Author Topic: Do Americans really believe this? (Read 3190 times)

Thematt202 · « **on:** September 17, 2011, 05:45:16 PM »

Ok, so a friend of mine just got a university summer job in the US. He received his info pack today and one of the sections explains in quite some detail how Americans use deodorant - like it is a foreign concept to the rest of the world! We're English by the way and believe me that EVERYONE here uses perfume/aftershave/deodorant.

So, Americans, do you really think everyone else smells of poop?

Tripp · « **Reply #1 on:** September 17, 2011, 05:45:52 PM »

Jamesman42 · « **Reply #2 on:** September 17, 2011, 05:46:25 PM »

Yes.s

Zook · « **Reply #3 on:** September 17, 2011, 05:50:04 PM »

I thought it was just the french that everyone beieves is smelly.

voncorn · « **Reply #4 on:** September 17, 2011, 05:50:49 PM »

ZBomber · « **Reply #5 on:** September 17, 2011, 05:52:36 PM »

your country smells like shit.

Jamesman42 · « **Reply #6 on:** September 17, 2011, 05:53:47 PM »

lol it does

Sigz · « **Reply #7 on:** September 17, 2011, 05:55:06 PM »

Thematt202 · « **Reply #8 on:** September 17, 2011, 05:57:00 PM »

Quote from: Sigz on September 17, 2011, 05:55:06 PM

No.

You sure? Your countrymen seem to be suggesting otherwise!

Gadough · « **Reply #9 on:** September 17, 2011, 05:58:25 PM »

Dude, Thematt, put on some damn deodorant man, I can smell you through my computer.

Thematt202 · « **Reply #10 on:** September 17, 2011, 06:13:14 PM »

Sigz · « **Reply #11 on:** September 17, 2011, 06:18:37 PM »

Well, I'm not really sure what you're expecting. I don't believe that, and clearly the other americans in this thread don't believe it, but apparently there's some mystic group of 'actual' americans that do.

Tripp · « **Reply #12 on:** September 17, 2011, 06:27:46 PM »

Quote from: Sigz on September 17, 2011, 06:18:37 PM

Well, I'm not really sure what you're expecting. I don't believe that, and clearly the other americans in this thread don't believe it, but apparently there's some mystic group of 'actual' americans that do.

Those Americans are the ones who haven't learned about other cultures, for whatever reason. They hear stereotypes, such as foreigners smelling badly, and make it seem like it's reality. I know it's not true, but it honestly doesn't baffle me at all that there are people out there who believe in such things.

zxlkho · « **Reply #13 on:** September 17, 2011, 06:30:12 PM »

Quote from: Tripp on September 17, 2011, 06:27:46 PM

Quote from: Sigz on September 17, 2011, 06:18:37 PM
Well, I'm not really sure what you're expecting. I don't believe that, and clearly the other americans in this thread don't believe it, but apparently there's some mystic group of 'actual' americans that do.

Those Americans are the ones who haven't learned about other cultures, for whatever reason. They hear stereotypes, such as foreigners smelling badly, and make it seem like it's reality. I know it's not true, but it honestly doesn't baffle me at all that there are people out there who believe in such things.

All of this.

Sigz · « **Reply #14 on:** September 17, 2011, 06:33:02 PM »

Of course there's stupid people in America, but there's stupid people everywhere. It's just bizarre that everyone shits over americans for being ignorant and stereotyping while simultaneously stereotyping a country of 300 million+ people.

Thematt202 · « **Reply #15 on:** September 17, 2011, 06:33:48 PM »

Some of the "advice" in that welcome pack was epic! "Did you know that most Americans like to shower at least once per day". Seriously?!?! Like everyone else only showers on their birthday!

Thematt202 · « **Reply #16 on:** September 17, 2011, 06:37:19 PM »

Nah dude, I'm not stereotyping, just sharing a humorous moment from my day. There are people in the UK who are just as ignorant as anywhere else in the civilised world.

Sigz · « **Reply #17 on:** September 17, 2011, 06:38:40 PM »

Oh no, I'm trying to shit on you, just speaking generally.

HarlequinForest · « **Reply #18 on:** September 17, 2011, 06:41:03 PM »

I've never gotten the impression that we're the only ones to use deodorant, and I've never heard anyone suggest that, ever. So no.

Sigz · « **Reply #19 on:** September 17, 2011, 06:43:59 PM »

Besides jokes about the french of course.

Pols Voice · « **Reply #20 on:** September 17, 2011, 06:46:51 PM »

Quote from: Thematt202 on September 17, 2011, 06:37:19 PM

Nah dude, I'm not stereotyping, just sharing a humorous moment from my day. There are people in the UK who are just as ignorant as anywhere else in the civilised world.

That's civiliZed, you limey!

Orbert · « **Reply #21 on:** September 17, 2011, 06:47:38 PM »

Quote from: Thematt202 on September 17, 2011, 05:45:16 PM

So, Americans, do you really think everyone else smells of poop?

Not poop, but there are definitely members of certain cultures for whom the smell of an unwashed human body seems to be a wonderful, glorious thing. I work in an office which hires a lot of foreign contract workers, and there are parts of the office I simply avoid. Yes, they fucking smell horrible, and there's no question that it's a cultural thing. If someone sent them a little pamphlet about American standards of hygiene, it would be a good thing.

yorost · « **Reply #22 on:** September 17, 2011, 06:53:10 PM »

Quote from: Thematt202 on September 17, 2011, 05:45:16 PM

Ok, so a friend of mine just got a university summer job in the US. He received his info pack today and one of the sections explains in quite some detail how Americans use deodorant - like it is a foreign concept to the rest of the world! We're English by the way and believe me that EVERYONE here uses perfume/aftershave/deodorant.

So, Americans, do you really think everyone else smells of poop?

Body odor is a common issue in places like universities or offices with international contractors. Different cultures have different hygiene practices. I had Indian friends that were embarrassed because they didn't realize they smelled to the people around them at the office. Info sheets like that are meant to help people understand where they will be living, and the entire world does not use deodorant.

millahh · « **Reply #23 on:** September 17, 2011, 07:21:04 PM »

At the risk of some cultural stereotyping, the pamphlet may have been trying to give the message to the Indian population in the UK. Some of the Indians I've known in grad school and professionally definitely have a different view of what constitutes a "normal" body odor.

lonestar · « **Reply #24 on:** September 17, 2011, 07:24:29 PM »

We had an Indian manager, and let me just say that that odor is not one you want in a restaurant.

bout to crash · « **Reply #25 on:** September 17, 2011, 07:38:41 PM »

Wait.

To the OP: Seriously?!? That happened?

rumborak · « **Reply #26 on:** September 17, 2011, 11:53:05 PM »

Quote from: millahh on September 17, 2011, 07:21:04 PM

At the risk of some cultural stereotyping, the pamphlet may have been trying to give the message to the Indian population in the UK. Some of the Indians I've known in grad school and professionally definitely have a different view of what constitutes a "normal" body odor.

That is indeed usually the target audience. In my company we had some extreme cases I have to say, where people rally *did* smell like poop and had to get talked to.
Incidentally I am writing this from India, and seeing the bathroom implements in my hotel room (a big water bucket and a small water buckets), I can kinda imagine what happens when they don't find those things in Western toilets.

rumborak

VioletS16 · « **Reply #27 on:** September 19, 2011, 12:57:19 PM »

I don't get it...if I don't use deoderant, I feel gross. My deoderant lasts a full 24 hours but sometimes if I am changin into pajamas I get paranoid and use it anyway because the fear of smelling gets so bad...so is this post a 'Zomg Americans use deoderant!' way, or a 'Ew Americans don't use deoderant!' way? God I am so confused.

jsem · « **Reply #28 on:** September 19, 2011, 01:03:21 PM »

I rarely smell bad, it's just after having exercised or it's really hot outside.

In those cases, deodorant doesn't even help against sweat or whatever.

Plus, deodorant for every-day use cuts back on the production of natural pheromones - the things that make you smell like you - not like some product.

All that being said, I use deodorant nearly every day... even though there are days where I go without it - and I don't feel bad about it or anything.

Sigz · « **Reply #29 on:** September 19, 2011, 01:12:08 PM »

Quote from: VioletS16 on September 19, 2011, 12:57:19 PM

I don't get it...if I don't use deoderant, I feel gross. My deoderant lasts a full 24 hours but sometimes if I am changin into pajamas I get paranoid and use it anyway because the fear of smelling gets so bad...so is this post a 'Zomg Americans use deoderant!' way, or a 'Ew Americans don't use deoderant!' way? God I am so confused.

The OP's friend is going to america for a job, and the company he's going to work for sent him a pamphlet for international employees about America. The pamphlet said thing like "americans use deoderant and shower every day", etc, and the OP thought it was weird that Americans would assume the rest of the world doesn't do those things.

Orbert · « **Reply #30 on:** September 19, 2011, 01:22:56 PM »

To be fair, Americans are pretty extreme in their hygiene habits, just as they are with everything else. My sister spent a year in France and discovered (to her horror) that it's true: French people shower once a week, and to them that's perfectly fine. It's whatever you're used to.

I'd bet that most Americans don't actually need to shower every single day. If you use deodorant, or heck, just apply some perfume or cologne every day, you'll smell fine unless you've got some kind of horrible disease that makes you detectable from across the room. Seriously, what the hell are you doing that makes you smell so bad?

VioletS16 · « **Reply #31 on:** September 19, 2011, 01:26:31 PM »

Quote from: Sigz on September 19, 2011, 01:12:08 PM

Quote from: VioletS16 on September 19, 2011, 12:57:19 PM
I don't get it...if I don't use deoderant, I feel gross. My deoderant lasts a full 24 hours but sometimes if I am changin into pajamas I get paranoid and use it anyway because the fear of smelling gets so bad...so is this post a 'Zomg Americans use deoderant!' way, or a 'Ew Americans don't use deoderant!' way? God I am so confused.

The OP's friend is going to america for a job, and the company he's going to work for sent him a pamphlet for international employees about America. The pamphlet said thing like "americans use deoderant and shower every day", etc, and the OP thought it was weird that Americans would assume the rest of the world doesn't do those things.

Got it. Well, I guess that is a bit weird. as long as the person doesn't look dirty or isn't smelly I really wouldn't care that much...smell nice, look nice, who cares if they shower every day or not? though I do shower every morning....

lordxizor · « **Reply #32 on:** September 19, 2011, 01:30:18 PM »

Quote from: Orbert on September 19, 2011, 01:22:56 PM

To be fair, Americans are pretty extreme in their hygiene habits, just as they are with everything else. My sister spent a year in France and discovered (to her horror) that it's true: French people shower once a week, and to them that's perfectly fine. It's whatever you're used to.

I'd bet that most Americans don't actually need to shower every single day. If you use deodorant, or heck, just apply some perfume or cologne every day, you'll smell fine unless you've got some kind of horrible disease that makes you detectable from across the room. Seriously, what the hell are you doing that makes you smell so bad?

Smell-wise I agree most people don't need to shower daily. Especially people just sitting in an office. I have such an oily scalp and face that I would need to at least wash my head daily. It's easier just to shower. Plus it wakes me up.

ehra · « **Reply #33 on:** September 19, 2011, 01:31:09 PM »

Quote from: Orbert on September 19, 2011, 01:22:56 PM

I'd bet that most Americans don't actually need to shower every single day. If you use deodorant, or heck, just apply some perfume or cologne every day, you'll smell fine unless you've got some kind of horrible disease that makes you detectable from across the room. Seriously, what the hell are you doing that makes you smell so bad?

On the showering issue, I've got thin hair that tends to get greasy easily (mainly while I'm asleep). I can go a day without washing it but after that it starts to feel really matted and bad.

CrimsonSunrise · « **Reply #34 on:** September 19, 2011, 01:34:52 PM »

In my travels, I've noticed that smell usually has to do with diet as much as bathing/hygiene.

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Author Topic: Do Americans really believe this? (Read 3190 times)