Yeah that’s a huge part of it. Few Americans (me included) frequently walk outdoors on anything but sidewalks or paved roads in their normal day to day travels. When I go hiking I take those shoes off before I get back into the car, but my daily driver boat shoes which rarely touch actual dirt? I don’t have a problem leaving those on in most places, my house included. Same I imagine for Americans where their job is construction or something where your shoes are dirtied, take the work shoes off when you get home, but it’s fine to wear more casual shoes

Edit: what a strange thing to get downvoted about

Double edit: I guess the first downvotes were just from people who very much don’t like shoes in the house under any circumstances. That's ok. If I come to your house my shoes will come off. If you come to mine, feel free to leave them on if they aren't muddy.

American of asian descent, absolutely ludicrous! It would perhaps be more forgiviable if all of the floors were furnished in hardwood and tile, but they'll wear shoes even on carpet! Immediately after entering one of these heathen's houses, I long for the soft, lucious, kempt, carpets of my own abode, compared to the repuslive, stiff, flat and even crunchy carpets of my white friends. Frankly it offends me, deeply. I must slap my friends silly before entering my home to remove their filthy clogs.

I wear my street shoes inside except winter. Both my work boots come off regardless. Also have house slippers. But I'll be damned if me or someone put their shoes on a bed, or even a couch for that matter.

Thinking that there is no reason to take your shoes off is the most American thing in the world. There is poop, pee, puke, pollen, pollution, parvo and prions out there, among other things.

In Japan the entryway of a house is usually a step lower than the rest of the house. It is considered part of the outside, where the shoes stay, as well as all of the dirty things from the outside that are on the shoes. And symbolically, your troubles from the outside world are not brought into the house either. It's a major faux pas to wear your shoes in the house past this step and bring all that shit inside. Interesting contrast

It's not carpets that I take my shoes off for - it's so I don't track public bathroom and outside street debris into my house.

Ever walked into a public toilet? Well, that piss is now all over your floor at home.

As is spit from the street. Remnant dog poo, bird poo, etc etc.

Take your shoes off. Please.

Yeah. No carpets, dogs coming in and out. I only take mine off if they are legit muddy, it's a lost cause, I am not going to make everyone take off their shoes. We aren't eating off the floor. I am also willing to sit on the ground outside, turn cartwheels, etc. Really just not that paranoid about dirt.

Up north I understand everyone has carpets.

Some places there is much more sitting on the floor.

It seems situational to me.

Nobody is putting their shoes on the furniture though, they are putting them on the floor.

Anecdotally this is also my experience. I grew up with shoes off in the house, but even up to the early 00's it seemed to be a cultural outlier in the US.

These days I think the majority of people who I go over to visit have a shoes off rule. Seems like the split is between the older half of millennials and up shoes on, and younger half and down shoes off for the most part.

From my experience this varies wildly regionally. My family in LA will put on shoes as part of getting dressed in the morning, but in Wisconsin you take your shoes off at the door since theres a good chance they're wet or even muddy depending on the season

Sooooo comfortable!

As soon as I get home, all of my outside items are exchanged for comfy inside items. It's like a physical form of masking.