AIBU to ask you some questions about the USA?

[BreakfastInAmerica]

I've been reading lots of US fiction over lockdown, I've never been there.

What's the big deal with joining a fraternity house at College? What is the benefit of it? Why the Greek frat house names?

Is public access television still a thing?

Why do they call savoury muffins English Muffins when I'm more likely to see a blueberry or chocolate muffin when I'm out and about?

How do Americans eat things like thick pancakes with cream for breakfast, even the people who are slim?

What are grits?

Why are Automatic cars so prolific in the US, rather than manual/stick shift?

I'm sure I've got lots more questions and please pitch in with your own questions and answers.

AIBU to ask for your answers and questions about the small differences between the US and the UK?

I lived in US for four years, in Florida. So will attempt to answer a few.

Fraternities- don’t know
TV- I think so. We could get analog free view channels if we wanted to, but we had cable TV which you pay for while there.
English muffins- they are just what the English call toasting muffins. It’s not all savoury muffins.
Grits is a breakfast gruel made from corn much like porridge
Automatic cars- I think because they drive longer distances and have worse stop and go traffic jams that they prefer automatic cars.

Re automatic vs manual - isn’t it the case that they can usually learn to drive at 16? And it’s MUCH easier to learn on an automatic than a manual.

Yeah but you can pass at 17 here, it's only a year older & we tend to use manual cars, so I don't think it's that.

I think it's the journeys, usually being longer.
I have a tip: avoid corndogs 🤢🤢🤢

The thing about manual vs automatic. In the 70s and 80s, automatic cars were much less fuel efficient. Petrol in the UK was expensive so most people chose manuals. Petrol in the US was much less expensive so they chose automatics.

I was once driving an American friend around Cornwall in country lanes, and she commented that she could see why we all drove manuals here. I think it's partly just very different driving conditions.

The dislike of auto cars in the U.K. is weird. I can drive manual but prefer an auto driving around on all the small, stop start roads. I think the rest of the world drives auto it’s only the U.K. that thinks a manual is better. And the thinking that manual is better on small Cornwall lanes is strange. I’m currently in Cornwall and just thought how glad I am I made my husband get an auto car as it’s so much easier driving auto around these roads.

Automatic cars are mainly used in many other countries like Australia, Thailand etc, not just Usa. They’re just a lot easier to drive. They’re becoming much more popular here too.

The food they eat vs slim thing is mind boggling.

@antipodes1

The dislike of auto cars in the U.K. is weird. I can drive manual but prefer an auto driving around on all the small, stop start roads. I think the rest of the world drives auto it’s only the U.K. that thinks a manual is better. And the thinking that manual is better on small Cornwall lanes is strange. I’m currently in Cornwall and just thought how glad I am I made my husband get an auto car as it’s so much easier driving auto around these roads.

I agree. We holiday in the north west of Scotland where it’s all single track roads with passing places. Automatic much easier.

Fraternities for men, sororities for women. I’m not sure of the origins but they have evolved to be social mechanisms. Join and make friends while you’re at University, then you have networking possibilities for the rest of your career.

PBS, the Public Broadcasting Service, is huge in America and back in the day was the only way Americans could watch Poirot, Absolutely Fabulous, and many other British made television series. Sunday nights were murder mystery nights on my local PBS station. Loved it!

American English muffin is called a crumpet in England. I don’t consider it savoury though. Americans put butter and jam on them.

Americans don’t eat pancakes with cream. They usually only have butter and syrup. 😆 Although maybe younger Americans have cream on them.

Grits - made from corn meal, primarily found on menus in the Southeast and Texas. Used to be eaten with loads of butter, salt and a fried egg. I’ve heard that some people like them with cheese.

Automatic cars for long distances and also because so many Americans spend lots of time in their cars.

I can answer the one 're Americans being slim but eating pancakes etc - the reality is that the US has one of the world's highest rates of obesity. Walk down any busy street there and you will see the evidence of that. It's just that in tv land everybody has to be slim and beautiful....

Are grits like polenta?

I don't think English muffins are crumpets? Aren't they the same as we call English muffins - i.e the ones you get at Mcdonalds for breakfast?

The Greek system is interesting I watched some YouTube videos on them after watching some College based movie and was surprised it costs ££££ to become a member, I thought the groups were individual to the College but they aren't there are Chapters of the same group at different Colleges. They have to keep to a certain academic level, must socialise, the sororitys seem to have very strict rules about dress code and makeup. It all seems to lead to greater levels of nepotism later in life as membership stays with you and seems very masonic.

There are some recruitment videos on YouTube which are enlightening! I'm glad we don't have it in the UK just seems a way of segregating the haves from the have nots.

I think things like this are perhaps ways the US elite try to install a British Class system on the country.

What's the big deal with joining a fraternity house at College? What is the benefit of it? Why the Greek frat house names?

The benefit is life long connections. They have Greek names because 200 years ago it was super pretentious to have Greek/Latin names. Basically they were trying to be upper class.

Is public access television still a thing?

Yes, you can get PBS and a couple of local channels on public access.

Why do they call savoury muffins English Muffins when I'm more likely to see a blueberry or chocolate muffin when I'm out and about?

It's the North American for crumpet. Not savory muffin.

How do Americans eat things like thick pancakes with cream for breakfast, even the people who are slim?

They don't. I don't know anyone who would eat pancakes every day. It's a once a week (or less) treat. And it would be with butter and maple syrup.

What are grits?

Corn meal mush.

Why are Automatic cars so prolific in the US, rather than manual/stick shift?

Because manual cars are a pain in the ass?

I’m British and have American relations and friends.

The pancakes I think is just luck/genes. I know someone that eats a huge amount of chocolate but doesn’t put on weight. Most Americans like most other people put on weight if they eat high fat/sugar diet.

PBS is really good, has Sesame Street. There are also radio stations through National Public Radio. There are a range of local stations under the network. These have sponsors (like advertising but I find them less intrusive as it is the announcer/show host). Some good podcasts.

@PackagingDisaster

The food they eat vs slim thing is mind boggling.

Mind boggling because you think my question was rude? it really wasn't meant to be Or mind boggling because of the lots of food vs being slim?

Fraternities and Sororities (woman version) are a big deal as that's how you make all your contacts and end up getting certain jobs. So if you really wanted to be lawyer say you'd try and get into one particular one and that would be on your cv. Bit messed up really. Loads of peer pressure and drinking culture. My cousins are at US unis.

As a massive stereotype Americans either eat a lot of junk (if you look at the ingredients for most things in Walmart it's shocking - kids breakfast cereal is basically a bag of sweets) or they are super skinny and eat very little.

I'm American.

At my uni, people joined sororities/fraternities for the connections and for making friends. They do a lot of philanthropy and it can be beneficial when you start job searching, as it's basically an extra-curricular you can boast about. And if someone on the hiring team was a member too, you have a great advantage. It's a great networking tool. And, you know, parties.

Yes, public access tv is a thing. Channels aren't that exciting though.

English muffins - I buy these from Tesco and they clearly say 'English Muffins' on the package. So they're the same here? As a pp said, they're like the ones you get from McDonalds. They are not crumpets.

At least where I'm from, we don't eat pancakes on the regular! It's a treat that you might have once every couple of weeks. Similar to having a full English here, I suppose. And I wouldn't have them with cream, I would have them with syrup/bacon.

Grits are a southern dish. Sort of like corn mush. They typically get mixed with things like shrimp but you can eat them for breakfast.

Cars - I still drive an automatic over here because I don't see the benefit of driving manual? I find automatics much easier.

The slim Americans your see are not eating pancakes for breakfast. Just as the slim French women are not having a croissant every morning either.

Most Americans are overweight and eat things like pancakes occasionally. Some Americans are very obese and eat that stuff every morning. Some Americans are slim and would never touch such an indulgent breakfast.

Also, breakfast is often more of an important meal in the States. Lots of people will go out for breakfast, order a huge meal of omelette, hash browns, pancakes, etc. But then take half away in a to go box and eat it at home as another meal. Or eat a late breakfast and skip lunch. I worked in a pancake house all throughout school and university part time. I know a lot about pancakes!

Don’t forget Autos have vastly improved over the last 10/15 years in the U.K before that they were shit.
In America they tend to have bigger cars and bigger engines so married up to the old style auto boxes better.

The number of students who die in fraternity incidents is shocking

www.insider.com/why-young-men-connected-to-fraternities-keep-dying-2019-11

What is a corn dog? I assumed that it was a corn on the cob on a stick like the ones we put on the barbecue. Obviously not!

What's the big deal with joining a fraternity house at College? What is the benefit of it? Why the Greek frat house names?

It gives them links and connections, like private school

Why do they call savoury muffins English Muffins when I'm more likely to see a blueberry or chocolate muffin when I'm out and about?

English muffins are toasting muffins, like you get in a McDonalds breakfast

How do Americans eat things like thick pancakes with cream for breakfast, even the people who are slim?

The thin people aren't eating them!

What are grits?

Its like porridge but made from corn. Revolting.

Why are Automatic cars so prolific in the US, rather than manual/stick shift?

Cheaper fuel, much younger driving age, you can get learners permits at 14 in some states.