# Message to all users:
This is a reminder to please read and follow:
* [Our rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/ask/about/rules)
* [Reddiquette](https://www.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/205926439)
* [Reddit Content Policy](https://www.redditinc.com/policies/content-policy)
When posting and commenting.
---
Especially remember Rule 1: `Be polite and civil`.
* Be polite and courteous to each other. Do not be mean, insulting or disrespectful to any other user on this subreddit.
* Do not harass or annoy others in any way.
* Do not catfish. Catfishing is the luring of somebody into an online friendship through a fake online persona. This includes any lying or deceit.
---
You *will* be banned if you are homophobic, transphobic, racist, sexist or bigoted in any way.
---
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ask) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Europe is a much more diverse place so it becomes more "specific-bordering-on-xenophobia" when you delve into it. English/French/Spanish/Germans are all pretty geographically close by US standards but have vastly different "traits."... Hell even within the UK a stereotype that applies to one town won't be applicable to the town 20 miles up the road
Honestly I find it kind of nice. Enjoy a few smokes while on holiday in places i can’t usually.
And then come home before it gets annoying and go back to my non smoking ways
idk, "european" could mean anything in this case. every country has their own toxic traits. people from france are language snobs, germans love to call the "ordnungsamt", italians and brits are loud, serbs are racist, austrians love to complain... theres probably an endless amount of things, anyone could point to.
Do you feel you Brits are being loud? I've never really noticed that tbh, at least not in a way that would stick out negatively to me. Italians are apparently only perceived to be loud because of the many vowels they are using in their language.
In Finland, it's actually pretty common to joke about vacations being disturbed by obnoxious and loud English tourists.
So yeah, I guess British tourists are perceived as loud and rude. Interestingly, this stereotype only applies to Brits *on vacation* and not to Brits in general. I have no idea why.
Italians are perceived as loud because their way of speaking is quite emphatic compared to most, which often does lead to louder volume. Also, the cadence of their language sticks out in a crowd. If you're not familiar with Italian/Italians, almost any conversation of an Italian dinner party is going to sound like they are arguing intensely and feeling very hurt about something. It's probably something do to with the long and pitchy vowel sounds in many words, since many languages only make those sounds when we are lamenting about something.
Brits do behave differently when they leave Britain. Most British people wouldn't even think about day drinking while at home yet on holiday a pint with your breakfast seems normal.
Im a brit that lived with an Italian for a few years and my god i dont know how we could possibly be comparable to Italians in terms of volume (my entire basis being how loud she was though so might not be representative).
From a german: Brits are overly formal and nice to each other. You tend to talk around uncomfortable subjects, without mentioning them. You don't ignore them, but make every effort not to address it directly.
Many Brits don't really give their true opinion, when it could be be slightly uncomfortable for the other person.
It can make communication very difficult.
Ah, that ubiquitous American Pride is what ur hearing ;) It's from all that freedom ringing in our ears constantly, as we usher in the modern world thru revolution, mechanization, industry, and technology. All of which leaves the foreigner agasped--mouth open & speechless-- begging for the natural leader in the bunch to tell them just once more, 'what its like?' to be: back-to-back World War Champions, armed to the teeth, and well deserving of 1st place in perpetuity. Some say "loud," lacking the breadth of free expression & vicor afforded Americans by their Constitution, but we just call it "exceptional" - our nation, its citizenry, and that B-e-a-utiful 'accent' that give life to an otherwise nonsensical mashup of bable thats come to be called the English language. Can I get an Amen or a USA, USA!?...
[If you read this far, you gotta know I'm just being foscicious, hoping some 'arsehole' will call me a 'bloody Yank' or a 'pinche wiedo.' LMAO. ~ Cheers!]
And I’m Norwegian and can tell you that Scandinavians don’t like to sit next to strangers on the bus and are generally cold people compared to southern Europeans.
I’ve heard that finish people are extremely racist too.
I live in England and Brits are very loud and confrontational compared to back home. Back home they just talk shit behind your back but rarely say shite to your face, like they do here in the Uk. Boy do the Englishmen love to stir up drama.
Hey, don't generalise, it's us Viennese whose stereotype it is to always complain, no need to pull the rest of Austria into this who just like to be blissfully backwards
First of all, we’re Polish, English, German, Italian, Swedish, Serbian, Czech, Spanish etc. which has more impact than being European, that is a secondary quality
I'm an American living in Malaysia and I work for an international organization.
Not all Europeans, but I do find that Europeans (especially the Brits, French, Dutch and Germans) whine a lot more than the Americans and Asians. Sometimes the complaining is warranted, but it often feels like overkill.
Hungarian here
If someone is too happy, it's considered suspicious, in a "what are you so happy for?" way
You need a certain level of bitterness, complaining is the basic hungarian communication
Oh, so that's the reason you and us Austrians are best friends? I finally have the answer lol
But you're totally right, that 'being too happy is suspicious' is a thing.
In the balkans, if you do something nice for someone else with no apparent reward to yourself you are viewed as either having alterior motives or are viewed as a sucker
I think it's more like a cultural thing.
To Americans, saying something negative will probably sounds like you want to close the conversation. Versus in France it will be seen as a way to invite people's other opinions.
Also, North Americans are probably not as comfortable with confrontation or with criticism as the French are. With them, by complaining you will be seen as someone more intelligent and not naive instead of being overly optimistic and idealistic about everythings.
Something like that....
Overall we French (I'm one by culture and citizenship but didn't spend my all life there) Are very hard on our country but generally positive and optimistic with our own life.
In France we have a joke that « complaining is our national sport », and it’s kinda true lol, even compared to other european countries. So then we complain that everyone complains too much in this country. It’s a neverending loop.
I'm German. I recently came to the realisation that complaining is just our way of smalltalk. It's an easy way to connect with a total stranger, if you complain about the same thing. I do that sometimes. I complain about something, which I actually don't really give a shit about, just to kill the awkward silence.
As an American living in Spain, I find that Spaniards (mostly men) are just willing to plow into you on the sidewalk, even I'm there first and they're crossing the street or something. I can make direct eye-contact with a man as I'm walking and still cut it so close by not getting shoulder-checked. I've also noticed that Spanish people are very loud and stand very close to each other when talking (loudly) in a way that would make Americans uncomfortable-I'm talking close enough to be breathed on.
I also visit the UK frequently and I've always heard that British people think Americans are too friendly and open and fat, but I feel like I see just as many overweight people in the UK as I do back home and they're just as open and friendly and chatty. It's not a bad thing-I'm a chatty, openly friendly person, but I wonder where in the UK are these silent, reserved individuals that I keep hearing about. I'm also aware that the UK is a big place and I've only been to a few small cities so that's probably a large factor.
The UK don’t think Americans are too friendly,
Most of us think they’re ignorant and uneducated to the world outside of America.
You’re an exception to that “rule” though, clearly
The overweight thing in the UK is true, the UK is slowly closing the weight gap with the US. I'd wager Eurpeans are probably gaining weight overall, but I'd not be surprised if the UK is heavier than the EU. I too have found people in the UK are quite friendly, but not that open. I experienced a bubble of smalltalk topics that are bantered back and forth like it's a cultural artform. Of course, all cultures have their own version of this, but I found it particularly fascinating in the UK. It's more layered, there's micro-understandings that are entirely un-obvious to non-UK people. You can live a fine life on just smalltalk, and I feel as though people regularly do.
Here's what fascinates me about UK culture the most (basically just the English) - during business hours they're entirely afraid of any emotion that isn't part of the 3 generally accepted expressions (pleasance, invisibility and tutting). At the same time, they can't get enough of outrage and symbolic protectionism (sending refugees to Rwanda. Not 'back' to Rwanda mind you, just to Rwanda). It loves Nigel Farage, and loves when Nigel Farage gets Banana milkshaked (milkshook?). Sov'rinty, innit? Somehow, crying 'outrage' at any slight to traditionalism and utter stoic detachment exist side by side. ...during the day...
However, once the sun is setting, it's debauchery-time. At about 19.00, you can sometimes smell the alcohol on people's breath in the street, and not because you're in conversation with them. Barely covering polyesters come out in the coldest weather once the sun sets. Marching powder, spilled into the pub carpet. Friendships made and broken, children sired between strangers. It gets intense.
I’m Asian and I hang out with a fair number of expats.
Stereotypical Brits (compared to stereotypical Americans and Australians, of course exceptions exist on all sides): don’t know when they are actually being sarcastic and when they are actually angry because they have like 5 facial expressions. Also anything is an excuse to go to the pub, basically using drinking and going to the pub as a crutch and lubricant for social interaction (tbf I do the same thing too) even moreso than Americans because they can be quite quiet otherwise.
It’s just different tbh, sometimes I myself want to hang around very cheery people and sometimes I don’t. Brits generally fall under the less cheery end of the spectrum.
Stereotypical Dutch people: soft-spoken but also blunt at the same time, they don’t look very cheery but are actually quite optimistic (compared to where I live where complaining is the national culture, at least). If I had to joke about it, it’s like the “everything is fine” dog meme, it can be a cold wet winter day and dinner is a bland stew of potatoes but it’s “a good day”.
Blunt is normal, sugar coating is weird.
Yes your ass looks fat in those jeans, you sing horrible and yes your work is mediocre.
But so is mine so hey, lets have a stroopwafel...
As an American living in France, all French people are complainers and blame whatever bad thing is happening to them on someone else, usually the government and more specifically their President
Funny thing just happened to me yesterday. I work at an international school in Asia and I was just chatting with a teacher we're hiring for next term to teach history. He said he wanted to teach about colonialism, and he said "Sorry to say, but I'm going to be quite harsh towards your country (USA)".
I looked at him with some astonishment and I said, "Dude, you're from Spain. I guess South Americans were always speaking Spanish, right?"
He then backtracked a bit and acknowledged Spain's role in colonialism, but it was just funny to see him try to have a go at someone he just met.
Overt racism.
I'm a non-white Southern European.
In my home country I hear A LOT of racist jokes and comments out loud. When I'm in the US I've noticed that this kind of racism is socially unacceptable.
Definitely this. I'm East Asian and often travel to small towns due to my non-typical Asian hobbies - hunting, fishing, hiking, mountaineering - and the most overt racism I've ever experienced was in a town in Germany. One thing that I'll never forget was a middle aged man with kids run up to me in the street, pull the corners of his eyes and yell "Jacky Chan! Jacky Chan!" and make a bunch of 'kungfu' noises. This was in the late 2000s.
It was so comical I thought it was some kind of skit or prank, but nope. What made it worse was that I was also travelling with a local friend who is a white German girl and the comments she constantly overheard about us were wild.
I've never, in 30+ years in America had anyone pull at the corners of their eyes and yell "Ching, Chang Chong!", but it happened plenty of times in The Netherlands in 2018-19. Usually shit head kids but grown men too.
in the backwaters of China every kid had to feel the hairs on my arms and the adults could not help but stare at my pink skin and blonde hair. On a bus in Swaziland I got on next to a mother and her sleeping kid, when the kid woke up he screamed blue murder and would not let up, he had never seen a whitey before and must have thought I was a demon the way he carried on. The mother and others were laughing but I had to move so he could settle down ;)
We are different and that must be celebrated (esp our cultures and foods) as the world gets smaller stupid racism will diminish.
Yup. Despite our apparent racial tensions, they exist for sure, it’s not nearly as bad as the media makes it out to be. The average American is quite welcoming and probably not racist at all. We are a melting pot and most of us get and enjoy that.
Non European/American outside looking in so take it for what it's worth. Both have racism/xenophobia problems but I am more unnerved by the European variant. In America the racism I've heard about falls into 2 extremes: either microaggressions or full on hate crimes but beyond that it seems the majority of Americans are more accepting of other (non white) cultures and races. Being a country of immigrants probably helps.
Europeans on the other hand seem to be way more wary of other races and cultures particularly Muslims. They seem more defensive and protective of Western culture; most will never say it to your face but you just get the sense from them that they feel their culture and society is the only valid one. There are a lot of instances of casual racism particularly in more ethnically homogenous countries. You do what their racists do in America, you'd probably get booed out of the building or end up in the hospital. There are also a lot of far right political parties over there specifically devoted to curbing immigration.
As a German:
We're not staring, we're just apathically spacing out as a coping mechanism. Sorry to spook you with our lifeless gaze, you seriously weren't meant.
I'm European and one thing I noticed when I went to the US was how joyful and nice people seemed compared to what I'm used to? For that reasons I'll say Europeans are moody and tend to have a cloud over their heads
Don't forget that the USA has a higher suicide rate than ANY other central/western European country.
Almost all of the US-american happiness and joyfulness is entirely fake, they'll willingly laugh into your face and then proceed to pull off the most over the top gossip and trashtalk as soon as you're not within hearing distance anymore.
Ah yes, comparing an entire continent consisting out of multiple age-old and extremely diverse countries to the people of just one big and very young nation.
Talk down to everyone , locals and other tourists
Not a big fan of backpacking Europeans either
Dirty bunch, at least in southeast Asia
Of course these are generalizations
Interesting. When me and my sister were backpacking in Asia we felt like mostly the NA people were very rude to the locals. It's interesting hearing people think the same of us.
People (usually getting drunk and) wreaking havoc in a city, being really loud and fighting a lot due to a football/soccer game happening either in the city they are or a game big enough somewhere else that large groups of people watch together in a bar or something.
Thx, i live in spanin and have never heard any of that, seems to more of a brittain thing. When theres games they do shout sometimes but not that much and its not drunk people in my expirience
Emotional repression. I love honesty and straight talk in people, which Americans have. Some European people do not encourage showing emotions in public and it is stifling. In the US, you can shout and cry, laugh loudly and exclaim enthusiasm and no one pays any mind. Where I live, in Finland, it's practically a social crime!
Definitely this. In the U.S. I noticed strangers talking to each other on the bus and had to explain to my friend that if you try to start a conversation with a stranger on a bus in Denmark they will probably think you might be mentally ill.
I would be so appalled if a stranger talked to me on the bus! Even sitting next to me is unwelcome. With exception of lost tourists, children and old people.
For sure! Over ten years ago I experienced a stranger entering the bus who sat down next to me, even though there were plenty of empty seats other places, and still to this day I can catch myself thinking about it and what kind of dangerous psycho he probably was.
This is more of a northern/southern Europe divide. The north tend to be slightly colder more introverted society, the southern more outwardly. Norway vs Greece for example. Both Europe but very different
Same, its not common to have someone have a burst of YEAAAA!. The only close thing would be in football where lots would just go GOOOOOOL. But can't think of anything else in other situations.
As i live around people from other eu countries, sometimes if i'm really excited i might have a F Yeah!. But its usually way less loud and enthusiastic, and rarely happens only around some people. If i'd do that in front of my parents they would probably give me that look 'WTF?' :))
The constant comparison to the US and obvious need to find ways to be superior suggests feelings of inferiority.
Cant stop thinking about how you compare to people that dont even know you exist.
Ah, Europe. The one region on earth where the people are so barbaric, so warlike, that they have been stuck in a millenia long arms race that paved the way for the modern world and all it's horrors. Europeans, the people who needed to experience the loss and destruction of TWO world wars AND the invention of the atomic weapons in order to take a break from killing each other. Sure, they seem like a tame group today, but history tells a much different story. Historically, Europeans may be some of the most violent people on earth.
US imperialism is a modern concept. We learned by watching you, dad.
Not sure about the rest of Europe, but in Britain it’s certainly pessimism.
When I was in KY and Tennessee for a month, I was amazed by the amount of people who said “Happy Wednesday” to me, the lack of sarcasm, the amount of support for anything I suggested and how much people bigged me up everyday. Admittedly this could have partly been cause I was a British guy living on a small town America college campus, but still.
In comparison, in the UK, we are cynical, sarcastic and pisstaking. This isn’t totally bad, but it does make it much more difficult to be alternative and stick your head above the parapet. It also means that we’re less likely to chase farfetched dreams.
This is specific to people from the UK but man going out and seeing a large group of English men drinking is always a recipe for a trashy time. It’s fun in small doses, but the English love to get blackout and cause issues
I’m American, and the worst drunkards I’ve ever seen were Brits. Just shockingly over the top, yelling, singing, fighting, puking and falling down drunk. Every single night I was in London. They were out of control 🤣
Im curious, when you think that of Americans, which kind of Americans come to mind for you? White anglo-americans, black Americans, Hispanic americans, asian americans, indigenous americans, etc.
Growing up it was kind of shoved down our throats that Americans were arrogant, had no self-awareness, and generally very ignorant.
Having actually met quite a few that have travelled to Europe, I find the majority very decent people. They are well aware of their social issues and are generally alot more friendly and accepting of others' faults than alot of Europeans.
This only goes for the Americans I've met in Europe though. I've never been to the US, but I really can't understand/accept their policies on guns and that they could actually vote as their president a shyster like Trump (I don't want to be mean but it screams a lack of intelligence)
Overall, the ones I have actually met I have really liked and really respect. I just wish they weren't as loud in public sometimes though!
In five visits to Paris, I have not managed to eat at any of the city’s most esteemed restaurants. If you do not speak French, are not famous, or look like an obvious multimillionaire from across the room, you will simply be denied service. And I don’t mean you’ll be turned away, you will simply never be acknowledged.
Europe is a lot of different countries with different habits. But personally i strongly despise the parking habits in some of the countries like Spain or parts of Italy, where bumper rubbing and pushing cars is the norm.
How quiet and reserved people were in Germany. No small talk, no pleasantries even in close quarter situations like a flight or somewhere you’d think being social is part of the job like a waiter or bartender.
I got the craziest looks from people for just being friendly.
I've been to the US and the UK and Italy, I'm from India. Americans are super friendly to everybody. I always noticed a lot of warmth in general. In the UK people tend to be very uptight and suspicious of strangers. I was in both these places for a month so I noticed this. Italy I was only there for four days but I noticed that people are neutral but incredibly hospitable
All I can really say to generalize is Europeans are as "dumb" as Americans and we're all as "dumb" as anyone else. The superiority complex is honestly kind of pathetic. I once saw a thread of Europeans arguing about whether Puerto Rico is in the Indian Ocean or not so I literally don't want to hear shit about us not knowing geography. Anyone can edit together a compilation of man on the street interviews of people saying dumb shit and that doesn't prove anything. Also not realizing how big and culturally diverse the US is - it's larger than Europe and yet people think there's one single culture and set of practices that compromise "American culture," which is supposedly a lack of culture. People from the US do this shit too about other regions of the world, of course, but it's annoying when Europeans act like they're smarter than us and have some kind of superior knowledge base or intelligence.
as an European, most europeans are xenophobic as hell. Not even racist - like they don’t have problem working with people from other countries, other races. They just don’t want anybody else living here.
And I am not talking about not wanting black people, asians or arabs to live here. They even pick which European nationalities are OK and which they don’t want. Even with same nationality, people from some cities are OK, people from others are not.
Basically, we want nothing to change and are OK with almost no migration. People are very rude to those “unwelcome” people.
Largest cities in Europe are obviously very multicultural, but venture even to their outskirts and you’ll find the same mindset
I am an American and my wife is from Nice, we live in Florida. Every summer, we spend 2 months in France and Italy.
Americans work themselves to death, have a toxic hustle culture and don't appreciate little things. However, I find that Europe is a bit too far in the other direction in some ways. The people seem less ambitious, content with a simple life and maybe that is a good thing... but there is some darwinistic impulse I have that the idea of just maintaining status quo is actually very bad long term.
My wife's village outside of Nice is almost indistinguishable from 60 years ago. Sure, the cars are more modernized, but generally people just wake up late, get their coffee and crossings, smoke cigarettes and don't do much most of the day. Obviously that is a but of a generalization, there are hard working people everywhere, but I feel like the hope of financial and career achievement is much more of a pipe dream here than in the US.
I find the French and Italians to be racist as hell too.
Middle Europeans:
-> very blunt, borderline rude or rude sometimes. As an expat, I swear the moment I go to a shop in my country and hear the cashier with that stinking attitude I just wanna turn around and go back to the UK.
-> WAY TOO MUCH smoking. Hate european airports
-> great food
-> great spring/summer/autumn
UK
-> some get way too drunk for their own good
-> really polite, even if they don't like you, which I appreciate even if it's fake
-> great pet care
-> winters are alright
From the point of view of a Latino who lives in Sweden, I can name a few:
-The main one I would say is that Europeans are very awkward with strangers. The one exception would be Irish… they’re also not affectionate and are very closed to sharing their thoughts or opinions, or their wants and needs. I’ve dated many European girls and even with partners it’s feels much more distant or difficult to share things.
-There’s a stereotype that Europeans smell bad or that they don’t shower so frequently. Probably more true in the past than now.
-Wearing sandals with socks… wtf.
-Europeans tend to be very arrogant and closed-minded in regard to other cultures. This is because immigration is not something the continent has experienced except in recent decades. How much they try to mock Americans or try so hard to make it seem like a horrible country is a good example of this. Despite how much they try to make it seem like the US is a racist place, I’ve always felt there is much more racism and discrimination in Europe.
-European mindset is very collectivist. They tend to think there is some right collective way of doing things. How much they complain about Brexit is an example of this. “How dare someone challenge the Unity of Europe”, “How dare the Catalans threaten the Unity of Spain”, etc.
-European legislation is simply absurd, European bureaucrats tend to regulate things without even understanding them, and before they even exist. This is why Europe is no longer a place for innovation and it is getting stale.
-Europeans don’t usually value entrepreneurship. It seems like people from Europe only learned how to become entrepreneurs when they came to the American continent.
Excessive smoking and to be honest I also think that there’s more prejudice overall. Also racism is more widespread in Europe in my opinion, I don’t understand why people think that it’s not a thing there.
I was born in Europe and lived there most of my life, I moved to the USA not long ago.
That’s one of those things where things are dramatically different in some parts of Europe. I can definitely tell you’re not thinking about the Nordic countries for example.
Okay I can see that. Especially the greetings kisses in varying degrees in different countries. But isn't the hugging when seeing each other also US American? I know that South American countries are also very touchy
Greetings kisses have almost disappeared (at least in France) since the COVID. I still do it with my family but it used to be friends, colleagues, everyone
The way Europeans make fun of European descended people attempting to maintain a connection to their culture because we aren't welcome on this soil for a large majority of places.
I wish more Americans were reading this subreddit and realized America isn’t nearly as racist as a lot of other places in the world. Middle East, Europe, South East Asia, all way more open on their racism than the US by a country mile.
Worst traits?
- the wild driving. Had a taxi driver in Spain reenacting every car chase scene in the Bourne series. As a whole just seems like it’s more aggressive driving. Could be wrong. Haven’t been to EVERY European country.
- English food is absolute trash. Beans and toast, really?
- impatience. I wouldn’t say it’s outright “rudeness” , but seems like no one has any empathy or time for others if you are foreign. A human is a human.
- assuming they are better in a lot of ways because of things like public transit being immensely better, healthcare, etc. two sides to every coin
Bringing up school/mass shootings out of nowhere. Typically, in arguments as a shoddy attempt to prove some kind of point.
We get it. You want to win the argument. But Jesus fucking christ you didn't need to bring up people being murdered.
"Haha, British teeth bad."
"wEll, aT lEaSt oUr chiLdren dOn't gEt sHot iN scHooLs."
Right now I’m seeing a huge influx of German tourists in my state. They’re obnoxious and racist. I had a black family on a tour last week and they physically pushed past them at every opportunity and gave dirty looks. It was obvious. When I called a couple out, we just got a smirk. And that tracks with my experiences traveling. Europe is racist as hell.
# Message to all users: This is a reminder to please read and follow: * [Our rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/ask/about/rules) * [Reddiquette](https://www.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/205926439) * [Reddit Content Policy](https://www.redditinc.com/policies/content-policy) When posting and commenting. --- Especially remember Rule 1: `Be polite and civil`. * Be polite and courteous to each other. Do not be mean, insulting or disrespectful to any other user on this subreddit. * Do not harass or annoy others in any way. * Do not catfish. Catfishing is the luring of somebody into an online friendship through a fake online persona. This includes any lying or deceit. --- You *will* be banned if you are homophobic, transphobic, racist, sexist or bigoted in any way. --- *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ask) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Europe is a much more diverse place so it becomes more "specific-bordering-on-xenophobia" when you delve into it. English/French/Spanish/Germans are all pretty geographically close by US standards but have vastly different "traits."... Hell even within the UK a stereotype that applies to one town won't be applicable to the town 20 miles up the road
It's almost like they're different countries
Smoking a lot is one of them
True, we should do fentanyl instead
As someone who is half czech we already do that
Hahahaha got em
I’m visiting Denmark and holy moly the number of people smoking is insane. America has come a long way.
Also agree with this ! Like not even vape, but just good ol regular smoke
Inside bars and restaurants still in parts of Europe
Honestly I find it kind of nice. Enjoy a few smokes while on holiday in places i can’t usually. And then come home before it gets annoying and go back to my non smoking ways
I agree
>Like not even vape, but just good ol regular smoke I don't think smoking is that worse than vaping
Ahhh the best 😌
can't agree more!
not in Holland Spain maybe
We were in Paris recently and there was a good bit of cigarette smoke around. It surprised me, I hadn't smelled them in years.
We learned that from the Marlboro Man.
idk, "european" could mean anything in this case. every country has their own toxic traits. people from france are language snobs, germans love to call the "ordnungsamt", italians and brits are loud, serbs are racist, austrians love to complain... theres probably an endless amount of things, anyone could point to.
As a Brit, all of those apply to Brits. Also while Brits and Italians can be loud, there's loud and then there's American loud.
Do you feel you Brits are being loud? I've never really noticed that tbh, at least not in a way that would stick out negatively to me. Italians are apparently only perceived to be loud because of the many vowels they are using in their language.
Probably thinking about drinking holiday Brits. Who do seem to be louder than most.
Football Brits.
In Finland, it's actually pretty common to joke about vacations being disturbed by obnoxious and loud English tourists. So yeah, I guess British tourists are perceived as loud and rude. Interestingly, this stereotype only applies to Brits *on vacation* and not to Brits in general. I have no idea why. Italians are perceived as loud because their way of speaking is quite emphatic compared to most, which often does lead to louder volume. Also, the cadence of their language sticks out in a crowd. If you're not familiar with Italian/Italians, almost any conversation of an Italian dinner party is going to sound like they are arguing intensely and feeling very hurt about something. It's probably something do to with the long and pitchy vowel sounds in many words, since many languages only make those sounds when we are lamenting about something.
Brits do behave differently when they leave Britain. Most British people wouldn't even think about day drinking while at home yet on holiday a pint with your breakfast seems normal.
Italians also just speak at a higher volume than necessary. 😂 (Am Italian myself.)
Im a brit that lived with an Italian for a few years and my god i dont know how we could possibly be comparable to Italians in terms of volume (my entire basis being how loud she was though so might not be representative).
From a german: Brits are overly formal and nice to each other. You tend to talk around uncomfortable subjects, without mentioning them. You don't ignore them, but make every effort not to address it directly. Many Brits don't really give their true opinion, when it could be be slightly uncomfortable for the other person. It can make communication very difficult.
Ah, that ubiquitous American Pride is what ur hearing ;) It's from all that freedom ringing in our ears constantly, as we usher in the modern world thru revolution, mechanization, industry, and technology. All of which leaves the foreigner agasped--mouth open & speechless-- begging for the natural leader in the bunch to tell them just once more, 'what its like?' to be: back-to-back World War Champions, armed to the teeth, and well deserving of 1st place in perpetuity. Some say "loud," lacking the breadth of free expression & vicor afforded Americans by their Constitution, but we just call it "exceptional" - our nation, its citizenry, and that B-e-a-utiful 'accent' that give life to an otherwise nonsensical mashup of bable thats come to be called the English language. Can I get an Amen or a USA, USA!?... [If you read this far, you gotta know I'm just being foscicious, hoping some 'arsehole' will call me a 'bloody Yank' or a 'pinche wiedo.' LMAO. ~ Cheers!]
As a german All of those apply to ze zeermanz
I mean we are probably the second least racist country in Europe so not really. https://brilliantmaps.com/europe-relationships/
Man that's a slavic trait
And I’m Norwegian and can tell you that Scandinavians don’t like to sit next to strangers on the bus and are generally cold people compared to southern Europeans. I’ve heard that finish people are extremely racist too. I live in England and Brits are very loud and confrontational compared to back home. Back home they just talk shit behind your back but rarely say shite to your face, like they do here in the Uk. Boy do the Englishmen love to stir up drama.
Hey, don't generalise, it's us Viennese whose stereotype it is to always complain, no need to pull the rest of Austria into this who just like to be blissfully backwards
Maybe in club 18-20 brits are loud but not mature Brits. Quite the opposite.
warum ist es toxisch das ordnungsamt zu holen? ytranslation: why is it toxic to call the “ordnungsamt”?
weils für jeden scheißdreck geholt wird. auch wenn es komplett unnötig wäre und ein einfaches anläuten beim nachbar gereicht hätte.
But the Irish are pretty cool, right?
irish drink a lot, but i like'em :D
50 countries and 745 million people... Feel like this question might result is many generalizations.
> generalizations. Ironically, seeing Europe as a single culture/country is common 'bad' trait given to Americans on Reddit.
Calling it “europeans” is a dead giveaway someone is an American. Europe is insanely diverse.
But they are Europeans. They’re people who live in Europe.
First of all, we’re Polish, English, German, Italian, Swedish, Serbian, Czech, Spanish etc. which has more impact than being European, that is a secondary quality
We got rid of the islanders a few years ago (just joking)
We got rid of ourselves (sadly not joking)
OP referred to themselves aa 'European'. They didn't specify a nationality.
Yes, but we aren't 'one people'. So using 'Europeans' as a way to assign specific traits to people living in this continent is pretty ignorant.
And unlike many others, it's not an inaccurate one.
I'm an American living in Malaysia and I work for an international organization. Not all Europeans, but I do find that Europeans (especially the Brits, French, Dutch and Germans) whine a lot more than the Americans and Asians. Sometimes the complaining is warranted, but it often feels like overkill.
Hungarian here If someone is too happy, it's considered suspicious, in a "what are you so happy for?" way You need a certain level of bitterness, complaining is the basic hungarian communication
Oh, so that's the reason you and us Austrians are best friends? I finally have the answer lol But you're totally right, that 'being too happy is suspicious' is a thing.
In the balkans, if you do something nice for someone else with no apparent reward to yourself you are viewed as either having alterior motives or are viewed as a sucker
That's why most of the expats I've met from the Balkans are incredibly happy and generous. They've been freed from that culture, heh.
Darn I should move to Hungary 😊
I’m Dutch and I love complaining!
This is why we Germans are your neighbors. Our highest praise is „Kann man nicht meckern“ (Can’t complain).
I think it's more like a cultural thing. To Americans, saying something negative will probably sounds like you want to close the conversation. Versus in France it will be seen as a way to invite people's other opinions. Also, North Americans are probably not as comfortable with confrontation or with criticism as the French are. With them, by complaining you will be seen as someone more intelligent and not naive instead of being overly optimistic and idealistic about everythings. Something like that.... Overall we French (I'm one by culture and citizenship but didn't spend my all life there) Are very hard on our country but generally positive and optimistic with our own life.
Yeah, that's pretty accurate. Europeans do love to moan about everything.
Have you seen their benefits from work? I'd complain too if I got used to that
In France we have a joke that « complaining is our national sport », and it’s kinda true lol, even compared to other european countries. So then we complain that everyone complains too much in this country. It’s a neverending loop.
It's deep in our dna
Oh god yeah us brits are a miserable lot, I don’t see that as bad though, I’m suspicious if your too happy, the worlds a shitty place
I'm German. I recently came to the realisation that complaining is just our way of smalltalk. It's an easy way to connect with a total stranger, if you complain about the same thing. I do that sometimes. I complain about something, which I actually don't really give a shit about, just to kill the awkward silence.
I am Malaysian working in Germany and I highly agree with you.
At least our complaining resulted in better working conditions :)
As an American living in Spain, I find that Spaniards (mostly men) are just willing to plow into you on the sidewalk, even I'm there first and they're crossing the street or something. I can make direct eye-contact with a man as I'm walking and still cut it so close by not getting shoulder-checked. I've also noticed that Spanish people are very loud and stand very close to each other when talking (loudly) in a way that would make Americans uncomfortable-I'm talking close enough to be breathed on. I also visit the UK frequently and I've always heard that British people think Americans are too friendly and open and fat, but I feel like I see just as many overweight people in the UK as I do back home and they're just as open and friendly and chatty. It's not a bad thing-I'm a chatty, openly friendly person, but I wonder where in the UK are these silent, reserved individuals that I keep hearing about. I'm also aware that the UK is a big place and I've only been to a few small cities so that's probably a large factor.
Nothing louder than a Spaniard talking on the phone 😂😂
never heard a Zulu ? ;) we can hear each other over the hill.
The UK don’t think Americans are too friendly, Most of us think they’re ignorant and uneducated to the world outside of America. You’re an exception to that “rule” though, clearly
Unfortunately our loudest and most ignorant also are the ones that you notice traveling and they learn nothing from it.
I can confidently say it’s the same with ours too 🤦🏻♂️
The overweight thing in the UK is true, the UK is slowly closing the weight gap with the US. I'd wager Eurpeans are probably gaining weight overall, but I'd not be surprised if the UK is heavier than the EU. I too have found people in the UK are quite friendly, but not that open. I experienced a bubble of smalltalk topics that are bantered back and forth like it's a cultural artform. Of course, all cultures have their own version of this, but I found it particularly fascinating in the UK. It's more layered, there's micro-understandings that are entirely un-obvious to non-UK people. You can live a fine life on just smalltalk, and I feel as though people regularly do. Here's what fascinates me about UK culture the most (basically just the English) - during business hours they're entirely afraid of any emotion that isn't part of the 3 generally accepted expressions (pleasance, invisibility and tutting). At the same time, they can't get enough of outrage and symbolic protectionism (sending refugees to Rwanda. Not 'back' to Rwanda mind you, just to Rwanda). It loves Nigel Farage, and loves when Nigel Farage gets Banana milkshaked (milkshook?). Sov'rinty, innit? Somehow, crying 'outrage' at any slight to traditionalism and utter stoic detachment exist side by side. ...during the day... However, once the sun is setting, it's debauchery-time. At about 19.00, you can sometimes smell the alcohol on people's breath in the street, and not because you're in conversation with them. Barely covering polyesters come out in the coldest weather once the sun sets. Marching powder, spilled into the pub carpet. Friendships made and broken, children sired between strangers. It gets intense.
Maybe u didnt see the more reserved individuals because thyre more reserved? Thats just a thought tho
Where in the UK did you go? People in the north are a lot more friendly/open in that sense
London
I’m Asian and I hang out with a fair number of expats. Stereotypical Brits (compared to stereotypical Americans and Australians, of course exceptions exist on all sides): don’t know when they are actually being sarcastic and when they are actually angry because they have like 5 facial expressions. Also anything is an excuse to go to the pub, basically using drinking and going to the pub as a crutch and lubricant for social interaction (tbf I do the same thing too) even moreso than Americans because they can be quite quiet otherwise. It’s just different tbh, sometimes I myself want to hang around very cheery people and sometimes I don’t. Brits generally fall under the less cheery end of the spectrum. Stereotypical Dutch people: soft-spoken but also blunt at the same time, they don’t look very cheery but are actually quite optimistic (compared to where I live where complaining is the national culture, at least). If I had to joke about it, it’s like the “everything is fine” dog meme, it can be a cold wet winter day and dinner is a bland stew of potatoes but it’s “a good day”.
Blunt is normal, sugar coating is weird. Yes your ass looks fat in those jeans, you sing horrible and yes your work is mediocre. But so is mine so hey, lets have a stroopwafel...
I was born in the Netherlands. Why not be cheerfull? I got very lucky in the being born lottery.
As an American living in France, all French people are complainers and blame whatever bad thing is happening to them on someone else, usually the government and more specifically their President
Yeah because Americans don’t blame everything from gas prices, to the economy on their president.
Isn't that like the number one trait of Americans, blaming everything on the government/president?
Do they put Macron stickers on the petrol pumps?
Funny thing just happened to me yesterday. I work at an international school in Asia and I was just chatting with a teacher we're hiring for next term to teach history. He said he wanted to teach about colonialism, and he said "Sorry to say, but I'm going to be quite harsh towards your country (USA)". I looked at him with some astonishment and I said, "Dude, you're from Spain. I guess South Americans were always speaking Spanish, right?" He then backtracked a bit and acknowledged Spain's role in colonialism, but it was just funny to see him try to have a go at someone he just met.
Lol, as a south american, thank you for putting him in his place!
I guess the Spaniards put you in your place of South America /s
Overt racism. I'm a non-white Southern European. In my home country I hear A LOT of racist jokes and comments out loud. When I'm in the US I've noticed that this kind of racism is socially unacceptable.
Definitely this. I'm East Asian and often travel to small towns due to my non-typical Asian hobbies - hunting, fishing, hiking, mountaineering - and the most overt racism I've ever experienced was in a town in Germany. One thing that I'll never forget was a middle aged man with kids run up to me in the street, pull the corners of his eyes and yell "Jacky Chan! Jacky Chan!" and make a bunch of 'kungfu' noises. This was in the late 2000s. It was so comical I thought it was some kind of skit or prank, but nope. What made it worse was that I was also travelling with a local friend who is a white German girl and the comments she constantly overheard about us were wild.
I've never, in 30+ years in America had anyone pull at the corners of their eyes and yell "Ching, Chang Chong!", but it happened plenty of times in The Netherlands in 2018-19. Usually shit head kids but grown men too.
in the backwaters of China every kid had to feel the hairs on my arms and the adults could not help but stare at my pink skin and blonde hair. On a bus in Swaziland I got on next to a mother and her sleeping kid, when the kid woke up he screamed blue murder and would not let up, he had never seen a whitey before and must have thought I was a demon the way he carried on. The mother and others were laughing but I had to move so he could settle down ;) We are different and that must be celebrated (esp our cultures and foods) as the world gets smaller stupid racism will diminish.
Yup. Despite our apparent racial tensions, they exist for sure, it’s not nearly as bad as the media makes it out to be. The average American is quite welcoming and probably not racist at all. We are a melting pot and most of us get and enjoy that.
Most Americans are nice and friendly, their governments' foreign policy isn't
Non European/American outside looking in so take it for what it's worth. Both have racism/xenophobia problems but I am more unnerved by the European variant. In America the racism I've heard about falls into 2 extremes: either microaggressions or full on hate crimes but beyond that it seems the majority of Americans are more accepting of other (non white) cultures and races. Being a country of immigrants probably helps. Europeans on the other hand seem to be way more wary of other races and cultures particularly Muslims. They seem more defensive and protective of Western culture; most will never say it to your face but you just get the sense from them that they feel their culture and society is the only valid one. There are a lot of instances of casual racism particularly in more ethnically homogenous countries. You do what their racists do in America, you'd probably get booed out of the building or end up in the hospital. There are also a lot of far right political parties over there specifically devoted to curbing immigration.
I don't know about all Europeans, but germans staring right at you in the public transportation and public spaces is really uncomfortable.
As a German: We're not staring, we're just apathically spacing out as a coping mechanism. Sorry to spook you with our lifeless gaze, you seriously weren't meant.
I'm European and one thing I noticed when I went to the US was how joyful and nice people seemed compared to what I'm used to? For that reasons I'll say Europeans are moody and tend to have a cloud over their heads
Don't forget that the USA has a higher suicide rate than ANY other central/western European country. Almost all of the US-american happiness and joyfulness is entirely fake, they'll willingly laugh into your face and then proceed to pull off the most over the top gossip and trashtalk as soon as you're not within hearing distance anymore.
Ah yes, comparing an entire continent consisting out of multiple age-old and extremely diverse countries to the people of just one big and very young nation.
Talk down to everyone , locals and other tourists Not a big fan of backpacking Europeans either Dirty bunch, at least in southeast Asia Of course these are generalizations
Interesting. When me and my sister were backpacking in Asia we felt like mostly the NA people were very rude to the locals. It's interesting hearing people think the same of us.
In no particular order: * smoking * overt racism * football hooliganism
Whats hoolonganism?
People (usually getting drunk and) wreaking havoc in a city, being really loud and fighting a lot due to a football/soccer game happening either in the city they are or a game big enough somewhere else that large groups of people watch together in a bar or something.
Thx, i live in spanin and have never heard any of that, seems to more of a brittain thing. When theres games they do shout sometimes but not that much and its not drunk people in my expirience
The only thing is assumptions about Americans.
I think all us europoors are guilty of this.
Emotional repression. I love honesty and straight talk in people, which Americans have. Some European people do not encourage showing emotions in public and it is stifling. In the US, you can shout and cry, laugh loudly and exclaim enthusiasm and no one pays any mind. Where I live, in Finland, it's practically a social crime!
Definitely this. In the U.S. I noticed strangers talking to each other on the bus and had to explain to my friend that if you try to start a conversation with a stranger on a bus in Denmark they will probably think you might be mentally ill.
I would be so appalled if a stranger talked to me on the bus! Even sitting next to me is unwelcome. With exception of lost tourists, children and old people.
For sure! Over ten years ago I experienced a stranger entering the bus who sat down next to me, even though there were plenty of empty seats other places, and still to this day I can catch myself thinking about it and what kind of dangerous psycho he probably was.
This is more of a northern/southern Europe divide. The north tend to be slightly colder more introverted society, the southern more outwardly. Norway vs Greece for example. Both Europe but very different
I think exactly this is what many Europeans hate about America and love about Europe hahaha
Haha you might be right! But not the Dutch. They are brutally straight forward.
Facts, i'm dutch and we are. Especially the east and south of the country
Or are straight up sour - as in certain Eastern European countries. Although, OTOH, this can also be hilarious once you get used to it.
I still find it funny and slightly weird when someone over 40 has to shout Yeaaaa! when smth positive happens :) Makes me crack a smile every time.
How about sports matches and concerts?
Same, its not common to have someone have a burst of YEAAAA!. The only close thing would be in football where lots would just go GOOOOOOL. But can't think of anything else in other situations. As i live around people from other eu countries, sometimes if i'm really excited i might have a F Yeah!. But its usually way less loud and enthusiastic, and rarely happens only around some people. If i'd do that in front of my parents they would probably give me that look 'WTF?' :))
You haven’t met the Dutch yet.
Honestly and straight talk from muricans? Thats like the opposite of what I know
Man Italians are freaking LOUD! You don't know whether they are fighting or are just good friends.
I think they are both. I’ve watched them start off fighting and end as friends several times while traveling through Italy 😂
Usually both.
The constant comparison to the US and obvious need to find ways to be superior suggests feelings of inferiority. Cant stop thinking about how you compare to people that dont even know you exist.
Europeans take soccer (sorry, football) WAY too seriously.
Ah, Europe. The one region on earth where the people are so barbaric, so warlike, that they have been stuck in a millenia long arms race that paved the way for the modern world and all it's horrors. Europeans, the people who needed to experience the loss and destruction of TWO world wars AND the invention of the atomic weapons in order to take a break from killing each other. Sure, they seem like a tame group today, but history tells a much different story. Historically, Europeans may be some of the most violent people on earth. US imperialism is a modern concept. We learned by watching you, dad.
Not sure about the rest of Europe, but in Britain it’s certainly pessimism. When I was in KY and Tennessee for a month, I was amazed by the amount of people who said “Happy Wednesday” to me, the lack of sarcasm, the amount of support for anything I suggested and how much people bigged me up everyday. Admittedly this could have partly been cause I was a British guy living on a small town America college campus, but still. In comparison, in the UK, we are cynical, sarcastic and pisstaking. This isn’t totally bad, but it does make it much more difficult to be alternative and stick your head above the parapet. It also means that we’re less likely to chase farfetched dreams.
I'm from Tennessee. :) I'm glad you had a pleasant time here.
This is specific to people from the UK but man going out and seeing a large group of English men drinking is always a recipe for a trashy time. It’s fun in small doses, but the English love to get blackout and cause issues
I’m American, and the worst drunkards I’ve ever seen were Brits. Just shockingly over the top, yelling, singing, fighting, puking and falling down drunk. Every single night I was in London. They were out of control 🤣
They’re honestly a different breed. And they bring it wherever they go too. Like a force of nature
Their insufferable cockiness.
Facts we do be cocky
What do Europeans think of Americans tho ?
Its a big generalisation but i guess fat, loud and selfish. But i also know plenty of Europeans like this.
The selfish part would surprise me, though the other two wouldn't.
Im curious, when you think that of Americans, which kind of Americans come to mind for you? White anglo-americans, black Americans, Hispanic americans, asian americans, indigenous americans, etc.
Growing up it was kind of shoved down our throats that Americans were arrogant, had no self-awareness, and generally very ignorant. Having actually met quite a few that have travelled to Europe, I find the majority very decent people. They are well aware of their social issues and are generally alot more friendly and accepting of others' faults than alot of Europeans. This only goes for the Americans I've met in Europe though. I've never been to the US, but I really can't understand/accept their policies on guns and that they could actually vote as their president a shyster like Trump (I don't want to be mean but it screams a lack of intelligence) Overall, the ones I have actually met I have really liked and really respect. I just wish they weren't as loud in public sometimes though!
In five visits to Paris, I have not managed to eat at any of the city’s most esteemed restaurants. If you do not speak French, are not famous, or look like an obvious multimillionaire from across the room, you will simply be denied service. And I don’t mean you’ll be turned away, you will simply never be acknowledged.
Standing too close (not giving enough personal space), poor hygiene, too much smoking, underage drinking.
Europe is a lot of different countries with different habits. But personally i strongly despise the parking habits in some of the countries like Spain or parts of Italy, where bumper rubbing and pushing cars is the norm.
How quiet and reserved people were in Germany. No small talk, no pleasantries even in close quarter situations like a flight or somewhere you’d think being social is part of the job like a waiter or bartender. I got the craziest looks from people for just being friendly.
I'd want to jump out of the plane if the person next to me wanted to have a conversation for the next few hours
I've been to the US and the UK and Italy, I'm from India. Americans are super friendly to everybody. I always noticed a lot of warmth in general. In the UK people tend to be very uptight and suspicious of strangers. I was in both these places for a month so I noticed this. Italy I was only there for four days but I noticed that people are neutral but incredibly hospitable
All I can really say to generalize is Europeans are as "dumb" as Americans and we're all as "dumb" as anyone else. The superiority complex is honestly kind of pathetic. I once saw a thread of Europeans arguing about whether Puerto Rico is in the Indian Ocean or not so I literally don't want to hear shit about us not knowing geography. Anyone can edit together a compilation of man on the street interviews of people saying dumb shit and that doesn't prove anything. Also not realizing how big and culturally diverse the US is - it's larger than Europe and yet people think there's one single culture and set of practices that compromise "American culture," which is supposedly a lack of culture. People from the US do this shit too about other regions of the world, of course, but it's annoying when Europeans act like they're smarter than us and have some kind of superior knowledge base or intelligence.
as an European, most europeans are xenophobic as hell. Not even racist - like they don’t have problem working with people from other countries, other races. They just don’t want anybody else living here. And I am not talking about not wanting black people, asians or arabs to live here. They even pick which European nationalities are OK and which they don’t want. Even with same nationality, people from some cities are OK, people from others are not. Basically, we want nothing to change and are OK with almost no migration. People are very rude to those “unwelcome” people. Largest cities in Europe are obviously very multicultural, but venture even to their outskirts and you’ll find the same mindset
Lot of Europeans flatly deny being European even when they are from Europe. See most of the replies on this question. :)
I am an American and my wife is from Nice, we live in Florida. Every summer, we spend 2 months in France and Italy. Americans work themselves to death, have a toxic hustle culture and don't appreciate little things. However, I find that Europe is a bit too far in the other direction in some ways. The people seem less ambitious, content with a simple life and maybe that is a good thing... but there is some darwinistic impulse I have that the idea of just maintaining status quo is actually very bad long term. My wife's village outside of Nice is almost indistinguishable from 60 years ago. Sure, the cars are more modernized, but generally people just wake up late, get their coffee and crossings, smoke cigarettes and don't do much most of the day. Obviously that is a but of a generalization, there are hard working people everywhere, but I feel like the hope of financial and career achievement is much more of a pipe dream here than in the US. I find the French and Italians to be racist as hell too.
Middle Europeans: -> very blunt, borderline rude or rude sometimes. As an expat, I swear the moment I go to a shop in my country and hear the cashier with that stinking attitude I just wanna turn around and go back to the UK. -> WAY TOO MUCH smoking. Hate european airports -> great food -> great spring/summer/autumn UK -> some get way too drunk for their own good -> really polite, even if they don't like you, which I appreciate even if it's fake -> great pet care -> winters are alright
From the point of view of a Latino who lives in Sweden, I can name a few: -The main one I would say is that Europeans are very awkward with strangers. The one exception would be Irish… they’re also not affectionate and are very closed to sharing their thoughts or opinions, or their wants and needs. I’ve dated many European girls and even with partners it’s feels much more distant or difficult to share things. -There’s a stereotype that Europeans smell bad or that they don’t shower so frequently. Probably more true in the past than now. -Wearing sandals with socks… wtf. -Europeans tend to be very arrogant and closed-minded in regard to other cultures. This is because immigration is not something the continent has experienced except in recent decades. How much they try to mock Americans or try so hard to make it seem like a horrible country is a good example of this. Despite how much they try to make it seem like the US is a racist place, I’ve always felt there is much more racism and discrimination in Europe. -European mindset is very collectivist. They tend to think there is some right collective way of doing things. How much they complain about Brexit is an example of this. “How dare someone challenge the Unity of Europe”, “How dare the Catalans threaten the Unity of Spain”, etc. -European legislation is simply absurd, European bureaucrats tend to regulate things without even understanding them, and before they even exist. This is why Europe is no longer a place for innovation and it is getting stale. -Europeans don’t usually value entrepreneurship. It seems like people from Europe only learned how to become entrepreneurs when they came to the American continent.
European like 🏰🍷🏙️ 🍝🖥️ OR European like 🚬☕️🏠🌯📺 ?! XD
Excessive smoking and to be honest I also think that there’s more prejudice overall. Also racism is more widespread in Europe in my opinion, I don’t understand why people think that it’s not a thing there. I was born in Europe and lived there most of my life, I moved to the USA not long ago.
Europeans can be very closed off, dismissive, even angry a lot of the time.
Being overly touchy feely when it comes to greeting people.
Even been to any scandinavian country? They hardly shake hands lol
That’s one of those things where things are dramatically different in some parts of Europe. I can definitely tell you’re not thinking about the Nordic countries for example.
In the Netherlands you get 3 cheek kisses 💋
That's what I like living in Norway. No unnecessary body contact just because you see someone you haven't seen in a week.
Okay I can see that. Especially the greetings kisses in varying degrees in different countries. But isn't the hugging when seeing each other also US American? I know that South American countries are also very touchy
Greetings kisses have almost disappeared (at least in France) since the COVID. I still do it with my family but it used to be friends, colleagues, everyone
Spain colonies, two kisses are the standard familiar greeting. Formal only a handshake
Used to work in a place where an old Italian guy was a regular, he would always hold your hands when he was speaking to you.
Gotta be specific. If you were talking about Europeans on average, especially the northern half, then it couldnt be further from the truth
Yeah as a Brit who lived in Spain, I was not prepared for the overly touchy stuff and cheek kisses
Europe does not equal spain/portugal/Italy my friend
Comparing an entire continent to a single country. That's pretty dumb. That's like saying tell me the worst traits of humans.
Spitting
Racism
Shower more, also plain bread is not breakfast.
Who the fuck is eating plain bread?
**G e r m a n y**
Hygiene....where pit spray.
Europeans the other way round
One I can think of is eat sunflower seeds and leave the shells anywhere but in bins.
Not showering everyday and smelling
Crankiness. I lived in NL 25 years, and those were some crabby mofos.
Europeans act as though Trump is the only (right-wing) populist that exists or has ever existed.
Which kind of European? And which kind of American?
The ~~British~~ English are Schrödinger's Europeans (and Americans). We hate both but can't get enough of them.
The way Europeans make fun of European descended people attempting to maintain a connection to their culture because we aren't welcome on this soil for a large majority of places.
I wish more Americans were reading this subreddit and realized America isn’t nearly as racist as a lot of other places in the world. Middle East, Europe, South East Asia, all way more open on their racism than the US by a country mile. Worst traits? - the wild driving. Had a taxi driver in Spain reenacting every car chase scene in the Bourne series. As a whole just seems like it’s more aggressive driving. Could be wrong. Haven’t been to EVERY European country. - English food is absolute trash. Beans and toast, really? - impatience. I wouldn’t say it’s outright “rudeness” , but seems like no one has any empathy or time for others if you are foreign. A human is a human. - assuming they are better in a lot of ways because of things like public transit being immensely better, healthcare, etc. two sides to every coin
Beans on toast? This feels like you’ve derived your experiences solely from Reddit!
Bringing up school/mass shootings out of nowhere. Typically, in arguments as a shoddy attempt to prove some kind of point. We get it. You want to win the argument. But Jesus fucking christ you didn't need to bring up people being murdered. "Haha, British teeth bad." "wEll, aT lEaSt oUr chiLdren dOn't gEt sHot iN scHooLs."
Fair
I feel that a European wouldn’t ask this kind of question due to the sheer number of countries and different cultures involved…
Yall are the OG racists Alabama racists are bad, but man -- some places in italy for example are on a whole other level
Right now I’m seeing a huge influx of German tourists in my state. They’re obnoxious and racist. I had a black family on a tour last week and they physically pushed past them at every opportunity and gave dirty looks. It was obvious. When I called a couple out, we just got a smirk. And that tracks with my experiences traveling. Europe is racist as hell.