It is only after you begin traveling more widely that you realize how different social conventions are around the world. Many of the behaviors that you wouldn’t even notice back home, might instantly make someone else raise an eyebrow when you’re abroad. Similarly, when someone visits your home country, they might be shocked by some of the conventions and traditions that you take for granted.

American Reddit users opened up about the things that are socially acceptable in the United States but not elsewhere, in two viral r/AskReddit threads here and here. We’ve collected some of their most interesting insights and opinions to share with you, Pandas. They might give you a fresh perspective on life in the US, and might make you think more deeply about all of the social conventions that you’re used to in your daily lives.

As you’re scrolling down, remember to upvote the comments that took you by surprise and the ones that you agree are true. Smiling a lot, tipping culture, and weird ads on the TV are just the tip of the iceberg.

#1

Having children pledge allegiance to the flag every morning or so.

Image credits: Stockholm-Syndrom

#2

Excessive violence? No problem! Nudity and cursing? Protect our children!

Image credits: anon

#3

The price tag on items is not the actual price.

Image credits: usernameistaken02

The Harvard Business Review notes that cultures around the world can be broadly categorized into ‘peaches’ and ‘coconuts.’ The US and Brazil, for example, can be considered to be ‘peaches.’ People there smile frequently, are open to sharing information about themselves, and ask personal questions. However, at some point, you’ll reach the “hard shell of the pit where the peach protects” who they really are inside. 

On the flip side, you have ‘coconut’ cultures like in Germany. ‘Coconuts’ tend to be more closed off: they rarely smile, don’t ask personal questions right off the bat, and are very wary of what information they disclose to new acquaintances. Over time, however, they open up and become warmer. Though it takes more time, relationships with ‘coconuts’ tend to last longer.

#4

Ridiculously long elections and treating elections like sporting events

Image credits: discos_panic

#5

In Sweden you either take your shoes off when you enter someone's home or we saw your dirty f*****g feet off.

Image credits: Necroluster

#6

Carrying visible guns in public

Image credits: Donald_Bin_Trump

One of the most stereotypical ways to tell that someone is probably from the US is to see how often they smile. A study done in 2018 showed that European American students smiled twice as much as East Asian students in their ID photos. The former were also more likely to display ‘excited’ smiles, Naveed Saleh shares on Psychology Today.

Moreover, students at US universities were more likely to smile while walking on campus, compared to students at Chinese universities. Over 29% of Americans were spotted smiling, versus barely 3% of Chinese students. There are two possible explanations for this.

First of all, this rate might show a difference in life satisfaction between the two countries. Secondly, it indicates that different cultures value different things. For example, Americans tend to value high-intensity positive emotions. Hence the smiling!

#7

Having ~~100k+~~ debt as 18 year old just for going to school.

Image credits: WhitneysMiltankOP

#8

Commercials for medicine

Prescription medication specifically. Ads for boner pills and depression medicine etc. bombarding all ages all day long

Image credits: FindMeSteak

#9

Tipping

Image credits: avi1300

In the US, it’s normative to maintain eye contact for around three seconds at a time, take turns during the conversation so as not to interrupt someone else, and to allow two or three feet of personal space between you and others, according to Natali Kerr, PhD.

What’s more, Americans tend to use the phrase, “How are you?” as a greeting, rather than a legitimate question in its own right. If you want to aim for a deeper, more meaningful connection with someone, try to use the question more sparingly and with intent. Actually ask someone how they’re doing when you want to find out, not as a way to extend your “hello.”

#10

Smiling at strangers. Back in high school, I spent some time in St. Petersburg, Russia as a short-term exchange student. As someone ethnically ambiguous, I assumed most Russians would think I was from one of the Central Asian Republics, like Uzbekistan. Nope, they guessed American every time.
"Olga, how does everyone know I'm American?"
"You smile too much and have good teeth."

Image credits: WorldBestTop10

#11

I love explaining to non Americans that we can go buy beer, food, televisions and guns at the same store.

Image credits: lacripa

#12

Collecting money for election campaigns.

Image credits: gronkspike25

#13

Military recruitment centres in schools, general worship of those serving or who have served.

#14

Our portion sizes. Other countries literally have "American" as a size option.

Image credits: SlightlyDarkerBlack2

#15

Mobility scooters and wheelchairs for obese people who are capable of walking. Went to disneyworld and people were using wheelchairs becuase they were lazy. They'd literally wheel them up to a shop get up walk around the store and then back to the chair. You could say well that was one person so it doesn't count but there were multiple people doing the same thing, even entire families sometimes.

Image credits: Flash-Lightning

#16

Waiters bothering me while eating. And bringing me the bill without asking for it.

Image credits: LeSpatula

#17

Saying: "How are you?" as a greeting, not a question.

Image credits: usernameistaken02

#18

For profit healthcare

Image credits: anon

#19

You can get fired for any reason. Or no reason. Just if the boss feels like it

From an external point of view, that's f****d up, going to work must be terrifying each day knowing that something like wearing the wrong shoes or whatever could get you sacked on the spot

#20

The car as the priority on the road.
In the U.K. We have a policy that the more vulnerable the road user, the more rights they have. Therefore, people have the most rights, then horse riders, cyclists, bikers, cars and so forth.

#21

Cheese in a can.

What the s**t America.

Image credits: MichaelMoore92

#22

I think in America its way more socially acceptable to drive .2 miles to your destination than to walk.

Image credits: existingisstrange

#23

wearing the flag as a bathing suit.

Image credits: SPQC

#24

Talking about money. How much you earn or don't earn. How much debt you are in, how bad or good your credit is. People don't really talk about those things even with close family members other places I've been.

#25

Spelling bees

Image credits: SailRBoi

#26

Driving a car at 16 years old.

Image credits: Edu100

#27

Ads that compare one brand to another openly, like Duracell vs Energizer, rather than Brand X.

Image credits: maenadery

#28

I don't know about every single place in the world, but compared to a lot of Asian cultures, the way Americans treat moving out of our parents' home as a huge achievement is pretty weird. Adult kids still living with their parents isn't embarrassing in Asia. In America, it's still considered somewhat weird, although it's getting more common for financial reasons

Image credits: oishster

#29

Sueing.

Image credits: MultiHacker

#30

America was influenced heavily by the post WWII "nuclear family" model where everyone should be independent and own their own houses, live as a family unit etc.

I married a Filipino and it changed my world like they have everyone in one baller house going back to great grandma. And it's amazing like when you have kids it's so much easier, if your car breaks down and need something it's easier, if you need a loan they pool all the money and give micro loans among their extended family with virtually no interest.


I'm like wait, we've been getting f****d in America. Ultimately we decided to embrace it and pool together with my mom who lived next to us anyways and buy a baller a*s house for us and the kids and it costs us nothing because we share the cost.

She left and now I'm stuck living with my mom in my 30's until I can refinance or sell but still was worth it.

#31

Going to the store in your pyjamas

Image credits: sybaritic_footstool

#32

when I studied abroad in Spain they extensively warned us about how rude it is to stretch at the dinner table... I never realized how much I love stretching at the dinner table till I got in trouble for doing it

Image credits: karloss1

#33

Customers in restaurants or any other store staying past closing, I work in a restaurant and this annoys me beyond belief.

Image credits: ggriffin2030

#34

In many African countries/cultures, looking at someone dead in the eye when talking to them, particularly adults, is very very rude. In Murica, looking an adult in the eye is a sign of respect/confidence in the speaker

Image credits: Julius_OU

#35

I am English and have lived in America for over twenty five years. As a nosy person I ADORE the way Americans will show you the interior of their houses. In England the deeply curious usually find them selves in a locked bathroom examining the contents of the hosts cabinet. This is the last resort for the nosy person as access to the rest of the place will not be encouraged.
Americans will walk you around the house from top to bottom and show you everything. In England you only get to do that when you know your host very well indeed.

#36

With the exception of hot summers in the UK, quoting the temperature in Fahrenheit.

#37

1. Using time as a measure of distance. ("How far is the store?" "Oh, about a five minute drive.")

2. Starting conversations with strangers in order to fight boredom (stuck in line, stuck on the bus, stuck in the waiting room) with the understanding that nothing with come from it. (Outside of a super casual "Nice talking with you.") It's understood that these conversations are not the start of friendships. They are simply boredom busters. (If there is one thing Americans hate more than anything else, it's being bored.)

3. Sending children as young as four alone on a school bus. (Okay, I know Canada does this as well. But I am not sure they start as young as America does.)

4. Having incredibly long election times. In other countries, their elections last a few weeks to a couple of months. In the US, people can start stumping two years before election day without anyone blinking an eye.

5. Building towns and cities without the pedestrian in mind. People always assume that there will always be cars around.

Image credits: inksmudgedhands

#38

For Christmas day with my girlfriends family, we went out to public field for shotgun shooting and blasted some clay pigeons out of the sky.

It was a blast and several other families were out there too. I'm pretty sure that doesn't happen anywhere else, except maybe Australia.

#39

Not paying for water at restaurants!!!