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“Americans, What’s Something The Rest Of The World Does That You Find Absurd?” (28 Answers)
No two people are the same, and it seems that this can also be said about countries. All you do is cross a line that separates geographical areas, and suddenly the free toilets you were so accustomed to are paid, and the meal portions get strangely stingy.
This time, Americans had the chance to take this burden off their shoulders and share the myriad of weird behaviors they witnessed while traveling outside the US. From living without air conditioning to putting milk in bags, below you’ll find an assortment of things the rest of the world does that somehow rub the citizens of America the wrong way.
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#1
Honestly? I understand most of it. People are raised where they're raised. They eat food they know, watch entertainment that is local, follow the traditional sports in their neck of the world.
I totally get that. I think people are the same the world over, they just want to have a good life and a better one for their kids. They don't want to be hungry or poor or unhoused. I get ALL that.
What I don't get is Eurovision. What the actual f**k?
EDIT: Holy f**k, I may not be the brightest fork in the drawer but I'm not a f*****g idiot. I am well aware of the format of Eurovision. I do not understand the hype around Eurovision. I do not understand the politics around Eurovision. I do not understand the song selection OR performances of Eurovision. I do not understand how countries NOT IN EUROPE can be in a competition called EUROvision.
There you go, ya pedantic f***s. Happy now?
arthbach 8 months ago
All you need to know about Eurovision is it's a chance for a party, A time to let rip, and have fun. I don't 'get' American 'home coming', or 'pep rallies', or to be honest the idea that sport is important. (I like museums, architecture, crafts, etc.) However, like Eurovision, they are things other people like, and I just let them enjoy what they are enjoying.
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#2
The vacation and time off in other countries. Its crazy to me. But holy cow am jealous.
TheAmericanAmerican 8 months ago
As an American living and working in Europe, I can confirm this! I went from having 2 weeks of vacation to now 6 and it's absolutely amazing! I ain't never going back! 🤣
#3
When you rent an apartment in Germany, in most cases it doesn't come with light fixtures, kitchen cabinets and counters, appliances, etc. You either have to purchase and install these yourself, or hope that the previous tenant is willing to sell theirs to you. In my last apartment search, there were even a few apartments where I would have had to supply and install my own flooring. It's insane.
TheAmericanAmerican 8 months ago
Yup. The Germans take everything INCLUDING the kitchen sink! 🤣
An American thinking that paying for water in a restaurant is weird or putting potatoes on pizza is gross is a perfect example of ethnocentrism. This means they’re evaluating other countries from their culture’s point of view. They’re judging or making assumptions about the food of other countries based on their own norms, values, or beliefs.
However, this can lead to negative judgments and discrimination against different cultures and people. To avoid this, cultural relativism suggests approaching unfamiliar ways of life without imposing their own bias on what is wrong, right, or normal. Instead, we should try to understand cultural practices in their own cultural context.
#4
I don't know if it's everywhere , but I noticed a conspicuous lack of screens in windows while I was in Europe.
It's so simple, and it prevents bugs. I was woken up by bugs in 4 separate European countries. Why?! You don't need to live like that.
#5
The assumption that all Americans are similar instead of a diverse group with a vast variety of backgrounds and beliefs.
#6
Not "the rest," but some countries throw toilet paper in the trash can, and that is f*****g horrifying.
As an alternative, one should ask, “Why do some cultures eat fried insects?” They might learn that they are full of protein in Mexico, are a famous part of the cuisine, and have been eaten for thousands of years as a healthy food source.
#7
Not the rest of the world, but I will never understand arranged marriages. I can’t imagine being forced to have children with someone you may not like.
Did I say that out loud? (he/him)cis/het 8 months ago
Do not confuse arranged marriages and forced marriages, two entirely different things.
#8
I'm addressing Europe and I guess probably Belgium specifically, because that's where I encountered this the most.
Y'all are unnecessarily f****n' stingy with the beverages at restaurants.
Like for real, you stop somewhere for dinner, and the server comes by and asks if you want water. After the awkward exchange about whether you want "shparkling or steel," they come back roughly 30 minutes later with something the size of a toddler's sippy cup with water in it.
If, by some happenstance, you find yourself drinking all 8oz of the beverage supplied with your entire meal, and successfully perform the esoteric dark ritual of summoning the server back to your table to check on you, they will be shocked. "Hm, you are very thirsty tonight! It seems you have guzzled down your entire thimble of water in a mere 50 minutes. Would you like me to try to bring another?"
It's water, you m***********s.
I know that back in like the 1500s all your waterways were basically sewage and so you culturally got accustomed to drinking only heavily-fermented snifters of your own saliva during meals, but I KNOW YOU HAVE PLUMBING NOW.
Greenmantle 8 months ago
Well... the US is known for their massive beverage servings... pretty common to get a 200 or 250ml serving or water elsewhere in the world (7-9oz)
#9
Specific to Europeans but yall have no business judging Americans for our issues with racism given how yall talk about and treat the Romani.
JoyfulZebra 8 months ago (edited)
I know this entry got downvoted, but I agree with OP. The US has done evil s**t to people of color both at home and abroad, but Europe has done stuff as bad as America, and for some countries it has done so for longer (looking at you England, Portugal, Spain and The Netherlands). And as OP said, how a lot of European countries treat Roma people is absolutely abhorrent. So, even though the US has been rightly criticized for its racism, Europe shouldn't feel superior to us in that regard, considering how many skeletons are in their closet.
Appreciating one’s culture can be healthy, as it can result in a shared sense of community and connect people in a society. However, all cultures are beautiful in their own ways and shouldn’t be blindly criticized because of that.
#10
Milk in a bag.
#11
Lack of disability access.
Don't give me that c**p about how old your buildings are, you had no problem rebuilding most of the ones that were leveled after WWII, you can install a concrete ramp.
#12
Pay toilets.
CJK 8 months ago
American here. I've been to Europe a couple times and I LOVE the toilets. Yes it was a little unusual at first but I would gladly pay for that privacy and cleanliness.
Andrea Purzycki 8 months ago
Not my experience. When I visited Italy in 2008 the toilets were gross and most of them didn't even have toilet seats to sit on, just the raw edge of the toilet bowl. I couldn't believe they expected people to pay to use that.
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Jill Rhodry 8 months ago
You might find this weird but I'd rather pay for nice, clean toilets that have privacy than have free toilets with ill-fitting doors giving little to no privacy.
Jrog 8 months ago (edited)
I answered this several times now, with data and statistics. Don't want to go back to retrieve the original thread. Basically, it boils down to: the state with most overall public toilets in the USA still has less free toilets per person than the country with less free toilets in Europe, plus they have pay toilets.
Ryan Smith 8 months ago
So, putting little barriers on a bench to keep homeless people from sleeping on them is a human rights violation, but keeping poor people out of toilets is OK?
smithyjones 8 months ago
America used to have pay toilets, hence the poem, "Here i sit, broken hearted. Paid a dime and only farted."
Shaunn Munn 8 months ago
I remember when pay toilets were common in America. What surprised me when I visited Holland were the elderly women who guarded bowls of change. I really had to go and tossed a bill into the bowl and started to walk on in. What a ruckus! I knew I paid enough and ran to the nearest stall, all while the old woman and several others were yelling at me. When I got out, one woman chided me for being a spendthrift American schoolgirl *I was 17*. I told her I just got off the plane and only had paper Guilders I'd received in the U.S. I had to use the toilet! Did they want me to pee on the floor because I didn't have anything smaller? I left them muttering to each other and got out. This was in 1975. I was a dumb teenager who knew nothing about the exchange rate or where to obtain coins. TDLR: was chastised for overpaying to use a Dutch toilet.
Suzie 8 months ago
As opposed to ? Sorry I'm not sure what this means .. do Americans share toilets ?
BeepBoop is Lonely (she/they) 8 months ago
free public toilets (often disgusting, not clean, and smell bad)
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Big Chungus 8 months ago
This makes sense. When I went to one of the islands near South America, they had pay toilets to up keep the cleanliness and pay staff.
Paul Macdonell 8 months ago
Try and find a toilet in any city in North America when you are in need !!! I pay for food and water and gladly will pay to remove it from my system And please note our (real) homeless issue is causing many establishments to close or limit public use of their toilets.
TheAmericanAmerican 8 months ago
😒Germany. SO close to being a perfect country but then you gotta go and make me pay to take a p!ss...
Fall F. 8 months ago
Dude, they are clean and supplied. What do you think, how? Nope, it's not a miracle, there are people working on it. You want them working for free?
Load More Replies... #13
That you believe we are all the same.
There are over 339 million people in America. We are all different, some born here, some moved here.
When we hear "Americans are dumb" or "Americans are ruining the world" - just know none of us think you are talking about us.
There are dumbasses, who live here, just like people where you live and others all over the world. There are also amazing, intelligent, beautiful, fantastic people who live here that care about the world outside their front door. We are not all ethnocentrists or Nationalists.
Many of us want the world to be a better place. A safe place. A happy place.
But, to lump almost 339,000,000 people into one group and expect them all to have the same traits is absurd, especially in a country that has a higher incoming immigration rate than almost any other country in the world. A country that was built specifically for immigrants to come get a fresh start, build their dream, and live a peaceful life.
By contrast:
The entire UK has 67.7 million people.
Germany has 83 million.
France has 64.7 million.
TheAmericanAmerican 8 months ago
This one's well written and logical. The majority of Americans HATE trump and the RepubliKKKlan politicians but the political system has been so thoroughly corrupted by the billionaire class(the capitalist class) that they have massive unjustly power! If the US went full direct democracy and the president was elected by a simple 1 person = 1 Vote system, we'd never have another republican in the White House again!
#17
Pay money for water in restaurants.
Anna Ekberg 8 months ago
Yes we pay for water but also our waiters don't depend on tipping from customers to survive.
#18
That smoking is still so common. This goes for Europe, Asia, South America. Probably other places too. I know we in the US have since started embracing vaping which is its own problem but at least we made cigarettes uncool. The rest of the world is dealing with both in huge numbers. There were a few glorious years in the US before vaping but after cigarettes were uncool where almost no one smoked. That was amazing.
BoredPossum 8 months ago
Sweden is well on its way to become the first non smoking country. (Less than 5% smokes.)
#20
I don't know if it's everywhere or just certain countries, but having to pay to use a public restroom. Even if you're filling your tank and buying snacks in the store you still have to pay extra to take a leak at a gas station. I could maybe understand charging non-customers, but if I'm a paying customer of your establishment I think it's a little weird to charge me extra.
#21
Apartment rentals not coming with kitchens… how does anyone afford to install new kitchens every time you move?? And you can’t even take it with you as every apartment had a different arrangement.
#22
Believing media-stereotypes about the USA without ever having been here.
#23
Absurd...
I find it absurd that many Asian cultures have a deep seated aversion to having fans on in the bedroom when sleeping.
I find it absurd that in many European countries ice in a drink, like water, is viewed with disdain.
I find it absurd that in Italy it may be 21C outside but if a newborn baby is in the room the windows are closed up, the baby is wrapped up in a blanket, and people think the red skin color of an overheated infant is a sign of good health!
I also find the driving habits of Italians to be absurd.
#24
Complain about us so much.
BoredPossum 8 months ago
Not you and not all of you, just the ones pushing that "America is the greatest country in the world "-c**p.
#25
I wouldnt call this ‘absurd’, but when i lived in Norway finding out nearly every store closed all day on Sundays was crazy. Additionally- they put CORN on pizza, ew.
devotedtodreams 8 months ago
Bro, corn is my favorite ingredient on pizza! And where did I first have it? During vacation on Sardinia many years ago.
#26
This may be because of my proximity to New York City, but:
Tourists from around the world come to our big cities, and spend a huge chunk of their time and money shopping at Macy's and Target and Sephora.
Not all, obviously, but a lot...
EDIT: I understand the idea of shopping for the novelty of it. I do that too. That's not my point. The key words above are "huge chunk". Like, people fly several hours across an ocean to come here, and some spend the vast bulk of their time buying stuff that's mass produced in factories and available in 3,000 locations nationwide.
EDIT 2: Ok, maybe it's me, because I grew up in the middle of New Jersey, with access to at least five shopping malls within an hour drive, and all of them had Macy's, JC Penney, etc.
EDIT 3: Although I was aware of the gap between the US and other countries in terms of price, selection, and availability... holy moly I didn't realize it was such a major driver of tourist commerce. Forgive me, please, for my ignorance.
#27
Not putting ice in drinks by default and relatedly, no free refills at restaurants.
#28
The toppings they put on pizza in Korea.
What do you think ?
Daniel Atkins 8 months ago
I know we just have a few questions we hope to get some helpful, informative or at least amusing response and the the comments trend toward you suck. Somehow it is like the thing we used to say as kids when someone said something that was insulting but had some truth to it so it stung a little. Then you would reply I'm rubber you're glue bounces off me and sticks to you.
Load More Replies... Justin Tyme 8 months ago
Bored Panda continues working to divide the USA from the rest of the world.
N. 8 months ago
Dude. It's just like screens and ice. I think it brings people closer when you can say "Huh that's interesting. How come y'all do it that way?"
Load More Replies... TheAmericanAmerican 8 months ago
The amount of actual hate against americans here is concerning to say the least. The vast majority of us are NOT the right-wing sociopaths that worship the likes of trump.
sweetrottenpeaches 8 months ago
I believe every European with a slightest sign of intelligence know this. At least I really don't hate you ❤️ every time I met someone from the USA they were all nice people. Not brainwashed Trumpists.
Load More Replies... N. 8 months ago
Why's everyone so worked up? We like big icy drinks and built in kitchen cabinets. Some people think that's weird, and that's ok. We can laugh about it.
sweetrottenpeaches 8 months ago (edited)
I don't think it is weird and I don't know why people are so upset. I love a big american kitchen and the kitchen island you have there, I love a big icy cold soda diluted with ice, and oh those lovely big stoves are making me simply jealous ❤️and the diverse cuisine you have there is just wow 👌
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Bouche and Audi and Shyla, Oh My! 8 months ago
*bats the popcorn under the sofa*
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Multa Nocte 8 months ago
I can already guess how the reaction to this is going to be. BP, were you worried that there wasn't enough strife in the world?
Libstak 8 months ago (edited)
Why strife? We have had the same about american culture many times, people sharing what they don't understand is a good thing.
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David Paterson 8 months ago
As an Australian, I find this list highly amusing. Even the ones that refer to Australia. Go America. Give-m-ell.
John Harrison 8 months ago
The topic of putting ice in drinks makes Europeans sh*t their pants. It's amazing to watch.
Daniel Atkins 8 months ago
I know we just have a few questions we hope to get some helpful, informative or at least amusing response and the the comments trend toward you suck. Somehow it is like the thing we used to say as kids when someone said something that was insulting but had some truth to it so it stung a little. Then you would reply I'm rubber you're glue bounces off me and sticks to you.
Load More Replies... Justin Tyme 8 months ago
Bored Panda continues working to divide the USA from the rest of the world.
N. 8 months ago
Dude. It's just like screens and ice. I think it brings people closer when you can say "Huh that's interesting. How come y'all do it that way?"
Load More Replies... TheAmericanAmerican 8 months ago
The amount of actual hate against americans here is concerning to say the least. The vast majority of us are NOT the right-wing sociopaths that worship the likes of trump.
sweetrottenpeaches 8 months ago
I believe every European with a slightest sign of intelligence know this. At least I really don't hate you ❤️ every time I met someone from the USA they were all nice people. Not brainwashed Trumpists.
Load More Replies... N. 8 months ago
Why's everyone so worked up? We like big icy drinks and built in kitchen cabinets. Some people think that's weird, and that's ok. We can laugh about it.
sweetrottenpeaches 8 months ago (edited)
I don't think it is weird and I don't know why people are so upset. I love a big american kitchen and the kitchen island you have there, I love a big icy cold soda diluted with ice, and oh those lovely big stoves are making me simply jealous ❤️and the diverse cuisine you have there is just wow 👌
Load More Replies... Bouche and Audi and Shyla, Oh My! 8 months ago
*bats the popcorn under the sofa*
Load More Replies... Multa Nocte 8 months ago
I can already guess how the reaction to this is going to be. BP, were you worried that there wasn't enough strife in the world?
Libstak 8 months ago (edited)
Why strife? We have had the same about american culture many times, people sharing what they don't understand is a good thing.
Load More Replies... David Paterson 8 months ago
As an Australian, I find this list highly amusing. Even the ones that refer to Australia. Go America. Give-m-ell.
John Harrison 8 months ago
The topic of putting ice in drinks makes Europeans sh*t their pants. It's amazing to watch.
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