American Culture

[CityandColour]

im not fat, sure, i may have somewhat of a small beer belly without my shirt on but im not fat. :D

[rf_ucsd]

I'm big boned.

[CityandColour]

bahahaha, no

[soleil]

ohhhh boy the hints aren't helping. :rolleyes:

 

HHHHAAA

 

WHHHHHoooops again Tom!

 

I really meant to say, Kool Aid...

 

so memorable, that even I didn't remember it.

[Professor Peedston]

oh. well yeah now i've got it. :rolleyes:

 

but now i'm going to be wondering why "hawaiian punch" rang a bell too. :huh:

[gvargas]

something different that I felt btw here and elsewhere is here we use are cars more an elsewhere people use public transportation...probably depends where you are too..

 

I'll think of more later...can't think of anything else right now

[Professor Peedston]

actually, i use nothing but public transportation, but i live smack in the middle of the 5th biggest city in the country, so it's an option for me.

 

i think here in america people are generally much too spread out for mass transit to be economically viable for the people who would have to run it, unless, as i said, you're in a densely populated urban area.

 

that's my take on that. *shrugs*

[soleil]

another example of more for less (that doesn't have to do with being fat) -

 

walmart and target... where you can buy all your regular household items for less.. and we must also not forget about Sam's Club? what would we do without it?

[gvargas]

Yah I live in suburbia so that is why I said it depends where you are...

 

There are many parks here in the US rather than plazas. I tended to walk a lot more when I was abroad then here in the US. That's another difference.

 

24 hour places are big here too...just agreeing with soleil

I remember being in Spain and finding one little store open 24 hours and it was a miracle

[Guest LiquidSky]

Americans ARE relatively fat, though.

 

I'm pretty down on America as a culture recently so I wouldn't really mind seeing the fat, greedy, ugly American architype perpetrated for a little while.

 

Hope that doesn't bum people out. Don't take it personally: I'm just acting out. Almost all the Americans I hang out with are super cool people, and if you're reading this in another country I would be happy to introduce them to you so you can say "I know a nice American."

 

Anybody watching this season of the Real World on MTV? There's some ugly American things happening there.

 

I was watching the one when the president gave the speech to Sadam Hussein telling him he had 48 hours...

[rf_ucsd]

Anybody watching this season of the Real World on MTV? There's some ugly American things happening there.

 

I was watching the one when the president gave the speech to Sadam Hussein telling him he had 48 hours...

 

I saw that one last night. That episode really brought up some wierd emotions for me ... remembering 9-11 and having to bite my tongue on a daily basis for a couple of months while people in this country worked through the reality of their new world.

 

I still kind of get upset at lot of the things that have happened since then.

[DoogieJ]

$5 all you can eat lunches in Pizza Hut

they were great

:)

I spent 6 months in the US, so I dont qualify for the "Been there for one week" type person :D

 

Hmm americans, as a whole i liked them, my ex gf was american...tho her father i couldn't stand, he was the most bigotted person ive ever met, im pretty sure the term sand niggers, isnt politically correct for arabs *shrug*

 

American Football, jeez, grow some balls, and take off the padding, you ever seen rugby? It's 40 minutes of continuous viloence, hard hitting, mauling, raking, studs in face, punches...and they wear no padding, then they get a 15 min break, then come back for 40 minutes more of it...you lot pansy about for 20 seconds take a 2 minute break, and then do it again. American football, the only sport except sumo wrestling where being fat is useful :)

And why is it Football, you barely use your feet on the ball...gah :)

 

Oh and baseball..wtf, was this sport designed for insomniacs to help them sleep? and why the big gloves? you scared you might drop it or it may hurt...cheats :)

 

Australians, convicts and greek, end of story :P plus you lot beat us all the time, bastards :D

 

US do have a lot of cars, but as Tom said, you need them, public transport unless you live in the cities doesnt exist, no car = no life pretty much.

 

Americans are getting fatter, but then so is most western culture, its the combination of a poor diet, and less exercise at a young age, due to computers, TV and the lack of sporting facilities, as places like fields are built upon for housing...

 

There are a shed load of arrogent americans tho, people who think just because they are american, and belong to the top country in the world, and have the biggest army means they can shoot their mouths off about anything, and they are automatically right...

You know what i hate most about americans? the ones who say, if it wasn't for us, you'd all be speaking German. you know what i say, Fuck off...fact is you lot joined the war 3 years late, (see world war one as a reminder) by which stage the Brits plus allies (kudos to the canadians, ANZACs Indians and other imperial territories for that) had been holding off hitler for 3 years, the RAF, seriously undermanned had practically destroyed hitlers luftwaffe in the battle of britain, the foundations for victory had already been laid, then hitler attacked russia, stretching his forces across two fronts...Americans just helped finish the job, and provided needed arms and vehicles....it wasnt some divine crusade :P

sorry rant off now, that just pisses me off :)

 

I like Ice Hockey tho, go Flyers (bloody chokers) :D

 

Hmm other Us stereotypes, you like our royal family :) fact is, the royal family only exist still because the US give us lots of money from tourism seeing these inbreds :) PS for those who don't understand, that was satire :)

 

Oh US sense of humour, you dont get sarcasm or irony very well sometimes, you find Brits "funny" because we seem aloof or pompous, it's just our humour :)

US like more direct humour, we like humour that makes you think, satire, etc :)

 

Any US ive upset here sorry :) you did ask for it tho in the thread :)

I'll just reitterate I like 99% of the americans I met in person (not loud mouth pricks behind computer screens in forums) And id like to visit and live and work in US one day, if they ever sort out these damn immigration/visa laws that exist between the US/UK....its rediculous, its easy for some east european to work in UK than for a US person..the US, a country we share the most in common politically and culturally (except Australia) and we're treated like aliens and so are you if we try to work in each others respective country...wtf is that about ????

 

bleh :(

 

**Edit** I remember one thing I like about Americans tho, you are all so patriotic, it's great, I just wish more UK ppl were, but it isnt encouraged here as it is in US, ppl frown upon true britishness, because it attracts the far left fascists, and neo nazis :( (BNP for example)..im immensly proud of my country, i am English and glad to be so, but a lot of ppl dont express it. Thats why i like nights like Last night of the proms where we sing our songs about our history and beating up the french for 1000 years :) (sorry had to add that) :lol:

[CityandColour]

haha! you didn't piss me off cause you like Hockey, and dissed baseball and "american" football. :D

[Professor Peedston]

and he's a flyer's fan nonetheless! WOOO! (even though we haven't had much to cheer for lately)

 

as for baseball and football... it's your opinion. :P i'm a huge baseball fan, there are hundreds of little intricacies to the game that the casual observer can't see (or probably isn't interested in anyway, but i am). i'm the kind of baseball nerd that enjoys sitting at the game and thinking, "2-1 count, he'll probably through a curve" and such. it's definitely an acquired taste. on the other hand, i find watching a soccer/football game excruciatingly boring. and i don't watch american football because i think the guys are tough (hell, even i played it for two years in high school, how tough could it be?), i watch because it entertains me.

 

as for the humor bit, yes, we americans like it brunt and right in our faces. however, we also enjoy subtlety too. see "the simpsons" for great examples of both.

 

and for every american saying "if it weren't for us, you'd be speaking german" and calling arabs "towelheads" or "sandniggers" or whatever it is, i'm sure there's a brit somewhere that's just as ignorant. :P

 

uhhhhhhhh that's all i got i guess.

[soleil]

yay! i'm so happy a non-american replied! i thought we may have scared them all away! :o

first of all... i must say, i love pizza hut. it's awesome (greasy, but awesome) actually, i pretty much like pizza in general... mmm giordano's deep dish... papa johns, little ceasars, california pizza kitchen..

anyways, i'm not upset about the input, this is exactly what i wanted.

 

umm... i've never heard anyone describe an arab as a sand nigger - i can't believe anyone would say such a thing! i've also never heard anyone say that if it wasn't for the us, you'd all be speaking german?? sadly... there are going to be ignorant people wherever you are in the world..

i pretty much don't like football and baseball either.. i think both of them are boring, so i guess i'm the exception to rule. i think both games move rather slowly. i'm more into watching basketball..yeah! :)

 

oh yeah, and the immigration thing... i don't know. i feel like a lot of countries have difficulties getting getting a visa to come here... i know a lot of people at my work are from different countries and all of them think that the biggest step for them was to be able to get a visa to get here..

and i do know that my brother was able to get a visa to work in the uk pretty easily, but that might be b/c it's an american company, i'm not sure..

umm what else.. the only thing i can think of right now is that i feel like sometimes there are extremes here in the us. for example, if you're fit, you're fit - you work out at bally's 7 times a week, if not then you're at the other end - obese.

 

need more input..

[ShibbNani]

I don't actually care for America at the moment, and if I'm going out of the country, I usually just say I'm Canadian [which is true, anyways]. It feels kind of wrong to be ashamed of where I'm from, but with being pegged by the rest of the world as the "loud, rude, frat boy" of the world, it's understandable.

 

 

 

 

*runs and hides before the uber-patriotic arseholes on the street knock down her door*

[soleil]

Why would you be ashamed of where you come from????

 

(^^ that was my sister writing.. she just saw your post since she was near to the computer..)

[soleil]

off topic - asexual icon on kilby right now! :lol:

[Dania]

[quote="DoogieJ"

 

Oh US sense of humour, you dont get sarcasm or irony very well sometimes, you find Brits "funny" because we seem aloof or pompous, it's just our humour :)

US like more direct humour, we like humour that makes you think :lol:

 

:lol: yep agree totally example somthing like the office probably wudn't make it in america cos of humour difference.

[rf_ucsd]

Doogie .... I loved your post!!!

 

im pretty sure the term sand niggers' date=' isnt politically correct for arabs *shrug*[/quote']

 

Oh my gawd! That's horrible!

 

American Football, jeez, grow some balls, and take off the padding, you ever seen rugby? It's 40 minutes of continuous viloence, hard hitting, mauling, raking, studs in face, punches...and they wear no padding, then they get a 15 min break, then come back for 40 minutes more of it...you lot pansy about for 20 seconds take a 2 minute break, and then do it again.

 

I watch a lot of Rugby, a lot of the AFL, a lot of the NFL. I played American football for 4 years and Rugby for parts of two. The argument above completely ignores the fact that the hits in the NFL are about 20x more violent than in the other two sports. All the games are rough, but American football's rules generate specific situations (like a quarterback getting blindsided by a defensive end) that have no analog in Rugby or the AFL.

 

In other words, I find this argument to be very lacking. I'm measuring my words.

 

And why is it Football, you barely use your feet on the ball...gah :)

 

Can't argue with that.

 

Oh and baseball..wtf, was this sport designed for insomniacs to help them sleep? and why the big gloves? you scared you might drop it or it may hurt...cheats :)

 

Obviously you've never tried catching a fly ball or a line drive with your bare hands. I don't think anybody wants to watch a game where nobody ever fielded a ball cleanly because the ball-to-size of hand ratio was out of whack.

 

US do have a lot of cars, but as Tom said, you need them, public transport unless you live in the cities doesnt exist, no car = no life pretty much.

 

But this is a product of conscious, societal decisions. I think a more accurate statement would be "Americans choose to be dependant on cars because they are unwilling to invest in public transportation infrastructure."

 

There are a shed load of arrogent americans tho, people who think just because they are american, and belong to the top country in the world, and have the biggest army means they can shoot their mouths off about anything, and they are automatically right...

You know what i hate most about americans? the ones who say, if it wasn't for us, you'd all be speaking German. you know what i say, Fuck off...fact is you lot joined the war 3 years late, (see world war one as a reminder) by which stage the Brits plus allies (kudos to the canadians, ANZACs Indians and other imperial territories for that) had been holding off hitler for 3 years, the RAF, seriously undermanned had practically destroyed hitlers luftwaffe in the battle of britain, the foundations for victory had already been laid, then hitler attacked russia, stretching his forces across two fronts...Americans just helped finish the job, and provided needed arms and vehicles....it wasnt some divine crusade :P

sorry rant off now, that just pisses me off :)

 

I agree, and personally I think Americans should learn a little bit more about our country's place in the world. Do we have the biggest army? Yes. Do we have the strongest economy? Yes. That doesn't make an American more valuable than a Briton or a Frenchmen or a German. Or a Palestinian. Or an Iraqi. If you get to know enough Americans you get the distinct impression that our culture is breeding this attitude.

[rf_ucsd]

Why would you be ashamed of where you come from????

 

(^^ that was my sister writing.. she just saw your post since she was near to the computer..)

 

Because the U.S. is making the world a worse place to live. That's something I had never said until 1 year ago.

[DoogieJ]

About baseball? you ever seen cricket? it's the same, ball of cork encased in red leather and stitched, nearly same density if not more to a baseball...and we field the ball from about 10-20 yards away travelling at a fair whack (the ball was bowled at over 90 mph + the force the batsman adds) and is caught by a fielder, bare hands...type Jonty Rhodes into Google and try to find a film clip of him fielding at point, the equivalent importance as SS is in baseball i guess...he has cut shots fired at his face by batsman, and he just catches them :)

 

I'd still say rugby players are hard. I dunno if you ever saw the situations of an up and under, where the catching player forgot to call "mark" or did too late, only to get flattened while in mid air by 6 18 stone (approx 250 pound) guys running at him full pace from a 40 yard distance...that hurts :) Rugby is a lot more dirty too, mainly due to the fact they have no protection.

 

Anyway i think we agree to disagree here :) I just like winding up americans regarding "football" lol...would be interesting to see a full proper game of american football with no padding, but then again on astroturf that would really hurt, there's no forgiveness in that stuff :/ (I play Football in goal on the stuff, friction burns galore)

[gvargas]

Woah more people wrote.... :stunned:

 

I like football (soccer) and I can watch baseball, especially if we are winning. :) I don't have a problem with the word football because that's how you say it in Spanish too (fútbol). (It kind of makes more sense) I like basketball too! We got great teams too. We used to have a good one...but alas the dream team is gone.

American football is boring for me... i don't like how they play and 3 seconds later stop...play and then 4 seconds later they stop....and so on... If you're at the stadium it's more fun. If it's a play off game and it's a home team it's probably more interesting! But, I must say, Americans love their Football! Monday night!

Oh yes they do! (Gotta watch something else on Mondays ;)) Btw the Bears lost horribly to the Packers in our new stadium...

 

I never thought Americans were patriotic. Maybe it's more like "I" never thought I was patriotic, because I wasn't. But, I guess if I stop to think of it some people here are. I was not very patriotic until the Sept. 11 incident. (that was a sad day)

 

DoogieJ said, "You know what i hate most about americans? the ones who say, if it wasn't for us, you'd all be speaking German."

 

Never heard of that! Are you basing this on what one person said? I hope you don't base all your opinions on a few people you have met. :(

 

If anything I think Americans (and I definately don't say all because there are some that are well-rounded) don't really know much about our history or about what goes on in different countries. They don't really put much effort into knowing what's going on with the rest of the world. They may at times seem apethetic. But, that could also be because most of the news that we get is based solely on our country..we don't often get international news unless it is something bad that happens or something that the media wants us to know.

 

One thing that is different than the US and other countries is that other countries are usually more into politics than we are. (Once again, not everyone!)

 

The one thing I like about the US is that we have people who have immigrated from many different countries, which you don't always see when you go somewhere else. There are always some exceptions. But, in general that exposes us to many different cultures. :)

 

And US sense of humor...i like...When I usually go to another country whether it's Spain or Venezuela or wherever their are many times when I don't get their jokes or just don't find them funny

 

I like comedy here and the Canadians are really funny (many of the famous comedians here are from there!)

 

British humor, I don't know... :/ probably wouldn't get it. I have seen some shows here that you have probably never heard of or care for that were funny and were from England. (Keeping appearances and As time goes by?? with I forget her name Dame Dench - she's a good actress btw)

 

And I've never seen the office, so I don't know if I'd like it.

 

Oh I remeber one other thing...here in the US we don't know as many languages as people from other countries do. I remeber going to Holland and there was a man who spoke about 5 other langauges and well too! :stunned: I think that's awesome.

 

Btw...everyone that is not from the US or UK I am always amazed at your English it's great and I think it's great that you practice it on this board. Too bad I can't speak anything other than Spanish and a bit of Italian.

[DoogieJ]

DoogieJ said, "You know what i hate most about americans? the ones who say, if it wasn't for us, you'd all be speaking German."

 

Never heard of that! Are you basing this on what one person said? I hope you don't base all your opinions on a few people you have met.

 

Nope, it's a common misconception in the US.

 

1st up, my ex's dad used to say it to me to try to wind me up, so I'd just mention Vietnam back to him.

 

2nd. It features in at least 3 TV Programs/Films I have seen, two of them being mainstream, so reflective of modern america.

 

First of all, Friends, when Jack Geller (Elliot Gould) is upset about the wedding bill for Ross's marriage to Emily. Says to Emily's dad (Tom Conte) "...you would be speaking german if it wasn't for us, small minded, pompous..." etc

 

Second, Moe in the Simpsons, during the episode set in the Future where Lisa is gonna marry a brit...."Heheh we saved your ass in world war 2"

 

Third, a film called A Fish Called Wanda (dunno how big that is in US) When Kevin Kline playing an ex CIA agent is mocking John Cleese stating we'd all be part of the third reich and speaking german if it wasn't for the good old US of A.

 

Also at least 4 or 5 americans have said those lines to me online when things have got heated...

 

So if 2 of recent times most popular shows, that are meant to express US society (Simpsons more so) use that line, then it is a misconception that exists in america. Just be glad you have never heard it Gvargas :)

[rf_ucsd]

About baseball? you ever seen cricket? it's the same' date=' ball of cork encased in red leather and stitched, nearly same density if not more to a baseball...and we field the ball from about 10-20 yards away travelling at a fair whack (the ball was bowled at over 90 mph + the force the batsman adds) and is caught by a fielder, bare hands...type Jonty Rhodes into Google and try to find a film clip of him fielding at point, the equivalent importance as SS is in baseball i guess...he has cut shots fired at his face by batsman, and he just catches them :)[/quote']

 

My bad on this one. You're right in that it's not impossible ... however, I would argue that in baseball it's just not part of the asthetic to have so many errors as a result of this equipment issue. True, in baseball there are rules regarding the size of the glove, but nobody who watches baseball wants to see baseballs hit right at people dropped or mishandled. It's just not part of the sport. In cricket, which I admittedly know little about, the nature of the game makes successful defensive plays much rarer than in baseball, and a mishandle would thus be more accepted or incorporated.

 

But that last sentence was mostly b.s. I don't think it makes baseball players wimps for wearing a leather glove. I don't think it makes the game trivial.

 

I'd still say rugby players are hard. I dunno if you ever saw the situations of an up and under, where the catching player forgot to call "mark" or did too late, only to get flattened while in mid air by 6 18 stone (approx 250 pound) guys running at him full pace from a 40 yard distance...that hurts :) Rugby is a lot more dirty too, mainly due to the fact they have no protection.

 

Rugby does have hits, hard hits that are painful. They are nowhere near as numerous as in American football. There are rare situations that occur in Rugby. You note not calling a mark, and this is a real situation where if somebody screws up they'll get smoked. In American football on every passing play (roughly 60% of the plays) a wide receiver can do everything properly and still get completely, utterly blindsided by a defender, hit in a position that has no real analog in rugby. And this happens on 60% of the plays.

 

I just wanted to note that I think the whole padding argument is kind of trite, that's all.