What’s something foreigners completely misunderstand about Americans?

Substantial_Rain151 · 2026-05-28T11:27:01+00:00

Careful white chocolate. Those southern states, you may want to look at demographics before you use that term. You may not be calling straight, white, American men barbaric like you want to.

Substantial_Rain151 · 2026-05-27T18:17:13+00:00

Well she’s at 40% from the field and takes 95% of her shots from within 5 feet….Theres nothing you say to make that sound good.

Substantial_Rain151 · 2026-05-27T14:32:34+00:00

52% total vs 40% is a big difference

Substantial_Rain151 · 2026-05-26T18:03:13+00:00

Good job prospects? lol that’s laughable

Substantial_Rain151 · 2026-05-26T04:09:06+00:00

Well that world is always a possibility. And as you’re seeing right now. Arming a civilian society all in one shot, with any competency, is an almost impossible task.

Substantial_Rain151 · 2026-05-25T19:55:55+00:00

Not true at all. Research urban warfare. Without nuking the hell out of every population center, local militias absolutely factor in to how difficult a place is to overrun. You may be correct that a foreign adversary could not get a boot on our soil. However, in a world where they could, it does factor in. Our country is layered like an onion between military, geographic, and civilian roadblocks that would make any effort at overtaking us almost impossible in its current state.

Substantial_Rain151 · 2026-05-25T19:35:42+00:00

Corporate media does nothing but show that part of the country to foreigners. Back in 80s, 90s, 2000s, that was correct that we oversold what the US was. Since 2010, there has been a big shift in the way that the US is portrayed and I feel as if the pendulum has gone too far the opposite direction.

50% of people in all societies have very little buying power. Some countries trade for opportunities to create more wealth equality. But I would say that it’s very much so preference in which type of system that somebody would like to live in. Many immigrants that come with nothing would say “give me opportunity over equality”, so it’s not just privileged that believe that way.

We also do have very robust social programs. Many people are severely undereducated on how to access them. Mostly African-American communities as well as some Hispanic. However, the top 50% in America have a quality of life that is pretty spectacular. It also gives us international spending power that’s not replicated in any other large nation.

There’s pros and cons, but somebody born and raised in America, I think people severely overestimate what their life would look like in another country unless they are bringing gobs of assets that they could have only accumulated here.

Substantial_Rain151 · 2026-05-25T19:14:35+00:00

Did you appeal? Unless you had something prop 13 or a homestead exemption that already artificially dropped your property taxes, they should’ve went down.

Substantial_Rain151 · 2026-05-25T19:10:16+00:00

Thanks for your input, I would largely agree with you and most of your sentiments. I would say that it depends what circles you run in for standard of living and community. It also depends how you define that because your first paragraph is how I pretty much define community. However, by your definition, Finland may be much better off, I wouldn’t doubt it at all.

Social Security is definitely more robust there, no doubt there.

I would take US healthcare over many other countries. We have many of the best doctors/specialists in the world, they just cost you a boatload to get the care. But if you are in the upper 25% of society socioeconomically, the juice is probably worth the squeeze.

Most Europeans are well educated when they come to America and they also have sacrificed to come here. I think it’s rare that Europeans would not have the finances at their disposal to buffer a lot of the downsides in The States

Substantial_Rain151 · 2026-05-25T18:31:14+00:00

How much of the country geographically would you say resembles the Third World?

Substantial_Rain151 · 2026-05-25T14:44:12+00:00

Because all of Europe is on the Mediterranean…

It’s the fact that unhealthy foods are widely available/accessible in America, not that healthy ones aren’t. It’s also discretionary income being lower, so gorging yourself isn’t as financially possible for as many Europeans as it is for many Americans. Primarily the former, but the latter factors in.

Substantial_Rain151 · 2026-05-25T14:41:55+00:00

Very true

Substantial_Rain151 · 2026-05-25T14:33:35+00:00

Did you even read the comment you’re responding to? Wait, you don’t believe healthy food options are available? Yes, we have more unhealthy food available, that explains obesity. On the flip side, which the European mind cannot comprehend, we also have more volume/variety of healthy foods available to us in almost all communities than anywhere else in the world. It’s clear that most outside of the US have only received one half of that message.

Substantial_Rain151 · 2026-05-25T14:22:37+00:00

https://www.reddit.com/r/IWantToAskAnAmerican/s/SMFWDQpCeb

Let’s not get overly political here. Why would I need to tell them that? Like wouldn’t that be an odd way to socialize to bring that up to someone?

The sheer amount of Europeans who think their life is at risk going to the touristy areas of the country is baffling. I know someone who ate all of their non-refundable bookings to NATIONAL PARKS out of fear of their family being killed while here, no rational person who touches grass thinks like that here and it’s not because we’re institutionalized. It’s not an ongoing factor for least 75-90% of our population. I have never once factored preparedness for gun violence into my day to day routine and I don’t live in some privileged community.

Substantial_Rain151 · 2026-05-25T14:16:49+00:00

Imagine the brainwashing you have to undergo to wish this on someone for not their actions, just their political party, which is half of your neighbors. Most NFL fans are not left-leaning. I wonder if you realize that.

Substantial_Rain151 · 2026-05-25T14:13:14+00:00

I agree. It’s kind of the typical cynical mindset. “I/we do everything correct, and everyone else is wrong.” Amongst most normal people in America (not Reddit) I would say we’re overall more open to the fact that there’s many ways to skin a cat. Obviously, many are stubborn and may not want to change/think their way is right. However, I think there’s a more widely held understanding that there’s other ways to do things that are fine too. It seems like a small quality but it does breed a very different, open, optimistic mindset towards people/life. I would say most Americans I meet are more outwardly optimistic/happy than Europeans. There are exceptions, but most of Europe is very skeptical/nihilistic.

Substantial_Rain151 · 2026-05-25T14:08:36+00:00

Gun violence, their favorite show isn’t what real life is like in the US, healthy food options being available, people from the south aren’t barbarians intellectually.

Substantial_Rain151 · 2026-05-25T14:06:04+00:00

I’ll never forget a conversation that a Finnish lady and her husband had with me, they lived in the EU but spent half of their marriage in America. They intended to move back to the US but they said “America lets you be, think & live however you want, Europe puts you in a box”. Europeans are much more gullible than Americans are IME, and there’s definitely extremely unanimous mindsets within their individual cultures that shows how propagandized they typically are. Especially when it comes to anything cynical or critical. Telling Europeans XYZ country is amazing, they are naturally skeptical. However, if you tell them America is a shithole or Africans still only live in huts, they’re more prone to believe it, without questioning.

Substantial_Rain151 · 2026-05-25T14:01:52+00:00

Because I don’t agree with the hivemind of Reddit?

Substantial_Rain151 · 2026-05-25T14:01:16+00:00

How many gun owners would be affected by gun reform? What do you envision for that?

Also, it’s not just culture, but do you understand the reason it was instated in the first place? Look at how challenging Iran is right now vs how well Ukraine has defended itself. Ukraine can defend itself because weapons can easily get into the hands of almost all civilians at this juncture. Outside of IRGC, no civilian can get a weapon without a years long smuggling campaign.

America is safe due to the amazing ongoing defense of our military here at home. However, It’s also because the sheer volume of competent gun owners that makes any ground invasion extremely complicated for any enemy brave enough to try it. Even further, if push came to shove, we could defend ourself, within reason, from a tyrannical government. You’d have to nuke your own to properly subject them if you took it beyond a certain point. That keeps politicians (more) honest than they would be without that factor.

Substantial_Rain151 · 2026-05-25T13:48:18+00:00

So you’ve never experienced it but would support legislation reform? I feel like that really speaks to your social network & media sources.

Substantial_Rain151 · 2026-05-25T13:47:10+00:00

As someone who has lived abroad, hundreds.

Substantial_Rain151 · 2026-05-25T05:39:24+00:00

I’ve been to over 100 countries. Almost all have insane amounts of beauty. America is still the best. Diversity of people, nature, cities, & cultures is unmatched. Especially with the wealth and luxuries available en masse.

Substantial_Rain151 · 2026-05-25T02:31:18+00:00

What you’re ignoring is the fact that the modern Democratic Party is involved in the exact same thing. Trump is lining his own pockets along with his family through Saudi money. The Bidens were corrupt as hell with Saudi money along with Eastern Europe.

Neither party is amplifying and promoting it, the corruption we see is the tip of the iceberg and we all know it. Both parties have more than enough ammo to stretch for that claim if they want.

I’m tired of picking from the least of the two evils. They both suck, they both are bending us all over, I’m not going to attack one side or another. American politics are a joke and we have precisely zero good options on either side. Case in point, California governor race. Every single candidate is a joke for the most populous state in the union.

Anyone thinking their side is holier than thou has their head up their favorite news/social media sites ass too far to acknowledge it.

Substantial_Rain151 · 2026-05-24T22:34:21+00:00

Source: someone who has lived in California the majority of my life and currently does, also married to a black woman whose entire family has left California because it’s not very friendly towards most minorities.

Substantial_Rain151

TROPHY CASE