The United States is a unique country. It’s home to a wide variety of beautiful nature sites, some of the world’s most amazing athletes, a melting pot of cultures, friendly citizens, and plenty of tourist destinations. With 50 states and 14 territories, the US is certainly vast. And while the nation itself has so much to offer, it can be easy to live there and feel like you’re in somewhat of a bubble. So sometimes, it might be a good idea to hear outside opinions from people who live in other parts of the world. One curious Reddit user, Swansonite456, recently posed the question, “What are Americans not ready to hear?” And thousands of people sounded off in the replies. From comments on politics to confusion about why bathroom stalls are never completely closed, we’ve gathered some of the most clever and fitting responses down below, as well as an interview with Swansonite456 about what sparked this conversation in the first place.
Be sure to upvote the replies that particularly resonate with you, and especially if you’re an American panda, let us know in the comments if you find any of these replies to be painfully true. Then if you’re interested in checking out a Bored Panda article celebrating all of the things the US excels at, you can find that right here.
#1
Canadian here- you guys have amazing landscapes, culture and food. Your folks are usually very kind and welcoming. But the quality of life you guys have makes me really sad. The minimum wage is brutal, like 7 dollars, while ours is 15, so much poverty there. And paying for healthcare, people going into debt just for getting sick?
Also- the way you treat your women is horrifying. I know you guys have criticized Middle Eastern countries for women wearing Hijabs and having little rights, but look in a mirror. Restricting access to family planning and abortion services, making women pay for the necessity of going to a hospital to deliver babies? No paid maternity leave/ only 6 weeks, like what is that? That’s nowhere near enough. Like why??
Gun ownership issues, school shootings, healthcare and student debt bankruptcy, abortion restriction, poverty level minimum wage- these shouldn’t be political issues- these are human rights that you guys aren’t ready to accept- and to your own detriment.
Obviously there’s a lot of nuance here, and Canada isn’t perfect either. We have our own demons to deal with here, and are in the midst of a major movement on recognizing Indigenous reconciliation/ owning up to our history of oppression. Both countries have major structural issues- I just think the US has a lot more going on.
Image source: Dramatic_Ad4276, Gian Cescon
#2
Profit-based healthcare is wrong on so many levels.
Image source: Clunk234, Online Marketing
#3
Religion has no place in politics, hence “separation of church and state.”
Image source: Dathomire, Noah Holm
#4
America is only capitalist for poor people. Rich people live in a socialist state, where they constantly get bailouts, subsidies and debt forgiveness.
Image source: overpaid_bum, Hunters Race
#5
You don’t need automatic firearms as a civilian in daily situations, and the 2nd Amendment was written when Americans feared British invasion, and when guns had to be reloaded after every single bullet shot, clearly not applicable today. Countries with stricter gun control have drastically less shootings than the U.S.
Image source: xmainland, Rux Centea
#6
Your tipping culture is a scam. Tipping should not be a burden obligation of your customers.
Image source: JSKDA, Dan Smedley
#7
You’re about this close to not being a democracy anymore. You should be paying attention.
Image source: Slide-Impressive, cottonbro
#8
You’re really not the greatest country on earth.
The rest of us consider you more of that crazy, violent uncle we have to put up with because our other two crazy, violent uncles are just slightly worse.
Image source: SaltRevolutionary917
#9
You need more than two political parties for democracy to work.
Image source: Minecraftfinn, Aditya Joshi
#10
Working 80 hours a week isn’t something to brag about.
Image source: blzac33, Annie Spratt
#11
You shouldn’t have to give birth then go back to work a week later.
Image source: NalaBenjamin, Kelly Sikkema
#12
Your cheese is an abomination.
Image source: SinisterPigeon, Krista
#13
You’re not a role model country anymore.
Image source: Jasper_Beardly_, Rich Martello
#14
Your entire society today is based on fear-mongering, propaganda, and politicians giving you an enemy to unite against even when they aren’t actually an enemy. The exact same way the Nazis came to power.
Image source: KingBreaker4
#15
College shouldn’t drain your entire savings account.
Image source: ChipConsumer44, Bucerius Law School
#16
Pledging allegiance to your flag every morning is really strange. We had that in Europe ~80 years ago. It didn’t end up well for anyone :D
Image source: muttli
#17
México is not in sepia lightning.
Image source: TheoTiMa, krische
#18
Nobody else in the world gives a damn about American football.
Image source: uawithsprachgefuhl, Johann Schwarz
#19
Instead of protesting for mask mandate or Trump failing an election, they should protest for basic human rights like food quality, free Healthcare, children protection in schools and employment rights
Image source: LadyInRoses
#20
You’d all be thinner if your cities were designed to be walkable
This is why you lose weight when you go to Italy despite eating nothing but pasta n pizza, because you’re walking everywhere
Image source: Odd-Detail1136, Robert Bye
#21
They don’t really know what terms like liberal/socialist/fascist mean
Image source: ReanCloom
#22
You are not Irish, or Italian or Dutch. You have an American birth certificate and passport. Stop it
Image source: rimarshall99
#23
You let food companies put in whatever c**p preservatives they want and make up weight with artificial sweeteners instead of real ingredients. That’s the big threat to your life, not secret communists.
Image source: Poorly-Drawn-Beagle, Denny Müller
#24
The way you add tax to everything at the till is mental. Just tell me what it costs on the fricking label!
Image source: Sufficient_Vanilla18
#25
It is really easy to use metric system, and it’s not bite. It is inconvenient to measure something with body parts.
Image source: InsanYy, Pixabay
#26
They act like they have so much freedom when so many facets of basic human needs there are so exclusive that it’s oppressive.
Image source: Kir-ius
#27
I heard someone say that the way we look at Florida is the same way the rest of the world looks at us.
Image source: EaterOfTheEther, Done By Alex
#28
The United States (not America, that’s a Continent) is not the world police and should stop getting involved in other countries businesses.
Image source: SovereignBAAL
#29
Yes, you *do* have an accent.
If you think you don’t because you “read words exactly as they’re written, without any kind of regional flair”, you’re mistaken about that. There’s no such thing.
Speaking without an accent would be like typing without a font. An accent is just a method of pronouncing a language – everyone has one!
Image source: flameylamey, Jessica Da Rosa
#30
Your portion sizes should be smaller.
Image source: Ky0t0_gh0uL, Eiliv Aceron
#31
That the entire world excels at making bathroom stalls that you can’t see between. Not sure why the US stall manufacturers can’t figure out how to close those massive gaps…
Image source: rebyiddel, Yellowstone National Park
#32
The loudest voice in the room usually has the least to say
Image source: Rminora
#33
The US has third world country level safety and crime issues in most of its big cities.
Image source: kimnacho
#34
After several trips to the US, my colleagues there couldn’t accept how poor they were, and 10 min in any city makes it obvious.
Huge individual debt, minimal savings and no time for themselves. That is not the standard in the developed world. Even when our taxes are high we have to time to rest and basic life essential services covered. Free/low cost education even allows us to break the class divide if we want it enough.
Sure there are millionaires and billionaires in the US but chance’s are neither you nor your family will get anywhere close because you don’t have the opportunity to improve without going into decades of financial debt.
Image source: RentonBrax, Karolina Grabowska
#35
You’re the foreigner in 192 countries
Edit: UN recognises 195 countries (missed out Palestine and the Holy See). Could go up to 198 depending on your sources. Choose which ever one you want
Image source: Yo9yh, Dynamic Wang
#36
All I know on this is, being Irish, I’ve met a lot of American tourists when they’re holidaying here. To those tourists I say, no one has ever been impressed by or cares about your lineage.
Image source: crumumbooty
#37
Obesity in the U.S is a major health issue and needs to be addressed.
Image source: ItsMyView, Ketut Subiyanto
#38
It’s kinda terrifying how you guys treat all your soldiers like superheroes. I was listening to a random podcast and the host was reading some fan mail out loud. When the fan mentioned that he was a soldier, the host automatically said “Thank you for your service” and then continued reading as of nothing happened. It was genuinely scary.
Image source: LongFeesh
#39
That America is a continent and not their country.
Image source: Mediocre_Track_2030, Andrew Stutesman
#40
Beer and Fried food are causing more problems than hippies and pot ever did.
Image source: BakedCali4Ya
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