Posted June 24, 2015
I don't think it's a matter of nationalist pride (neither me nor snowkatt are french, as far as I know). Besides being mildly annoyed by national sterotypes in general, I find it annoying that this specific cliché is itself an element of nationalist rhetorical warfare ("americans don't support my war because they are traitors to their country, other countries don't support our war because they are cowards"). I rank it on the same level as "sjw", for very similar reasons.
I wouldn't say that french are or aren't cowards, it's something that doesn't apply to a population or a general history. But these stereotype jokes really drag their context with them. I can't dissociate "french are cowards lol" from "also saddam has all the wmd omg". These lingering jokes are just a testimony to the efficiency of bush administration's propaganda. "But it's so fun". Yeah well, that's precisely the point of these vehicles, whatever the target.
Purpose : to durably impose the association of certain notions in collective "common sense" (them = that). Success.
I wouldn't say that french are or aren't cowards, it's something that doesn't apply to a population or a general history. But these stereotype jokes really drag their context with them. I can't dissociate "french are cowards lol" from "also saddam has all the wmd omg". These lingering jokes are just a testimony to the efficiency of bush administration's propaganda. "But it's so fun". Yeah well, that's precisely the point of these vehicles, whatever the target.
Purpose : to durably impose the association of certain notions in collective "common sense" (them = that). Success.