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The Europeans I meet feel sorry for Americans. We don't have universal healthcare or much of a social safety net. We have a highly unequal society, in which the rich are fawned over and poor people are denigrated. The food in our grocery stores is really quite awful and inferior compared to what you find in European grocery stores. We have an insane President. Our streets and infrastructure are crumbling, and yet somehow there is a push to decrease taxes.
I talked to my friend last night, she said her in laws are coming from Holland for Christmas. She lives in Las Vegas and she said of all things they look forward to seeing a Walmart because they have nothing like that over there.
Fact is, in Europe they don't have availability or access to some things we do and what you take for granted or scoff at some see in envy
Also another thing, I'm in sales for a certain product made in Germany. I often have foreign visitors buy from me and us over here because it is a lot cheaper to, and on top of that I had German tourists last week do just that.
I love the condescension and the sarcastic nature of the Brits as well. I always think it is maybe because I can be condescending and sarcastic myself. I do have English ancestry, so maybe it is genetic.
On the white socks thing, I think I've heard of that but had forgotten about it. I guess it's great that I only wear black socks. Also I'm black so have been mistaken abroad to be all sorts of black/African nationalities and not American. I do believe that our media and entertainment industry paints a narrow view of America as a whole and especially of black Americans.
My wife has a college degree majoring in sarcasm. A true expert in this art, uses it without causing real offence, until the victim thinks about it later.
I always wear white socks, especially with my sneakers while on holiday. i glance round, and most everybody else wears no socks, or those little ones that don't show.
Any comments about this, and I say, "I don't follow fashion........ I lead it."........
As for the comments on the young American boys who were over here during the war, my Grandmother told me they were real nice lads, and very polite. My wife's mother told me they were a lot of fun, and sure could dance......
The Europeans I meet feel sorry for Americans. We don't have universal healthcare or much of a social safety net. We have a highly unequal society, in which the rich are fawned over and poor people are denigrated. The food in our grocery stores is really quite awful and inferior compared to what you find in European grocery stores. We have an insane President. Our streets and infrastructure are crumbling, and yet somehow there is a push to decrease taxes.
The Euro's you're talking to are more examples of people believing that they get knowledge from a television.
Many people from other countries simply don't understand how much Americans value freedom. We don't want overlords, it's why people took serious risks to come to these shores originally. We want to be able to make choices for our own lives.
And that is a big part of why the USA has been so successful. Incentives and disincentives work, period. It's not the right model for every country but it has worked tremendously for us. People who have grown-up and always lived in nanny-state countries likely won't ever understand it.
We were in the Modern Art Museum in Edinburgh a few years ago, and as we entered one of the rooms, an older couple who were quite obviously New York Jews were there, him pointing at something overhead. He was dressed typically in shorts, socks, sandals, jacket, and with the ubiquitous camera hanging around his neck, together with his backpack/purse arrangement. She was in her polyester suit and sneakers, looking so New York I knew them at once. I stopped beside them to see what he was pointing at - and realized they were statues. Couldn't believe it. The sculptor had got them to a T.
The Brits tend to be polite while still being condescending. /QUOTE]
It's our speciality......... Of course we are condescending! We have a lot to put up with when we travel.
The French - can't stand em. They don't like us either.
The Germans - I can spot them from a hundred yards away. They walk with a swagger, and grunt a lot. They don't like my favourite t-shirt. Two World Wars....... England 2 Germany 0. No sense of humour at all.
The Japanese - they travel in swarms, and take photos of everything, no matter how inane.
The Italians - deep pockets, and short arms. Four of them in a cafe....... one coffee, and four straws.
The Turkish - don't leave your wife to go to the toilet. We went on holiday to Turkey over 20 years ago. I stopped at the toilet in the bar. By the time I got to our room, my wife was stood there clutching her bag to her chest. The waiter had followed her, and entered the room. I stared at him in amazement...... he said, "I tuck", and made tucking someone up in bed hand movements. I said, "I DO THE TUCKING. NOT YOU."
The Greeks - The bars are full of Greek men. Their women are at home cooking, and doing the washing up.
The Spanish - They don't understand the concept of standing in line, and just barge by you, especially waiting for the lift. I soon learned to use my elbows as well. The Germans are similar in this regard.
The Americans - well, I, like most English people, love Americans. They can surprise me though. We were placed at a table with two Americans to watch a show in Las Vegas. We smiled at each other and nodded. As the show started, the guy shouted 'YE HAA' right in my ear. That was unexpected.
The only thing I find odd rather than strange, is how Americans play with their food. I watch them carefully cut up their food with a knife and fork. Takes them ages. Then they put the knife down, and slowly eat the food using only the fork. By the time they have finished playing with it, I have eaten all mine...... Oh, and mixing sweet foods with savoury on the same plate...... eating the two together. Just so strange to me.
But, other than that, I have no problems with Americans. Very friendly, and often tell me to come visit them at home in Nebraska or somewhere like that. Even give me their address on a piece of paper. We smile at the thought of actually turning up, and what the reaction would be.......
I think that they would be happy to see you. I can’t imagine giving my address to anyone and inviting him or her to visit without meaning it. What would be the purpose?
I travel plenty too, in fact I just got back from two trips to Europe one was to Liverpool for a wedding and the other was Munich for Oktoberfest which included a trip to Prague. I never noticed loud or rude Americans there. In fact the impression that I got from the people I talked to while over there, they seemed to like us.
Your reference to Americans in England during WW2 is a stupid one, there were two million American boys between the ages of 18 and 26 away from home for the first time all while not knowing if they were going to see their next birthday, how on earth would you expect them to act?!?
That closing quip is not mine. I got that from my British friend who got it from his Dad and it was said in humor. I'm not one to use the term "stupid" with btw. Call it a trigger if you will. This WAS a thread I was trying to have a bit of fun with.
In my world, "stupid" is a very denigrating term, and people far overuse it thinking it inoffensive because of its common use. It's not. I've never been to Easter Europe, nor do I care to go. There or anywhere else anymore. My traveling was mostly in Asia. Spent a bit of time there. Japan and the PI mostly through a total of four years. My observations are that many American often have to be reminded where they are.
Witness the news today about the shoplifting basket ballers in China. They are damn lucky to get out of what they did. But anyway thanks for taking the fun and humor irretrievably out of the thread. Some folks just can't help themselves but tae everything plumb , deadpan serious like.
Yeah but how often do they have bombings in Europe? Once a year, maybe two if even that. We have a mass shooting every week.
If there is one American thing that people in Europe / the rest of the world thinks is mental, its our grotesque relationship with guns. Even hardline conservatives in Europe think our gun fetish is absurd.
I talked to my friend last night, she said her in laws are coming from Holland for Christmas. She lives in Las Vegas and she said of all things they look forward to seeing a Walmart because they have nothing like that over there.
Fact is, in Europe they don't have availability or access to some things we do and what you take for granted or scoff at some see in envy
Also another thing, I'm in sales for a certain product made in Germany. I often have foreign visitors buy from me and us over here because it is a lot cheaper to, and on top of that I had German tourists last week do just that.
I just read an article about things people in the UK think are just "crazy" here in the US. Number one on the list..People can and do own cannons here. The old 19th century and back types. Used mostly in reenactments of the Revolutionary and Civil wars.
There is not a single case of anyone creating any mischief with one. They are very complicated to transport and operate, but that's a number one fear folks in the UK have about the US. Seems that they think people are dropping 19th or back artillery on towns.
Other things they think are causing havoc (since these things are banned in the UK) are chain whips, flails, and a very frightening item to them, the Japanese katana. The list includes a lot of such medieval things.
I find it odd that Brits would find this so unusual since war reenactment is far more common there than it is in the US. They are far more restrictive about owning weaponry, but the loopholes are fairly easy to jump through.
Yes, but may I just say...if you watch that current TV program Great British Baking Show (or whatever the exact name) ....wow, do so many people on there have uncorrected teeth!! At least half of them. Clearly, braces on teeth are still not considered overwhelmingly important in the UK like they are here in the States.
Its actually rather nice to see people with perfect teeth, skin, hair etc. on foreign television. America is obsessed with physical perfection. It gets boring.
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