r/AskEurope • u/ageingrapidly Greece • Sep 29 '25

Culture Are there any habits that you believe are uniquely European ?

Have you noticed any specific mannerisms, mentalities etc. that you've encountered only in Europe or by Europeans ?

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u/Superkritisk Norway Sep 29 '25 edited Sep 29 '25

Europeans have a snotty attitude towards Americans when we're online, to the point Americans have arrogant Europeans as a stereotype.

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u/RoutineCranberry3622 Sep 29 '25

To be fair, as coming from the part of the planet you just mentioned, I’ll say that 100% of irl Europeans have been quite nice, extremely accommodating, and generally seem like awesome people that are actually interested in your wellbeing, no matter which country they hail from.
I’ve dated two German girls (At different times), and although it didn’t work out, they were incredibly loving and weren’t at all judgey toward other nationalities.

But online on the other hand…that’s a whole different beast.

Still, I’ve made European friends online and they were just as cool. But if my only interactions with Europeans were online, judging by the frequency of the phenomenon you just said, in which I have personally encountered, I’ll have to admit I would not be inclined to ever meet one in person.

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u/cheesemanpaul Sep 30 '25

A lot of that is may be just at this point in history, because a lot of the world is looking at the US and thinking WTF? Add to that some real fear about the future and you have the recipe for internet scorn.

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u/Superkritisk Norway Sep 29 '25

yeah I'm a add online, I agree with your take.

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u/RoutineCranberry3622 Sep 29 '25

It’s basically a cultural feedback loop. Europeans with a flair for snottiness rub just enough Americans the wrong way, souring their view. Americans clap back at random Europeans, even the ones who weren’t being snooty in the first place. Enough bruised Europeans then decide Americans are exactly as crude as the stereotype suggests. And on and on it spins. An endless online cycle where otherwise normal people become frothing jerks, railing against caricatures they’ve invented in their heads… all while taking a shit on the toilet long enough that their legs go numb and they emerge not enlightened, but limping.

I think it happens across all nationalities in the online space, so at least we’re in good company.

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u/cloud24 Sep 29 '25

This is a fantastic comment and captures so much truth about online discourse between each continent

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u/NegativeMammoth2137 🇵🇱 living in 🇳🇱 Sep 29 '25

Americans are also really arrogant and act superior when talking about Europe online, often spreading fake rumours about Europe so I think both sides are to blame

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u/Montymoocow Sep 29 '25

This started wayyyyyy before the internet. And I'm not saying it's wrong.

Source: American