British thoughts on Americans

[Simonov]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q566ys0sqVQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlGnaHWVLDA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0mjZR8-vw0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyMY_Ek35J8

[Iz Man]

- Mainstream American beer is weak, tasteless lager.

The rest of this thread is pointless, but you opened this door so I will call you out on it.

I will preface this by assuming you are referring to Budweiser, Miller & Coors (heretofore to be known as BMC).
I agree from a taste standpoint, because I too am not very fond of BMC; however, this cannot be a relevant argument as everyone has different tastes and they cannot be judged.

10% of ALL the world's beer consumption is Budweiser, a "Mainstream American beer". No other brewery in the world can claim anything close to that. They must be doing something right.

Weak? Hardly in terms of alcohol content.
Budweiser is 5.0% Alcohol By Volume (ABV).
Compare this to Guiness (delicious, I might add) at ~4.2%,
A common English Mild Ale sits <4%,
Stella Artois, a very popular Belgian lager comes in at 5.2%,
and popular English ESB's, bitters, and IPA's come in around 5.0% or lower.

So BMC, or "Mainstream American beer", holds its own against any other beer in the world.

Now as far as taste in the American craftbrew/microbrew brews vs. English brews goes, well, that's just a whole other argument.......

[magneticgoop]

I think the reason why we are egotistical (yes i often become egotistical about the US) is we often do a lot of good we don't get recognized for. it is almost like you can talk bad about your own family but once someone else does then it is a problem. we aren't all egotistical air heads we just get frustrated that we are only recognized if something goes wrong

[Balsiefen]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q566ys0sqVQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlGnaHWVLDA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0mjZR8-vw0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyMY_Ek35J8

Lets face it, making fun out of americans is like shooting fish in a barrel.

[firth4eva]

their ignorance at not knowing there was a jersey, york, hampshire etc.
just thinking there was new york etc.

[The1exile]

US comedy is, by and large, rubbish on truly German levels.

[hecter]

Iz Man, I find that all the BMC beers (and like beers, such as Blue and Canadian) are a vile substance, and actually make me downright sick. However, I don't think that you can really say that %5 really makes a strong beer. Most of the beers I've had are %5. Anyway, there are many other beers out there (especially the "light" beers) which are extremely weak, and seemed to be consumed in great quantities in the US.

[Iz Man]

Iz Man, I find that all the BMC beers (and like beers, such as Blue and Canadian) are a vile substance, and actually make me downright sick. However, I don't think that you can really say that %5 really makes a strong beer. Most of the beers I've had are %5. Anyway, there are many other beers out there (especially the "light" beers) which are extremely weak, and seemed to be consumed in great quantities in the US.

I understand what you're saying, but its not my point.
I'm not contending that 5% is strong, what I'm saying is that it is comparable to the majority of the popular beers consumed worldwide in terms of ABV. Given more Bud is sold worldwide than any other beer, it stands to reason that it is not "weak" when compared to the norm. It's not a Barley Wine, sure, but its not an English Mild either.
"Light" beers tend to be weaker in ABV, calories, & taste, yes, but that's what they're supposed to be, and they are consumed in great quantities world wide, not just the U.S.; and that popularity warrants praise, even if these brews don't have the "full taste" of a Scotch Ale, English Barley Wine, or a German Bock.

[AndrewLC]

I was born in the UK but now live in the U.S. Americans are pretty damn ignorant. I was once asked what language they speak in ENGLAND. Also, they always tell me how they "Saved our ass in WW2"

[Arbustos]

Really, where in hell do you meet these people? I'm from what's generally regarded as the second-stupidest state, and I still don't see ignorance of that magnitude except on specialized TV shows (here's looking at you, Street Smarts).

And stop hijacking the thread into a discussion about the varying strengths of poison

[Avron]

About America specifically ..
- I think it has a poor welfare system. Extremely poor. How many disadvantaged people in New Orleans were given assistance?
- The US also has a shocking "healthcare" system which leaves the poor with no financial security whatsoever, which IMO is very wrong.
- the US seems to be far more religiously influenced than the UK; the UK isn't perfect, of course, but considering there's no separation of church & state here the amount of influence that religious groups hold in US politics is pretty scary
- The US seems to not be that bothered about abusing human rights
- US history lessons are at most 300 years ago, whereas in the UK they go back somewhat further ... not necessarily better or worse, but definitely different
- The US has something of an 'I'll sue you for such and such' culture
- US comedy is, by and large, rubbish on truly German levels. With a few odd exceptions - the older Simpsons episodes & Family Guy are prime examples.
- Mainstream American beer is weak, tasteless lager.


Having been in both for a while, I can honestly say I'd much rather live in the UK than the US.

-Our welfare system is beyond poor, its a cesspool of corruption and it does shit to help people out. They give people so little money that they can barley survive, sometimes they still don't have enough(this is often the case) and they have to take out loan after loan and they bury them self in debt.

-Don't even get into the health care thing. Hell I think thats one thing even Americans know is horrible.

-Religious influence in this country, is astronomical huge and thats very bad. The "World Leaders" that come from the U.S., By that I mean the ones that come solely out of the U.S., are often quoted about doing things biased on religious feeling. I mean if your not a in a "wholesome Christian family" I don't think you stand a chance ever running in politics. Political immunities, tax immunities, benefits and more. So many things granted, this country honestly puts religion before the needy.

-Well U.S history is, but most U.S. history is flawed(but thats common in all countries, history is always skewed in your textbooks depending on the country you come from and thats a fact, I don't care where you live). Hell when I took it I must have pointed out 20 or 30 glaring mistakes in like the first semester. But like you said just having more to teach is not for better or worse, but still you think we would get a better cover of it due to the fact that theres less to teach.

- I don't really know what to say here, your right I guess?

- Thats a personal stand point, You where most likely raised with the form of comedy presented in Europe. The large differences make you think its "rubbish" but thats a view I'm sure held by many with the same regards to your comedy.

I was born in the UK but now live in the U.S. Americans are pretty damn ignorant. I was once asked what language they speak in ENGLAND. Also, they always tell me how they "Saved our ass in WW2"

The bold part makes me want to cry a little.
That argument can be had else where, and we know its not true =D.

[Arbustos]

Oh yeah, if you want to point out premium, intelligent American comedy, Family Guy isn't the first option I'd go for Even here it's considered stupid (albeit funny).

[unriggable]

I love reading this junk. Almost none of it is true...then again I live in Boston, so go figure.

Pride, I havent met many people so stubborn they say that America has not made any mistakes.

Beer....Sam Adams has flavor. But I agree european beer is better

[nagerous]

I love reading this junk. Almost none of it is true...then again I live in Boston, so go figure.

Pride, I havent met many people so stubborn they say that America has not made any mistakes.

Beer....Sam Adams has flavor. But I agree european beer is better

Building on firths point, it should be called New Boston as it is named after its British counterpart

[Balsiefen]

I love reading this junk. Almost none of it is true...then again I live in Boston, so go figure.

Pride, I havent met many people so stubborn they say that America has not made any mistakes.

Beer....Sam Adams has flavor. But I agree european beer is better

Building on firths point, it should be called New Boston as it is named after its British counterpart

Ya, i live near Boston, its quite a nice place, I also live near a New York UK so New York US should be New New York

[muy_thaiguy]

I love reading this junk. Almost none of it is true...then again I live in Boston, so go figure.

Pride, I havent met many people so stubborn they say that America has not made any mistakes.

Beer....Sam Adams has flavor. But I agree european beer is better

Building on firths point, it should be called New Boston as it is named after its British counterpart

How about no? Here in the US, you can find several towns with the same name as each other (sometimes even in the same state).

[unriggable]

I think every state except Hawai has a town called sprngfield.

[muy_thaiguy]

I think every state except Hawai has a town called sprngfield.

Wyoming doesn't, and if I'm not mistaken Colorado too.

[Iz Man]

Beer....Sam Adams has flavor. But I agree european beer is better

You don't know much about American beer then.......
Which is weird because bean town is a hot bed for great brew pubs.
I would urge you to get out and try some of your local product.
Boston Beer Works comes to mind.....

[OnlyAmbrose]

I was born in the UK but now live in the U.S. Americans are pretty damn ignorant. I was once asked what language they speak in ENGLAND.

If you're going to judge America by a retard (anyone who doesn't know England's language would have to be) then I'll just take your opinion of us with a grain of salt.

Also, they always tell me how they "Saved our ass in WW2"

I'd say you'd probably have had a much harder time at winning if we weren't around. I think Sir Winston Churchill would agree most heartily.

[Fircoal]

I think the reason why we are egotistical (yes i often become egotistical about the US) is we often do a lot of good we don't get recognized for. it is almost like you can talk bad about your own family but once someone else does then it is a problem. we aren't all egotistical air heads we just get frustrated that we are only recognized if something goes wrong

not everyone is egotistical about the US that lives in it. I live in the US and it sucks. (Well in a way, it isn't that bad. But we are morons. ) Well some stereotypes are a bit true. Also I don't get offended if you call the USA ignorant. In fact I find it more insulting if someone disses Pikachu, or some of the things I like.

[Hitman079]

what about cross-dressers?

[AlgyTaylor]

I have one quick question for those of you that have commented so far. If you have been to the US, what part of it did you visit/live in? Because you will see it's a bit different in the mid West then the East Coast or the West Coast. And then there are the States themselves.

I spent just over a month in the US - spent a week in Maryland (Washington DC), a week in California (Long Beach) and then 2 weeks traveling all over the place.

The Grand Canyon was nothing short of spectacular, probably the most breathtaking thing I've ever seen. Absolutely impossible to take it all in at once, I'd absolutely love to visit there again.

Found that people on the west coast seemed to be more laid back/friendly than people in the east coast, although maybe it was just the people I met - who knows.

One thing that shocked me was the wages that some people were getting were so low it was unthinkable - and this was before the minimum wage was introduced to the UK! I don't bear to think what it must be like to have a low paid job there.

There's a lot of things that I do like about the US, it's just a shame that they're totally outweighed by a few things that to me are totally unacceptable.

[AlgyTaylor]

Oh, good things about the US:
- The reason for it's existence
- The constitution
- Separation of church and state
- I quite like the way that the US Federal government works over state government, I think that's a brilliant set up and should be replicated everywhere. But with a better voting system.

[Neutrino]

Also, they always tell me how they "Saved our ass in WW2"

I'd say you'd probably have had a much harder time at winning if we weren't around. I think Sir Winston Churchill would agree most heartily.

The US would have had a 'fun' time of it if the UK, for some odd reason, never got involved.

Hell, both of you would have had the living crap kicked out of you if Russia didn't get involved.

Shows who you should be saying "Saved our ass in WW2" too.