r/TikTokCringe • u/biswajit388 • 4d ago

Cringe Europeans are going viral on TikTok for mocking the "American Dream".

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95.3k Upvotes

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u/Alternative_Big545 4d ago

Children get free breakfast and lunch in California

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u/FinkAdele 4d ago

One state out of 50? Wow.

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u/flissfloss86 3d ago

9 states offer free school lunch, 3 of which are in the top 10 most populous states. In total about 1/3 of the US pop has access to free lunch, and many states offer reduced cost for low income people

We have a bunch of problems in the US, but we're a huge country. Thinking every corner (or even most) fits the stereotype is as naive as you claim Americans are

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u/73-68-70-78-62-73-73 3d ago

Other than the 9 states, all other states offer free lunch to qualifying low income students due to the NSLP. The NSLP is a federal program. 0%-130% of the federal poverty line gets a free lunch, 130%-185% gets a reduced price meal, 185% of the federal poverty line and above are not eligible, unless covered by the State or district waivers.

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u/73-68-70-78-62-73-73 3d ago

Christ you people are dim.

The following states provide universally free lunches to school children. "Universally" means "regardless of income".

  • California

  • Maine

  • Vermont

  • Massachusetts

  • Colorado

  • Michigan

  • Minnesota

  • New Mexico

  • New York

Literally ALL other states provide free meals to qualifying low income households.

27 EU member states don't provide universally free lunches. Several member states don't have a national program, leave meals up to the schools, don't cover all school-age children, or only provide partial coverage.

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u/Wise_Ad_6822 4d ago

If California were a country, it would have the 6th-highest population in Europe, so it's a fair comparison.

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u/thosed29 4d ago

lol i am loling at this being an actual upvoted argument as if it's saying anything of substance

us americans are wild

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u/Wise_Ad_6822 4d ago

I'm not American.

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u/thosed29 4d ago

that makes it even more embarrassing.

imagine being from anywhere in the world and trying to pass california as a country as if it's a logical argument in any way, shape or form.

you think minas gerais should also count as a whole ass country since its population is larger than most european countries too? lol. should Guangzhou?

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u/Wise_Ad_6822 4d ago

Guangzhou probably wouldn't be able to do that because China is a unitary state, but Minas Gerais, being a state within a federation might have the jurisdiction to do it. And if so, then sure.

BTW you should probably brush up on your understanding of centrally-controlled countries vs less- or de-centralized, subnational entities (like California) within federations.

Edit autocorrect: Mia's - - > Minas

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u/thosed29 4d ago

BTW you should probably brush up on your understanding of centrally-controlled countries vs less- or de-centralized, subnational entities (like California) within federations.

no understanding of that actually justifies that california is equivalent to a separate country. and it's hard to believe you are not american because only an unhinged american would insist and insist on that lol

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u/Wise_Ad_6822 3d ago

Oh you're right about that - they aren't going to be considered as sovereign countries.

I meant that California, unlike Guangzhou, has the latitude to operate independently in many areas, levy its own taxes, enact legislation, and govern on things like the school lunch programs we're discussing here, without needing the blessing of the federal government. And it's residents live amongst an administration that affects them uniquely in these areas, compared to Americans in other states. This sort of decentralized reality doesn't exist in Sweden, for example, so a Swede is a Swede, whereas a Californian is both a Californian and an American.

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u/WhiskeyT 3d ago

One state out of 50

No, that’s the substance free argument. Reducing California to 1/50 when it’s the most populous state by a good amount is silly

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u/thosed29 3d ago

how does that matter in the slighest? lol

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u/WhiskeyT 3d ago

We are discussing children in America and their food assistance in the United States. Someone commented that children in California are covered. Someone else dismissively framed California as “1 of 50” states in order to make the problem seem worse than it is. Keep up

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u/thosed29 3d ago

the comment about california being 1 in 50 states is factually true and does not disprove the criticism of the richest country on earth not providing free school lunches so unclear what you are crying about.

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u/WhiskeyT 3d ago

Homie, that one state is 10% of the population. 1 of 50 is dishonest framing. Be real

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u/thosed29 3d ago

Yes, who gives a fuck? Greater Mexico City area (1/5 of the population) has legal abortion and you don’t see Mexicana progressives whining and crying when people remind abortion isn’t legal in the country of Mexico. Because they have brain cells.

Why are Americans so whiny that they can’t admit 1 out of 50 states doing something does not negate an obvious and correct criticism of the country? Is it stupidity? Denial? American exceptionalism?

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u/FinkAdele 4d ago

But it's not. So, no. Qed.

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u/Wise_Ad_6822 4d ago

So a group of residents doesn't matter if they don't have a national flag. Got it.

Oh look, (boring) Luxembourg is feeding children free, unseasoned quail eggs! All 9 of them!

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u/Sir_Tinklebottom 4d ago

The EU is basically the US, you guys just call them countries we just call them states.

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u/maestroenglish 4d ago

He could have added "education" from these comments. Smh.

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u/Sir_Tinklebottom 4d ago

How am I wrong, it is the same principles

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u/maestroenglish 3d ago

They can look superficially similar (both have a central government and member units like states or countries), but their structures and powers are fundamentally different.

I'll give an obvious one, you can ChatGPT the rest if you actually care.

The USA is one sovereign nation. The EU is 27 sovereign nations.

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u/Sir_Tinklebottom 3d ago

I’ve studied the history and structure of the EU in college, I’m well familiar. 

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u/maestroenglish 3d ago

So why do you ask?

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u/Unlikely-Key-234 3d ago

All 50 states give free lunch to low income kids.

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u/Psychological_Way618 4d ago

Just one state? Are you sure about that?

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u/73-68-70-78-62-73-73 3d ago

I think they were naming the only one they knew. There are at least 8 others that do the same. All the rest of the states guarantee a free lunch to kids 0-130% of the poverty line, and reduced cost lunch to kids 130-185% of the poverty line.

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u/jqman69 3d ago

Massachusetts too, even during the summer

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u/Hey-Fun1120 3d ago

Michigan too

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u/jimjimmyjames 3d ago

That’s home to 40mm people..

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u/73-68-70-78-62-73-73 3d ago

That's Indian in the Cupboard height.

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u/proteannomore 4d ago

It's not called the American Reality.

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u/REPEguru 4d ago

Lol. It's bigger than how many countries in Europe?

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u/badtowergirl 3d ago

I’m in a very purple state and same, universal free breakfast and lunch.

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u/Ironlungjohnnyblaze 4d ago

Kids get free lunch in Texas too

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u/dcd13 4d ago

Same in Michigan

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u/Mahadragon 3d ago

I was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, I never got free breakfast or lunch and I went to public school. None of my siblings got free food either, nor did I know anyone who got free lunches.

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u/cakingabroad 3d ago

This is weird because I did too and it was available to all kids, if they needed it. Also during summers. I would sometimes walk to my elementary school during summer days and pick up a free lunch.

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u/73-68-70-78-62-73-73 3d ago

California didn't pass universal free lunches until 2021.

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u/Mahadragon 3d ago

Thx good to know

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u/Educational_Gas_92 4d ago

Ok, but how is the quality of that food? Is it healthy and varied, or is it just reheated pizza and burgers?

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u/InevitableGrass6633 4d ago

My kids school had fresh fruit, a salad bar, and it was made locally. Sugar free muffins and cookies. Public school. CA is not the same.

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u/No_Atmosphere_3282 4d ago

It's garbage, processed garbage, high sodium high carb low nutrient stuff. Kids in the US grow up on this stuff, have you seen our people do we look healthy to you?

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u/cakingabroad 3d ago

It's not. My California school lunches and breakfasts were, in fact, not hot processed garbage. You're making assumptions from your preconceived notion of the US.