Does everyone really hate the French?

• This is part of an article I found:
  
  ‘A quick review of its history and culture immediately reveals the complete absence of gray matter, taste buds and a collective spine.
  The French invented a critically acclaimed style of cuisine which utilizes copious amounts of goose blood and involves hideous concepts such as boiling trout in spoiled cream. In truth, you'll find better fare in the dumpster behind a Red Lobster. The French eat horse. They eat glands. They eat bugs. I know this because they rarely brush their teeth. Their women whine and complain and braid their armpit hair. Their men are beret-wearing twig-boys with bad complexions. All French people consider themselves intellectually superior, and I suppose they are if the comparison is to an incontinent house cat. Give them two minutes and they will inevitably rave of their sexual prowess…’ Ron Marr
  
  Is this what people think about the French? Why does everyone hate the French? Sometimes we wonder if French people love to be hated, if they wake up in the morning thinking what to do so that people would hate them.
  That usual attitude, France, France and France, Me, Me and Me is slightly annoying we have to admit so when going to France and dealing with French people the best thing to do is smile and let them continue their ‘we are the best’ refrain until they get bored of themselves (hopefully it will occasionally happen!).
  
  In search of something positive about French people on the internet, only negative things came out. If you have been there and had a positive or a negative experience, share it with us!
  

  24 Apr 2007, 09:41 Jeanette - Alabama

Replies

• the french aren't that bad

  hi there
  
  not sure whether my point of reference is that same as alabama... then again ...Alabama to me is another planet...
  
  but as a scotsman who has lived here for nearly 7 years and still doesnt really speak the language... france is fine... its even pretty damn good.... but it is france.... they do things different as is their right. They are not as openly friendly as americans.. they have a way of doing things that seems strange.. but it works for them. They can be rude.. but its not deliberate... they just have a different outlook on life.. there are customs and formalities that they hold on to .. saying Bonjour, shaking your hand when meeting, saying au revoir when you leave a cafe... never talking about money, driving as if there are no other cars around them.
  I have also found that Paris and France are two seperate countries... try talking french in Paris and the waiter will make no attempt to understand your french and will speak in english... or ignore you... dont worry french waiters will ignore frenchmen if that is their mood. Outside paris you will find the french more tolereant of your bad pronounciation.
  
  They have a beaurocracy from hell, they close all their shops on Sunday... they have more public holidays than you know what to do with... they have a stunning health service... have the fastest trains, nuclear weapons, and the ability to launch satellites.. yet still bbake bread twice a day and will have a long conversation about the components of a salad
  
  love the place
  
  visit it

  kevin 01 May 2007, 05:57 - Report

• Free hatred, negativism, mockery is a mark of immaturity

  Inconsistent & immature comments .. .
  
  a frenchman.

  Personne 02 May 2007, 03:06 - Report

• one year in the merde

  hey. did you read "one year in the merde" and "merde actually" (I think published in the USA as "in the merde for love"
  stephen clarke describes his life as an englishmen in Paris amd France and I loved his books.
  there many stereotypes to which he gets used to and admires in the end. (e.g. cheek-rubbing, eating foie gras and stinky cheese and taking 2 hours off for having lunch)
  i'm in paris for 8 months now and although I only one real parisien, I think the french are... just french. they love to celebrate their savoir vivre love have a drink and a cigarette in a café and speak horrible english.
  I like this certain lifestyle and the way theire saying things. "Bon, c'est comme ca, non"

  christina 04 May 2007, 02:26 - Report