“We Do Not Own Stupidity”: 45 Bad Things People Think Only Apply To The USA But Are In Fact Happening Everywhere

LGBT rights! For its faults and the real backsliding we've been seeing, the US is still one of the best places to be LGBT+. Varies a lot by state of course!

[Bad] politicians. I mean maybe not every year but definitely this year and the next three.

Gas /petrol prices. It’s far higher in other countries.

Lawsuits. People think Americans are super litigious but Germany, Sweden, and Austria all have higher litigation rates.

Abortion is another current political issue that trips people up. I've had conversations with people looking down on the US for restricting women's reproductive rights, when their own country has much more restrictive laws than my US state does, even after Roe was overturned. Always kind of funny to see their reactions when I point that out with citations to back me up.

Nutjobs going off on innocent people with a knife or trying to run them down for no reason. They're all over. They just end up on the news in the U.S. a lot more frequently.

Late stage capitalism.

Gun violence. There are several former Soviet block and South American countries that have terrible gun violence statistics that can rival the US.

I've seen culture war politics, especially of the right described, as "American style politics" in the European press but American culture warriors have been lifting a lot from Europe for a decade now.


There's been a lot of cross polinating with GOP think tankers and anti-immigrant demagogues in Hungary and Poland. Post Obergefell the GOP had a few failures in making trans people a wedge until the British tabloid press really showed them the way.

Supply chain over-reliance. People think only the US struggled with medical and manufacturing shortages during the pandemic. In reality, almost every country in Europe and Asia realized they had outsourced way too much of their critical manufacturing capacity and are now scrambling to build local infrastructure.

Calling a certain sport Soccer instead of Football. We are not the only country that uses the word Soccer.

Issues with the healthcare system. US has a cost issue that other developed countries don’t have. But it’s not sunshine and roses everywhere else.

Police brutality.

We do not own stupidity nor complete disregard of evidence and facts. Although we may have perfected it.

I would say the alt-right Christian Nationalist movement.

It’s global, and also pretty clear it has the hallmarks of a KGB psyop. They didn’t have to do anything other than turn a few aging morons and greedy tweens into their assets either.

Tipping at restaurants.

ohhnoodont:

Canada is arguably worse than the US. In Europe it is becoming increasingly common (especially if you’re perceived as an American tourist). UK, Mexico it’s common. Places like Morocco have their own tipping culture that’s deeply embedded. 

Pollution.

The US is much cleaner than most places, but American industry is often seen as the big bad. Go look at the lack of environmental regulation in Asia and tell me why I need to worry about my carbon footprint.

Obesity, partisan politics, unchecked corporate lobbying controlling policy,  reduced or inaccessible healthcare for lower socioeconomic groups. The USA may do them all bigger better and louder, but many western countries have the same issues.

The “lean”. Everyone leans on stuff, American or not.

Driving. [People] larp on the U.S. having the worst roads but go anywhere in Egypt or Nepal or basically anywhere in China, then get back to me. Although China’s infrastructure is exponentially improving, so my comment about their roads could be dated. Highways no, theirs are hell.