31 Things Americans Think Are Normal, But Are Actually Reeealllyyy Weird

Entertainment Tonight

Recently, Reddit user u/micahdotjohnson asked non-Americans, "What is something in American culture that is so strange/abnormal for you?"

CTV Comedy Channel

People had A LOT to say about what goes on in the good ol' US of A, and despite what Americans may believe, the way we do things in this country actually seems pretty bizarre! Here are some of the best responses:

Paramount Pictures

"Having to pay an enormously large amount of money for college education."

—OkAppearance575

CBS

"Not getting proper holiday time."

—JimmyHerbertKnockers

NBCUniversal

"The fact that swearing is such a big deal and you bleep out everything is so weird."

—Small_Space_8961

Paramount Pictures

"How American towns and cities are generally designed so that you have to drive everywhere."

—Bbew_Mot

FX

"The extreme polarization in politics."

"I'm used to having many parties, which gives more nuances. In the US, it seems politics became a team sport, and you end up with the 'you're either with us or against us' mentality a lot easier. I think that is very detrimental for the country, but I guess there's no realistic way out of that, nor any will from either of your leading parties to do so."

—normalguy_AMA

NBCUniversal

"Treating politicians like celebrities."

—Plexatron8

NBCUniversal

"Food portions."

—Benurom500mg

Geico

"TV is hyper-commercialized to the point of being completely unwatchable."

"Even the news programs report and discuss stories on Starbucks announcing their autumn drinks menu two weeks ahead of schedule. It's ludicrous."

—tesserakti

Fox

"People have lunch at their desks. And usually it's just a snack. Where I come from, lunch is the most complete meal of the day."

—oneaveragejoseph

Universal Pictures

"The price on things in your stores is not the actual price, but the price without tax and such."

—Hachkidmd

ABC

"The more credit you take the better for your credit score. Here in Germany, your credit score will suffer the more credit you take. Even if you pay it back on time."

—alleks88

HBO

"Repo men for vehicles and bounty hunters. Mainly the bounty hunters, that’s some cowboy shit right there."

—Eknoom

Brat TV

"How tipping is expected no matter what. Over in the UK, you tip for exceptional or good service; it's something extra. In American culture, it's expected."

—CrowZer0

NBCUniversal

"That you have extremely violent shows on daytime TV, but you sensor nudity. How will a boob harm you, but stabbing and blood splashing are normal?"

—1girlonreddit

Universal Pictures

"Never listing the country name when they say a US place name, even if they’re talking to a non-American who might not know what the US state names are."

—buckyhermit

Sony Pictures Releasing

"So many tall buildings. Spider-Man loves 'em."

—an_elegant_dog

NBCUniversal

"The obsession with high school. I have friends who say their best years were spent in high school, and I think that's really, really sad."

—the_littlehobbit

NBCUniversal

"Homecoming. Who the heck is coming home?"

—Pink-glitter1

TLC

"Child beauty pageants. Frankly I would be wary of anyone who organizes or enters a child in one of those things."

—BrowncoatSSJ

Eclipsor/Reddit

"The doors on public bathrooms have a gap on each side so they're not completely private. I find that weird."

—SprinklesWorth791

Nickelodeon

"The push for individualism and breakdown of families unfortunately."

—OneAbbreviations8070

TBS

"How big the country is and the amount of time you are willing to drive. I had a friend who drove for 16 hours to visit family for the weekend. It's baffling."

—ytirmKaja

Winnetka Bowling League

"All the pharmaceutical ads all the time."

—supertek

TBS

"Parents demanding rent or any money from their kids who are living at home after age 18."

"In my country, adult kids who live at home will spontaneously contribute to the extent that they can, but most parents will do A LOT to avoid accepting those contributions. Allowing your kid to focus on studies/their early career and saving is a point of pride."

—Aiscriim90

Fox

"That calling an ambulance is an expensive thing to do."

—No-Cheesecake9182

ABC

"Gender reveal parties."

—Peachi14

Sony Pictures Releasing

"All the things you can do at younger ages before you can have a drink."

"You can get into lifelong debt with a mortgage or university fees, you can drive a car, you can buy a fucking gun, you can have kids, you can join the army and kill people, and you can get married. But at the wedding, even having done all of the above, when the father of the bride makes his speech and ends with a toast, you're sat at the kids table raising a glass of orange juice because you're not allowed champagne!"

—be_my_plaything

HBO

"Standing and pledging allegiance to a flag every single school day from childhood into early adulthood is very odd."

—captainfonz

Fox

"Using the imperial system."

—LordCoke-16

20th Century Fox

"Wearing your shoes inside the house."

—Hh604

Comedy Central

And finally, "Flags are literally everywhere no matter what. The only time I would see that many Canadian flags would be Canada Day."

—ThatBitchBengali