The United States is the third largest country in the world with a population of more than 335 million, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Here, a child is born every 8 seconds.
In addition to Indigenous Americans who were already living there before the Europeans discovered it, the country was built on immigration.
Because of this, the United States is one of the most culturally diverse nations in the world. It is sometimes described as a “melting pot”, in which different cultures have contributed their own distinct “flavors” to American culture.
But as much as the distinctiveness fascinates foreigners, it also has them raising their eyebrows. This is especially evident in a recent Reddit thread, started by user 421continueblazingit, who asked non-Americans on the platform to share which of the local customs make no sense to them.
#1
Why do politicians finish their speeches ‘God bless America’ and similar? It gives me shivers! Theocracy is not a good thing. Let’s have separation between church and state and between religion and politics, shall we? I believe, in fact, that your country was actually built on the principle of that separation, was it not?
Image credits: karlwikman
#2
Cashiers who aren’t allowed to sit during their work
Like…. Why??
Image credits: MitochondriA33
#3
Calling a team “World Champions’ of a sport that only your country competes in.
Image credits: OkHighway1024
#4
Home owner associations dictating the smallest details of your own home.
Image credits: Pieter8720
#5
Having to find somebody to cover shifts when you’re off on leave/sick.
Isn’t that literally what the manager is there for?
Image credits: BigD1970
#6
Paid maternity leave not being legislated as a basic employment right.
Image credits: KingShaka1987
#7
Fear of anything ‘not capitalist’ being somehow ‘communist’ . E.g universal healthcare. Yet at the same time being terrified of ‘big pharma’. It literally works in 100s of other non-communist countries.
Image credits: Top_Luckyloo
#8
Sales tax not being included in the price already. Wild.
Image credits: dbe14
#9
Commercials for drugs. That you can’t even buy yourself. But ‘ask your doctor!’
Image credits: OliveOcelot
#10
People enthusiastically defending the health-care system that bankrupts people, sometimes even in reddit threads where people show off their horrendous medical bills
Image credits: Randomswedishdude
#11
Pickup trucks as daily use cars. Of course I know that at this point most pickups are just SUVs with a small open bed in the rear, but it still boggles my mind how many people believe they absolutely need a pickup.
Image credits: pckman
#12
A lot of the High School stuff, like all the formal dances, Football, cheer leading. They’re such a big deal in the USA.
Image credits: yourpaljax
#13
tipping, do some actually live of the tips?
Image credits: OldMork
#14
The toilet gap.
Image credits: roboplegicroncock
#15
Doing your own taxes, and being punished if you get it wrong by mistake.
Image credits: FluffyPony34
#16
Black Friday. You spend Thanksgiving saying how grateful you are for what you have, and then have a massive free-for-all over stuff you want.
Image credits: NotACyclopsHonest
#17
The whole “building credit” thing. Not sure it’s a custom or just plain stupid. The amount of money that I can borrow is a reflection of my income and what it is that I want to borrow money for. The idea that you can’t get a mortgage because you didn’t pay for groceries with a credit card 10 years ago is absurd.
I suppose part of it is how the housing market works, it weird that if you can’t pay your mortgage, then you can just drop the keys in the mailbox and it suddenly becomes a problem for the bank. Here if you can’t pay your mortgage it’s still your house and your problem. Sure the bank can use the law to make the government force you to sell to pay of debt, but that’s different.
Image credits: FluffyBaseball6373
#18
Putting ice in every drink no matter the temperature, season, or anything.
Image credits: stoned_broccoli
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