# Why do Europeans seem so ungrateful to the US **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 2, 2012, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-europeans-seem-so-ungrateful-to-the-us/630199 "2012-08-02T18:08:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![RedFury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ec9cab/32.png) [@RedFury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedFury)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2012, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-europeans-seem-so-ungrateful-to-the-us/630199/61 "2012-08-03T00:54:40Z")
No hablo Ingles. Quien tiene la culpa? Ah, y me encanta el fútbol! ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2012, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-europeans-seem-so-ungrateful-to-the-us/630199/62 "2012-08-03T04:13:12Z")
Too answer the OPs question seriously, Europeans don’t like us because we have large cocks, obviously. See, our ancestors were kicked out of every decent country in Europe, to paraphrase from Stripes (a red blooded Arerican movie that Europeans also hate). We rarely wear underware, and when we do it’s usually something unusual…and patterned in red, white and violet, with a bit of lace, and maybe a thong cut in back. Chicks (and guys too) dig us…what can we say? Well, whatever it is, it will be in English, which chicks also dig. Plus, when we eat cheese and surrender it’s cool! And you don’t even want us to unleash The Monkey!! Shocking. So, that’s all part of why Europeans hate Americans and football. Plus, they haven’t seen Red Dawn, an excellent movie that they hate, even though they haven’t seen it, because it’s a documentary about why they should be grateful and envy our large cocks and stuff. Hope this has cleared things up. Gods bless America…the land that I love…something something, and guide her…something something something something and above. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2012, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-europeans-seem-so-ungrateful-to-the-us/630199/63 "2012-08-03T04:16:35Z")
> [@XT](#): > > So, that’s all part of why Europeans hate Americans and football. Plus, they haven’t seen Red Dawn, an excellent movie that they hate, even though they haven’t seen it, because it’s a documentary about why they should be grateful and envy our large cocks and stuff. Yeah, Switzerland; Patrick Swayze died for your sorry asses! Get with the program. ---
**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:** [August 3, 2012, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-europeans-seem-so-ungrateful-to-the-us/630199/64 "2012-08-03T04:17:28Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > You know who else was ungrateful to the US for all they did in WWII? > > _ **Hitler!!!** _ Damn it. That was the one time I didn’t guess that. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2012, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-europeans-seem-so-ungrateful-to-the-us/630199/65 "2012-08-03T04:51:00Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > …But I guess it is kind of ironic in light of, among other things, the state of Wisconsin. Everything’s ironic in light of Wisconsin. See, there’s nothing else to do up here in the boonies, so we buy Mr. Bubble T-shirts. Do we actually like or use Mr. Bubble? No, but we wear the T-shirt! I’m not sure our EuroDopers that are reading this can really grasp the Boredom/Irony Proportional Square Law. We had a mild winter, so that meant less curling, so that meant I bought FOUR T-shirts. One is a full wrap-around Thomas Kinkade painting, one’s a “Just axe Lester Maddox” shirt, one has Bob Ross and his “happy clouds”, and one’s a basket of puppies, all with a huge flag for a blanket. I don’t believe anything my shirts say. A **nd _that’s_ America, bub.** ---
**Author:** ![Meyer6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@Meyer6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meyer6)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2012, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-europeans-seem-so-ungrateful-to-the-us/630199/66 "2012-08-03T05:42:27Z")
I’m curious as to why the OP thinks the Americans are behind the European health care system. I’m also curious as to whether the OP has ever been to Europe. Or is at all familiar with any European culture. Or knows where Europe is. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2012, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-europeans-seem-so-ungrateful-to-the-us/630199/67 "2012-08-03T05:44:35Z")
> [@sisu](#): > > blah blah blah, you {Europe and USA] should all be thanking Australia… And Canada, and Brazil, and New Zealand, and India, and the USSR, and South Africa, and Guatemala, and Cuba, and … See the 1942 poster [here](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Original_United_Nations.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![Rune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e68b1a/32.png) [@Rune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rune)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2012, 8:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-europeans-seem-so-ungrateful-to-the-us/630199/68 "2012-08-03T08:41:36Z")
> [@sisu](#): > > blah blah blah, you {Europe and USA] should all be thanking Australia. We have fought in all your damn wars and without us you wouldn’t have won… well you probably would have but fuck it this is the pit! Since when is the host supposed to be grateful to the guests? Australians and Americans should be grateful to Europe for letting you fight in our wars. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2012, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-europeans-seem-so-ungrateful-to-the-us/630199/69 "2012-08-03T09:06:41Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > In a Game Room thread about Olympic sports, people are talking about how they’d like to change sports to make them more “European”, not recognizing that US culture is\*\* the\*\* dominant culture on Earth, and that it is becasue of our blood, sweat and $$ that Europeans countries are even around to have to worry about the issue. So Europe: show some gratitiude! What culture? ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2012, 9:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-europeans-seem-so-ungrateful-to-the-us/630199/70 "2012-08-03T09:29:31Z")
> [@Meyer6](#): > > I’m curious as to why the OP thinks the Americans are behind the European health care system. The argument is thus: If it wasn’t for the US being ridiculously overcharged for pharmaceuticals, the companies wouldn’t find it profitable to make new drugs. European countries (and, really, every industrialized nation on the planet besides the US) requires that drugs actually be affordable for their citizenry, and thus are not nearly profitable enough on their own. This is apparently OK with Republicans. Sure, we’re subsidizing health care worldwide, but it’s not like you guys are poor Americans, those useless bastards need to get up off their lazy asses and pay for their own health care. And, I guess, also pay to subsidize everyone else’s health care. It’s only right. FTR, I was dying to throw an Otto quote into the original thread, but didn’t want to continue the idiotic hijack. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2012, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-europeans-seem-so-ungrateful-to-the-us/630199/71 "2012-08-03T09:35:14Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > I whole-heartedly agree. You forgot to add “saved their asses in WWI and WWII”, which is a standard part of the argument. And the Olympics are all European anyway. They didn’t even want us hillbillies in the damn thing to start with. If the Olympics were American we’d have the best pro athletes in the world competing in every event since the modern games started. And maybe we didn’t invent beer, but it wasn’t a real business until we got hold of it. And they talk funny too. The answer is simple: don’t go [over there](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8ekCWVYeWw). ---
**Author:** ![Reverse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@Reverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reverse)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2012, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-europeans-seem-so-ungrateful-to-the-us/630199/72 "2012-08-03T11:18:09Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > What culture? Michael Bay and cheeseburgers. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2012, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-europeans-seem-so-ungrateful-to-the-us/630199/73 "2012-08-03T12:59:51Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > What culture? [This culture](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/40/Anthrax_culture.jpg/800px-Anthrax_culture.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2012, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-europeans-seem-so-ungrateful-to-the-us/630199/74 "2012-08-03T13:11:10Z")
Thank you for giving us our freedom. Now can I use it and tell you to get the fuck over yourself and mention that I don’t give a swinging fuck what your opinion is. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2012, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-europeans-seem-so-ungrateful-to-the-us/630199/75 "2012-08-03T13:30:26Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > And Canada, and Brazil, and New Zealand, and India, and the USSR, and South Africa, and Guatemala, and Cuba, and … I’m not thanking Guatemala. It knows why. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2012, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-europeans-seem-so-ungrateful-to-the-us/630199/76 "2012-08-03T14:13:55Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > The argument is thus: > > If it wasn’t for the US being ridiculously overcharged for pharmaceuticals… Actually I’m guessing etv was going for the old saw that the American defense budget enables European nations to skimp on their defense budgets and thus have health care systems. It’s unadulterated bullshit, but it’s a popular talking point amongst people who are ignorant and bad at math. The drug price argument is a popular one amongst people who are ignorant and didn’t take economics in school, but it usually refers to everyone having to be thankful to the US for medical research, not their healthcare systems. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2012, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-europeans-seem-so-ungrateful-to-the-us/630199/77 "2012-08-03T14:34:23Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Actually I’m guessing etv was going for the old saw that the American defense budget enables European nations to skimp on their defense budgets and thus have health care systems. I forgot, that’s another Republican favored way to subsidize the lifestyles of Socialists. I guess it’s easier to get 6 weeks of vacation, lavish maternity/paternity leave and free healthcare when you have American Conservatives pledging to pay much of your Defense budget. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2012, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-europeans-seem-so-ungrateful-to-the-us/630199/78 "2012-08-03T14:45:42Z")
> [@Meyer6](#): > > I’m curious as to why the OP thinks the Americans are behind the European health care system. Presumably because the American military umbrella that protects them keeps them from having to spend scads of money on their own puny militaries, which is what makes them able to afford their expensive healthcare systems. Or something like that. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2012, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-europeans-seem-so-ungrateful-to-the-us/630199/79 "2012-08-03T15:05:03Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > In a Game Room thread about Olympic sports, people are talking about how they’d like to change sports to make them more “European”, not recognizing that US culture is\*\* the\*\* dominant culture on Earth, and that it is becasue of our blood, sweat and $$ that Europeans countries are even around to have to worry about the issue. So Europe: show some gratitiude! When I answered to you in the Game Room thread, I assumed you were joking. It seems you weren’t. How is called this rule according to which caricatures of fundamentalists’ statements aren’t discernible from the real thing? What you’re saying is wrong on so many levels that I wouldn’t know where to begin. Fortunately, it has probably already be done in detail by other dopers in the two pages of pitting I’m about to read. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2012, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-europeans-seem-so-ungrateful-to-the-us/630199/80 "2012-08-03T15:11:23Z")
I think etv78 is ralph124c’s dumber brother. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-europeans-seem-so-ungrateful-to-the-us/630199.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-europeans-seem-so-ungrateful-to-the-us/630199.md?page=5)