to think we really are 2 completely different cultures - the USA and the UK - just looking at the 'rebellion' taking place

[chomalungma]

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8228769/Bleak-figures-China-US-economic-hit-virus.html

I know it's only some Americans. I know that it's a massive country with many many more people than the UK

But these scenes are astounding. People flocking to beaches. Protesting about lockdown.
Protesting with guns about lockdown

You just can't imagine these scenes in the UK at the moment.
Especially not the Ohio Zombie picture

It just amazes me - sometimes you think we are very similar to the USA, and then many times, you realise we are completely different.

@Annamaria14 why on earth do you live in the UK when you have such a low opinion of its citizens and such contempt for its culture. That can’t be pleasant for you and the people who interact with you.

Maybe she was born there and has no other choice? Not many people get to select from a menu when it comes to their citizenship and where they live.

@midwesteaster ......Then your optician and dentist chose to close. Because both of those are considered essential

@Ritascornershop for example, last year, I was lookig at renting a flat in a town, close to a major city in the UK. Anytime I was in the city, people would say to me with disgust and shock on their faces, "oh you are going to rent in that town?" Sneer "It is so rough". " It is a terrible place"

The town was lovely. How can a whole town be rough? I hate that attitude.

I saw it time and time again. I went to a meetup group in the city and everyone was introducing themselves. A woman told me that she was from a different town, she then lowered her face, looked really ashamed and said "I know people say it is a rough area but I live there".

Why the constant shaming of people in the Uk about where they live? I couldnt take the disgusting class based attitudes and I left

That was just one thing that I experienced in the UK recently. The racism that I saw given to foreigners was far, far worse. And it was a bigger factor in me leaving. Foreign People being spat at. I cannot bear white superiority and I am white.

So i think it is laughable that people from the UK come on here and sneer at the people in America.

Sort out all the problems in the UK first. Make it better for people there

Then your optician and dentist chose to close. Because both of those are considered essential

In March and early April, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the California Department of Public Health all issued guidance that dentists should only perform urgent and emergency care. This guidance was driven by data demonstrating an alarming rise in community transmission across the country and the need to flatten the COVID-19 curve of infection and death and to protect dental personnel and their patients from the virus. CDA, ADA and most state dental organizations issued recommendations consistent with the federal and respective state authorities regarding how to apply the guidance in serving patients during the crisis.

www.cda.org/Home/News-and-Events/Newsroom/Article-Details/return-to-practice-roadmap-for-dentists-in-post-covid-19-pandemic

The American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Society of Retina Specialists have recommended ophthalmologists restrict seeing patients to urgent or emergency cases, as well as screening any patients coming into their offices for symptoms of the novel coronavirus.

www.healio.com/ophthalmology/practice-management/news/online/%7B81fbced9-8f99-439b-bc3c-ad6e9431c321%7D/at-issue-how-ophthalmologists-are-handling-covid-19

I'm in the US. I've had 3 different appointments for non-essential dental work cancelled/postponed. I have 2 friends who needed a root canal - they were treated.

My dentist isn't an essential worker to complete my implant or do my cleaning. She is if I have a rip-roaring infection and abscess.

Exactly the same here Pallisers.

I don't really understand how the idea of 'class' is a shock or revelation if you are from the UK.

I just got the reminder call for an IV infusion appointment I have for Tuesday morning. It's a med I get every 8 weeks. I'm glad they're still open to do it.

Same for me. I even got an email from my optometrist about ordering more contact lenses before my prescription expired because they weren't going to be doing examinations.

Also, some hospitals have actually had to lay off or furlough people temporarily because hospitals are not performing non-urgent surgeries.

I would just like to counter @Annamaria14's point and say in my whole life I have never met an American with a cold personality! I have met Americans in the US and all over the world, including here in the UK, and they are warm and friendly, and when they say "make yourself at home" they genuinely mean put your feet up on my sofa, grab a drink, relax, have fun.
I'm sure every small town has its grouch, but everywhere I've been in the US people have been welcoming and helpful, and I'm pretty sure that's many people's experience. (I don't know a single person that has holidayed there that said they wouldn't go back. Most wanted to return very soon)
British people seem colder, sure, we're far more reserved, but that's in common with the other Northern countries such as Sweden, etc, where expats find it very hard to make friendships.

I am white though, and I'm guessing Annamaria isn't from her list, and I appreciate that my experience could be different. Friends that are Black-Caribbean and mixed heritages have had fantastic holidays there though they have been to very touristy places- NYC, DC, Vegas, Miami, Florida theme Parks etc so places that are geared up for welcome and friendliness.

Honestly, they just seem so bloody thick! Their president is a narcissistic twat and they're just like something from another planet. I think they've got such importance on being such a big, rich, strong country that they don't want to lose that and think god will protect them anyway.
I'm sure there is some smart people there but I haven't seen any.

@nottherealsimshady

What an incredibly stupid statement - the USA is a massive country made up of many different people.

This is a thread about the general culture differences - as has been pointed out, there are some marked differences - especially around the Freedoms found in the Constitution.

But that statement is quite frankly ridiculous

Talk about sweeping statements!
Of course, all those world-leading scientists and tech innovators are thick. Stands to reason really, no Nobel winners from the US, folks!

@Haskell I said that I am white. If you have been to the US - and managed to not see the huge amount of racism and poverty - I am surprised. Did you go out of the touristy areas? Did you talk to black people?

Black people in the USA told me that white people there have so much easier lives, that black people are discriminated against from the moment that they are born. In many cities in the UsA - you see white people living in the rich areas, and black people living in very poor areas.

America is still segregated. White and black people often live in different neighbourhoods. Black people told me that they would not feel safe in different neighbourhoods.

Did you talk to people? I talked to lots of different people. Lots of black people told me about the racism they experienced in the UsaA. How it is white privilege everywhere.

And I am also pointing out that I have see alot of white superiority, racism and nastiness in the the UK.

It is a problem in the Western world, and something that we, white people, need to look at and change.

@Nottherealslimshady alot of people around the world think that Boris Johnson is a narcissistic twat, and that we are idiots for having him as prime minister.

The UK and the USA have so many similiarities

One thing I have found that's different between US and UK citizens is that Americans often want you to agree with them that "yes, this food is the best I've ever tasted" or "this is the best theme park I've ever been to", and seem genuinely sad if you think otherwise. Not hurt, just saddened. Whereas I think British people are more likely to be genuinely pleased if you like something in Britain because we're not really expecting you to! We're likely to be apologetic that our weather is not very good (by which I mean it's grey, 55°F and there's rain showers rather than a twister coming in from the Atlantic ), or the food is nothing special etc, even when it's glorious.

@Haskell did you just holiday in the USA? How could you have seen anything then? You would have seen the touristy areas. Go out and volunteer with a charity helpjng black people and a charity helping homeless people, and you might actually see what is going on in the USA, outside of your priviliged bubble.
Of course it was good for you - you are white! That is my point. Do you want the UsA and the uK to begood for you, but hell for other people that live in those places?

Because I dont. And I am white. Do you know people are suffering from racism hugely in the UK too.?

What makes me laugh is when Americans refuse to believe you would never want to live in their country. Some Americans just can't wrap their heads around that as a concept. I suppose there are a few Brits like that too.

@Annamaria14 I only countered your first point!
Read my post. I said that friends that are non-white still found Americans friendly and welcoming to them, that Americans were not cold. I'm sorry, I'd missed your statement that you were white.

I am fully aware of the inequalities and prejudice non-white people still experience in the US. I regularly read NYT, and Washington Post, and British press that investigates social issues in many countries, such as the Guardian and New Statesman.
I am not ignorant about racism in Britain either.

@iwalkinmyclothing it is so true!

The amount of people in the UK who think that the UK is absolutely amazing.

And then when I go abroad - I travel alot - in nearly every country that I go to - people there say that their least favourite country is the UK. Because the people are so cold, arrogant and think that they are better than everyone else.

We are actively disliked by many countries around the world for our superior attitude.

Okay @Haskell. We all need to pull together, especially white people, to get white superiority to dissipate.

I was surprised myself to read the "cold personalities" bit; I spend about a third of my life in the US and can count the number of these on one hand

Maybe, when making sweeping statements about "cold", "thick", "racist" or whatever, it's worth thinking about where the common demoninator really lies? It's hard to say since I've never done it, but if I approached folk with an attitude like this I'd probably expect a certain "coolness" too

@puzzledandpissedoff in countries , the UK, and the UsA,where there is huge white superiority, racism and segregation. There is coldness.

Are you saying that isn't being cold? More for me - less for you.

I will enjoy myself while other people suffer?

That is so cold

Ask anyone - both of the Usa and the UK are known around the world as being arrogant, cold countries. That both think that they are the "best in the world"

You might not want to see it. But I personally want to help poverty in both countries