Most of us here are big defenders of the US against the type of stupid or silly potshots against the US you often find on Reddit. But I’m your heart of hearts, what generally applauded thing about the US do you think is not all it’s cracked up to be?

31 comments

  1. Our movies are often better than most of the rest of the world’s whether big budget blockbuster or prestige oscar bait or indie. But that’s because most of the world fucking sucks at making movies, with rare and amazing exceptions. Our B average just shows that it’s mostly D- in entertainment everywhere.

  2. Southern cooking. It may be really good when properly done, but if you pick a random diner in a small town you’re likely to get unseasoned lumpy grits with a packet of fake butter 🤢

  4. The cheeseburger/burger is basically just a flattened meatball on bread. And I love a good cheeseburger but compared to the other culinary cultures around the world the American cheeseburger is basically lucky to even be considered part of the competition.

  5. Route 66. The real thing hasn’t existed since the 80s. It’s “historic Route 66” now and is nothing but a marketing gimmick and a hell of a lot of driving through boring ass fields.

    Why foreigners treat it as some glorious experience to be had is beyond me.

  6. Car ownership and commuting. I would rather have better public transit and a city designed for people rather than cars.

  12. Road trips, I just don’t see how people can spend multiple days cooped up in a cramped car and enjoy it.

  14. The perceptions that outsiders have who have never been here and have no intention or money to visit yet insist that anything and everything they see about the US on TV or the Web or in movies is always 100% correct.

  16. Pick Up trucks. Most of the people I know that have one even admit themselves that the times they actually use the loading space in a way that wouldn’t also be possible in any other normal car trunk can be counted on one hand if at all.

  17. Nashville or Austin. 10-20 years ago? Both awesome, now they’re shells of their former selves. It’s really sad, I go to Austin for work fairly often (customer based there) and it’s gotten so damn commercial and fake. You can still have a good time but the city has a different vibe.

  18. Downtown LA / Hollywood. The Walk of Fame, the formerly-known-as Mann’s Chinese Theater.

    It’s no more interesting seeing the stars in real life than looking them up online. Hollywood Blvd is dirty and full of people in costume who want you to pay them just for existing.

    Instead, go to Burbank where the movies are actually made. Do a Studio Tour at Warner Bros or just spend a day at Universal Studios theme park. That’s the “real” Hollywood.

  19. Souther hospitality. It’s true they are quick with the yes sir and no ma’ams, but trust me it’s bullshit.

  21. Hollywood Walk of fame. It’s just crappy tourist stores, aggressive people dressed like Elmo and Spider-Man and homeless people.

  23. I fucking hate pints, quarts, teaspoons, tablespoons, cups, fluid ounces in the kitchen. In this one specific case, I fucking hate the imperial system and would gladly go metric.

    (However, I fervently stand by Fahrenheit, and I’m pretty fine with inches, feet and miles.)

  24. Literally, and I do mean LITERALLY, EVERYTHING. 100% overrated. All day. You won’t change my mind.

  25. So many people in prison on minor offenses. Then they can’t get jobs. Thus the downward spiral of life chances meaning going back to prison and feeding the for profit prison industry. Also people in prison for totally unfair reasons like the woman who was told she could vote and got a five year sentence.

  26. The French Quarter/Bourbon Street in New Orleans.

    There are so many fun things to do in New Orleans. There are countless amazing restaurants and attractions.

    Yet, everyone seems to gravitate towards the row of bars where the sidewalks reek of vomit.

  29. Times Square. NYC has so many amazing areas in 4 of the 5 boroughs (just kidding, I’ll include Staten Island too), but Times Square is a weird, stereotypical and corporate environment full of tourist traps like ridiculously expensive gift shops and dumb “celebrities” like the Naked Cowboy. It’s cool to see the lights but definitely a place you can pass through on the way to much better areas.

  30. New York City.
    Yes, it has great restaurants and museums. Central Park is awesome.

    But the city is like a giant embodiment of stress. Rushed, rude, angry people, the worst traffic in the country (I’d say the world, but Mexico City is horrendous) and it is absolutely FILTHY! trash piled everywhere.

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