as a non-american, for my first few years of internet use, i was confused about why americans were so respectful of veterinarians
as a non-american, theres a lot of things in The Simpsons which i thought were surreal jokes, but turned out to actually be real and normal in america
@jk completely
@jk Slightly exaggerated, to be fair
Emphasis on slightly...
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@jk Nothing is "real" or "normal" in America. It's difficult to parody this place.
@jk blatant disregard and even contempt for workplace safety is among them, but I can imagine that's universal
@jk America doesn't actually exist, it's Chinese propaganda to make communism look good.
@jk What things? The medicine ads with the long descriptions of terrifying side effects at the end?
@jk USA is the only country I have lived in where my prejudices have been reinforced, instead of mellowed down. The stereotypes are true!
Despite that, still a lot of very, very nice people.
@jonyoder @jk I lived in the midwest, for reference. I remember things like the love for ridiculously big cars. i remember the hamburgers ans the same fastfood chains everywhere. The selling of guns in department stores and pawn shops. The churches and the religiousness (some couple even tried to convert us), the people dressed as cowboys in rural areas and the country rock music.
@jonyoder @jk The native americans with their very long hair. I remember the black people talking like black people (and in contrast, the white people talking like white people). I remember the friendliness and openness of people who would start a conversation everywhere (either in a bar or in a supermarket cue). Oh! and the friggin fraternities in the university!
@jk For starters, the bacon and eggs you see in cartoons like The Simpsons. That’s actually what bacon and eggs looks like there!
@jk I remember a bunch of those. Like having to pay for life-saving surgery, or healthcare being at the whim of your employer. Beauty pageants for children. Two-party FPTP voting systems. Everything about how their school works.
