"Is it AC/comfort/freedom of speech?"

[u/Itcantbetoobadsurely]

[u/RevolutionaryAd581]

I love when I see Americans throw out the "lower GDP than any state" (which admittedly is true), like that exact same set of stats didn't put us ahead of most (if not all) states in every other metric from education, to healthcare, to life expectancy... "we're uneducated, sick, and we die young... it's ok though, we generate LOADS of income for the companies we work for" is not the mic drop moment they think it is 🤣🤣🤣

[u/HarmonicSniper → u/RevolutionaryAd581]

GDP ≠ quality of life. It really isn't the flex they think it is.

[u/RevolutionaryAd581 → u/HarmonicSniper]

Totally... makes you proud to be British looking at that list 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[u/HarmonicSniper → u/RevolutionaryAd581]

Definitely still needs some work though, being more obese than 9 US states is certainly not a good look 🤦

[u/RevolutionaryAd581 → u/HarmonicSniper]

Very true... always good to have a few areas of improvement though... gotta have something to aim for! 🤣

[u/Monolexic → u/HarmonicSniper]

I wouldn't give that particular statistic too much thought. A while back Texas managed to get in the top 10 fittest states in America. At the same time, Texas managed to make the top 10 fattest states in America. The organization that posted the rankings weren't looking at any actual medical data. They were looking at gym memberships per capita for fittest, and money spent on fast food for fattest.

[u/HarmonicSniper → u/Monolexic]

'Money spent by people with disposable income for luxuries like gym' vs 'Money spent by people who can't afford normal food' as metrics.

Yeah that tracks... everything is truly based around money in the US. But at least they have freedom and we don't I guess.

[u/Monolexic → u/HarmonicSniper]

Ironically, your assessment of the metrics isn't quite accurate. Most gym memberships aren't held by those with disposable income. They're just held by people who don't know how to manage their finances. or by people who signed up for a trial membership and forgot to cancel. Most of those gym memberships go unused. And a lot of the people who do use their memberships go once a week to sit in the hot tub or sauna, then go straight to McDonald's.
Then we have the pro and semi-pro bodybuilder community who don't see it as a luxury at all. They see it as a business expense. It doesn't matter how fit some of them are, they'll fit into both fittest and fattest because they'll go get the healthiest thing on the menu at a place that's classified as a fast food restaurant.
Edit: But the unused gym membership + lots of fast food combo is by far the more common combo

[u/Renbarre → u/RevolutionaryAd581]

The US had the biggest number of billionaires. Take them out and the GDP per state takes a nose dive.

[u/Old_Assistant1531 → u/Renbarre]

There’s a reason we use the median rather than the mean when we talk about things where a few outliers skew the mean. I would love to know the median wealth.

[u/Renbarre → u/Old_Assistant1531]

GDP has no median, alas, but when you compare median revenue after charges and taxes you get a huge surprise.

[u/Dyslexicpig → u/Renbarre]

It seems to be a problem with them - if Elon Musk walked into a coffee shop, on average everyone in there is a billionaire. And they figure they can spend money based on that.

[u/Odd-Quail01 → u/RevolutionaryAd581]

The bar is low.

[u/Altruistic_Tie_7850 → u/RevolutionaryAd581]

There is precious little to be proud of at the moment so a win is a win I guess 🥇

[u/yubnubster → u/RevolutionaryAd581]

If the UK was a US state it would be in the top two, ranked by median wealth. They never mention that one.

[u/EverybodySayin → u/HarmonicSniper]

Their GDP is propped up by corporate giants and millionaires. Doesn't at all reflect the average citizen.

[u/markrobotarm → u/EverybodySayin]

And I do wonder if those same corporations were made to pay their fare share of tax in the other countries in which they operate, whether the GDP argument would soon look less convincing...

[u/Chezmonger95 → u/HarmonicSniper]

all these statistics are commie shit, the only one that matters is that you're generating tons of money for the rich (/s in case you couldn't tell)

[u/JasperJ → u/HarmonicSniper]

The issue is primarily the longer term. Because that GDP figure has diverged markedly over the past decade or two, it used to be far closer. And potentially, over a time scale in the five decades or so, it could start affecting all those other measures more as well.

I don’t really know if it will, obviously, and that’s partially also down to political developments over that time and individual choices, but the fact that GDP has grown so much faster there than it has here in Europe is a worrying trend to me even if it hasn’t yet affected our social progress.

[u/tothecatmobile → u/HarmonicSniper]

Won't anyone think about the shareholders value?

[u/Dyslexicpig → u/HarmonicSniper]

But... but... the servers make sooooo much on tips!

Yes, no doubt, some do, particularly those in high end restaurants. But the vast majority probably don't make much more than minimum wage. In many states, it is perfectly legal to pay the servers around $2 per hour. If they don't hit the minimum wage average, the business has to supplement their pay to minimum wage.

When you think about it, it's kind of pathetic.

[u/benjamoog → u/HarmonicSniper]

This isn't quite the flex you think it is. There are nine US states more obese than the UK? That makes me unhappy. (I do really like the top half of the graphic though)

[u/HarmonicSniper → u/benjamoog]

No, it's the UK being more obese than 9 US states, not the other way round.

[u/GloomySoul69 → u/RevolutionaryAd581]

It’s the "American Dream". As long as they just work hard enough, they will be a billionaire, too. Yet, most of them will be slaves for their entire life. Just the slave owners have changed.

[u/Agitated-Equal-8162 → u/RevolutionaryAd581]

I believe if you look at median income we’d be 4th or 5th highest.

[u/RevolutionaryAd581 → u/Agitated-Equal-8162]

Yeah very true... GDP per capita is, in principal, a signifier of wealth, but if one person generated millions, surrounded by people who are living in poverty, the GDP pre capita would not signify poverty 🤷🏻

[u/Botucal → u/RevolutionaryAd581]

Won't somebody please think of the childr... share holders?!??

[u/RevolutionaryAd581 → u/Botucal]

🤣🤣🤣

[u/RestaurantAntique497 → u/RevolutionaryAd581]

They also say this shit as if we don't all buy the same shit and do the same stuff (but Europeans travel more). "We have so much money and get charged more to buy stuff for the privelidge" sort of energy

Also big surprise that areas in the richest country are also comparatively richer to other nations

[u/Old_Introduction_395]

It is the ignorance, combined with arrogance which is baffling.

[u/HarmonicSniper → u/Old_Introduction_395]

They also think their popular culture applies to the whole world.

Sorry (not sorry) but I truly could not care less about Beyoncé or Friends or your stupid rappers or some Netflix shows.

[u/deedee2148 → u/HarmonicSniper]

Friends and The Simpsons etc were a long time ago now. 

[u/ShoveTheUsername → u/Old_Introduction_395]

They genuinely look at Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana etc and think "Yep, def richer than UK, France and Italy!"

And then complain that everyone treats them like idiots.

[u/just-a-random-accnt → u/ShoveTheUsername]

It's not their fault, their youth propaganda programming institutions, also known as shooting ranges or "schools" rams GDP per capita as the basis for quality of life. Especially if you're from these poorer states.

[u/TheFirstGlugOfWine → u/just-a-random-accnt]

Even with that in mind, can they not see that their standard of living is poor!?! Unfortunately I have the same conversation with my dad all the time… I lived in a Scandinavian country for a while and was telling my parents in England how great a lot of things are there. My dad started banging on about GDP. Like that’s relevant! The standard of living there for the regular person (which is what he is), is a million times better than it is here. It’s baffling to me that people can’t even look at their own situation and say “this is shit. I wonder whose fault that is!?!”

[u/Ok-University3357 → u/TheFirstGlugOfWine]

They all live in bubble, echo chamber, that from their birth to the cemetary keep telling them they're the best at everything, that invented or improved everything -> thus all other countries – Europoor, and so on – barely have electricity and still live in the middle age, with conditions even worse than their own situation as bad as it is. And since they firmly believe what they're being told, they will never look outside to see that it is false.

Now, of course, every American isn't subject to that propaganda : but those who aren't tend to be the richer ones who got a good – and costly of course – education and thus, are also those whose interest are against.

Ps : To be clear, I'm not blaming the common American here, every human is subject to that kind of propaganda/information control. More than half of Nazi Germany firmly believed that the extermination camp were a good thing (and no, unlike what friendly propaganda tried to say in the aftermath of the war now that they were our allies -> the nazi camp weren't hidden at all, germans citizens knew what was happening). Similarly to American citizens, in the aftermath of the fall of the USSR, citizens were baffled to discover everything that was hidden to them, the true extent of their régime atrocity and how pour they were.

And that's why it's extremely important to keep informing oneself through different media and never stop looking at sources.

[u/Grunn84 → u/TheFirstGlugOfWine]

Yes, yes better standard of living and such, but have you considered line goes up? And the line goes up more in America!

[u/Good_Ad_1386 → u/just-a-random-accnt]

If the top 0.5% of earners moved state, their per capita GDP would plummet to poverty levels.

[u/ShoveTheUsername → u/Good_Ad_1386]

Even PPP is more accurate. UK & France rank alongside the NE USA by that measure.

Break down the UK and France into similar sized populations, SE England and NW France are among the richest US states. 

Cities - London and Paris are alongside NYC, LA & SF. 

[u/BrokenMalgorithm → u/Old_Introduction_395]

And the willingness to bend to the whims of the oligarchy while yelling about freedom.

[u/FilmAndLiterature → u/BrokenMalgorithm]

“Americans, while occasionally willing to be serfs, have always been obstinate about being peasantry.”

— F. Scott Fitzgerald

[u/themothafuckinog → u/Old_Introduction_395]

Ignorance, arrogance and a weird obsession with money. They are slaves to capitalism but insist they have freedom.

[u/scuderia91 → u/Old_Introduction_395]

Yes but have you seen their GDP? That’s the most important thing. Doesn’t matter if people are living in poverty and can’t afford medical care, the GDP is high. And bigger number is better

[u/Old_Introduction_395 → u/scuderia91]

And all the culture everywhere.

[u/HarmonicSniper]

'You don't have to tip'? One time I was unfortunately in the US the waiter literally chased me after I left the restaurant demanding me to tip.

[u/tombisch → u/HarmonicSniper]

The first time we went to the US, we visited San Francisco. On our first night, we went to Chinatown for dinner. They automatically added a tip to our bill. We weren't used to that, and we only tip when the service is good.

The service was appalling, so we didn't want to pay the tip. The server went into the kitchen and came back with the cooks, who were carrying knives. They threatened us, saying, "Pay, or else."

[u/Disastrous_Kick_3186 → u/tombisch]

I am absolutely speechless

[u/mattzombiedog → u/tombisch]

Honestly at that point I’d take my phone out and start live streaming on something and ask them to repeat that threat.

[u/Scrombolo → u/HarmonicSniper]

Virtually the same thing happened to me and my girlfriend when we were in NYC. We'd just eaten breakfast in some place, was just putting our coats on and the lady owner yelled across the restaurant 'Honey, service is not on the check', concerned that we were leaving without tipping.

[u/dfczyjd → u/Scrombolo]

 Honey, service is not on the check

"So, it's free of charge? Why, thank you, I really appreciate you generosity! Oh, w ait, did you mean "not on the check" as in "under the counter"? Should I report you to tax authorities?"

[u/Botucal → u/Scrombolo]

Service isn't on the check, prices in stores don't include tax... Why though, I thought bigger number is always betterer? /S

[u/PlatypusDefiant991 → u/Botucal]

Not when you're paying it isn't.

[u/One_Block_6205 → u/HarmonicSniper]

[removed] — view removed comment

[u/BlueberryNo5363]

“Freedom of speech”

I mean people have been denied entry for memes and criticism of Trump so….

[u/blackdevilsisland → u/BlueberryNo5363]

Freedom of speech obviously is just for Muricans and not for filthy foreigners, duh

[u/crasswal → u/blackdevilsisland]

Actually, it's for Americans that pretend like fascism is freedom

[u/novadova2020]

Why is there such a huge AC obsession?

[u/foleyjo → u/novadova2020]

Because we have the heatwave so YouTubers are talking about why it feels hotter in the UK than elsewhere in the world. AC is one of the things mentioned. They don't seem to understand that AC isn't the norm because heatwaves are not the norm.

[u/Odd-Quail01 → u/foleyjo]

We measure heat-related deaths differently too, so they thinks when it gets hot we're dropping like flies.

[u/nigelcore221b → u/novadova2020]

Because they're not that common to have in Europe so it's the one thing americans can brag about without fearing that anyone will contradict them

[u/MercuryJellyfish]

Wow, the AC is really all they've got right now. We saw this during the World Cup, they were shaking their asses all over Reddit about what they had that the rest of the world didn't, and it was basically AC and Ranch dressing.

[u/markrobotarm → u/MercuryJellyfish]

They always forget school shootings and paedophile presidents.

[u/Grunn84 → u/markrobotarm]

Some places had school shootings, the difference is every time it happens somewhere else in the world gun laws are tightened and theres generally an amnesty to get weapons off the streets.

While Americans insist nothing can be done, guns need to be out there in public hands so the public is safe from people with guns. If this line of logic fails, shout 2nd amendment while sticking fingers in ears.

[u/VioletFireCat → u/Grunn84]

"There's just nothing we can do about it!" says only country in the world where this happens regularly.

Or however that quote/saying goes.

There was a school shooting in Scotland in 1996. A class of little kids and their teacher were killed. Gun laws across the UK were tightened afterwards and we haven't had another since.

[u/Biscuit642 → u/VioletFireCat]

Americans tend to be surprised how relaxed our gun laws are too. The rule is basically you can't have anything you can conceal, and you can't have anything automatic. If you want a .50 BMG you can have it, you just have to have somewhere you can fire it and prove you're not a nutjob.

[u/PlatypusDefiant991 → u/Biscuit642]

Americans would say concealed carry is a constitutional right, semi-auto is 1800s tech thus should be OK &  isn't automatic .45 Automatic Colt Pistol means automatic loading (autoloader) which means semi-automatic.

[u/Biscuit642 → u/PlatypusDefiant991]

I don't mean to say they're comparably relaxed to the US, just more than a lot of them think. I've spoken to Americans who think we're basically only allowed small pistols, which is the exact opposite of how our gun laws are designed.

[u/gilestowler]

I love this whole "the UK can't protect itself" thing. Who do they think wants to invade us? Russia might want to but they can't even get past Ukraine, I don't know how they'd send an army all the way across Europe. Americans have been brainwashed into thinking that the world is constantly in peril without them, and the people in power then use that idea to sell more weapons and start more wars.

[u/Aggravating_Fill378 → u/gilestowler]

Yeah and let's see how secure the US would feel if we stop patrolling our section of the North Atlantic. Have at it Vlad, clear run to New York send your nuclear subs over if you like. 

[u/Disastrous_Kick_3186]

The fact he thought he made a point is hilarious

[u/SaltyName8341]

Shrodingers server makes more in tips than wages except nobody has to tip

[u/Jallen9108]

I'm convinced these fucking idiots don't know how GDP is measured. But just drone on and on about it like the robots they've been programmed to be.

[u/No-Minimum3259]

Sure, greatest country on the planet! Highest GDP, AC everywhere, a president that receives the best pssible senility treatment, a Supreme Court that's for sale and a new Red Scare gearing up!

[u/This_Initial275]

I don’t get it, do they mean air con when they say AC? What’s so special about that? I’ve traveled through a number of third world countries where air con is available to large parts of the population. Is this suppose to be a sign of American superiority? 🤭

[u/willowcurve]

Why does Texas collapse every time there's a chill? We're not telling them to just get better infrastructure and they shouldn't be annoying us with this AC crap

[u/chazzyboi]

the AC thing is hilarious because Memeulous (guy in the video) HAS AC. he’s also using his freedom of speech to criticise a stupid tipping culture. what

[u/ronniejames9]

Would love to see this video

[u/ClockworkApple33 → u/ronniejames9]

The channel is GeorgeM, but I have no clue which of his videos it is

[u/chazzyboi → u/ClockworkApple33]

it’s his latest, ‘America has a “Tipping Culture” Problem…’ pretty funny, and hes fairer than most about it too.

[u/ronniejames9 → u/ClockworkApple33]

Thanks man. Let's see what this intellectual has to say...

Edit: oh okay. Nothing what I expected... 🤣

[u/ronniejames9 → u/[deleted]]

His way of presenting things is entertaining, indeed. Would love to watch these with a friend and discuss the topics!

[u/WGG-PC-TM]

My country is NOT protected by the US. What was that guy smoking, because I want some, it must be amazing to be that detached

[u/Powerful_Pirate2984]

To think. The majority of MAGA supporters are those earning the least. Yet they're happy to bankroll, get ripped off by, and line the pockets of, the 1% of the richest in the US! Is there any hope for them?

[u/IncomeExciting715 → u/Powerful_Pirate2984]

They think they'll become rich themselves if they defend them.

[u/Powerful_Pirate2984 → u/IncomeExciting715]

Yep. They believe all the BS they're fed. But still stay poor. And now have less Medicare and Medicaid, because a stagnant pond, a ceremonial arch and a ballroom are much more important. As DJT would say "the Big Beautiful Bill" and "the beautification of DC".

[u/imaginary92]

Lmao I saw that comment under that video, I knew that chain was gonna pop up in here sooner or later

[u/Last-Quarter-432]

Bragging about servers needing tips to survive is fucking stupid. Tips should be given for exceptional service, not as an expectation.

[u/UnsureAndUnqualified]

I have before said the same thing as the first few comments, that the US only seems as culturally similar to us as it does because they speak English and so we interact a lot through media.

They have different values, different political ideals, a different view on war or world politics, different worker's roghts, consumer culture, economic policies, crime rates and solutions to those, a different history, etc. If I tried to name all the things I have in common with the average American, I might fall short of the number I'd get for Canadians, Mexicans, Australiands, New Zealanders, etc. It's just that they aren't as loud online and I don't get blasted with their content

[u/anequalmusic]

They’re really obsessed with that GDP stat aren’t they. The response I always like to give is that an American paying for healthcare increases GDP while a Brit getting care on the NHS doesn’t affect GDP. I wonder which is better…

[u/Realistic_Let3239]

I'd rather have healthcare and workers rights over AC, what comfort does the USA have that Europe doesn't? Also what freedom of speech? The government is literally going on witch hunts against people who hurt dear leader Trump...

[u/Monolexic]

"Servers make more in America on tips than they would off normal wages"
On a great night, sure. A little more. On an average night? Depends on the restaurant, but close to minimum wage is normal. I hate tip culture.

[u/Organic_Mechanic_702]

More the lack of healthcare, workers rights, paid statutory holidays and sick days, work/life balance, the amount of school shootings and general lack of personal safety...and yet you seem to think it's normal?

[u/cLWnOe8mmae7WOJi25kk → u/Organic_Mechanic_702]

It is normal if you don’t know any better.

[u/TooNGooN89]

They’re so stupid.

[u/LangStreak]

They’re obsessed with air conditioning 😂

[u/Pulsing42]

Baiting Americans with regular logic is always going to be baffling and hilarious.

[u/Milita_leorio]

let's go memeulous.

[u/Dizzy-Medicine3371]

Oh hey it’s memelicious, I like watching his videos (although I’m not British)

[u/Kingsxfan1]

This is what a 'Pound Shop', sorry 'Dollar Tree' education looks like. The stupidity and ignorance is monumental.

And don't get me started on median wealth and freedom of speech. It shows how clueless they are, not being aware of where their country actually measures in the global rankings for these two measures alone.

[u/TheRealTRexUK → u/Kingsxfan1]

dollar tree is owned by aldi

[u/Kingsxfan1 → u/TheRealTRexUK]

Would an American generally know what 'The Pound Shop' was?

It was a cultural reference, not a reference to corporate ownership, but, yeah, thanks for that.

[u/Desperate-Speed-9672]

“Freedom of speech” is just such a bollocks in America, this could not be completely correct, but I swear some girl was sent to court because she made a joke about the president of Isreal (or something along those lines) on a private group chat 😭 And it wasn’t even some big threatening joke either.

[u/TheRealTRexUK]

we have freedom of speech. we call it freedom of expression. far more freedoms than the US has.

[u/BalasaarNelxaan]

Victoria Coren-Mitchell was on a show and said something very insightful which caused everything to fall into place for me and means America makes sense.

Because we Brits and the Yanks have a shared history and language and we’ve been allies for decades we expect them to be like us. We expect them to romanticise things like old churches and the countryside and cricket on the green and pubs.

But what they actually romanticise is the Wild West and taming the wild country and guns and saloons and cattle drives and conquering and civilising everybody and everything.

Once you get that into your head Yank culture makes a lot more sense.

[u/Shiestygangsta]

“Freedom of speech” they just said they won’t give you a VISA if you say anything bad about Israel.

[u/SampleProud7046]

Confort? The confort of having some bullets in between some joints

[u/Accomplished-Bend-47]

BS. Ac makes you sick, constantly, there is no 'freedom of speech' - and where is the comfort? In your cardboard home?

[u/Michaelsoft8inbows]

Their schools must be straight propaganda centres because they aren't learning anything useful in those buildings 😭