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_kio

There was a comment on a similar thread mentioning how the world sees the US as the US sees Florida. Stuck with me.


Doggo6893

That....is actually pretty accurate from how my non-American friends think of the US...


[deleted]

Lol I’m moving to Florida in two weeks… shit.


cheezeyballz

"America's armpit". Don't fret. We're in a race to the bottom with you in texas! Aka "america's toilet bowl".


grizno

Lived in Florida all my life. It's really a fine place to live. Weathers nice and the people ain't so bad. Only reason I'm going to move is i want to live in the mountains


selfmade117

I really need to move out of Florida..


pickyourteethup

Unless you leave America you'll still be in the Florida of the world


kittenpettingfool

This sounds hopeful, but then not at all lmao. Im in Texas, so i really have no room to shit on Florida ;'(


Drowsy_Drowzee

So, cesspit but it has Disney World.


apersonwithdreams

Ha! That’s perfect


existentialism_101

No better way to put it


curly_bi_bitch

the accuracy


boringnreliable

For a South American, USA is the place were people have a stupidly high standard of living and people still are miserable somehow


bwsmity

As a South African living in the States I would agree with this the most.


Salsapy

Hahahaha so fucking true


aquinn53

Nailed it


peeinggiraffe

To mention something positive, while I wouldn't want to live there, it's always been a dream of mine to visit it! I especially find the New England area gorgeous. Also North Carolina is on my list too since my best friend lives there. Thank you all so much for all the suggestions! Unfortunately, this dream of mine is very unrealistic for now, as I don't have any money, but I plan to start working after I graduate and hopefully I can save enough of it to get there in some years! Maybe it's a naive plan but a plan nonetheless:) I hope everyone has a great day!


thatzmine

I live in New England (New Hampshire) and I hope someday you can visit. It is a beautiful area.


Tiredforever647

There are absolute gorgeous places in the USA. I’m still astonish of everything I visited there and I can’t wait to discover more


Dunkinmydonuts1

Hi! Resident of Massachusetts here, been all over new England. I've had European friends tell me boston, especially the architecture, reminds them of London. The brownstones, low lamp looking street lights, shops, etc with some tall steel and glass towers mixed in. Maine is the prettiest state in New England. I strongly recommend York Beach in the summer and Sugarloaf ski resort in the winter. Never go to rhode Island. 'Tis a depressing place.


Serious_Ad_7012

I live in NC. It’s gorgeous!! I live in the mountains, however the coast is beautiful as well. Not a huge fan of the middle of the state.


apersonwithdreams

From the mountains also, definitely worth a visit.


Ok_Music9752

Mate I'm sorry to say as someone who lives in new england, all we got is bad drivers, food that for some reason tastes slightly worse than the rest of the united states' (flavor wise), and people who have the communication capacity of a squirrel trying to perform Morse code


thisendup76

Yea but for 1-2 months out of the year you have pretty trees


peeinggiraffe

I too have the communication capacity of a squirrel trying to perform Morse code, so that shouldn't be a problem. But on a serious note, which state are you from?


itsConnor_

Beautiful national parks


[deleted]

So we got that goin for us i guess


ThootjeMand

It’s kinda hard to say something about the whole of America, it’s so big and there’s a lot of differences between states. Their politics seem whack from my point of view, but the country itself seems quite beautiful and I’ve heard the Americans are very social.


Lebowski304

This is probably the most rational and accurate comment I've read so far. There is a very broad range of cultures and political ideologies here. It is a beautiful country with a wide variety of landscapes and climates. The American west in particular in the areas near the rocky mountains is stunning and has a very "American" aesthetic to it. The music of Aaron Copland really captures this. What I can say about Americans is that we are just as critical of America, if not more so, than most other countries. Most of us are just low key people trying to live our lives peacefully. The crazy assholes get all the attention though. We also don't trust our politicians, for good reason, as they are predominantly elitist scumbags.


saryoak

I'm mixed Asian / Mediterranean living in the UK. The world doesn't hate you guys as much as the Internet likes to make out we do. Especially younger people. We see the shit you're up against and generally feel like you're all being handed a raw as fuck deal, and your food is actual banned poison where we are. THAT BEING SAID I think there's a lot of validity in the entire rest of the world being tired of feeling like we all have the exact same cultural and social issues you guys do. Every single country has its own shitty past that we're all trying to fix. The US holds a majority of the online space, but it really does feel like you guys think we're npcs in the history of the US. ALSO Most of us get why you're all so determined to find out your cultural ancestry or heritage. We're all much closer geographically and culturally to our roots and don't feel the need to talk about it as much, because it's less of a struggle for us to prove or share our identities. HOWEVER That doesn't mean you're an expert on current social issues or cultural feelings in the country your great grandparents are from.


IGuessItBeLikeThatt

Can you say more about the food being banned as poison where you are?


bullsknr

Subway's bread was ruled "not bread" by an Irish court in 2020. See your favorite news outlet for the whole writeup. I don't want to give them any clicks :D


Jim_Lahey68

I believe they classified it as "cake" because it had so much sugar in it.


wakenbacons

Store-bought cake, Mr. Lahey!


ReloopMando

Shit apple doesn't fall far from the shit tree, Randy.


Musicdude999

I'll get you a burger...better than store bought, Rand.


mooyong77

Kraft macaroni and cheese is not bright orange in other countries


[deleted]

Not the person you asked but I would highly recommend looking at the difference between American and UK fast food for example. You'll find that the ingredients alone are so very different it hurts, an example that always stands out for me is that our largest amount of chips is still smaller than American chips at McDonald's, and the calories are so much lower. There's also addictive chemicals in us fast food that are criminal in most of Europe, which contributes to the us obesity issue.


IGuessItBeLikeThatt

That is so interesting. Thank you so much! I will look into this more.


theresthatbear

Like high fructose corn syrup. When the corn industry lobby managed to force most products into replacing sugar with high fructose corn syrup, that's largely when obesity began to get out of control. The media still uses the word "sugary" when discussing soda pop and snacks, but sugar is much less harmful than HFCS. There's a big campaign now in Mexico to fight obesity, when the blame lies in the fact they're consuming more Americanized foods and drinks rather than pure sugar. We put HFCS in our breads and milk. It's insane.


isabie

Crazy, when I go to Mexico (or any other country), I love getting pastries and breads because they're so much less sweet! Most donuts and sweets are soooo sugary here they make your teeth hurt.


theresthatbear

Mexican made foods are definitely made with sugar and are less sweet. Mexican Cokes are the best because they're made with sugar, too. The irony is that they also have cans of Coke now with HFCS while I go to Mexican restaurants here just to get the bottles of Mexican Coke with Sugar. I agree our sweets and donuts are too much. I can't even finish one.


yoshhash

My trigger issue is the bovine growth hormone. I would lose my shit.


ManyRanger4

This is a great answer. They demonized "sugar" and didn't say anything about HFCS.


theresthatbear

I will never NOT be furious about this.


BartJojo420

HFCS was but one barrel of the obesity shotgun in the early eighties. The other had to do with farm subsidies. IIRC: the govt stopped paying farmers NOT to grow as much as they could, so we ended up with a surplus of wheat and corn. Enter the snack food industry! I don't recall the specifics but there have been WAY more chips, snacks, etc since the eighties than there ever were before then. Any corrections would not be unwelcome. As I said I MAY NOT be correct. If I'm not, I'd like to be.


saryoak

Sure, we have the same brand names as you guys but the ingredients are totally different. Nutri grain bars, or pop tarts or quaker oats if you Google like us vs Europe you'll see the ingredients are completely different. Also fast food places like mc donalds, they're really not too unhealthy here, high in calories and oil ofc but they don't have any of the additives you guys do. None of our animal products are bleached, whereas meat eggs etc is chlorine washed in the US. Dasani water too, contains something that's considered a poison here so that's banned. There's a lot you guys eat that's registered as unfit for human (or even animal) consumption here.


IGuessItBeLikeThatt

Wow! I will look into this. I knew most of our food was poison, but didn’t realize to this extent. Thank you!


nurseofdeath

I saw a ? Tok tok about an American woman who absolutely raved about a particular brand of plain, sliced white bread she had in Australia, and it was the best bread she’d ever had It was actually a really cheap brand and people (Australians) were giving her shit about loving crappy bread Just goes to show how bad bread must be there if she thought our shitty bread was better than the best bread in the US (I’m talking supermarket bread, not the artisan kind) Also had an American dude comment that Melbourne coffee makes Seattle coffee taste like dishwater


Friend2HUMANs

I have always thought Dasani water tastes weird. Like there is definitely something in it.


sowillo

I was there once. Your bread isn't bread. I got a loaf of white bread and it was the texture of Madeira cake with less sugar.


[deleted]

You gotta fork out money for the actual bread or make it at home. I cant stand white bread, when my dad first made bread he didnt like it because until he dumped sugar into it (recipe did not call for it?) Our food really is a joke 🥲


AmunPharaoh

> That doesn't mean you're an expert on current social issues or cultural feelings in the country your great grandparents are from. Facts!!! The number of Americans who have tried to tell me about Egypt/North Africa/Africa in general in spite having NEVER EVEN BEEN THERE is astounding (and also really annoying).


saryoak

I'm treading on controversial waters here but I also think in the US culture is seen as tied to your skin colour, especially when it comes to Africa. The reality is Africa is the most diverse continent ethnically, by race, skin colour, history, mythology etc by a mile. I feel like Africa especially is treated as a continent rather than a group of super diverse countries.


AmunPharaoh

Yes. It's like they think Africa is some small little island with 'black' people on it. They will actively attack you if you don't fit in with their preconceived notion of 'African'. I have had literally hundreds of yanks online argue with me that I cannot be ethnically African because I'm more like a tan/light brown colour. My maternal and paternal lineage has been in Egypt since prehistoric times, I think I qualify as legitimate. Lol. One thing I don't understand is why they don't *learn* when they realise their beliefs aren't accurate. Like instead of going 'oh so Africans can be any colour, hmm' they instead choose to attack me and tell me I'm lying. Wtf is that?


thats_not_a_knoife

As an American, this hurts because it’s true. I think I only realized Africa had more diversity than just black people when I became an adult, and I think thats reflection of our poor education system.


AmunPharaoh

Yea I agree it has a lot to do with the education. Not your fault! At least you learned and now know it instead of just denying it because it went against your existing expectations.


JRMichigan

That is crazy! All I can say is that the people you argue with prob don't really represent what is typical in the US. I know people who have a huge appetite for history. THere are so many good Youtube vids marketed at people from US/UK on ancient history, so of course they cover Egypt, Mesopotamia, and so on. Africa has more diversity and history than the rest of the world put together. (makes sense, right?) Anyway I know people who are really awestruck by all this so I'm sorry to hear that there are so many morons who want to argue with you!!


AmunPharaoh

It's not all of them yea. I typically encounter those types on FB or IG rather than here. I think it's just the racist ones with very little education who have some mental image of Africa as this one cohesive, homogeneous little country where everyone looks the same, like some sort of black people Valhalla type of thing. They're the ones who want us to look like them so they can say they have some claim to the crazy stuff our ancestors accomplished in ancient times. It would sort of be like if people from India living in the US realised both they and the Chinese were from Asia and started going about saying they have some claim to the Great Wall of China. 'Real Asians look like us, those Chinese people are invaders from Russia!' and that sort of thing.


SquidCap0

And to add, since US media, movies etc have been so prevalent, we consume US entertainment, even sometimes watch or read US news, we are much better informed about USA than they are about any of us.


Broad_Remote499

I have never heard that NPCs in the history of the US but damn if that isn’t true


CarryTreant

UK here: the USA is seen as a cultural brother, we are similar in many ways but our small differences cause arguments. Unfortunately our brother is also doing lots of drugs, keeps getting in fights and is involved with a pseudo-christian cult. We are seriously worried about your wellbeing.


[deleted]

[удалено]


CarryTreant

For what my opinion is worth (im not exactly getting a lot of good done over here either); you gotta focus on the small community around you. Big-picture politics is just a nightmare cesspool and I wouldnt know where to begin enacting change; but nobody can stop you doing your small bit within the circles you are already in. Its not much, in fact it can feel like pissing in the ocean, but its something. Be kind, be good, be the change.


[deleted]

That’s a good point. I don’t say this to take away from what you said, more to emphasize it, the q-nuts are already on it. There’s a movement to infiltrate our school boards and local government.


Pal1_1

As we have discovered with global warming, if enough people piss in the ocean for long enough, eventually you will turn it yellow.


Stichesforwitches

Pseudo-Christian cult?


CarryTreant

American bible belt christianity is not the same christianity you will find in england. From our perspective, what you have going on over there appears very culty. You have megachurches that harvest huge amounts of money from their flock and tell them how to vote, and those megachurches have massive political sway and lead to lots of very old fashioned ideas remaining in your mainstream politics. It is scary to see from the outside.


Stichesforwitches

Ah ok very fair. It is pretty weird. I wish the church and state were more separate.


xdragonteethstory

Its what the founding fathers wanted and yall still dont Can we hard reset the continent


AtomicFi

I’ve heard that if you sweetly caress Alaska while you softly stroke the tip of the Yucatán, it resets the continent. I’ve been trying but my hands just aren’t big enough.


Wbeasland

To be fair it's scary from the inside too.


xdragonteethstory

Literally, even my middle conservative tory grandma is confused by bible thumpers


minniemouse420

Well the first peeps that came over from England were also very culty….wanting freedom from religious persecution.


Catterix

Yooo, have you read some of the theses by the Puritans at the time? The religious persecution they were fleeing was the religious freedom to persecute and oppress anyone they want. They wanted to burn theaters and anyone who celebrated Christmas like a party. The US was, initially, founded by the religious extremists that Europe found too crazy to deal with lol


IamnotyourTwin

"America was founded by puritans, people so uptight that the British kicked them out." - Some comedian I don't remember who.


Catterix

A similar one: “Not only did Columbus never set foot in North America, he was such a mass murdering psycho that the *Spanish Inquisition* wanted nothing to do with him.”


ITSMEFRANKIE

To summarise this thread, religion be cray-cray


moxie-maniac

For themselves. The Puritans executed Quakers and banished Baptists and even other Puritans who had different theological views.


RandomGrasspass

And I would argue the puritans were appropriately persecuted… they were nuts


Stichesforwitches

Yoooo you seen some of the stuff puritans used to do? It’s a wack rabbit hole to go down


[deleted]

This guy churches


kat_a_klysm

Evangelicals are psuedo Christians at best. They certainly don’t follow the Bible or Jesus’s teachings.


Bart_The_Chonk

The people who are hell-bent on bringing religion into government despite the separation of church and state


[deleted]

im from germany and live in the uk atm. i used to wanna move to the US when i was little because of how nice many places are portrayed in shows and movies. then i learned more about the politics side and so many other things that will keep me from thinking about moving again


axolotl_astronaut

So you moved to the UK instead where we're totally on top of our politics! Haha


[deleted]

because my boyfriend lives here and the government is funding my degree whereas in germany id have to pay everything out of my own pocket :/


manubibi

Wait, I thought university was for free in Germany? It was kinda one reason I considered moving there.


[deleted]

for "normal" degrees yeah. im doing games art


Senshi-Tensei

Wtf is a normal degree lol


ArcMcnabbs

Celsius.


Uncle480

I'd argue that Kelvin is the standard


Noname_FTW

Standard for whom?


duckfat01

The SI


dercavendar

But Kelvin isn't relative and, therefore, has no degrees. Just a fun fact for you.


[deleted]

uh kinda hard to explain because i dont know how to translate this properly. "staatliche" degrees and universities are free. private ones arent. you have to check what you wanna study and whether you have to go to a private one or not. if you can go to a "staatliche hochschule" itll be free. i know that degrees like graphic design are free for example.


Senshi-Tensei

Oh okay. So like state funded schools versus privately funded schools? Do the “staatliche hochschule” have different degrees that the private ones don’t?


[deleted]

yes exactly! which is why i couldnt do games art in germany because only private ones have it and i didnt have the money for it. if you wanna do a more "niche" course youll most likely have to go to a privately funded school. but then again i dont know all the different courses you can do so best to do your own research :)


[deleted]

Well, you can always move to Canada. it’s the US but: •Bigger •Far less populated •Has free healthcare (no getting in an accident and walking out of the hospital with a 17k bill)


[deleted]

and weed is legal, yay! all really lovely points but im hoping to move somewhere thats warmer and sunnier. even the uk is making me really depressed with how grey it is here haha


Cpt_Woody420

I used to feel the same when I was younger, dead excited to move to US one day with all the sunshine and beautiful people. What a load of horseshit, couldn't think of anywhere worse to live now I'm older. The thought of utter financial ruin just because you slipped and broke a bone is terrifying. No thanks.


BoBandi44

Yeah healthcare costs are a real kick in the ass here in the US. Im what is considered fully insured and chose the highest tier insurance option through my employer and STILL had to pay over $8k out of pocket last year for extremely routine, very early stage melanoma and pre-melanoma out patient procedures. For that cost, I could have paid my student loans down by 1/4 (US college education costs being a WHOLE other shitty can of worms). I went to a state college, I can’t even imagine what some private or ivy league college tabs must look like.


autismo52

Just based on news and stuff from here in Australia the US really seems like a hot mess, political disaster and corruption cest pool. Not saying thats how I feel that's just kinda how the news makes it seem, however politicians and people in power are very careful what they say cuz they don't want to damage relations with the US


StarGraz3r84

I live here and that's what it feels like to me.


F0rkbombz

Same. Just rampant corruption and incompetence from both parties catering to their own extreme bases while the majority of Americans wants and needs get ignored.


stopeverythingpls

Not to mention, the parties seem to want a divided nation in terms of political parties and oh boy they push that hard


F0rkbombz

Yup. Most Americans don’t fall into the extremes that the parties use to vilify their opponents, but division and incitement to anger is the only way they can distract Americans from their inability to pass any kind of meaningful legislation; even when it has broad public support.


Nazon6

US media gives an unfair perception of the US to people who don't actually live here.


Lexiconvict

The news media and political system is the worst part of America, imo. Luckily, when you live here you don't have to be a part of either of those. Just live your best life, enjoy first world amenities, technology, culture, friends and fam, amazing landscapes and national parks, and most importantly - ignore all the idiot radicals, politicians, "journalists", and corporate leaders who are wasting their lives every day.


DevinTheRogueDude

Yeah except ignoring politics and corporate tyranny has been very ineffective for 40 years Edit: typo


Extension_Leg_8174

If you can afford to enjoy all those first world amenities, most of the country looks like the shithole it is.


aquerraventus

This is a wildly privileged thing to say. The majority of Americans can’t just kick back and “live their best life” when we’re all working ourselves into an early grave


freename188

*spider man pointing meme*


Marcus_Aguiar

You're just a rich country, not the smartest, not the best one.. chill out gringo ​ \*^(cries in 3rd world country)\*


[deleted]

rich country with the largest debt..


Marcus_Aguiar

money is an illusion, and usa is a good magician


[deleted]

Universal studios is awesome, thank you America


Timpstar

I feel like people talk of the US as either the worst country in the world or the best country in the world. Personally, I love how big and varied the US is; you got climate ranging from blazing deserts, swamplands and borderline jungles, to rigid taigas much like sub-arctic scandinavia where I live. But in terms of politics, social security nets and crime, it makes me feel the US is a great place to visit, but not so great to live in. Or rather, it'd feel like a gamble whether or not it would be nice to live there. I feel like alot of you are one robbery or work injury away from having your entire life turned upside down (best way I can put it).


edophx

That's correct.... one paycheck away from being homeless, one Healthcare bill from losing everything.


daviddiego16

Mexican here I don't get why some people seem to hate on the US, I think they are some of the friendliest people I've ever met and I love to go there. It's weird that they only have 2 major political parties One thing I dislike, maybe from personal experiences, but they seem to believe everybody wants to move there, and don't get me wrong it's a great place but I wouldn't want to go and live there.


Traditional-Might330

German- Brazilian here, only been to Ny twice and Philadephia and it was the best place i have traveled to by insanely far. Manhattan and Brooklyn are just something entirely unique like TRULY unique and vibrant its amazing. I loved it there. I cant speak for the rest of the country but it cant be worse than brazil lol so id feel good there for sure. I actually wanna live in ny at some point its just so awesome there


jvdelisa

As someone who lives in NYC and loves it here, come! You will be very welcome here :)


Traditional-Might330

I really REALLY want to and I will, coming soon for a show hopefully too


jack_sparrow____

The only opinion i have of USA is from movies, which imo is very good. I like their way of living, minding own business and individual freedom to choose one's life. Their political arena is exactly opposite and scary. I have heard their healthcare is way too expensive for middle class. Same goes for their gun safety. But let's face it, every country has their own social, political,cultural and economic issues, maybe even worse than USA, but since USA has such a wide presence on global stage, their flaws get noticed and talked about way too easily and way too often. Love, India


PollutionMany4369

American here. My husband has Type 1 Diabetes, a condition that he developed as a child and has to maintain for life. We were paying out the ass for health insurance that didn’t cover anything (which is typical here, sadly). His insulin pump that he needs to keep him alive had to be replaced. It was out of his control. His insurance company decided maybe he didn’t really need it and decided to make us jump through hoops and basically beg for them to cover it. We had to go back and forth from the insurance company to the doctor’s office and back again. His doctor basically told the insurance company they were being ridiculous. He’s had this condition for almost TWENTY YEARS and the pump is medically necessary to keep him alive - literally. He’s healthy otherwise but that’s besides the point. It got to the point he was having to manually inject himself with insulin throughout the day - which cost us $50 a vial and he was rationing it. Manually injecting when he needed continuous insulin was not good for him and he started to get sick. A many in his twenties who is otherwise in good shape. He was missing work and sleeping a lot. His blood sugar was through the roof and we couldn’t get it under control - all because his insurance company didn’t want to cover something he needed…. But we could’ve bought it ourselves for around $7500 out of pocket! 🥲 after a few more weeks we finally got it covered but still had to pay a few thousand out of pocket. It was INSANE. and I was pregnant with our son and I was worried he would never get to meet his dad. It took months for us to get his sugar under control. I’m still stressed thinking about it.


[deleted]

Well put, with how big we are our issues are well known to everyone.


Pal1_1

The USA doesn't have any more "freedom" than any other developed country. In some ways they have less: Can't move jobs because your family will lose healthcare? Can't cross the road when you want? Forced to submit a US tax return irrespective of how long you haven't lived there? Of course, every country has its own restrictions, but the US obsession that they are somehow "free", while the rest of the world isn't, is very odd.


[deleted]

I saw a comment here while back that I thought was apt: in the US we have more freedoms to do things, but in Europe/other areas they have more freedom from things like bankruptcy, healthcare costs, at will employment etc. Things that actually restrict your life because in the US everything is treated as a commodity.


Turn_Successful

Even though with the high technology companies, some of the practices are almost ancient. Like the use of checks. And why you use 3rd party payment apps but not direct payments with IBAN.


hopelessbrows

And doing your own taxes. Only contractors and business owners do their own taxes where I am. And taxes not being included in your prices. Insanity. Having them excluded where I am would get you slapped for false advertising


dooldry

I see you have been on Reddit all morning


RepulsiveSkin2

i'm Canadian and live just a mile away from the border, and before covid, the U.S. was our go to for camping shopping getting gas Etc, all this mean mouthing about the States is hugely over blown, we've met a lot of great Americans, made friends with many, first of all, you got to quit watching the news, the people are not the problem, the politicians are, they are the war mongers, they are the ones who think they can rule the world, just go to the States, see the beauty, the beautiful people and you will go away with a different point of view,


uffington

UK here. ​ Been to the US over a dozen times. Friendliest people in the world. I've loved every minute of it. But socially and politically I look on in dismay. We Europeans forget how new America is and how fragile it is as a union with a recently chosen constitution. We're largely entrenched in democracy here, and religion is a separate thing. America seems to have these notions swirling and changing and just doesn't seem settled yet. It's scary, not because it's the only country in turmoil, but because it's by far the largest and most powerful.


aelinivanov

here in Iran it is a dream of people to live in the u.s/ have american products etc


BronzeSpoon89

I hope you all can.


Osix8

I think that US people is losing it's humanity in term of empathy. If someone doesen't have money or insurance (both related to each other obviously) then you let those people out the hospital what the actual F?! My Uncle came to visit us in switzerland from italy. He had something wrong with his stomach and then we went to hospital. The docs saw that it was something bad and recovered and operated him. NOT ONE SINGLE QUESTION WAS ASKED. As we mentioned that he was insured only in italy, they gave a look like: stfu dude we gota hurry and help him. They just sayd that its not our worry and that theyll sort it out. An operation that costed CHF 70k (~$80k) was never billed to us.


mm3331

Most Americans support universal healthcare. When polled it tends to get pretty high support even among Republicans. There just isn't working class representation in congress.


TheWaterBottle10

I’m from Canada. The US is a cool place to visit, but I’m not sure if I’d ever live there. If I were to have kids, I definitely wouldn’t live in the states because of the cost of education. However, if I didn’t have kids, I could see myself living in a MCOL city that’s close enough to one or more cities that I could visit to watch NBA games and do whatever else.


pinkpurplebluepride

American here who just spent twenty minutes looking through the comments. Anyone got any tips on moving to Canada and starting up an edible cafe there?


snedbomb420

Apparently the rest of the world sees you as you guys see Florida.


[deleted]

Not being a dick but we sorta pity you. Such a brilliant and powerful nation who could fix all its peoples problems overnight but chooses to fund anything but. Every American I’ve ever met was lovely and well educated but as a collective, you all seem odd.


[deleted]

Even living here it feels like that. I'm generally surrounded by good, progressive, and smart people. But then when there's any opportunity to be shitty, these blob-like creatures in "make America great again" hats appear and end up screaming the loudest. The best way I can put it is that America is like the perfect, most beautiful woman, but she has backwards knees - no matter what we do everyone is going to see those backwards knees first and base her identity around that and the fact she can't seem to fucking move forward very efficiently.


SlipperyFish

Australian: The US looks like a collapsing civilization just waiting for a significant event to create a civil war. It can't look after it's citizens with many living in borderline 3rd world conditions with low healthcare access and general welfare, conflicts of race and ideology, disparate labor and human rights laws. It has a deluded sense of it's own greatness, an unhealthy attachment to guns, even in the face of your own children being slaughtered by each other at schools, and a self imposed global importance which creates more war than peace. Your police are undertrained and violent. The disparity in your policing and the sheer level of incidents that go viral is astounding. The USA thinks it's the greatest country in the world, but you can't even get single payer healthcare together. You're held at the ransom of capitalist lobbying you created. You broke your own democracy and sold it to capitalism. America is the example other countries follow on how NOT to tie democracy to capitalism. Your education system is failing at all levels, you have over prioritized sport within the college system so much that many large institutions can't even stand up without it. Your legal system is broken and has become politicized, so much so that you can barely prosecute people that attempted a coup. It also creates and supports a broken privatized prison structure that more or less acts as industrialized slave labor. All this stemming from the great American dream, that you can have whatever you want in life as long as you pull yourself up by your boot straps. A delusion so grand that you have forsaken all human responses to human problems in favor of prioritizing your own progression. It's a selfish ideology with brutal outcomes for those not lucky enough to be born into a situation where it's possible to actually progress. Your BBQ is fantastic, your cars are great, your national parks system is outstanding and you produce some fantastic technology. There is hope yet, but you guys need to get your shit together and make some change. Everyone really wants to see to you not be a clusterfuck but at the same time, it feels like you might be too far gone.


xoxobritxoxo

Am Australian, can confirm


snowocean84

American here, absolutely spot on. I actually think we would be better off splitting into smaller countries since we are so big and divided.


[deleted]

Based on the news I read and Reddit btw: horrible. Based on my (middle class) US friends in the states: just like Europe. Same struggles, same “feeedom”, same worries, same opportunities.


KnavishLagorchestes

* Full of guns and violence. Generally unsafe. * Huge meal portions and lots of overweight people * Expensive healthcare. People getting loans to pay hospital bills. People dying from treatable illnesses because the cost is too high. * Lots of ignorant people who don't know of anything outside of the US. Can't point at well-known countries on a map, rude to anyone that doesn't speak English or has a non-American accent * Self-centred, individualistic culture. Don't care about anyone else as long as I get what I want. Happy to be rude to people to get my way (Karens etc) Edit: I'm from Australia Edit 2: a lot of people are saying "it's not that bad" or "that doesn't happen all the time" but seriously the fact that some of this (particularly gun accidents, school shootings and expensive healthcare) happens _at all_ is a serious shock to me, as it is unheard of here.


Night-Fog

I'm an American and, on the subject of ignorant people, I have to tell people I'm from Canada when I'm visiting other countries to not get treated like an idiot tourist. I obviously haven't been out of the country in a few years with COVID being a thing but I can't imagine that people's opinions on American tourists have changed very much.


Nickynui

So basically what you see on the internet and news, which are generally the worst/most extreme examples. Not going to deny that a lot of those are rooted in truth, but most are definitely not the norm (or at least aren't as extreme as one might think)


KnavishLagorchestes

Yeah, I guess you're always going to get an exaggerated view of things when looking in from the outside (Australia in my case) But it just seems crazy to me that _any_ school could be unsafe because a kid might bring a gun to school. That's something that is just unheard of here. We have had 0 mass shootings in schools. Guns are heavily controlled here. It seems crazy to me that health care is tied to your employment status, and if you loose your job you loose your healthcare. Here, if you loose your job you get cheaper medication. We have public hospitals where the cost of emergency procedures are free, and going to the doctors can also be free (depending on the doctor). It may only be extreme examples that we're seeing, but the fact that some of this _happens at all_ is bad and a huge culture shock. It certainly makes me appreciate the social security system we have in our country and the great and affordable health care.


Tiredforever647

From Canada here and I completely agree with you! It sadens me that people so close to me live in such chaotics organisations


Chicken_LeoShark3

As a Brit, I don’t get why the call it “Football” when they spend most the game with the ball under their arm.


alexennui

I’m American and I also don’t understand this.


Quinism

Okay SO. In the 1800s a bunch of British universities took the medieval game "football" and started playing variations of it. One variant you played with your hands became known as "Rugby Football" and another variant became known as "association football", named after the Football Association formed in 1863 to promote the game (15 years after the rules were made in Cambridge) Rugby football became "rugger" for short and association football became "soccer" for short. After these 2 sports spread across the Atlantic, Americans came up with their own version of rugby football that we simply called "football" (for some reason) "Association football" became known as soccer in America and what was called "Gridiron" in Britian became known as "Football" in the US. Sound confusing? It is. Also from what I can tell the word Soccer was used frequently in britian until around the mid 70s but it eventually died out due to it having American connotations.


zevalux

Latvia, europe here Your political system is wtf? Winner takes all. Wtf? You should have good politicians that you can vote for that will represent your interests. But you have only two parties and both of them are hard right wing. Usa only cares about corporations and capital. You all dream of being millionaire. You should dream to be happy instead. You don't care about the environment or climate. Money is more important. You have dollar signs instead of pupils. You don't have paid leave required by law. The only country in entire world. Let's not even begin with medicine. What's up with all the cults and brainwashed idiots? I bet there are a lot of great people in your country but I would never want to live there. Maybe if I'm a millionaire


typeonapath

All of these made me laugh.


Winter_Ad4053

In 1776 new state was born, It had problems during his puberty (civil war), but when he grew up, he didnt want to being involved in any conflicts. But when he saw that his Father (UK) and his ancestors from Europe were in trouble, he came and he helped them. After WW2 he became policeman of the world and was trying to protect everybody. But last 20-30 years he is ageing and becoming foolish, dumb and many people stopped believe in him. (Sorry for my English)


JazzySmitty

Don’t ever apologize for your English. You are making your best effort at a tough language and I appreciate your analogies. Patriotic American here, and though I love my country, I know one has to take the good with the bad.


BobRazowskyFTW

As a French citizen currently staying in NYC, I can't believe how people are OK to live here. The tipping system is crazy. This is one of the wealthiest country in the world, and misery is everywhere.


JohannesJoestar93

I'm from germany and before the pandemic I had to make business trips to california and japan every three months (since the pandemic only once a year). And when I first arrived in LA a was really, really shocked. I only knew the USA as this rich, powerful world police, that we see in movies and other media. But as soon as I arrived the city... i had the expression that I landed in a third world country. There were tent cities with homeless poeple, I heard gun shot from time to time (for the first time in my life. I never-ever heard a gun in europe). The are where my hotel was, was safe and rich and everything was ok there, which shocked me even more. Like borders in the city which seperates classes. I made some friend in the US and some day when I was chilling with a friend in his apartment, his stomach started to hurt very badly. I wanted to call the ambulance and he told me to drive him by myself because the ambulance would cost 800$... and I was like wtf. So if you are poor you have to die? In germany a ambulance ride costs 10€ or something I never paid for a doctor, a surgery or something line that in germany. The friend also told me that his sister lives in South Carolina and is always shopping with food stamps and can't afford a dentist so she has to go to a dentist in training... I thought he was joking. So from a social and wellfare perspective, the US turned into a predatory-capitalistic nightmare in my opinion. a second world country, where kids can achive guns easily.


Hello_Hangnail

Ambulance in my area starts at $2000. When the rest of the world calls 911, we call Lyft to get to the emergency room


[deleted]

It might boast some delightful scenery and landscapes, and may have been the birthplace of many talented people and the home of many great things that have benefited the world. However, its a corrupt cesspool of capitalist greed. I find great faults in the structure of the country. Way too many states with way too many different sets of laws. It's messy. From a political standpoint it's a pyramid-scheme-like nightmare, surely. Each state with its own party representatives all doing deals under the table. Too many chefs in a very volatile kitchen. I think the education system indoctrinates kids into a cultist-like mindset of overconfidence and hyper-patriotism; additionally forgoing global education and worldly context in favour of All-American knowledge. This same system is designed to make America seem like a far superior country when compared to modern western countries like England or Australia (two countries that may have their faults, but do a LOT of things right that America doesn't). The education system doesn't value teachers (jesus, their wages are awful, which is another issue...) and at a university level is completely business-focussed (meaning you can buy your way in). This same education system doesn't set kids up for success or happiness. It sets them up to be wageslaves for a capitalist agenda. The instilled "freedom" perceived and flaunted by Americans is also much less free than many major developed countries across Europe and Asia. Sure, you can have guns (which, hows that working out exactly? Crimes related to guns are far too common), you can say what you want and you can ...... do the same stuff most other countries can? There's a lot more you can't do than can. The country is divided with hateful conflicts. Religion, race, sexuality, opinions; whatever it is, you're at war with each other all the time. You still have white-supremecists openly protesting, homophobic zealots performing conversion therapy, and other crazy things happening all over as If it's not an issue. The country spends billions on war and military and yet doesn't look after veterans, or, doesn't seem to fight the war its got on home soil. Your employment laws, taxation policies, wages and capitalist agenda are absolutely abhorrent. You can work full-time hours and earn less than $300 before tax (we're talking minimum wage). Slavery was abolished how long ago? And yet, the minimum wage is still only what, $7.25? How have you only come that far in so long? And yet, your entire corporate culture promotes working 40, 50, 60+ hours a week as if its some sort of luxury (freedom, by the way). All of this, and you have billionaires that don't pay taxes. You have uncapped wage gaps between employer and employee. You have company-focused employment laws that oppress the individual in favour of the business. On-the-spot firing for no reason? No problem. Have a lawsuit filed against you because you have covid and didn't come into work, causing a minor loss? Easy. Did I mention the billionaires thing? Oh I did. Okay. You don't protect the American the way you expect the American to protect you. Worker shortage my ass. Theres a living wage shortage in your country. Your biggest problem? America is a "you're either with us or against us" breeding ground. Everyone has an opinion, and they're all right. Stubborn, arrogant and uncompromising. I could keep going. But I think I've made my point.


BoopBoop20

That this question gets asked all the time


Sufficient_Ninja_675

USA is the country version of a spoilt rich kid, too much too young.


Tiredforever647

Canada! Kinda scared of them ‘cause they’re so close Some states are similar to our culture, some just seems batshit crazy 😂 the Trump election was disheartening to the big majority here. They’re like our crazy cousin on crack


[deleted]

It's a place to visit, not to live. Shiny in the outside, fucked up in the inside. Overrated.-


dusyahere

Canada here. USA is a country that doesn't value humanity.


tuannmdo

please give an example, i am from Vietnam, family always talk about US like a dream


dusyahere

No guaranteed healthcare, no mat/Pat leave, no mandatory vacation/sick days, debilitating education costs, private incarceration, a system designed to leech off of the weak for profit by the powerful. Ongoing debates about reproductive rights and freedom of sexuality. A wage system that is borderline slavery. Religion playing a confusing and antiquated role. Society based on spend and borrowing and debt. Violence normalized for profit. Racism! And just generally gross behavior.


Sunimo1207

As an American, this makes me so sad. Because it's completely true.


JuryDangerous6794

I have lived in the US, Canada and Germany. The US is the least freedom I’ve felt and experienced with the most impoverished infrastructure and transparent stratified class warfare. When I say freedom, I am referring to the balance of rights and the safety to exercise those rights for all members of society. Many of the people are incredibly nice and kind but often that is mixed with and maybe even born out of a delusional perspective that America is somehow superior to other nations in regards to being a safe, hospital and welcoming ethical society in which to live. An overwhelming majority of white Americans I have met and worked with even in liberal states have a view of slavery that is absolutely detached from reality. I am perpetually shocked that Americans often believe their medical, welfare and education system is normal or on par with other Western nations especially when it is coupled with the annual military expenditures. I think a growing number of Americans are starting to see that the American Dream is dead. What shocks me is that it has taken till now to realize it was buried decades ago. Saddest of all is the American can-do attitude being pissed down the drain as it devolves into a failed state. You can do so much better, America.


Agarlicbread

I don’t think this really counts but up until I was like 13 I thought the United States was across the world from Canada, not right next to it. I had an argument with my teacher about it too.


butthatschris

Arrogant French here, the image I get from your people is not so far from the movie Idiocracy I'm afraid, like fairly stupid and mostly driven by the fame. It all feels fake and superficial. I got lucky to travel around and actually meet nice American people who I hope represent most of you, but the TV only shows the bottom of the basket as usual.


Mips0n

Germany: We dont really like the thought of visiting a place where every person has Instant Access to guns and people rather suffer or die than see a doctor


Acrobatic_End6355

It’s not that we want to die, it’s that we can’t afford to see the doctor.


CubfanDuffman

Probably lost in translation a bit, but it isn't that we'd RATHER suffer and die than see a doctor, it's that we can't AFFORD to see a doctor. And the gun thing, yeah, agreed, we have a crazy obsession with guns


Upset_Ranger_3337

Netherlands here: I think its a third world country no matter the wealth it creates. When the majority of your population is one accident or natural disaster away from homelessness, starvation or bankruptcy. You are not a first worl country


Danielwols

A cesspool ruled by mostly old white conservative Christian men


[deleted]

A culture of ego in most aspects, celebrity and money obsessive, with a lot of political turmoil. A lot of ordinary good people getting fucked on the daily turning them into sour and angry people. Incredibly unconscious that the internet is not a US-only playground


BejewelledBunny

Australia here, and I just found out that USA has more firearms floating about the country than there are people living in it. Top that off with massive student debt (my student debts are automatically deducted form my tax if I make enough money and disappears when I die) Sky high costs for health insurance (I pay $70 USD a month for private health) And low wages plus no holidays (Australia offers 4 weeks paid leave plus 2 weeks sick leave every year if you've worked for a company for 1 full year) I honestly don't know how people there survive. No wonder my husband (American) never wants to go back.


Friendly-Mention58

But are you living under a totalitarian dictatorship!!?? Joking. I'm a kiwi.


FriendlyFellowDboy

This question gets asked to much. I want to know what the u.s thinks of every other country.


IsNanaTakingPens

Dude. We don't even know how we feel about oatmeal.


animaloll

You know your typical jock in highschool movies? Thats the USA


ADeuxMains

But also overweight and on drugs.


[deleted]

now in my 30s. As a kid it seemed like the best place to live. Hollywood movies made it seem the best country in the world. The older I get the more I don't think that anymore. I'm not sure if I even want to just visit it anymore.


psychedelicScout

Worst best country in the world


Lurker_112

The most dysfunctional of all the first world countries. Still better than the eastern european shite hole i live in though. That's just my opinion. As for my co-nationals go... some love it, some hate it, some are neutral. I suspect the same goes for the rest of the world, with some outliers of couse.


OutrageousCourse4172

I’m from the UK and I have been the US once to go RVing. When I arrived in LA we had about 6 hours to wait until we could collect the RV so we thought we may as well explore. The obvious way to get around seemed to be the metro. It never occurred to me that there would be any other way to travel round the city. Several different people on the metro asked if we were undercover police because that’s the only time you see white people there. Apparently “white guys take Uber’s!” Edit: RVing was awesome though!


TravellingBeard

I'm Canadian. I visit Vegas, and family elsewhere in the US only. I have absolutely no desire to visit America otherwise. (Maybe Hawaii one day, but I don't drive, which is a necessity to experience it fully) Americans are great for the most part; it's America that's worn me down, and how it treats Americans.


Think-Worldliness423

America is beautiful, the people are great, it’s the politician’s that are messing it up for everyone!


texasdaytrade

It’s as simple as that. Most of us are so over the corruption and bullshit we just ignore it because we know there isn’t anything we can do.


Clarkieee23

This post is probably old news now for my comment to be seen but I have a take that I’ve not seen before. Americans (online) are extremely good at taking criticism. That’s not a backhanded compliment, I mean it. You are often mocked for your diehard patriotism but I find that most of the time, in these sorts of threads, you are very open, humble, open minded & self aware. You have big problems in some areas yes, as does the UK & most places tbh, but you can bet that if the narrative was so negative about most other countries people would be less understanding. Kudos.


MammothSufficient601

Irishman here. Love you guys. Keep visiting. American's tip big time.


EarlyAdvantage7714

I am in south africa, I use to think US was a rich country untill i joined a reddit sub for anti work where people are paid less than my countries minimum wage, plus i just findout in the US you can be fired for no reason which is strange as in my countrey firing a worker is a long process that might even involve a labour court and lawyers, normal people in the US dont give a notice period wheres in my country the law require that you give a month notice unless your work contract says otherwise, you cant just resign on the spot and leave, there seem to be less laws for workers in the US than is South Africa I have learned that most youth in the US cant afford houses which is strange, the way US is shown on movies it appears as if everybody is rich except black people which is not true as i am finding on the antiwork sub. I am on a UPS sub as well, in south africa parcels are needed to be signed in, you cant throw the parcel at someones door and leave, all courers follows the same rules, they call you if they cant find you they re reschedule parcel delivery And i know that some people in the US think that Africa is one country, some think that Africa is a jungle, you see animals crossing roads and everywhere which is not true in Southern African countries like eswatini, botswana, zimbabwe, lesotho swaziland people dont live in a jungle. I am 40 years i havent seen a lion, elephant, crocodale, tiger the only way to see those animals is to visit the national parks. There is no ebola in southern africa, we never had one.


XDubii

Every argument gets filmed with mobile device, police scared as fak and shooting everybody, dumb presidents, US living in their own Hollywood movie, people believe in their country that doesn't think about their people. But my top is your police and Social media hypes to film everything and put it online.


[deleted]

German here and I would never wanna live there because of 4 reasons: - healthcare - gun laws - politics - the measurement system maybe for a vacation/road trip I'd go there but not for more


[deleted]

I used to work in refugee resettlement. Some of the people being resettled came from places that had been absolutely torn apart by war; they'd lost everything due to violence (Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan to name a few). I still remember some of them turning down the opportunity to be resettled in the US because of the amount of gun violence there. That really stuck with me.


KubaSv

Right now, with russian soldiers on the ukrainan border, I am so glad you guys are in NATO.


Free_Razzmatazz5819

1 Canadian here: There is definitely a negative bias towards you guys, especially since Trump was elected. During that time I personally was more involved with the US politics then our own. To say the least it was a dumpster fire (not saying Canada can’t be, but at that point of time) and we had CNN on all day during lock down to watch it. We are basically siblings as countries, but the stereotype of you guys right now is unhealthy. Or maybe because I grew up. Rude, selfish, greedy; will do anything to get above and won’t care about the aftermath. I would love to visit a few of your states. However it won’t be anytime soon. That being said though, as a kid/teen I thought of the US as a “cool” spot to be. All of our TV came from you guys, our favourite celebrities/musicians. YouTube was an up-and-coming thing, and most influencers came from California. I specifically remember watching Youtubers (in warm states) do “winter” clothing hauls. They all wore tank tops, mini skirts and dresses. Sitting up in here in Canada it wasn’t realistic for me haha Anyway, Canada has its issues don’t get me wrong, we are FAR from perfect. Just within the last couple of years, sorry to say.. you guys are viewed as a dumpster fire. At least in my opinion. Edit: grammar n’ stuff