This just in: Scientists at the International Association of Human Behavior say that not all Swedes are taciturn, Italians are not universally excitable, and not every Frenchman looks down his nose at you.
If such an organization existed (I made it up), few of us would consider such a pronouncement newsworthy. We’ve all encountered individuals who conform to no stereotype. One of the friendliest, most outgoing people I’ve ever known is a Frenchman I met years ago on a tennis court, although his wife once confided that she always enjoyed our visits because Alain was a much nicer person in English than French.
