Think of any of the standard stereotypes about class, race and nationality. Each of these create expectations in other people's minds, expectations that are difficult for us to avoid playing up to.
Ms Lagarde said she would pay great attention to the American food giant's bid for the maker of LU, Prince, TUC and other biscuit brands familiar to every household in France.
Apart from carmakers and other manufacturers, the list of those laying people off now includes Pepsi bottlers, law firms, retailers, media companies, chemicals producers and even technology firms.
Spain would be better off now if it had never adopted the euro - but trying to leave would create a huge banking crisis, as depositors raced to move their money elsewhere.