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Non-Americans who have been to the US.. What is the weirdest thing about America that Americans don't realize is weird? (lemmy.world)
submitted 2 years ago by to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml
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[–] 70 points 2 years ago (5 children)

I’m from Alberta Canada. I’ve worked up North in camp jobs, and have been working in the trades with the rowdiest people our country has to offer.

Every time I’ve been to the states I’m shocked at how aggressive a large portion of your population is willing to talk to people. Every time I’ve gone there I’ve had at least one negative aggressive interaction with one of your citizens. I’m a large man with a beard and tattooes up to my neck, I’m a pretty intimidating looking dude paired with the Canadian politeness we’re known for. I do not understand how this keeps happening. And I see you guys do it to eachother too! It’s fucking wild.

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  • [–] 13 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    Go fuck yourself. /s

    Just kidding, but yeah, we suck as a people. But I'll be friendly to ya when you land in my neighborhood.

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  • [–] 17 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    It should be pointed out that MOST Americans I met were not like that. But it’s a large enough amount that it’s always been a noticeable difference from home.

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  • [–] 6 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    As an American I think it’s largely that we generally suck at dealing with negative emotions. For many that means bottling it up and being kind anyways, but we have the assholes and you learn to walk away, or clap back, or whatever works for you and they just get angrier at being dismissed. They aren’t mad at you, they just suck and we’re bad at helping people not suck, especially since they tend to love guns

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  • [–] 1 point 2 years ago

    Fuck clapping back in a country with that high a level of access to guns and that little mental health access. Anyone could have a gun and I'm not playing that game. I'm not usually too confrontation adverse but I'd change my name to Mat (First name Floor) before arguing with a weirdly aggressive American.

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  • [–] 4 points 2 years ago (3 children)

    That's very surprising. Where have you visited?

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  • [–] 13 points 2 years ago* (2 children)

    I’ve been to Montana, Texas, Florida, Seattle, and Tennessee and Las Vegas most recently. Also worked at a tourist town with lots of Americans for several months in Canmore and the Americans there seemed to have a similar attitude.

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  • [–] 2 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    Yeah it’s very surprising to me as well. As a life-long resident of one of the states mentioned, having lived in both major cities as well and small-medium towns, I don’t think I’ve experienced this “aggression”

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  • [–] 1 point 2 years ago

    Sometimes the base level of aggression or the base level of inflection is way higher than what you're locally tuned for.

    Anecdotally I have found even business conversations with people from the US to be over the top. Especially through the sales cycle. There is a lot of hype that I need to adjust for in comparison to vendors in the UK, Europe and Asia.

    It's not a bad thing, it's a social standard. I probably appear quiet reserved and shy by comparison.

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  • [–] 2 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    Example?

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  • [–] 7 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    I give you my silly example. We were on a work trip with a college. We were talking in English. I said something like: I wanna try a hash brown! Never had one.

    This dude replies to a conversation he wasn't part of: THEY ARE JUST POTATO! very angrily.

    Yeah.. I know... Turns out I love potato

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