Bush is French

[ernest]

Parisians are not a very accepting society IMO of American culture, or people

That's why most of people wear US clothes (polo, levis, caterpillar, Nike...), learn English at school, pay to see US movies or TV show based on US braodcasts (reality shows) and eat in fast foods...

 

[PHV]

Are we scoffing at the culture who invented it or the people who surround that culture now. I love Paris, will be there for a nice holiday in a few months, but I do not necessarily love the people. Mind you I do not dislike then either, however, in the times I have spent in Paris (9) over the last 7 years, I will say that as much as I have tried to become accustomed to the culture in terms of being friendly with the people, many seem to resent me as an American. It does become discouraging, I try vehemently to speak the language, although I am not fluent by any means, I am courteous in all ways possible, trying not to attract myself as a tourist, but more as a person in what I would like to consider one day a second home in terms of places I like to visit on a short time. But, Parisians are not a very accepting society IMO of American culture, or people, I therefore find a certain rudeness in their mannerisms, not as though they are trying to be unkind, but a generalized way of being slightly unfriendly...as if to say "who do you think you are, you foolish American". There are good people and bad in both France and America, but the idea that we are scoffing a society and culture that brings us the things we love so much is over-stepping a bit. More tolerance from both sides of the spectrum would allow a better blending of minds when it comes to understanding both societies.

I think that's polarizing the issue, which I must say Americans are excellent at. This French/American thing is a horrible construct of mutual design.

French people don't get along with Americans (generalization) because Americans very openly make fun of the French (generalization to some degree). It's a two way street, so I certainly don't think it's apropriate to pin it all on them.

I have never encountered the rudeness that Americans speak of in Paris, in the many times I have been there.

 

[tiger02]

Quote:

(nightowl6261a @ Feb. 28 2005,22:14) Parisians are not a very accepting society IMO of American culture, or people
That's why most of people wear US clothes (polo, levis, caterpillar, Nike...), learn English at school, pay to see US movies or TV show based on US braodcasts (reality shows) and eat in fast foods...
If consumption of American goods is commensurate to American culture, then I am embarrassed to be an American. Especially McDonalds. I have an uncle through marriage who is from southern France, outside Lyon. Not a 'farmer' but close enough. He gets treated as rudely as any American does when he goes to Paris, simply because he's not urbane. Or at least the right type of urbane. Tom

 

[Roy]

The times I have been to Paris I always had a blast. Wherever I went the people (Parisians or other tourists) were very friendly and willing to help me out. I think it is just a matter of how you present yourself and to remember that you are a guest in their city. I think they feel that Americans want to dominate the entire world and they are very proud and protective of their culture.

 

[marc37]

Deep Throat=

That means something completely different to me. Deep throat has a rude meaning to me.

 

[marc37]

Did you know that the English queen is really not entitled to the throne (that's right, the Windsors should not be in charge of the commonwealth countries). lt has been proved that an Australian family are the real monarchs. However, they don't want the throne.

 

[Roy]

Did you know that the English queen is really not entitled to the throne (that's right, the Windsors should not be in charge of the commonwealth countries). lt has been proved that an Australian family are the real monarchs. However, they don't want the throan.

Any sane person doesn't want the throne imho. Left with no real power you're really nothing more than a symbol of your country. No privacy, everything you do is watched all over the world. Must be a horrible life, even if you can shop @ saville row every day...

 

[nightowl6261a]

That's why most of people wear US clothes (polo, levis, caterpillar, Nike...), learn English at school, pay to see US movies or TV show based on US braodcasts (reality shows) and eat in fast foods...

Ernest, you misunderstand what I mean, I personally have never had a problem with the Parisians, but, I know many who have, not becase of predetermined ideas of the people of France or the Parisian people, but more a feel of disassociaton if you might when dealing with merchants, etc. Yes, I agree the people of most European big cities embrace American clothing, etc.....however that is not to say they are embracing the culture, the overall sense of being American, and that is good...as I cannot be French, neither can you be American, that is what makes us unique to our own cultures. I will say however, for example, I have seen from personal experience a waiter in a famous restaurant in Paris, LA TOUR D'ARGENT, refuse to speak English when we were trying to order and obviuosly having a very hard time in doing so, yet he was speaking English just around the corner when I excused to go into the restroom. That is what I am referring to, just the fact that many in Paris try to make it harder on Americans than they have to, just to it seems at times to make for a difficult holiday experience for the Americans. And maybe the same happens here, I am not sure, I can say I have not sen it.

I have never encountered the rudeness that Americans speak of in Paris, in the many times I have been there.

I agree with hs statment for the most part....the only time I have ever really encountered anything even close to rudness IMO was a time at a cafe' one evening near the Louvre, (and by the way I was with my WIFE Ernest, not trolling) and part of that may have been my own fault, to some degree I accept responsibility, however, as in America, the same thing could have happened as well. We had arived in Paris late one afternoon after being held in Prague for 4 hours due to a bomb threat, well after spending about 4 hours at a cafe' drinking wine and visiting with some friends, we all got a bit loud, remebering times past et, and this young man got agitated as he was on a date, jumped up, began yelling at the group, me in particular, about how we rude loud Americans all thought the world revolved around us and we were disgustingly rude and ruining his date...blah blah blah...but then to make an insult even worse, he did it in French, so I really had no clue???....but his point was understood, I apologized, and the waiter asked him to leave.

The times I have been to Paris I always had a blast. Wherever I went the people (Parisians or other tourists) were very friendly and willing to help me out. I think it is just a matter of how you present yourself and to remember that you are a guest in their city. I think they feel that Americans want to dominate the entire world and they are very proud and protective of their culture.

Best answer I have heard, I agree I love Paris, and do not hate the Parisian people. If i did not have a blast everytime I have been there, 8 times I might add, I would find another place to go, I fought for 4 hours trying to get this holiday for this fall booked, only because I was having a problem getting a reasonable flight that would get me from Berlin to Paris at a decent rate, but I am going out of my way, via Milan to get to Paris and spend 4 days in a city full of life and fun, good food, great museums, and wonderful scenery. Although I did want meet up with Ernest, I could have found many other ood places to go, but I have not been back to the city of Lights in 2 years, and my wife and I both miss it, we are both looking forward to the trip, and made Paris the agenda, not the choice. My thing is, and being in Paris just 2 months before the invasion of Iraq, or whatever you want to call it, too many Europeans, and Americans view the people of the country with politics in mind, and judge the people based on their countries political interests, and that is a bad thing from both sides. Americans are not all supportive of the war, but not all Europeans are unsupportive either, let us put the politics aside, let the politicians deal with that, and just be tourists in a city where we can all enjoy each of the cultures from different cities and better understand the culutres as well as be friends.

By the way, will be in Paris Sept 12-16...see you then.

 

[Horace]

When you see that many of your journalists spend their time nosing in private life of people, it ias rather amasing...

I suppose it's amusing to the French; it becomes tiresome for some of us here in the US, and probably eagerly received by the rest of us.

 

[Horace]

The times I have been to Paris I always had a blast. Wherever I went the people (Parisians or other tourists) were very friendly and willing to help me out. I think it is just a matter of how you present yourself and to remember that you are a guest in their city. I think they feel that Americans want to dominate the entire world and they are very proud and protective of their culture.

I've found the Parisians to be polite in most cases. My wife and I speak some French, perhaps this helps. I've actually found that many French Canadians seem to think that the Parisians frogs give them quite a bit of guff.

 

[Horace]

Ernest, you misunderstand what I mean, I personally have never had a problem with the Parisians, but, I know many who have, not becase of predetermined ideas of the people of France or the Parisian people, but more a feel of disassociaton if you might when dealing with merchants, etc.

I think AMerican customer service is over-rated, though many of my Brit. and EUro. friends love it. I sort of like inattentive service, to be truthful. I don't want some fawning fool telling me to have a nice day.

Of course my experiences with Bennies have been top-notch, so maybe I shouldn't complain.

 

[Horace]

Did you know that the English queen is really not entitled to the throne (that's right, the Windsors should not be in charge of the commonwealth countries). lt has been proved that an Australian family are the real monarchs. However, they don't want the throne.

What's your source for this claim?

 

[nightowl6261a]

Of course my experiences with Bennies have been top-notch, so maybe I shouldn't complain.

Thank you.....