Person Asks Non-Americans To Share “Scams” That Americans Think Are Normal, And Here Are 39 Of Their Replies

In an attempt to start an interesting discussion, Reddit user tycooperaow posted a question on r/AskReddit: "What is clearly a scam but Americans have been conditioned to believe that it is 'normal?'" And they succeeded. Even though the post has received 4.6K upvotes (far fewer than some of the most popular ones on the subreddit), it has accumulated over 5.5K comments. Non-Americans started sharing their take on the US, testing the definition of the word 'scam', and all the replies paint a pretty good picture of the way the rest of the world sees the country.

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Tipping restaurant servers so the owners of the restaurant don’t have to pay them a living wage.

Mean_Increase_ , Jinx! Report

Final score:

279points

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Tycooperaow came up with the idea for the question after noticing a similar tweet gain decent notoriety on Twitter. "My sister notified me of this by sending me a link to a video on TikTok in which someone did a react video about the subject matter. My sister and I jokingly started talking about this subject and discussed all the things we Americans interact with on a daily basis that is actually pretty scummy," the told Bored Panda. "As I read through the comments on this TikTok video, many people stated their frustration. I proposed the same question again on Reddit for the sole purpose to ignite a thought-provoking discussion where people can share their opinions and give more personal insight on this matter. I knew this was a perfect place to study this situation more and learn from people who experience certain things that I can be aware of in the future. So that's what sparked me to ask the question!"

Megachurches are literal scams. They make a lot of money, saying it's for the church, then they buy 12 mansions.

SteelWarrior- , Jennifer Morrow Report

Final score:

263points

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Once the first couple hundred post replies came in, tycooperaow started reading and responding to as many as they could, asking people to further expand on their ideas to "get an overarching grasp of just how much stuff is wired into our everyday life that takes advantage of people." At that point, tycooperaow began thinking that there are a lot of fundamental problems that the culture of the US has.

"I am a US resident, and reading through the Redditors' comments I could tell that numerous people made it abundantly clear they felt strongly and passionately about these current issues that we have been conditioned into just accepting as normal. The majority of the responses were politically related issues as there's a strong distaste for the current government, but there were other answers that spoke about businesses socially engineering the public to perpetually buy a product that they ultimately have full control over."

As an example, tycooperaow mentioned De Beers and how they own nearly the entire diamond supply and push forth aggressive advertising, telling people they can't start a marriage without a diamond ring.

Americans thinking that medical procedures are actually that expensive. Fun fact: In a normal country, you don't pay tens of thousands of dollars.

punsexual_disaster , Navy Medicine Report

Final score:

232points

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Tycooperaow would answer their own question by saying that a 'scam' that affected them personally the most comes from modern-day universities. "Many people in the post already covered everything there is to say about the barrier of entry of schooling and its relation to the future financial sustainability for the average person. It's very dissatisfying that even at the age of 14 public schools practically brainwash students by stating 'if they don't go to college or the military they end up as bums or delinquents.' Why should students get into thousands of dollars of student debt when [so many] of them do not have the right financial literacy to properly manage even $1,000 if it was gifted to them at 18. This issue itself I feel that places our country more at a financial disadvantage than it claims."

"America is the greatest country in the world."

Forimdema19 , cloudbuilding Report

Final score:

228points

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It's a chain reaction, the op said. "If you get into debt at 18 and get out of college at 21-22 then you have to put off buying a home, buying a car, and establishing assets. This slows down the economy. Heaven forbids if you have medical problems. If you can't pay, then you to go bankrupt. I can't tell you how many people resort to crowdfunding options just to pay for medical expenses. I don't think people should need to result to use GoFundMe as a health coverage option, nor use lottery tickets as a retirement plan. This is why we see such a transformative push for financial literacy among teens and young adults. It's the reason why eCommerce, Cryptocurrency, Forex, Social Media Marketing, Content Creation, etc.. are so idolized in our generation because the traditional methods essentially disbar proper progression. Sometimes it's not because people do it out of luxury, but do it out of necessity."

Somehow, a person who works 65 hours a week at a minimum-wage job just to pay the rent "isn't working hard enough". At the same time, an executive whose "work" boils down to signing a few forms, making a couple of phone calls, collecting investment payouts, and playing golf is considered "a hardworking American".

demo1318 , Dan McWeeney Report

Final score:

207points

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"Lastly, the thing I would like to leave off with is that there are a lot of people who face challenges with our (if you live in the US) country and it will take some fixing," tycooperaow added. "I wish and motivate everyone to do not be afraid to speak on troubling topics. We have the power to change the narrative of how things are running regardless of how prominent they may seem. For example, once I started to learn about blockchain technology and cryptocurrency, this fundamentally shifted my view on governance and how something that seems so insignificant can have a huge impact. People have the power to do what is best, it all starts with just asking the right questions."

Person Asks Non-Americans To Share "Scams" That Americans Think Are Normal, And Here Are 39 Of Their Replies Healthcare, all the way. All those heartfelt stories on people who raised 100,000 for their neighbors surgery, and it's great, but no one seems to question why that was necessary in the first place. The person in question has insurance and they're still struggling to pay for this procedure?

Even worst if it's life-threatening. People have to make GoFundMe's, petition, all kinds of stuff. To have the basic right to not have to go broke when you see a doctor.

Sexcalator , Presidencia de la Repúblic of Mexica Report

Final score:

196points

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The idea that you need to work endless hours and never have time off.

There are plenty of countries where people work reasonable hours, have five-week summer vacations and the economies don't fall apart.

You are not lazy if you don't eat at your desk or while driving.

Pontus_Pilates , Luke Jones Report

Final score:

188points

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College Tuition. Being in debt for thousands of dollars as a young adult just starting their life

Naweezy , 401(K) 2012 Report

Final score:

180points

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Getting limited days worth of annual leave per year and then being encouraged not to use it.

vietcong420 , RichardBH Report

Final score:

165points

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#10

Millionaires/Billionaires are just like you and me, who just worked harder than everybody else.

JasperDyne , Keith Cooper Report

Final score:

164points

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#11

Lawmakers allowed to invest in the stock market.

tripster72 , Andreas Poike Report

Final score:

152points

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#12

"If you're not 15 minutes early, you're late."
B*tch, that adds up to 65 hours a year you should have paid me for. That is 8 full days of work.

StanePantsen , kenkwsiu Report

Final score:

148points

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#13

The two party system

hoosyourdaddyo , Hillary Report

Final score:

143points

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#14

Working 50+ hours a week to barely make ends meet, no health care, and no future but you're 'free' so it's worth it.

That_Trapper_guy Report

Final score:

140points

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#15

Trickle-down economics.

Frigguggi , wikipedia Report

Final score:

140points

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#16

Really expensive funerals. People are charged astronomically high prices at a time when grief means they’re not prepared to make sound decisions.

Altrano , Eugene Peretz Report

Final score:

133points

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#17

Person Asks Non-Americans To Share "Scams" That Americans Think Are Normal, And Here Are 39 Of Their Replies Advertising medicine. Seriously what the hell?

ShwingMAN13 , Open Grid Scheduler Report

Final score:

130points

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#18

College text books, you pay $400 for a book because you have to have the newest version that’s rarely changed much, and the school might offer you $40 and sell it for $150 used

ArtyParty0848 , wohnai Report

Final score:

124points

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#19

Person Asks Non-Americans To Share "Scams" That Americans Think Are Normal, And Here Are 39 Of Their Replies The price for healthcare in America. For the love of God just travel overseas and compare, like, to any country in the world... And then realize how big of a rip-off it is in America. And it's all insurance companies fault.

MakubeXGold , Mads Bødker Report

Final score:

123points

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#20

Your cellphone plans. In my country, I pay €20 for unlimited calls, SMS, and data. I work in phone sales, and whenever I speak to an American, they cannot believe how cheap our plans are compared to what they pay

deccytag , Jacqui Brown Report

Final score:

116points

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#21

The pledge of allegiance was actually an advertisement to sell flags.

Gremlin0011 , E Photos Report

Final score:

105points

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Helen Haley 3 years ago

That just says 'merica all over.

39points

sTeALtHy 3 years ago

'murica

0points

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the pan with a plan 3 years ago

i hated that dumb s**t in grade school

9points

Zophra 3 years ago

It's in high school too.

2points

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A little Wren 3 years ago

And it’s extremely stupid that KIDS have to say what is basically “I understand that I am a person forever in debt to America because they gave us freedom that isn’t even real”

7points

Benjamin Raymond 3 years ago

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BananaAnna 3 years ago

Can't count how many times I have said the pledge, have never bought a flag.

4points

tomruns12 3 years ago

It also didnt include god originally.

4points

C.S. E. 3 years ago

Yup, something else to thank the '50s for. . . . It also makes more sense without that line.

0points

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Roxy Eastland 3 years ago

The first time I discovered that children have to do this pledge at school I was so creeped out. I'd only ever seen this type of thing depicted in communist China or Nazi Germany. I still find it weird.

2points

AlphaPuck 3 years ago

Not true... Almost all schools had flags in every classroom back before the pledge.

2points

sylvanticx 3 years ago

how bout the fact that we HAVE to say it at school and get punished if we don't. I DON"T CARE ABOUT THE FLAG.

1point

Šu Ma 3 years ago

you get punished??? so much for advertised "free" and "democratic".. this is just sad to hear - i'd protest so hard if i was there :) just tell your teacher "f**k you i won't do what you tell me" hehehe

0points

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Calvin Suzuki 3 years ago

I thought it was pronounced the plejabaleegence

1point

Barrett Hansen 3 years ago

I think this is not so. The Pledge originally was written by Captain Balch of the Union Army during the civil war. It was then updated by Francis Bellamy. Adopted by US Congress in 1942, with the words "under God" added in 1954. Just can't believe everything you read, but most Americans do!

0points

Don't Look 3 years ago

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America..." as they face the Liberia.

0points

pandas panda 3 years ago

as an american, I can say this is very, very true.

0points

A Lemon 3 years ago

I believe this so much that I don’t.

0points

Grumble O'Pug 3 years ago

worse, the "Under God" portion was added during the whole red scare of McCarthyism. A S**t show of idiocy.

0points

Kirk Mckeever 3 years ago

Never heard that before....

0points

Rez Fidel 3 years ago

No way?! Really? God effin damn...´murica yeah

0points

N S 3 years ago

Now this one is f****n hilarious! Mmmuuurica!

0points

Jarrod Nichols 3 years ago

Once again, haters gonna hate. There is NOTHING wrong with being proud of your country.

-2points

Scratch 3 years ago

There isn't much to be proud of, champ.

1point

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Dave P 3 years ago

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WilvanderHeijden 3 years ago

The Pledge of Allegiance is nationalistic, religious, and patriotic -- indicative of the values espoused by our country’s leaders. But there’s another quintessentially American angle to the mantra: it was invented by a marketer who was looking for a creative way to sell flags to public schools. https://priceonomics.com/the-marketing-of-the-pledge-of-allegiance/

10points

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#22

Tax Filing

For the majority of wage earners, the IRS can easily determine how much you owe and tell you, or tell you what you're owed in a refund. It's simple.

That they don't do so is only because tax preparation companies lobby lawmakers to keep the system as it is. Tax preparation companies only exist because they are legally allowed, middle men. They are slow, complicated, costly, and the opposite of free market efficiency.

johnydeformed , Motaz Altahir Report

Final score:

102points

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#23

Person Asks Non-Americans To Share "Scams" That Americans Think Are Normal, And Here Are 39 Of Their Replies Health insurance. Studied abroad in France for a year. When I went to the hospital for urinary retention due to an infection and had to spend the night. The only thing I had to pay for was the antibiotics they gave me to take home for a week which was about $10 for 7 pills. Ours is a joke.

THExBEARxJEW , 1662222 Report

Final score:

99points

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#24

Politicians talk about the need for healthcare, but create legislation for healthcare insurance.

Those are not the same things. In fact, the latter actually is a barrier to the former.

WatchTheBoom , Parentingupstream Report

Final score:

96points

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#25

'Overdraft protection,' which actually allows the bank to charge you when you use a debit card, instead of just declining the transaction.

rainbowcadillac Report

Final score:

91points

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#26

The push that 'college is for everyone!' Also, you aren’t able to default on your student loans, so banks will give them to anyone. Coincidentally, society started telling people that they should all go to college, no matter their situation, right after passing the bill that made student loans impossible to hide from.

jude802 , COD Newsroom Report

Final score:

89points

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#27

Rent To Own products. (Rent-A-Center, Aarons, Conns, etc..) You end up paying triple or quadruple the value of the product for virtually no other benefit than you'd get if you just saved a little money and bought the product out-right.

bloomfaith , Mr. Blue MauMau Report

Final score:

79points

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#28

Paying thousands of dollars for basic dental work

ReapeR_ahhh , Aiko, Thomas & Juliette Report

Final score:

75points

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#29

Charging $1 to add cheese.

imnotyourbrahhh , Marco Verch Report

Final score:

70points

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#30

Identity theft. The bank fails to properly vet someone they gave money to, and now it's your problem.

You did nothing, the bank made a mistake. How is that your problem?

And look at credit monitoring companies, they claim they can detect fraud on your credit report. Yet, credit monitoring companies and credit reporting companies are one and the same -- literally the same company. So the real message is "pay us and we will not make false reports about you in our credit reports, we have the ability to detect falsehoods, but will only do so if you pay us". There should be a clear case of libel here. The credit reporting companies often report things that they reasonably know to be false.

Buttons840 Report

Final score:

70points

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#31

The war on drugs. Cheap informal pharmacopeia is what's left for anyone who can't afford or access doctors, psychiatric help, or prescription meds. Rehab for the privileged, prison for the rest. Political talking points, to get us riled up. A gray market with selective enforcement, like gambling and prostitution. Employment in the Informal Sector. Employment, asset seizure, bribery, and extortion opportunity for cynical Enforcers. Prohibition 2.0.

WanderersEndgame Report

Final score:

67points

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#32

Commercialized medication.

fklavernl , Paolo Gamba Report

Final score:

64points

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#33

For profit health insurance. We still pay for other people's healthcare, we just do it in a much more bloated and expensive way than universal healthcare.

sprucetrap1987 Report

Final score:

62points

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#34

Water bottles

Cost less than a cent to fill.

ItsPronouncedTribe Report

Final score:

56points

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#35

90% of ads you see in social media. Hair fruit gummies do not help your hair.

ThatGirlNo1Knows , icethim Report

Final score:

51points

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#36

Prescription eye glasses. They should be maybe $100 tops but we pay multiple times that for them.

BaconReceptacle Report

Final score:

44points

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#37

Insurance. Sure it works as intended, but it could be non-profit so rates are cheaper and rebates are given, not so someone can get filthy rich. All the unused money at the end of the year should go back to the insured, not the insurer less a fair wage.

hesitantmaneatingcat Report

Final score:

43points

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#38

Car dealerships. They're literally just middle-man functions that do nothing more than raise the cost of the 'good' and produce taxation for the government on multiple levels of the transactions involved in purchasing a car through the third party.

AdultReasoning , Brian Timmermeister Report

Final score:

41points

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#39

Greeting cards cost like $5!

ItsPronouncedTribe , Honou Report

Final score:

28points

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Rokas is a writer at Bored Panda with a BA in Communication. After working for a sculptor, he fell in love with visual storytelling and enjoys covering everything from TV shows (any Sopranos fans out there?) to photography. Throughout his years in Bored Panda, over 300 million people have read the posts he's written, which is probably more than he could count to.

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I'm the Visual Editor at Bored Panda, responsible for ensuring that everything our audience sees is top-notch and well-researched. What I love most about my job? Discovering new things about the world and immersing myself in exceptional photography and art.

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What do you think ?

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Bunny Wood 3 years ago

A good number aren't uniquely American anymore

24points

mph seti 3 years ago

the entire human race is doomed unless we can collectively get rid of greed. The USA is one of the worst offenders, but the problem is species-wide.

19points

the pan with a plan 3 years ago

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Carrot dude 3 years ago

Who says Americans don't realize these are scams?

17points

Sid Werner 3 years ago

Living in the US, it's abundantly clear the majority do not.

4points

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Liz Tynne 3 years ago

And yet...

2points

the pan with a plan 3 years ago

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C Hypercube 3 years ago (edited)

Do you ever have the feeling that the entire world isn't normal anymore? That we somehow slipped onto the realm of insanity so gradually that we don't even know it anymore? Yeah, me too.

9points

AbbiTabbi 3 years ago

I can't upvote this twice or I would. This is TRUE!

1point

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lalog_21 3 years ago

C Hypercube like

0points

huttontimothy36 3 years ago

C Hypercube lol

0points

Sid Werner 3 years ago

As monetary gain over time equalled power and influence more and more, sure.

0points

Dee Mcgee 3 years ago

A lot of Americans here getting precious about America. I think that's one of the most fked up things of them all...us brits are like this fking country is a fking pile of s**t run by a fking moron. We dont sit here like "can we say some nice things about Great Britain please" ... a lot of Americans remind me of the spoiled kid who's always been told they are beautiful and clever... until the day they leave the nest and they're told the stark truth...that no one gives a s**t

6points

komisarus 3 years ago

Dee Mcgee follower

0points

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blugeagua 3 years ago

Did it ever occur to anyone that MANY of us Americans do in fact know these things are not normal. A LOT of us want change.

6points

Marina 3 years ago

contrary to what a lot of people here think, I believe this kind of posts get americans more involved and aware. how else do people, in general, change if not by facing uncomfortable information or experiences?

3points

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Sid Werner 3 years ago

Yeah, that's why they never actually talk about these things as being a problem. Or even defend them. Such as when some moron in the government tries to act like universal health care is evil, out and out evil, and you have people agreeing with that.

1point

Becca Gizmo the Squirrel 3 years ago

Exactly!!

1point

Filip Nowakowski 3 years ago

but you are to bussy fighting "real problems" :)

0points

Dl B 3 years ago

Most of these most Americans do not think are "normal". Any thinking American (yes I know that is a stretch) realize that these things are not "normal" but we are stuck with them until something can be done to change them.

6points

Róża Wróbel 3 years ago

You know, I've been living in US for few years now, and can't see Americans doing anything about it. In other places in the world people protest, in India there were 250 mln people prostesting just few weeks ago, but not here. The only protest were BLM protest and I'm asking why so late? And what about all the other stuff? Americans are so brainwashed that they just can't unite on anything! And that's their doom. McConall just said that Uncle Sam doesn't have money to help Americans, who tf is Uncle Sam? Because what I've been thought is that the money he was reffering to was from taxes from Americans, but IDK maybe there is some ghost being giving US Gov money that I just didn't hear about before. You need to stop waiting for a good time, good moment or whatever else you're waiting for and start acting now. You. Not someone somewhere. You.

6points

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ivan bolitekurac 3 years ago

Some things are the same in other countries too.Other countries have their own problems,like women cant drive or vote.Others don't let you speak bad about politics or you'll end up in jail.But bp doesn't give a s**t as long as the article can be #usabaaad..Cant wait for the next "why usa sucks" article tomorrow.I have never been to the usa but according to this articles it is a shithole.But then why do so many people wanna live in this shithole country?Bp please explain...

3points

Saara . 3 years ago

People fleeing to the US doesn't mean it's the greatest. Just less crappy. Sorta like never having a car, then getting a used, mostly ok car.

12points

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Aliquid A 3 years ago

"why do so many people wanna live in this shithole country?" - I can explain. Because the USA is the *best* shithole country out there. Compare it to a developing country like Zambia, or Cambodia, or Haiti, and it looks great. Totally the #1 shithole country in the world. Compare it to a developed country like Canada, New Zealand or Switzerland... and it doesn't look too great. And there aren't too many people from THOSE countries trying to get into the USA - unless they are already wealthy and influential and want to benefit from all the corruption.

7points

the pan with a plan 3 years ago

its nice and the wildlife is beautiful here in pa i like the us but apparently bp does not. this is like the 4 post this month about how america sucks this month

2points

Sid Werner 3 years ago (edited)

Yeah, because sexism and authoritarianism don't exist in the US......wait a minute. It's because people in other countries believe in pure myth just like people that live in the US do.

1point

Róża Wróbel 3 years ago

LOL. Who are those mysterious people coming to USA anymore? It's not '90 and nobody from EU, Australia, New Zeland wants to go and live there anymore, and nobody wants their halfass overpriced healthcare. You need to stop with propaganda that might have been true decades ago, but certainly is not anymore.

1point

Sid Werner 3 years ago (edited)

Historically speaking, purely from a factual, and worldwide perspective, the United States is one of the absolute most successfully propaganda based countries to ever exist. Period. The Roman Empire very much used propaganda on every level, governmental, militaristic, and especially in it's ultimately corrupt, corporatist fueled economy, which is why anyone who actually knows anything about history makes comparisons between the two quite often. :D

2points

Ionut Tautan 3 years ago

you forgot the countless wars USA still participates in under false pretence. They're all about selling weapons and getting oil

2points

lara 3 years ago

As the US has been totally self-sufficient with regard to oil for several years, you are going to have to come up with a new faux argument aka propaganda.

-2points

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kurisutofu 3 years ago

I'm surprised it's not in the list but to me, it would be lobbies. Those are just legalised bribes!

2points

KMill 3 years ago

And many of these are things Americans think are dumb or weird too.

2points

prash-wadkar9 3 years ago

KMill yes

0points

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RoseTheMad 3 years ago

I think the biggest scam of all is the belief that America is the land of the "Free" No one in the world is free. :I

2points

Bill 3 years ago

I got one that is uniquely American; The cost of electronics are subsidized by all the data the devices collect and sell. The EU has pretty good data laws while the US is still the wild west.

2points

Jessica Bertram 3 years ago

Recycling. we've been sold a bill of goods there, too. most of the things we try to recycle either get incinerated, end up in landfills, or in the oceans, dumped. total bs. and it's heartbreaking.

1point

Saico Hipe 3 years ago

F*ck this dystopian hellscape. I will get the f*ck out or die trying. I'll die horribly anyway if I don't get out, so what is there to lose?

1point

marianne eliza 3 years ago

The major healthcare corporations in America make enough money to buy all the political protection they need to keep the gravy train running.

1point

Liz Tynne 3 years ago

What's the best country for an American who wants to get out of America?

1point

Carrie de Luka 3 years ago

Most countries will want to know what you bring to them - if you come with skills and money then there are quite a few.

5points

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$copper-fractions avatar$

Tiny Dynamine 3 years ago

Canada, probably. It depends how much of a change you want.

3points

Viviane 3 years ago

This comment has been deleted.

0points

Lily Allen 3 years ago

I got scammed by a guy I met on dating site he made me fall in love then asked for money I lost over $23,000 to him but after I contacted JeffBennett@retrieverfunds.com I was able to recover your funds and found out the scammer was from Africa.

0points

Joshua Adkins 3 years ago

i see so many comments saying that "I'm American and I don't think our country is that great." I'd be willing to bet almost all of you if not all, have never lived in any other country. So wouldn't know a single thing about what its like to live there, you don't know the laws or anything. You just see people who are vacationing and enjoying their time and think that place must be a great place to live.

0points

Gabriela Bunduc 3 years ago

I pay 2.5 euro and have unlimited calls within the provider, unlimited internet, no sms and 1k of national minutes for the other providers. That's a deal xD

0points

GC 3 years ago

These aren’t scams that we somehow think are normal. We don’t have our heads in the sand about these things.

0points

Winx 3 years ago

We know this is not normal, or moral, but we can't do anything about it because we're poor, and the rich dictate policy.

0points

Colin Mochrie At Its Finest 3 years ago

Not surprised they repeat the same 5 things. Expenses, healthcare...

0points

SAF saf 3 years ago

Unfortunately, these fall along the lines of our two political party's. The majority of these are beyond the most Americans control.

0points

AbbiTabbi 3 years ago

I feel like a lot of these are somewhat overexaggerated. I'm American and I love it here. Of course, I live in a small town and have had fantastic experiences. It is largely the politics and people prioritizing money over other people's lives. But yes, America is not the top of the heap, best country. No WAY!

0points

lara 3 years ago

A great many of these comments about "scams" are totally and completely ignorant about the reality of what is going on.

0points

Sid Werner 3 years ago

Heh, how's that exactly? Because they think logically?

2points

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Dee Mcgee 3 years ago

0points

Jackson Gohn 3 years ago

Bored panda certainly is not subtle about pushing their own political agenda.

0points

Viviane 3 years ago

They originally wanted to pick on Vatican City, but the Pope told them to piss off.

2points

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Milli Marilli 3 years ago

Since there are so many posts about the health care system, I wanted to share some numbers from Central Europe. I make pretty much an average income for my country. I pay about €86 ($105) per month for my mandatory health insurance which is income dependent. Additionally, I pay for a private health care insurance for €40 ($49) per month that covers outpatient treatments at private clinics, medical aids such as glasses and refunds the co-pays. That adds up to €126 ($154) per month or €1512 ($1848) per year for health insurance. I should add that the additional private insurance is a personal choice. The mandatory insurance perfectly covers all health care needs. Since I am sometimes visiting private practices, I have to pay for the medical bills out of pocket and have it then reimbursed by my mandatory insurance. My private insurance then covers the rest.

0points

Sid Werner 3 years ago

Not every implementation of a health care system is going to be fair in every country. But a privatized, unregulated, oh and it is effectively unregulated in reality, health care system is not as good.

1point

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Róża Wróbel 3 years ago

Lol, I was at the dentist few moths ago in USA, they charged me $300 for CLEANING, they didn't even have a sanding machine (no idea how it's called). And they did a poor job too.

1point

Milli Marilli 3 years ago (edited)

So here are some examples for costs at private clinics/practices: yearly OB/GYN checkup: €162 ($198); yearly nuclear medicine checkup (thyroid issues): €270 ($330); yearly dermatologist checkup: €90 ($110); gastroscopy and colonoscopy: €600 ($735). Various co-pays: co-pay for hospitalisation: €11 ($13,50) per day; co-pay for prescription medication: €6 ($7,35) per package; co-pay for a visit at a clinic/practice with a state insurance contract (non-private): €0 ($0).

0points

Ellen Ranks 3 years ago

Santa Claus. Invented only to sell more Coca-Cola in the winter.

-3points

Lauren Caswell 3 years ago

You may have crossed your wires there, Santa/saint nick/Pierre Noel etc has existed a lot longer than that; however Yes, due to a coca cola campaign showing Santa wearing red and white, this became the accepted way Santa is represented. Before that, he wore white furs (at least he did in the old story books I have seen)

4points

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GirlFriday 3 years ago

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blugeagua 3 years ago

But its also important to talk about it so the us can change

7points

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_ 3 years ago

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Ana 3 years ago (edited)

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Aliquid A 3 years ago

Because if you sweep the bad things under the carpet, you don't try to fix them. "focus on good things for once"... for once? The US has had over 200 years of chanting "we are the best! USA! USA!"... and as a result completely refused to acknowledge any faults.

8points

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the pan with a plan 3 years ago

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blugeagua 3 years ago

But if we don't talk about it, how will the us change for the better.

5points

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POST

Bunny Wood 3 years ago

A good number aren't uniquely American anymore

24points

mph seti 3 years ago

the entire human race is doomed unless we can collectively get rid of greed. The USA is one of the worst offenders, but the problem is species-wide.

19points

the pan with a plan 3 years ago

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Carrot dude 3 years ago

Who says Americans don't realize these are scams?

17points

Sid Werner 3 years ago

Living in the US, it's abundantly clear the majority do not.

4points

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Liz Tynne 3 years ago

And yet...

2points

the pan with a plan 3 years ago

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C Hypercube 3 years ago (edited)

Do you ever have the feeling that the entire world isn't normal anymore? That we somehow slipped onto the realm of insanity so gradually that we don't even know it anymore? Yeah, me too.

9points

AbbiTabbi 3 years ago

I can't upvote this twice or I would. This is TRUE!

1point

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lalog_21 3 years ago

C Hypercube like

0points

huttontimothy36 3 years ago

C Hypercube lol

0points

Sid Werner 3 years ago

As monetary gain over time equalled power and influence more and more, sure.

0points

Dee Mcgee 3 years ago

6points

komisarus 3 years ago

Dee Mcgee follower

0points

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blugeagua 3 years ago

Did it ever occur to anyone that MANY of us Americans do in fact know these things are not normal. A LOT of us want change.

6points

Marina 3 years ago

3points

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Sid Werner 3 years ago

1point

Becca Gizmo the Squirrel 3 years ago

Exactly!!

1point

Filip Nowakowski 3 years ago

but you are to bussy fighting "real problems" :)

0points

Dl B 3 years ago

6points

Róża Wróbel 3 years ago

6points

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ivan bolitekurac 3 years ago

3points

Saara . 3 years ago

People fleeing to the US doesn't mean it's the greatest. Just less crappy. Sorta like never having a car, then getting a used, mostly ok car.

12points

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Aliquid A 3 years ago

7points

the pan with a plan 3 years ago

its nice and the wildlife is beautiful here in pa i like the us but apparently bp does not. this is like the 4 post this month about how america sucks this month

2points

Sid Werner 3 years ago (edited)

Yeah, because sexism and authoritarianism don't exist in the US......wait a minute. It's because people in other countries believe in pure myth just like people that live in the US do.

1point

Róża Wróbel 3 years ago

1point

Sid Werner 3 years ago (edited)

2points

Ionut Tautan 3 years ago

you forgot the countless wars USA still participates in under false pretence. They're all about selling weapons and getting oil

2points

lara 3 years ago

As the US has been totally self-sufficient with regard to oil for several years, you are going to have to come up with a new faux argument aka propaganda.

-2points

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kurisutofu 3 years ago

I'm surprised it's not in the list but to me, it would be lobbies. Those are just legalised bribes!

2points

KMill 3 years ago

And many of these are things Americans think are dumb or weird too.

2points

prash-wadkar9 3 years ago

KMill yes

0points

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RoseTheMad 3 years ago

I think the biggest scam of all is the belief that America is the land of the "Free" No one in the world is free. :I

2points

Bill 3 years ago

I got one that is uniquely American; The cost of electronics are subsidized by all the data the devices collect and sell. The EU has pretty good data laws while the US is still the wild west.

2points

Jessica Bertram 3 years ago

Recycling. we've been sold a bill of goods there, too. most of the things we try to recycle either get incinerated, end up in landfills, or in the oceans, dumped. total bs. and it's heartbreaking.

1point

Saico Hipe 3 years ago

F*ck this dystopian hellscape. I will get the f*ck out or die trying. I'll die horribly anyway if I don't get out, so what is there to lose?

1point

marianne eliza 3 years ago

The major healthcare corporations in America make enough money to buy all the political protection they need to keep the gravy train running.

1point

Liz Tynne 3 years ago

What's the best country for an American who wants to get out of America?

1point

Carrie de Luka 3 years ago

Most countries will want to know what you bring to them - if you come with skills and money then there are quite a few.

5points

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$copper-fractions avatar$

Tiny Dynamine 3 years ago

Canada, probably. It depends how much of a change you want.

3points

Viviane 3 years ago

This comment has been deleted.

0points

Lily Allen 3 years ago

0points

Joshua Adkins 3 years ago

0points

Gabriela Bunduc 3 years ago

I pay 2.5 euro and have unlimited calls within the provider, unlimited internet, no sms and 1k of national minutes for the other providers. That's a deal xD

0points

GC 3 years ago

These aren’t scams that we somehow think are normal. We don’t have our heads in the sand about these things.

0points

Winx 3 years ago

We know this is not normal, or moral, but we can't do anything about it because we're poor, and the rich dictate policy.

0points

Colin Mochrie At Its Finest 3 years ago

Not surprised they repeat the same 5 things. Expenses, healthcare...

0points

SAF saf 3 years ago

Unfortunately, these fall along the lines of our two political party's. The majority of these are beyond the most Americans control.

0points

AbbiTabbi 3 years ago

0points

lara 3 years ago

A great many of these comments about "scams" are totally and completely ignorant about the reality of what is going on.

0points

Sid Werner 3 years ago

Heh, how's that exactly? Because they think logically?

2points

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Dee Mcgee 3 years ago

0points

Jackson Gohn 3 years ago

Bored panda certainly is not subtle about pushing their own political agenda.

0points

Viviane 3 years ago

They originally wanted to pick on Vatican City, but the Pope told them to piss off.

2points

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Milli Marilli 3 years ago

0points

Sid Werner 3 years ago

1point

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Róża Wróbel 3 years ago

Lol, I was at the dentist few moths ago in USA, they charged me $300 for CLEANING, they didn't even have a sanding machine (no idea how it's called). And they did a poor job too.

1point

Milli Marilli 3 years ago (edited)

0points

Ellen Ranks 3 years ago

Santa Claus. Invented only to sell more Coca-Cola in the winter.

-3points

Lauren Caswell 3 years ago

4points

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GirlFriday 3 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

blugeagua 3 years ago

But its also important to talk about it so the us can change

7points

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_ 3 years ago

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Ana 3 years ago (edited)

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Aliquid A 3 years ago

8points

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the pan with a plan 3 years ago

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blugeagua 3 years ago

But if we don't talk about it, how will the us change for the better.

5points

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Person Asks Non-Americans To Share “Scams” That Americans Think Are Normal, And Here Are 39 Of Their Replies

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