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40 Things Only Americans Think Are Normal

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The United States has plenty of pros and cons, just like any other country. However, you can’t deny America tends to have more of each and some of them are turned all the way up to 11 on the weirdness scale. Like having the police patrol your school, writing the date in a weird way (let’s not even talk about the Imperial measurement system), and having full-on smear ads against political opponents.

Welcome to the Wonderland that is the USA. And what better way to learn about the bizarre things that Americans think are completely normal than by asking non-Americans for their opinions? That’s exactly what one Reddit user (who told Bored Panda that they wish to remain anonymous because of all the attention they're getting) did in a viral thread that got more than 50.9k upvotes and over a whopping 38.9k comments. Scroll down, have a read, check out our in-depth interview with the original poster, and upvote the weird things that happen in the US that left an impact on you, dear Pandas.

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#1

Bankruptcy because you went to the hospital

canesfan09 , David Syzdek Report

Final score:

260points

Scagsy 4 years ago

So sad in the modern world.

102points

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#2

40 Things Only Americans Think Are Normal Talking about their freedom as if they're the only country in the world who has it...

zohan360 , Denise Krebs Report

Final score:

259points

mph seti 4 years ago

We have to convince ourselves we're better constantly, because deep down, we know we aren't.

144points

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#3

40 Things Only Americans Think Are Normal Gratuitous violence in entertainment is normal. But show one boob and people lose their s**t.

danno49 , miramax Report

Final score:

255points

mph seti 4 years ago

Puritans / fundamentalist Christians did this s**t. Public executions = Fine. A naked body = The DEVIL! To be fair, this is something we inherited from medieval Europe...You guys just outgrew it, and we haven't yet.

129points

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The redditor who posted the thread in the first place told us that they usually don’t hang out in the crowded default subreddits. “Either the thread gets too big for a conversation or it goes unnoticed in a sea of similar topics. In hindsight, it's not strange it got so much attention, Reddit is very diverse but a US-centric view is still dominant, and everyone wants to weigh in. Lots of people just wanted to vent, some had a strong political opinion, and some just wanted to ridicule the US.”

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According to the Reddit user, they made the thread “on a whim” after they saw a comment by a redditor who was surprised to learn that not everyone has police officers at school.

“I did hope that starting this topic would end up in a couple of people sharing that kind of information among each other, because the US is going through some [crap], and it helps your morale to know that alternatives do exist.”

They continued: “Some people took it as a competition of which country is better, but it was intended without any kind of nationalist feelings, more with an idea of people defining things among themselves vs. how things are shown to be in schools and TV shows, in and outside the US.”

#4

40 Things Only Americans Think Are Normal When you are 18 years old, you can be shipped to a foreign country to kill humans, but you are not allowed to drink alcohol.

K_51 , Fort Rucker Report

Final score:

244points

Richard Brown 4 years ago

I laughed when Will Smiths son wanted to celebrate his 18th birthday in the UK because he would be allowed to drink legally!

76points

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#5

40 Things Only Americans Think Are Normal Ambulance rides costing money seems pretty absurd to people from other countries

Meemesfourdayz , Paul Townley Report

Final score:

233points

mph seti 4 years ago

Paying for healthcare (or internet access, IMO) is absurd. There's a reason all the smart countries socialize things. the US easily could too, if we started putting actual people before the wealthy and their profits.

99points

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#6

40 Things Only Americans Think Are Normal Paying people less than minimum wage. How is it a minimum if it's legal to pay less than that?

NZLion , 401(K) 2012 Report

Final score:

207points

Jo Choto 4 years ago

The US always has exemptions to such laws, and the whole service industry thrives on it.

59points

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One thing that the redditor did expect to see in the thread but was surprised to hear so many voices speaking against it was the “circumcision of infant males for non-medical, non-religious reasons but rather as a default procedure.” The redditor added: “Parents who decide against circumcising their newborn child but don't know how it works and what to teach their kid: there's a WikiHow!”

The thread shone a light on a lot of problems in the United States and suggested that these things need to change. “The things that got repeated most in the thread were division of ethnic groups, gun culture, military drafting and continuous warfare, cop culture, nutrition issues, corporate lobbying... and wearing shoes in the house,” the OP explained.

#7

40 Things Only Americans Think Are Normal Wondering if you're sick enough to call that ambulance or if you should just risk ubering it.

Medical bankruptcy after you're charged $200,000 for a week long hospital stay and now you're homeless.

Being mentally ill and getting hospitalized by others for your own safety, but then getting a massive bill for it that you cant pay (which will totally help the suicidality right?)

Choosing between food and medicine.

Deciding that it's less expensive to just go into palliative care and die instead of fighting a disease like cancer.

As you can see I really hate the american medical care system.

greffedufois , Tomás Del Coro Report

Final score:

203points

Luisa Vasconcelos 4 years ago

Yes, i would hate it too.

63points

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#8

40 Things Only Americans Think Are Normal Turning scientific information into a political discussion.

everythihghurts , U.S. Embassy Phnom Penh Report

Final score:

202points

Vorknkx 4 years ago

When scientists talk, politicians should shut their mouths and listen, period.

145points

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#9

40 Things Only Americans Think Are Normal Archaic, unhelpful standard units of measurement.

JSanzi , franchise opportunities Report

Final score:

184points

Martti Laurson 4 years ago (edited)

In 1983 canadian airplane had a lucky escape when fuel was calculated in pounds not kilograms. 1 kg is 2,2 pounds. So more than half of the fuel was missing.

60points

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“It's not as if all those comments came from non-US redditors, a lot of the criticism was from US citizens with genuine concern and investment in their future and their surroundings. Combine that with getting active and finding each other, just as widespread protests are helping to create a framework of solidarity, I think change is already happening if you just keep at it,” they said.

“I saw a lot of people from outside the US who feel racism or racist police brutality are a typical US thing. It sure looks like there's a structural issue, but please don't use the US as a way to shift blame because ‘they're worse,’ to get out of examining the same structural issues in your own locality,” the redditor added.

#10

40 Things Only Americans Think Are Normal Putting a ton of sugar in products like bread.

TheThingsWeMake , Doug Waldron Report

Final score:

183points

Jo Choto 4 years ago

It really shocks me whenever I travel back to the US just how loaded all the food is with excess sugar and salt. Bread tastes almost like cake.

87points

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#11

Gun ownership.

only7inches , Paul Sableman Report

Final score:

176points

mph seti 4 years ago

Many Americans are afraid all the time. It's a horrible habit, and our media/politicians reinforce it. It stems from the fact that our country was founded on genocide and slavery, IMO. White people fear BIPOC revenge that's never going to happen, and gun companies own the right wing of the government.

52points

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#12

40 Things Only Americans Think Are Normal Having only two parties: Republicans and Democrats. I know there are some smaller parties, but the system is stacked against them.

level 1 K_51 , Pom' Report

Final score:

169points

Electric Ed 4 years ago

When you think about it, this turns out to be the root cause for so many other problems. If not all of them.

84points

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While the US thinks a lot of weird things are normal, the one that isn’t giving us any peace and quiet is that Americans write the date as mm/dd/yyyy. So, why exactly do Americans write the date by putting the month before the day?

Of course, it seems completely logical to somebody who’s grown up with this system and uses it every single day of their lives. Nothing could be more natural, in their opinion. But from an outsider’s perspective, it looks downright weird and illogical. And the US is the only country in the world that does things this way.

There are several theories about this. One of them is that in certain cases, it’s more convenient to know the month first rather than the day. For instance, when somebody asks you when your birthday is, it’s more useful to know the month first to get your bearings right before zoning in on the exact day.

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#13

40 Things Only Americans Think Are Normal Not putting the final price on the tag. I'm not sure whether it's still like this, but a few years ago one never knew whether the $1.00 item in McDonald's or Burger King is actually $1.00 or maybe $1.08.

TitanicBeta , JJBers Report

Final score:

163points

Hans 4 years ago

It is absolutely ridiculous that not the final price tag is put on products. The European Union now rules that any taxes and mandatory fees need to be put up front. Thing like flight ticket = 30 EUR but then having to pay mandatorily for seating are ruled illegal. The opposite in the US. I have literally seen: hotel room: 200 USD/night. + mandatory resort fee, 30 USD, + mandatory service fee, 40 USD, + mandatory gratuity, 12,5% + local tax 4,1% + state tax 3,7% (number from my head). Thus, this really is a ~325 USD hotel room. No comparison possible.

99points

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#14

Date Order (MM/DD/YYYY)

-Sinister-Shadow , InvestmentTotal.com Report

Final score:

159points

Electric Ed 4 years ago

YYYY-MM-DD, please. Its an international standard, unambiguous, and sorts alphabetically. And equally uncomfortable for everybody :)

50points

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#15

40 Things Only Americans Think Are Normal Portion sizes.

pourmewhineoh , Jerry Huddleston Report

Final score:

151points

Goth Nurse 4 years ago

While living in Texas (I am Finnish) I saw huge people and huge portion sizes, rarely a healthy option available. It was unbelievable how big the portion sizes were!

11points

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Another theory is that American colonists inherited the monthly date format from the British Empire. In time, the British moved over to the European style where you put the day first, then the month, then the year. While Americans stuck with the old-school format.

Oh, and in case you’re wondering, the International Organization for Standardization claims that putting the year first, then the month, then the day is the internationally accepted way to represent the date. To make things even more confusing, the US military uses the dd/mm/yyyy format for correspondence but it switches to the mm/dd/yyyy format when corresponding with civilians. Does that sound like a lot of info to take in? You bet! And that’s just one of the weird things that Americans think are normal.

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#16

The plot of Breaking Bad being about a science teacher getting cancer and worrying about leaving his family with massive medical debt when he dies.

FeFiFoShizzle , imbd Report

Final score:

150points

Hans 4 years ago

The inefficency (do not mistake for ineffectivity!) of the US healthcare systrem combined with a missing social net is indeed unchallenged.

56points

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#17

40 Things Only Americans Think Are Normal My maternity leave was an unpaid 6 weeks, and I had to fight them on not shorting me because I went past my due date and didn’t keep working until the day I went into labor.

robot_cupcak3 , sergio santos Report

Final score:

146points

Brittania Douglas 4 years ago

Not to mention the hospital bill after having your baby. Like children aren't expensive enough without having to either pay for an at home doula\midwife, or a hospital birth.

60points

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#18

40 Things Only Americans Think Are Normal American flags everywhere. I traveled throughout Europe and the Caribbean and I usually only saw their flag on government builds and here and there. Where as here in the USA the flag is like Franks Red Hot. We put that s**t on everything. Magnets, churches, cars, condoms, every front porch, and street lamp. #murica

Gaby , Gaby Report

Final score:

145points

MikeyG 4 years ago

It does surprise me that the USA can be so proud of their flag and history, when their history is actually quite shameful and very short. A country less than 250 years old that seems to just ignore the native american history before that just astounds me.

161points

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#19

40 Things Only Americans Think Are Normal Doing the pledge of allegiance in the morning at school

flavener , John Beagle Report

Final score:

144points

Carlos Ferreira 4 years ago

Brainwashing

191points

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#20

40 Things Only Americans Think Are Normal Identifying as your heritage instead of your nationality. Americans will say that they’re Italian, German, polish, etc. when they don’t speak the language and have no real connection to those countries anymore.

In other parts of the world people just identify with the country they were born in or have lived in for a significant amount of time regardless of their ancestry.

bluegreentree , IrishFireside Report

Final score:

142points

Jo Choto 4 years ago

Yeah, Americans love telling everyone what nationality they think they are, and then when they hear about foreigners, they tell them to go the hell back where they came from. Go figure.

125points

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#21

40 Things Only Americans Think Are Normal Had some American colleagues in Norway asking us how we celebrate 4th July

kevkippers , m01229 Report

Final score:

140points

Richard Brown 4 years ago

Happens a lot. America seems to think the world is separated into 2 parts. America and Not America, yet.

89points

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#22

Big glasses of water WITH ICE at restaurants. I live in Texas usually and I drink ice water like 24/7. It’s a good habit here, especially in Summer. When I was in Europe I would get the smallest glasses of luke warm water that I had to ask for more every ten seconds. I felt annoying! Aren’t y’all thirsty?! Or am I missing something?

bunnysnitch Report

Final score:

132points

HelgaMaria Gehrmann 4 years ago

Yes, we are just as thirsty as everyone else;) But why should ice-cold water (especially) help against thirst? I have never understood (so do many people) why there are tons of ice in every drink. Especially when it is hot, it is totally counterproductive to drink such ice-cold drinks. It is much healthier and more effective against thirst to drink only slightly chilled drinks (directly from the fridge or 1/2 ice cubes max. ;) However, lukewarm water is rather unusual in restaurants ... unfortunately bad luck

64points

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#23

40 Things Only Americans Think Are Normal Toilet cubicles, where people not only can peek, but an adult person could crawl into your cubicle, there is so much space under the "door".

TitanicBeta , Michael Coghlan Report

Final score:

130points

Jo Choto 4 years ago

And the cracks between the frame and the door means you can quite easily see in the cubicle from outside.

69points

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#24

40 Things Only Americans Think Are Normal Willingly putting yourself massively in debt for a college degree.

I come from a place with free university education (which has its own drawbacks of course), and the fact that you can make such a huge, life-altering decision at 17 is considered normal over there, that seems downright bizarre to me.

I_hate_traveling , barnyz Report

Final score:

127points

Sabienn 4 years ago

Sadly, in Holland this is now normal to.... If you're parents aren't super rich, you have to get a loan to be able to pay for college. College isn't as expensive in Holland as it is in the USA, though

27points

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#25

40 Things Only Americans Think Are Normal The enabling customer service culture.

It’s created excessive portions in restaurants, created Karen, gives way to a disposable attitude towards products, and generally gives a sense of entitlement where most people start adding it to their list of rights.

srocan , UPC Media Relations Report

Final score:

127points

Troux 4 years ago (edited)

Yes I always felt this was a weird business model.

37points

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#26

40 Things Only Americans Think Are Normal When I was there during the last election I was shocked at how phrases like ‘well they have the black vote’ or the ‘Latino vote’ came up all the time on the radio. Obviously it’s not racist but it’s just something that would never come up in my country. Like, why would latino people all vote for the same person?

Adam-West , kgroovy Report

Final score:

126points

Pamela24 4 years ago

Not all but when you have an openly racist candidate (not trying to point fingers...Trump...) it makes sense that majority of POC would avoid voting for that person.

53points

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#27

40 Things Only Americans Think Are Normal Actively avoiding healthcare visits/checkups because if there's something wrong and you don't have the money to pay for treatment, then you'd rather just not know

KingAceNumber1 , Yuya Tamai Report

Final score:

126points

WilvanderHeijden 4 years ago

And that's insane. The sooner you start treatment on an illness the less it costs to cure. Seems that the basic rule of any maintenance schedule for machines is impossible to apply on humans in the US. That's what you get when your health care system is for profit instead of for everyone.

10points

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#28

This one is more on the positive side, because I think we could learn some from it.

Talking and sharing your life with complete strangers. I have met quite a few americans so it seems the norm that you share and engage with strangers in public. The bus, train, parks etc. And then you go on your way.

In Denmark you'd be a "freak" if you did that.

WuuutWuuut , Ben Grey Report

Final score:

118points

Pixie 4 years ago

Actual question: Why do you want to share your life with strangers on the street? I know I feel very uncomfortable if that happens to me (luckily seldom). Like, what am I to do with what you told me? I don't know you, I don't know if I like you, I don't know what you need as response...

53points

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#29

Asking everyone “what do you do?” when you first meet them. I live outside the US and realized there are some people I’ve known for years and I still don’t know their job. I think in the US jobs are a bigger part of a person’s identity than in some other places.

Ssffxx , Loren Kerns Report

Final score:

118points

Jo Choto 4 years ago

Yeah, what job you have, implying what kind of salary you make, and people really care what kind of car you drive as well.

34points

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#30

The one that always shocks me (I’ve an L1B so I spent quite a bit of time in the last couple of years living & working in the USA - although back home in U.K. right now) is the whole ‘thank you for your service’ military thing. The military is treated like some sort of god level being. It first struck me at Seaworld when they would make all service personnel stand up. In the U.K. the military guys (a) wouldn’t do it and (b) would be embarassed. In most cases they would be actively told not to do it so they don’t get identified - the fear the IRA stoked still runs deep in the processes in the military of the U.K.

Final score:

117points

Brittania Douglas 4 years ago

Another thing regarding military is how actively they recruit. I've never seen it in the past 17 years in the UK, but in the US soldiers go into schools to recruit, do talks, tell you how you get a career or can pay for college after military service, etc. Twice I was practically harassed in high school by recruiters because of my good grades.

65points

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#31

40 Things Only Americans Think Are Normal Side effects on medication adverts.

Friggin hilarious to us Brits.

With James' Hayfever meds, I can get through the day with ease!

Side effects may include:

Loss of sight

Loss of hearing

Loss of sense of smell

Coma

Headaches

Fever

Vomiting

Diarrhoea

Loss of consciousness

and death.

level 1 typicalcitrus , Jonathan Rolande Report

Final score:

116points

mph seti 4 years ago

This is because we allow pharmaceutical companies to advertise prescription drugs directly to the people.

69points

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#32

40 Things Only Americans Think Are Normal American Corporations have convinced us our work culture is totally normal.

Nesyaj0 , Jesús Corrius Report

Final score:

116points

Ami Temi 4 years ago

The sad thing is, working more and having no employee rights, doesn't mean you have more money on the long run or that there's more productivity. Countries like Germany and Belgium have a very high productivity, but in less work hours and with better conditions. People have more time for their families, have days off and don't need to fear for their job or their lives when they're sick because of a social security system that works. I think the USA is a bit like Japan: they too, work an insane amount of hours, but one doesn't get more done in those hours. A Dutch woman wrote a book about that system and how it gives you a burn-out, for example. We certainly work just as hard as Americans, but the system is smarter and fairer. It's like with education, we pay less, but our Masters are equally as good as your American ones.

77points

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#33

Attack ads against political opponents, ads for law firms or lawyers. These kinds of ads are illegal and considered unethical in our country. Also expecting a teenager to be out of the house by the time they're 18. I live in Southeast Asia. There's no stigma about living with one's parents. Most of the time, there will be three generations living in one house.

HollowMist11 Report

Final score:

113points

chi-wei shen 4 years ago

I am the youngest of 5 sons and it was expected that I stay at home in order to take over and care for my parents in the future.

28points

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#34

40 Things Only Americans Think Are Normal not owning kettles and MICROWAVING their water for coffee/tea

gibbylewd , Chris Lawrence Report

Final score:

110points

Foxxy (The Original) 4 years ago

Really? Do Americans not use electric Kettles?

54points

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#35

Non-necessary, non-religious circumcision.

GoodLordChokeAnABomb Report

Final score:

102points

chi-wei shen 4 years ago

In my humble opinion that's genital mutilation.

117points

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#36

Having second mortgages on a house. Taking massive loans they can't possibly pay off and buying stuff with it that decreases in value over time such as cars.

realultralord Report

Final score:

99points

Troux 4 years ago

"But I absolutely need this car because my car is 5 years old so it's basically dead." This myth and competition is such a waste of money and resources.

37points

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#37

40 Things Only Americans Think Are Normal Shoes inside

SpohieAuz , Architectural Digest Report

Final score:

96points

Jo Choto 4 years ago

There's a lot of cultures that keep shoes on inside. Not just the US.

106points

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#38

Extra large bottomless cups for cola or soft drinks.... you could bathe in those....

SlyDigits Report

Final score:

91points

Ami Temi 4 years ago

Their poor teeth.

23points

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#39

40 Things Only Americans Think Are Normal being able to vote before reaching the legal drinking age

level 1 dingdongimprblywrong , hjl Report

Final score:

89points

Hans 4 years ago

Having a voting system where you can become president without getting the majority of votes.

144points

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#40

A flag in every corner of a classroom, and Americans being very patriotic to the stars and stripes. Other countries barely give a poop about their flags

Legendary-Lynx Report

Final score:

86points

Scagsy 4 years ago

If you fly the flag in the UK you are generally looked upon as a far-rightist unless there's a football tournament on

50points

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#41

Greek life in college - fraternities/sororities Explaining this concept whenever I’m abroad made me realize how bizarre it is

Sufficient-Shallot Report

Final score:

32points

Troux 4 years ago

It is literally buying your friends and status in college. That's it.

22points

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#42

American accents.

I mean, everyone thinks their own accent is normal, but I’ve met Americans who think that they have no accent, like theirs is the baseline somehow.

alltherobots Report

Final score:

29points

Pamela24 4 years ago

Yeah, that's ridiculous and very widely spread. I remember hearing Jodie Foster (who's undoubtedly a very intelligent woman) saying in her google autocomplete interview video: "Do I have an accent? I didn't think I have one." Everyone does. Nothing wrong with that, it's just a fact. I used to think that it was a big deal and really important language proficiency-wise to have a "proper" American/English accent and then I gave up and just kept my semi-Czech one.

10points

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#43

Being concerned when anyone speaks a language you can't understand.

I live in india and we have 28 language here, with multiple dialects of the each language.

Edit: 22 languages*

level 1 SparkySparkiBoomMan Report

Final score:

28points

Phoebe 4 years ago

Many of my friends in my neighborhood speak different language i think it’s really cool

6points

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#44

I'm gonna say something positive, I live in southern Italy, but I go all around the state and the most fun and genuine tourists I've met were all American, didn't meet a single entitled one

Shervico Report

Final score:

28points

Troux 4 years ago

Generalizing here, but people are in better moods and therefore nicer while they are traveling. Also, people who can afford to travel have more money/comfort and will often be more pleasant. A country's tourists are not really a good snapshot of a country's people.

12points

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#45

Sueing for any possible reason. It's so common that there are commercials on tv and radio telling you to sue "x" company for "reason". Lawyer ads are also very common because of this.

hysteria613 Report

Final score:

27points

Richard Brown 4 years ago

Like when the BBC in the UK got a letter from a lawyer in America because the car Jeremy Clarkson GAVE AWAY to a hurricane hit family was not the year Jeremy said it was. The BBC binned the letter and said "Yeah, as if!" and put it on the news to embarrass the hell out of them

14points

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#46

40 Things Only Americans Think Are Normal - Metal detectors in schools
(edit: many people have pointed out that metal detectors are not all that common in the U.S. my apologies!)

- No paid pregnancy leave

- employment at will states.

- People in public visibly armed with a weapon

- Insurance through your employer

- no payed vacations. meaning a 13th month of pay for a vacation. not talking about your standard payed time off.

- bankruptcies due to medical bills

- Tipping culture

- Free refills

- Yellow school buses

- Almost no bicycle paths- Separate tax added when you buy a product- over-sized food and competitive eating

Just a few tings I've noticed since moving here.

ScienticianAF , Kyle James Report

Final score:

26points

Hans 4 years ago

Tipping culture really is a big thing...it effectively means that it is socially accepted that jobs accept that do not pay well enough to make a living.

16points

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#47

When I went to New York I was flabbergasted by the amount of people just loitering on the streets or having phone conversations that everyone can hear on the train like npcs from GTA.

People outside of the USA don't hang out in public or let other people into their business on public transport.

I managed to hear a woman talk about how her baby daddy wasn't going to her daughters birthday party and I started to pick side's in her personal life, while walking through Central Park I heard two friends with a substantial age gap talk about everyone in their friend group having mistresses and they were trading information on the mistress facts each of them knew for their respective friends, I got invested in that one so I folliwed them for a while (pretending I wasn't) because I wanted the tea.

Dorkyporkypoo Report

Final score:

24points

Jo Choto 4 years ago

Americans don't have a sense of public versus private space, which tends to make them much louder than other people. That's why they really stand out when they travel.

22points

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#48

Say "I'll just have water" at a restaurant and not be charged for it or be asked "What kind?"

sunnyeggs0 Report

Final score:

24points

Foxxy (The Original) 4 years ago

Most restaurants, pubs etc wont charge you for water unless it is bottled or fancy water. But cold tap water and ice is free.

11points

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#49

casually driving a couple hours. cars are so ubiquitous and stuff is so spread out a lot of the time we don't even think about travel in distance but instead in driving time. Driving 2 hours on a weekend for random day trip doesn't seem like anything of note. driving 8 hours is a long trip but not really a huge deal.

level 1 ferret_80 , Sean MacEntee Report

Final score:

23points

lenka 4 years ago

This is an indication of how geography directly affects culture! It's not exclusive to the US. In Australia for example its is not uncommon to drive huge distances. Two hour drive to the beach is nothing. 45 minutes to the supermarket - that's just life in the outback. Great Ocean Road Trip - literally days of driving for the fun of it. In Tasmania it would be considered insane. In the Netherlands though, if people need to travel two hours they will often say overnight or take the train (or both). In Germany people happily travel hours - the country is bigger and the roads are excellent. In the South Island of New Zealand, especially down the coast, the roads are winding and its exhausting - people just don't drive that far in one sitting. The geography of a place will significantly affect its culture. It's fascinating!

16points

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#50

I'm an American (born and raised), but I've heard that in other countries, strangers don't say hi or strike up conversations with each other. I know non-Americans are confused but let me explain:

Sometimes if you are say at an amusement park for example and you're waiting in line for a ride, strangers would strike conversations with you and such and this is actually pretty normal. Or say you are walking around in a park and you walk past by someone, you usually smile and say a quick "hi" as you are walking past that person.

I've had countless times where I've had people strike conversations with me that I didn't know. White people do this, but especially Black people do this a lot as well. Like you would see an old Black lady at a store and she'll just start talking to you.

I've had Europeans tell me that people would think you are mentally ill if you were to strike up conversations with strangers in Europe for example. Especially in Asian countries no one does this (I've heard). Strangers absolutely do not say a word to each other in Japan or China for example.

Side note: This may also be a regional thing in the US. I've lived in southern states mostly (like Texas) and people are really damn friendly down there. Now I live in Connecticut and people are way less friendly over here (no offense).

level 1 neptunesice88 Report

Final score:

21points

Jo Choto 4 years ago

You've not got it quite right. Europeans might strike up an IMPERSONAL conversation, say about something happening in the line when they're in the supermarket, or the weather, or the price of vegetables. Impersonal casual conversations are normal. What is NOT normal in Europe, which happens all the time in the US, is that complete strangers strike up extremely PERSONAL conversations. They are sharing their entire medical history in the first five minutes with someone they are standing next to in the frozen goods section.

24points

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#51

Manditory drug tests from an employer. I've asked around, don't know a single fellow Canadian who's had to do one. Cops included.

Final score:

21points

DC 4 years ago

Illegal in europe ... to some degree - if your work is somehow critical (fly an airplane or so), you can be tested an fired on the results. If you have an office job, however, they will likely never ask and if so, you can reject doing the test and go to court if they wanna fire you ... and until this is sorted out, your blood is free of any anyway.

11points

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#52

Lemonade. I'm America, but there was a post going around a while back about an American who ordered a lemonade at a restaurant in Australia and was confused to receive a Sprite. The op of the post was the server, and thought it was just the American being snooty for being confused. Then commenters from other nonUS countries chimed in on what a lemonade is to them. It blew my mind, because in the US lemonade is so iconic as a summer drink, and is often homemade. Eta: lemonade is not water with lemon in it. It requires sugar and preparation.

glassssshark Report

Final score:

20points

misteriosa 4 years ago

Wow, people really associate Sprite with lemonade? That's a new one for me o.O lemonade in my country- squeeze juice from 1 lemon in a 0.2l glass, add water, sugar to taste. However, lemon water is water with just a few drops of lemon juice in it, some modern mumbo jumbo.

10points

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#53

While on my travels I've noticed that Americans have a totally different expectation on what service you get in restaurants and cafes and s**t in Europe. Like the waiter arrives at their table seconds after they've sat down and takes their order and when he's out of ear shot they complain about the bad service. It's like if they don't get the OMG HOW ARE YOU GUYS MY NAME IS MIGUEL AND I'LL BE YOUR WAITER THIS EVENING and then have their water topped up every 20 seconds then it's bad service There's probably an enormous bit of selection bias going on here since I haven't noticed the probably hundreds of normal Americans that didn't complain but f**kit

Favres_dick_pic Report

Final score:

20points

Julie C Rose 4 years ago

Oh, is THAT what Paula Whatsherface from New Zealand’s conservative party was getting moist in the pants about when she visited the States?! She came back and wrote this thinkpiece that basically consisted of “hey guys, American servers kiss your a*s harder because they fear for their income, let’s see how much harder Kiwi servers would kiss our asses if we made THEM fear for their income! :)” And in addition to the selfishness and cruelty of her reasoning (we roasted her hilariously in the comments section), I straight up couldn’t figure out what difference she was seeing. I’ve been to the States and I’ve been to restaurants in New Zealand plenty of times and my impression of servers in both countries was “good”. This post has finally explained it.

22points

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#54

40 Things Only Americans Think Are Normal As an American I was shocked to learn that not every school internationally has a building cop

CatManMax527 , Tomás Del Coro Report

Final score:

19points

Foxxy (The Original) 4 years ago

Yup, no cops, metal detectors, security guards etc in schools where I live and no shooting drills. So grateful I live in a country without a large gun culture. You won't find many gun shops either.

23points

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#55

Putting your country's flag everywhere and on everything.

A flagpole on your porch or car bumper sticker may be somewhat understandable, but it gets really weird when it starts popping up on baseball caps, swimsuits or underwear.

I'm in Australia and Americans are the only ones do this (yes, with the American flag), even all the way out here.

CaravelClerihew Report

Final score:

18points

ADHORTATOR 4 years ago

I live in France and I have a flagpole in my yard.... mostly with the Jolly Roger on it :-)

12points

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#56

TV ads for drugs against opioid-induced constipation. It's apparently common for Americans to take so many opioids that they get constipated. Talk about dystopia

JoeJayJack Report

Final score:

18points

Michael Hill 4 years ago

Most drugs are unnecessary and most come with nasty side effects (always do an internet search on them). No drugs unless absolutely necessary.

2points

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#57

The relentless assault of advertising directed solely at children who don't have the mental fitness or maturity to know otherwise.

Final score:

18points

Mama Panda 4 years ago

It's so the children will nag their parents to death to buy them whatever caught their eye. It's a huge marketing strategy used here and it's really annoying.

1point

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#58

Daycare is more common in America than virtually anywhere else in the world, it starts at a younger age, and it is almost mandatory.

It is normal in the US to turn children as young as 3 months of age over to a daycare program for 4-8 hours per day until they are old enough to start the public education system at 4/5 years old.

Pretty much all parents recognize this practice is worse for babies than having a dedicated family caregiver, most will admit that it is outright unethical, but American society requires cash flows to remain in tact for a family to survive so it is commonplace for US workers to reluctantly choose to go back to work ASAP following birth.

They are basically choosing between food on the table or raising their own infant.

Suolucidir Report

Final score:

17points

Jo Choto 4 years ago

It's more to do with the fact that if you are REALLY lucky, you will get 6 weeks maternity leave in the US. There is nothing for fathers. The expectation is that you will continue with your career almost immediately after giving birth, so there are lots of places ready and waiting to assume care of your newborn.

11points

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#59

Calling a main course an entree.

hydrogenextraction Report

Final score:

15points

Carlos Ferreira 4 years ago

Why isn't the the dessert a sortie?

7points

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#60

having police patrol the school

alexis0292 Report

Final score:

14points

Karin Gibson 4 years ago

I have been a Teacher for 20+++ years and none of the schools have needed a police officer on site. The police occaisonally are required but it is usually pupil protection issues...ie they have spoken to a Teacher about bad things happening at home. I had a child who hadn't eaten for 36 hours....and was filthy. I gave her my lunch and got her some clean clothes after she had a shower and then we washed her real clothes and dried them before the end of the day. This was passed to a senior member of staff and she was referred to the social service who took her into care whilst the problems within her family were sorted out.

2points

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#61

40 Things Only Americans Think Are Normal Being legally allowed to drink only when you reach 21

level 1 I-am-a-Mango , Steven Miller Report

Final score:

13points

Jo Choto 4 years ago

Whereas in some states you can be married at 14, driving a couple of tons on the road at 15, and serving in the military willing to give your life by 18, determining the future of your country at 18. But no, alcohol is too big a decision. Wait till you're 21.

22points

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#62

Spending so much effort (and often money) on filling your taxes. Episode 144 of the podcast Reply All does a good job summarizing it but basically a lot of other countries including Australia file their taxes for free through a government website and it often takes less than 15 minutes. The line from the podcast that sticks out was something like "Because of American's lack of trust for the government we give our personal information to a third party company that then charges us to take our information to the government which already has most of it."

I know Free File is a thing but the episode address that too and how tax companies will try to get you to pay to have them filed anyway.

Final score:

13points

Jo Choto 4 years ago

I have a nightmare every year having to file my US taxes. Oh, and by the way, the US requires citizens to file taxes even if you don't live there anymore, and if you make over a certain amount, you have to also pay the US government some money, even if you have already paid it in the country in which you are living. That's right, the US forces its citizens to pay double taxes. Yay 'Murca.

12points

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#63

Cash bail.

With the discussions going on about changes to bail I've seen a few people saying things like "oh so you're just going to drop cash bail, just gonna decide whether to release people, people are just going to show up to court without the money threat?????!?!?!"

Uh yeah.....as I understand it that's how it works in places all over the world already....

I've been released on cash bail before. I didn't show up to court because of the cash bail, I showed up because warrants are annoying

throwawaysmetoo Report

Final score:

12points

mph seti 4 years ago

This is just another way to control/enslave the poor.

11points

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#64

That the entire traffic has to stop when a school bus stops. I've seen this a few times on r/idiotsincars and there is always a debate about how its not normal outside of the US.

Hic_Forum_Est 3 Report

Final score:

12points

BoredPundits 4 years ago

We have trams in Australia, and traffic has to stop for trams.

6points

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#65

The idea that giving birth to a child is prohibitively expensive to a lot of people. One way or another, most of the world does not have that problem.

famishedhippo27 Report

Final score:

12points

Flisey 4 years ago

We have free midwives and all care is free. Scans and check-ups are all free. Hospitals are free and then when you get home your midwife visits every week for the first couple of months. After that care goes to plunket which is also free. Dr's visits are also free until the age of 14.

2points

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#66

Having to pay outrageous amounts out of pocket for higher education (or get a student loan with a high interest rate).

adventurousmango24 Report

Final score:

11points

Freya the Wanderer 4 years ago (edited)

The sports coaches are grossly overpaid while professors, who actually prepare students for the future, are eating rice and beans. Most US universities would rather produce one Heisman Trophy winner than ten Nobel laureates.

1point

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#67

Driving everywhere.

ButaneLilly Report

Final score:

10points

Gwinevere von Ludwig Premium 4 years ago

Again, it depends on where you live. For example, in NYC, only 23 percent of the population owns cars. We are very reliant on public transportation.

10points

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#68

Prescription drug ads encouraging people to ask their doctor about the drug being advertised. Edit: a lot of people have mentioned this is also common in several other countries like New Zealand. I thought it was exclusively the US. Also, some interesting points are that it has helped raise awareness to some issues people might otherwise not take seriously or be ashamed to bring up to their doctor.

glutenfreewater Report

Final score:

9points

Foxxy (The Original) 4 years ago

It's illegal to advertise prescription medication in Aus.

12points

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#69

40 Things Only Americans Think Are Normal Having teens as your child’s babysitter

jAlvesrz , Kris Bradley Report

Final score:

8points

Foxxy (The Original) 4 years ago

What is wrong with that, pretty normal in Aus to have a teenage relative to babysit your kids. I started baby sitting at the age of 13.

15points

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#70

Circumcision and medical debt

buoninachos Report

Final score:

7points

Andrew Gibb 4 years ago

not at the same time I hope!

3points

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#71

I've heard someone say that we are the only ones who drink out of Solo Cups

LampsLookingatyou Report

Final score:

6points

Marcellus the Third 4 years ago

Hah, an American giving his "what strikes outsiders when coming to the US" viewpoint: "We are the only ones using [local brand] cups"?!

12points

#72

Y’all talking mad s**t, but if you want something that’s actually funny, lawnmowers and lawncare. Try explaining to your international friends about having to mow the lawn for allowance money or you forgot to turn off your sprinklers. Mostly clear but clearly not something universal.

AGoodIntentionedFool Report

Final score:

1point

lenka 4 years ago

Having to mow the lawn or do other chores for allowance is a pretty international phenomenon.

11points

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#73

Mobility scooters.

Stockholm-Syndrom Report

Final score:

-1point

Brittania Douglas 4 years ago

We've loads of mobility scooters in the UK.

13points

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Jonas Grinevičius

Storytelling, journalism, and art are a core part of who I am. I've been writing and drawing ever since I could walk—there is nothing else I'd rather do. My formal education, however, is focused on politics, philosophy, and economics because I've always been curious about the gap between the ideal and the real. At work, I'm a Senior Writer and I cover a broad range of topics that I'm passionate about: from psychology and changes in work culture to healthy living, relationships, and design. In my spare time, I'm an avid hiker and reader, enjoy writing short stories, and love to doodle. I thrive when I'm outdoors, going on small adventures in nature. However, you can also find me enjoying a big mug of coffee with a good book (or ten) and entertaining friends with fantasy tabletop games and sci-fi movies.

Storytelling, journalism, and art are a core part of who I am. I've been writing and drawing ever since I could walk—there is nothing else I'd rather do. My formal education, however, is focused on politics, philosophy, and economics because I've always been curious about the gap between the ideal and the real. At work, I'm a Senior Writer and I cover a broad range of topics that I'm passionate about: from psychology and changes in work culture to healthy living, relationships, and design. In my spare time, I'm an avid hiker and reader, enjoy writing short stories, and love to doodle. I thrive when I'm outdoors, going on small adventures in nature. However, you can also find me enjoying a big mug of coffee with a good book (or ten) and entertaining friends with fantasy tabletop games and sci-fi movies.

Denis Tymulis

Denis is a photo editor at Bored Panda. After getting his bachelor's degree in Multimedia and Computer Design, he tried to succeed in digital design, advertising, and branding. Also, Denis really enjoys sports and loves everything related to board sports and water.

Denis is a photo editor at Bored Panda. After getting his bachelor's degree in Multimedia and Computer Design, he tried to succeed in digital design, advertising, and branding. Also, Denis really enjoys sports and loves everything related to board sports and water.

What do you think ?

Piet Puk 4 years ago

Kids beauty contests are something I can in no way understand. Children wearing padded bikinis and lipstick, being judged by grown ups. WTF?

66points

S 4 years ago

As an American, I could not agree more. It's gross.

48points

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M O'Connell 4 years ago

That s**t needs to go away.

11points

Grace Smith 4 years ago

Or as i like to call them “pediophile entertainment”

5points

Jill 4 years ago

It's border line pedofile behavior...

4points

Hannah Marshall 4 years ago

Beauty Pageants are pedophilic!

3points

Tabitha L 4 years ago

This is an excellent one! Sexualizing children is bizarre. Never Nevermind the stress and pressure it puts on a child.

3points

Whipple Rickman 4 years ago

So gross and inappropriate. I don't understand it at all. These parents should be locked away.

3points

Jo Bebe 4 years ago

Kind of like how I can't understand why such a high percentage of Colombian women have plastic surgery in order to win beauty pageants to leave and compete elsewhere .........

2points

Steve Michaels 4 years ago (edited)

Thats not an American thing but hey, blame everything on us. As if we care.

2points

Ana 3 years ago

It’s disgusting! I hate it. And typically the parents don't care if the kid wants to do it or not, its all about the money.

1point

Christina Uhlir 4 years ago

It's child abuse.

1point

Oathbraker 4 years ago

You know whatl always confused me about Americans? Talking about salaries in dollars per hour and yearly. I've no idea how much 15 $/hour is. Or how much $80 000 a year is. Most people just talk about their monthly salary. After all you pay most of your bills per month- electricity, water, heating, internet, phone, etc.

20points

BG 4 years ago

Generally, only administrators are "salaried" employees who make a guaranteed amount. When I worked on construction sites, I earned a certain dollar-amount per hour. I may work 32 hours this week and 50 hours the next. I had no idea how much I made "per month" until the end of the month.

5points

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Aria Whitaker 4 years ago

That is because a large portion, if not the majority, gets paid either per hour, or have a yearly salary that can be broken down into monthly OR bi-weekly payments. Getting one lump sum for the entire month does happen(mostly with local government, state and federal jobs), but there are simply other ways people are paid...hourly rate is one of the most popular in the private sector, so it is referenced the most.

3points

Daria B 4 years ago (edited)

In Korea, while job hunting, most places will refer to the yearly salary, and you are expected to negotiate it also in yearly terms. Yeah, it's confusing to me too. Especially with Korean currency, that's some huge numbers.... And precarious work is negotiated in hours.

2points

GirlFriday 4 years ago

Salaries are presented in an annual amount because that is the largest amount of money and makes it sound like SO much. An employer tells you $40,000 per year because it SOUNDS much better than $19.23 per hour.

1point

Lisa Chambers 4 years ago

Really? I make a salary based on a monthly amount. Some of it is taxed, my entitlements are not. I can get more money if I get promoted or if Congress passes a pay raise which usually takes place after the start of the New Year. I also get an increase every two years. I generally follow a percentage plan for my expenses. And my salary is fully available via the freedom of public information act.

1point

Whipple Rickman 4 years ago

Good point!

1point

clone Carter 11 months ago

Maybe 10% of people in my country are salary employees, everyone normally gets played weekly of fortnightly and therefore bills get played weekly of fortnightly. So if talking about income people will answer per week.

0points

Cookie 3 years ago

That's because they are paid every 2 weeks, so each year would be 13 months.

0points

Cesi Baca 4 years ago

I have an honest question for you though. Why do you even care? I’m not an American who has no interest in the rest of the world, but I honestly couldn’t care less about the petty little peculiarities of different nations. I have too much going on in my own life for that.

-3points

Mama Panda 4 years ago

Ok Enough about the flags. One time on this list is all you all need. We don't need to keep explaining the same damn thing over and over. There is a lot of speculation coming from people who don't have a big enough sample of living in the US. You live in one place and think you can speak for everywhere but that is not how it is here. I think it would have been a better format if instead of being all smug and s**t, instead ya' all just asked questions and we could answer. Because you are making assumptions without all the facts, and that's not a sign of intelligence. (yeah down voting this comment will prove my point so go ahead! )

12points

Electric Ed 4 years ago

We are making these assumptions based on the propaganda Hollywood feeds us. And the odd tourist. Only by having articles like this can we even start to dig deeper, and find this truth you hint at.

2points

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Piet Puk 4 years ago

Kids beauty contests are something I can in no way understand. Children wearing padded bikinis and lipstick, being judged by grown ups. WTF?

66points

S 4 years ago

As an American, I could not agree more. It's gross.

48points

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M O'Connell 4 years ago

That s**t needs to go away.

11points

Grace Smith 4 years ago

Or as i like to call them “pediophile entertainment”

5points

Jill 4 years ago

It's border line pedofile behavior...

4points

Hannah Marshall 4 years ago

Beauty Pageants are pedophilic!

3points

Tabitha L 4 years ago

This is an excellent one! Sexualizing children is bizarre. Never Nevermind the stress and pressure it puts on a child.

3points

Whipple Rickman 4 years ago

So gross and inappropriate. I don't understand it at all. These parents should be locked away.

3points

Jo Bebe 4 years ago

Kind of like how I can't understand why such a high percentage of Colombian women have plastic surgery in order to win beauty pageants to leave and compete elsewhere .........

2points

Steve Michaels 4 years ago (edited)

Thats not an American thing but hey, blame everything on us. As if we care.

2points

Ana 3 years ago

It’s disgusting! I hate it. And typically the parents don't care if the kid wants to do it or not, its all about the money.

1point

Christina Uhlir 4 years ago

It's child abuse.

1point

Oathbraker 4 years ago

You know whatl always confused me about Americans? Talking about salaries in dollars per hour and yearly. I've no idea how much 15 $/hour is. Or how much $80 000 a year is. Most people just talk about their monthly salary. After all you pay most of your bills per month- electricity, water, heating, internet, phone, etc.

20points

BG 4 years ago

Generally, only administrators are "salaried" employees who make a guaranteed amount. When I worked on construction sites, I earned a certain dollar-amount per hour. I may work 32 hours this week and 50 hours the next. I had no idea how much I made "per month" until the end of the month.

5points

Load More Replies...

Aria Whitaker 4 years ago

That is because a large portion, if not the majority, gets paid either per hour, or have a yearly salary that can be broken down into monthly OR bi-weekly payments. Getting one lump sum for the entire month does happen(mostly with local government, state and federal jobs), but there are simply other ways people are paid...hourly rate is one of the most popular in the private sector, so it is referenced the most.

3points

Daria B 4 years ago (edited)

In Korea, while job hunting, most places will refer to the yearly salary, and you are expected to negotiate it also in yearly terms. Yeah, it's confusing to me too. Especially with Korean currency, that's some huge numbers.... And precarious work is negotiated in hours.

2points

GirlFriday 4 years ago

Salaries are presented in an annual amount because that is the largest amount of money and makes it sound like SO much. An employer tells you $40,000 per year because it SOUNDS much better than $19.23 per hour.

1point

Lisa Chambers 4 years ago

Really? I make a salary based on a monthly amount. Some of it is taxed, my entitlements are not. I can get more money if I get promoted or if Congress passes a pay raise which usually takes place after the start of the New Year. I also get an increase every two years. I generally follow a percentage plan for my expenses. And my salary is fully available via the freedom of public information act.

1point

Whipple Rickman 4 years ago

Good point!

1point

clone Carter 11 months ago

Maybe 10% of people in my country are salary employees, everyone normally gets played weekly of fortnightly and therefore bills get played weekly of fortnightly. So if talking about income people will answer per week.

0points

Cookie 3 years ago

That's because they are paid every 2 weeks, so each year would be 13 months.

0points

Cesi Baca 4 years ago

I have an honest question for you though. Why do you even care? I’m not an American who has no interest in the rest of the world, but I honestly couldn’t care less about the petty little peculiarities of different nations. I have too much going on in my own life for that.

-3points

Mama Panda 4 years ago

Ok Enough about the flags. One time on this list is all you all need. We don't need to keep explaining the same damn thing over and over. There is a lot of speculation coming from people who don't have a big enough sample of living in the US. You live in one place and think you can speak for everywhere but that is not how it is here. I think it would have been a better format if instead of being all smug and s**t, instead ya' all just asked questions and we could answer. Because you are making assumptions without all the facts, and that's not a sign of intelligence. (yeah down voting this comment will prove my point so go ahead! )

12points

Electric Ed 4 years ago

We are making these assumptions based on the propaganda Hollywood feeds us. And the odd tourist. Only by having articles like this can we even start to dig deeper, and find this truth you hint at.

2points

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