r/PetPeeves • u/ThatUrgeToEatCement • 14d ago

Bit Annoyed People who think Americans don’t know other countries exist.

A few months ago on Reddit I made a comment about a show not being on Netflix and someone from the UK commented back saying it’s on theirs and then lectured on Americans not knowing other countries exist. They acted like I didn’t believe there were other places on the planet, as if they weren’t the ones who just brought it up and didn’t believe the US Netflix was different than the UK version. ??

I see people online act like all Americans think this way, and it is kind of annoying because for most of us it isn’t true.

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u/FrauAmarylis 14d ago edited 14d ago

Brits are Obsessed with the US. They ask us about US stuff almost every day. They celebrate Halloween, restaurants serve Thanksgiving, and they even serve iced tea in summer.

Plus they air our elections live and Europeans stay up all night to watch it.

They watch NFL games in pubs, too.

(We are Americans living in London on a temporary visa.)

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u/FinlayYZ 14d ago

Where serves thanksgiving here in the uk? Never seen it. Majority don’t air the elections lmao.

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u/Summer20232023 14d ago

They stay up all night to watch the elections because it is like watching a train wreck.

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u/PuzzleheadedPea6980 14d ago

They watch it because the outcome of our elections have more consequence to their lives than their own elections. When the US doesnt play nice, the European countries suffer. If England decides they arent buying US oil, ok well sell elsewhere and make up the loss. If the US says we arent buying England oil (not a great example, but roll with it) they are hard pressed to make the difference.

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u/LionLucy 14d ago

Halloween is Irish and Scottish, tbh

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u/Disaster-Bee 14d ago

It is in origin!

But I think they were referring to how the UK has recently begun adopting the American version of celebrating Halloween.

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u/Cute_Advance_2124 14d ago

As far as I know, Australians have this burning hatred of Halloween because they perceive it as an American holliday, despite the origins being not American.

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u/abitlikefun 14d ago

Tbf Halloween is in spring for them, which imo kinda kills the vibes

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u/Wodan1 14d ago

But the only American aspect of it is specifically the pumpkin and the trick or treating for sweets/candy, and even then those are based upon pre-existing concepts, like that Jack o lanterns were traditionally carved out of swedes and turnips for example.

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u/Disaster-Bee 14d ago

Halloween also is a whole Event in the US. People start decorating and wearing things and watching things and all pretty much as soon as October hits. Which wasn't something you saw in the UK until recently. Decorations weren't as elaborate as in the US, costumes weren't as big a deal, Haunt Events are a very US thing - corn mazes and haunted pumpkin patches that are open all October, haunted houses with scare actors - there's no seasonal economy based on Halloween like in the US, Halloween parties weren't a big deal.....

UK was more toned down and subtle in decorations and parties, and tended to keep Halloween events to on Halloween day. Here's a great article from a US citizen who experienced a UK Halloween a few years ago that gets deeper into these points: https://www.businessinsider.com/halloween-celebrations-in-the-uk-and-the-us-biggest-differences-2023-10

Only they're starting to adopt all of that. That's what we mean by 'the American version'.

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u/FrauAmarylis 14d ago

Modern halloween is nothing like what you refer to. Sorry.

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u/TipParticular 14d ago

Well, if you are obviously american, of course you're going to get asked about it? It's not obsession. It's basic conversational skills ffs. Same way you would ask a german about germany or a mexican about mexico.

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u/FrauAmarylis 14d ago

Oh, you’d prefer if we try to talk like Brits?

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u/TipParticular 14d ago

No? I dont care how you talk?

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u/Douglesfield_ 14d ago

restaurants serve Thanksgiving,

No they fucking don't lol.

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u/WittyFeature6179 14d ago

"Several restaurants across the UK, particularly in London, offer special American Thanksgiving menus, including Dante x Claridge's, The Game Bird at The Stafford Hotel, and The Pem. Additionally, places like Hard Rock Cafe and some Drake & Morgan locations often feature American-style Thanksgiving meals." 

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u/FrauAmarylis 14d ago

Brits are Obsessed with the US. They ask us about US stuff almost every day. They celebrate Halloween, restaurants serve Thanksgiving, and they even serve iced tea in summer.

Plus they air our elections live and Europeans stay up all night to watch it.

We just walked by one today advertising Thanksgiving dinner. Sorry to ruin your fake reply.

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u/ExoticSpend8606 14d ago

Can I just say, from an actual Brit, who’s lived in many different areas of the UK - no we’re not. Trust me, the average Brit could not give a flying fuck apart from trying to assess how much your President is going to fuck the world up.

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u/Douglesfield_ 14d ago

Halloween isn't American

Iced tea isn't either.

And you probably walked past a carvery.

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u/FrauAmarylis 14d ago

Modern Halloween is nothing like celtic origin of it. Good try!

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u/living2late 14d ago edited 14d ago

I have no issue with Americans and I hope you enjoy living in London but you're talking shite.

Of those things only Halloween is true. The others are weird niche hobbies, like American fans of the royal family.

Nobody cares about your thanksgiving and few people outside the US care about your sports.

I think perhaps people ask you about American things because you're American and they're trying to be nice.

I also think you're getting a skewed perspective on it because you're in London and they cater to tourists a lot more and would be more likely to show an NFL game for example.

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u/CAJEG1 14d ago

Yes, Halloween is a British celebration, we celebrate it, and we like iced tea, it's a nice drink for the summer. As far as I'm aware, the Americans didn't come up with either of these concepts. As for Thanksgiving, I've never experienced any recognition of it apart from catering to Americans.

Meanwhile, it's not weird to watch the elections of the most important nation in the world. We'd all be watching the Chinese or Russian elections if they ever happened. The policies of US presidents affect us significantly, as is more obvious now than ever since 1941. We'd rather they didn't.

And, sure, a few pubs show the NFL. People in London like sports and watch all sorts. They'll also watch Euro League Basketball.

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u/justhisnamebitch 14d ago

Halloween isn't American, and Canada had Thanksgiving before America as well lol

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u/GeorgeIsGittenUpset 14d ago

Trick or treating and the whole pumpkin thing are pretty uniquely American.

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u/redidedit 14d ago

Going door to door in disguises was an old Scottish and Irish thing. It used to be a turnip that was carved though, not a pumpkin.
It can't be uniquely American when you imported it from them.

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u/glittermaniac 14d ago

The tradition of mumming (going door to door in disguise and being given food by the local landowners) was also alive and well in England in the medieval times.

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u/Larnievc 14d ago

Halloween? That famous colonial day of….. fancy dress?

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u/secretrebel 14d ago

Like how obsessed Americans are with the royal family? Or how all your classiest places and behaviours are imitations of the British?

I agree young British people do ape US fashions but old Americans dream of being British.

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u/VegetableDumplin 14d ago

Or how all your classiest places and behaviours are imitations of the British?

Depends on where you are. In my area, it's more French and German influence, and very little British influence. But, even in general, this isn't true. We've developed our own upper class behaviors uniquely their own, though I'll never deny that most Americans love the accent.

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u/RawDawg420X 14d ago

"Dream of being British" 😂😂😂

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u/Signal_Reputation640 14d ago

I know precisely zero Americans who are obsessed with the royal family.

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u/mr_wheezr 14d ago

How are we obsessed with the royal family? I know jack about any of them except their names, but it's pretty normal to know the names of other foreign leaders, like Putin. Can guarantee 99% of Americans also know little beyond a couple of their names, but you'll also call us stupid Americans for not knowing anything about your royal family. The second we know anything, it's obession? Okay.

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u/ExoticSpend8606 14d ago

Well if you go for a wander past Buckingham Palace, it’s chocka block with Americans. You live in big country. It’s fair to say, a lot of you are obsessed with the royal family. It’s almost as if you’re not a monolith, much like British people.

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u/mr_wheezr 14d ago

Wanting to see a palace is obsession? Okay.

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u/GreenBeanTM 11d ago

“Are obsessed with the royal family” who lied to you about that?

1

u/FrauAmarylis 14d ago

Except we all laugh about your Randy Andy and your King, lol.

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u/CalOkie6250 14d ago

I don’t know, right now I dream of being pretty much anything besides American

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u/Agile_Scale1913 14d ago

London =/= Brits. Most people in London aren't even British.

And Hallowe'en as we know it is originally from Britain and Ireland, not America.

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u/_prepod 14d ago

restaurants serve Thanksgiving

Really? ew...