To wonder if the anti-Americanism on MN is typical of the broader UK population?

[NCforthisonetwothree]

MN regular, NC for this. I’m an American, been in the UK for 10+ years. DH is also American, moved here for his work. Most of the posts I see that bring up the US are pretty down on it (and I agree! Trump, guns, healthcare, etc.) but there’s also a sort of strong general anti-American-ness, a sort of disdain, I’d say, for things (names, attitudes, behaviours, styles, etc.) that are “too American.”

We have two kids (born here) and both work full time and have integrated (reasonably well, I think?), but most of our friends are other expats and immigrants. I wonder whether the anti-American sentiment that seems fairly widespread here on MN is representative of most of the UK?

Posting here obviously as I don’t think anyone IRL would give me a straight answer.

leaserspottedmummybird eh?????? British people don't get divorced then? I seem to have an equal number of divorced British and US friends, so not sure where you're information is coming from?

Op, I think MN is a weird bubble and very often an ‘echo chamber’. The support and advice given can be great but there is a strange flip side and a lot of generalisation and assumption.
I would not take anything said on these threads as being representative of the broader UK. I live in the UK and disagree with a lot of views spouted on here but just can’t be bothered to participate with the obsessive keyboard warriors.
The majority of people in the UK don’t even know MN exists and would certainly not divulge their views on here if they did.

I've often wondered why Americans bother to get married when they usually divorce within 5-10 years anyway

Er no they don't.

Classic anti-Americanism. Well done!

US divorce rate is over half that of UK. 3.4 to 8.4 per 1000.

(British people don't get divorced then?*

From what you see on MN, they never bother to marry at all, it's just 'DP'. But of course, that would be generalising .

I think some level of English xenophobia and protectionism come from a general confusion about what Englishness is. Other parts of the UK have a clearer sense of their identity (history, language, music culture, food) and on a regional level, many of the English counties have a clearer sense of what makes them distinct from the rest of the UK. But England struggles away from sport. English nationalism is tainted by overt racism, so we even feel a bit awkward about being too enthusiastic about our flag. We've exported or imposed so much of ourselves and globalised so much, we don't really know what makes us English. We're a bit uncomfortable about the shadier parts of our history with the world... opps! That's actually quite a lot of it, unless it's the bits that are conveniently brushed under the carpet.

So we feel a bit protectionist about the bits we recognise like our language. I use a languages app, and it is irritating that it's primarily in American English. It generally recognises the British variations, but sometimes a translation just doesn't seem to work, and the answer was something that sounds very clunky to a British ear. Some Americanisms just don't translate well "AIBU to be pissed on the train to work this morning" will invite a lot of responses about misuse of alcohol rather than the intended "pissed off". Americans being American is accepted, but it doesn't tend to be appreciated from British people (then there's the Brummies defending their traditional use of "mom"...)

There is a cultural clash between the British reserve and quietly grumbling along without making a public fuss and American confidence. Sometimes American persepective on history and space can be a bit skewed. We're as big as California, but that still doesn't mean we'll know someone from the opposite side of London out of 8m people, or the other end of the UK. That's not to say there isn't an abundance of stupid/ ignorant/ just-having-a brain-fart Brits, or indeed an abundance of Little Britainers who expect all holiday destinations to have pubs and full English breakfasts and ignore local cultures.

Britain is happy to get satirical over its own political foibles. There's plenty of American politics to raise our eyebrows and chunter away at. Some issues seem completely illogical from a British perspective, clamping down on women's reproductive rights for the sanctity of the unborn, yet preserving the right to bear arms capable of massacre, then suggesting that the solution to frequent school massacres is to arm the teachers. Yet Kinder Eggs are banned in case a child chokes on the toy (hoping that one isn't an urban myth ) Religion is another cultural clash. Being too enthusiastic about it makes us feel awkward. We can handle a nice bit of baptism for a school place or even turning up some Sundays at a nice CoE church with some pleasant bells and mumble along to the responses. But clapping and cheering and a bit of gusto makes us feel too self-concious.

I am of course using sterotypes for both nations. You can't summarise on a level of individual diversity.

I think the poster who suggested that it's that we expect Americans to be like us because of shared language and a lot of common roots, and find the difference disconcerting made a very good point.

So we feel a bit protectionist about the bits we recognise like our language. I use a languages app, and it is irritating that it's primarily in American English.

Try being Scottish or Northern Irish when so many apps and tech in the UK is set up to only deal with English accents and doesn't register Scottish ones.

Seems like durgasparrow really likes the American system of health insurance.

@SudowoodoVoodoo - well said, particularly the part about a common language and shared history raising unrealistic expectations for other cultural congruences.

Seems like durgasparrow really likes the American system of health insurance.

That wasn't my conclusion. I think durgasparrow was trying to counter the narrative common to MN that health care here is a dystopian nightmare where the majority are left to set their own broken bones (and yes, a MN'er actually said that). In reality the US federal government provides medical coverage for millions more people than the NHS and the 156 million who have private coverage from their employers are generally quite happy with it. There's also no shortage of Brits coming to New York for advanced treatments that simply aren't available (or aren't available without a horrendous waiting period) from the NHS. One hospital I worked at had to add fish and chips to the patient menu due to popular demand from the UK patient cohort.

miss that's not my experience from the many Americans I know. I'm assuming you mostly interact with people who have enough money if you're talking about people who come from the UK to the US because I don't know anyone who could begin to afford that. But most Americans I know have had a lot of problems keeping up with their health insurance.

I have worked with a lot of Americans in my field and have some very dear American friends who I love to pieces and have known for years. One thing I would say about a lot of the Americans I have met is that a lot of them are very insular. We all hear stories about tourists asking Brits if they know the Queen etc., and whilst I've never had anything that extreme, it is clear that even among "educated" or "middle class" Americans, their understanding of the world does not extend beyond their own borders - unfortunately, among a lot of Americans I have met, there's a certain unwillingness to learn even when confronted with something "alien" to them.

I find a lot of aspects of American life contrived too. The forced politeness, upward-inflection-vacuousness and "bro" culture all make me cringe - granted, this isn't something all Americans subscribe to, but you find it a lot, in my experience. Nothing wrong with it, per se, but it does jar.

Now, in the balance of equalities, there is a lot of things I, as a Brit, hate about British people if you would care to listen

In my honest experience, I was far more scathing and anti American until I met some Americans. So I would expect people you know in general to be less like this than the general population because they know you (and possibly other Americans as well).

I think it is purely a culture clash. A fair amount of Americans have a need to be bigger, louder, flashier, better than others. There are many practices from that country that are very ostentatious and can be seen as self-absorbed. On another thread, an American poster thinks having a funeral car parade with 20+ cars is 'respectful' and believes every other motorist on the road should just pull over for this grande parade and just wear it, because the deceased has more important places to go than motorists who could be late for chemotherapy or a custody battle hearing, etc. To them, a wonderful tribute in the funeral service is simply not enough. They need to make a grande parade (where one wonders who the parade is really for). Every one else on the road? They have no respect for. A fair amount (note I didn't say all) of Americans come across as self-serving having no respect for others around them. It is this attitude that makes people loathe Americans.

Whats wrong with high school? In my twoen we had Deben high school and Orwell High school. There a so called academy now.

With their very limited view of the world beyond America, they don't really do themselves any favours. Seriously, the majority of people outside the USA do not want to live there.

@drsausage they do. Well known fact.

Seriously, the majority of people outside the USA do not want to live there.

Oh, believe me, plenty of people outside the USA want to live there. Do you speak for a 'majority' of people outside the USA and know this for a fact, because that would be you speaking for, literally, billions of people. . Thought not.

With their very limited view of the world beyond America, they don't really do themselves any favours. Seriously, the majority of people outside the USA do not want to live there.

The irony of this post! What a nasty, xenophobic view you have yourself.

Limited view of the world? I spent last night having dinner with a group of college professors who work all over the world tackling pollution, climate change and disease. Their view of the world is incredible. They're helping to make huge changes and improve people's lives.

I then went to a party with people who've also lived all of the world, two of whom are going to the Bahamas today with supplies to help rebuild after the hurricane. Another has just come back from the Mexican border volunteering where needed.

Every time an America thread pops up a bunch of spiteful and ignorant Mumsnetters really embarrass themselves by generalising and damming an ENORMOUS country. My state alone is the size of England.

I can't actually say what I want to to some of the vile posters and comments on here because it would be deleted. But some of you really make yourselves look like the things you're purporting all Americans are.

Some of you are speaking absolute shite.

The venom and generalisations about Americans on Mumsnet are disgusting.

As Brits you really aren't covering yourself in any glory.

I agree, karen, and I am Scottish myself.

Whats wrong with high school?

There is nothing wrong with high school. No one on this thread has done it, but often on MN in the anti-American expressions threads, someone will object to British people using the term "high school" not realizing that the term originated in Scotland and not in the US.

We Americans got "high school" from the Scots. The first school to be called high school was the Royal High School in Edinburgh. The first school in the US to be called high school was modeled on it, and the term spread.

In fact, education in the US in the early years was significantly influenced by Scottish practice due in part to the presence of Scottish schoolmasters in colonial times. Significant similarities continue to the present day in addition to the term high school: the emphasis on breadth, going to the nearest school in your catchment, the ability to study more than one course in the first year or so of university, four-year university, etc.

Huh. I didn't know that. Since moving here 8 years ago I'm shocked at how many us terms are creeping in to UK culture. Can't think of any right now though.

I’m not anti American at all. However English is the home language and there is no need or desire for swapping to Americanism. My opinion is strictly limited to use of language. HTH.
For example use of ‘z’ instead of ‘s’ surprise. There are many I hear from children regularly.

"My state alone is the size of England."

Stuff like this may be part of it...

Pronouncing words in an American way sounds silly if you are not American.
Risotto, vitamin, vase for instance .