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Old 09-13-2007, 09:33 AM
ZeTurd ZeTurd is offline
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Join Date: Feb 2006
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Default Re: What sorts of things would you consider \'unamerican\'?

- Not being obsessed with sports statistics. In fact, I think that's one of the reasons you guys never have embraced soccer. The sport just doesn't lend itself to statistical analysis and records in the same way as American football, baseball, etc. (Yeah, yeah, it's really because of all the diving and lack of goals, I know.)

- Not having a bumper sticker. Around these parts, the only people that drive around with bumper stickers are religious nutjobs that feel they need to proclaim to the world their love of Jesus and everything Holy. In America everyone seems to have one. Might have something to do with a stronger culture of individuality and personal expression.

- Not tipping. The American tipping culture, I believe, is not only a result of the comparatively much lower wages for people working in service industries as compared to Europe, but also something innately American. A need to display largesse? Or maybe what many Europeans consider the "fakeness" of Americans. Americans tend to be polite almost to the point of absurdity. I can see how that would translate to a dynamic where tipping is more common; wanting to show appreciation for a service received is after all a form of politeness.
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