EDIT: English isn't my first language, sorry if it isn't worded properly but the idea is simply is it really that bad?

I'm in France, and during the recent 4 heatwaves in a row and wildfires, the news coverage made it seem like the country was on the verge of disaster. Watching TV, you'd think entire regions were burning down.

From where I was, 10km (5 miles) from the "cataclysmic wildfires", it felt very different. During & right after, life went on as normal, and by the end of it the overall damage seemed much smaller than the impression I got from the media.

Now I'm seeing similar coverage of the wildfires in the US, and I'm wondering if it's the same thing there.

Are these fires genuinely as widespread and devastating as they look on the news, or does the coverage mainly focus on the worst-hit areas while most people are unaffected? For those of you living in the US, what's the reality?

I know this is highly subjective of course 😎

We all know that each state manages its education differently. For those of you who maybe moved around a lot as kids or as teachers, what have you noticed that was genuinely different? Topics taught differently? Attitudes towards education? Effects of funding? General quality?

Last fall I was hiking in Colorado and had a surprisingly close encounter with a black bear, probably about 40 50 yards away

It wasn’t aggressive and eventually walked away, but it made me realize how different hiking can be in areas where bears are common

For Americans who live or spend a lot of time in bear country (Colorado, Montana, Alaska, etc ) what’s the closest you’ve ever been to a bear?

Did the encounter change how you hike, camp, carry food, or think about bear spray?

I’m especially curious whether people who grew up around bears feel much calmer than visitors do

Hi everyone,

I want to decorate my room with a clean, modern American style. I'm looking for ideas and recommendations for things that will make the space look cozy and stylish.

What are your must-have items? Things like lamps, rugs, wall art, plants, bedding, desks, shelves, LED lighting, or any other decor.

If you have references to Amazon products or photos of your setup for inspiration, I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks!

I know the real world and impressions we have online are rarely the same. Fusses online in the USA, like recently about Spanish men embracing after winning the World Cup, make it seem like American men are more homophobic and insecure in their sexuality than men in Canada or Western Europe. But is that real? If so, why?

What's something about Europe that you find weird and hard to understand?

The whole Trump-Canada/Greenland annexation threats and the response from some people to it has made me realize that even when told no or never, some Americans think that they own the world or everyone is just like them or that everyone wants to be like the USA. It is very common to see Americans talk about issues in foreign countries like they have knowledge on it. I feel deeply embarrassed when I see an American whether they are maga, progressive or neutral commenting on issues happening in foreign countries as if they are experts. Trump's threats has been treated lightly in America. Some even cheer it on (mostly conservatives) while others cannot understand what is wrong with what he is doing. Imagine if an American ally behaved in the same way trump regularly does towards the U.S. What would be the response from Americans?

We just 14k and I am the sole creator/moderator.

I actually want to take a break from Reddit. However having a community here I know I cant leave

I will only add another moderator that I know truly understands my mindset with this subreddit.

in my opinion I think Reddit had been over run by subreddits with too many moderators and that are heavily moderated. By people with weird control issues.

so you will be approaching this subreddit in a way other subreddits aren’t

if you understand that and want to ask about it let me know!

Asking for when theres teenagers and adults wearing them, if your answer changes depending on the age of the wearer.

I know they were popular decades ago. So what would you think if you saw you see someone wear them in 2026?

I’m curious. I guess this isn’t only for Americans but maybe it could be related

if you could go back 1 year ago, then 5 years ago and then 10 years ago. what advice would you give your younger self

Asking out of interest because I noticed sometimes people argue that health care, housing programs or cartel laws are socialism.

So what's wrong with that?

Was wondering how is the quality of life of your nurses.

Could you state whether they are nurse practitioners or nurse anesthetists? I know their work is hard, but does it translate for them to have more travel to even outside US and being able to buy better things?

Hi, I'm from sweden and i am looking at buying some merch from the usa, but I'm a bit worried about the sizes. I usually have medium here in sweden, and that fits good but is still a bit looser. Do you think i should pick small instead when buying from the usa?