Actually, I thought a fair few of those stereotypes were rather spot-on and quite funny. Maybe because I'm geographically close to the creator and therefore share the same prejudices. Like Paden said, unjustified misunderstandings and hatreds spring from resolving to ignorantly using stereotypes. But like satire, stereotypes can also be used to point out and make clear things that we wouldn't otherwise notice or take as seriously.
Like the Real Life stamp-collecting dentist called Hassan who DOES get special attention from the airport security crew just because he has the wrong skin colour, the wrong beard and the wrong name. I'm not saying that the TSR creator was making a political statement, but he/she could have been. Shame on TSR for taking it down, just because it could be slightly controversial. There's plenty of non-PG13 smut they should be dealing with instead.
As for Swedish stereotypes: I’m from northern Denmark where we used to have a lot of very drunken Swedes running around. Alcohol was so expensive in Sweden that they’d take the boat over here and go on massive binges. My mental image of a Swede is of a blonde of-my-bloody-rocker drunk guy throwing up in the street. (I’ve had two Swedish boyfriends and none of them did anything to change that image).
As for French stereotypes: I lived in France for a few years and have a child with a Frenchman. Very few French look like the TSR stereotype, but the majority of them sure as hell do eat frogs or snails or certainly garlic.
PMBD
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