Do you dislike Americans?

[Kismett]

I feel like I often read posts online that are insulting American people, culture, food, etc. In person people are generally nice to me in the UK, although I do get unsolicited comments about how our chocolate is shit or they'd never want to live in the US. It's not a great feeling, to be honest. But is this how most people really feel?

I am also a Canadian living in England who has at times lived in Europe, Australia, Canada, and Turkey. My parents have a place down in the US too... so lots of data for my conclusions!

I've immensely liked every American I've ever met, one in particular I've never met in person but she's one of my best friends. I love visiting America and am fascinated by it.

I hate Trump and Hershey's chocolate. That's the extent of my hatred! I'm pretty sure you can come up with at least two things you hate about the U.K.

When I've stayed there, I've found it hard to find unprocessed food in supermarkets. I assume I just don't know where to look. Some areas of USA seem very loud- my x used to arrive here loud, gradually quieten down, go back home and be told he's whispering and then come back loud again.

I think part of the mismatch is an expectation that we share a culture, when in fact our education and outlook is quite different. They may appear ignorant, but they have learned a different set of geography/history etc. We are equally ignorant on subjects familiar to Americans.

I don't dislike Americans.

However I hate POTUS and American chocolate really is quite vile...and sadly that's started to affect British chocolate.

But I'd like to think that Americans don't judge the Welsh on high profile Welsh folk although struggling to think of a bad one that's famous in America ATM or laverbread seaweed bread

I've yet to meet anyone from USA that I dislike, even the slightly rude New York bar tender won me over with their dry wit. Definitely don't dislike/hate Americans and find people who make sweeping statements about the population of a country just as vile as POTUS.

I don't think I've ever met an American I didn't like as an individual. There are elements of American culture and foreign policy I don't like but equally there are elements that I do like.

Personally, I would ignore the opinion of anyone who makes blanket statements like "I don't like Americans/Brits/English/any other nationality, race, religion etc etc etc"

As to your chocolate, there is some that is not to my taste and some that is.

American chocolate is awful but you can get decent European chocolate here. I have met some lovely Americans and experienced their kindness but the are of course unlikeable ones as there are unlikeable English people. I think that the fact American English and English have differences in meaning cause a general discomfort, so that in conversation you can suddenly realise despite sharing a language you don’t understand what the other person is talking about, but that doesn’t automatically make anyone unlikeable.

I don’t think the ‘average’ American is any less ignorant of the world than the ‘average’ British person. Or any less entitled though. At least the US is a huge country with a strong economy and an incredibly powerful global military presence. I find British arrogance about their place in the world much more baffling

When I lived on the West Coast the fresh fruit and vegetables I ate everyday and the quality was absolutely unparalleled. I think this thread says quite a bit about how British people see themselves actually.

No - Not at all, we have a number of family & close friends who are American and they are lovely & kind, almost generous to a fault.

There a few things in American Culture which I dislike, however, I could say the same about a few things in French, British & Irish culture which I have a similar exposure to. But they all have fantastic aspects too!

I think it is rude to say to someones face a disparaging comment about their birth place. (even if the chocolate is a bit rubbish )

And what aspect of American ‘culture’?! The incredible TV shows, movies and books that Americans have produced?! Their fantastic magazines like the New Yorker? Art? Music?!
I mean I would hate for British people to be judged by Theresa May or Indians to be judged by Narendra Modi or Pakistanis to be judged by Imran Khan. But somehow ‘Trump’ represents America...even though he won significantly less votes than Hilary. And people seem to have forgotten that the same electorate elected Obama...

As I said, this thread says quite a bit about how civilisationally the British see themselves.

No, I dislike aspects of the American culture, like their obsession with guns and their weird views on abortion.

American culture is SO diverse, though. In a massive country with a population of over 300 million, you get the whole spectrum of views.
Where I live, for example, nearly everyone voted Democrat, is pro-choice and anti-guns. They're are also well-educated and well-travelled.

The chocolate is horrendous, I stock up on giant bars of Cadbury's every time I go through Duty Free at Heathrow.

No I’ve not met them all

I've never met (aside from customs and immigration) an American I disliked. All lovely.

However America has done some utterly dreadful things and continues to do them. Their foreign policy is poisonous and has caused the deaths of many many people. Their attitude to poverty and vulnerability leaves millions homeless and their healthcare system is a travesty. Oh and the food is generally repulsive.

But Americans are great. It never ceases to amaze me the crap they allow in their name.

I love America and most of the people I have met on my many holidays there.
I dislike the gun culture and Trump, I find it difficult to understand how these are supported by the majority of the American people. However I feel the same way about our government & Brexit.

Normal at all apart from trump

I don't think I'd be suited to living there. The culture seems very authotarian and dog eat dog and I think I'd probably home educate. The lack of NHS would make me anxious.

I don't think the food is that bad, the processed food can be a lot worse than what you get in the UK but the fresh stuff can be wonderful.

My best friend is American 🇺🇸But she's lived over here for years so maybe that doesn't count?

No. I grew up thinking Americans were a bit thick as so few have passports/seem to know about life beyond the US (or so I believed) and then I went there and was blown away by how lovely and well informed the ppl I met were.

I've been a few times to different states and always come away feeling very positive about them (sorry to generalise but you did ask!)

The only thing I find hard to comprehend is the gun laws, and the trenchant defence thereof.

DP is American so sometimes

The chocolate is shit and since a few British chocolate companies sold out to the US, it’s now become shit here too.

I don’t hate Americans but I loathe many Americanisms seeping over the pond.

Not at all...my best friend and god mother to my children is American and I spent 3 years living there. I do hate the chocolate and the cheese (🤢) and their natural propensity to over-share was hard for me at times (obviously that's a generalisation, but it's a pretty accurate one!). Being a very reserved Brit I found that a little challenging, but I never took it personally! It was, of course, my own issue. I'm sad that you feel this way OP 😢

Like others, I couldn’t say I hate Americans in general but I do find a lot of them to be very loud and sensitive. The ones I’ve met absolutely must portray their opinion which I find annoying

I don’t think American is one thing though, it’s an enormous country, with different states, cultures, beliefs and all together.

So no, I don’t. Trump could fall off the face of the earth and I wouldn’t be upset, along with his acolytes and the NRA.

I don't dislike Americans but I would not like to live there. Don't agree with the president, the gun culture, the awful wages for waiting staff and similar jobs, no NHS.

But I don't like the PM here in the UK either so