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.

@Puzzledandpissedoff you are saying that I saw racism because I am the common denominator. That it is my fault that I saw racism - how dismissive of you. You know that it is a huge problem that exists in both the Uk and the Usa , right!

I saw racism and extreme poverty, because I volunteered with homeless charities in both the UK and The UsA for a very long time.

Did you?

Here is a study. In Washington, they asked 101 black people to recount racism experiences, over the last two weeks:

Collectively, the 101 black teens participating in the study reported more than 5,600 experiences of racial discrimination over two weeks. That boils down to an average of more than five instances per day for each teenager.

My impression of American culture is that it has a huge bullying problem. They seem to not really tackle it in schools and those kinds of attitudes then form the structure of working and adult life.

And yet the Americans I talk to on sm are sensible people, people working in supermarkets complaining about customers refusing to obey the rules. I haven't seen any Americans on sm complaining about lockdown.

So the things that we both have in common:

White superiority is prevalent
Taking riches for the rich and
Not caring about the poor.
Not caring about the homeless.

Much better opportunities for white people

Class based system - the way to make ourselves feel more superior, is to tell some other people that they are worth less than us! And that they must stay in that class of "worth less than us" for all of our lives!

We will also continue to tell them that they are worth less than us, all of their lives.

Both places need a big change, both places need to open their hearts more and care about the poor/ other races more.

The last time I was in the UK - I saw 'middle class" people laughing at "working class" people, and I saw homeless young people extremely sick on the streets, I was so disgusted that I left.

My impression of American culture is that it has a huge bullying problem. They seem to not really tackle it in schools and those kinds of attitudes then form the structure of working and adult life.

There does seem to be something to this, but I think it's more subtle. Someone posted on another thread why Trump appears so horrible to many Brits, and it came down to his character - he comes across as a classless, crude bully. That 30% of the US population don't see his character is a problem is outstanding to me.

I always liken it to Back to the Future - there must be people who watched that film growing up and feel sad that the hero, Biff, loses in the end.

You are saying that I saw racism because I am the common denominator

No, I suggested that some - not necessarily yourself - might perceive a range of negatives partly because of their own attitudes

TBF we all see things "through our own lens" up to a point, but some of us at least try to be objective about it and avoid damning an entire nation on the back of our own prejudices

@puzzledandpissedoff

I have been to nearly every state in the USA, and I saw alot of racism in every state that I was in.

So, if it exists in the whole nation, yes, we can damn a whole nation.

Racism is one of the problems that vitally needs to be tackled in both the UK and the UsA.

I will be so happy when both countries develop beyond this immature, white superior stage, and begin to see that everyone is equal and of importance.

The whole world will be better

Racism is a global problem. It isn’t going to be eradicated anytime soon.

It’s worse in the US for black people because they have been severed from their own cultural heritage in a way that hasn’t happened for the majority of minority ethnic groups elsewhere.

It’s also particularly bad in the US because most of the country is living on land that was stolen from the indigenous population relatively recently.

At least with colonialism, the U.K. had the option to leave and go home, removing the majority of the problem.

The underlying race problems in the US can’t be undone for hundreds of years.

@Anamariea14....You are delusional to think that will ever happen in either the US or UK or anywhere else in the world. You can't tell people or legislate how to think or how to feel

You are delusional to think that will ever happen in either the US or UK or anywhere else in the world

That's a bit depressing. No, you can't tell people how to think or feel but you can change attitudes and make racism unacceptable.

@leannb actually they could legislate in every country that:

Racial discrimination will not be tolerated.

They haven't yet.

They could also legislate that gender discrimination will not be tolerated in any country, in nearly every country to this date - women still suffer from discrimination.

Countries need to improve in so many areas.

The old system of "government" where we had a small number of people to "rule over" other people, and make their every decision, is old fashioned and is not working for anyone's good.

Things will change after coronavirus,

people will think of new ways to run countries - that is fairer for everyone.

Annamaria14

Your list of the USA bad points and making a comparison with the UK might just be what you perceive.

The first 2 I cannot agree on.

I have never experienced that in either countries.

Might be just me but I find if I smile and am friendly to people in passing they tend to smile and be friendly back. (And I live in London)

3&4 if by not caring you mean people on the streets then unless you have talked to everyone you don’t know the circumstances of how these people became to be homeless.

It isn’t always as clear cut that if a country has homeless people it means that the country doesn’t care.

I think we can take a leaf out of the US’s book in nationalism. Even if it just makes people realise this country has a lot of perks that other countries don’t have.
A benefit system that does give a bit of a safety net if you fall on hard times and being able to go to a doctor or hospital and not need to show insurance or the ability to pay before you get treated or be presented with a bill at the end.

There will always be racism wherever you go although not really noticed white supremacy whenever I have been to the states.
The only place where I have been the subject of bullying behaviour is in France.
(People need to realise that the popular thinking that British people can’t be bothered to learn another language that it doesn’t apply to every British person)

*Things will change after coronavirus,

people will think of new ways to run countries - that is fairer for everyone*

And how would that happen?

If and when we get herd immunity or a vaccine then like the Spanish Flu of 100 years ago Corona will be a date in history that will soon be forgotten and life will return to as it was before.

Unless some country decides to release a virus in their bid for world domination in which case it will all start again.

"Honestly, they just seem so bloody thick!"

This really does say more about you as a poster than anything else.

@Oliversmumsarmy why wouldn't it happen?

The Earth is always evolving. We have never stayed in the same state.

Just because we have a system of "governments" now, (where a few elite people rule over the masses) doesn't mean that we will always have it.

The system right now where the elite rule iver everyone else is not working in any way shape or form. It has caused mass poverty, dscrimination, lack of freedom for many adults to have any kind of say in their lives.

That system will not always be there. We are starting to evolve . We will see better ways that we could all be living

I'm sure there is some smart people there but I haven't seen any.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Nobel_laureates_by_country#United_States

There are 385 American Nobel Laureates compared with 133 for the UK.

Out of the 20 largest technology companies in the world, 15 are American, 4 are in Asia and 1 (Spotify) is in Europe.

There are 385 American Nobel Laureates compared with 133 for the UK.

‘Out of the 20 largest technology companies in the world, 15 are American, 4 are in Asia and 1 (Spotify) is in Europe.’

The US has a population five times that of the U.K., and is incredibly wealthy.

The predatory tax dodging US companies are a disgrace, not an intellectual achievement.

Well, so much for "this is not a thread about bashing Americans."

I do have to say that the "cold" accusation actually startled me. If anything, MN often likes to decry our over-friendliness. I don't find people in the UK cold by the way, just more reserved. That also varies by locale. I would say Glaswegians rival pretty much any folk anywhere for being friendly and helpful.

Tax-dodging? Change your tax laws then.

Annamaria14

I didn’t say it wouldn’t happen I was asking the question

How would it happen?

@oliversmumsarmy.

Okay. Well I think more people will choose to work from home. So this will start to give people more freedom in their own lives.

I also think that people will start to question the government and their decisions more.

I think that people will come into their own power morw

@AbsentmindedWoman

You wrote;

In NYC both the governor and the mayor just a few short weeks ago were telling people to go out and act normal and not let this virus scare them.

@HannaYeah this is a complete lie.

——

Mayor De Blasio’s tweet from Mar 2nd read:

mobile.twitter.com/BilldeBlasio/status/1234648718714036229?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fd-17311895741676328767.ampproject.net%2F2004030010070%2Fframe.html

@AbsentmindedWoman

The tweet by Mayor De Blasio

Since I’m encouraging New Yorkers to go on with your lives + get out on the town despite Coronavirus, I thought I would offer some suggestions. Here’s the first: thru Thurs 3/5 go see “The Traitor”
@FilmLinc
. If “The Wire” was a true story + set in Italy, it would be this film.

—-
Yes, NYC shut down before UK, a few weeks after he wrote this.

@Anamarie14 Legislation is not going to stop racisim. Are you really going to lock someone up because they locked their doors when they saw black men walking down the street? How would you write that legislation? Are you going to call the police because Betty doesn't associate with black people? You can't legislate feelings.