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30 Things Americans Can’t Seem To Live Without, As Observed By Non-Americans
Cars and guns. Flags and freedom. Fast-food and air-conditioning. That’s what the United States is all about—or at least the stereotypical version of America, according to the internet. No matter how hard people try, it looks like there are some stereotypes that Americans just can’t shake.
Whether because of pop culture or anecdotal experiences with tourists, some foreigners have a very clear-cut picture in their minds of what American everyday life is like. Even though it actually varies so much. And redditor Pfl2020 wanted to find out what exactly non-Americans think that Americans can’t live without.
Check out some of the most interesting responses to their thread and remember to give the ones that you relate to a big ol’ upvote as you scroll down. We’d also love to hear your opinions on what you associate Americans with, dear Pandas. And if you’re from the US, share your thoughts and feelings about these stereotypes in the comments.
For instance, I personally associate Americans with extremely warm and friendly people, delicious homecooked meals, great education, excellent four square skills on the playground, flags, and… powdered donuts (yum!). I’m pretty sure there are unfriendly Americans out there, but I’ve yet to meet one in person. (They could be a myth conjured up by jealous Canadians.)
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The belief that they’re more free than the rest of the world.
Definitely NOT. Every country has there issues but for a western country the US has some serious big issues that aren't as prevalent in other western countries.
The believe that America is the greatest of all democracies while it is just another empire on its way down...
Medical debt
Not just medical debt, but serious debt of many kinds. Everything paid on credit or loan, and people working just to pay interest while being "1 paycheck from the street" while the government will not help you if you get in financial or medical trouble, are hungry or face eviction.
It’s best to think of cultural stereotypes as incredibly rough guidelines that sometimes help us navigate life, but you should never think that they’re completely accurate representations of reality. Life’s too complex and deep to be summed up in a couple of throwaway phrases.
Not all Americans are overweight, own a gun, only speak English, and tip their waiters all the time. But does the country have a problem with obesity? Yes, it does. According to the CIA, 36.2 percent of all Americans were considered to be obese in 2016. And the US ranked twelfth in the world by obesity. But it would be unfair to ignore that in such a vast country there are plenty of fitness enthusiasts and healthy eaters out there, too.
A sense of superiority and a denial of the truth of their own history.
I am English and I am ashamed of MY country's sense of superiority and a denial of the truth of their own history. Especially concerning the slave trade and the way they treated the Irish during the Irish famine.
Fast food. I remember watching a piece about how fast food is sometimes the cheapest option for poor families. They literally can't afford to eat healthily.
The fact that even their fast food is worse... there is this show on youtube where they compare Uk and US fast foods from the same brand. example: chips in the UK have potatoes, vegetable oil, salt... in the US, it has 11 other ingredients.
Flags. You really care about showing off flags. Pro tip: Any place with lots of flags has a national identity crisis.
I mean, this flag site is probably a memorial/grave to veterans so yeah, this specific picture might be a tad offensive. However, as an American, I really don't understand why everyone is so obsessed with American flags. Although uh I'll take that flag over,,, certain,,, other flags that show up in the south :(
Some stereotypes are nearly perfectly true, however. Like how much Americans love cars. They're not the only ones, though. The US really does have a car obsession and ranks fourth on Planet Earth by the number of motor vehicles per capita, but it falls right behind—you’ll never believe it—New Zealand. That’s right, our loveable Kiwis own more cars, on average, than Americans do. Who needs eagles when our hobbit protagonists could have headed to Mordor in a Volvo?
Plenty of Americans really can’t live without cars because they rely on them for their day-to-day lives. Those who argue against this would point to the fact that, in 2019, Americans also took a whopping 9.9 billion trips on public transportation. Which sounds very impressive...
...Until you realize that there were 328.2 million people living in the US that year and that they'd each end up using public transportation just over 30 times each, on average. All year. So there's some truth to the stereotype about loving cars after all. But it's not the entire story. Nor the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Not by far.
The goddamn Imperial System of Units.
I don't even live in the US but a lot of content on the internet is American and it annoys me when I need to multiply miles by 1.6 to get kilometers.
omg yes, this is terrible. I've been here over five years and I still can't get used to it. :"My god, the temperature is over 100? are we FRYING TO DEATH??"
probably, 100 degrees is still pretty hot.
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To me the madness is that there's no relationship between measures. How do miles/hour translate to yards/sec? Or inch/sec if slow? How far do I drive with 10 fl oz, given my MPG? It also gives a fractured view of life: You can't think of driving speeds using yards (nor house sizes in miles), you can't think of joinery in yards (nor house sizes in inches); even worse to lay out joinery you use start from regular fractional inches, convert to decimal inches, divide for even spacing, convert back to fractional inches. Absolute idiocy.
The dates, the bloody dates, smallest first, biggest last it's the same rule for money! Forget clocks we all inherited that from the Babylonians!
I hate it, it's confusing, but it's what I grew up with so I understand it.
Thank you..I remember in the 70s when we were switching over. We kids were doing great, it was the adults that pitched a fit about switching...ahhhhhhh I hate working by 12s or whatever the heck we do.
And this is how NASA f****d up. Mixed up imperial with metric. Why is the US being so stubborn, the rest of the world (but 2 small countries and the US) use metric.
I remember that : a mars lander crashed due to that !!
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American here. I think/speak metric. In fairness, I was raised near Canadian border and am a science nerd.
I like to mess with Americans by using units from their system that they are generally unfamiliar with. i.e. "The volume of my pool is 0.4 acre-foot, and its 0.3 chains long. If you give me 50 drams of beer, I'll explain these to you. "
American here and I completely agree. We use metric in the medical field already so why can’t we just use it for everything?
I live in the us and I am constantly converting back and forth. The truth is sometimes its more convenient to use metric and sometimes its more convenient to use imperial.
... and remember, it's only 2 countries in the world left that uses the imperial system (and not even the US uses it anymore, as the imperial system is now actually defined by the metric system!)
Hey. We're right up there with those two bastions of democracy Burma/Myanmar & Liberia.
The Metric system is in general use but food tends to be still sold using the Imperial System: a quart of milk, a pound of butter, a 5 pound roast. Many stores will post both systems on items now, weaning us oldies into using the Frog-invented method. In another decade the Metric will likely rule, giving the French a victory in Canada that they never achieved with a musket.
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I think the biggest obstacle to going metric is the monumental amount of money it would take to change the signage on everything. That and ver few parents would be able to help their kids with their homework. It can (and should) be done, but it just isn't a priority.
And the misconception that it will be complicated... when the metric system is the most rational and simple thing ever. Also, I wouldn't be surprised if there was a much more political stand too, I don't see the USA conforming to the rest of the world...
Load More Replies... There are two types of countries in the world. Those that use the metric system and those that have been to the moon.
You all are correct. America is so backwards in using the Imperial system. Still, as one can observe there are two types of countries in the world: those that use the metric system and those that have landed on the moon.
The USA was set to go to the metric system in early 70s but backed out. Canada went ahead so I have lived under the two systems. We have to use both as what we buy in the grocery store, recipes, products we use at work etc are very often in imperial. It is a very common question I ask my GOOGLE LE HOME device “ How many milliliters are in 6 ounce? “ I prefer metric in everything but the weather where I know how 68* F will feel but have to think about or convert 15* C . C not precise enough.
I am not American but I can not see why the big fuss over the difference in measuring units is such a problem. These units were around a very long time before the metric system and they caused no harm. I Britain you have to buy say carpets in meters for houses built in feet and inches, to me that is stupid.
Not Americans fault the rest like the modern methods of measuring as against the traditional one. When a county changes from the old to the new there is one big robbery from the customers
On the other hand it is just as annoying for Americans having to convert metric to our standard measures. Watching documentaries, sizes, distances, speeds and temperatures are often given in metric.
What annoys me about the US imperial system is that it is different to the old UK imperial system. e.g. in the uk there are 20 fluid ounces to the pint in the US it is 16 . weird. Cups ???? Not all US cups have the same volume. It is 8 fluid ounces. Why dont they use the Metric system it is just SOOOOOOO easy.
I actually prefer the imperial system, yet we have not had it since I was 6
When I lived in So Korea (assigned by US Army) I learned to understand their system - I would think you could do that when visiting, living here. It IS our country, and it IS our way.
But they are not on the Imperial system for liquid measures: the US pint = 16 fluid ounces, the Imperial pint = 20. And even their fluid ounces aren't the same.
The French came up with system, not the Brits, who ignored it for the better part of 200 years.
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Try tried to teach the metric system, no one was going for it so we stuck with what he had.
There's such an emptiness of spirit here. I'm not living in a large, educated city anymore and everyone seems so depressed and thrives on drama. So many have no inner life, no self-awareness or any hobbies. It's as though learning is discouraged. It's very sad.
you have to multiply kilometers by 1.6 to get miles (interesting that spell check here says I am spelling kilometer wrong yet Meriam Webster dictionary spells it this way..oh well no wonder we cannot agree on some things)
We are indeed the only industrialized country that does not have the metric system.
And yet, the UK still uses miles on their road signs, not km.
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Then don't. Why do you care how we measure our distances? And why do you drive on the wrong side of the road?
i get that, but you would be surprised by how many people do
Load More Replies... girl it isn't "our internet". internet is universal and i know a lot of americans who would make a huge sob story out of people in other countries making content that doesn't include the imperial system of measurement because they feel "attacked" and "not included". so basically just suck it.
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A car. In European countries, it’s pretty common that you can get anywhere by public transport, but I haven’t heard about any properly functioning public transportation besides New York’s subway.
My friends are always confused when I tell them how there isn't any public transport in most of the US. They didn't understand why Uber was doing so well in the US, well thats why. You need a car to get anywhere and most people can't afford one
Bumper stickers informing others of their opinions.
And on t-shirts. If I wear a t-shirt with a graphic on it, it’s a band name or beer merch (because I get those free from work lol)
High Self confidence. Good thing in most people. Bad thing in flat earthers and antivaxxers
That is not all of us, just the loud ones. You really only see the loud ones.
Material consumption. This is true in most places but from my observation it seems to go to another level in America. Everyone spends so much time discussing the latest thing they bought and how great it is.
Yes, ew. I'm American and I hate consumer culture so much.
Insurance. If they get sick without it, they're [screwed]. Meanwhile, if I have an health issue in Europe, I'll get free assistance in case of emergency and pay a small fee (usually between 30€ and 70€) for a routine visit.
A house. Even if you can't afford it. No flat — a house. Big house with two living rooms: one for family, one for ????
Maybe I am just privileged coz I could never live in a unit or apartment. I don't need 2 living rooms though. Just an extra room to clean lol.
Mentioning someones race/culture/sex etc. constantly
The history of the US is steeped in race/culture/sex atrocities. I think it is an attempt at over correction.
War? Jk but I read somewhere in all layout history you’ve only had 17 years when you weren’t at war with someone or the other
Some say that the USA is a culture of war rooted within a widespread ethos that uses military force in pursuit of self-interests. The truth is however that the USA has been continuously at war since the earliest days of its existence as a nation and the political, economic, cultural, and moral costs and consequences of war have reduced the USA's moral authority, political stability, and economic viability. Way out? I don´t know the right answer. Perhaps the USA must establish itself as a “culture of peace” by pursuing a new set of cultural ethoses.
News telling them who to be angry and outraged with this week.
Air-conditioning. That's usually the first complaint that American migrants have in Germany.
Guns, walmart, and deep friers
Deep friers are pretty standard in Belgian households: we love our fries :)
Soda pop. Spent some time in the southwest. Everyone had these enormous refillable beverage containers they would refill with soft drinks multiple times a day. While I agree it is important to stay hydrated, the jugs i saw held 1.75 quarts, and that much fountain drink could contain more than 200 grams of sugar.
Caffeine. It is the only reason any of us are awake. We don't take vacations, and our sleep patterns suck. Ergo, caffeine obsession.
Garburators, garbage disposal. Every time an American was house hunting on House Hunters International, the Americans always wanted a garburator and would be disappointed if the kitchens didn't have one.
I have never heard the word Garburator before and uh wow I like it much better than garbage disposal.
Fahrenheit... it’s such nonsense. Celsius is where it’s at!
I think both of these systems are equally arbitrary. That's why scientists use Kelvin.
A credit card. Not sure why people use it over there, possibly because of their weird credit system that seems to be so essential to their lives, or because of their even weirder mindset of liking to spend money they don't have. Probably both.
Ice. What's the deal with ice machines and them being such a big deal in any TV show or movie set in a hotel or motel?
These people must live somewhere with a cool climate coz we have ice machines all over the place from petrol stations, supermarkets and bottle-o's etc
Paper plates. Used in your own home? That’s quite bizarre to me.
Military.
Our oligarchs are control freaks who like playing chess with the world.
Loans or debts of some sort, especially in their younger years. And i think Americans literally can't live without insurance.
We'd love to live without loans and debt, but for the majority, if you want a job you need a car which needs a loan. You want a job that pays an almost living wage? You need an education, for an education, you need a loan.
Cheddar cheese, and jumbo everything
Cheddar cheese is a big deal in the UK too. After all it comes from the town of Cheddar in Somerset, England.
Automatic transmissions.
I drive a car with manual transmission (I'm in Europe), but I have no problem with automatic transmissions. They just make driving easier and more inclusive. Similarly, IMO there are no brownie points for being able to drive a manual. It's just a car. Drive what works best for you.
Note: this post originally had 46 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
I am a Non-American and I used to have a pretty negative perception of the USA. I don't know why, probably the mass and brain washing opinion of the surrounding I was raised. But growing up, and especially reading threads like this, made me curios about the USA, and even like it more and more. IF everything is like it is described in so many threads, it is awful for the people there. But why do I have to read this all the time. Americans really seem to be such fun persons with a great kind of humor. It's a huge country and they have their (major) problems, but why do we have to rub it under the noses of our American Pandas? I think they are pretty aware of it. It's not that we can solve it by constantly repeating it, and it stopped being informative. I'm literally a Bored panda right now...
Thank u random panda. Yes we do have problems and we do have jerks but so does every other country. Most of the people I know are friendly and well meaning. Thx for the consideration. Maybe one day u should visit and find out if you like it or not. Just make sure you research where to go first because some places are better than others, going by both the people there and the area itself.
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I've travelled extensively in the US and I found from east coast to west coast, the people to be friendly, humorous and welcoming. Of course you have your rude people, stupid people but that is no different from any other part of the world. I received acts of kindness, even in the big cities, that you would not even imagine in the more reserved capitals of Europe. I wish Americans would travel more and be welcomed better around the world. If these US small towns would just see that people around the world hold dear the same things they hold dear, safety, security, family and loved ones the world would be a better place.
Well said. I'll add that I've travelled both the US and the World extensively, and the reality is people and countries around the globe are more similar than they are different. These kinds of articles can be fun and interesting, when they highlight interesting differences in cultures. These days it's just a bunch of attack pieces, and often based on stereotype and anti-American propaganda.
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Can't we vary this theme a little and pick what we think some other countries can't live without? Stop picking on the US. I'm a Brit and I'm bored with it. I'll start - yes, I can't live without my cup of tea first thing in the morning!
I also cannot live without my cup of tea in the morning! With cream. Oh, but I'm in California. There are too many people in these huge countries for this kind of thing. I can't tell you how many times I've stared out the window at the snow coming down while I read about how there is no snow in Southern California. You'd think we all lived on the coast or something. I've traveled this entire country, expect Alaska (someday, Alaska!), as well as several countries and we are far more similar than most of the people writing these would like to believe.
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One thing I hate about the US is that there's a lot of propaganda here. Before I came to Bored Panda, my elementary school taught us that the US is the best country in the world and every other country honored the US. We had to sing songs about how great the US is. I believed all this. But then in middle school, I came to bored panda. I learned that other countries are actually better and more advanced. Then, i realized what the US education system is. They were instilling in the minds of young kids that the USA is awesome, and we are the ruler of the world. They are also covering up the country's serious flaws. This is why there are many idiots in the US.
Where do you live that this is happening? What songs do you sing about the US?? I find stories like this so fascinating. I went to a Christian elementary school. We were too busy singing songs about God's greatness to bother with songs about US greatness.
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You know, as a non-American threads like this really rub me the wrong way and I can't quite seem to place my finger on it. Every country, I repeat, every country has their own quirks and problems (ps-for the person in image 21 that mentioned "deep-fries" being exclusively American, I invite you to come to Scotland and eat a deep fried Mars Bar--we'll fry anything). I know that these threads are supposed to be tongue-in-cheek, but they come off as rather ignorant and mean-spirited. I feel like threads like this continue to reinforce and perpetuate dumb stereotypes.
Thank you so much for saying that. Some of us in the US fight so hard, every day, to dispel these stereotypes and just be better. Every country has its issues. I would object loudly if there were a thread like this about any other country. The head Pandas must be extra bored and completely uninspired to post a list like this. BP, please do better. We'll try on our end, too.
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Obviously the US has some serious problems. Really, we do. But "all Americans" is bullshit. We are a diverse country with roughly the same size and population as all of Europe. We have numerous dialects/accents (some extremes to the extent that it can be impossible to communicate), lifestyles, politics, and values. What you see on TV is not real - it's entertainment!
The US is a huge country. For every stereotype there is another region somewhere with the opposite practice. No one consulted me or any other average individual I know regarding metric vs. imperial, portion sizes, tipping practices, sugar fat or chemicals in our foods, or the public transportation system. PS America isn’t a country.
Soooooo... was the point of this post for people outside the United States to all criticize the United States?
It helps us to get through this difficult time. :D
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Surprised there was no mention about tips. Cost of living not only food. Having to pay to have skin-on-skin contact with your child after birth and the cost of giving birth. Guns. Commercials about medications.
Ok, ok, we get it, BP, the US has issues. I've experienced some in person. But honestly, a post about it every other day is just starting to become a bit cumbersome, and if you're living in the US, it's just a sad reminder of all the sh*t that's happening right now. I come to BP to relax, not get even more stressed!
Stereotypes. Just stereotyping people all the time Oh wait ... this post is full of those. Hmmm 🤔
I'd like to add 'lawsuits' and 'lawyers'. Also, going to law school seems like the highest educational achievement or something.
Amen. Tell that to my father. He is still disappointed that I am not a lawyer.
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One thing that always bugged me about Americans is the Super Bowl. its such a big deal to the point where most business' close that day. ITS NOT A HOLIDAY!!!
Super Bowl happens on a Sunday so the only business I know of that are closed on that day are the ones that usually are anyways. Also the Super Bowl is a big deal because it's basically people getting together to watch the commercials and the halftime show. Even people who are not football fans go to the parties, eat the food, and have a good time.
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Why is everyone dissing America, especially bacon? I know we have problems, but no place is perfect. Our society isn't the best and we know about how corrupt our government is, but is any government perfect?
i know i bet half the authors on here have never been to america
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I'm an American and honestly, I hate living here. I agree with every single post up there, yes, America sucks! I'm 13 and I know that I don't want to live in America for the rest of my life. Once I'm old enough, I'm moving either to Canada or somewhere in Europe. This country sucks
As a fellow American, why not work at making this a country you can be happy to live in? These last 4 years have been HORRIBLE, but we do have so much potential to make our country better. Please do not give up take what we have and make it better.
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Wow, slamming the USA why? I'm not American, but have gone there many times for holidays or shopping and they are overly nice. I was asking directions to the info lady in a mall, she took me outside to better tell me how to get there. Staff in stores and restaurants were over the top nice.
when i was 6-10 my father would drive around the USA, to visit national parks and states in the summer. I enjoyed it a lot. We enjoyed the environment and how the different states are so different to each other (Arizona deserts and California forests,etc.) I always loved earning "junior ranger" badges
as a Canadian, I drove to California in early 2020, and found a 60/40 split of amazing Americans and total douches - though nicely enough the amazingly good out-weighed the oh-so totally bad ... I do believe if America can recover from their oranged bull-in-a-china-shop experience, things can begin to get better again - and maybe going in the right direction at least
why is it always non americans why cant it be people who mf live here and why is homophobia never mentioned witch is my biggest problem in the us besides rascism
As an American fan in Australia, we are very Americanised down here with a healthy dollop of the UK and Europe, but TV and Movie America is very different than RL America. We see coolness and ahead of the curve, we see fashion and music and movie stars, and in reality it is a lot of wholesome, church following, family loving regular folks. Even shows we see down here on free to air, most have never seen and wouldn't watch because it would not only cost but be too racy. We did things down here to often try and be cooler, we don't have the same bible belt etc, we are just far enough away from everyone to just do what we want, but often based that on fantasy... thank goodness we kept school uniforms, but I think many down here would have loved all the school things you teach like drama, swim teams, chess clubs, school papers etc... one thing you do the best in the US is you seem to teach GO FOR IT! on such a different level, you have people giving up everything to become entrepreneurs .
And being able to suceed, you have taken social media and youtubers, instagramers and influence to a whole other level. Ladies that clean closets are now famous, entertainment is watching people do stuff. My own books are now in cubes by colour 😁
Load More Replies... I would add dumping grounds. I don't think many civilised countries still do have those
Which was an invasion by Americans, yes, but also British, Canadians, Australian, Belgian, Czech, Dutch, French, Greek, New Zealanders, Rhodesian, and Polish. So no, not everything is about America.
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I am a Non-American and I used to have a pretty negative perception of the USA. I don't know why, probably the mass and brain washing opinion of the surrounding I was raised. But growing up, and especially reading threads like this, made me curios about the USA, and even like it more and more. IF everything is like it is described in so many threads, it is awful for the people there. But why do I have to read this all the time. Americans really seem to be such fun persons with a great kind of humor. It's a huge country and they have their (major) problems, but why do we have to rub it under the noses of our American Pandas? I think they are pretty aware of it. It's not that we can solve it by constantly repeating it, and it stopped being informative. I'm literally a Bored panda right now...
Thank u random panda. Yes we do have problems and we do have jerks but so does every other country. Most of the people I know are friendly and well meaning. Thx for the consideration. Maybe one day u should visit and find out if you like it or not. Just make sure you research where to go first because some places are better than others, going by both the people there and the area itself.
Load More Replies... I've travelled extensively in the US and I found from east coast to west coast, the people to be friendly, humorous and welcoming. Of course you have your rude people, stupid people but that is no different from any other part of the world. I received acts of kindness, even in the big cities, that you would not even imagine in the more reserved capitals of Europe. I wish Americans would travel more and be welcomed better around the world. If these US small towns would just see that people around the world hold dear the same things they hold dear, safety, security, family and loved ones the world would be a better place.
Well said. I'll add that I've travelled both the US and the World extensively, and the reality is people and countries around the globe are more similar than they are different. These kinds of articles can be fun and interesting, when they highlight interesting differences in cultures. These days it's just a bunch of attack pieces, and often based on stereotype and anti-American propaganda.
Load More Replies... Can't we vary this theme a little and pick what we think some other countries can't live without? Stop picking on the US. I'm a Brit and I'm bored with it. I'll start - yes, I can't live without my cup of tea first thing in the morning!
I also cannot live without my cup of tea in the morning! With cream. Oh, but I'm in California. There are too many people in these huge countries for this kind of thing. I can't tell you how many times I've stared out the window at the snow coming down while I read about how there is no snow in Southern California. You'd think we all lived on the coast or something. I've traveled this entire country, expect Alaska (someday, Alaska!), as well as several countries and we are far more similar than most of the people writing these would like to believe.
Load More Replies... One thing I hate about the US is that there's a lot of propaganda here. Before I came to Bored Panda, my elementary school taught us that the US is the best country in the world and every other country honored the US. We had to sing songs about how great the US is. I believed all this. But then in middle school, I came to bored panda. I learned that other countries are actually better and more advanced. Then, i realized what the US education system is. They were instilling in the minds of young kids that the USA is awesome, and we are the ruler of the world. They are also covering up the country's serious flaws. This is why there are many idiots in the US.
Where do you live that this is happening? What songs do you sing about the US?? I find stories like this so fascinating. I went to a Christian elementary school. We were too busy singing songs about God's greatness to bother with songs about US greatness.
Load More Replies... You know, as a non-American threads like this really rub me the wrong way and I can't quite seem to place my finger on it. Every country, I repeat, every country has their own quirks and problems (ps-for the person in image 21 that mentioned "deep-fries" being exclusively American, I invite you to come to Scotland and eat a deep fried Mars Bar--we'll fry anything). I know that these threads are supposed to be tongue-in-cheek, but they come off as rather ignorant and mean-spirited. I feel like threads like this continue to reinforce and perpetuate dumb stereotypes.
Thank you so much for saying that. Some of us in the US fight so hard, every day, to dispel these stereotypes and just be better. Every country has its issues. I would object loudly if there were a thread like this about any other country. The head Pandas must be extra bored and completely uninspired to post a list like this. BP, please do better. We'll try on our end, too.
Load More Replies... Obviously the US has some serious problems. Really, we do. But "all Americans" is bullshit. We are a diverse country with roughly the same size and population as all of Europe. We have numerous dialects/accents (some extremes to the extent that it can be impossible to communicate), lifestyles, politics, and values. What you see on TV is not real - it's entertainment!
The US is a huge country. For every stereotype there is another region somewhere with the opposite practice. No one consulted me or any other average individual I know regarding metric vs. imperial, portion sizes, tipping practices, sugar fat or chemicals in our foods, or the public transportation system. PS America isn’t a country.
Soooooo... was the point of this post for people outside the United States to all criticize the United States?
It helps us to get through this difficult time. :D
Load More Replies... Surprised there was no mention about tips. Cost of living not only food. Having to pay to have skin-on-skin contact with your child after birth and the cost of giving birth. Guns. Commercials about medications.
Ok, ok, we get it, BP, the US has issues. I've experienced some in person. But honestly, a post about it every other day is just starting to become a bit cumbersome, and if you're living in the US, it's just a sad reminder of all the sh*t that's happening right now. I come to BP to relax, not get even more stressed!
Stereotypes. Just stereotyping people all the time Oh wait ... this post is full of those. Hmmm 🤔
I'd like to add 'lawsuits' and 'lawyers'. Also, going to law school seems like the highest educational achievement or something.
Amen. Tell that to my father. He is still disappointed that I am not a lawyer.
Load More Replies... One thing that always bugged me about Americans is the Super Bowl. its such a big deal to the point where most business' close that day. ITS NOT A HOLIDAY!!!
Super Bowl happens on a Sunday so the only business I know of that are closed on that day are the ones that usually are anyways. Also the Super Bowl is a big deal because it's basically people getting together to watch the commercials and the halftime show. Even people who are not football fans go to the parties, eat the food, and have a good time.
Load More Replies... Why is everyone dissing America, especially bacon? I know we have problems, but no place is perfect. Our society isn't the best and we know about how corrupt our government is, but is any government perfect?
i know i bet half the authors on here have never been to america
Load More Replies... I'm an American and honestly, I hate living here. I agree with every single post up there, yes, America sucks! I'm 13 and I know that I don't want to live in America for the rest of my life. Once I'm old enough, I'm moving either to Canada or somewhere in Europe. This country sucks
As a fellow American, why not work at making this a country you can be happy to live in? These last 4 years have been HORRIBLE, but we do have so much potential to make our country better. Please do not give up take what we have and make it better.
Load More Replies... Wow, slamming the USA why? I'm not American, but have gone there many times for holidays or shopping and they are overly nice. I was asking directions to the info lady in a mall, she took me outside to better tell me how to get there. Staff in stores and restaurants were over the top nice.
when i was 6-10 my father would drive around the USA, to visit national parks and states in the summer. I enjoyed it a lot. We enjoyed the environment and how the different states are so different to each other (Arizona deserts and California forests,etc.) I always loved earning "junior ranger" badges
as a Canadian, I drove to California in early 2020, and found a 60/40 split of amazing Americans and total douches - though nicely enough the amazingly good out-weighed the oh-so totally bad ... I do believe if America can recover from their oranged bull-in-a-china-shop experience, things can begin to get better again - and maybe going in the right direction at least
why is it always non americans why cant it be people who mf live here and why is homophobia never mentioned witch is my biggest problem in the us besides rascism
As an American fan in Australia, we are very Americanised down here with a healthy dollop of the UK and Europe, but TV and Movie America is very different than RL America. We see coolness and ahead of the curve, we see fashion and music and movie stars, and in reality it is a lot of wholesome, church following, family loving regular folks. Even shows we see down here on free to air, most have never seen and wouldn't watch because it would not only cost but be too racy. We did things down here to often try and be cooler, we don't have the same bible belt etc, we are just far enough away from everyone to just do what we want, but often based that on fantasy... thank goodness we kept school uniforms, but I think many down here would have loved all the school things you teach like drama, swim teams, chess clubs, school papers etc... one thing you do the best in the US is you seem to teach GO FOR IT! on such a different level, you have people giving up everything to become entrepreneurs .
And being able to suceed, you have taken social media and youtubers, instagramers and influence to a whole other level. Ladies that clean closets are now famous, entertainment is watching people do stuff. My own books are now in cubes by colour 😁
Load More Replies... I would add dumping grounds. I don't think many civilised countries still do have those
Which was an invasion by Americans, yes, but also British, Canadians, Australian, Belgian, Czech, Dutch, French, Greek, New Zealanders, Rhodesian, and Polish. So no, not everything is about America.
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