Americans tend to think that our culture is the default. But plenty of aspects of our culture are unique to the United States or at the very least totally weird to almost every other country. Someone asked the people of Reddit to share the things that are considered totally normal in the U.S. that are seen as extremely bizarre in other places. If you are American, some of these might shock you.

10 things Americans think are normal that are so weird to the rest of the world

The US Sun

A DAD-OF-FIVE died after mistakenly pouring washing detergent on a bowl of cornflakes instead of milk, an inquest has heard. Tom McDonald was rushed to St Vincent’s University Hospital (SVUH) in Dublin on March 9, 2023, after his daughter realised he had accidentally poisoned himself. “It was so quick – he was perfectly well and […]

Dad-of-five with dementia died after accidentally pouring washing detergent on his cornflakes instead of milk

American idioms are as colorful as they are confusing. Filled with references to sports, poetry, animals, and even pasta, they often leave non-native speakers scratching their heads. Even many Americans are stumped by the origins of these 24 quirky phrases when they pause to think about them. 1: Shoot the...

24 Phrases Most Americans Say But Can’t Explain

Ever found yourself in a foreign country and when you used a common turn-of-phrase in American English, it confused someone? Americans have a treasure trove of quirky sayings that make perfect sense to native speakers but can leave our international friends scratching their heads—even those who grew up speaking English in the UK or Australia.

21 sayings Americans love that use that confuse people abroad

Everyone makes grammatical mistakes, even the most well-versed English speakers. However, you’ll be hard-pressed to hear these frequent slip-ups from your English-loving friends. How many of these grammatical fails are you guilty of making?. 1: You Made the Bed. A major grammatical mistake Americans make is misusing “lay” and...

16 Cringe-Worthy Grammatical Fails Americans Repeatedly Make

Upworthy

If we looked 60 years into the past, there are a lot of things that were accepted as “normal” that today most people find abhorrent. For example, people used to smoke cigarettes everywhere. They’d light up in hospitals, schools and even churches.People also used to litter like crazy. It’s socially unacceptable now, but if you lived in the ’70s and finished your meal at McDonald’s, you’d chuck your empty styrofoam container (remember those?) and soda cup right out of the window of your car and onto the street.

People are sharing the weirdest things we accept as 'normal’ and it has people questioning reality

A COUPLE have revealed how they quit their previous life to travel the world in a van. Nik and Yas, both aged 29, ditched their 9-5 jobs and stable home to live in a pimped up caravan that cost them £11,000. The pair revealed that they were inspired to...

We quit our 9-5 jobs and home to live in a £11K van – it halved our rent and bills but there are downsides too

It is shocking to think about how far we have come as a society regarding technology. The rapid pace at which new inventions have soared in recent years means things are changing incredibly fast, and some old ways of doing things got lost along the way. Before computers, we had...

20 Things That Were Normal When Our Parents Grew Up But Now Seem Totally Weird

The Atlantic

It’s a need that government subsidies and better family policy can’t necessarily address.

The Real Reason People Aren’t Having Kids

New York Post

He’s a money-making mini-mogul.

A plucky South Florida tween with business on the brain found himself a rather sophisticated side hustle this summer — owning and operating his very own vending machine. 

Adrian Peña, 12, decided to take a bite out of the snack racket after a TikTok how-to video awakened his entrepreneurial spirit. 



The middle school-aged munchie merchant looked at his savings, figured out his budget and began scouring eBay and Facebook for a second-hand machine — which he wound up purchasing for $1,500. 

“I did my research,” Peña proudly told The Post of his new venture. 

Survey reveals top time-wasters for...

My Gen Alpha kid bought a vending machine as a summer side hustle — it’s been a great life lesson

Decluttering with your parents? Try these 7 tips to make the process easier. As a professional declutterer, I've seen first-hand the tensions between the generations when it's time for Mom or Dad (or both) to move out of the family home. The kids want to help, but it's a short road from obliging to impatient when watching Dad dither over whether or not to keep Grandpa's broken fountain pen.

Take Mom's Old Knickknacks!

Colorado State

Contributors represent independent, third-party users who have joined our contributor program and self-verified their accounts. They have also demonstrated their experience writing hard news for other outlets. Contributors are expected, like all users, to adhere to our Community Standards.

contributor

David Heitz

A bill quietly introduced this spring in the Colorado legislature to decriminalize the possession of drug paraphernalia obtained by harm reductionists has become law. As low-key as the legislation was introduced, the bill was signed into law without fanfare June 6. It garnered little to no media attention.

Colorado legalizes needles, pipes for meth and crack if obtained by harm reduction group

Virginia State

Community Voices represent independent, third-party users who have joined our contributor program but not yet verified their accounts. Community Voices are expected, like all users, to adhere to our Community Standards.

community_voice

Kentucky Vibes.net

Disclaimer: This article was written with the help of A.I. software. On July 28, 2024, a TikTok video posted by Erica W., known as @tasteofmelanin on the platform, garnered significant attention after she exposed disturbing racist decorations in an Airbnb rental. The incident occurred in a rental property that Erica had booked, although the exact location remains unspecified. The video has since gone viral, prompting widespread concern and leading to the removal of the listing from Airbnb's platform.

Airbnb Listing Taken Down After Black Woman Finds Hanging Monkeys and Cotton Used As Decor

A GYPSY woman has revealed the truth about travelling and how it's much harder than it looks. Charlotte Ann took to social media to show just how hard the nomadic lifestyle was - something she wasn't sure she was ready for. She said: "Genuinely don't know how the travellers years...

I’m a gypsy living in a caravan, it’s so hard when you’re on the move – my home looks bald and it is exhausting

Wisconsin State

BuzzFeed

"I'm so glad it's no longer common to smoke inside buildings. Back then, you went everywhere, and mostly everyone was smoking — no matter if it was on an airplane, in a restaurant, in a hospital, in the car, etc."

"It's So Cringey." Older Adults Are Calling Out The "Beloved" Past Trends That They Can't Stand Now

Douglas, GA

Daily Coffee Press

A local Walmart employee was recently arrested on a misdemeanor charge after allegedly stealing over $60 worth of merchandise from the store. Additionally, she faced a felony charge after officers discovered suspected methamphetamine in her locker during the arrest.

Douglas Walmart Employee Arrested for Methamphetamine Possession and Shoplifting

If you live long enough, you’ll revert to the ways of infancy, no teeth, poor eyesight, can’t walk, always drooling, peeing and messing up yourself. It’s not pretty, as both ends of the age range are similar. They do say, ‘Once a man, twice a child.’

Old Age Sucks

WE'VE all been there, walking around the supermarket and giving your little one a little snack from the shelves before actually paying for it. Maybe you've even done it yourself with a bottle of water or nibbled on a the end of baguette that looked too good to wait for.

Is it illegal to eat food in a supermarket before paying for it? The truth about parents’ common distraction technique

Greg Wilson, CFA

Getting older is a fact of life, but there are many tough realities that come along with it that often get overlooked. While some parts are liberating, plenty of challenges make the aging process difficult to navigate at times.

31 Hardest Parts of Getting Old That No One Wants To Talk About (With Video)

North Carolina State

Boone, NC

Town Talks

Looking for a laid-back summer getaway? North Carolina has you covered with its charming small towns, perfect for a long weekend escape. Southern Living recently recognized our state by including four North Carolina towns in their list of "The 15 Most Adorable Small Towns for a Summer Getaway."

4 North Carolina Small Towns Named Most Adorable In The South

Economic Hardship Reporting Project

NewsBreak

Tired of Losing

Co-published by Economic Hardship Reporting Project and Slate. In a sleepy Washington state beach town roughly five miles from the U.S.–Canada border, you’ll find Birch Bay...

Tired of Losing

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