Jack William Bell's Journal: Merde!

OK, here is more proof that the Internet consists of a bubbling creative froth bringing forth not only wonderful things and wonderfully stupid things and awfully stupid things, but also things that make you go "Huh?"

I really don't know if this particular "Huh?" is a good idea, but Merde in France is a bilingual English/French blog that takes on the French attitude towards America. The result is a series of posts illuminating French actions, culture and media, showing the petty and gross ways the French express their distaste for America. Doing it in such a way that the blog serves as a kind of fun-house one-way mirror. With us on the side looking through and the French on the side where they see a distorted reflection of themselves.

I wonder if someone in France will have the wit to reverse the process? However it could be that they won't have nearly as much material to work with.

A quick link for some reading

[k4m3]

http://perso.club-internet.fr/hwelty/France/Interc ultural.html#ancre2402891 [club-internet.fr]

Re:A quick link for some reading

[Jack William Bell]

Heh. Very interesting. One of the quotes from that is (I paraphrase) "Not all French are alike." And it is true. In my (very short) time in France I found the Parisians to be most like the stereotypes, while those from the North and South of France were more welcoming and friendly. (I can't say anything about the East or West because I didn't go there.)

But the same goes for Americans and so on. I know Canadians who *never* say 'Eh' and hate hockey. Mexicans who are the hardest working people I have ever seen. Swedes who hate Socialism.

As always it is dangerous to accept the stereotypes, but the media (everywhere) seems determined to do so. Links like yours are good reminders of that, from both directions.