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First, one of the most negative stereotypes that people have about Americans is the

perception that they are a very violent society. This stereotype may be a result of the large

number of guns found in the country. At least 45% of U.S. households have a gun, and

there are about 200 million guns circulating around the country. Additionally, more than 84

people are killed daily with guns which total up to 31,000 gun-related deaths annually.

Most gun owning Americans claim they own a gun as it is needed to protect themselves

and their family. This would suggest that Americans view themselves as being at risk of

violence. America might also be stereotyped as a violent society because of the numerous

high profile killing sprees sensationalized in American media that have taken place in

shopping malls, schools and universities. One of the most recent being the murderous

rampage carried out at Virginia Tech which resulted in the death of 32 teachers and

students. Finally, this stereotype might be the result of the frequent armed US engagements

in foreign nations. Since the birth of this nation in 1776, some analysts have calculated that

the US has only seen a total of 21 years of non military involvement. This level of military

involvement would be highly visible to many of the worlds citizens as, at present, the US

military is deployed in more than 150 countries. In general, due to a history of large scale

military deployment and Americans viewing themselves as a violent society, it is therefore

understandable why people from other cultures may do so as well.

A second common negative stereotype people have about Americans is that they are

materialistic. This stereotype may be a result of the American cultural belief in the

American Dream which most Americans believe is only attainable as a result of free market
capitalism. Many modern American economists who advocate a Laissez-faire economy do

not see massive accumulation of wealth by individuals as a negative aspect but a positive

one that contributes to the economic development of the country. Popular books can even

be found on this topic in the US such as the bestseller Atlas Shrugged which may have

inspired the famous Gordon Geko speech Greed is Good in the film Wallstreet. Another

reason for this stereotype about Americans materialism may be because of popular reality

shows shown around the world like Hoarders, Man Vs. Food and The Biggest Loser. These

shows depict Americans obsessively buying and storing goods in their homes, engaging in

activities of overeating and generally obese people. Finally, popular videos on YouTube

such as hundreds of people rushing and pushing each other during sales events like Black

Friday help to perpetuate this stereotype. These kinds of videos only help to reinforce these

beliefs when paired with other statistics reflecting materialistic practices. One such statistic

states that the average American produces while the average Japanese person produces

about 2.5 pounds of trash. These types of American activities may contribute to non-US

residents view of American society as being obsessed with making money, the

accumulation of possessions and overeating.

To sum up, Americans have some basic beliefs that make them different from

people in other countries, and they tend to be pigeonholed under certain stereotypes. Some

of these negative stereotypes include Americans being overly materialistic consumer based

society. Another reflects a belief that America contains a culture of violence. Although

these stereotypes are not true of all Americans, these stereotypes are not completely false

either as they are based in many commonly seen American practices.