We tend to see the world in different ways, depending on what part of the world we live in. If you’ve never been to California, you probably associate it with Hollywood and surfers. If you’ve never been to the midwest, you think corn and potatoes. Of course, these regions have much more going for them and are a far more varied. Still, the stereotypes are amusing. I couldn’t help but chuckle when an old roommate came from Washington to Los Angeles and thought he was going to see movie stars on every block. Boy, was he surprised. It was only every other block.
Graphic designer Yanko Tsvetkov takes such notions of Europe in his series of stereotype maps, which themselves are stereotypes of stereotypes. The above is how the US sees Europe.
Here’s Europe according to Britain.
And Europe according to Germany.
[alphadesigner | Thanks, Chris]
These really are no good….in order to see the maps as national stereotypes Yanko needs to understnd how each nation thinks. I’m British and the top one look more like America’s view…the Europe according to Britain i think is totally off base. I’m not sure about the German one becuase I’m not German.
+1 Another Brit here. Way off base, and not particularly good design. Moreover, there are many infographics which present stereotypes but in implicit terms – the use of isotypes, huge simplification of complex (likely complicated) phenomena in charts, implied causation etc.
Examples?
Like I said, stereotypes of stereotypes… although the top one is America’s view…
According to Yanko’s bio, he lives in London, so he must’ve got it from somewhere.
This person didn’t give you a good link, the real Map DOES show the top view as “USA’s view on Europe” Try this link http://alphadesigner.com/project-mapping-stereotypes.html it gives you all of the different views, they are funnier when they are given the right titles!
If you aren’t sure about the German map because you aren’t German, how can you comment on what you call “America’s view” if you arent American?
agreed
Greetings from Germany and a big laugh on this!
The Goulash, Pizza and Gras! prejudices are absolutely right, Schnaps and Majorca also. But England is not so much the Enigma Code Hackers country. It’s more the “ugly food”, e.g. “gyros and mint sauce” country.
Cheers
Frank
I think this is a good representation of Europe, though I would mix them up a bit for a personal view.
Haha, greetings from germany – this map is really funny! Great job.
I’d love to see one of these for the U.S. state by state, both how other parts of the country perceive them and also those in Canada and England…
No doubt someone is working on that right now :)
well .. Europe seems to be in a kind of dubio.
One one hand the countries are coming close to each other like never before – cultural exchange, common currency, EU-summits and regulations, etc. .. on the other hand, since the borders are tending to diminuish, people are eager to prop up stereotypes like never before .. Germany associated with “dirty porn” – well .. that’s a new one .. Things about English food (Haggis and Kidney-pie – mmmmhhh .. but I like the traditional breakfast – very yummi) and Dutch “weed”-issue to my sense is true with “cum grano salis” (have been living in both countries). Smelly people in France ? .. don’t know – I’ve met the most delightful smelling people there (been living in Paris for quite a time).
I like this one:
What would be heaven on earth ? If the British would be the police, the Germans the mechanics, the French the chefs, the Italians the lovers and all would be organised by the Swiss.
And hell: The Germans would be the police, the British the chefs, the French the mechanics, the Swiss the lovers end everything would be organised by the Italians ..
OK – good night folks. Going to make some dirty porn ..
And the mexicans the drug dealers hahaha
Little addendum ..
.. One of the most delightful and funny manifestations of “European Stereotypes” can be found in David Czerny’s (CZ) artwork “Entropia”.
It was first exhibited in Brussels (Belgium) above the entrance of the European Council.
This was quite a coup since almost nobody knew what was going to be revealed there at the day of the beginning of the Czech presidency. It made quite a splash and was one of the top issues in the evening news at that day all over Europe.
Please have a look at the response of the Czech representatives – hilarious ..
Unfortunately some of the authorities showed little humour and part of the installation had to be covered. The Bulgarians were especially put off, since their county was portrayed as conglomeration of Turkish toilets. Later, Czerny dismounted and transferred it back to Prage as a reaction to the new goverment, which consisted of some old “Commies”.
Pitty ..
bo
lol Too funny. I lived in Germany for 6 years and I must say, regardless of any stereotypes, I absolutely loved Europe.
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Germany is where dirty porn gets made? Why have I not been told of this before?!