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America’s influence around the world remains undeniable, whether through films, music, or consumer brands. However, many facets of its culture may seem confusing to those outside the United States.
This was a recent topic of discussion in a Threads post where someone asked about American habits and customs that British people might find weird. Some were baffled by the healthcare-related bankruptcies, while others questioned the obsession with weapons and the military.
For other non-Americans with similar sentiments, feel free to voice them in the comments below.
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#2
Expecting customers to subsidise staff wages in restaurants.
#3
Electing a clearly crooked and insane president, twice.
Skywitness 8 hours ago
I lived in Germany for 3 years and wondered how the German people could have ever followed Hitler. I have a much better idea now.
#4
Throwing a tantrum to get a perfectly correct red card overturned.
Jane Doe-Doe 9 hours ago
Temper tantrum trump throws a hissy fit about a game he knows nothing about
#5
Obsession with the military.
#6
100% belief in American Exceptionalism.
persephone134 8 hours ago
That's because it's spoonfed into them from an early age onwards. Schools, the media, politics, ... they are all harping on the same theme.
#7
Obsession with religion.
Multa Nocte (she/her/86 47) 9 hours ago
Obsession with pushing one's own religion onto others.
#10
Pledging allegiance to the flag at every opportunity and singing the national anthem at seemingly every group gathering
#11
The price on the item you are buying, isn't the final price.
#13
Chemical food.
Jane Doe-Doe 9 hours ago
Yes, their bread would be classed as cake in a lot of other countries
#14
Voting a reality TV host in as president.
#16
World series... "World"...
#17
Excessive Nationalistic propaganda easily on a par with North Korea: ‘We are the GREATEST in the world at absolutely everything’
Jane Doe-Doe 9 hours ago
I watched a YouTube video earlier with someone reading ‘ s**t Americans say ‘ and a lot were about how America was the greatest country in the world and EVERYONE wants to move there 😂😂😂
#18
The concept of other countries having a different currency is completely alien to them.
#20
Being afraid to go to the doctor because it might bankrupt you.
StrangeOne 5 hours ago
I don't think one visit to the doctor, even in the USA is going to financially c*****e anyone. Isn't there a low income program that helps people get medical care if they can't afford it? Don't Americans pay into employee health insurance benefits?
#21
No women's rights;
No workers' rights.
sweetpea 8 hours ago
During a tour of a Ford factor discussing the impact of his tariffs, a worker yelled at him about hiding the epstein files, as a worker and human he is aloud to do this. here is Trump, the President of the United States responding and afterwards tried to have him fired. (As Trump walked along a factory catwalk, 40-year-old worker TJ Sabula shouted criticism at the president, reportedly calling him a "pedophile protector" in reference to the Jeffrey Epstein case files) *In cell phone footage, Trump can be seen pointing, mouthing "f--- you" twice, and raising his middle finger*
#22
"Tell your doctor you demand THIS medicine!" adverts on TV
persephone134 8 hours ago
If you listen to local American radio stations, you will be bombarded with ads for medicine / local pharmacies, but also lawyers and car dealers. Those seem to be in high demand.
#23
At the moment, nothing is normal in the US
#24
Obsession with flags.
#26
Bread that tastes sweet and cheese that has a weird plastic consistency 😝
#27
Underpaying waiting staff and mandatory tipping to give them a liveable wage.
StrangeOne 4 hours ago
That's just part of the American capitalism. Everyone is trying to take, take, take as much as they can, even if it means leaving others with little or nothing.
#28
Being sure America is the greatest country in the world when you’ve never been abroad.
Tabitha 42 minutes ago (edited)
After this summer, with the World Cup tourists actually coming to and personally experiencing the real America, it’s been a revelation to them that the US is enormous and diverse, and in most places, really not at all like their countries’ media portrays it. So many of them have also said they fully understand why so many Americans don’t leave their own country—-because they really don’t have to, in order to experience places that are completely different (in many places, that includes the language spoken locally) to where they live. Add to that just simple distance. A European just has to take a short train ride to be in another country. An American has to spend hours flying to achieve the same thing—-and I mean a North American, as people living close to either border can easily cross them without a long trip. However, most areas in one of the countries bordering us speaks the same language and we’re also very culturally similar to each other, so it’s an extremely easy transition. But if we want to see anywhere else, such as any of the countries in Europe, it’s a very long, and very expensive, plane ride, which is out of reach of a lot of people.
#29
Instead of protecting kids in school, y’all just have drills.
For kids.
Like, little kids.
“Well, it’s going to happen, so sit under a desk. Cool, we get our funding now.“
WTH?
Jane Doe-Doe 9 hours ago
I still can’t wrap my head around that, little children having ‘ school shooter’ drills
#30
Politicians 'hearing messages from God.'
Skywitness 8 hours ago
If you talk to God that's called prayer. If God talks to you, that's schizophrenia.
#31
Working late and not taking holidays.
StrangeOne 4 hours ago
Those are one thing. It's those who think of it as a flex to work that much extra who are on a whole other level.
#34
Equating basic vaguely socialist ideas as extremist left wing notions.
#35
Pharmaceutical adverts on TV.
Skywitness 8 hours ago
How else will you know what new, likely ineffective, prescription will bankrupt you?
#36
Insurance culture, expensive healthcare provision, lack of annual leave or maternity leave.
#37
The 'American Dream'.
#38
Poor public transport.
Tabitha 21 minutes ago (edited)
Again, you need to take into account the SIZE and distances between cities in the US. Yes, in the tri-state area around New York City, with so many people commuting to jobs on that tiny island, you HAVE to have decent public transportation. However, they also drive their personal cars to the train station. If they don’t live in the city, they need their cars. Granted, traffic jams and exhaust aren’t a sustainable alternative. But right now, it’s all we have. Come up with a feasible solution, or invent a cleaner alternative, and the majority will use it, believe me, and we’ll work on bringing the knuckledraggers into the 21st Century as well.
#39
Being asked for ID to buy cigarettes,when you're in your 60s.
StrangeOne 4 hours ago
This is many places that have age limit laws to obtain controlled, adult only products, like liquor, tobacco products, vape products, lottery and cannabis. It's just the clerks doing their job. Some people look old for their age. Some look young for their age.
#40
The idea that everyone wants to live in the US/be American.
#41
The incredibly long paying process which involves the bank card being taken away, a pen, and calculations.
StrangeOne 4 hours ago
No one will be grabbing my bank card and taking it away. If a bank finds out you allowed someone to take your card when you report a fraudulent charge, they may deem you complicate and may not help you get your money back.
#42
Saying thank you for your service to random military people and those military people expecting preferential treatment on planes etc.
#43
Drive in everything.
Also fake cheese with everything.
And also the friendliness of the people. Can be a bit overwhelming to us cold Northern Europeans
Tabitha 8 minutes ago
Consideringm the layout of most of our cities, drive ins are a nice convenience. Fake cheese is not on everything. You are able to choose real cheese of you want it. We just have different versions available for every taste, every dietary need, and every price point. You not only get what you choose, you also get what you pay for.
#45
Things being inaccessible on foot.
#46
Drive-though everything, including banks.
#47
The high water level in the toilets.
Skywitness 8 hours ago
TBF I never did get used to the "continental shelf" when I lived in Germany.
#50
Waiters who keep pestering you.
StrangeOne 3 hours ago
Doing check ins every minute is too much. Once during the meal is just fine. Being ignored is worse.
#52
The huge portion sizes in restaurants with the intention of taking leftovers home.
StrangeOne 4 hours ago
I'm sure the prices wouldn't be so extra if the portions were more reasonable.
#53
Service staff (even in fast food restaurants) calling you sir or ma'am. It's weird.
#58
Ranch dressing.
SouthernGal 4 hours ago
You’ll have to pry my bottle of Ranch dressing out of my cold d**d hands. I love it!
#59
Crushed ice.
What do you think ?
Mari 9 hours ago
I am sorry American friends but your clownesk president made the whole nation unpopular in the rest of the world.
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