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Many times the praise is qualified - Body Building "for dumb people" - Acting "just in dumb movies" - Governor " Just because he's an action star. He won for

by rtpg 10y ago

Many times the praise is qualified - Body Building "for dumb people" - Acting "just in dumb movies" - Governor " Just because he's an action star. He won for because of the lols" I'm not a megafan, but the more I think about him, the more I'm surprised I completed discounted how he completely dominated 3 fields. I sometimes wonder whether it's because of his accent. So many subconsciously connect strong accents with stupidity.

TheAlchemist 10y ago
In Europe, most people don't know / remember he was a Governor. You say Arnold - they think Terminator.
- AstralStorm 10y ago
  Goverminator. For some reason, not remembered as a bodybuilder or Conan.
humanrebar 10y ago
I understand some of it. He did enjoy many aspects of "meathead" culture. Though "smart" people considering him dumb because he didn't signal intelligence properly is... well, probably an unexamined position.
mysterypie 10y ago
> connect strong accents with stupidity That's too generalized. To an American, a British accent conveys prestige and sophistication. This has been studied, not just my opinion, though I can't immediately find a citation. Also, to me, certain foreign accents sound very charming. Arnold's voice sounds authoritative, but it's probably more to do with the deep pitch than the accent.
- rtpg 10y ago
  You're right. Thinking about this more, I think perhaps there's an association between verbal communication difficulty and intelligence. I've personally experienced situations where people seem to think I cannot understand some simple concept when I am not a native speaker. Just an an anecdote, though
  - CaptSpify 10y ago
    I've caught myself on the giving end of that. I'd think "Oh, they don't speak clear English, therefore they can't be smart." But that is obviously completely wrong. I don't know why my brain goes that direction, or what I can do to stop it.
    - learc83 10y ago
      It happens to everyone, and the best you can do is to try to be aware of it. It happened to me often when interacting with Chinese CS professors during college. I'd constantly have to remind myself that they were much more knowledgeable than I was despite having subpar communication skills.
- maxerickson 10y ago
  To an American, a British accent conveys prestige and sophistication. Not all British accents carry that stereotype.
  - 91bananas 10y ago
    And not all Americans hold that same stereotype in their minds.
- eli_gottlieb 10y ago
  >To an American, a British accent conveys prestige and sophistication. Oi boyz, we gotz errselves a posh git roight 'ere.
- vacri 10y ago
  > To an American, a British accent conveys prestige and sophistication. Which British accent? It's unlikely that you associate prestige and sophistication with scouse, cockney, geordie, scots, west country, so on and so forth. These are generally played up as being working class or not smart in movies and other media.
- mercer 10y ago
  > That's too generalized. To an American, a British accent conveys prestige and sophistication. 'Respectable businessman' Badger from the Firefly universe probably wishes that were true for all 'British' accents!
davidwparker 10y ago
Not to mention he was also a millionaire via real estate before he even started acting. He's extremely hard working.
ekianjo 10y ago
You can't be successful in so many areas with just sheer luck. I think people have to realize that Arnold is far from being just a stupid bodybuilder, even though he started his career like that.
- AstralStorm 10y ago
  You can, that's how sheer luck works. It sometimes clumps. That said, being a bodybuilder, an actor and a politician has some skills and talent in common.
at-fates-hands 10y ago
>> Governor " Just because he's an action star. He won for because of the lols" Actually a story had been circulating for years about him and Jesse Ventura. I guess they've always had a very healthy competition and close friendship. Jesse said they had both talked about going into politics for years, and after Jesse became governor in Minnesota, Jesse said he called him and boasted that he had beat him to the punch. Sure enough, right after Jesse was elected, they had the recall in California and Arnold jumped in and won the recall election. I've heard in several interviews Jesse stating the only reason that Arnold got into politics was because of him.
jccalhoun 10y ago
would underestimated be a better word?

by rtpg 10y ago

TheAlchemist 10y ago

In Europe, most people don't know / remember he was a Governor. You say Arnold - they think Terminator.

AstralStorm 10y ago
Goverminator. For some reason, not remembered as a bodybuilder or Conan.

humanrebar 10y ago

I understand some of it. He did enjoy many aspects of "meathead" culture. Though "smart" people considering him dumb because he didn't signal intelligence properly is... well, probably an unexamined position.

mysterypie 10y ago

> connect strong accents with stupidity That's too generalized. To an American, a British accent conveys prestige and sophistication. This has been studied, not just my opinion, though I can't immediately find a citation. Also, to me, certain foreign accents sound very charming. Arnold's voice sounds authoritative, but it's probably more to do with the deep pitch than the accent.

rtpg 10y ago
You're right. Thinking about this more, I think perhaps there's an association between verbal communication difficulty and intelligence. I've personally experienced situations where people seem to think I cannot understand some simple concept when I am not a native speaker. Just an an anecdote, though
- CaptSpify 10y ago
  I've caught myself on the giving end of that. I'd think "Oh, they don't speak clear English, therefore they can't be smart." But that is obviously completely wrong. I don't know why my brain goes that direction, or what I can do to stop it.
  - learc83 10y ago
    It happens to everyone, and the best you can do is to try to be aware of it. It happened to me often when interacting with Chinese CS professors during college. I'd constantly have to remind myself that they were much more knowledgeable than I was despite having subpar communication skills.
maxerickson 10y ago
To an American, a British accent conveys prestige and sophistication. Not all British accents carry that stereotype.
- 91bananas 10y ago
  And not all Americans hold that same stereotype in their minds.
eli_gottlieb 10y ago
>To an American, a British accent conveys prestige and sophistication. Oi boyz, we gotz errselves a posh git roight 'ere.
vacri 10y ago
> To an American, a British accent conveys prestige and sophistication. Which British accent? It's unlikely that you associate prestige and sophistication with scouse, cockney, geordie, scots, west country, so on and so forth. These are generally played up as being working class or not smart in movies and other media.
mercer 10y ago
> That's too generalized. To an American, a British accent conveys prestige and sophistication. 'Respectable businessman' Badger from the Firefly universe probably wishes that were true for all 'British' accents!

davidwparker 10y ago

Not to mention he was also a millionaire via real estate before he even started acting. He's extremely hard working.

ekianjo 10y ago

You can't be successful in so many areas with just sheer luck. I think people have to realize that Arnold is far from being just a stupid bodybuilder, even though he started his career like that.

AstralStorm 10y ago
You can, that's how sheer luck works. It sometimes clumps. That said, being a bodybuilder, an actor and a politician has some skills and talent in common.

at-fates-hands 10y ago

>> Governor " Just because he's an action star. He won for because of the lols" Actually a story had been circulating for years about him and Jesse Ventura. I guess they've always had a very healthy competition and close friendship. Jesse said they had both talked about going into politics for years, and after Jesse became governor in Minnesota, Jesse said he called him and boasted that he had beat him to the punch. Sure enough, right after Jesse was elected, they had the recall in California and Arnold jumped in and won the recall election. I've heard in several interviews Jesse stating the only reason that Arnold got into politics was because of him.

jccalhoun 10y ago

would underestimated be a better word?