Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
English people seem to have had a long standing sense of jealousy toward Americans. Probably it was born of the deprivation after WWII while Americans were riding high economically. They thought we had it all--and it was true, we did have it pretty good in the 1950s. England rebuilt and caught up plus they have a better lifestyle in general. Mostly they do not live to work, they work to live. Mostly they aren't caught up in the rat race life style and few days off with long work hours. They still have some degree of quality in their lives and more time to spend with family and more time for travel.
I don't notice the jealously and resentment toward Americans so much anymore. There could still be a dislike of loud Americans and fat Americans. Most of us don't like loud people either and many of us are appalled at the level of obesity over here.
Most Brits do have a strange idea that we have great weather over here. But that's because so many of them go to Florida during the winter. They would be in for a rude awakening if they went to Florida during the tropical summer with the insane heat and humidity, bugs, snakes. Same thing if they went anywhere in the north during the winter. I knew one who came here in January, couldn't take the freezing cold weather, and returned to England early. Our northern winters are much more harsh than yours Dark and depressing too.
It's the gross generalizations and misconceptions. A lot of Brits I have known think of us by what they see on tv and in the movies. You know how wrong that can be because you know how wrongly you are perceived by us when we watch your tv and movies. Most of you don't live in palaces and have servants--but you'd be surprised how many Americans think you do.
I think Brits who are attracted to great wealth and want to own a lot of "stuff" think this is utopia for striking it rich. True to an extent, but you will sacrifice a decent lifestyle to get rich. There is still opportunity here and you could earn big money but you will work long hours and probably six days a week, no leisure time. It's not even as true as it used to be and these days people are having a hard time getting good jobs.
So a lot of it is based upon stereotypes and false perceptions. When in the UK I've always been treated extremely well by people. They will go out of their way to be helpful and kind. I could generalize and say that the British are all great, but all I can say for certain is that everyone I have ever known or come into contact with in England has been extremely nice to me.
I think Brits who are attracted to great wealth and want to own a lot of "stuff" think this is utopia for striking it rich. True to an extent, but you will sacrifice a decent lifestyle to get rich. There is still opportunity here and you could earn big money but you will work long hours and probably six days a week, no leisure time.
No, it is not true to any extent beyond rare exceptions.
You will do all of the above WITHOUT striking it rich.
You will do all of the above while desperately trying to maintain a middle-class lifestyle and some modicum of security.
As an European who has been living in the US for soon-to-be 2 decades, I respectfully kind of disagree.
Americans in general are too much into themselves to spend any significant amount of time truly hating anybody. Too busy being sure their way is the best thing since sliced bread.
In my experience, they WILL, however, show major upset when anyone around the world points to their defects as a nation.
As a culture, they are extremely sensitive to criticism and have generally low self-esteem. And yes, I generalize because this is what you have to do when trying to understand the character of a community, culture, nation, etc. Getting stuck in describing every tree when you must get an idea about the forest is nothing but sheer mental incapacity.
I do think that Europeans tend to show more overall scorn towards Americans than the other way around. At the same time, the European masses/crowds also drool over the perceived better material life Americans have compared to them. Which they do, at least in some ways - particularly when it comes to space and amount of trinkets bought.
But then again, this is what crowds everywhere, and at any time in history, do: drool over stuff and trinkets and now - space to deposit them.
Americans, who know deep down there IS more to life than trinkets and running 1000 miles an hour to get them (which is what they are best at) continue to be secretly fascinated by all those intangibles that make life worth living and that are clearly in more abundance in Europe than in the US - where they are virtually absent.
But they deny their validity and continue to profess the superiority of their way of life to the rest of the world. What's really important though is not what average Americans think about their culture (they are consistently and ruthlessly indoctrinated to think it is the best that can be) but the economic wars that the monsters of commercial interests impose onto the rest of the world.
As one who spent my first 30 years in Ireland/UK/EU, and last 25 in Wash DC. I think this post hits the nail. I might add to it, but wouldn't detract from it.
Originally Posted by in_newengland View Post
I think Brits who are attracted to great wealth and want to own a lot of "stuff" think this is utopia for striking it rich. True to an extent, but you will sacrifice a decent lifestyle to get rich. There is still opportunity here and you could earn big money but you will work long hours and probably six days a week, no leisure time.
----------------------------------------
Quote:
Originally Posted by syracusa
No, it is not true to any extent beyond rare exceptions.
You will do all of the above WITHOUT striking it rich.
You will do all of the above while desperately trying to maintain a middle-class lifestyle and some modicum of security.
I didn't say you WILL get rich, I said you COULD. But what a lot of people don't understand is that you can work your tail off here and still just be getting by. It's not a utopia. The people would have just as much chance of getting rich in England as they would here. This country is no longer a land of opportunity, although in some ways it could be superior to England in getting ahead. For example I think it's been said on here that social class and accent can still hold you back sometimes in England. Here, not so much.
Location: Northern Ireland and temporarily England
7,668 posts, read 5,261,452 times
Reputation: 1392
In many ways America is behind us, for example, look at the mobile phone technology there the phones are years behind ours, also look at the fixtures in baths; they don't even have moveable shower heads.
No, it is not true to any extent beyond rare exceptions.
You will do all of the above WITHOUT striking it rich.
You will do all of the above while desperately trying to maintain a middle-class lifestyle and some modicum of security.
Quote:
Originally Posted by in_newengland
Originally Posted by in_newengland View Post
I think Brits who are attracted to great wealth and want to own a lot of "stuff" think this is utopia for striking it rich. True to an extent, but you will sacrifice a decent lifestyle to get rich. There is still opportunity here and you could earn big money but you will work long hours and probably six days a week, no leisure time.
----------------------------------------
I didn't say you WILL get rich, I said you COULD. But what a lot of people don't understand is that you can work your tail off here and still just be getting by. It's not a utopia. The people would have just as much chance of getting rich in England as they would here. This country is no longer a land of opportunity, although in some ways it could be superior to England in getting ahead. For example I think it's been said on here that social class and accent can still hold you back sometimes in England. Here, not so much.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sickandtiredofthis
In many ways America is behind us, for example, look at the mobile phone technology there the phones are years behind ours, also look at the fixtures in baths; they don't even have moveable shower heads.
The cars aren't too snazzy either.
I agree that it is not "likely" that you would get rich in the US - but it really depends on what you mean by "rich". It is far easier here (imo) to obtain a family home, 2 cars and have some extra cash to blow on other luxuries. I am way better off here in terms of what I can afford and disposable income than I was in the UK, and I think that is true for most of the people I know.
As for Sickandtired's comment: technology is hardly "behind" here, and Britain doesn't even manufacture cars anymore. Ever heard of Tesla? Probably one of (if not THE most) innovative car companies in the world right now. As for shower heads -
In many ways America is behind us, for example, look at the mobile phone technology there the phones are years behind ours, also look at the fixtures in baths; they don't even have moveable shower heads.
What on earth are you on about? We've had "movable shower heads" for decades. You really need to get out more.
From what I've observed, Americans seem to dislike the English far more than vice versa. They just like to use the "well the english don't like us"(like you are doing) to defend their anglophobia.
Infact this could be said of how Americans generally dislike most Europeans. According to Americans, we(europeans) hate the US and are anti-imperialist leftist communist euro-thrash The ultra left people in Europe who even use words like "imperialist" make up a tiny minority... Infact I have never even heard a person use that word or be hostile to the US in general... And I am from Sweden, which is supposedly the most "communist" country in the world apart from Cuba according to Americans
I'll speculate that you haven't done much observing.
Don't flatter yourself, the DPRK has Sweden beat by a mile, or two kilometers.
I would never live in the US/Canada, purely because of the lack of leave.
I currently get 30 days paid leave, plus 8 bank holidays, and I get every other Friday off too. I essentially get 60+ days paid leave.
I'd still like more time off too!
Not sure about in the US but in Canada, I thought workers are entitled to take a two to three-week leave annually?
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
The ultra left people in Europe who even use words like "imperialist" make up a tiny minority... Infact I have never even heard a person use that word or be hostile to the US in general... And I am from Sweden, which is supposedly the most "communist" country in the world apart from Cuba according to Americans 
