If Brits are obsessed with class and Americans are obsessed with race, what about everyone else?

[NutellaEllaElla]

What about other countries? What are the French, Italians, Germans, South Africans, Chinese etc obsessed with? I'm guessing for Indians it's Caste?

I'm just curious!

I must say that I am LOVING this thread. What a lot of quirky and funny insights!

Superstitions - eg If you are ready to leave the house and someone sneezes, everyone has to take their shoes off and put them back on again before being allowed to leave, otherwise a fatal demise awaits you.
@Moveorstay2022 This is my favourite one of the whole thread so far. I'm sure there's a logic somewhere but without context, it sounds hilarious!

@bluetongue I was surprised to read that it's almost unpatriotic to talk about not liking Aussie summers, i've heard it a lot but maybe it's ok to admit it to a foreigner? Fair dinkum to be obsessed with murderous fauna though.

Swedes are obsessed with the sun and being in it.

Same in Germany - they think paracetamol is incredibly dangerous so they don't want you buying it without advice. But there are pharmacies everywhere. Although in the evenings, overnight, on Sundays and Saturday afternoons it goes to emergency provision only so only about 1 in 8 are open in rotation and you have to speak to the staff through a little safety flap! And pay approx 5% extra. I always find it hilarious/infuriating that you aren't allowed to be hungover on a Saturday afternoon/Sunday morning!

@Nomoreusernames1244

*Australians are obsessed with:

Sport*

I found they were also obsessed with weight. Will openly tell kids and adults whether they know them or not they’re fat and need to lose weight.

If that fat person should be doing sport, then that’s a whole other level…

I find this more true of French than Aus

Not the sport part but letting people know if they’ve gained too much weight

Aus can get away with more weight imo

British are can be too down on themselves

Aus is the reverse, lots of bests

Italians are obsessed with drafts and catching colds from being cold.

And obviously by draft I actually mean draught 🤦🏻‍♀️

The Dutch like to tell you that they’ve noticed you’ve put in weight and are looking fat.

double thumbs up cheers for noticing mate.

Longcovid21

I'm now trying to think what the Welsh are obsessed with. Perhaps the Welsh language and preserving and using it equally with English. Rugby of course too.

Of course

Also I find a tendency to describe family relationships in a very convoluted way:
"My brother's son" instead of "nephew", or "our X's daughter's daughter" instead of "niece".
Recently at my uncle's funeral I came across some cousins I hadn't seen for a while and one explained to the other I was "Dad's sister's daughter". Dad only had 1 sister and she only had 1 daughter

The British are utterly obsessed with the weather. Even though it's invariably shite, they want to talk about it endlessly.

@Ticklyrain

New Zealanders are obsessed with how much their house is worth, and house prices in general. There have been leading articles about in the main papers pretty much daily for at least the past five years. It’s ironic, given how much we like to believe we are some sort of nirvana of social equality

Lucky enough to buy years ago but would love to be able to get through one social event without someone driving on about house prices in a faux concern/humble brag kind of way

Also, rugby. Relentless, and relentlessly dull.

That's the same in most countries atm

My Brazilian friend couldn't believe how much everyone swears and casually insult each other here in Scotland. She's at it herself a year down the line. Apparently her new neighbour is a 'bawheidy'.

@EdgeOfSeventeenAndThreeQuarter

The Dutch like to tell you that they’ve noticed you’ve put in weight and are looking fat.

double thumbs up cheers for noticing mate.

The Chinese do this too.

I find the new need of young Chinese to be obsessed with money, particularly flashing it.

I don't find Koreans in any way obsessive, my experience of Korean women in particular is that they are highly independent and have a great work ethic.

I find Indians obsessed with hierarchy and trying to cut a deal.

I find Himalayans to be incredibly peaceful.

French are obsessed with everything French and reminding everyone they are French. I do find they bring beautiful food and 🍷

Oh goodness I ended up paying £6 pounds for a packet of ibuprofen in an Austrian village combined doctor / pharmacy practice once.

Or maybe 6 euro. Anyway, gutted I was.

I don't find Koreans in any way obsessive,

They are obsessed by plastic surgery

I wouldn't say obsessed but in Kenya your tribe is important. Some more than others but tribal loyalty is still a big factor in elections for example.

Another one for New Zealand - a ridiculous overinvestment in what people from other countries, particularly celeb's, however D-list, think about New Zealand. And God help anyone who is ever so slightly lukewarm about it!

@veronicagoldberg

American women seem to be obsessed with their vaginas. I've never heard any other nationality talk about them with such openness and regularity.

I'm not sure where you've been in the US, veronica, but I can assure you this doesn't apply in the Deep South where I live. Hair and nails, yes, vaginas, not so much.

Based on a sample size of precisely one, the Dutch are obsessed with being outside. My Dutch friend is always outside, and nags me if he feels I’ve spent too long indoors. “You’re driving to the pharmacy? Why don’t you walk?” Mate, it’s 20 minutes both ways, I’m on my lunchbreak and need time to eat, it’s pissing down with rain and I’m collecting 9 separate items. I’ll take the car.

British people are obsessed with council houses. Who has got one, who hasn't gotten one, who deserves to get one.

Obsessed with football. There is actually no break from football and the football coverage. There is no seasonality to it, it's just all year round. The sports section of each newspaper is almost entirely football. My husband is in his 40s and still actually goes off in a sulk if his favorite football team loses (note: they often lose). I used to like soccer 15 years ago but I'm bloody well sick of it now.

American are obsessed with liberals and with people being liberal. We're either the anti-Christ or being ourselves badly. Everything from where you go shopping to Podunk town meeting politics has been filtered through this lens.

There's quite a bit of American obsession with sports, too. But it is more seasonal. College football is particularly important in the South. The run-up to the regional and national championship(s) means pervasive football chatter until the national championship game in January. And when a state university wins who hasn't won in 40 years, the entire state goes bonkers for an extended period of time. (I'm looking at you, Georgia, but in a good way.)

@iCouldSleepForAYear

American are obsessed with liberals and with people being liberal. We're either the anti-Christ or being ourselves badly. Everything from where you go shopping to Podunk town meeting politics has been filtered through this lens.

As an aside, did you know that in Australia the equivalent conservative (Republican) party is named the Liberal Party? Although it is the polar opposite of liberal?

Just an odd anecdote to throw at Conservative friends at parties

@Obelisk loo with a special ledge

That's just the standard shape for a normal loo pan in Germany. I like 'em. 😀