The European View on all things American

[shufflemonkey16]

I don't see how a lot of americans could be more sarcasic. We don't get irony though.

This is massively annoying me every time I read it. Has no one here ever read or heard of O. Henry? As in O. Henry the famous American short story writer and author of "The Gift of the Magi", the story that defines irony. Mickey and Minnie Mouse even did a version of it. How can Americans not get irony when a piece of literature that is so central to our American Christmas culture is the definitive ironic story?

/rant

 

[bazookabob]

You can keep you jelly beans and jolly ranchers Jack, if that all you got on us apart from grits waffles and taco bell then I know I'm onto a winner. You also can't brew beer and the fact that you don't get 'ale' illustrates that point.

This is going to devolve into nationalism, isn't it? Keep your beer, we do whiskey way better.

You have obviously never tasted a west highland single malt or an Irish single malt. You do not do better whisky, not by a long shot! and all the experts of the whole world agree with me on this!

Keep your beer, we do whiskey way better.

i beg to differ:

The Scottish do Scotch.

The Irish do Whiskey

The Americans do Bourbon.

The Canadians do Rye.

There, that settles it, I think!

Actually whether or not a whiskey qualifies as a bourbon or a whiskey depends on which state it's made in America. Example: Jack Daniels is a whiskey because it's made in Tennessee, but Evan Williams is a bourbon because it is made in Kentucky. The part that makes no sense about this system is that these two states are literally one on top of the other, and in the same area of the US, the Southeast an area everyone would be wise to avoid like a plague. I think American society goes a great lengths to do stuff like this just for the sheer purpose of not making sense.

 

[Myan]

... but Evan Williams is a bourbon because it is made in Kentucky.

Actually, I've heard that to be considered "bourbon" it must be distilled in Bourbon County, Kentucky. And make no mistake, there's a distinct difference in taste between bourbon and whiskey.

 

[goater24]

They (Americans)need a Royal family just like the English

I'm a brit and I hate the royal family; I think they're a disgrace to britain. They take some of our taxes and don't even do anything.

Don't get me wrong I'm not a monarchist but do see the value of the royal family. The humour that they are a living breathing exhibition living in a crazy world. It must be like living in the Trueman Show being a royal, how hillarious is that.

They do however appear to champion good causes with Charles and his grand ideas for global warming. Prince Philip provides supurb entertainment also when he is travelling the world. He serves as a reminder of how far our society has come. All this and they live to like a million (see Queen mother for details), oh no my friend the Royal family need to stay.

They live to 'like a million' because of the quality of life they have; they have whatever food they want, whatever facilities they want and if they so much as get a cold, they get top quality medical care. Also, they have planes, helicopters and limos. Oh and yeah did I mention all this comes out of the publics wallets?

Edit: Prince Harry is someone who if I were to meet, I would punch in the face.

I think my affore mentioned reasons are more than enough to warrent their existance. I'm not saying they should get all the subsidies they do from the tax payers but I feel they have their place. Its not like they are like the former monarchy they had in Nepal. They are fairly peacful folk with some rather archaic ideals. Think of em as a real life exhibition that the tax payer funds and although most exhibitions in the UK are free. But I'd pay a whole lot more to hear a Prince Philip gaffe.

EDIT: Harry would probably knock you out mate, sorry!

 

[johnman]

[/quote]

Everything is bigger for no reason, things are overly bright and brash and arrogant.

What's bigger for no reason?[/quote]

Everything? More peeps drive SUVs for no reason, american pool tables are bigger than english ones, food etc..
Just a few examples

 

[plastic_window]

Isn't the difference in Bourbon and Whiskey to do with the amount of sugar they put in it?

Anyhoo, I like America. It has some of the most staggeringly beautiful scenery I've ever seen anywhere - like the Crystal Chandelier in that massive network of caves. It was on Planet Earth, I can't exactly remember where, but it was incredible. I'd love to go and see it in person, but it's something like a week and a half (or more) underground and it's not the safest place in the world. Still safer than Compton though.

I don't get American T.V though. Whenever they have live audiences or even canned ones they won't stop clapping. Let them tell their jokes, dammit, I'm here to watch comedians, not listen to hands slapping one another! And then when they start going "woooo!" it just makes me cringe. Although I'd cringe if anyone did that for anything.

 

[Lullabye]

Im Canadian, so i can fairly tell you the way americans and europeans see each other.

If you say European in america, they think, "Your a' pee'n" a crappy joke, or uptight socialy stunted sexual midgets. But thats simply because European culture seems so mellow and boring compared to America, not to say that it is.

Now from a European point of veiw,( note: i say european because most americans reading this dont know the difference.......no, you dont.) America is every thing big, loud, maybe not unpleasent but definately annoying. Stereotypes mainly include dumb( stupid, not mute), fat and obnoxious people who ask "where's the KFC at? I havnt eaten in an hour" or the dipsh!t gunho idiot who gos in and solves problems with violence, and a cheesy oneliner for every incident. This unfortunatly is not as much of an exaggerated stereotype as I hoped.

WWhat im curious about is how Do you guys see Canadians? Just one answers enough, this isnt what the thread is about anyways.

 

[Lullabye]

I don't get American T.V though. Whenever they have live audiences or even canned ones they won't stop clapping. Let them tell their jokes, dammit, I'm here to watch comedians, not listen to hands slapping one another! And then when they start going "woooo!" it just makes me cringe. Although I'd cringe if anyone did that for anything.

tHEY NEED SOM INCENTIVE TO GET THEM laughing. Americans are very lazy. Dont deny it, Canadiansmake Americans look fit.

 

[Archaeology Hat]

WWhat im curious about is how Do you guys see Canadians? Just one answers enough, this isnt what the thread is about anyways.

I personally love Canadians, all the Canadians I've met have been fun people.

Canada was voted "Most Boring" in a survey of peoples opinions on countries though.

 

[Jinx_Dragon]

On the matter of criminals and Australia:
I have two things to point out.

The first is the criminals themselves as most where not even guilty of doing anything punishable or minor crimes that are laughable by our standards! Many where press ganged by the government, homeless or poor, they where arrested as 'vagrants' and labelled criminals to be sent over here. The only grounds that got you a trip to Australia was if you would survive it and make a good 'indentured servant.'

Why? Well slavery wasn't exactly smiled upon in Brittan any more, it was about to be officially criminalised, but the Brits needed some way to colonise a new world with cheap, disposable labour didn't they? They crated a virtual slave class but termed it another name to get around the laws. They took anyone they could get away with snatching off the streets and forcing them to work for threat of lash or hanging, and even after serving thier 'sentences' they where forced to stay in Australia and work for the generosity of the free holders as if they where slaves. I've never imagined anything else but a slave when I hear the term indentured servant thanks to that BS....

The second is simple: Gold.

Once we found gold down here... everyone immigrated. Soon it wasn't just a few pioneer families and a bunch of slaves-but-not-slaves. No it was everyone with a dream of striking it rich, so a great deal more people then the number of so called criminals that came here to begin with.

 

[bazookabob]

... but Evan Williams is a bourbon because it is made in Kentucky.

Actually, I've heard that to be considered "bourbon" it must be distilled in Bourbon County, Kentucky. And make no mistake, there's a distinct difference in taste between bourbon and whiskey.

Oh yes, I definitely agree with you on that note. I would not be able to refer to myself as a fan of whiskey if I said that the two tasted the same.

 

[PedroSteckecilo]

I noted that in the Unskippable thread today someone noted the oddity of

"Really old buildings mixed with hover scooters and cell phones"

Whick makes me think that someone has never been to Europe... except replace the Hover Cycles with those futuristic looking BMW motorcycles.

 

[MercenaryCanary]

No one ever considered the middle ground....
Canada.
http://mold101.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/canadian-flag1.jpg

 

[Trivun]

I'm a British nationalist and get annoyed at the way Americans take some of our words and cannabilize them (e.g. calling football 'soccer' and just generally 'Americanizing' our language). It's called the ENGLISH LANGUAGE for a reason, not 'American English', and also stop making 'American English' the default language on computer packages marketed in the UK. Also, I don't like the way a lot of Americans seem to think that they are the greatest nation in the world, I wouldn't be so presumptuous as to say that the UK is (we have plenty of problems ourselves, thanks to Gordon Brown and New Labour...), but Americans (especially on topics such as World Wars 1 & 2) seem to think that they saved Britain's ass in everything and that we would all be communists or under Sharia Law (just to clarify I am tolerant of other races and cultures) if it wasn't for them. THIS ISN'T TRUE! The Americans are in a way not as good a country as some European ones (despite the bloody EU), and the US President is NOT the most important person in the world, neither is the US the most important country in the world. Important yes, but still extremely big headed as a nation (I apologize for stereotyping but it is pretty much true, even though there are still plenty of Americans who may not feel this way, most do make their feelings clear). Anyway, sorry about the rant (even though it's true).

However, I feel that the Americans are an alright nation and do have good ideas and things that come from there. E.g. I hate cricket as well, and would love to see proper baseball (even though it's based off the BRITISH game rounders), but as a rugby fan aren't too keen on the butchered version that is American Football. Personally I would quite like to live in New York or at least tour the country and visit every state. I went to Florida on holiday last year and was amazed at how friendly everyone was, we got talking to an American couple at the Kennedy Space Centre, something which would be unheard of in the UK (mainly because people south of Yorkshire aren't that friendly a lot anyway, note though that I am originally from a place south of Yorkshire).

Just to wrap it up as my comment is getting overlong (most I've ever typed on this site actually), I feel that the Americans need to remember that they wouldn't exist (at least not in this way) if it wasn't for Europeans in general and the British in particular, but that as a nation the USA is alright and just needs to be less bigheaded on the global stage. Plus stop invading places like Iraq, at least until there is proof of WMD's... sorry, couldn't resist a final jab at Bush (what a bastard he was, as a Brit I wanted Obama to win).

 

[Fatalis67]

America: Birthed Suffocation, Skinless, and Cannibal Corpse
Europe: Leaked out the festering pus that is Black Metal

But as an American, I agree that the overwhelming majority of the population is a bunch of lazy, obnoxious idiots. But I think that the Europeans tend to be a little too eager to jump on those stereotypes like a bunch of fucking flies to a fresh pile of dog feces.

 

[SecretTacoNinja]

Does anyone still use the: "You'd be speaking German if it wasn't for us!" "argument"?
(I'm thinking if anyone says that to me I'd thank them but still maintain that their country is stupider and fatter than ours)

And what the hell are Grits?

I'd also like to know which country has the biggest dick-heads. I was born in London and it houses the biggest, rudest dick-heads I've ever seen. Anyone know or care to guess? (My vote's on America).

 

[PedroSteckecilo]

Does anyone still use the: "You'd be speaking German if it wasn't for us!" "argument"?
(I'm thinking if anyone says that to me I'd thank them but still maintain that their country is stupider and fatter than ours)

And what the hell are Grits?

I'd also like to know which country has the biggest dick-heads. I was born in London and it houses the biggest, rudest dick-heads I've ever seen. Anyone know or care to guess? (My vote's on America).

Everyone I ran into in London was really nice...

Hell everyone I ran into in France was really nice, except for that one Transit dude... and Transit dudes are douchebags in Canada as well.

 

[John Funk]

After watching a television special where two American actors were sent to France to act like Texas stereotypes.

In the end only American tourists disliked them. The French thought that they were: affectionate, goofy, silly, fun, and lovable. So in conclusion, Europeans must think we are walking teddy bears.

Europeans in America are thought to be cold, modern art fanatics, bonkers. That is until an American meets a European.

We all have our misconsceptions though.

Oh man. That sounds hilarious.

 

[NekoAnastasia]

Does anyone still use the: "You'd be speaking German if it wasn't for us!" "argument"?
(I'm thinking if anyone says that to me I'd thank them but still maintain that their country is stupider and fatter than ours)

And what the hell are Grits?

I'd also like to know which country has the biggest dick-heads. I was born in London and it houses the biggest, rudest dick-heads I've ever seen. Anyone know or care to guess? (My vote's on America).

Everyone I ran into in London was really nice...

Hell everyone I ran into in France was really nice, except for that one Transit dude... and Transit dudes are douchebags in Canada as well.

I think it depends where you are. Sometimes people in London can be rude, but then everytime I've been, even in busy areas people have been polite to me, given me directions or opened doors for me, when the stereotype is that busy London people are rude, etc. In France, people in touristy cities might have been rude or abrupt, but then people in the small villages were among the most courteous I've ever met.

 

[John Funk]

Also, while I agree that the vast majority of American major brews are utter crap, I do have quite a fondness for Samuel Adams. Sam Adams is the best nationally distributed American beer, hands down (IMO).

That said, I do love me a good Guinness, Leffe, or Hoegaarden.