What do you dislike about Americans in general?

[BigBallinStalin]

Americans are quite different depending on where you are. It's hard to generalize.

yup, california is way different then georgia. but i do hate how americans stereo type. in cali ppl assumed i spoke english (i do and way better then my spanish) but in georgia most assume that i have an accent. they'll be like "ok you speak really good english". well duh i was born here

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When I was in San Francisco for a few weeks, I noticed how soft the white people there were (nearly all of them). I was very tempted to randomly yell, "HEYYYY! HOW ARE YA?!" with a crazed look, and then see if they shit their pants while running away. Other than them, the others seemed fine. But most of those white guys, they're weird, and not in a good way. It's a strange feeling.

Have you been to San Francisco and have you noticed something like this?

[BigBallinStalin]

Their arrogance.
Their propaganda.
Their government.
oh, and also their belief that Dr. Pepper is the greatest drink ever

Oh, I looked at your profile, and you've mistaken football for soccer.

(Is that what you're talking about? )

[karelpietertje]

I mostly dislike the fact that 85% of all americans is religious, and a lot of them are very Medieval about it too.
Click that link, and notice how the part about 'discrimination against atheists in the USA' is even bigger than 'discrimination against atheists in Islamic countries'

[Gypsys Kiss]

Calling football soccer is my biggest peeve. I have not and never will refer to it as soccer. I am not changing what I've called it all my life just because Americans nicked the fucking name.

Oh and when you say all Americans do you mean all of the Americas or just your slice?

[Woodruff]

Americans are quite different depending on where you are. It's hard to generalize.

yup, california is way different then georgia. but i do hate how americans stereo type. in cali ppl assumed i spoke english (i do and way better then my spanish) but in georgia most assume that i have an accent. they'll be like "ok you speak really good english". well duh i was born here

\

When I was in San Francisco for a few weeks, I noticed how soft the white people there were (nearly all of them). I was very tempted to randomly yell, "HEYYYY! HOW ARE YA?!" with a crazed look, and then see if they shit their pants while running away. Other than them, the others seemed fine. But most of those white guys, they're weird, and not in a good way. It's a strange feeling.

Have you been to San Francisco and have you noticed something like this?

I have, many times. And no, I have not.

[Woodruff]

I mostly dislike the fact that 85% of all americans is religious, and a lot of them are very Medieval about it too.
Click that link, and notice how the part about 'discrimination against atheists in the USA' is even bigger than 'discrimination against atheists in Islamic countries'

Not only did you reference Wikipedia, but you referenced STATISTICS ON WIKIPEDIA. That's gotta be like...illegal or something. It certainly should be.

[BigBallinStalin]

Calling football soccer is my biggest peeve. I have not and never will refer to it as soccer. I am not changing what I've called it all my life just because Americans nicked the fucking name.

Oh and when you say all Americans do you mean all of the Americas or just your slice?

By "Americans," I mean it in the definition that nearly the entire world's peoples mean when they say "Americans" (which is in reference to the people of the United States of America, if you need more clarification).

[alex951]

I mostly dislike the fact that 85% of all americans is religious, and a lot of them are very Medieval about it too.
Click that link, and notice how the part about 'discrimination against atheists in the USA' is even bigger than 'discrimination against atheists in Islamic countries'

Not only did you reference Wikipedia, but you referenced STATISTICS ON WIKIPEDIA. That's gotta be like...illegal or something. It certainly should be.

[john9blue]

I mostly dislike the fact that 85% of all americans is religious, and a lot of them are very Medieval about it too.
Click that link, and notice how the part about 'discrimination against atheists in the USA' is even bigger than 'discrimination against atheists in Islamic countries'

Maybe that's because atheism is a choice...

[Skittles!]

I mostly dislike the fact that 85% of all americans is religious, and a lot of them are very Medieval about it too.
Click that link, and notice how the part about 'discrimination against atheists in the USA' is even bigger than 'discrimination against atheists in Islamic countries'

That doesn't mean anything. Discrimination in Islamic countries is worse than that in the US, and there could be several reasons why it is smaller.

[pimpdave]

Me: "Excuse me, would it be possible for you to perhaps get me a taxi please?"
Recep: "Well Sir, do you want a taxi?"
Me: "Well yes, thank you"
Recep: "It would be a pleasure Sir"

I guarantee you that receptionist was thinking "Yeah pal, of course it's possible. Do you want it or not?"

Back when I first started working in New York, a mentor of mine gave me some sage advice. He said, "In this town, you don't ask, you don't get. So have some balls and get to the point."

While I'm sure that's true in many places, I've come to value being direct. All of that nuance and "politeness", while beautiful and underappreciated/underused in many ways, seems to be a holdover of societies with very distinct class systems. In America, we're all supposed to be equal. I think that's helped shape how the language has developed here (for better or worse) and has led to how direct we are, especially in a city as crowded as NYC.

Also, in New York, there's definitely a "siege mentality". Once you get past that barrier, people can be the friendliest most wonderful people you'll meet anywhere. But until then, out on the street, you either don't exist (i.e. you're a possible crazy person with whom no sane person should make eye contact, since that would acknowledge your existence) or you're just taking up space (i.e. in the way).

Finally, is it possible for someone in a similar position in England to make as much in a year as an American but working less hours? Are we killing ourselves for nothing?

[pimpdave]

1. The South.
2. That retarded "honor culture" in the South and Appalachia.
3. Alabama.
4. Sarah Palin's book sales.
5. Fallout Boy (and any other pop punk band).
6. The Drudge Report/TMZ.
7. Glenn Beck and his retarded minions.
8. Twitter (except for this one).
9. General Motors.
10. The meat grinder of the media (what they did to Richard Jewell and others).

[BigBallinStalin]

1. The South.
2. That retarded "honor culture" in the South and Appalachia.

"Dem's fightin words, boy."

"Honor culture." That's a new concept for a Southern Gentlemen like me, please expand on that one.

[Army of GOD]

This is f****** America. If you don't f******* like it then you can get the f*** out of my f****** house you motherf********.






America sucks.

[Skoffin]

I dislike arrogance as it is, but American arrogance seems to have its own special sort of outrage to it.
To be fair though, I dislike humans in general anyway.

[Pedronicus]

Their flag waving patriotism bollox and their rabid refusal to live without guns.

[pimpdave]

1. The South.
2. That retarded "honor culture" in the South and Appalachia.

"Dem's fightin words, boy."

"Honor culture." That's a new concept for a Southern Gentlemen like me, please expand on that one.

Yeah, see, that's exactly what I'm talking about. "Dem's fightin words." It's all so retarded. There was a psychological study done about this, wherein undergrad students were sent from one room to another, and had to walk down a hall to get there. On the way, a grad student (in on the study) would be trying to get files out of a filing cabinet that was also in the hallway. But the area was too narrow, and so to get by, the guy looking for files would have to close the drawer and get out of the way.

As the undergrad passed, the guy looking for files, who made clear the entire time the person was coming down the hall that he was having a bad day with his body language and muttering, would get out of the way and say "asshole", as the person passed.

The southerners (especially the ones from Appalachia -- where, remember, the Hatfields and McCoys happened, along with way more blood feuds per capita than any other region on this continent -- seriously, look it up. There's something about living in the hills...) would all get incredibly upset (as measured by blood pressure and heart rate upon reaching their destination), whereas the northerners would actually be calmed by it. Many arrived at the destination laughing.

The point is, we in the north recognize the situation for what it is, someone having a bad day and allowing it to manifest the wrong way. We laugh at them for being so ridiculous. Or else we're relieved that the crazy person in the hallway stopped at saying "asshole" and didn't flip out some other way (because, after all, we've seen it all).

The southerners think it's directed at them, and are all, "dem's fightin' words".


EDIT: this post is really sloppy, and I'm just way too tired to even begin to clean it up now, so deal with it, people.

[Aradhus]

That is fascinating, Pimpdave. Interesting post.

Their flag waving patriotism bollox and their rabid refusal to live without guns.

I'm onboard with the patriotism hating. Patriotism is absurd, it amounts to being manipulated by a bunch of accidents and other peoples achievments. And it seems that Americans are more patriotic than most, and from what I've seen I think it borders on brainwashing.

[john9blue]

Hey pimpdave, do you think what you're saying is racism? Or is it worse because both groups are from the same country?

[notyou2]

The fact they say spout they are the greatest nation on earth yet know next to noting about the rest of the world.

[Frigidus]

1. The South.

Oh, well that goes without saying.

[pimpdave]

The fact they say spout they are the greatest nation on earth yet know next to noting about the rest of the world.

Shut up Canada. Don't hate on us just cause you were too pussy to tell King George where to stuff it.

[alex951]

The fact they say spout they are the greatest nation on earth yet know next to noting about the rest of the world.

Shut up Canada. Don't hate on us just cause you were too pussy to tell King George where to stuff it.

[Woodruff]

The southerners think it's directed at them, and are all, "dem's fightin' words".

Umm...just a minor quibble. But the guy saying "asshole" IS directing it at them.

[john9blue]

And New Englanders don't care about what anyone else but themselves thinks.

Southerners are usually hospitable and treat people with respect, expecting the same from others. Tbh I would have gotten mad at the guy. The study seems to put New Englanders in a not entirely positive light imo...

Now can we talk about the actual issues instead of a hypothetical anecdotal study?