Thread: Ten Things Americans Don't Know About America

Originally Posted by Paul G.

Fortunately, you are not me and I have nothing to do with you. You deliberately mix the things up, such as a common cultural stuff and a peculiar technical thing.

I don't believe a hookah is a common cultural thing. Far less common than a garbage disposal in the US, I dare say

Originally Posted by Paul G.

Anyway, I know what a garbage disposal is, I have seen it in the movies. So you've lost again, man.

I'm sure many Americans know what the hookah is but you chose to judge others based on the person who doesn't know In this case your self-praising post seems like a double standard to me

That article was highly amusing. Welcome to reality America.

I have always found it quite funny, a a bit contradictory, how my people from the former Soviet Union, on the one hand, criticize the USA all the time and pretty much for everything, and on the other hand, love to make friends with Asmericans, watch American movies, wear American base-ball hats, play baseball, eat at Subway and McDonalds - and dream about winning a green card, or moving to the USA!

My dear Russian-speaking friends, when roads and bathrooms (туалеты) in the post-Soviet countries become as good as in the USA, or better, then feel free to criticize the IQ of Americans.

Originally Posted by Yulia65

I have always found it quite funny, a a bit contradictory, how my people from the former Soviet Union, on the one hand, criticize the USA all the time and pretty much for everything, and on the other hand, love to make friends with Asmericans, watch American movies, wear American base-ball hats, play baseball, eat at Subway and McDonalds - and dream about winning a green card, or moving to the USA!

My dear Russian-speaking friends, when roads and bathrooms (туалеты) in the post-Soviet countries become as good as in the USA, or better, then feel free to criticize the IQ of Americans.

Actually most of the Russians were standing up for America, while I (an American citizen) was criticizing it LOL ))) Paul G. being the obvious exception ))

I also would like to ask those of you who think that all Americans are illiterate hill-billies:

- Are all your General Chat buddies here in MR from the USA illiterate and unable to think?
(Then why would they even bother to learn Russian? some of them speak two or nore foreign languages!)

- If they are, then why do you keep chatting with these miserable Americans who are way down below your IQ? And why is it that American members at MR get more attention and feedback to their posts and QQ than, say, people from Iraq, or India, or Kazakhstan?

- If hey are not, then why sweep generalizations and reduce all to the same level ?

I find many Americans ( just as many Russians) - in real life and here, at MR, - quite intelligent, well-educated and versatile people who reflect THE BEST of their nations and cultures. I also find some, on both sides, who, regretfully, reflect THE WORST (arrogance, chauvinism, foul language, absence of respect for those around etc.) whether they realize it or not.

So let us be wise in recognizing the strengths of each other, and merciful to the weaknesses of each other.
Treat others as you would like to be treated.

Originally Posted by Yulia65

I also would like to ask those of you who think that all Americans are illiterate hill-billies:

- Are all your General Chat buddies here in MR from the USA illiterate and unable to think?
(Then why would they even bother to learn Russian? some of them speak two or nore foreign languages!)

- If they are, then why do you keep chatting with these miserable Americans who are way down below your IQ? And why is it that American members at MR get more attention and feedback to their posts and QQ than, say, people from Iraq, or India, or Kazakhstan?

- If hey are not, then why sweep generalizations and reduce all to the same level ?

I find many Americans ( just as many Russians) - in real life and here, at MR, - quite intelligent, well-educated and versatile people who reflect THE BEST of their nations and cultures. I also find some, on both sides, who, regretfully, reflect THE WORST (arrogance, chauvinism, foul language, absence of respect for those around etc.) whether they realize it or not.

So let us be wise in recognizing the strengths of each other, and merciful to the weaknesses of each other.
Treat others as you would like to be treated.

Yulia, lighten up ))))) It was meant to be a humorous rant! None of the Russians was ripping on the USA (except Pasha, but we all know about him). But frankly, America *is* doing some really stupid things, and as a citizen of the US I feel it's my patriotic duty to speak out against it. Syria for example. Big mistake.

America *is* doing some really stupid things

Exactly. So many things, that they all have not be covered in South Park episodes so far.
America is magnificient without doubt, but I can see some disproportion between "things for body" and "things for soul".
We could discuss Russia's problems in an adjacent thread, but it's dark era in my country so there will be no balsam neither for Russian body nor for Russian soul. And yes, bathrooms (туалеты) are worse than ever.

Pleasant people live everywhere
But still... no, never heard of anybody willing to leave for America. Only for Germany, Finland, Korea, France, Canada, Australia, couple of other countries and "to somewhere" (как в КВНовской шутке - "Бразильский бы выучил только за то, что надо ж куда-нибудь ехать")

Originally Posted by maxmixiv

...But still... no, never heard of anybody willing to leave for America. Only for Germany, Finland, Korea, France, Canada, Australia, couple of other countries and "to somewhere" (как в КВНовской шутке - "Бразильский бы выучил только за то, что надо ж куда-нибудь ехать")

Может быть, но только в США наши дети (да вообще все дети) - стопроцентные американцы, включая тех, кто родился в России и тех, кто говорит с небольшим акцентом. Они даже не поймут, что есть разница между ними и нашими детьми во Франции, Германии и др. Не знаю, но думаю, что там не так просто считать себя, например, немцем, французом, финном и т.п.
Когда-то спросила сына, кем он себя чувствует: евреем или болгарином. Посмотрел на меня с сомнением: 'Мам, американцем".

Originally Posted by maxmixiv

Exactly. So many things, that they all have not be covered in South Park episodes so far.

Hehehe, I love South Park!

And yes, bathrooms (туалеты) are worse than ever.

Oh yeah, I have memories of your toilets that I would like to forget but the impression they made on me was indelible. LOL

Когда-то спросила сына, кем он себя чувствует: евреем или болгарином. Посмотрел на меня с сомнением: 'Мам, американцем".

Ну это глубоко правильно, конечно.

P.S. Так вот откуда смешные картинки с болгарскими надписями

Originally Posted by Yulia65

I have always found it quite funny, a a bit contradictory, how my people from the former Soviet Union, on the one hand, criticize the USA all the time and pretty much for everything, and on the other hand, love to make friends with Asmericans, watch American movies, wear American base-ball hats, play baseball, eat at Subway and McDonalds - and dream about winning a green card, or moving to the USA!

My dear Russian-speaking friends, when roads and bathrooms (туалеты) in the post-Soviet countries become as good as in the USA, or better, then feel free to criticize the IQ of Americans.

I can't say for sure, maybe I live some extremely weird way but when I make friends I consider the person as being the person her/himself but not an average US (or other country) person or a representative of the US (or other country) government. I can have different attitude to different persons from the same country. I even can have different attitude to different issues of the same government.

And just for your information there is still life in Russia: people live here, go to work, love each other and rise children, and do other "life things". I can assure you that not all Russians stand in line to win a green card. It can be hard to understand but there are some people who prefer to make things better in the place where they are living than just leave it for another "better life".

White man guilt.
Not uncommon.