Thank God for the UK
Discussion
As the years pass I find I've got less patience for the types of americans who unintentionally sound obnoxious or patronising in the way they conduct conversations. I never used to mind, but more and more I find myself feeling completely 
when I get chatting to one of them.
How do they put up with themselves?
when I get chatting to one of them. How do they put up with themselves?
I have always found Americans to be polite and helpful.
Yes the falseness of the " have a nice day" stuff can grate but its nothing really is it. just cultural differences. All the important stuff is there.
To be honest this country is full of rude dick heads who are not intelligent enough to walk and speak at the same time.
I had a bigger problem moving from Yorkshire to the Midlands than I think I would have moving to the states.
people are different everywhere I feel like I live in a different country just by moving 100 miles.
Yes the falseness of the " have a nice day" stuff can grate but its nothing really is it. just cultural differences. All the important stuff is there.
To be honest this country is full of rude dick heads who are not intelligent enough to walk and speak at the same time.
I had a bigger problem moving from Yorkshire to the Midlands than I think I would have moving to the states.
people are different everywhere I feel like I live in a different country just by moving 100 miles.
When I’ve been over to the US I find there media influences are totally biased (arnt they all) but I didn’t witness any mass obnoxiousness. There is a subtle culture difference but becuase we speak the same language I think its somewhat hidden.
BTW: Be careful Bob, I shouldn’t think it’s too long before someone tries to deny your own experiences and calls you a xenophobe....
>> Edited by polus on Monday 20th February 15:34
BTW: Be careful Bob, I shouldn’t think it’s too long before someone tries to deny your own experiences and calls you a xenophobe....
>> Edited by polus on Monday 20th February 15:34
pesty said:
Yes the falseness of the " have a nice day" stuff can grate but its nothing really is it. just cultural differences. All the important stuff is there.
When i get out to the states for the first couple of days the "have a nice day" bit does grate. I am always perfectly polite and accept it with good grace, however, the more you hear the politeness, even if it is put on, the more pleasant it is.
The moment you land in the UK, the politeness disappears in an instant and you get faced with dour looks from everyone. Its a real come down coming back to the UK sometimes.
UKBob said:
As the years pass I find I've got less patience for the types of americans who unintentionally sound obnoxious or patronising in the way they conduct conversations. I never used to mind, but more and more I find myself feeling completely
How do they put up with themselves?
I suggest you try talking to some of the English upper classes if you want to be really patronised. Either that or some in Bliars cabinet.
Nope the Yanks have got nothing on us in that regard.
And if you want really obnoxious try Paris.
polus said:I did spend 7 years on the north american continent if that counts for anything. Socially, no worries. And yes it does "hit" you when you come back to the UK, walk through the airport gates and into the our void where being polite and friendly to strangers doenst exist.
BTW: Be careful Bob, I shouldn’t think it’s too long before someone tries to deny your own experiences and calls you a xenophobe....
Doing business with Yanks is a lot of hard work, though. I dont work "for" people, I work with them. And a yanks Ive worked with recently have not left me feeling Im working with them, its more of an uphill struggle if that makes sense. I prefer to cut the bullshit out and get on with the job, so everyone is happy.
tinman0 said:
We've all unknowingly turned into fluffy socialists and they haven't.
speak for yourself "fluffy socialist"
bga said:
Certaintly not obnoxious and patronising.
Insincere some of them, in part.
I used to consider many Americans to be patronising, although the more I have worked with them I've found it only to be the difference in which they articulate themselves
Completely agree.
Most Americans that I've met have been great.
I was taking a photo of my girlfriend on a bridge over the Seine in Paris a few years ago and this American guy waited till I had finished and then bound up to me and said "Hi there! Would you like me to take a photo of you both?". He did so (very well actually). I then took a photo of him with his family and we went on our way. British people are usually so grumpy - I was bowled over by this guy's politeness, helpfullness and friendliness (even if he did then ask for directions to the Tower of London).
RobM77 said:
Certaintly not obnoxious and patronising.
Insincere some of them, in part.
I used to consider many Americans to be patronising, although the more I have worked with them I've found it only to be the difference in which they articulate themselves
Completely agree.
Most Americans that I've met have been great.
I was taking a photo of my girlfriend on a bridge over the Seine in Paris a few years ago and this American guy waited till I had finished and then bound up to me and said "Hi there! Would you like me to take a photo of you both?". He did so (very well actually). I then took a photo of him with his family and we went on our way. British people are usually so grumpy - I was bowled over by this guy's politeness, helpfullness and friendliness (even if he did then ask for directions to the Tower of London).
The Tower of London isn't in Paris???? Damn!
I can't sympathise with your point here Bob. My impression of the American people is that they're warm, welcoming and generous. Each time I've been to the States I've thoroughly enjoyed my stay.
Stepping off the plane back into the UK and the first thing that greets you being the site of a chav isn't very uplifting I can tell you.
If anything, we as GB can learn a great deal from the politeness of the Yanks.
Stepping off the plane back into the UK and the first thing that greets you being the site of a chav isn't very uplifting I can tell you.
If anything, we as GB can learn a great deal from the politeness of the Yanks.
Bob - your experience is different to mine - I lived in the STates from when I was 8 to 18 - thoroughly enjoyed it and found the Americans friendly and welcoming, far more so than most Brits would be to new neighbours from overseas.
at the risk of generalising ... The Yanks can be a bit insular / introspective in terms of their view of other cultures and countries, but I can't say it bothers me all that much.
at the risk of generalising ... The Yanks can be a bit insular / introspective in terms of their view of other cultures and countries, but I can't say it bothers me all that much.
I've also had nothing but smiles and good manners from most Americans I have met. Lots of American visitors and residents here in the South of France, and you always tend to strike up a random chat, I think many of them are just glad to speak to someone else who speaks English.
And I have to say, but I can't believe you lot are so down on manners and attitudes in the UK, you lot have no idea how nice it is to come back to the UK after living here! People here don't say thank you, are very false, and the average person you meet on the street would sooner walk on top of you than show you any consideration. Its a complete contradiction as once you are actually friends with a French person, they are the warmest people you could wish for, but strangers, no, they treat other like crap.
When I am on the metro I have seen mothers with prams literally sitting at the bottom of stairs, there waiting for someone to stop and help, asking people as they pass, and they just ignore each other. I always make a point of helping, and it seems to happen at least once every couple of days.
Nobody holds doors open, people in shops don't say please or thank you, the list goes on. The worst was last winter, there was a traffic jam ahead, took about 15mins to reach the hold up after crawling up the road. Turned out there was a car broken down. A girl was standing at the side of the road in tears. I stopped (cue more beeping of the horns-despite the fact that I wasn't blocking the road) and asked her if she was ok. She explained that it had just cut out, and she'd been trying to flag someone down and nobody had stopped. After much pushing we managed to get it off the curb, but no one stopped, or offered help (it was rush hour, lots of traffic, lots of beeping of horns to get us to move), even though it was quite clear I was struggling to shift a Mk4 Golf on my own. We got it off the road eventually, but it almost killed me.
That incident really annoyed me, to think of how many people drove past that girl. I then drove her home and she worked out from the steering wheel being on the wrong side that I was English (hey hey, was pleased that she didn't see through my French, rather proud of that!) and she proceeded to sing our praises very highly.
And I would echo that, yes, standards are failing, but I think maybe we don't know how lucky we are.
And I have to say, but I can't believe you lot are so down on manners and attitudes in the UK, you lot have no idea how nice it is to come back to the UK after living here! People here don't say thank you, are very false, and the average person you meet on the street would sooner walk on top of you than show you any consideration. Its a complete contradiction as once you are actually friends with a French person, they are the warmest people you could wish for, but strangers, no, they treat other like crap.
When I am on the metro I have seen mothers with prams literally sitting at the bottom of stairs, there waiting for someone to stop and help, asking people as they pass, and they just ignore each other. I always make a point of helping, and it seems to happen at least once every couple of days.
Nobody holds doors open, people in shops don't say please or thank you, the list goes on. The worst was last winter, there was a traffic jam ahead, took about 15mins to reach the hold up after crawling up the road. Turned out there was a car broken down. A girl was standing at the side of the road in tears. I stopped (cue more beeping of the horns-despite the fact that I wasn't blocking the road) and asked her if she was ok. She explained that it had just cut out, and she'd been trying to flag someone down and nobody had stopped. After much pushing we managed to get it off the curb, but no one stopped, or offered help (it was rush hour, lots of traffic, lots of beeping of horns to get us to move), even though it was quite clear I was struggling to shift a Mk4 Golf on my own. We got it off the road eventually, but it almost killed me.
That incident really annoyed me, to think of how many people drove past that girl. I then drove her home and she worked out from the steering wheel being on the wrong side that I was English (hey hey, was pleased that she didn't see through my French, rather proud of that!) and she proceeded to sing our praises very highly.
And I would echo that, yes, standards are failing, but I think maybe we don't know how lucky we are.
s2art said:
I suggest you try talking to some of the English upper classes if you want to be really patronised.
If you wish to talk to me you can make an appointment with my butler's Secretary, and my butler will afford you 5 minutes of his time to vet whether you can talk to me. (On the phone, of course. One can't be seen fraternising in person with the unwashed masses, can one?)
>> Edited by diddyman on Monday 20th February 17:55
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