Stereotypes

When teaching English, the big goal is always ‘Keep ‘em talking.’ As such, conversation tends to tread on alot of rather disparate topics. National stereotypes, of course, come up, and it’s always interesting to hear what different peoples think of other peoples. Personally, I’m a big fan of stereotypes, rightly conceived. I think talking about what makes us different from each other is fun and important. Where stereotypes go wrong is when we persist in those that are demonstrably false or use them to impeach the dignity of the individual.

Anywho, even more interesting than stereotypes, sometimes, are meta-stereotypes. I’m talking about beliefs a people holds collectively about another people’s stereotypes. As it turns out, pretty much everyone in Russia just knows its true that Americans and Westerners in general all believe Russia to be such a wild place that bears, yes, BEARS roam the city streets. ‘Are you surprised,’ one student asked me, ‘to see no bears in our streets?’

Has any American ever associated Russia with bears roaming its big cities’ streets? I certainly hadn’t and so far, I haven’t talked to anyone whose stereotypes of Russia go beyond the big three: Commies, Matryoshka Dolls, and COOOLLLDDDD. ..

But who knows... after all, I didn’t even know Jews were usurers until I went away to college (thanks Shary!), so it’s possible that I’ve just led a sheltered life.

That said, I couldn’t but recall the summer I spent in St. Petersburg: