Get Premium
Dark mode theme is available exclusively for premium users. Learn more about the benefits of subscribing.
No fees, cancel anytime.
Dark Mode 
No fees, cancel anytime 
Even though both Europe and the USA belong to the Western World and agree on most fundamental democratic principles, they don't see eye-to-eye on everything. According to a recent study, Americans and Europeans often have different perspectives on the way of life - individualism, the role of government, free expression, religion, and morality.
However, Reddit user IBringTheGinger wanted to know how these differences manifest themselves in everyday life. So they created a post, asking Europeans to list the funny problems that are too American for them to understand. It immediately blew up, and, as of this article, has nearly 64K upvotes and 57,5K comments. Scroll down to read some of the most popular first world problems and let us know if you agree with them!
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Here is one I can't understand:
Strong violence on tv: No one bats an eye...
Nipple slip: Everybody loses their minds.
"Since Reddit is US-centric, I've seen many posts and comments about problems that seemed typically American to me such as being broke because of student debt or postponing going to the doctor because you can't afford it. So I was curious to see if other Europeans like myself ever felt the same way or if they had heard about other 'American problems' that I didn't know about," IBringTheGinger told Bored Panda.
RELATED:
#2
Why doesn't the guy with the most votes just win the election?
John L 4 years ago
The American system, isn't an actual democracy. It's a republic.
Load More Replies...
Isidien Gudmundsdottir 4 years ago
Because, due to the electoral voting, it's NOT who wins the most votes, it's he/she who does the best gerrymandering in the districts because it's all about who gets the most electoral votes. The very rule put in place to avoid dishonesty has been turned into a complete dishonest thing.
Kimberly Young 4 years ago
I'm American (unfortunately) and I agree that it's complete nonsense.
Perpetual Peripheral Persons 4 years ago
Their reasoning is "It would be Mob Rule!" Sorry, but the "Mob" (Public) sounds better than whoever is Pulling Strings right now
Eel Music 4 years ago
... because we don't want the people in small towns to be made into serfs. The electoral college method makes it so big cities do not have a voting advantage!
K.Kobayashi 4 years ago
But why should your vote count more than mine, just because you live in a small state?
Load More Replies...
Paul Jordan 4 years ago
Coz then Donald Trump wouldn't have won. Ironically, Trump has been on record as saying that the Collegiate System is anti democratic. Bet he loves it now though... as Hillary Clinton won more people votes than Trump.
elfin 4 years ago
That's after we get rid of all the voter suppression and Russian interference.
Ruth Beaty 4 years ago
America is not actually a democracy, it is a republic run on (hopefully) democratic principles. And I don't mean as in the sense of two parties with those names. The names just evolved that way. I mean in the original Greek/Latin sense of the words.
Dan Fawber 4 years ago
So cities like New York City, Philly, and other cities with high populations don't control the country.
Pug Pug 4 years ago
Because our founding fathers didn't trust the common idiot to make the right choice so they created the stupid electoral college which makes sure that we will never have any real control
Victoria Yaste 4 years ago
the electoral college - which are the votes that matter - are voted for by rich relatives of the local government. it was invented so that slavers could get more votes from their slaves. generally a nightmare
Eddie 4 years ago
Because then candidates wouldn't care about the rest of the country and only focus on New York, Texas and California.
Christina Uhlir 4 years ago (edited)
.....but in those states - NY, TX, CA are both democratic and republican districts, and the will of the people should be honored and the rule of majority should count, especially when each state has right to govern itself and only will of the people of that state is considered. The laws of the federal government shall be based on prudent judgement - what's good for the entire country not for an individual state.
Load More Replies...
Josh Yates 4 years ago
I don't care where you're from but I see a lot of complainers throughout this entire article. Being negative and generalizing anything is ignorant and shows your intelligence. You talk about how bad Americans all are yet you are the one taking time out of your day to express negativity. Maybe get away from technology and do something good.
Thomas Durkin 4 years ago
The reason that the person with the most votes wins because 5 states out of 50 would have the major vote due to their heavy populations. That is why the founding fathers came up with the electoral college so everyone in every state had their votes mean something.
Hugo Raible 4 years ago
Many European countries have similar elements in their democracy. Bundesrat in Germany, the Ständerat in Switzerland.
Gwen Wrich 4 years ago
Because the President of the United States is supposed to represent diversity. Not just mob rule. The diversity of all the different regions, states, economic concerns, federal lands, geographic borders, resources, rural, urban. We are a REPRESENTATIVE REPUBLIC. NOT a democracy.
Christina Uhlir 4 years ago
The democracy is the rule by the people represented by elected officials, so U.S. is a Democratic Republic.
Load More Replies...
Lisa Weibel 4 years ago
Or when you vote for something so important you need to win both. States and people vote, we in swiss do it that way. Sure you may need to revote till you get a president but would be worth it.
Lindsay J 4 years ago
Jesus the Americans here - It's because we're a republic, not a democracy.
Christina Uhlir 4 years ago
A Republic can be governed by totalitarian regime or a Republic can by governed by it's people through representation, so USA are a Democratic Republic!!!!
Load More Replies...
Tiny Dynamine 4 years ago
You want to start talking about corruption in US politics? How many years have you got free? E.g. Trump didn't get kicked out of office because there were enough liars on his side to sway the vote. Then everyone just carries on.
Alberto do Vale 4 years ago
To be honest, its perfectly possible to win an election and not be abble to form a government. See Portugal's exemple for that matter.
Carolina Fernández González 4 years ago
This one is always confusing.... I don't get why you do that.
Phil DeBlanc 4 years ago
Like many of the ills that plague America, racism is at the heart of that: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/11/electoral-college-racist-origins/601918/
Christina Uhlir 4 years ago
Phil, why didn't black voters turn out to vote in big numbers in 2016, as they did in 2008 and 2012??? Because they believe that Trump is not racist who calls African countries a s--t holes?
Load More Replies...
I’m Foxxy and I know it 😉 4 years ago (edited)
I was shocked when I found out how the voting system works in the US. It is seriously flawed. If I remember rightly a states votes didn’t even get taken into account at the last election. Can’t remember why though but every persons (legal age and citizens) vote should count.
Falcon 4 years ago
From what I understood is that each state has a representative that ultimately makes the decision. So the state can vote one way, but the representative can go another. I'm assuming it's so populism doesn't win and the vote goes to somebody competent, but judging from the previous one... not so much. I might be wrong though. 🤔
Load More Replies...
Thien Nhat La 2 years ago
Imagine if in the UN, the vote is based on the number of people instead of one country one vote. China would be deciding everything.
Larry Sprott 3 years ago
Because he’s representing of all the United States, not just the largest states with the most population.
Louise Brigance 4 years ago
Huh...funny you should ask, we've been asking the same question for almost four years now.
Alejandra Dayton 4 years ago
It was designed to keep the majority from oppressing the minority - so Los Angeles and New York don’t rule the entire country. Kind of like how blue Portland dictates everything for the rest of the primarily red Oregon. 🤷♀️ Also, the United States is not a democracy. It is a constitutional republic. Not enough people study civics...
Christina Uhlir 4 years ago
Every state has it's own government. The federal government should make laws which are good for the entire country not for individual state.
Load More Replies... 
Diana Hockley 4 years ago
Because they have the Electoral College system which was devised to make sure that the majority doesn't win unless they're Republican.
Jace 4 years ago
Is the USA the only self-proclaimed democracy to actually work as a republic? I thought this was more common. There are actual concerns with direct democracy, in that you can end up with “the tyranny of the majority”. Our “electoral votes” are supposed to be what PROTECTS us from s**t like trump, but instead it has given us at least two presidents who didn’t win the popular vote. All I know is I didn’t break it and I’m voting for the most anti-corporate Democrat offered in the next election (and that’s not to say I like that party much more than the other duopoly party).
Christina Uhlir 4 years ago
Joyce, it comes down to voter turn out; conservative republicans and the religious right are more disciplined and show up to vote for their interests, while those who could benefit from progressive agendas, usually pushed by democrats, don't even bother to vote.
Load More Replies...
Octopus Messiah 4 years ago
With W and Trump, it's the guy cuts to the front of the queue the fastest. 1/3 of the voters are angry he q-jumped, 1/3 see it as inspirational and 1/3 of the people are on their phones. The teller gives them a pass.
Id row 4 years ago
I couldn't agree more. I could have voted 2 billion times and it wouldn't have made a difference. In fact, my one vote made no difference. They really need to get rid of the Electoral College. We wouldn't have been saddled with dum dum Bush or the cheeto if it was a true democracy. Let the people decide as it should be.
BingeFest1 4 years ago
It's to make sure every voice across the country is heard. If it was just majority rules, politicians would only focus on big cities, develop a mob mentality, and basically tell smaller states like Wyoming and Delaware to f off
Victoria Yaste 4 years ago
They already tell the more populated states to f**k off. Wyoming is a nightmare state, anyways. Every single time I've ever been there I've seen a dozen anti-abortion bill-boards
Load More Replies...
Sam Kunz 4 years ago
Because of the Electoral College which ensures that the vote in Omaha has the same weight as the vote in Los Angeles. In other words, if we went purely by popular vote, the President would always be picked by California and New York Voters. I didn't understand it at first either, but then I went to college and studied Political Science. Sometimes, a little education, goes a long way.
Christina Uhlir 4 years ago
...but in CA and NY people have a choice too, they do not vote for the same candidate. I understand that the Electoral College system was pushed by the Southern states out of fear that their slavery would be overturned and deemed illegal. It's time for change.
Load More Replies...
Dean Wolterman 4 years ago
Because the population of 5 cities would then decide the election over the rest of the entire country...not happening.
Carol Storts 4 years ago
Because America is a Republic, not a Democracy. Mob rule doesn’t work here. Only laws and our constitution.
Zillyboy 4 years ago
It's like the disabilities act, you give some advantage to the weak. In this case, it's so that California and New York can't completely rule our elections, and it's brilliant.
Molly Block 4 years ago
Hillary Clinton would be our amazing President right now instead of this jack*ss we have in the oval office, this hate filled bigot, because of the damn Electoral College! What a bunch of b.s.!
Carol Emory 4 years ago
It's electoral votes. The public votes for who they want for a candidate, then the electoral college is the fat cats who ignore us on the bottom and vote for who they want. We are trying to get the electoral votes abolished. But it's hard to run an election when you have over 160 million people voting.
Paul B. Jones 4 years ago
Because it isn't a fair system for our smaller states.....the system we have now levels the playing field.....
jknbt jknbt 4 years ago
we have representative government here, not town-hall style government...
Nancy Roccapriore 4 years ago
Because California and New York would elect the person into office.
ArmyDog07 4 years ago
It's because the more populated states like New York, California, etc, would dictate who the president would be, that is why we have the electoral college. Read a damn book!
Christina Uhlir 4 years ago
Maybe the damn book assumed that voters are educated and rational in every state.
Load More Replies...
Jeff Boone 4 years ago
Because direct democracy is a proven failed system. Even Brexit, voted for by the majority, was resisted by the minority.
WilvanderHeijden 4 years ago
The UK left Europe, just as the majority wanted. How is that proof of a failed system?
Load More Replies...
Anon Yymi 4 years ago
People get to vote, thus their voice IS heard. Why does empty land in the US have more voting power than actual people?
Load More Replies...The amount of attention their post got really surprised IBringTheGinger. "From what I've seen on r/AskReddit, how many upvotes you get can be extremely random depending on the day and hour you post at and there's nothing you can do about it. I never managed to get past like 300 upvotes before. Almost 60k comments is just crazy."
Even though they knew a lot of the things that were mentioned in the replies such as problems in the healthcare system or excessive swearing-censoring on the TV, they made IBringTheGinger understand the different culture better. "I learned about others and seeing all those issues combined in one place really made me realize I'd never want to chase the American dream myself. Well, not if I wouldn't be hugely compensated for it at least, like a job offer or something. But I doubt that would ever happen anyway."
#4
Why tipping is considered part of someone's paycheck.
Perpetual Peripheral Persons 4 years ago
So the Customers have to feel Guilt about Poverty, not the Employers
#5
You Americans eat like you've got free health care.
Isidien Gudmundsdottir 4 years ago
Have you seen the ridiculous large portions we get here? In most European countries that's considered a meal for at least a family of 4 at minimum!
#6
Why the big amount of flat-earth and antivax people?? Is your education system not doing well??
Perpetual Peripheral Persons 4 years ago
The Flat Earth Society exists across the globe- ahem, disc... :D
#8
21 Drinking age like whaaaat you can vote , go join the army , get married , have children and drive but you're too immature to drink ???!!???!
#9
The idolization of politicians. They are public servants, similar to a courthouse clerk or a city hall coordinator. They are not rock stars. You don't need to scream their name, buy their merch, fully commit your life to them and believe everything they say. Just... treat them like public servants. Sure, they get power and position but hold them accountable when they abuse it. Don't let corporations and politicians take over, the political system is created by the people, FOR the people. It just... boggles the mind.
#10
Not being able to afford to study
Not being able to afford to pay medical bills
Not being able to afford school lunch
Not being able to have schools without security guards
Not being able to drink water straight from the tap
Not being able to walk because you are morbidly obese
toddlers involved in politics
#11
Their obsession with celebrities, media and “perfect” looks. How often do I read comments from Americans saying:”Bad European teeth“ while in reality they are totally healthy, just aren’t bleached.
#12
People going bankrupt for getting sick. Stupidly expensive "education". Gun control. No repercussion for police brutality.
Why are you paying taxes for?
Kaisu 4 years ago
It's crazy that American police can straight up murder people based on their skin colour and there's no repercussions for it. In my country if the police uses a gun even once, even to just injure a suspect, there's massive investigation launched into whether that use of force was called for
#13
I'm too European to understand how swearing and curse words are such a big deal in movies and songs, but violence and guns are taken with a grain of salt
#14
You have $4.50 in your pocket. The fancy drink is advertised at $3.99. Do you have enough money to buy it? Dunno!
troufaki13 4 years ago
You have to always calculate tax and tip like we're some kind of math geniuses or something!
#16
The American Dream. Basically every other developed county is living the ‘American Dream’ while Americans really just think they are, but if you describe the way their country works to someone it sounds like you’re describing a third world country.
Jace 4 years ago
And whenever to tell someone that there’s something wrong with how the USA does things, people do one or more of the following: A. Yell at you “if you don’t like it, then leave!” (mindless nationalism, not patriotism)... B.They refuse to believe it’s better anywhere else... C. They tell you that any place with a seemingly better system is still actually worse because it’s “socialism” (and they are fully convinced by obsolete and never correct Cold War propaganda to reject anything that has the scent of “USSR” on it, whether legit or not)... D. They go as far as comparing the USA to some third-world hellhole or theocracy just to make the USA seem better by comparison (sinking to that low a bar is really f*****g revealing!!!).
#17
The confusing Imperial measurements system and US customary units.
#18
I don't understand the concept of punching holes in the wall. If you tried that here in Ireland, you'd just break your hand.
#19
Double standards. E.g. being prude but having the largest porn industry in the world, praising religion but disregarding Christian values IRL.
#20
The fact that Americans refer to a 24h clock as “military time” you mean just regular time?
Also, suing culture. Got injured? Sue! Fell down some stairs? Sue! Fight with neighbour? Sue!
#22
I will NEVER understand why you guys allow children to not be guaranteed free health care and dental care! Why aren't you up in arms over this, protesting in the streets? They're CHILDREN, why on earth would a rich country not guarantee free health care to all children?! I don't get it.
Roxy Eastland 4 years ago
They won't even protect their children from getting shot dead. We had one school shooting in the UK and even gun owners were so sickened they supported the changes in the law. In the US children getting shot in the face is less horrifying than not being allowed to walk around showing off a gun.
#23
Having to take out a second mortage because you twisted your ankle in the wrong state.
#25
Why Americans are so proud of being American and their obsession with military. Like what did they do other than being born American? What good does military do other than wasting money they could use for e.g. health care.
#26
European here, why are all your houses made from cardboard if you have a problem with hurricanes? My country has no natural problems and our houses are made from reinforced cement.
#27
Not using the metric system. Counting in football fields/moon landings instead... I don't get it.
Isidien Gudmundsdottir 4 years ago
You're not the only one but, alas, it's one of those: "it is what it is" things.
#28
Why do you guys wear shoes in the house??
troufaki13 4 years ago
Or put their feet with the shoes on, on the bed!! I mean, hygiene people!!
#29
While watching Chelsea vs Manchester United yesterday on NBCSN, during halftime there was a Good Rx commercial where the guy is asking a woman if she would like to fill her prescription, he pulled up the phone and showed her that the same pill can cost from $10 to $90 depending on the area. And that Good Rx can help her fill the prescription with the cheapest prices. Now someone please explain to me how in the ever-loving f**k is it possible for a drug to cost 10x more depending on your location !? Don't they have constant prices like in the rest of the civilized world !?
Isidien Gudmundsdottir 4 years ago
First off: What makes you think we have a civilized world here? The Civil war here is still going on in some people's mind albeit not physically. In answer to your question about the Rx pricing: Yes, it does depends where you live because we here live the good life of out of control predatory greed.
#30
Joining the army for college money and free healthcare. Also how religious they are
Kurisurin Sutaringu 4 years ago
The religion stuff has always bugged me. It annoys me how people dont see freedom from religion as part of our freedom to religion. Not to mention Christianity is everywhere
#31
Expensive required textbooks that you HAVE to buy to take a university class
#32
How much do I tip? 10%? 15%? Do I tip everywhere? Why isn’t the tax included? Why does the tip vary? Why are the waiters so underpaid?
Also, why do you have to do your tax bill? You could literally go to prison but it’s like a guessing game from what I heard?
WilvanderHeijden 4 years ago
In the Netherlands we do our annual taxes in an online app where most of the data is already entered. All you need to do is check, enter your deductibles and hit "Send" and you're done. But that isn't possible in the US because some greedy software companies managed to block the IRS from setting up a similar system as a free service.
#33
Being scared of the police.
#34
How strongly Americans feel about the flag. I saw a photographer get torn to pieces online because someone was standing on the tiniest bit of the flag and people went fuc**ng ape s*it. In the UK most people probably couldn’t spot if the Union Flag was round the wrong way.
#35
Nipples, or in general the hyper-sexualization of nudity.
Kesam 4 years ago
I love going to my local sauna. Everyone is naked. Boys and girls. You might see your boss or teacher naked. It's just completely normal, and I love it. But for my American friends, when I tell them, the first thing they ask is if people have sex orgies there or how I avoid getting a boner. 😖
#36
Don't know if it's already mentioned but your delivery drivers just leaving packages outside your front door. I can't wrap my mind around this, how did this ever came acceptable?
Here you sign for deliveries. If you're not there they'll leave a note when they'll come again. If still not delivered you can pick it up yourself. Also if you didn't sign for delivery it's marked as not delivered.
ADHORTATOR 4 years ago
This is not an american problem, it happens as well in Europe..Trust me, I am working in the logistics business for over 30 years :-)
#37
Student debt. I pay €20/Semester tuition in Austria.
Ole Peder Amrud Hagen 4 years ago
We do have student loans in Norway, too, but that's to pay for food and rent. The interest rates are low, however, and I've never heard of anyone not being able to pay it back.
#38
Many people do not vote because they cannot get time off work to do so.
#40
30 degrees fahrenheit
What do you think ?
Gogubaci 4 years ago
I have one for you... children beauty pageants... that's legalised child abuse... wtf is that?
Kaisu 4 years ago
Children's beauty pageants are f****d up and a paradise for pedophiles
Load More Replies...
Daria B 4 years ago
I have a double opinion about this post. Part of me thinks this is good because we have a chance to find out about each other's cultures and discuss important topics, yet, the other part tells me this is just another one of the America-bashing material. And it horribly polarises the world, as if there's only U.S.A vs. EU. I dunno, I agree most of these are dystopian problems, but honestly, I'm a bit tired of all this bashing. It's more useless than it seems.
Kenny Kulbiski 4 years ago
Agreed. We've got lots of problems and probably criticize ourselves more than other countries. If we were to bash another country like this we'd be labeled insensitive American louts.
Load More Replies...
Sandra Charlot 4 years ago
Extremely expensive education and healthcare, because all the money goes to the armed force ... and putting so much money to the armed force in the territory who wasn't attacked since Pearl Harbour.
Full Name 4 years ago
Drives me nuts when their military is worshiped domestically as "protectors". From who? They are guarded by 2 oceans. NOBODY can touch them militarily yet they act as if soldiers overseas dying in other countries is somehow protecting them. SEAL teams attacking Jihadi extremists who want to attack America? Sure. But having bases all over the world and being the world police? Dumb.
Load More Replies...
Clare McDuff 4 years ago
Guns. I’ve heard the arguments and I still don’t get it. Children are being murdered on a regular basis.
Carrot dude 4 years ago
Tiny Dynamite, please stop trolling everybody. If America is so terrible, you're not going to change anything by just calling the US f****d up.
Carrot dude 4 years ago (edited)
Some of these are true, but I don't understand why there are SO many posts making fun of Americans. Surely we can't be the only country that has problems. If there was to be a post making fun of the UK, our "insensitivity" would probably get added to this post. We realize our country is not doing great, but it's kind of unfair that every other country is on our back as well.
K.Kobayashi 4 years ago
Sure, but some problems are unique to America. Like all the stuff about health care costs.
Load More Replies... opinionated biatch 4 years ago
if the U.S. is so horrible, why do so many people from other countries want to come live here?
Tiny Dynamine 4 years ago
Because they also believe the lies that are shown in TV programmes and films that show everyone to be rich and beautiful. I used to teach Tibetan exiles in India who could watch TV for an hour a day. They drooled over those programmes because America looked perfect. On the other side of the mirror, 600,000+ are homeless there.
Load More Replies...
SAF saf 4 years ago
Half of Americans agree that most of these are serious problems. I don't think most Europeans get how politically fractured the US really is. There's a slight correlation between political ideology and whether you see these as actual "problems". Also, we actually do use the metric system here. We just have to layer a thin veneer of Imperial units over everything for about half the population.
Full Name 4 years ago
"I don't think most Europeans get how politically fractured the US really is". You mean the place with Brexit and recent riots in the streets of Greece and France etc? That's the place where everyone agrees?
Load More Replies...
Steven Cook 4 years ago
Almost all of these issues are cause by one of two things; unregulated capitalism or overly zealous religion
Perpetual Peripheral Persons 4 years ago
The USA is one of the most Globally Prominent countries in the Media... of Course it's Stupidity is going to be Revealed more. Every country has its Stupid Aspects and I'm so tired of "USA bad, Europe good"
Perpetual Peripheral Persons 4 years ago
Look at the Whole Brexit mess... my Country isn't doing much Better. Indonesia dumps the most Plastic of all. N Korea literally Executes political Enemies. But wait, USA puts the Month before the Day...
Load More Replies... Ksenia M 4 years ago
Lack of public transit wasn't mentioned for some reason. Since everyone is driving the streets look almost empty compared to Europe, especially after dark. Just looks eerie to me)
Daria B 4 years ago
Oh, this one is the result of car companies and lobbyists, if I understood correctly. There are documentaries about this.
Load More Replies...
Sterrinatu 4 years ago
Every country has it's good and bad. As an American this was hard to read. I understand a lot what is said but I also don't need to see people bashing my country.
tuzdayschild 4 years ago
The biggest impression I get from this post is how quick Europeans are to stereotype others. See, not so nice is it?
Daria B 4 years ago
The irony in this sentence.... anyway, yeah, generalisations and stereotypes suck.
Load More Replies...
Lana Jig-maker 4 years ago
I want to read more of these. It is interesting to see how America is seen from the outside. Sometimes I wonder if we in America have some type of Stockholm Syndrome lol
Lauren Caswell 4 years ago
It's not all one or the other though. I'm outside USA, and some of these do confuse me, but others are applicable in other countries (ie student debts). I just think maybe this article is a little polarizing...(heh heh I used a 'z' in polarising, a random american/UK spelling difference that didn't seem to make the list)
Load More Replies...
cybermerlin2000 4 years ago
Why are Americans so set against a free health care system despite the rest of the world proving it works?
K.Kobayashi 4 years ago
Because people are afraid of change, and the health care industry has spent billions of dollars to appeal to that fear.
Load More Replies...
SciFi Vortex 4 years ago (edited)
So all the undeniable evidence is there. American society is totally r******d, inefficient, paranoid, childishly and hypocritically prudish, violent, lazy, unhealthy, backward, behind the times, illogical and just plain f****d up.
Paulina Andreu 4 years ago
calling themselves americans when america is a whole continent, with 35 countries
Richard Pickman 4 years ago
Great video about US Americans made by American lady living for years in Prague / Czech republic. It's spoken in Czech so you have to turn the English subtitles on. The title says it all: Americans are strange. https://youtu.be/VpQYmrQktao
Michael Connolly 4 years ago
As an American I ask ALL of those questions myself. And I still don't have any more insight. This country is fubar.
Full Name 4 years ago
You are free to leave at any time. I bet you won't. That makes you a hypocrite.
Load More Replies...
Deena Salzman 4 years ago
This is really making me wish it was easier to move out of this country and convince all of my friends and family to come with me.
Maddie Max 4 years ago
Americans thinking everyone in Africa is black, when I went there a while back they were shocked that i was white and from South Africa......Also we do not have wild animals running up and down the street.........................
Jacey Lynn 4 years ago
Some of them were kinda dumb, but everyone’s different, people and countries too. So idk why they have to complain about how we’re different. Oh well...
Kallie Wilbourn 4 years ago
The quality of our American life began to plummet with Reagan and has continued, making all the European observations here true. (I also agree with the ones about the flag, which preceded him). The Electoral College and Republicans and their donors are holding the country hostage with the help of ignorant racist, sexist fools who don't mind that they are being cheated of a decent life so long as people of color and women suffer more. I just hope Sanders wins big, and that it's not too late.
Ottmar Straub 4 years ago
well - honestly the USA is one of the most crazy and psychologically as well as emotionally distorted countries in the world - it is a very dangerous fact for our planet the most powerful country is acting and feeling like a psychopath - sorry to say that but it is true - most of media in the USA are lying - to see the whole theatre around Trump is ridiculous - what a challenge for the collective hipocrisy
Rani Johnson 4 years ago
Ooh. Why does England have a royal family that gets paid big bucks for just being royal when Parliament is actually in charge & don't get paid the same?
Rani Johnson 4 years ago
Some of these are over generalized & don't apply to the entire US population. Some I agree with.
Dorothy Parker 4 years ago
I'm an American an I wonder why new drugs that are curing ailments overseas aren't quickly approved here.
XianJaguar 4 years ago
Because our government is interfering, that's why. The Federal government is highly inefficient, and the FDA, which has to approve all drugs, moves slowly. That is why many Americans want LESS government in our lives, not more.
Load More Replies...
LittleMissLotus 4 years ago
"My country 'tis of the thee, sweet land of artillery.." But seriously tho, people here are ridiculously obsessed with guns.
Geoff 4 years ago
Where do I start? Let's start with killing. The US Government has a higher defense budget than the next ELEVEN highest budgets COMBINED. The US manufactures in the ballpark of 10 MILLION guns every year, and the US has more firearms in private hands than any other nation on Earth by a WIDE margin. American media and entertainment is just SOAKED in brutally violent imagery, while showing a nipple or saying a swear word is enough to get you fined or arrested. Outside of an ACTIVE war zone, there is no country on EARTH where they spend more time killing each other, talking about killing each other, fantasizing about killing each other or simply preparing to kill each other. The whole country is full of sociopaths.
LuckyL 4 years ago
At least for Germany - when you tell an Amercian, that you are German, they will always have story to tell about them, their relatives, their neighbours... who comes from germany oder has been here. - is it the same for other countires? ---- and 4-way-stop signs. Why? eather give the right of way for one direction or install traffic light. OOOOR use a roundabout, but of, they don't know how to drive through these :)
David Jeu 4 years ago
What i really don't understand about us citizens is that way of always acting. Most of them are dramatizing every little thing in their life,and playing roles, like they are on a stage. I find it pretty sad.
Full Name 4 years ago
That's what BP is for, haha. Everyone complaining and virtue signalling.
Load More Replies... CbusResident 4 years ago
No doubt our USA has both good and bad things, like every other country. But here's a question for all non-Americans on here: if we're so questionable, why does so much of the rest of the world passionately embrace our culture? Why do so many of your people beg for our Levi's Jeans, Nike shoes, Apple products & access to our social networks? Those ones I sort of understand, but they also embrace the stupidest parts of our culture, our fast food, our diabetes-giving Coca-Cola & Starbucks, our dumb pop music and sitcoms. We don't embrace brands from other cultures nearly as much as the billions around the world embrace brands from ours. Of course US culture is itself a hodge podge of things, much of which was borrowed heavily from many other cultures, but we seem to have a knack for packaging and marketing culture into things that a major chunk of the rest of the world wants. Does that raise questions about us or them?
Jane Alexander 4 years ago
We wouldn't have so many problems if the rest of the world would stay the hell home and fix their own problems. They all think this is the land of plenty. Yeah, plenty of people escaping the problems of their own countries. -and then they want us to change to fit their notions of what we should be and what we should provide for them.
Martha Meyer 4 years ago
Nobody, absolutely NOBODY ever asked your country to come and fix their problems. And while you might have a lot of immigrants, you are not number one destination for immigrants in the world. That is actually Europe.
Load More Replies...
Colin Webbley 4 years ago
They have TV programmes such as 'Naked and Afraid' and then blur the breasts and genitals as though we mustn't see them because we might be offended! Also, I believe that one girl even sued the TV station because a programme was aired and they had failed to censor her vagina in one scene! How hypocritical is that?
Kayli Boring 4 years ago
HAVE ANY OF YOU EVEN BEEN TO THE USA?!?!?! OR ARE YOU JUST GOING ON HEARSAY???? Practically none of this is correct.
Kurisurin Sutaringu 4 years ago
Ah yes. These things are exactly what I myself hate about country. I cannot tell you how badly i want to leave.
Daria B 4 years ago
Well, you might need a good financial plan, but you actually can leave. Pick your favourite country, find out about their visa requirements and maybe start looking for job offers in your country of choice. Some companies in some countries even have you covered with a place to stay/live. But most will not provide flight costs, sadly. Still, you can try.
Load More Replies...
Aleksandra Szpigiel 4 years ago
I don't get why in America ( and not only), you get in to the elevator on ground floor, and it's called the first floor. The next floor above is called the second. When the first floor above the ground level should be first floor, not second.
Marnie 4 years ago
The ground floor has a floor. So, it's the first floor of the building, unless you want 1 to be the top floor and count up as you go down, which is of course silly. So, the first floor you encounter being called the first floor makes perfect sense to me.
Load More Replies...
Mike Crow 4 years ago
The USA did not enter WW2 until after they were attacked at Pearl Harbour.
Load More Replies...
Martha Meyer 4 years ago
Anyone can start a post on Boredpanda. Why don't you do it?
Load More Replies... Gogubaci 4 years ago
I have one for you... children beauty pageants... that's legalised child abuse... wtf is that?
Kaisu 4 years ago
Children's beauty pageants are f****d up and a paradise for pedophiles
Load More Replies... Daria B 4 years ago
I have a double opinion about this post. Part of me thinks this is good because we have a chance to find out about each other's cultures and discuss important topics, yet, the other part tells me this is just another one of the America-bashing material. And it horribly polarises the world, as if there's only U.S.A vs. EU. I dunno, I agree most of these are dystopian problems, but honestly, I'm a bit tired of all this bashing. It's more useless than it seems.
Kenny Kulbiski 4 years ago
Agreed. We've got lots of problems and probably criticize ourselves more than other countries. If we were to bash another country like this we'd be labeled insensitive American louts.
Load More Replies... Sandra Charlot 4 years ago
Extremely expensive education and healthcare, because all the money goes to the armed force ... and putting so much money to the armed force in the territory who wasn't attacked since Pearl Harbour.
Full Name 4 years ago
Drives me nuts when their military is worshiped domestically as "protectors". From who? They are guarded by 2 oceans. NOBODY can touch them militarily yet they act as if soldiers overseas dying in other countries is somehow protecting them. SEAL teams attacking Jihadi extremists who want to attack America? Sure. But having bases all over the world and being the world police? Dumb.
Load More Replies... Clare McDuff 4 years ago
Guns. I’ve heard the arguments and I still don’t get it. Children are being murdered on a regular basis.
Carrot dude 4 years ago
Tiny Dynamite, please stop trolling everybody. If America is so terrible, you're not going to change anything by just calling the US f****d up.
Carrot dude 4 years ago (edited)
Some of these are true, but I don't understand why there are SO many posts making fun of Americans. Surely we can't be the only country that has problems. If there was to be a post making fun of the UK, our "insensitivity" would probably get added to this post. We realize our country is not doing great, but it's kind of unfair that every other country is on our back as well.
K.Kobayashi 4 years ago
Sure, but some problems are unique to America. Like all the stuff about health care costs.
Load More Replies... opinionated biatch 4 years ago
if the U.S. is so horrible, why do so many people from other countries want to come live here?
Tiny Dynamine 4 years ago
Because they also believe the lies that are shown in TV programmes and films that show everyone to be rich and beautiful. I used to teach Tibetan exiles in India who could watch TV for an hour a day. They drooled over those programmes because America looked perfect. On the other side of the mirror, 600,000+ are homeless there.
Load More Replies... SAF saf 4 years ago
Half of Americans agree that most of these are serious problems. I don't think most Europeans get how politically fractured the US really is. There's a slight correlation between political ideology and whether you see these as actual "problems". Also, we actually do use the metric system here. We just have to layer a thin veneer of Imperial units over everything for about half the population.
Full Name 4 years ago
"I don't think most Europeans get how politically fractured the US really is". You mean the place with Brexit and recent riots in the streets of Greece and France etc? That's the place where everyone agrees?
Load More Replies... Steven Cook 4 years ago
Almost all of these issues are cause by one of two things; unregulated capitalism or overly zealous religion
Perpetual Peripheral Persons 4 years ago
The USA is one of the most Globally Prominent countries in the Media... of Course it's Stupidity is going to be Revealed more. Every country has its Stupid Aspects and I'm so tired of "USA bad, Europe good"
Perpetual Peripheral Persons 4 years ago
Look at the Whole Brexit mess... my Country isn't doing much Better. Indonesia dumps the most Plastic of all. N Korea literally Executes political Enemies. But wait, USA puts the Month before the Day...
Load More Replies... Ksenia M 4 years ago
Lack of public transit wasn't mentioned for some reason. Since everyone is driving the streets look almost empty compared to Europe, especially after dark. Just looks eerie to me)
Daria B 4 years ago
Oh, this one is the result of car companies and lobbyists, if I understood correctly. There are documentaries about this.
Load More Replies... Sterrinatu 4 years ago
Every country has it's good and bad. As an American this was hard to read. I understand a lot what is said but I also don't need to see people bashing my country.
tuzdayschild 4 years ago
The biggest impression I get from this post is how quick Europeans are to stereotype others. See, not so nice is it?
Daria B 4 years ago
The irony in this sentence.... anyway, yeah, generalisations and stereotypes suck.
Load More Replies... Lana Jig-maker 4 years ago
I want to read more of these. It is interesting to see how America is seen from the outside. Sometimes I wonder if we in America have some type of Stockholm Syndrome lol
Lauren Caswell 4 years ago
It's not all one or the other though. I'm outside USA, and some of these do confuse me, but others are applicable in other countries (ie student debts). I just think maybe this article is a little polarizing...(heh heh I used a 'z' in polarising, a random american/UK spelling difference that didn't seem to make the list)
Load More Replies... cybermerlin2000 4 years ago
Why are Americans so set against a free health care system despite the rest of the world proving it works?
K.Kobayashi 4 years ago
Because people are afraid of change, and the health care industry has spent billions of dollars to appeal to that fear.
Load More Replies... SciFi Vortex 4 years ago (edited)
So all the undeniable evidence is there. American society is totally r******d, inefficient, paranoid, childishly and hypocritically prudish, violent, lazy, unhealthy, backward, behind the times, illogical and just plain f****d up.
Paulina Andreu 4 years ago
calling themselves americans when america is a whole continent, with 35 countries
Richard Pickman 4 years ago
Great video about US Americans made by American lady living for years in Prague / Czech republic. It's spoken in Czech so you have to turn the English subtitles on. The title says it all: Americans are strange. https://youtu.be/VpQYmrQktao
Michael Connolly 4 years ago
As an American I ask ALL of those questions myself. And I still don't have any more insight. This country is fubar.
Full Name 4 years ago
You are free to leave at any time. I bet you won't. That makes you a hypocrite.
Load More Replies... Deena Salzman 4 years ago
This is really making me wish it was easier to move out of this country and convince all of my friends and family to come with me.
Maddie Max 4 years ago
Americans thinking everyone in Africa is black, when I went there a while back they were shocked that i was white and from South Africa......Also we do not have wild animals running up and down the street.........................
Jacey Lynn 4 years ago
Some of them were kinda dumb, but everyone’s different, people and countries too. So idk why they have to complain about how we’re different. Oh well...
Kallie Wilbourn 4 years ago
The quality of our American life began to plummet with Reagan and has continued, making all the European observations here true. (I also agree with the ones about the flag, which preceded him). The Electoral College and Republicans and their donors are holding the country hostage with the help of ignorant racist, sexist fools who don't mind that they are being cheated of a decent life so long as people of color and women suffer more. I just hope Sanders wins big, and that it's not too late.
Ottmar Straub 4 years ago
well - honestly the USA is one of the most crazy and psychologically as well as emotionally distorted countries in the world - it is a very dangerous fact for our planet the most powerful country is acting and feeling like a psychopath - sorry to say that but it is true - most of media in the USA are lying - to see the whole theatre around Trump is ridiculous - what a challenge for the collective hipocrisy
Rani Johnson 4 years ago
Ooh. Why does England have a royal family that gets paid big bucks for just being royal when Parliament is actually in charge & don't get paid the same?
Rani Johnson 4 years ago
Some of these are over generalized & don't apply to the entire US population. Some I agree with.
Dorothy Parker 4 years ago
I'm an American an I wonder why new drugs that are curing ailments overseas aren't quickly approved here.
XianJaguar 4 years ago
Because our government is interfering, that's why. The Federal government is highly inefficient, and the FDA, which has to approve all drugs, moves slowly. That is why many Americans want LESS government in our lives, not more.
Load More Replies... LittleMissLotus 4 years ago
"My country 'tis of the thee, sweet land of artillery.." But seriously tho, people here are ridiculously obsessed with guns.
Geoff 4 years ago
Where do I start? Let's start with killing. The US Government has a higher defense budget than the next ELEVEN highest budgets COMBINED. The US manufactures in the ballpark of 10 MILLION guns every year, and the US has more firearms in private hands than any other nation on Earth by a WIDE margin. American media and entertainment is just SOAKED in brutally violent imagery, while showing a nipple or saying a swear word is enough to get you fined or arrested. Outside of an ACTIVE war zone, there is no country on EARTH where they spend more time killing each other, talking about killing each other, fantasizing about killing each other or simply preparing to kill each other. The whole country is full of sociopaths.
LuckyL 4 years ago
At least for Germany - when you tell an Amercian, that you are German, they will always have story to tell about them, their relatives, their neighbours... who comes from germany oder has been here. - is it the same for other countires? ---- and 4-way-stop signs. Why? eather give the right of way for one direction or install traffic light. OOOOR use a roundabout, but of, they don't know how to drive through these :)
David Jeu 4 years ago
What i really don't understand about us citizens is that way of always acting. Most of them are dramatizing every little thing in their life,and playing roles, like they are on a stage. I find it pretty sad.
Full Name 4 years ago
That's what BP is for, haha. Everyone complaining and virtue signalling.
Load More Replies... CbusResident 4 years ago
No doubt our USA has both good and bad things, like every other country. But here's a question for all non-Americans on here: if we're so questionable, why does so much of the rest of the world passionately embrace our culture? Why do so many of your people beg for our Levi's Jeans, Nike shoes, Apple products & access to our social networks? Those ones I sort of understand, but they also embrace the stupidest parts of our culture, our fast food, our diabetes-giving Coca-Cola & Starbucks, our dumb pop music and sitcoms. We don't embrace brands from other cultures nearly as much as the billions around the world embrace brands from ours. Of course US culture is itself a hodge podge of things, much of which was borrowed heavily from many other cultures, but we seem to have a knack for packaging and marketing culture into things that a major chunk of the rest of the world wants. Does that raise questions about us or them?
Jane Alexander 4 years ago
We wouldn't have so many problems if the rest of the world would stay the hell home and fix their own problems. They all think this is the land of plenty. Yeah, plenty of people escaping the problems of their own countries. -and then they want us to change to fit their notions of what we should be and what we should provide for them.
Martha Meyer 4 years ago
Nobody, absolutely NOBODY ever asked your country to come and fix their problems. And while you might have a lot of immigrants, you are not number one destination for immigrants in the world. That is actually Europe.
Load More Replies... Colin Webbley 4 years ago
They have TV programmes such as 'Naked and Afraid' and then blur the breasts and genitals as though we mustn't see them because we might be offended! Also, I believe that one girl even sued the TV station because a programme was aired and they had failed to censor her vagina in one scene! How hypocritical is that?
Kayli Boring 4 years ago
HAVE ANY OF YOU EVEN BEEN TO THE USA?!?!?! OR ARE YOU JUST GOING ON HEARSAY???? Practically none of this is correct.
Kurisurin Sutaringu 4 years ago
Ah yes. These things are exactly what I myself hate about country. I cannot tell you how badly i want to leave.
Daria B 4 years ago
Well, you might need a good financial plan, but you actually can leave. Pick your favourite country, find out about their visa requirements and maybe start looking for job offers in your country of choice. Some companies in some countries even have you covered with a place to stay/live. But most will not provide flight costs, sadly. Still, you can try.
Load More Replies... Aleksandra Szpigiel 4 years ago
I don't get why in America ( and not only), you get in to the elevator on ground floor, and it's called the first floor. The next floor above is called the second. When the first floor above the ground level should be first floor, not second.
Marnie 4 years ago
The ground floor has a floor. So, it's the first floor of the building, unless you want 1 to be the top floor and count up as you go down, which is of course silly. So, the first floor you encounter being called the first floor makes perfect sense to me.
Load More Replies... Mike Crow 4 years ago
The USA did not enter WW2 until after they were attacked at Pearl Harbour.
Load More Replies... Martha Meyer 4 years ago
Anyone can start a post on Boredpanda. Why don't you do it?
Load More Replies... Related on Bored Panda
