different cultures.

Yeah, these stereotype jokes make me wince because I have found myself the butt of the joke (as an au pair in Italy or Belgium for example). However, I was in west Ireland last week for work and found the Irish hospitality myth to be true! I was blown away at the friendliness of ... everyone. True graciousness and savoir faire. Inclusivity. I'd move there in a heartbeat if it weren't for the weather!

Hello Derek,
Thank God people are different in every culture. Jokes and Love ❤️ make our world go round.
I have been to many countries in the world and a good joke and smile is always welcome.
If we we’re all the same we would be like robots.
Ukraine is no joke though and we all know what happens to a crazy man like Putin. He is a bigger joke and will soon reap his just dessert’s.

I read something recently that said the American spirit of individualism and risk-taking came from the fact that when the new world was discovered, all the risk-taking individuals in England and Europe left to find their fortunes in America, leaving a larger concentration of practical, measured people behind.

It's an interesting idea that we might see play out again in a few generations when they volunteers to build colonies on the moon and Mars... :)

Wonderful points on our cultural differences and the evolution of them. Very thought provoking as I’m on a fast train to Venice after a stay in Paris, the UK previously. I’m still laughing over the jokes.

Thanks again Derek,

Kathryn

I think this is part of human evolution -- our need to simplify, classify and create taxonomies around the people, animals, plants and things in our world. For example, feline's with large teeth and sharp claws might eat us, or plants with certain color leaves are poisonous.

Every French person is not necessarily a good cook, but we want a story to tell about the French. We want to create a distinct identity for them -- true or not -- it's a way for us to easily describe and classify them.

Amongst Europeans, this feels very lighthearted, but this aspect of our humanity has been used in much more malicious ways. Here in America, we're very much reeling from the false and mean-spirited and manipulative stereotypes created around African People and descendants of enslaved people.

So, the question for me isn't, "Why are some cultures one way, and other cultures another way?". For me, it's why and how do we choose the stories that we decide to tell about different cultures and groups of people? Why are some groups cast with lighthearted playfulness and others with downright malice and contempt?

You might check out American Nations" by Colin Woodard. He tries to define the cultural regions of North America, how they got that way and, most importantly, why they are so resistant to change,

As a student of astrology since the early 60's, I'd point out that just like a person, each nation has a birth date and thus an astrological chart that describes both its personality and possibilities. As each person has his or her quirks and character, so does a nation. It would be interesting to analyze the charts of the nations in light of this joke to see what I can find...

Another perspective is found in the writings of Alice Bailey who describes "rays" that influence the lives of people and nations as well. 24 books written in in 30's and 40's but still quite compelling and relevant. I'd recommend 2 in particular on this subject: Rays and Initiations and Destiny of the Nations. Fascinating ideas. Books available online for free.https://www.lucistrust.org/online_books/welcome_obooks_website

I had a similar question about Japanese people. Why are they so polite? Why do they avoid any kind of confrontation at all costs? Why do they work so much? I then read 'A Geek in Japan', which you've read too, and discovered they are the product of their history.

I think that we're all affected by the history of our country to some extent.

I'm Italian and would agree that the EU would collapse if we were to manage it. Italy as we know it was born in the second half of the 19th century. If you google 'Italian map before unification' you'll see how fragmented it was. And we're still divided to this day to some extent (Sicilians are very much different from people from Milan) so we can't find political stability (we've changed government about 70 times since 1946!!!). We struggle with 'basic nation management'.

Clearly your street performer has the French and the Italians confused.

I have been to over 100 countries, and there is a lot of truth to the stereotypes for sure.

A lovely book 'Sixty Million Frenchmen Can't Be Wrong: Why We Love France but Not the French' (How the Collision of History, Tradition, and Globalization Led to France's Unique Culture) Paperback – May 1, 2003
by Jean Nadeau (Author), Julie Barlow (Author)

I found 2 things bring all cultures together... in business and making personal connections:

1. Music is the Universal Language
2. Smile is the Universal Expression

I've taken 13 languages just enough to be respectful and communicate needs (bathroom, hunger, travel, etc.) and the willingness for a stranger in almost ever culture to connect and help was typically catalyzed with a smile. :)

Henry Ford was credited with 'Whether you think you can or can not, you are (will be) right'. I believe the same is what we choose to believe about a culture or our culture. When a challenge of necessity comes into play, I choose to believe cultures will rise to preserve and thrive as long as it doesn't jeopardize their identity and priorities.


'The World is a Book... those that don't travel only see 1 page' ~ St. Augustine

The way to end discrimination... Travel

Dr. Smiley :)

Jokes aside, one common mistake that is very ingrained and which bothers me (and many other people I know) a lot is the fact of US citizens to use terms like "America" and "Americans" referring to USA and its people, while the term actually refers to the whole America continent and its people, thus demeaning all the other America's countries and their people. That alone already reflects how US people have the cultural tendency to individualism, among other things.

A course in Cultural Anthropology, or Intercultural Communication might help. I found both to be very useful for navigating interactions with people outside of my usual culture.

Much has to do with customs within a culture, how they value education (or not), and how they value family relationships. We are all products of our environment, and the power structures that are in place in our time/location. Of course, there isn't just one factor.

I'd also recommend reading some Joseph Campbell, and some comparative literature. There's actually something to be gained by watching some historical fiction and archaeological programs that shed light on developing movements throughout human history.

You might enjoy "Paris to the Moon" by Adam Gopnik. It's a book made up from a series of essays he wrote for The New Yorker as an American living in Paris with a wife and small child. Amusing, insightful, and it gave me a new outlook on the French.

Hi Derek,

As a Chinese American, I grew up with the stereotype that Chinese are bad drivers. In my experience, it appears to be true.

All I can say is that stereotypes were initiated from generalizations of what the average person experiences throughout their lifetimes. And it is passed onto other generations.

Nothing against African Americans, but I also grew up with a stereotype that they are lazy. Other races have also offered the same input based on their collective experiences as a whole.

As a die hard BUDDHIST, I have learned to accept things just the way they are and not to look deeply into it. Why?? Because this creates stress, Derek.

To be curious about something and wanting to find the answer to something as a complicated topic as this could never be solved.

Just like, I can bring up the fact how come you were NOT born a dog?? But you happen to be living inside a human body. This is another complicated topic that I found the answer to through my BUDDHISM engagements.

Patterns in life exist all around us. Isn't this how the world works. Some patterns are more complicated than others because it is NOT SO OBVIOUS to the naked eye and requires many years of experience and pain to develop that wisdom or intuitive insight into human behavior.

Try The Culture Map, https://g.co/kgs/ts3UYu, it helped me tremendously when I moved from Istanbul to the bicultural world of Montreal

I learned this joke with different features.

Luckiest man in the world:
Japanese wife
Indian food
British house
American salary

Unluckiest man in the world:
Japanese house
Indian salary
British food
American wife

And I share your fascination with culture.

Hello! I have read the book, Watching the English, in preparation for moving there, but I live in Cornwall, the most southwestern peninsula of England, and the people are nothing like what the book states. When inquiring about it, they always say they are very separate.

I, too, wonder about these things, ESPECIALLY in Europe, because the countries are all so close together, they should be more alike.

As always, I am thankful for your book recommendations. I'll add the one about the French to my list of books.

Thank you!

I saw that joke when I was young and it blew my mind. The idea that each country had such clear identities or strengths and weaknesses was wild to me. Similarly, I was excited when I found out about the book and self-assessment quiz, “Strengthsfinder 2.0.” Surely it’s a combination of things (events, received wisdom, geography and climate, challenges or ease, etc.) that shapes a country’s people and how they handle government, food, organizing, etc.

jokes....clown etc. first is 70's the other is from 'chasing Amy'
you may not want to publish this...
what does eating pussy and dealing with the mafia have in common?
one slip of the tongue and you're in deep shit.
Ben Afflecks roommate:
do you know what the success of CNN and eating pussy have in common......
constant updates.
i come from a country which is over 1,000 years old, hails the oldest national flag in world history.
0.007% of the world. i am back 900 years on both sides which probably make up 0.002% of the world population. i lived in Washington D.C. 70-72 was 10-12 years old. went back as an exchenage student 76. Fairfax.VA.
have lived in Hong Kong for 35years. before that Fu Dan University as second batch of foreign Students, 85-86.......
after a friend from Harlem mathematician and jazz musician called me up in aug. 2018.....said...hey i went to a BLM demonstration, but felt weird. are we being manipulated and exploited? i said i'm glad you asked me, because if i told you you that you would suspect me for a white-ass cracke honkie. but yes i do.
After some talking i said: you know i am setting up a group. WLDM....more than others. secret. underground.
i hope to the last white man that dies. and the rest of you UEFA Football Cup participants and your descendants whether they are in Australia or the unusa.....have got to stop taking yourselves so seriously.
i am going to finish by saying

+Japanese Mind for Japan
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/278003.The_Japanese_Mind

I was told a similar joke while backpacking through Europe. These days in the USA it's politically incorrect to classify large groups of people as having similar traits. We have to admit there's a lot of truth to these stereotypes. The question I ask myself now is, "What are our American stereotypes and are they incorporated in all of us to some degree?

Russell Shorto’s book on Amsterdam may enlighten you as to the source of the USA’s individualism. Cornelius Ryan’s book on the last battle of WWII may also illuminate you on the German, Russian and Allied cultures that persist today.

Jokes have a rare power to address social issues and stereotypes with a lasting impact that straight discussion can't manage.

It's an interesting set of cultural characterizations, but being from a long ancestral chain of Judaism, I'll need to think on all of this for a while and then most likely argue and eventually disagree with every bit of minutia until you cave. Hahaha!!!

https://www.amazon.com/Behave-Biology-Humans-Best-Worst/dp/1594205078 - this is the book that came to mind after reading your article. If you haven't read it yet, I think you will find many answers to your questions. I, like you, am very much into human behaviour, what makes people tick. I find the human brain fascinating and I almost exclusively read books on this subject.

And as an european,I totally agree with that joke, it's spot on :)))

Cheers from Romania ;)
Diana

I initially was opposed to the EU and was skeptical it would work and wary of the agendas of the nations who were for it.

One of the first things I ever remember being directly affected by due in part to Britains preparation to join the EU was decimalisation of the English currency and weights and measures changing from Imperial to Decimal. In the short term the population lost out and it appeared we had been conned. We probably had. The one thing that I think Britain was right to do was to maintain it's own currency and not succumb to using the Euro soley.

I'm not sure what the vote was like in my hometown in the referendum of whether the UK should join the 'Common Market' or not. I'm guessing it would have been rejected. In the referendum to decide if the UK should leave named Brexit by the press. My hometown voted to remain and was one of if not the only place to do so.

I think the reason for the change of mind between those referendums - if indeed my assumption of rejection of joining is correct - I can't be bothered verifying or correcting my assumption - laziness I know.
But the reason for my home City voting to remain in the EU was influenced by the planned demise of that City by the Conservative Party. The City had received more funding and support from the EU during the period Britain was a member than before it joined and since. My home City has always been one of the most cosmopolitan Cities on the planet and is significantly different culturally from other Cities in Britain because of that.

I personally am disappointed that Brexit was voted for as I feel Europeans were on the verge of perhaps progressing from Europeans to Earthlings and eventually we may have been able to have a common World Market / Economy. Idealist thinking I suppose but that's what we had in the beginning until we invented religion and money - then came greed etc...and we slowly destroyed paradise and the potential to improve it for all Earthlings...allegedly we are the smartest animals on this planet but we are the only ones that have spoilt it.

So in the end - sadly we are the punchline to the joke!

There's much more to this and more I could say and vent about on the matter but it's just too overwhelming.

Politically I feel that Socialism has never really been given or taken its chance in Britain or the USA partly due to the stronghold of Capitalism.

Communism has for the most part failed - although Vietnam appears to making a one party Capitalist system work with some social network for its society.

Norway seems to have the balance fairly well in the middle and future proofed as much as possible with the welfare of all of its people in mind. My home City has strong historical connections to Norwegian culture.

The Culture Code by French author Clotaire Rapaille is fascinating!

All cultures have long-reinforced particular peculiarities championed through media, through jokes, and through anybody or anything or any event that ‘proves’ that that the provincial quirk is still alive and well. It doesn’t seem to matter whether it plays out as a dominant feature in actuality. It seems to provide some sort of a comfort or glue, ironically, as a ‘safe’ separator to keep cultures more easily identifiable in the eyes of the ‘outsiders,’ who are societally conditioned to simple, habitual thought formation when it comes to those they perceive as one of the ’others.’ For Americans (especially?), there is also an entitled sense of superiority at play, with a subtle 'we're better' underlying the stereotype-driven observation.

Excellent analogies !

Great to hear from you ! Humanity will always stereotype one another, so much so that we often overlook how much we actually have in common that unites us all as One People living on One Earth, political systems create stereo types that break us apart and create the illusion that some are this and some are that when in reality in all cultures there are builders, cops, cooks, lovers … etc .. music has connects us with many cultures .. breaking down language barriers …. Penetrating to the hearts and emotions we all share as human beings … it is always fun to laugh at our cultural differences … even more fun to connect and link up on what we have in common .. like giving our time and undivided attention to one another … caring for what each other are going through … helping people up when they are down … celebrating life !

the topic of stereotyping cultures reminds of the “us vs. them” paradigm. and how “we construct the other”.

are you familiar with michel foucault’s work?

i remember his ideas being referenced a lot in my cultural studies lectures. i don’t remember which article or books though. 😅

My perspective was that as each culture has its strengths, likewise if each individual lives in their own strengths/gifts, this world would be far better. Contrastingly, if we all lived as someone else the world would suffer. Try Living your Gifts by Albert Winesman

Yep, that’s an old joke.
Humor then, affrontery now.
Draw your own conclusions.

Derek, thanks for the thought provoking blog, I loved it,also the responses.

I am from Latin America, and there is a great speach by a Japanese - Colombian, where he contrast the two cultures, japanese, so organized and disciplined, bit sometimes lack imagination, and latin Americans, undisciplined but how to be smart to survive the chaos, ....

Interesting to find what is best of each culture, as well as the blind spots

Here is the link if anyone is interested https://youtu.be/d6KleH5mLms

Two thoughts from what I’ve seen and pondered before myself.

I think much of how the US is can be explained by who first came here: people willing to risk their lives, who wanted more freedom, less people, and were willing to leave behind everything and everyone they knew. Even then, I think the US regions continue that story, those who just felt they had to come over more in the north, those looking to profit and have a lot of land in the south, and the ones pushing the limits and continuing the “American spirit” continually further west. Canada was more after thought, those avoiding wars, etc, so a more amicable version. Mexico preserved more indigenous people so they retained more collectivism.

For Germany, I can’t speak to how they got that way, but I’ve yet to buy a German product that wasn’t exceptionally built to finer tolerances and better performance than most of all competitors, whether that’s my bmw built Mini Cooper, my Bosch drill or my Braun razor, they are all truly remarkable compared to all the other brands from around the world that I have tried. I wonder if it may have even been an effort to stand apart as the US focused on assembly line speed and simplicity to emulate a Swiss watch’s precision instead - or maybe being neighbors those both came from the same drive for excellence.

In East Africa we have a joke that goes like this; Swahili (language) was born in Zanzibar, raised in in Tanzania, got sick in Kenya, got into ICU in Uganda, died in Rwanda and was buried in Congo.

Meaning: Swahili language has over 200 million speakers in the world. It is one of ten top languages in the world and is most fluent in Zanzibar, perfect in Tanzania, but in Kenya it evolves alittle bit. Kenyans speak it mixing with English words. Across Uganda it's in ICU. It becomes heavily corrupted with local dialects. In Rwanda you can hardly understand what they say. In Congo they know few words.

As an Austrian, I can confirm the content, but my Austrian cynicism would add that every other joke in your life has also "changed" it - otherwise the joke wouldn't have happened. ;)

Many years ago, I told the following joke to one of my Polish friends:
"Hey mate, have you ever heard of the Polish Triathlon?
You walk to Germany, ride a bike to Austria and drive a car back to Poland."

His response: "Haha, I hate you. But it's a good one."
I guess this proves the point.

P.S.: To be clear, people from Poland are NOT kleptomaniacs - but Austrians can be terribly sarcastic.

Understanding what drives Collectivism/Individualism, along with Tightness/Looseness is helpful and how it relates to geography & history.

Geographical Psych: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00536/full

There seems to be a strong correlation to a culture’s level of collectivism/tightness to (a) pathogen prevalence, and (b) history of invasion.

Climate, which relates to geography, also seems to have a measurable impact at the macro level of big five traits, which may play into this as well.

Richard Nisbett’s work in ‘The Geography of Thought’ goes into how geography influenced cultures over time. However, both the above focus more on the differences between East & West but may be helpful for Western Europe. Geography, past wars, and unfolding of past events would clearly be helpful.

Harvard Business Review (HBR) also put together some interesting views that seem to relate as well:

1. https://hbr.org/video/5686668254001/the-8-types-of-company-culture

2. https://hbr.org/video/4773888299001/negotiating-across-cultures

All the above also maps quite well into Ken Wilber’s four quadrant model if you really want to geek out. If Neil Howe’s Saeculum trends replicate to other countries, that may also layer in addition socio-cultural-economic lenses, which also seem to map to these quadrants. However, we’re now on ‘map is not the territory’ land.

Looking forward to your insights Derek!

That is super intriguing to me from an efficiency view : that such light-hearted stereotypes can be humorously conveyed in like 10 lines of a joke!

With Italians I really don’t know how it works but you are always getting ready to eat, eating , getting over eating to eat more, I did two tours there and mostly I loose weight but over there I gained 25 pounds, it’s all about food,

For the 'why' part of your question, maybe it has more to do with the nurture aspect of things. We teach our kids what we know, and they in turn teach that to theirs. If they continue to be surrounded by people that generally behave the same, maybe it leads to some persistence over time, hence the cultures that grow?

Love the curiosity that drives your life. Consider Valuegraphics. Values source behavior which is the source of individual and collective characteristics. Check out David Allision and his website valuegraphics which help to understand consumer behavior but how much more the question you have raised. There are 463 global values but his work is based on the top 56. Here is a little info from his website:

"The Valuegraphics Database is informed by a half-million surveys from around the world in 152 languages. It’s the first global map of what people value, want, need, and expect from life. Metrics include 56 core human values like belonging, friendship, money, authority, personal growth, and family."

2022 06-19--Personally, I don't care for stereotypes--there are actually so many varieties of opinions in any ethnic and/or religious category! However, I am OK with these "jokes" as long as they don't become negative slurs against any group! That's my 2 cents on the subject. I find everyone's opinions here interesting and "food for thoughts!"

Best regards Derek,

I think the world not learn from "Hitler's Inferno"..

Thanks for sharing! I'm an American who's obsessed with all things England (especially London), so "Watching the English" is now on the to of my reading list!!

I remember Rod Stewart’s line in “Every Picture Tells a Story“ about “the French police wouldn’t give me no peace“. I think these culture-wide traits are a big reason why America is a gun country, and why other countries can’t understand that. They all want to offer simple, sweeping solutions to our gun violence problems here. But they are missing the fact that personal weapon ownership is baked into the American cake.We can beat our heads against the wall over this, but Americans will never give up owning guns. Instead, we have to change the culture of glorifying gun violence. We did it before in other areas. We have now shamed cigarette smoking into its place. We didn’t ban cigarettes. But we changed the culture. Same with not using car seat belts, gay bashing, littering, etc. Other than for comedic effect, no one treats these the old way anymore. We can get control of this. But we’ll never eliminate gun ownership itself because it’s culture-wide.

Fantastic!

I live in what used to be deemed a "dicey" neighborhood. It is become less so now. The other day I was going up the block, and I wondered to myself, why are all these middle-aged guys standing around talking right at the intersection, where the street comes to a T? Then I suddenly remembered an incident that happened when I first moved here 28 yrs ago. I heard that someone assaulted a woman and grabbed her purse in broad daylight on that street. These young guys standing at the T saw it, chased the robber down, and beat him up. Word got out, and their actions kept the criminals from returning. And now 28 yrs later, these middle-aged guys are those same young guys that have been keeping an eye on both streets by hanging out at that T almost every night. Along the way, younger guys have joined them, and I imagine this will continue through the next generation. So I guess the answer to your question is communities are shaped by what happens in their history, by their climate, by those stories they tell from generation to generation about these people that fought to keep their home safe. Different things happen in different places, shaping the people's culture.