American Customs Considered Rude Elsewhere
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#5 - Calling USA America
I had no idea until we had a lady that worked in our office that was from Venezuela and I said something about the US and called us Americans and she said, "we are Americans too." I had never really thought of that before and of course she is right so ever since then I have watched how I say that to make sure I'm being inclusive.
I had no idea until we had a lady that worked in our office that was from Venezuela and I said something about the US and called us Americans and she said, "we are Americans too." I had never really thought of that before and of course she is right so ever since then I have watched how I say that to make sure I'm being inclusive.
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I thought you meant customs officers are rude....and I thought that was true everywhere. 
8. Having one hand in your pocket
9. Using your left hand for anything
My son is a lefty.
10. Opening a present immediately
At formal affairs this is considered rude.
11. Wearing sweatpants, flip flops, wrinkly clothing, or baseball caps in public
Unless you are in your yard I think this is rude. As is going topless. (It's legal here for men or women to go topless, and at the beach, fine, but walking down the street it is rude and gross for either IMO.)
8. Having one hand in your pocket
9. Using your left hand for anything
My son is a lefty.
10. Opening a present immediately
At formal affairs this is considered rude.
11. Wearing sweatpants, flip flops, wrinkly clothing, or baseball caps in public
Unless you are in your yard I think this is rude. As is going topless. (It's legal here for men or women to go topless, and at the beach, fine, but walking down the street it is rude and gross for either IMO.)
Canadians don't feel that way.
True... I have always made it a point to study customs before going anywhere.
Hmm, well I find Yahoo Finance to be incredibly rude for pointing these things out in such an open and most public manner
Now, to have displayed thr proper etiquette, what they should have done, was to politely and quietly as possible, pull each of us aside, and explained in a calm but firm tone the possible errors of our barbaric ways
.
So
you Yahoo Finance, how ya's polike me now?
Now, to have displayed thr proper etiquette, what they should have done, was to politely and quietly as possible, pull each of us aside, and explained in a calm but firm tone the possible errors of our barbaric ways
.So
you Yahoo Finance, how ya's polike me now?
Please! Like I'm gonna wait!
EWWWWW!!!
9. Using your left hand for anything
Not all cultures have or use toilet paper, and tend to use their left hand in lieu of it. Accepting gifts,eating, or doing pretty much anything with your left hand in much of Africa, India, Sri Lanka and the Middle East is like a (disgusting) slap in the face.
We never wear shoes in our home and I expect anyone entering our home to remove their shoes. There is a large basket just inside the door to hold footwear that would otherwise have tracked dirt onto our floors. When I visit someone else's home, I remove my shoes (if the hosts aren't wearing any) or inquire whether I should remove them (if hosts are wearing theirs).
I can tell you that, at least around where I live #8 and #14 are definitely be frowned upon by a lot of people. #5 personally annoys me.
...they didn't mention picking one's own arse...I suppose that's frowned upon as well???....
I suppose if you use your left hand for that......they didn't mention picking one's own arse...I suppose that's frowned upon as well???....
This is all kind of arbitrary and I'm not really sure what it's worth.
I consider someone who won't look me in the eye untrustworthy, but I've met plenty of people (Asians, mostly) who seem to think looking directly at a person is a sign of disrespect.
I've heard it said in so many words that Americans lack a "culture" of their own and if you think about it at all, that makes perfect sense. The thing was designed to be a place for everybody, and while it's not really the grand melting pot a lot of people like to pretend it is, America is a place where east and west and north and south all come around to at least hang out near each other.
How is that a bad thing?
I consider someone who won't look me in the eye untrustworthy, but I've met plenty of people (Asians, mostly) who seem to think looking directly at a person is a sign of disrespect.
I've heard it said in so many words that Americans lack a "culture" of their own and if you think about it at all, that makes perfect sense. The thing was designed to be a place for everybody, and while it's not really the grand melting pot a lot of people like to pretend it is, America is a place where east and west and north and south all come around to at least hang out near each other.
How is that a bad thing?
EWWWWW!!!
9. Using your left hand for anything
Not all cultures have or use toilet paper, and tend to use their left hand in lieu of it. Accepting gifts,eating, or doing pretty much anything with your left hand in much of Africa, India, Sri Lanka and the Middle East is like a (disgusting) slap in the face.
Hey, you!
I have a feeling people who use a bidet rather than toilet paper feel the same way about us. Ewwww
It's interesting to see why things we thing are normal here seem atrocious somewhere else.
For instance, we have it drilled into us that you eat what's on your plate. It doesn't matter if you hate Nanny Beulah's "Tater Surprise," you choke it down and act happy about it! We are instilled with this behavior because of a complicated mix of reasons that change over time, but high on the list would be that "We don't waste food," which is fading as the lean years of the Depression seem less of a reality to modern parents, and is being replaced with, "I'm not raising you to be picky, now eat your kale and arugula or there'll be no yoga playgroup!" And there is always the idea that leaving food on your plate indicates you didn't like it and don't appreciate Nanny Beulah's effort on your behalf.
But in some places it appears that by eating all your food the host hasn't served you enough and you are still hungry. This is just as terrible of a signal to send to your host when you look at it that way. "Gee, thanks for inviting me over and feeding me NOTHING!!! I'm dying here!"
This is why it's so hard to socialize children. You think there are just a few simple rules, manner-wise, but really every culture is full of hidden mines just waiting for every citizen to step on them and scuttle every interaction, all through life. We're doomed!
For instance, we have it drilled into us that you eat what's on your plate. It doesn't matter if you hate Nanny Beulah's "Tater Surprise," you choke it down and act happy about it! We are instilled with this behavior because of a complicated mix of reasons that change over time, but high on the list would be that "We don't waste food," which is fading as the lean years of the Depression seem less of a reality to modern parents, and is being replaced with, "I'm not raising you to be picky, now eat your kale and arugula or there'll be no yoga playgroup!" And there is always the idea that leaving food on your plate indicates you didn't like it and don't appreciate Nanny Beulah's effort on your behalf.
But in some places it appears that by eating all your food the host hasn't served you enough and you are still hungry. This is just as terrible of a signal to send to your host when you look at it that way. "Gee, thanks for inviting me over and feeding me NOTHING!!! I'm dying here!"
This is why it's so hard to socialize children. You think there are just a few simple rules, manner-wise, but really every culture is full of hidden mines just waiting for every citizen to step on them and scuttle every interaction, all through life. We're doomed!
