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[return to "Why Americans Are So Awful to One Another"]
1. jatins+a3[view] [source] 2023-08-15 10:12:31
>>helsin+(OP)
I have spent < an year in US (mostly in California) and found the America behaviour to be very polite in speech but indifferent/mean in actions. The passive aggressive behavior seemed quite common.

As an outsider sometimes you are not aware of cultural norms, but I always felt the margin for error for what Americans considered "acceptable" was too narrow. There was no benefit of doubt, and sometimes an explicit dislike for someone who did not immediately fit in.

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2. ajdude+ia[view] [source] 2023-08-15 11:21:15
>>jatins+a3
From the other side, I'm American who spent time in Europe and I felt similar.I don't want to use the term “uptight” but I can't think of a better word.

No, I’m not trying to be disrespectful and I’m doing my best to be respectful. But it was culture shock and I wasn't used to the array of “we don’t do that here” and “you can’t dress like that there” etc. I was kind of on eggshells in many interactions over things that noone would give a second thought to in the US.

(For context, I visited The Netherlands, Belgium, and France)

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3. CalRob+lt[view] [source] 2023-08-15 13:26:30
>>ajdude+ia
Sounds a bit Doe Normaal. Not the most endearing cultural trait. But then, when we lived in Ireland nobody would _tell_ us that they thought we were freaks for wearing colourful clothes or not caring about church or athletics, they would just insult us behind our backs.
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