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The United States is the third largest country in the world with a population of more than 335 million, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Here, a child is born every 8 seconds.

In addition to Indigenous Americans who were already living there before the Europeans discovered it, the country was built on immigration.

Because of this, the United States is one of the most culturally diverse nations in the world. It is sometimes described as a "melting pot", in which different cultures have contributed their own distinct "flavors" to American culture.

But as much as the distinctiveness fascinates foreigners, it also has them raising their eyebrows. This is especially evident in a recent Reddit thread, started by user 421continueblazingit, who asked non-Americans on the platform to share which of the local customs make no sense to them.

#1

“The Toilet Gap”: 40 Normal American Things That Make The Rest Of The World Confused Why is medical bankruptcy not at the absolute f*****g top of this list?

phoquenut , Nappy Report

#2

“The Toilet Gap”: 40 Normal American Things That Make The Rest Of The World Confused Kids beauty pageants.
Parents are willingly sexualizing their children.
It’s weird.

GingerMeTimberMate , freestocks Report

#3

“The Toilet Gap”: 40 Normal American Things That Make The Rest Of The World Confused Why do politicians finish their speeches 'God bless America' and similar? It gives me shivers! Theocracy is not a good thing. Let's have separation between church and state and between religion and politics, shall we? I believe, in fact, that your country was actually built on the principle of that separation, was it not?

karlwikman , Jorge Maya Report

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Kimberly Alison
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7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I also hate it when they call the u.s. “the greatest country in the world”. No it’s not, and I’m American.

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#4

“The Toilet Gap”: 40 Normal American Things That Make The Rest Of The World Confused Cashiers who aren't allowed to sit during their work
Like.... Why??

MitochondriA33 , Wonderlane Report

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Boredest Disabled Panda
Community Member
7 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The rational is that customers will think they are lazy and just sitting around, which is dumb. You can still tell if they are working, even if they are sitting.

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#5

“The Toilet Gap”: 40 Normal American Things That Make The Rest Of The World Confused Calling a team "World Champions' of a sport that only your country competes in.

OkHighway1024 , Pixabay Report

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Mell
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7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Hahahahaha, but what if you are convinced that your country is the most countriest of all countries in the world?

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#6

“The Toilet Gap”: 40 Normal American Things That Make The Rest Of The World Confused Home owner associations dictating the smallest details of your own home.

Pieter8720 , Avi Waxman Report

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BrookeBT
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

All you need is a respect for your neighbors.... and for everyone to mind their own business. If I want to paint my door red instead of white who cares? Maybe it's to find my own house in the vast blandness of suburbia. Karen needs a hobby.

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#7

“The Toilet Gap”: 40 Normal American Things That Make The Rest Of The World Confused Having to find somebody to cover shifts when you're off on leave/sick.

Isn't that literally what the manager is there for?

BigD1970 , Isabella Fischer Report

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Boredest Disabled Panda
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7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Normally the manager does take care of it. I never worked a job where I had to take care of it myself. But low-paying jobs often don't have sick days or sick leave, so that would probably be where that would happen.

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#8

“The Toilet Gap”: 40 Normal American Things That Make The Rest Of The World Confused Gender reveal parties, I couldn't give a f**k what you're having and you shouldn't give f**k what I'm having. I hate that it's slowly becoming a thing in the UK.

ddtkong , Frederick Medina Report

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#9

“The Toilet Gap”: 40 Normal American Things That Make The Rest Of The World Confused Paid maternity leave not being legislated as a basic employment right.

KingShaka1987 , Sarah Chai Report

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Mell
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In the Netherlands you get 16 weeks paid leave and can get more partial paid or unpaid leave if you want and I am already jealous of the people in Scandinavia...

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#10

The tipping culture. Working a job and then having to depend on charity seems extremely wierd. I don't understand how people put up with that, having employment but having to basically beg for money to survive.

Hattkake Report

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Aubrie Allen
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Tye s****y thing is if you protest this in the US, and you don't tip, it only hurts your server, and not the establishment that employs them.

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#11

“The Toilet Gap”: 40 Normal American Things That Make The Rest Of The World Confused Fear of anything 'not capitalist' being somehow 'communist' . E.g universal healthcare. Yet at the same time being terrified of 'big pharma'. It literally works in 100s of other non-communist countries.

Top_Luckyloo , Josh Johnson Report

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Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa)
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Most of these people couldn't tell the difference. A comedian hit up a MAGA rally recently and started pitching ideas from Marx's Das Capital, without using the words, communism, socialism, or capitalism and found some very enthusiastic supporters in red hats.

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#12

“The Toilet Gap”: 40 Normal American Things That Make The Rest Of The World Confused American flags literally everywhere.

The number of people who keep large 'collections' of rusty cars & farm equipment in the garden.

The startling difference between the attitudes to sex & violence. Kids will see literally 100's of violent deaths on TV and no one bats an eye, but god forbid they should see a nipple.

Another_Random_Chap , Andrea Piacquadio Report

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Sandra Morison
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sex and bodies all perfectly natural bit hey let's not show/talk about it but violence, shootings yeah let's promote death and misery

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#13

“The Toilet Gap”: 40 Normal American Things That Make The Rest Of The World Confused Sales tax not being included in the price already. Wild.

dbe14 , Michael Burrows Report

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Jill Rhodry
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I know - here (Aust) it's illegal to not include GST (sales tax) in the retail price.

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#14

How owning, buying and carrying guns is not more controlled and supervised.

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#15

mindlessly voting along party lines, even though the party's candidate is a complete fool

tehcsiudai23 Report

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Lauren Caswell
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

More the having to pre-commit to a party despite the rotation of candidates. The 'undecided' voter thing. Shouldn't that be everyone, each election?

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#16

“The Toilet Gap”: 40 Normal American Things That Make The Rest Of The World Confused Commercials for drugs. That you can't even buy yourself. But 'ask your doctor!'

OliveOcelot , Christina Victoria Craft Report

#17

“The Toilet Gap”: 40 Normal American Things That Make The Rest Of The World Confused People enthusiastically defending the health-care system that bankrupts people, sometimes even in reddit threads where people show off their horrendous medical bills

Randomswedishdude Report

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ThéveNinja (she/her)
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I like that the picture is from Breaking Bad. Another commenter in another thread pointed out that this show’s premise probably could not have existed in another country, and I can’t forget that

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#18

“The Toilet Gap”: 40 Normal American Things That Make The Rest Of The World Confused At 18 you can join the army, carry guns, f**k, drive car. But buy and drink alcohol only 21???

BakerAffectionate242 , Filip Andrejevic Report

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Terry Tobias
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If I remember correctly it had something to do with reducing the number of fatalities from teens driving drunk. The statistics were pretty high. I could start drinking legally at the age of 18, but a few years later they changed the age to 19, then 21. My poor sister kept missing the boat.

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#19

“The Toilet Gap”: 40 Normal American Things That Make The Rest Of The World Confused The pledge of allegiance things at school. What in the actual f**k?

hyrulian_princess , ATC Comm Photo Report

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Headless Horseman
Community Member
7 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When I was in 5th grade there was a student who refused to pledge allegiance to the flag. He was made to stand in the hallway every morning because of it and was rumored to have detention once a week because of it, too. From what I remember, he never gave in.

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#20

The electoral college. WTF?

chooks42 Report

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Kimberly Alison
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7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The opposite of democracy but the Republicans love it because Otherwise they would always lose.

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#21

“The Toilet Gap”: 40 Normal American Things That Make The Rest Of The World Confused The toilet gap.

roboplegicroncock Report

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Jacob B.
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This!. First thing I did in a Paris airport was hit the restroom to take a dump. Loved the privacy.

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#22

“The Toilet Gap”: 40 Normal American Things That Make The Rest Of The World Confused Doing your own taxes, and being punished if you get it wrong by mistake.

FluffyPony34 , Kelly Sikkema Report

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Sian Edwards
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7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Average UK tax paying person: 'Oh look, new financial year'. Carries on with their day knowing that the tax office will tell them if they've been paying too much or too little tax.

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#24

Televangelists springs to mind, there is one absolutely morally repugnant one with a massive house and private jets whose name I can't recall. I vehemently dislike organised religion at the best of times but why people actually listen to the ones that are very obviously money-grabbing lying scum is totally beyond me.

Edit: The one I was thinking of was Kenneth Copeland, seems to me he might be "worst among equals" as it were.

Biggs_Pliff Report

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Bouche and Audi and Shyla, Oh My!
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oral Roberts was an evangelist from the '60's and '70's. My grandma sent him over ten thousand dollars. He sent her a Bible with our Lord Jesus Christ's words in red-- and Oral Roberts' name embossed in gold. Other than Roberts' name, I could have gotten Grandma the same Bible for less than ten bucks.

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#25

“The Toilet Gap”: 40 Normal American Things That Make The Rest Of The World Confused Black Friday. You spend Thanksgiving saying how grateful you are for what you have, and then have a massive free-for-all over stuff you want.

NotACyclopsHonest , Artem Beliaikin Report

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Xenon
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7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I won't set foot outside on Black Friday.

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Kathryn Baylis
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Same. Back in the eighties I realized Christmas shopping was too stressful, and started thinking ahead and catalog shopping instead. It was a slower process, but if you started in October it worked out fine. Then I started just picking things up to give as gifts all year as I saw them. Now I combine that with shopping online, which now has way faster shipping than my old catalog shopping days. I still start concentrating on Christmas shopping in October. It’s nice and way less stressful to basically be 100% done with it long before Christmas.

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KDS
Community Member
7 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The sad thing is it is starts on Thanksgiving at times and those poor retail workers has to leave and go directly into work without really enjoying time with their families.

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John Harrison
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Proud to say I have never participated in any sort of Black Friday event.

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Steve Hall
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There use to be real bargains on black friday, now it's just a waste of time.

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L Coffeen
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I worke retail on a black Fri. They made me come into work at 6pm to 1am THANKSGIVING DAY, and then come in again on Friday at noon. I had to work black Friday twice. I. Hated. It.

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Heyday
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

EVERYONE deserves the holiday off! Check out our Labor Day, everything is open except government. I would think EVERYONE deserves that day off.

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Terri Martin
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I am 47 years old and have never once participated in black Friday. Either way, it's not a thing so you can buy everything YOU want. It's so you can buy Christmas gifts for others.

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RavenTheCat
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Don't forget killing innocent retail associates and shooting people over a stupid doll. Black Friday is just a corrupt holiday showing how greedy people are

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Suzanne McHenry
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When I lived in the USA went once and vowed never again. Utter madness lol.

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Shaunn Munn
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Stupid. It's been so overdone that a lot of people don't care anymore and shop online. I think in December I see more delivery vehicles than the rest of the year combined.

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Riley Quinn
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Intended to spur Christmas shopping. Waiting all year long to do all your shopping, while by-passing sales all year long. That's just crazy planning. I honestly think that Americans are addicted to stress.

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Rae Black
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No one I know goes out on Black Friday, I find it abhorrent.

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Emma S
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Retailers in the UK have been trying for years to get this to take off here but it's never caught on in the same way it has in the US. Most Brits are too reserved to be fighting over discounted TVs

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Julie S
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Did you not see the people fighting in Asda the first year they did black Friday? That was over discounted TV's.

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Mrs Irish Mom
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I went black friday shopping in Ireland last year and it was a joke, something for 200 euro reduced to 170 but that item was 160 2 weeks before black friday 🙈

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T'Mar of Vulcan
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I hate that it's becoming a thing in countries that don't even celebrate Thanksgiving. One mall I often go to on Fridays (a lot of choices for food, THREE supermarkets, two CVS-type places, etc.) is overrun on Black Friday - people parking everywhere, even in areas you need to drive along - and it makes it so unpleasant when all I want is a nice lunch and to buy a few groceries. And let me tell you, the "specials" they have at Game aren't all that special - Game's stuff isn't all that great to start with!

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El Dee
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I know what Black Friday is but I have no idea what Thanksgiving is..

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Andrew Schott
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I work on black Friday every year it makes for a very nice payday.

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M.Kay (He/They)
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If my family celebrated Thanksgiving more, and if Black Friday wasn't a good chance for us to get things we needed for cheap because money isn't great, than I would agree.

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Robert Trebor
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I foolishly left my shopping one year to Christmas Eve. Shudder. Never again.

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Stardrop
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

people die from crowd crushes on black friday. as a rather twiggy person, this terrifies me.

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CanadianDimes
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Also! I used to shop on the day before thanksgiving (when I genuinely needed stuff, like new clothes) and the discounts were almost the same but no crowds and all the stock still available.

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quentariel
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Black Fridays are everywhere nowadays. Maybe not as crazy, but still playing the ode of consumerism.

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Jods
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And the problem has migrated across the Atlantic. However, it was very funny seeing a bunch of fellow Northerners fighting over ownership of a TV.

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Saj
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Another Americanism that has been adopted in the UK.

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General Anaesthesia
Community Member
7 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Some say it's the first day the store turns a profit on an annual basis. Before that all income is used to cover the year's costs. So red ink turns black. That assumes a yearly profit of around 8.3%, I guess.

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Me.
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7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have heard people are trying to take it to the UK. I hope they fail, and get a little queue of people asking them to stop.

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Dilly Millandry
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They tried it a few years ago and as a 'day' it got dumped pretty much straight away after it caused mass problems the first year it happened. It is now about a month long and no-one has to do a mad rush anywhere. Though there always was an Autumn/winter sale so in truth there's not really much of a change - just a rebranding of a sales period.

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#26

Putting quite a bit of sugar in things that don't require it, like bread and casseroles.

yellowbernard Report

#27

refusing to use metric

tehcsiudai23 Report

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ThéveNinja (she/her)
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7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It is confusing for many of us too. A lot of our technical work does try to use metric instead

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#28

Having one week of paid vacation or sometimes not any time at all

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hitex
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't understand this as a business owner...granted my employees are on salary but I've actually never really counted the days taken. Its officially 2 weeks but honestly so long as I get great performance from my employees I don't mind if they go over

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#29

Anything and everything related to belonging and participating in a Fraternity/ Sorority. ESPECIALLY the selection and hazing. ETA: actually, the selection and hazing are the problems

conchitu Report

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Boredest Disabled Panda
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7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Absolutely. Fraternities and Sororities used to have a purpose, now it just seems like an excuse for bad behavior.

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#30

Baby showers. Here in Sweden it is generelly considered bad luck to give baby gifts before the baby is actually born. When the baby is born and the parents have gotten a few weeks alone with their newborn they usually start inviting people to meet them, but one or a few at a time, and then you bring a gift.

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H Nunya
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7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don’t see how it’s a big deal for sone people just because a few other people think it’s bad luck. You’re going to want stuff before the birth to be prepared, that’s all.

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#31

“The Toilet Gap”: 40 Normal American Things That Make The Rest Of The World Confused Pickup trucks as daily use cars. Of course I know that at this point most pickups are just SUVs with a small open bed in the rear, but it still boggles my mind how many people believe they absolutely need a pickup.

pckman , Caleb White Report

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Boredest Disabled Panda
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Mainly in certain parts of the country, and often in rural areas. To be fair, in rural areas they have their uses, but it has also become a status symbol in parts of the country, like the South.

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#32

The level of monitoring expected around children is wild to me. Over here, six-year-olds walk to school alone. (Of course within reason.)

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#33

The excessive consumption of Starbucks beverages.

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Heze Alii
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7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I visited Starbucks for the first time in July. I didn't see the appeal.

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#34

“The Toilet Gap”: 40 Normal American Things That Make The Rest Of The World Confused A lot of the High School stuff, like all the formal dances, Football, cheer leading. They’re such a big deal in the USA.

yourpaljax , leah hetteberg Report

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Brainmas
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7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Movies make them seem like a much bigger deal than they actually are, though "prom-posals" and the like becoming a thing is awful.

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#35

College sports. Why are they so popular, especially among fans who never attended any university, let alone the one they cheer for?

AndyAkeko Report

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arthbach
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It warps by brain that people are accepted into college/university based on their sports/athletic performance, and not their academic. It makes my blood boil that the highest paid public employees in 43 of the USA's states is a sports coach.

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#36

“The Toilet Gap”: 40 Normal American Things That Make The Rest Of The World Confused tipping, do some actually live of the tips?

OldMork , Sam Dan Truong Report

#37

Not sure if it's a custom but i hate the fact that all children are expected to leave their family's house and live on their own by at least their 20s.

I come from the middle east where it's very common to live in multi generational houses. You'd probably never leave your family's house unless you are getting married or they literally just kick you out or something lol.

Actually many people choose to remain in their family's house even after marrying and having kids and what not. It's very normal here for a house to have like 3-4 different generations of the same family in it.

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Boredest Disabled Panda
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There are advantages and disadvantages to each system. The kind of system described here works well for a communal society, but it can also be stifling. I wouldn't have wanted to continue living with my very dysfunctional, overprotective and critical family far into my adulthood.

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#38

“The Toilet Gap”: 40 Normal American Things That Make The Rest Of The World Confused The whole "building credit" thing. Not sure it's a custom or just plain stupid. The amount of money that I can borrow is a reflection of my income and what it is that I want to borrow money for. The idea that you can't get a mortgage because you didn't pay for groceries with a credit card 10 years ago is absurd.

I suppose part of it is how the housing market works, it weird that if you can't pay your mortgage, then you can just drop the keys in the mailbox and it suddenly becomes a problem for the bank. Here if you can't pay your mortgage it's still your house and your problem. Sure the bank can use the law to make the government force you to sell to pay of debt, but that's different.

FluffyBaseball6373 , Pixabay Report

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Aubrie Allen
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7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Paying your rent or your normal bills doesn't show up on your credit report is stupid.

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#39

Everyone is unbelievably so patriotic but also incredibly proud of their Irish or Italian roots. It’s fun to be American until someone mentions your natural tan.

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Gustav Gallifrey
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7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

An American lady once said to me '...of course, i'm Swedish'. She had been born in the US, no-one in her family had lived in Sweden since the late 19th century, she'd never been to Sweden, and spoke no Swedish. But, she maintained that she was 'Swedish'.

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#40

“The Toilet Gap”: 40 Normal American Things That Make The Rest Of The World Confused Putting ice in every drink no matter the temperature, season, or anything.

stoned_broccoli , Kaffee Meister Report

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