"The typical American is brash, friendly, competitive, industrious, rude, forthright, impatient, spontaneous, LOUD, optimistic, conscientious, litigious, patriotic, naive, wealthy, serious, demonstrative, ignorant, unworldly, fun-loving, racist, corrupt, altruistic, a shopaholic, effusive, parochial, dynamic, outrageous, efficient, excessive, virile, garrulous, intense, a religious zealot, ambivalent, helpful, crude, boastful, demanding, an exhibitionist, individualistic, selfish, ebullient, gluttonous, aggressive, a hustler, ambitious, proud, extrovert, flashy, compulsive, humorous, insecure, enthusiastic, greedy, uninhibited, decisive, arrogant, insincere, fickle, innovative, kind, shallow, materialistic, laid back, entrepreneurial, tasteless, thrusting, insular, energetic, honest, hard living, unethical, accessible, bigoted, warm, sporting, determined, abrasive, stressed, paranoid, ruthless, polite (except for New Yorkers - despite rumours to the contrary, to most people a friendly New Yorker is an oxymoron), conservative, generous, egotistical, vain, ostentatious, promiscuous, neurotic, narcissistic, approachable, prudish, exuberant, compassionate, violent, intransigent, blunt, dramatic, hyberbolic, brusque, superficial, predatory, and a baseball fan."
David Hampshire, Living and Working in America, London, 2006, p.540
2 comments:
Hi Maylis,
What horrible travel writing !
You were sitting right of an American twice in Paris... and I didn't scare you !!
I'am not exactly what they would call LOUD.
Where in the earth do they dig all that up ??? And it's not a 19th century volume either !
An open mind is the best calling card for going anywhere.Just talking to people,learning and sharing.
You take care my friend.
Heu.... je dirais qu'il a oublié de dire qu'ils ont aussi une voix de canard.!!
Pour le reste, vu que je n'en ai jamais rencontré, je ne peux rien dire...mais l'image qu'on en a via les films et séries n'est pas toujours des plus flatteuse. Laissons leur quand même une chance ;-)
Post a Comment