# Perceptions about USA from non-Americans that Americans might be surprised to learn **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 13, 2015, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptions-about-usa-from-non-americans-that-americans-might-be-surprised-to-learn/719918 "2015-05-13T06:28:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptions-about-usa-from-non-americans-that-americans-might-be-surprised-to-learn/719918/21 "2015-05-13T11:28:33Z")
If anyone is surprised that we have volunteer fire departments I would have to assume they have no fire department at all in the sparsely populated areas of their country. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptions-about-usa-from-non-americans-that-americans-might-be-surprised-to-learn/719918/22 "2015-05-13T11:34:10Z")
> [@Kiyoshi](#): > > The fact that most American hospitals are profit-making businesses is mind-boggling to Europeans. IIRC only around 20% of hospitals are profit-making businesses. > [@Kiyoshi](#): > > You guys actually _like_ spending thousands of dollars when you fall ill, even if you’ve already spent a fortune on insurance payments?! Nobody likes that. One of the vexing political issues is that most people say they like their insurance and want to keep it _even though they never use much of it_. > [@Kiyoshi](#): > > Also, one of the most dangerous jobs in the world, and the government doesn’t even compensate these guys for risking their lives? That’s just sad. In the places that rely on all-volunteer fire departments, “the government” is often close to nonexistent. There are _very_ rural areas that only have fire protection by subscription. If you want them to put out any fires you have, you pay a yearly fee. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptions-about-usa-from-non-americans-that-americans-might-be-surprised-to-learn/719918/23 "2015-05-13T12:01:49Z")
You’re way too religious. That’s my perception. You won’t find another developed first-world country that’s as religious as the US. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptions-about-usa-from-non-americans-that-americans-might-be-surprised-to-learn/719918/24 "2015-05-13T12:05:58Z")
> [@stui\_magpie](#): > > I love corn on the cob. tastes amazing. Or maybe a-maize-ing. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptions-about-usa-from-non-americans-that-americans-might-be-surprised-to-learn/719918/25 "2015-05-13T12:15:35Z")
> [@Kiyoshi](#): > > The fact that most American hospitals are profit-making businesses is mind-boggling to Europeans. As is the fact that so many Americans are against universal healthcare. You guys actually _like_ spending thousands of dollars when you fall ill, even if you’ve already spent a fortune on insurance payments?! > > (Of course, there are some private hospitals here for the rich, and some hospitals in America run by non-profit organizations.) > > Also, the fact that so much of the country has to rely on volunteer firefighters (according to Wikipedia, 69% of firefighters in the US are volunteers). I’m sure the volunteers are wonderful people, and are very kind to give up their time and safety in this way, but damn, if my house were on fire, I’d want professionals, not Joe from the hardware store! Also, one of the most dangerous jobs in the world, and the government doesn’t even compensate these guys for risking their lives? That’s just sad. Goddammit, if we go to single payer then poor people who aren’t as deserving as me will receive health care that’s just as good. Freedom! ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptions-about-usa-from-non-americans-that-americans-might-be-surprised-to-learn/719918/26 "2015-05-13T12:25:02Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Ditto for Canada. Volunteer firefighters are just as able and well-trained as their paid counterparts. In rural areas the fire department might get deployed a half dozen times a year. Hardly worth staffing a full department. Fourthing this. Most rural areas in Pakistan also have volunteer staffed Fire Brigades. I think its a W European issue. Its heavily built up even “rural” areas are not far from decent sized towns. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptions-about-usa-from-non-americans-that-americans-might-be-surprised-to-learn/719918/27 "2015-05-13T12:27:44Z")
> [@Shalmanese](#): > > One I hear a lot is people’s irrational anger that the final transaction price never ends on a round number. Between sales taxes and tipping and the like, you end up always paying something like $36.43. This same happens to me in every country I go to. All over Europe, Asian countries, India, Mexico, South Africa, Canada. If I can charge it, I charge it, but I can’t always charge it and so I have a large collection of foreign change (if I fly Cathay, though, I give it to them – they have a “Change for Good” program that donates it to charity). ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptions-about-usa-from-non-americans-that-americans-might-be-surprised-to-learn/719918/28 "2015-05-13T12:31:00Z")
[We’re making reasonable strides towards a more secular society.](http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/12/living/pew-religion-study/index.html) Those with no religious affiliation now account for almost a quarter of us. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptions-about-usa-from-non-americans-that-americans-might-be-surprised-to-learn/719918/29 "2015-05-13T12:34:25Z")
> [@The\_Angry\_Badger](#): > > Admittedly the UK isn’t much better (I think Carling is the most popular, which is pretty awful stuff) but there are still a lot of decent beers around that you can get in pretty much any pub you can go to. This statement is true of every beer drinking country on the face of the planet. The most popular beers are always cheap, watery pop beers, but better beer is available if you want it. How the USA is unique in this regard I do not understand. The only exception I can think of is Ireland, where the mot popular beer is Guinness, a mass produced, shitty stout. So at least they’re unique in choosing a stout as their industrially produced go-to-to-get-drunk liquid. ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptions-about-usa-from-non-americans-that-americans-might-be-surprised-to-learn/719918/30 "2015-05-13T12:44:10Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > This statement is true of every beer drinking country on the face of the planet. The most popular beers are always cheap, watery pop beers, but better beer is available if you want it. How the USA is unique in this regard I do not understand. > > The only exception I can think of is Ireland, where the mot popular beer is Guinness, a mass produced, shitty stout. So at least they’re unique in choosing a stout as their industrially produced go-to-to-get-drunk liquid. The USA is unique in that prohibition destroyed the brewing industry. The US was down to as few as [50 breweries](http://www.craftbeer.com/the-beverage/history-of-beer/the-revival) in the early 80’s, nearly all of them producing the same style macrobrews. Unlike European countries who have an unbroken chain of quality beer stretching back hundreds of years (although the UK had it’s own separate beerpocalypse before [CAMRA](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campaign_for_Real_Ale) stepped in), the US has had to build it’s craft brewing industry from scratch. It’s only been in the last two decades that the US has gone from one of the worst countries to be a beer drinker to one of the best and it’s easy to see why it’s reputation still lingers among people who haven’t been paying attention. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptions-about-usa-from-non-americans-that-americans-might-be-surprised-to-learn/719918/31 "2015-05-13T12:52:08Z")
Things I’ve heard: That foreign countries have their own governments & military & police forces, and they feel these all work reasonably well and they don’t actually need the US jumping in to fight terrorism on their soil. We’re really not all that, and they’d kind of appreciate it if we minded our own business a little bit more than we do. I took a Racism in America class in college back in the 80’s, and when the several black students were expressing outrage about how badly the black people in America have been treated for the past several hundred years, the two Iranian and one Chinese lady very politely said nothing, but the looks on their faces… “Really? Several hundred years? That’s rough. How about _since the dawn of recorded history?_” ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptions-about-usa-from-non-americans-that-americans-might-be-surprised-to-learn/719918/32 "2015-05-13T12:54:50Z")
> [@Lord\_Feldon](#): > > IIRC only around 20% of hospitals are profit-making businesses. > > Nobody likes that. One of the vexing political issues is that most people say they like their insurance and want to keep it _even though they never use much of it_. > > In the places that rely on all-volunteer fire departments, “the government” is often close to nonexistent. > > There are _very_ rural areas that only have fire protection by subscription. If you want them to put out any fires you have, you pay a yearly fee. Volunteer fire departments and subscription based fire departments are not coextensive. ---
**Author:** ![JustinC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justinc/32/8083_2.png) [@JustinC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustinC)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptions-about-usa-from-non-americans-that-americans-might-be-surprised-to-learn/719918/33 "2015-05-13T13:11:21Z")
Y’all\* are obsessed with teeth; every tooth must be pearly white, straight, shiny and filling-free. _except meth heads, who number approximately half_\* of the population of all trailer parks \*\*the other half are made up of down-on-their-luck ex-Green Berets, coders/hackers hiding from the FBI, down-on-their-luck cops, felons on the lamb, white trash families with eleventy kids (all named Billy Bob), and [sex offenders](http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/may/03/owning-trailer-parks-mobile-home-university-investment). ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptions-about-usa-from-non-americans-that-americans-might-be-surprised-to-learn/719918/34 "2015-05-13T13:38:24Z")
Only America has change? Every time I go to Canada I come back with a huge handful of loonies and toonies. Good thread though. ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptions-about-usa-from-non-americans-that-americans-might-be-surprised-to-learn/719918/35 "2015-05-13T13:48:17Z")
You would be surprised at the quality of some American volunteer fire departments. I cannot vouch for all of them but in many small towns being on the volunteer fire and ambulance rescue department is major badge of honor. Men work hard to get on the crew and spend their own money and own time to get training. The equipment tends to be older (because of a lower budget) but is usually well maintained because the towns best gear-heads make it their life to make sure it runs perfectly. It makes a difference if your doing something as a “job” rather than something you love and have a huge pride in. Also its not totally unpaid. Some are paid when they actually work a fire or respond to an ambulance call (paramedics). You can write off your training on your taxes. We kept the local RDF brush fire vehicle in our barn and were paid rent. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptions-about-usa-from-non-americans-that-americans-might-be-surprised-to-learn/719918/36 "2015-05-13T13:50:39Z")
How often does one encounter the Pledge of Allegiance? ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptions-about-usa-from-non-americans-that-americans-might-be-surprised-to-learn/719918/37 "2015-05-13T13:57:06Z")
> [@Shalmanese](#): > > One I hear a lot is people’s irrational anger that the final transaction price never ends on a round number. Between sales taxes and tipping and the like, you end up always paying something like $36.43. Americans are largely inured to this because they just use credit for everything nowadays but foreigners who are used to dealing with cash end up with piles and piles of change at the end of the day. Waitwaitwait. I thought everyone in Europe has a fancy “chip and pin” credit card and can’t believe all of the retarded Americans who are still lugging around change (including PENNIES!) and - \*gasp \*- writing checks!! ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptions-about-usa-from-non-americans-that-americans-might-be-surprised-to-learn/719918/38 "2015-05-13T14:21:43Z")
> [@The\_Angry\_Badger](#): > > \*Not only is the US one of the only countries still left in the world not using the metric system, but a lot of you guys actually think the US system is better (to be fair, I’ve also spoken to a lot of USAians that would prefer to use metric). I find that weird. When in college, I advocated metric to my FIL, who suggested that retooling the construction industry, the automotive industry and every one’s tools would be prohibitively expensive. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptions-about-usa-from-non-americans-that-americans-might-be-surprised-to-learn/719918/39 "2015-05-13T14:26:05Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Or maybe a-maize-ing. Americans make far too many puns. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptions-about-usa-from-non-americans-that-americans-might-be-surprised-to-learn/719918/40 "2015-05-13T14:28:26Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Americans make far too many puns. > :rolleyes: In my experience the Brits like that kind of thing. Maybe they’re just being polite and laugh instead of groaning or throwing things at you. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptions-about-usa-from-non-americans-that-americans-might-be-surprised-to-learn/719918.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptions-about-usa-from-non-americans-that-americans-might-be-surprised-to-learn/719918.md?page=3)