Americans vs Brits

[WeirdHandDryers]

What’s the difference? Because there is a massive difference but I can’t put my finger on what it is! I love America so this isn’t an American bashing thread, would just love to know if anyone else sees the massive difference between the average Brit and the average American?

Size of country, it’s much easier to define the British culture because we are so small. The US is like Europe it’s vast and within it has different cultures. A Californian is markedly different from a Texan who is different from a Virginian. Just like in Europe. The difference is what unites them is a sense of patriotism, a belief in America because unlike Europe they are one country

Yes - and 1 in 5 Americans speaks a language other than English at home.

Have to agree with various posters. I work with two Americans and two Canadians. My NDNs are American.

They all lovely people, but with the exception of the male NDN, the volume is bloody unbelievable.

Culture.

Guns

@flewog, actually I have to disagree with the teeth thing.

This stereotype is two decades out of date. When my parents were deciding whether or not to get me a brace in the 80s they hmmmd and hwwd and I was scared and I didn't want one and it seemed to me at the time (not living in the land of bleached tombstones) that my teeth weren't awful. I later had braces as an adult because teeth standards have risen.

I think now if you watch old clips from blankety blank or whatever you see that they used to allow presenters on tv who did not have perfect teeth, but now that would not happen.

An amount of Americans that equals the population of Britain cannot even afford health insurance so I don't think the children of those 60 million (approx) have perfect white teeth.

In Ireland if your teeth are considered unslightly enough they pay for braces and I know it's the same in the NHS because I used to live there.

I don't know if there's anybody at all getting free braces in the USA. I could be wrong though.

So even though I'm Irish, in defense of British teeth, I think the stereotype is jaded.

I work with lots of Americans and have done for years. For me, the main difference is cheesiness, cynicism and the degree to which things are taken seriously.

Americans take themselves and everything around them so seriously. There's no culture of 'fuck it though, let's just go to the pub'. They will tell you they love and respect you and they actually mean it in a non-piss-taking way.

Comedy is totally different, American comedy is based on expecting what will come next, British on the unexpected twist.

Also, use of the word 'cunt'. When Americans use it, it sounds really awful and crude, when we use it, it sounds natural and normal.

They're also really really open. I met an American woman the other week who started telling me about her marriage problems and infertility within 5 minutes of meeting me. I have best friends I know less about than I now know about her!

I'm mainly talking about white Americans though - those from other backgrounds/cultures tend to have a different take/more cynical.

themagician But American teeth are sooooo white. It looks really unnatural and mad. Some celebrities might have that in the UK, but I have never seen an actual person have those teeth expect Americans.

I'm just back from a holiday resort with a lot of American guests.

I noticed a lot of them didn't say please or thank you to the staff.

I'm a new New Zealander and one of the things I like about my new home is that people have a higher level of respect for each other. Whatever your job, background, or wealth.

They also seemed to eat a lot of donuts for breakfast.

I don't know if there's anybody at all getting free braces in the USA. I could be wrong though.

Medicaid, CHIP and various state programs provide cheap or free braces for children from low income families.

''that's true, although standards for straightness have risen a lot, we don't yet find that tipp-Exd teeth a good look.

Give it five years!!

@stupomax, Thank you for that. I apologise for not knowing.

HOWEVER, weirdly (perhaps?) what gives you eligibility to the free braces in UK&Ireland is how many centimetres your teeth protrude, not how low your income is. Different way of doing things. Not saying the way we do it here is better because actually............

“Give me a beer” vs “hi, could I have half a lager please”
Rude

No one has mentioned the most obvious one yet... That many men don't have a foreskin.

Also, they are proud to fly their flag and not made to feel ashamed for doing so (Then again, so is every country in the world except England.)

They are a bit more forthright/less polite. Not rude, they just don't faff about and will just ask for stuff.

Also, it's a myth that they are all LOUD. Americans in general are no louder than anyone else. It's just the stereotype that the media feeds us.

Also a myth that they have better and much whiter teeth than us. Only the famous Americans do. Then again, many famous Brits have very white teeth too.

winter well, maybe if the UK hadn't gone around colonising half the world, they could be a bit more proud. Plenty of countries don't proudly fly their flag eg the Germans.

As for them not being loud: I work with them, almost exclusively. You can hear them fucking miles off.

I spent some of last year travelling the USA with my DD2 (also an adult)
We were bowled over by the friendliness of our hosts but quickly realised that the USA is basically a heap of different countries.... each State is different.

The religious stance surprised us... overwhelmingly the USA IS religious, and patriotic. Also more prudish. And swear less
We felt more at home in NY and the city States. Were frankly distressed by how some of the southern states kept their pets (dogs never walked because in Texas NO ONE walks anywhere) and cats are all house cats only.

But individually, some of the loveliest people I have ever met.. long term internet pals who turned out to be soul mates. No perfect teeth... only wealthy Americans have those, the rest are as wonky as us Brits!
Overwhelmingly we felt how different much of the USA is to us. Not bad..just different.
We came home grateful for our NHS, and our freedom of speech. And we taught our friends a few British swear words :D They now all have 'wanker' in their vocabulary!!!!

They did seem to struggle with out natural level of sarcasm!!!!

volume is a result of how and where you are raised.we were raised to walk softly,speak only as loud as the circumstance required,say please and thank you and may i help you.we hold doors for the next person.and most everyone i know all over the country is involved in organizations to help other people.volunteers of every description.

after the last hurricane and the fires in california,first responders,chefs and thier staffs, and others came from all over the country to help.many on thier own time and money.

our flag is a visual symbol of our history.it has changed as things have changed.13 stripes signify the original 13 colonies(when we broke from british rule and became a country in our own right),the
stars are now 50 as there are 50 states.

many cultures mix and matched here from all over the world.
the thing i find really bizarre about british law is allowing rapists and child abusers to change thier names when released from prison.
not here, you go on a public access convicted predetors list.

and ferris buehler is as realistic as monty python.

i love my uk and irish and scandi friends and family and we have fun pointing out the wierdness and quirks we all have.

Many men don't have a foreskin. Also, they are proud to fly their flag and not made to feel ashamed for doing so

I see what you did there

HOWEVER, weirdly (perhaps?) what gives you eligibility to the free braces in UK&Ireland is how many centimetres your teeth protrude, not how low your income is.

The state programs are medical insurance programs. If the person qualifies for the medical program financially, it will pay for braces if the child meets the criteria for needing braces. So they would have to have extreme spacing, an over or under bite, something like that.

British people soend most of their lives being miserable. Complaining and moaning. Needlessly picking out faults all the time about everything and those are facts. Gets me down

Brits are health and safety crazy.

Americans by and large love god. We by and large love alcohol.

At least alcohol exists.

Wow sole that’s a sweep and a half!

I noticed a lot of them didn't say please or thank you to the staff.

There are definitely some cultural differences in how Americans interact with people who report to them or serve them in some way. I realize that this can be a minefield for British travelers in the US who are used to the British convention of saying please and thank you with great frequency, but in the US saying those words to people who are just doing their jobs, especially the very ordinary and expected parts of their job, can be seen as patronizing and condescending, depending on the circumstances.

When I am in the UK, I always have to remind myself to use those words often so that I am not perceived as a rude American.

Brits are health and safety crazy.

As an Australian, I have to say that I agree with this. We are far more laid back about that sort of thing. I'm reminded of a thread on here a while ago where just about everyone was in agreement that you shouldn't drink a cup of tea while holding a baby... you can keep your helicoptering ways, Brits

Americans are so earnest.
They sing anthems and carols with enthusiasm. They arent as performatively cynical and jaded as we make ourselves out to be.
I like that aspect of the national character.