Why are Americans so nice?

[inferno]

US culture is pretty different from ours in terms of the way people interact. Kids are encouraged to be precocious and court attention, people make banal and vapid conversation with each other and it is expected. It may on the surface appear they are nicer. People are people, some are nice, some not. Having lived in the US, the way they communicate grates on me and seems insincere rather than nice.

I travel to the US a lot and get the impression they are very friendly. The service staff being nice just for tips is annoying.

Having spoken to people from different countries who have moved to the SFO and LA they have all said same thing, it's really hard to make actual friends, they may appear friendly but it's very superficial. I was surprised to hear this!

 

[Gerard]

There was an American and her daughter behind me in our local store the other night. Very discreet. The mother was wearing a full length leather trench coat with a leather stetson hat, the daughter had her hair dyed pink, was wearing what looked like a WW2 german tank commanders hat and leather coat with leather boots that must have added 6 inches minimum to her height, she was complete with rodent looking "handbag" dog in her arms. And all i could hear behind me was the mother complaining about needing to take a ****.

 

[loltim]

canadian's are nice too

Not as nice as Americans IME

 

[Amp34]

US higher education accommodation typically requires students to share rooms with other students rather than have rooms to themselves.

Perhaps this is a factor too.

Is that actually a case? I know everyone has a "room mate", but that usually means "house/flat mate" rather than someone they share a bedroom.

EDIT: Yes, it appears in dorm rooms they have to, and then they spend the rest of their lives saying room mates when they don't actually share a room any more.

That said, my old uni had first years stay in shared bedrooms. It was cheap though I guess...

 

[kitch9]

Americans are nice due to the tipping culture they have. Basically the nicer you are the more you get paid in service industries.

Ass kissing if you will.

 

[D.P.]

I travel to the US a lot and get the impression they are very friendly. The service staff being nice just for tips is annoying.

Having spoken to people from different countries who have moved to the SFO and LA they have all said same thing, it's really hard to make actual friends, they may appear friendly but it's very superficial. I was surprised to hear this!

Having lived in the US for 8 years in 3 different locations, I can say without doubt that Americans are mostly very superficial. And I'm not talking about service staff but colleagues, neighbors and people who you consider friends normally.



It is also the case that as a Brit, I can much better identify with French, German, Italian, Swiss, Spanish and Dutch culture than Americans (I don't know enough about people form other European countries) . Once you remove the language barriers then a German or Frenchmen makes far more cultural sense and are much easier to identify with be accustomed to, make better and deeper friendships with, laugh at the same kinds of humour. British societal values much more closely align with the French and Germans than the Americans.

 

[Rroff]

It is also the case that as a Brit, I can much better identify with French, German, Italian, Swiss, Spanish and Dutch culture than Americans (I don't know enough about people form other European countries) . Once you remove the language barriers then a German or Frenchmen makes far more cultural sense and are much easier to identify with be accustomed to, make better and deeper friendships with, laugh at the same kinds of humour. British societal values much more closely align with the French and Germans than the Americans.

I think this is something that there is a deep divide on in the US TBH (although my experience has been concentrated to a couple of places in the US - so I might not have a good grasp of it in general) - there are some I got on with very well and I felt had a more European sense of humour, etc. and some were almost alien to me in their perspective and for the most part people I encountered mostly fell into one of those two camps. Same with how deep the friendliness goes there seemed to be quite a contrasty nature to it of those who were genuinely open and welcoming in a way I've not really experienced in the UK while others it was definitely for show and they didn't expect you to engage in any interaction of any substance.

 

[Lopéz]

It's not just moaning, it's the endless so called misery. According to so many in this country we're into the 5th level of Hell. Including the media but yes, you're also correct. Britain is a pessimistic nation. They can only see the bad, can't see any good. Let alone the rudeness.

Not as pessimistic as some. Take a trip to Poland or Slovakia if you really want to see pessimism.

 

[4K8KW10]

According to so many in this country we're into the 5th level of Hell.

The Planet Earth is The Paradise itself for many, while for some it is hell. There are good people and bad people. The interesting thing is that the Planet Earth allows both types to live in the same space and time

Not as pessimistic as some. Take a trip to Poland or Slovakia if you really want to see pessimism.

Sure, Poland and Slovakia are relatively poor countries with quite low salaries, with lower standard of living which means even the food there is of lower quality compared to Germany, for instance. If any western world person go there, it is very likely he will become like them, as well.
People there don't see any hope for the future. Will you judge them, though? I recommend no.

 

[Skidder]

The Planet Earth is The Paradise itself for many, while for some it is hell. There are good people and bad people. The interesting thing is that the Planet Earth allows both types to live in the same space and time



Sure, Poland and Slovakia are relatively poor countries with quite low salaries, with lower standard of living which means even the food there is of lower quality compared to Germany, for instance. If any western world person go there, it is very likely he will become like them, as well.
People there don't see any hope for the future. Will you judge them, though? I recommend no.

Have you been to Poland recently? I was in Warsaw last week and that is a city absolutely buzzing with growth and optimism.

 

[Lopéz]

Have you been to Poland recently? I was in Warsaw last week and that is a city absolutely buzzing with growth and optimism.

I was there for 4 months earlier this year and I would not say the city is buzzing with optimism at all. I'm talking about day to day interactions with normal people here, not entrepreneurs or artists.

 

[Scam]

US culture is pretty different from ours in terms of the way people interact. Kids are encouraged to be precocious and court attention, people make banal and vapid conversation with each other and it is expected. It may on the surface appear they are nicer. People are people, some are nice, some not. Having lived in the US, the way they communicate grates on me and seems insincere rather than nice.

Having lived in the US for 8 years in 3 different locations, I can say without doubt that Americans are mostly very superficial. And I'm not talking about service staff but colleagues, neighbors and people who you consider friends normally.

This is what I was getting at with my posts about LA. The liking the sound of their own voice, chit chatting for the sake of it.

 

[something daft already!!]

I would not trust an American to not shoot me tbh.

 

[VincentHanna]

Thread title change - Why are Americans so fake?

 

[Jean-F]

I would not trust an American to not shoot me tbh.

I need a clue here, should I crack up with laughter, or cry with laughter?
I’ve been visiting the U.S. since 1976, been to 17 or 18 of the Lower 48, and the only time I ever had a twinge of worry, was when a cop in Alabama asked me for ID, (I’m white).
As I reached for the document bag in the glove compartment, to get my passport, he put his hand on the butt of his gun, saying, “Slow and easy, pal.”
He said that he’d clocked me doing 48 mph in a 40 mph zone, but he just told me ease up, and go on my way.

 

[something daft already!!]

26 gun related deaths annually in the UK compared to 11,004 in the US.

I know where I would rather be.

US has around 5 times the population of the UK but around 423 times the death rate by guns.

 

[V F]

I need a clue here, should I crack up with laughter, or cry with laughter?
I’ve been visiting the U.S. since 1976, been to 17 or 18 of the Lower 48, and the only time I ever had a twinge of worry, was when a cop in Alabama asked me for ID, (I’m white).
As I reached for the document bag in the glove compartment, to get my passport, he put his hand on the butt of his gun, saying, “Slow and easy, pal.”
He said that he’d clocked me doing 48 mph in a 40 mph zone, but he just told me ease up, and go on my way.

This reminds me of that episode of Only Fools and Horses when Boysie spoke to Mike about believing everything on the TV.

I'd still go to America regardless what some people believe is so bad.

 

[thedoc46]

26 gun related deaths annually in the UK compared to 11,004 in the US.

I know where I would rather be.

US has around 5 times the population of the UK but around 423 times the death rate by guns.

Dumb stats. Rather have acid thrown in your face then? What are the stats on that ? gun crime only exists for the majority in gang land. Stay away, and you'll be fine. Never once in the 15yrs of living here in the US, and travelling around a lot of it, have i ever once felt threatened of getting shot.. Never once ! Yet, i'm sure living in London for the first 30 odd yrs of living in the UK. i've had many occasions where i could have easily been stabbed up. Always looking over your shoulder. Trouble at every corner. The amount of scum / chavs England has walking the streets seems to be a lot higher. Granted, i was living in suburban London. Anyway, unless you've lived or even visited, you're probably not well placed to give judgment. In other words you have no idea.

 

[inogen]

I like one American I know. My mate's wife. She's nice. But I think she voted Trump. So ya know.

Not really liked any of the others. I met some nice Mexicans in California once though. They were good people. They looked after us when the motels were full and let us share their big bucket of iced Sierra Nevada.

 

[sanaxe1]

I've spent a few months in America and it's all superficial and I don't like it. How do you know when someone is happy or genuinely interested in something your saying when they are ALWAYS like that?