what do you think is the biggest difference between english & american culture?

[Lobotomy]

I think it's either the senses of humor or the level of secularism.

[Sendo]

probably those, though the senses of humor aren't THAT far different. There are other differences but many of them can be chalked to different governments and institutions (like the NHS affecting people's perception of what medicine should be).

I will say though that British food is awful by and large. Fish and chips.....and they have the audacity to insult the healthiness of American food. Amerians may be overwhelmed by the number of fast food outlets, but the fundamentals are sound. Chili is fine, smoked salmon is fine. And at least Americans use condiments like ketchup, hot sauce, and mustard. Brits just fry everything in lard. Hmm, we have peeled potatoes which are just raw starch with no nutritional value. They taste bland, too. I know, let's deep fry them. Are those boiled carrots and bread slices too bland? Just add butter!

For the love of God, every Brit I've known has been disgusted by peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (not gelatin jelly, the jam stuff/fruit preserves). I don't know how they considered peanut butter and bread sandwiches to be more palatable.

(A little bit of venting, my late grandmother was American and was not from money or a WASPy town, but she retained the cuisine of her British forebears. Every one on her family tree could be traced to old Blighty and came over between 1600 and 1850. Good lord, I hated the food there. My grandfather was always getting chewed out for sneaking in some pizza, beer, sauces, BBQ, and !!!! tomatoes !!!! My grandmother did make excellent apple crisps and berry pies, though.)

[CommieTroll]

could be traced to old Blighty and came over between 1600 and 1850.

You don't mean the Famine in Ireland do you?

[hatzel]

Chili is fine

Ate that a couple of days ago. Actually I'd say it's is up there with spaghetti bolognese and curry on the list of stuff-students-and-genuine-proles-seem-to-eat-a-lot-of-because-they-can't-cook-anything-else-for-whatever-reason.


smoked salmon is fineIndeed. Though my diet does not allow for it, given how discerning I am when it comes to a) beigel fillings; and b) any attempt to seem really posh by giving people really posh hors d'oeuvres, I'm still very much aware of the reputation the Scots in particular have for making it. And cured salmon and smoked haddock and rollmops and tonnes of other lovely fishy treats. As might be expected from those who live on an island.


And at least Americans use condiments like ketchupYou mean probably the most widely-eaten sauce in this country, having at some point adorned nigh on every dinner table in the land? I don't even like the stuff but I have about 3-4 different bottles in the cupboard.


hot sauceNow that I do like, so again I have a range of options.


and mustardYou're right. There's no such thing as, say, English mustard. It's not like its the quintessential British condiment or anything.


Brits just fry everything in lard. Hmm, we have peeled potatoes which are just raw starch with no nutritional value. They taste bland, too. I know, let's deep fry them.The only foodstuff I see this describing would be chips. I mean french fries. Are you seriously trying to tell us Americans don't eat them? :confused: Or are you talking about roast potatoes because they're not deep fried. They're roasted. As the name suggests. And not to turn this into some kind of nutrition discussion but didn't that Hindhede guy that one time do that thing about people eating nothing but potatoes and basically being pretty okay, even if it wasn't exactly the healthiest diet going? Sounds like a decent enough nutritional value for me, you know, what with all the single-handedly keeping one alive thing...


Are those boiled carrots and bread slices too bland? Just add butter!What? Americans don't butter their bread? I mean putting oil or butter or something on bread seems to have been the done thing for as long as people have had bread, but if you're saying Americans don't do that then that's cool...and I don't even know what you're talking about with the other thing. Are you talking about putting butter on boiled carrots and potatoes and corn on the cob (incidentally I'm almost entirely certain Americans do that) and stuff? Because if you've got a problem with that you should probably check out the Finns' butter habits. I mean they chuck insane amounts of butter all over the place to fatten themselves up for the winter. Like penguins or something.


every Brit I've known has been disgusted by peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (not gelatin jelly, the jam stuff/fruit preserves)Part of this may be down to the fact that jelly is jelly and jam is jam and, unlike jelly, jam actually belongs in sandwiches. 'Peanut butter and jam sandwich,' whilst still surely attracting some odd looks, wouldn't be as strange as the thought of putting jelly in a sandwich. That would be like having a Müllerice sandwich or some crazy shit like that. Weird. Maybe if you guys used words properly and stuff we'd know what you're talking about...


Also I think most people would agree that there is a certain comedy in the "maaaaan them Brits don't know anything about good food! I mean they don't like peanut butter and jelly sarnies!" Gourmet, bro...gourmet...


I don't know how they considered peanut butter and bread sandwiches to be more palatable.I wouldn't say so; I can't stand the stuff! And I don't think we eat all that much peanut butter anyway. That's more of an American thing. I mean yeah it's in the shops but most of the people who eat that are probably under 12. It's not exactly...a staple of our adult diet...the only adults I've personally seen with peanut butter were using it in recipes, making peanutty satay sauces and stuff like that, and it's pretty common in vegan cooking. Not just put on bread and eaten. But maybe I just float in the wrong social circles...

[Искра]

Bollocks ;)

[manic expression]

@ La Sombra, I actually heard salsa was the most eaten sauce in the US...kind of interesting...

Speaking as someone who doesn't know the UK all that well, I think a big difference would be the sense of hierarchy. In Britain, it feels like everything has its place on the social ladder: your accent or your name...social position seems to have something to do with a lot more. Americans definitely have that too (in the US your accent is more about where you're from geographically but it also has to do with your social class) but IMO it's not as refined unless it's about race which is a whole different ball game IMO.

Americans are more laid-back...most of everything in public life is informal to the max. Sometimes that's taken for vapidity, though. The funny thing is that when it comes to a lot of other things, Americans can be absolutely out of our f*cking minds stressed out. Trotsky said Americans are sportsmen before philosophers and that anything we do involves knocking over some apple carts...and I think that's pretty accurate actually. As always, Charlie Brooker says it better than I can (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TTtPMy-7RY).

Another difference is sarcasm and the general art of making fun of people. Sometimes it seems that taking the piss is the national pasttime in Britain (which is probably what I enjoy most about hanging out with Brits), whereas in the US people seem less likely to poke fun at someone just for the hell of it. Again, a generalization but still...

I think both Americans and Brits have a propensity to say whatever comes across their mind at a given moment. We also gravitate toward the same music and share it with each other...although in my subjective view I would have to claim the US as the bigger originators while the UK does better at taking it to the next level (ie Elvis -> The Beatles).

[thriller]

TV. When I was in London and watching TV to pass the time, everything that was on made no sense and was not funny at all (if it was a comedy, although it was hard to tell). Also beer. I love both American and English beer, but they are way different.

[danyboy27]

brittish beer ftw.

[Sperm-Doll Setsuna]

TV. When I was in London and watching TV to pass the time, everything that was on made no sense and was not funny at all (if it was a comedy, although it was hard to tell).

Since when is TV in general funny? It's all a big load of rubbish. People that do children's programming must be on drugs to come up with the sort of nonsense they do.

[Rooster]

I can't really watch American TV shows. They just seem over the top. For example, watch an American version of Mythbusters and then one made for the UK and you can see the difference. You don't see the "WARNING! SCIENCE ALERT!" thing at all. Other examples are obviously reality tv shows. I can't imagine Toddlers and Tiaras being made in the UK or even being popular beyond just something to be offended at. Crime shows are another thing that seem to be really different. American ones tend to be all flash and feel like an episode of Scooby Doo (guess who the murderer is), but UK shows tend to be more gritty. Comedies here are also don't seem as formulaic. American ones always, to me, seem like they have common character types. I don't think British dry humour or surrealism would fit in with American tastes.

And it's odd to say something like "British food is disgusting" seeing how Britain is made up of four nations and a very large amount of ethnicities from around the world. I'm pretty sure the most common food is probably curry. Well, if not the most common, then the most favoured. The most common two restaurant types that I see in my city are Indian and Italian and this city is no where near either of them. Also, if we're going to bad mouth anyone's food, it should be American milk with all of it's steroids, growth hormones and pus swilling around in it.

[Nox]

Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are FUCKING DISGUSTING!!!!!!!

[workersadvocate]

I want to get confirmed or refuted something I heard as a kid about the "English accent".
I heard the reason Americans and English-speaking Canadians have don't have that "English accent" because it was deliberately cultivated sometime after North American colonization. Is that true?

[Lobotomy]

Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are FUCKING DISGUSTING!!!!!!!

gtfo.

[o well this is ok I guess]

brits just fry everything in lard. glorious.

[Blake's Baby]

I want to get confirmed or refuted something I heard as a kid about the "English accent".
I heard the reason Americans and English-speaking Canadians have don't have that "English accent" because it was deliberately cultivated sometime after North American colonization. Is that true?

If you mean 'BBC English', sure, it only developed since the 1920s to make sure we could all understand each other when the radio was invented. The regional accents of England (not to mention the other parts of the UK) are sometimes mutually unitelligible, even now. I moved 200 miles (about 350km for the rest of the world) and worked in a bar when I first arrived and one of my colleagues couldn't understand me. I couldn't understand her either. That's fairly normal here I reckon.

[workersadvocate]

Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are FUCKING DISGUSTING!!!!!!!

How dare you insult the great American proletarian childrens' lunchtime meal!
Next you'll be dissing "grape drank" and saying how much you prefer juice (showing your cosmopolitan colors blatantly)!
:p

[SHORAS]

Bollocks ;)

I agree the biggest difference is swearing. :D

Recently watched this from the BBC best thing I've seen on TV for ages, probably a big difference to the US (content and form)?

tzO3VPkPrQA

[Искра]

British people swear with style. Americans kind of suck...

[SHORAS]

British people swear with style. Americans kind of suck...

Stop! Or you'll start bringing out the nationalism in me :laugh:

I'm not sure it's "style" I think swearing here is very casual to the extent it is not forced or over the top (and very common in everyday conversation depending on age/region etc).

To give an example:

2mgPnTUkJqA

I think it was the last live show because of the song :D

[Os Cangaceiros]

No one can swear like Bob Hoskins. No one. No one can say the word...well, I can't type it, it's a banned word on revleft, but I think we all know what word I'm refering to, quite like Bob Hoskins can. "You long streak of paralyzed piss!"

Anyway, I'd say the main difference between American and European culture (yes, I'm including all of Europe in this) is that you don't have to hunt long to get food at 1 AM in even a mid-sized American town. :rolleyes: Europeans have a different view on work than Americans do, it's nice until you encounter it when you're in Munich at 11 at night on a Sunday and you're hungry.

[citizen of industry]

In my experience they get along rather well, and there aren't many big differences. The brits I know of course know a lot more about British pop-culture, media, etc. and constantly make references that I can't understand, but they're also familiar with the American stuff too. Never been to the UK so I can't say about the food. Spoken to students who've said it's nasty and just as many who've said it's delicious.

Some rumors floating around about something called "blood sausage" and "haggis" that doesn't look too yummy when I did a google search. But really, holding up the peanut-butter and jelly sandwich as a staple of the American diet? What are we, 9 years old? I haven't had one of those things in ages. Maybe it's time to move on to tuna or something?

The tea culture is different. I had a British tourist ream me out when I was working fast food because I gave him a lipton bag and some hot water when he ordered tea. Didn't know what the hell he was talking about when he was ranting on about milk. But, yu know, tea is becoming a lot more popular in the States recently.

I'd venture to guess the US has way better Mexican food. But the UK has way better curry, Indian and Pakistani food, etc.

[Aspiring Humanist]

The arrogance of Americans continues to astound me everywhere I go in this damn country. (I am American)
I don't know if it is different in England, but I've traveled extensively in Canada and Italy and I don't see near as much blatant disregard for people in favor of their own interests anywhere. WHY DO YOU HAVE TO BE SO FULL OF YOURSELF AMERICA:crying:

[workersadvocate]

In my experience they get along rather well, and there aren't many big differences. The brits I know of course know a lot more about British pop-culture, media, etc. and constantly make references that I can't understand, but they're also familiar with the American stuff too. Never been to the UK so I can't say about the food. Spoken to students who've said it's nasty and just as many who've said it's delicious.

Some rumors floating around about something called "blood sausage" and "haggis" that doesn't look too yummy when I did a google search. But really, holding up the peanut-butter and jelly sandwich as a staple of the American diet? What are we, 9 years old? I haven't had one of those things in ages. Maybe it's time to move on to tuna or something?

The tea culture is different. I had a British tourist ream me out when I was working fast food because I gave him a lipton bag and some hot water when he ordered tea. Didn't know what the hell he was talking about when he was ranting on about milk. But, yu know, tea is becoming a lot more popular in the States recently.

I'd venture to guess the US has way better Mexican food. But the UK has way better curry, Indian and Pakistani food, etc.
Easy comrade, I was clearly joking in an over-the-top way about PB&J sandwiches.

On the other hand, fluffernutter sandwiches, who can reject that?
I used to trade for fluffernutters at lunch back in elementary school. Mmmmm mmmmm good.

[The Young Pioneer]

On the other hand, fluffernutter sandwiches, who can reject that?
I used to trade for fluffernutters at lunch back in elementary school. Mmmmm mmmmm good.

Such delicious goodness.


Americans are typically louder than most others in my experience. It's not that we're trying to be obnoxious or get attention necessarily; our normal volume is simply louder.

[workersadvocate]

Such delicious goodness.


Americans are typically louder than most others in my experience. It's not that we're trying to be obnoxious or get attention necessarily; our normal volume is simply louder.

That is true. When outside the US, locals know who the Americans are because we will shout to people at long distances and speak with "outside" voices wherever we meet people.

[Agent Ducky]

That is true. When outside the US, locals know who the Americans are because we will shout to people at long distances and speak with "outside" voices wherever we meet people.
Brings to mind the difference between Billy Mays and Anthony Sullivan.

[∞]

Tea and Coffee.

[brigadista]

when I was visiting a friend in america we took a road trip from the mid west through the southern states to louisiana. Every state was really different and I would say that North america is so big and there are were differences from state to state so to say what are the differences are between American and English culture would be a difficult question because england is one small country - north america a huge continent and i think the only comparison therefore would be between Europe including England and North America. Yes there are big differences and to be honest i got really irritated with people commenting on my accent in America and in some places people didn't understand me .

[00000000000]

One key difference I've noticed is the general attitude to healthcare (or at least, the attitude of the capitalist class and pundits).

In 2009, arguments about reform of the United States' $2.4 trillion healthcare system have led to the (British) NHS being represented among critics as "evil" and "Orwellian". This has led to a vigorous defence of the NHS in the UK.

One source said "people such as scientist Stephen Hawking [who suffers from the crippling motor neuron disease] wouldn't have a chance in the UK, where the National Health Service would say the life of this brilliant man, because of his physical handicaps, is essentially worthless"
Professor Hawking, who is a British citizen and resident, remarked "I wouldn't be here today if it were not for the NHS; I have received a large amount of high-quality treatment without which I would not have survived".

Source: Wiki

[thriller]

No one can swear like Bob Hoskins. No one. No one can say the word...well, I can't type it, it's a banned word on revleft, but I think we all know what word I'm refering to, quite like Bob Hoskins can. "You long streak of paralyzed piss!"

Anyway, I'd say the main difference between American and European culture (yes, I'm including all of Europe in this) is that you don't have to hunt long to get food at 1 AM in even a mid-sized American town. :rolleyes: Europeans have a different view on work than Americans do, it's nice until you encounter it when you're in Munich at 11 at night on a Sunday and you're hungry.

Drunk in München at 12am slurring German into an impossible translatable language was not fun, but memorable. Also cheese, I just can't eat cheese if it's not from Wisconsin, but that more of a 'state' thing than 'nation' thing.

[Tifosi]

Some rumors floating around about something called "blood sausage" and "haggis" that doesn't look too yummy when I did a google search.

I had haggis, neeps and tatties last night. Most people just eat it on burns night but I eat it quite often. It tastes like spicy mince. People just don't go near it because of rumors of how it's made. Black pudding is just oatmeal and blood. Good with baked beans or deep fat fried with chips. White pudding is made of the most off putting stuff - just fat - but still tastes nice as part of a fry up.

Your also missing out on Yorkshire Puddings and Pasties.

[brigadista]

I had haggis, neeps and tatties last night. Most people just eat it on burns night but I eat it quite often. It tastes like spicy mince. People just don't go near it because of rumors of how it's made. Black pudding is just oatmeal and blood. Good with baked beans or deep fat fried with chips. White pudding is made of the most off putting stuff - just fat - but still tastes nice as part of a fry up.

Your also missing out on Yorkshire Puddings and Pasties.

i wouldn't eat any of that and i live in england

[ColonelCossack]

I will say though that British food is awful by and large. Fish and chips.....

Did you just insult Fish and Chips?

Next It'll be some other iconic, extremely British food... like Chicken Tikka Masala, for instance...

[Blake's Baby]

i wouldn't eat any of that and i live in england

You don't eat tatties? All right, neeps (what you would I'm sure call 'swede') is a bit of an aquired taste, but would you seriously not eat mashed potato? Or Yorkshire pudding? Or pasties?


Did you just insult Fish and Chips?

Next It'll be some other iconic, extremely British food... like Chicken Tikka Masala, for instance...

Fish and chips was introduced by Italian immigrants in the 1880s, so I heard.

About 50 years after the first curry house in Britain, apparently.

[workersadvocate]

I had haggis, neeps and tatties last night. Most people just eat it on burns night but I eat it quite often. It tastes like spicy mince. People just don't go near it because of rumors of how it's made. Black pudding is just oatmeal and blood. Good with baked beans or deep fat fried with chips. White pudding is made of the most off putting stuff - just fat - but still tastes nice as part of a fry up.

Your also missing out on Yorkshire Puddings and Pasties.

Haha...I had some loud obnoxious anti-social middle class teens perpetrating fake "British" accents show up at my workplace and bother everyone around them.
They were way too try-hard and loud to believe they were from the UK. Then they started messing with their waiter....bad idea. I asked, "hey, do you know what Yorkshire pudding id?" The blank look on their faces, the sudden quietness of their voices, the reply " I have no idea". I said "everyone from the UK knows what Yorkshire pudding is" loud enough that all nearby would know theses brats had been busted.

[Tifosi]

i wouldn't eat any of that and i live in england

I remember watching some TV programme on an African tribe who drank and ate cow blood with a friend. He sat there going 'yuke' but when it was done started to eat parts of my black pudding supper :lol:.

It's just rumors and crap which put people off. Haggis is really nothing more than spicy minch, even if it's made from the seemingly 'horrible' parts of the animal.

Gravy, Pork Scratchings, Pigs Trotters, Steak and Kindey pie, Jellied eels... mmmm so much goodness.

Do you have Tablet in America?

[brigadista]

fish and chips is originally a jewish meal .

im more a curry goat and rice, ackee and saltfish person :)

[ВАЛТЕР]

I think Brits are generally less conservative than Americans. In the sense that they are a bit more relaxed and not always worried about how things they say or do will be interpreted by unknown strangers. Just from my observations, however you have to keep in mind that while in the US I spent most of my time in a super reactionary state called Oklahoma.

Also...this:
http://www.eatliver.com/img/2009/3849.jpg

[workersadvocate]

Hahaha....handegg! I love that comment!

[ColonelCossack]

i

do you have tablet in america?

tablet omg i want i want

[Fawkes]

Americans do everything bigger, faster, and louder than the English.

England had Austin-Healeys, U.S. had Chevelles

England had BSAs, U.S. has Harleys

England had the Sex Pistols and the Clash, U.S. had Iggy Pop and the Velvet Underground

England has Benga and Goldie, U.S. has Skrillex and Dieselboy

England had Iron Maiden, U.S. had Slayer

England had Oi!, U.S. had hardcore



/generalizations

[Ele'ill]

size and trends

[black magick hustla]

i hate european culture

[black magick hustla]

especially french

[Bad Grrrl Agro]

They are all proper and we are a bunch of simple minded rednecks.:rolleyes:

But really, both are cold anglo cultures built on impersonal, emotionally distant, backwards ways of having an impotency when it comes to passion.