The U.S. is subject to many false beliefs and conspiracy theories, some understandable and others utterly far-fetched. In this light, we’ve compiled the realities behind 18 common but completely wrong ideas about life as a U.S. resident.
America Has No Cultural History
The United States is as secular as it is culturally diverse, and this makes it hard to trace the roots of the country. Nonetheless, America has a rich history spanning multiple cultures—from those of the Native Americans to the Europeans and Africans that have lived here over the centuries. There are historical sites and museums with evidence of this.
Everyone’s Either Extremely Liberal or Conservative
While the political ideas of liberalism and conservatism define America’s two-party system, its citizens hold diverse, moderate political views, as you see in your country, too. In fact, Gallup reveals that there are more politically moderate Americans (37%) than there are liberals (25%) and conservatives (36%).
People Only Eat Fast Food
It’s no news that Americans love their fast food. But the reality is that people prefer healthier options, like farm-to-table foods and international cuisines, to fast food. The CDC says only 36% of adults actually get food from fast food joints on a given day.
There’s Absolutely No Interest in Soccer
Yes, they may have adopted the name “football” for their own native sport, and they may have far less interest in soccer compared to other parts of the world. But this doesn’t mean they aren’t interested in it at all. With growing popularity among the youth, soccer is the fourth most played sport in the U.S. after football, baseball, and basketball.
Citizens Are All Wealthy
Just like you have the rich, middle class, and poor in your own country, the U.S. has its own fair share of disparity in social classes. There are income inequalities here, and we have states like Mississippi, Louisiana, New Mexico, and West Virginia, where almost one in five residents live below the poverty line.
The U.S is Unsafe
With news of mass shootings and devastating natural disasters like hurricanes flying around, it isn’t hard to see why many believe the U.S. isn’t safe. However, you should understand that America is an extremely big country—only 20% smaller than the whole of Europe—and there are both safe and dangerous neighborhoods, just like we have in many other countries.
America Is One Big City
Again, the U.S. is too big a country with a vast array of rural, suburban, urban, forested, and deserted areas for you to believe this. What’s more, the Census Bureau says that America is 58% diverse, evidencing the vast difference in thoughts, interests, and inclinations amongst its people.
Everyone Lives in Large Houses
Yes, houses in the U.S. are generally larger than houses in Europe (especially in the UK). However, this doesn’t mean that everyone in the U.S. gets to enjoy this “luxury.” We still have many people living in small apartment homes despite paying a lot of money for them, particularly in urban areas like New York.
Americans Work All the Time
A post from Business Insider reveals that the average American works over 200 hours more than the average European. So, it’s usually hard to fathom how hard Americans must be working. But regardless of the intense work culture, Americans still love themselves for leisure and vacation time. And they don’t play about it either!
All Americans Speak Only English
English is the most spoken language in America, for sure. But did you know that the first non-native language to be spoken wasn’t English but Spanish? Multiple dialects have come and remained here since Europeans got to America, and so much respect is given to each of them that the U.S. doesn’t even have an official language.
Americans Are Loud and Rude
Contrary to the belief that Americans are an obnoxiously proud set of people, the country has as many calm-spirited people as it has extroverted individuals. What you’ll notice, however, is that many love to keep to themselves, which may pass them off as snobbish. And even this trait varies between states and regions.
No One Has an Interest in World News
Americans may be in a world of their own and may have barely any reason to leave the country. But this doesn’t mean they don’t know what’s happening around them. In fact, the U.S. is involved in many international affairs that citizens have an almost compulsory interest in, and there have been protests in America about the recent Israel-Palestine conflict.
The Education System Is Uniformly Poor
While you may believe that people in the U.S. are poorly educated, both personally and through the educational system, Americans are actually some of the smartest people on earth. Some of the most respected universities and high schools in the world are in the U.S, and, of course, you get different education from different institutions, as in other countries.
Everyone Owns a Gun
Gun ownership may be a big deal in the U.S., so much so that you believe everyone owns a gun here. But, on the contrary, less than half of Americans (Pew Research says three in ten Americans) own a firearm, and many people are pushing for even stricter gun laws. Additionally, gun laws vary from state to state.
Healthcare is Amazing
Don’t get us wrong. Like colleges, you’ll also find some of the world’s best medical professionals and facilities in the U.S. too! However, the problem is that healthcare isn’t as affordable here as it is in other countries. Many Americans who need care have little access to it, particularly financially, and even affording insurance is a struggle.
Beer is Terrible Here
Europeans say that American beer isn’t as strong as what they get to drink in their countries. However, they fail to understand that mass-produced beer products in the U.S. are as bad as mass-produced products in Europe. And there are renowned American craft breweries producing some of the best beer in the world, for a price, of course.
Americans Lack Sophistication in Food and Wine
Many Europeans also believe that America doesn’t have awesome cuisines to delight visitors, and the only sophisticated restaurants here borrow delicacies from other countries. They forget America’s diverse culinary scene, amazing native meals like jambalayas and wild Alaskan salmon, and the prodigious wine regions of Napa and Sonoma.
It’s Always Warm in The U.S
Yes, the hottest place in the world is in the U.S. (California’s Death Valley). Nonetheless, winter here also brings some of the most terrible blizzards you’d come across, and temperatures could go as low as minus 80 degrees Fahrenheit, like in Alaska in 1971. Temperature differs by region, and there are cool tropical climates to enjoy in America as well.
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