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People Share 30 Things That They Think Are Normal In Europe But Horrific In America
We often read of things that are totally normal in America but look super crazy to the rest of the world. Like free refills, medical debts, the sheer portion sizes, you name it. But hey, the place and time is everything when it comes to which things we view as typical and which ones raise our brows.
So this time, we are setting our eyes on Europe and the weird customs, things, and manners people in its 44 countries have that look totally crazy to Americans. “What's considered normal in Europe but horrific in America?” someone asked on AskReddit, and 12.7k comments followed.
We picked some of the most telling and thought-provoking responses that prove European countries are also home to a bunch of weirdos!
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Old things. Houses especially. "Someone died in this house" yeah no s**t Sherlock, this house has been here more than your country
The metric system
Favorite metric system quote is by Josh Bazell. “In metric, one milliliter of water occupies one cubic centimeter, weighs one gram, and requires one calorie of energy to heat up by one degree centigrade—which is 1 percent of the difference between its freezing point and its boiling point. ... Whereas in the American system, the answer to ‘How much energy does it take to boil a room-temperature gallon of water?’ is ‘Go f**k yourself,’ because you can’t directly relate any of those quantities.”
Taking the bus. There is so much stigma around public transport in the US, especially busses, and in Europe it's just a totally normal way to get around because nobody wants to deal with driving and parking in a big city.
Also from an employer's perspective: 25+ vacation days minimum for all employees and unlimited sick days. The absolute horror.
This! When I was a nanny in the US, the family I worked for was always nagging me for using public transport. I never unederstood what the big deal was.
I believe that it has to do with their view of someone’s status. To Americans if you take a bus it means you can’t afford a car and therefor has a lower status than others.
Load More Replies...Hmm, I live in Pennsylvania and public transportation is a huge thing around here. Especially in the city. It’s not frowned up, it’s actually extremely useful and helpful for a lot of folks. The bus drivers are usually really kind too
The east coast is much better for public transportation. I think because there is more traffic & parking is hard & expensive. It’s easier to use than driving. In most places in the US it’s less convenient than driving. Lots of waiting & transferring & waiting making you late
Load More Replies...European cities were build when cars didn't exist. The roads aren't designed to handle rush hour traffic. They also never thought of parking lots and parking spaces. Owning a car in big cities is heavily discouraged by excessive road taxes, massive parking fees and complete bans of cars in certain parts of the city. That's why the Netherlands has more bicycles than people.
ummm..... wha? Taking the bus is as normal as normal gets in the US. My morning bus commute in D.C. is full of professional folk wearing their suits and ties.
Yeah…. And dc is absolutely the different city in the states. So many diplomats, specialized government, the ratio of overweight to fit is nearly reversed to the rest of the country… dc was the most fast paced place I ever lived.
Load More Replies...American cities were built with driving in mind and have a lot of parking lots, so it's not really the same situation as European cities which have scarce and expensive parking.
Because in Europe we want cities to be for people, not for cars.
Load More Replies...Not if you live in New York City lol. About half of NYC households don't own cars, the highest percentage being in Manhattan. With public transportation that pretty much runs round the clock plus Uber 24/7, nobody wants to deal with traffic and parking.
In many American cities, it would take you 3 hours to get somewhere on a bus that you could drive to in 20 minutes.
where in the US does anyone give a hard time about Public? Never seen or heard of that. People look for housing near public, costs more because of the convenience.
I grew up in an affluent area. My parents had no spare money but my peers were all getting at least a car on that one particular birthday… to take the bus was … for the laborers.
Load More Replies...Of course. Nature and your body don't understand ink and paper. You're ill when you're ill. If you could choose, I guess you'd never get ill.
Load More Replies...I think it depends on the city. Lived in Boston and everyone took the subway or bus. Same with New York or Washington D.C. The older cities were planned around public transportation (or just walking). I think the newer cities were based on cars. So you'll get that elitist attitude in Los Angeles.
It's not a stigma ffs. It's just that public transportation in America is s**t. Never on schedule and many places the busses only run every hour. It's also dangerous. Bus stops are few and far between. I used to take the bus home from work out of necessity and it was hell. Caught the first bust at 4pm after waiting nearly an hour after my shift ending at 3pm, since the bus stop was 3 blocks away I couldn't get the 3pm bus. So, on the bus at 4, ride around aimlessly for 45 minutes until they take us to the bus station, wait til 5 for the next bus, only 2 benches with 3 seats each for waiting and there's usually 100+ people. So that's awesome after standing all day at work. Get on the bus another 45min til I finally reach the closest stop to my house at almost 6pm, then walk a mile home, no sidewalks, so just on the grass right by a ditch on a 2 lane road, in the dark, alone. And that is in a capital city with a population of 1.5mil, not bfe.
I’m American, and I hope the new infrastructure bill includes a shitload of public transportation projects—-including for many rural areas. Frankly, unless I have things to do which require the cargo space in my car, or which mean I won’t be able to make any of the scheduled bus, subway, or train departure times, I really prefer letting someone else do the driving. I hate the twice daily stress of bumper to bumper rush hour traffic. Plus, if the train that normally gets me to work on time is late, it’s not my fault, so it can’t be held against me. I was just a passenger, sitting back drinking my coffee, reading the news on my tablet, and waiting to hear them call my stop.
You must have a fabulous employer. If I'm late, no matter what transportation I use, it's my fault and I'm docked. That's the more common outcome for those of us who punch a clock.
Load More Replies...Busses in the US (florida) have so little funding and are so poorly maintained there's no need to explain why it's stigmatized
of course driving and parking in a big city is annoying, but what's more annoying is the amount you have to pay for a license to get in many parts of europe. you almost can't get your license when you're 17 years old, unless your family helps you out (and not everybody has that privilege) financially i think it's WAY cheaper in america...
I don't know where you visited or heard that from, but public transportation is quite normalized where I live in the U.S. (In Southern Arizona.) Also, in big cities like NYC it's necessary to take public transportation because driving around with a car and trying to find parking is near impossible. The difference I would say is that U.S. cities tend to be more spread out, so sometimes it is not realistic to take public transportation to your destination, otherwise it would take a couple hours. But for the most part, public transportation is not given a second thought.
I can drive,but I take the train everywhere. Cheaper than running a car and so much less stress, worrying about parking and a car being damaged or broken in to.
Also walking, I saw an American on r/askuk asking if in the UK/Europe we actually consider walking 30 minutes as a short walk.. yes. yes we do. But this person was apparantly appalled at the thought of walking for so long. o.O
Our public transit doesn't run long enough to really be efficient. I think it starts maybe at 8am and ends by like 4pm...so you are basically screwed outside of those time frames
Public transportation is horribly unreliable here in my city.. and I live in Canada.
There's no stigma. Buses are generally rather inconvenient in most areas since things are spread out. I'd have to walk a mile and half to get to the bus stop, then take 3 buses to get near work. And would take at least an hour on bus. Versus 20 minutes in the car.
Odd question. Is it expensive to take a cab in New York for example? If I were to take a cab here it's crazy expensive.
Vacation days differ between countries. In Germany for example, the minimum is 20 days, if you work 5 days/week.
No such thing as unlimited sick days in my country (Eastern Europe). Plus they don't pay well so you are better off using paid leave :(
I loved using TriMet in Portland. It was a good way to get around without parking fees or just not being able to find parking.
We have a great transportation system. I'm on the far north side of Chicago, close two different el lines and a few bus routes. Here we prefer the train or bus rather than pay to drive and park. Plus it's good reading time :)
Hier in Deutschland hat man nicht unbegrenzte Krankentage aber könnte man mal beantragen 😅
That's one thing I miss about Europe is being able to go anywhere using public transportation. I live in rural Texas which means a car payment with insurance which adds to cost of living. In the little small town I live in Texas they tore down railroad tracks and turned it into bicycle and walking trail. My grandparents told me that back in the day they could take train to town. Seems like we went behind instead of forward.
Denmark, and a part of Europe here... Public Transportation sucks, it is mostly ppl that cant afford their own cars, that uses public transport, and kids ofc.
I don‘t think most people in the US would mind having unlimited sick days and enough paid vacation days. I suppose they just don‘t know better / are not used to it / don‘t think it possible. But it is not an absolute horror to them (except for worcaholics maybe)
I always have a stress free time travelling on the bus, but not during the school run or rush hour
If you live in the city or the surrounding suburbs, taking public transportation is perfectly normal in America. I drive but I take public transportation to work (well, before pandemic) because it's convenient and saves gas. Plus, the commute is used for reading or whatever else you like.
In Europe you Don't have all the space like the usafor cars. Gas and inaurance can be very expensive, in somw countries.
A lot of public transportation in America depends on the density of the population. If a city isn’t very dense, the busses are often spotty and not very dependable. If you can afford a car, it’ll take you much less time and be more consistent than taking public transportation. Also, many places where only less affluent people ride have more questionable activities happen during the transport.
I think that depends on the person you're talking to and where you are talking about in America. I know plenty of Americans, myself included think that using public transportation if there is one is useful and can be wonderful. Though depending on where you're located the public transportation system could be good or bad so I definitely would pay attention to that part as well, just because a place has transportation doesn't mean it's always the safest. So to think that most think on this stigma of transportation has shown to be already debunked. Also again depending on where you live in USA you don't need a car, while in other places you do. also believing that the absolute horror of Americans not wanting unlimited sick days is and has been debunked as well.. Though because we know people, whether it is in America or in any other country, there are those who would take advantage of this idea...but I do believe of longer days as other who also share support in this too.
I miss public transport especially the double decker. The local trains and subway . You could be anywhere in minutes. Tried local buses where I now live in the USA Never again unless absolutely necessary.
Could be interesting, except that the plural of bus is buses. Busses are kisses. Use a real dictionary......
European businesses must trust their employees more than American businesses.
There is no good public transport where I live. I can't even get a cab here :(
That's because poor people in America have to use public transportation and poverty is hated in the US. No one wants to rub elbows with the poor people on a bus.
I used to think the bus is for poor people until I move to the city. Now I'm likes no way am I driving, let's take the subway. I always think of that sienfeld episode when he didn't want to move his car because he found a great parking spot. This affects me on a new level now
I work for a popular fast food place in the US, and we're allowed 3 sick days within a 90 day period or it "become an attendance issue." This is particularly irritating during COVID, when we're not supposed to come to work if possibly sick. So I get in trouble either way 🤷🏼♀️🙄😒 Heaven forbid I get sick for three days in a month. Better keep myself away from anything and everything for the next two months.
I don't know anyone who wouldn't LOVE to be able to use public transport. I don't know anyone who looks down on anyone using public transport, but we often feel sorry for them. The problem where I live is that there is no public transport. If you can find any, it costs more than driving a car, and requires ridiculous amounts of time... 2 hours to travel 20 miles. Also, you'll probably have a mile or two hike in the Florida heat and rain to get to the bus stop from your house, and another hike to get to your destination. Where I live, people who can take the bus to work are lucky.
Ohio has, hands down, the absolute WORST public transportation system in the entire country. We are light years away from anything close to what other states and countries have. Even in Columbus; Ohio's capital.
I never needed to own a car while I lived in Germany. Win win situation. The freedom! The savings! 😁
I take the bus all the time. Ive never felt a stigma behind it? Maybe it's a city thing
I tried to figure this out for a long time, as a child. I’ve taken many buses in different countries. The ones in Brooklyn (ny) are the worst. The ones in Hong Kong are the best.
Don't take busses especially at night (like down town long Beach in califorina) (just to name one of the places) its very dangerous
It depends on where you live. Many cities in the US it is very normal to take a bus.
Grew up in the city, always used the bus. I am currently a school bus driver. Again, not a big difference.
I would not take the bus if you paid me. Its not safe, period, same with subway. Who wants to leave the house three hours before you have to be somewhere, and if the bus is late, your screwed.
how does someone take a sandwich place as a means of transportation? Apparently the one mentioned isn't stationary.
Load More Replies...In Australia, you can use the bus, train, tram, ferry or private car or taxi, depending on what s available in which city or town.
The post said "bus", but many comments say "public transportation". I'm glad they do. What about the subway, suburban trains (trains within cities and suburbs), just to name the most basic? It's so easy to travel in Europe inside of a city, or between cities (with exceptions - there are some out of the way that are only accessible with buses unfortunately) and between countries. With subways and trains it's faster and less stressful to get somewhere because there's no traffic, no red lights, and no parking, and the trip is oh so smooth and relaxing (unless it's rush hour and we have the unhappiness of going the same way as most workers, then it might be tight). We can just lay back, read, browse the internet, sometimes even snack/drink (not on subways tho), and wait for our stop which should be within a 15min walk at max to our end destination. NY (and Boston etc,) does have this, but in most cities I've been in the US I felt completely trapped unless I had a ride somewhere.
Lived in Toronto for several years. It was walking, bus, or subway. That's what everyone does. No big deal. I haven't heard of it being a problem for our neighbours to the south either.
Horrific? This is literally how I get around any city I visit in any country. We have huge public transit systems all over the country. I own a car because I live on a mountain and I work at the bottom of it. I've also driven through 3 countries and 48 states and seen them from roads you will not find on public transportation systems.
Not sure about this. Where I live, having a car is very important. Yes, public transport is used outen but their are people who refuse to take public transport and go everywhere in their car. Some 'Europeanen cities trie to ban cars because off the huge bills to maintaine roads. Not Evernote agrees with this policy.
Ok people ride busses. not use them. They're not pens.
Load More Replies...The buses in the US suck because in most places normal people are the minority in public transportation. In the US buses tend to be used by poor people, homeless people & crazy people and bad ass teenagers
I live in Phoenix. Our average daily temperatures in the summer are between 110 to 115F (43-46C). Nobody wants to wait 30-45 minutes in the heat for an oven on wheels. All busses are equipped with a/c but it doesn’t always run efficiently if at all.
'nobody'. Some might, you don't know. Have you met literally everyone on earth?
Load More Replies...I have experienced it both ways but I can tell you some significant issues…. One being that buses aren’t actually available to so much of the population in the states. If I want to catch one right now, I have to walk about a mile to a different street, wait at the bus stop and honestly I’m not entirely sure where it would take me. On the other side of things, a lot of people here have given a stigma to the bus system. The social understanding is that poor people take the bus. It’s completely inaccurate. Of course that’s actually not true and the poor IF you live in a big city.
So many jobs ask you how you're going to get to work and if you say the bus, they just pass you over.
Really? They encourage us to take the train and bus. They pay that. If you insist on taking a car (pollution), they only pay a portion, except when you carpool with others.
Load More Replies...I actually agree with this. Seriously. Before I moved to Norway I recall mentioning to a coworker (in the US) that I was taking the bus to meet a friend for drinks. This was before Uber and it's cheaper than a taxi. Coworker told me I was white trash for taking a bus. Seriously.
Europe is SUPER UNPRODUCTIVE heck I wouldn't even know what to do with the mandatory "down time"
The bus system in America stinks! I tried to take the bus to work but it turned a 20 minute car trip into 1.5 hours--no thanks.
I had to take I is to the orthodontist when I was 16. My mom's boyfriend was an asshole and wouldn't take me. One day there was a guy sitting next to me masturbating. I told my mom under no circumstances was I taking the bus again.
you told your mom? wow. Sad when a person can't deal w/ things them . . .
Load More Replies...Songs with swear words being broadcasted on the radio, or swear words not being covered with a beep tone on tv. It’s always felt weird to me that Americans are all about being free and freedom of speech but then again they are scared of some stupid words.
Pro union laws. Pro worker labour laws. Mandatory paid vacation days (including fines for companies if the workers don't take their vacation days or get them payed out. They NEED to actually leave work legally for around 25 days per year).
Letting kids go to school or walk around the neighborhood by themselves without supervision.
A Dutch family moved to the USA and their kids went to school on their bikes like they always do, after a while the police showed up on their doorstep and child protective services letting them know they’re being irresponsible and to not do that again.
Mailman doesnt leave packages unattended on your porch. He eather gives you it on the doorstep or you go get it at the post office. Much less infureating than getting it stolen or thrown accros your yard by a mailman...
I don't know if this would horrify Americans as I've never heard it discussed, but where I live in Europe (Luxembourg), voting is mandatory and you can get fined for not voting in an election. You can still spoil your ballot, so you don't have to decide between lesser evils if you don't want to, but you have to make the effort to go to the polling station or submit a postal vote. It guarantees a high voter turnout and by extension more representative elections, coupled with a proportional voting system so we're not locked into a two-party mess like the UK or the US - not that it's without its issues of course, but I think it's an improvement.
Being expected to know another language other than English.
At least in Germany, nudity. No one cares if you're naked, no one thinks you're a sex offender, no one thinks it's even sexual to be naked unless you're actively having sex, and no one makes it weird.
You can be naked in public parks to soak up sun, on beaches, swim naked in lakes. Saunas are all naked, mixed sex areas in spas and saunas are naked with no issues and in general, it's just not an issue.
At least where I live in Germany it’s NOT usual to be naked in parks or bathing naked in crowded places, except they’re designated as nude areas. Topless is tolerated in most urban parks, if you don’t Walk around. Otherwise it’s a "Public nuisance", which is an administrative offense and is punished by a penalty fee.
From what I’ve heard, allowing retail workers to sit. I’ve heard it’s regular for people to be sitting in Europe as cashiers, but in the us it is seen as lazy. Only store I know of that allows it is Aldi and that’s because it helps their cashiering metrics.
The number of rooms in the description of apartments. 1 room in the US usually means 1 bedroom, a living room ,and separate kitchen. Was shocked when I realized it means everything inside one room in most European countries
In the UK we normally describe properties as 1 bed, 2 bed etc. and give a separate count of other rooms. Studio is normally used to describe rooms of mixed use. So a 1 bed studio apartment will normally be a combined kitchen, living and sleeping space with a separate bath- or shower-room.
Not being super patriotic.
I love being Scottish, I love living here, the people (mostly), the accepting and open culture, the sarcastic swearing humour, that we can take the piss out of ourselves - but I don't feel the need to fly a flag on my doorstep or cover myself in Scottish symbols and scream about my freedom and rights and chant some verse every morning - im sure there are plenty of Americans who also think that the stereotypical over the top patriotic American is as odd as outsiders do - but they do tend to be the loudest
Long paid parental leaves and month long holidays (vacations).
Fun fact: These are all things that Unions achieved and next the government made them law. Some Americans would go bat shyte crazy over that. "The government has no right to force 25 mandatory vacation days on me!!!!"
Oh man... europe has so many different countries. Something that is completely normal where I live could be frowned upon as soon as I cross the next border. But in general we tip for good service, not bc we have to. A rude waitress won't get tipped by me. Also we usually remove our shoes before we enter a home. And yep, "free" healthcare.
Absolutely, what's acceptable in Spain wouldn't fly in Denmark and vice versa. All countries have their own cultures. The first time, years before the internet through reading American magazines, I came across 'Europe' being referred to as a homogeneous whole I was extremely confused. I was also highly entertained by all the adverts stating 'Everyone in Europe is using this product' for something I'd never seen in my life.
Not giving your debit/credit card to your server but doing it yourself
It prevents them from copying you card information and using them to commit fraud by buying stuff online with your creditcard information. In fact I think we ought to memorise the control numbers on the back of the card and then remove them for the card. Having them there is like writing the pin code on the card with a marker, it is just making abuse way too easy.
Sitting a foot away from a complete stranger and then completely ignoring them.
Americans get so bend out of shape over naked children running around the beach.
On every beach in Bulgaria I've been, naked children is the norm, women sunbathing in monokini is considered absolutely normal, while naked men are okay only in the nude sections of the beaches. And every beach has a nude section.
Not enrolling your kid in extracurricular activities. In Europe, some kids are enrolled in a sport or club and the older ones are mostly responsible for getting there and figuring out their schedule. In America, some parents are so obsessed with kids sports that the whole family's existence revolves around it, or they get judgemental when they hear that a kid isn't involved in any sports or clubs.
Almost every car having a manual transmission. when i visited ukraine, i only saw rich people with automatic cars
Charging for water at a restaurant.
In Norway you'll get tap water when you ask for water, and that's free.
Bidets? I was born and raised in the US and I think they're efficient and far more hygienic than TP, but apparently most other dudes in this country think it's gay to clean up after your business is done lol
The only really gay thing I know is falling in love with someone of the same gender as yourself. If cleaning your ass after you've been to the toilet is 'gay' to you, you have some real issues.
In Germany, looking for a apartment doesn't automatically mean it will come 100% with a kitchen. 90% they don't have them in and you have to buy them yourself.
That's one of the most stupid things in Germany. The kitchen should belong to the apartment.
Underage drinking seems more of a crime in the US - in most cases of a kid is caught with alcohol in the UK it's just confiscated and poured away. Strictly speaking the age you can drink alcohol is really low as well, so long as you're home with a parent I think it's like 5/6. When you're in a restaurant you're also allowed low percentage alcohol like cider with a meal so long as you're with an adult.
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Gotta say that "things normal in Europe" means you take more than 40 very different countries together. Example; The Netherlands doesn't have bagged milk at all, we don't allow underage drinking in the general sense and we don't leave kids in strollers outside. We're one of the few countries that use diseases as swear words, though :)
The same could be said for the United States. People love to generalize Americans, but the truth is we're vastly different from one another. I notice a lot of ignorance from Europeans about the differences in Americans. Like someone made a southern Texas joke towards me and I had to explain I'm from the east coast. It seems like they forget how big America really is.
Load More Replies...As an european who spend so much time in the states I just can't see the US as one country... there are so much differences depending on where you are... and I'm so just tired of those meaningless comparison...
This is even more true for Europe. They are lumping 40 different countries into this comparison.
Load More Replies...About half of these are just cultural differences that aren't "Horrific" one way or the other, and some even reflect badly on the Europeans, not to mention the whole "not all of Europe, but n a few places..." thing. So basically, the author is full of s**t.
I am not sure that anyone in the US finds these things “horrific.” I assume no Americans were consulted in the creation of this list? Bull fighting… this is an example of something horrific…
Yeah. It's awful. I think it's only parts of Spain though. (I could be wrong) not the kind of thing I want to google.
Load More Replies...One "European" concept I wish the US would embrace is free college/university!
Yup. It's very freeing not having to save up for my son's university.
Load More Replies...Yea. I mean… it’s just sad. All the other nations target America. But I’m used to it.
Load More Replies...One thing in North America I question is why women’s breasts are considered illegal. I suspect it has to do with the Puritan roots of NA but why does the USA love guns and violence (especially on tv, movies and video games) but as soon as a woman’s breasts are visible everyone throws a fit?
I like my guns, because I use it for hunting. Not for the sport of it, but because in my part of the US, groceries are pretty expensive, and good paying jobs that can support your family are few and far between. But god forbid women decide to go without even a bra 🙄
Load More Replies...So often articles like these seem based on stereotypes and Stupid American stories taken as fact. They also feel mean spirited.
Yet another post by someone who's never been to the US and doesn't actually know any Americans.
Definitely true. But considering there's so many untrue statements about Europe too it's easy to come to this conclusion. It's all or mostly just b******t.
Load More Replies...This is full of a lot of stereotypes, exaggeration, and people who have never gone to the US. It was cool to learn more about 'Europe'. (Europe is a bunch of different countries and cultures, you can't just group them all together like they did the United States.)
Yes. Sadly there's a bunch of people who lump together all European countries and people tend to lump together all of the US states too. European countries differ. Sometimes very much and sometimes less. And I know it's the same with many states in the US. Never hurt to learn though, which is why I ended up here. ;D
Load More Replies...I don't see anything horrific except for the hateful disdain expressed toward Americans.
Americans can be pretty damn disdainful of whole groups of people, it's the driving force behind much of our politics.
Load More Replies...The problem is that Americans are stereotyped by The politics of rural areas predominant primarily in the south and midwest even though that only makes up at a relatively small percentage of the total population. However that gets blown out of proportion because the American political system ensures a disproportionate amount of power to those areas. On the flipside Europeans are stereotyped based on the population of its large cities. But of course if anybody does just a little bit of investigation they will see that rural America and rural Europe are very similar (why do you think Brexit happened?) American cities and European cities are also very similar. Even more extreme many of the countries of Eastern Europe are considerably more conservative than even the most conservative parts of America.
I'm a bus driver. Taking a bus in America is not horrific, thank you very much.
It depends on where you live. My experience with buses in Atlanta was fine. My experiences with the buses in Alaska was awful!
Load More Replies...Looks like Americans aren't as "free" as they think they are and as they would like the World to see them.
So much content on BP is Europe vs USA. Like f**k off already... we don’t need any more division and hatred in the world
Agreed. I wonder why it is like that though? Maybe the states is a soft target for some reason.
Load More Replies...Please stop viewing Europe as one country. It's a group of very different countries, with different culture, different history, different languages, different customs, different way of life. European countries are NOT like US states, they don't really have nearly as much in common. And while they're a group and share a currency now (and it's only been 20 years) and all that, you cannot group all European countries and treat them like they're all the same. Enough of this, please.
Not all european countries are members of the eu though. But I agree, most european countries have many differences.
Load More Replies...So many of these are not even close to true. Someone is watching too many movies.
I have to wonder why these kinds of generalizations are only acceptable about Americans/America. Many of these would largely depend on where you live in America
This entire post generalizes the entirety of Europe as well. Most of these examples absolutely do not apply for the majority of countries in Europe.
Load More Replies...A lot of the things on this list isn’t true. Downvote me if you want.
definitely another bored panda Stigma induced post for both Europe and America. though it definitely likes to stir up hate in a lot of different forms of these stigmas of Europe and America I think it could have potential of having some fun conversations if delt right...*if* being key because for this Panda, that can't happen in heaven or hell it seems...this Boredpanda loves to just dump loads on America usually which really frustrates me. and this time had a bonus with Europe in it.
For those who misspell America, it just goes to prove you Europeans are a bunch of snotty little pricks.
The author simply revealed their ignorance. It’s embarrassing to see someone actually wrote this truly fact-anemic tripe. I will give one example. The “public purchase and consumption of alcohol” is illegal until age 21. However in 45 states, on private property, with parental consent children may consume any alcohol they wish. The drinking age in this case can go down to 12. The government limited public drinking but preserved parents rights to teach their children to drink responsibility. In America, on private property, one can enjoy a beer or 100 proof whiskey with their child…if they desire. Most parents choose to wait. A simple google search would do you well.
The only thing I would find horrific that is done in many parts of Europe is leaving your baby outside a shop in their stroller. I know its quite common in some places, (lived in many different European countries growing up). But if I saw that in America I would start freaking out lol. Cops would immediately be called by someone, it would be a whole thing.
Not saying ALL americans are patriotic. Although I myself would never feel the same need to defend my country like some (again not all) americans do here. Maybe I'm missing something, it's probably not a bad thing to defend your country. I just never get the urge to defend my country. Is that weird? I hope I am not offending anyone by asking this.
I have a home on 10 acres that is very remote no bus would come there. I also require a lot of tools to do my job and could not take them on the bus. I have never been shot nor have I shot anyone though I do enjoy match shooting g and own many firearms. I guess Europe has zero child molesters and kids are never abducted over there. We do have crime and kids can be abducted so to allow your kids to roam freely is negligent. Plus they might crash on their bike or be hit by a car. I don't know of any kids that are not involved in some kind of extra curriculum activity and I have never been charged for water. It is illegal in Arizona to not provide water if requested. We smile to be pleasant unlike Europeans.
First of all as an America has plenty of issues I will admit. We aren't perfect like you Europeans. Everyone I know removes their shoes when entering a home. Some may keep shoes by the door that are only worn indoors as they have foot problems and shoes provide comfort. To each there own but I have no desire to see old wrinkled sweaty testicle, or gray public hair or any public hair, sagging breasts or stretch marks that make it look like a person was mauled by a tiger. Fish belly white rolls of fat or even a naked super model naked. I took Spanish for 4 years in high school as a foreign language was required. As a business owner employees are given paid vacations, paid sick days, paid holidays and we are a Construction Company when an employees partner has a baby they get 3 days off to help the new mother and baby settle in paid. If the spouse can't handle a newborn after that then they shouldn't have had a kid. So many people abuse sick days though and screw over coworkers
I really take offense with the whole if u can't handle a new born after 3 days u shouldn't of had one. There can be literally hundreds of reasons a new mom needs help after delivering a child she could have had a c-section or a difficult birth the child could had birth defects or other issues that were unforeseen. The child could have colic there could be other siblings in the home and they are not adjusting to the new arrival there's also postpartum depression like I said literally hundreds of things and to judge a person after only three days and saying they shouldn't have had one what are they going to do put the child back because that's about how much sense your post made
Load More Replies...This is simply showing differences... one could just as easily say this is "European bashing" if you decide that the American side of the difference is the preferred version. (and in some of these cases, that would be an easy argument)
Load More Replies...Usa is like a fourth cousin twice removed of European countries that had the guts to jump over the wall to go see the world and so they evolved in their own way . And it doesn't seem so problematic to me. I love both.
So...pointing out differences means you're hating the country? Got it. Are there any other conditions other than patriotic paranoia you want to tell us about?
Load More Replies...Gotta say that "things normal in Europe" means you take more than 40 very different countries together. Example; The Netherlands doesn't have bagged milk at all, we don't allow underage drinking in the general sense and we don't leave kids in strollers outside. We're one of the few countries that use diseases as swear words, though :)
The same could be said for the United States. People love to generalize Americans, but the truth is we're vastly different from one another. I notice a lot of ignorance from Europeans about the differences in Americans. Like someone made a southern Texas joke towards me and I had to explain I'm from the east coast. It seems like they forget how big America really is.
Load More Replies...As an european who spend so much time in the states I just can't see the US as one country... there are so much differences depending on where you are... and I'm so just tired of those meaningless comparison...
This is even more true for Europe. They are lumping 40 different countries into this comparison.
Load More Replies...About half of these are just cultural differences that aren't "Horrific" one way or the other, and some even reflect badly on the Europeans, not to mention the whole "not all of Europe, but n a few places..." thing. So basically, the author is full of s**t.
I am not sure that anyone in the US finds these things “horrific.” I assume no Americans were consulted in the creation of this list? Bull fighting… this is an example of something horrific…
Yeah. It's awful. I think it's only parts of Spain though. (I could be wrong) not the kind of thing I want to google.
Load More Replies...One "European" concept I wish the US would embrace is free college/university!
Yup. It's very freeing not having to save up for my son's university.
Load More Replies...Yea. I mean… it’s just sad. All the other nations target America. But I’m used to it.
Load More Replies...One thing in North America I question is why women’s breasts are considered illegal. I suspect it has to do with the Puritan roots of NA but why does the USA love guns and violence (especially on tv, movies and video games) but as soon as a woman’s breasts are visible everyone throws a fit?
I like my guns, because I use it for hunting. Not for the sport of it, but because in my part of the US, groceries are pretty expensive, and good paying jobs that can support your family are few and far between. But god forbid women decide to go without even a bra 🙄
Load More Replies...So often articles like these seem based on stereotypes and Stupid American stories taken as fact. They also feel mean spirited.
Yet another post by someone who's never been to the US and doesn't actually know any Americans.
Definitely true. But considering there's so many untrue statements about Europe too it's easy to come to this conclusion. It's all or mostly just b******t.
Load More Replies...This is full of a lot of stereotypes, exaggeration, and people who have never gone to the US. It was cool to learn more about 'Europe'. (Europe is a bunch of different countries and cultures, you can't just group them all together like they did the United States.)
Yes. Sadly there's a bunch of people who lump together all European countries and people tend to lump together all of the US states too. European countries differ. Sometimes very much and sometimes less. And I know it's the same with many states in the US. Never hurt to learn though, which is why I ended up here. ;D
Load More Replies...I don't see anything horrific except for the hateful disdain expressed toward Americans.
Americans can be pretty damn disdainful of whole groups of people, it's the driving force behind much of our politics.
Load More Replies...The problem is that Americans are stereotyped by The politics of rural areas predominant primarily in the south and midwest even though that only makes up at a relatively small percentage of the total population. However that gets blown out of proportion because the American political system ensures a disproportionate amount of power to those areas. On the flipside Europeans are stereotyped based on the population of its large cities. But of course if anybody does just a little bit of investigation they will see that rural America and rural Europe are very similar (why do you think Brexit happened?) American cities and European cities are also very similar. Even more extreme many of the countries of Eastern Europe are considerably more conservative than even the most conservative parts of America.
I'm a bus driver. Taking a bus in America is not horrific, thank you very much.
It depends on where you live. My experience with buses in Atlanta was fine. My experiences with the buses in Alaska was awful!
Load More Replies...Looks like Americans aren't as "free" as they think they are and as they would like the World to see them.
So much content on BP is Europe vs USA. Like f**k off already... we don’t need any more division and hatred in the world
Agreed. I wonder why it is like that though? Maybe the states is a soft target for some reason.
Load More Replies...Please stop viewing Europe as one country. It's a group of very different countries, with different culture, different history, different languages, different customs, different way of life. European countries are NOT like US states, they don't really have nearly as much in common. And while they're a group and share a currency now (and it's only been 20 years) and all that, you cannot group all European countries and treat them like they're all the same. Enough of this, please.
Not all european countries are members of the eu though. But I agree, most european countries have many differences.
Load More Replies...So many of these are not even close to true. Someone is watching too many movies.
I have to wonder why these kinds of generalizations are only acceptable about Americans/America. Many of these would largely depend on where you live in America
This entire post generalizes the entirety of Europe as well. Most of these examples absolutely do not apply for the majority of countries in Europe.
Load More Replies...A lot of the things on this list isn’t true. Downvote me if you want.
definitely another bored panda Stigma induced post for both Europe and America. though it definitely likes to stir up hate in a lot of different forms of these stigmas of Europe and America I think it could have potential of having some fun conversations if delt right...*if* being key because for this Panda, that can't happen in heaven or hell it seems...this Boredpanda loves to just dump loads on America usually which really frustrates me. and this time had a bonus with Europe in it.
For those who misspell America, it just goes to prove you Europeans are a bunch of snotty little pricks.
The author simply revealed their ignorance. It’s embarrassing to see someone actually wrote this truly fact-anemic tripe. I will give one example. The “public purchase and consumption of alcohol” is illegal until age 21. However in 45 states, on private property, with parental consent children may consume any alcohol they wish. The drinking age in this case can go down to 12. The government limited public drinking but preserved parents rights to teach their children to drink responsibility. In America, on private property, one can enjoy a beer or 100 proof whiskey with their child…if they desire. Most parents choose to wait. A simple google search would do you well.
The only thing I would find horrific that is done in many parts of Europe is leaving your baby outside a shop in their stroller. I know its quite common in some places, (lived in many different European countries growing up). But if I saw that in America I would start freaking out lol. Cops would immediately be called by someone, it would be a whole thing.
Not saying ALL americans are patriotic. Although I myself would never feel the same need to defend my country like some (again not all) americans do here. Maybe I'm missing something, it's probably not a bad thing to defend your country. I just never get the urge to defend my country. Is that weird? I hope I am not offending anyone by asking this.
I have a home on 10 acres that is very remote no bus would come there. I also require a lot of tools to do my job and could not take them on the bus. I have never been shot nor have I shot anyone though I do enjoy match shooting g and own many firearms. I guess Europe has zero child molesters and kids are never abducted over there. We do have crime and kids can be abducted so to allow your kids to roam freely is negligent. Plus they might crash on their bike or be hit by a car. I don't know of any kids that are not involved in some kind of extra curriculum activity and I have never been charged for water. It is illegal in Arizona to not provide water if requested. We smile to be pleasant unlike Europeans.
First of all as an America has plenty of issues I will admit. We aren't perfect like you Europeans. Everyone I know removes their shoes when entering a home. Some may keep shoes by the door that are only worn indoors as they have foot problems and shoes provide comfort. To each there own but I have no desire to see old wrinkled sweaty testicle, or gray public hair or any public hair, sagging breasts or stretch marks that make it look like a person was mauled by a tiger. Fish belly white rolls of fat or even a naked super model naked. I took Spanish for 4 years in high school as a foreign language was required. As a business owner employees are given paid vacations, paid sick days, paid holidays and we are a Construction Company when an employees partner has a baby they get 3 days off to help the new mother and baby settle in paid. If the spouse can't handle a newborn after that then they shouldn't have had a kid. So many people abuse sick days though and screw over coworkers
I really take offense with the whole if u can't handle a new born after 3 days u shouldn't of had one. There can be literally hundreds of reasons a new mom needs help after delivering a child she could have had a c-section or a difficult birth the child could had birth defects or other issues that were unforeseen. The child could have colic there could be other siblings in the home and they are not adjusting to the new arrival there's also postpartum depression like I said literally hundreds of things and to judge a person after only three days and saying they shouldn't have had one what are they going to do put the child back because that's about how much sense your post made
Load More Replies...This is simply showing differences... one could just as easily say this is "European bashing" if you decide that the American side of the difference is the preferred version. (and in some of these cases, that would be an easy argument)
Load More Replies...Usa is like a fourth cousin twice removed of European countries that had the guts to jump over the wall to go see the world and so they evolved in their own way . And it doesn't seem so problematic to me. I love both.
So...pointing out differences means you're hating the country? Got it. Are there any other conditions other than patriotic paranoia you want to tell us about?
Load More Replies...