Comments on: The World map: how the rednecks see it / Mapa sveta: jak ji vidi burani

By: Tanja

Tanja — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 05:00:37 +0000

Hi Dave, I agree there must be some kind of jealousy – for some nations more than for others. They generalize, or rather put Americans down, to make themselves feel better. But I don’t think that’s always the case, like when you hear that Americans don’t know geography. I used to say that because that’s what I have experienced when talking to them. Now I have lived here for so long that I have probably forgotten all of my geography too

By: Dave Goldman

Dave Goldman — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 02:51:29 +0000

I’m an American who’s lived abroad a lot. When I was in Benin with the Peace Corps, I worked with some Dutch scientists and diplomats. They stereotyped and generalized about Americans and America all the time. When I suggested the the US is arguably the most diverse nation on Earth, and that the Netherlands is TINY and somewhat homogenous, they responded with, “You know,… you are right and we are jealous. Otherwise, we would not waste time generalizing. You don’t”.

By: Jim

Jim — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 19:07:50 +0000

Yeah, its funny how people develop bigotry against redneck folks whom they depict as being bigoted people. Especially when most of these foreign bigots have never been to the U.S. or met a real down home American.

By: Tanja

Tanja — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 16:07:46 +0000

I think you are right Jamie, by saying that ” Americans, large, strong nation that they are, tolerate it when people criticize us, while Czechs, with their národní mindrák, can’t stand hearing criticisms from others and deny that any of it could be true” (although you could say it little more nicely
Americans can take (and do take) a lot of unjustified criticism. It makes me mad because they really are the NICEST nation in the world.
Also, I think that you have to take it from a person to a person, I am Czech and I don’t mind criticism about my myself or my own country. After all, being humble is a very good trait to have..in my opinion

By: Jamie

Jamie — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 15:55:36 +0000

Tanja wrote:
“you got a point there, although I remember learning all of the states in the US (and their capitals) when I was attending high school in Prague.”
But Czechs (at least when I was there) learned in geography class that the US had 51 states and that “America” is just one continent. These beliefs were very widespread. When I informed the kids in my classes that the US has only 50 states and that North and South America are considered two separate continents, their teacher later responded that, “To je prostý nesmysl!”

Tanja also wrote:
“But from my experiences (and my friend’s experiences) lot of Americans are completely clueless – I mean clueless. I would be telling them that I am from the Czech Republic over and over but they would keep repeating me back that either I am from Czechoslovakia (that is on a good day) or that I am from Russia. Or I have been asked in the past if the Czech Republic has electricity or traffic lights…I mean, c’mon.”

If I write about my REAL experiences with Czech ignoramuses, the Czechs here accuse me of hating their nation. However, Czechs here write similar things about Americans, they receive no such criticism. That’s quite a double standard.
I think the issue is really that Americans, large, strong nation that they are, tolerate it when people criticize us, while Czechs, with their národní mindrák, can’t stand hearing criticisms from others and deny that any of it could be true.

By: Tanja

Tanja — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 20:53:16 +0000

Isn’t it funny that every country has its own flavor of ‘burany’? I have to say though, if our burani had to deal with Europe that’s a size of the United States, then they would be lost as well…
I myself don’t remember much from geography either so I maybe a buran too!!! )

Neboj, mluvis anglicky vyborne!

By: Tanja

Tanja — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 20:30:43 +0000

I almost forgot about Alles Gutte! That show was so funny…have you ever listen to Rodinka (Labus, Keiser)? That show was my all-time favorite !!

By: Jana B

Jana B — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 06:55:48 +0000

Isa and Tanja,
now it makes so much sense to me. That show is to blame why everybody says Czechoslovakia even though I just said I’m from the Czech Republic. Or maybe they think that if they say it I’ll start making “strudl”. You know like the password to get a piece.
And I like both of your maps! So funny. In a good way. Czechs tend to make more fun of themselves than any other nation I think. Just think about “Ales Gutte” with Milan Steindler and David Vavra.

And Tano,
why travel when you can move, right. Maybe that’s the way to get more experience about that particular part of the world. I’ll bet people in Europe would do it too if it was just as easy over there.

By: janney

janney — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 06:51:54 +0000

This is very cute and funny

When I explored who Rednecks are by describing it by my husband (just boyfriend by that time)- I got so excided – so excided about how someone can be so ignorant and live in his small world.
I would feel like I am wasting my time.
I think we can not even compare it with czech “Burani” – they still know where other countries are.
I thing american burani are much more lost..
Sorry for my english ( still working on it)

By: Tanja

Tanja — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 20:37:57 +0000

Hi Isa,

Yes, I have heard about your “czechoslovakian fetish”

My husband was telling me that some comedy show (SNL??) was using that word as a password to get in to some secret room! And of course, no one could get in, because no one could say the word right….