If you don’t know less than 50% of Americans have a passport. The ones who don’t, I really see the limitation in their thinking. They never saw that most of the world is in fact freer than them, has a better system in place for their people, and doesn’t have some of the major problems that America has. I’m currently in a country where over 90% of items are made in that country. America (made in China) can’t comprehend this efficiency. P.S. I’m American
The thing that gets me though is how dangerous many Americans say other parts of the world is without having ever been there lol. I travel and I’ll tell you America is the MOST dangerous country outside of warzones. Yes even more dangerous that Arab countries for women. Lol I know that propaganda is in a lot of Americans minds.
OK so who’s actually been outside the country and can talk geopolitics and actually know from experience what they are talking about?
I love to travel and I’ve been very fortunate to visit many countries outside the US. I just spent 3 weeks in Iceland.
I think it’s a shame that more people don’t have the interest or means to travel outside the country more frequently because I think it provides a lot of perspective about the reality of other countries and America vs the image that America portrays of itself and other countries.
I’ve visited Switzerland and was very impressed by their infrastructure, not just their public transit but what they built way up in the mountains. Lots of little things like dams, waterwheels, gondolas, little railways to small towns. Amazing stuff you’d never see in the United States
I’ve been to Korea multiple times and every time I come back I dislike the US a bit more. From what I could see, the quality of everything, from food products to infrastructure to safety to interpersonal interactions with strangers, was better in Korea. Oh did I mention healthcare, dental, and vision? I don’t have insurance there but all are super affordable and very fast.
The US is inferior in nearly every way and I don’t understand why Americans are okay with that. Even our food is largely bad for consumption, like what the hell is wrong with us?
Several times. I’ve been to Sweden, Denmark, Spain, Germany, Italy, and Egypt once. It’s easy to travel in Europe if you live there.
Yeah, I’ve traveled to Europe and loved every second of it. I would say the most dangerous place I have been to was within two hours of the Ukraine border. It only felt dangerous at the time because this was right when the war started and I wasn’t sure how it was going to unfold. I made a plan to bug out quickly if I had to. The biggest problem in parts of Europe is trying not to get scammed as a tourist and there are a lot of tourists scams. It never felt unsafe to walk around at night or anything like that. 10/10 experience and would recommend.
No, sadly.
American here, currently sitting in the AFT cafeteria of a Norwegian cruise ship just off the coast of France. Saved for years to go on this once in a lifetime cruise.
I grew up on the edge of poor. Had basics and never went hungry, but our summer vacations were camping because it was cheap. Never went to Disneyland until I was in the Army and could afford it myself.
While I agree that going abroad is definitely eye opening, even traveling to other states increases your open-mindedness. I joined the Army and was stationed in Alabama, Georgia, Alaska and Washington. Going back home and reuniting with friends who never left the state or even left the general area was kind of shocking. Never being exposed to an even slightly different environment really showed in their attitude.
While I was in the Army, I was sent to Missouri and a couple of other states I can’t remember right now for a month or so for training or field problems, and short trips show how even though I was still in the same country, there were definitely societal, geographical and political differences in each place.
Expanding that to traveling other countries was also eye opening. The Army sent me to Thailand for a month. My current job sent me to Australia and S. Korea and a couple of other states for 2-3 weeks at a time. I liked hitting the tourist spots, but I really enjoyed just watching people wherever I am. Once you see that (for the most part) people are people, you start to get that just because someone’s idea is different than yours, doesn’t mean it’s wrong, it’s just different.
Honestly, even if Americans can’t afford to get a passport to travel, so many never leave the area they are born. Many don’t leave thier regions. Many also do, but I’ve met townies… I am a townie I guess, but even just living in a city myself for a time, opened my eyes.
Many of the bigoted people I’ve met have never left thier rural enclaves, and shockingly, they’re afraid of cities (big and small) and anyone not like them, they shit all over anyone not born the same hospital they were. Is it ignorance? Fear? Insecurity? I don’t know, I don’t understand the mentality.
The United States is so large, so diverse, of course traveling abroad would be cool, but I wish more could simply travel our own country for a start, hell even just different areas of their own state might help some people I know broaden their horizons.
I don’t have much to say about geopolitics off the top of my head, but I used to scoff at pedestrian-friendly designs and subscribe to the idea that car ownership is freedom and roads are for cars only. Living in Germany for a few months and enjoying public transit made me perish those old thoughts.
Among developed nations, the US should not get any awards for safety, but I would argue that there’s certainly worse out there without venturing into warzones.
The only place I can think of that gives America a run forward to money with gun violence, spontaneous for no reason, without gang members or cartels, is Brazil.
Yes, funny that you mentioned the American perception of danger.
Any time I mention visiting a country outside of western europe / the caribbean tourist hell- I literally get told I’m going to be chopped up or murdered.
I think any american willing to travel outside of the aforementioned places is someone with a mind already changed. For me it only confirmed what I already knew about the rest of the world.
And some of your replies are very correct, and a surface level conversation with most american hogs will prove it: the majority have not traveled abroad and many aren’t even well versed in the states / workings of their own country.
American centrism aah post
Could you share the link to your post that doesn’t focus on the USA?
No. I grew up poor. I was a poor young adult. Now I’m okay, but now I’m concerned with possibly ending up poor again. It’s like a stone around my neck.
Got a passport though. I’d love to be able to just move to another country (I swear I will learn whatever language I gotta, do my best to integrate, and not be too “outspoken American” if that is heavily frowned upon).
I believe you can do it.
Who is going to pay for such a luxury? Im not even sure if i would go if given money. Id probably just pay for a better car.
What’s the point in going somewhere else? Its just desperate working class people scrounging what they can to pay for living expenses in a different location.
Traveling is depressing as fuck.
Something I really envy is the EU controls on food. Much of what passes for food here in the US is heavily processed, GMO, misleadingly labeled, etc.
it’s just the corporate way… lie, cheat, steal and murder.
Very true. Americans eat food not even fit for low beast. They think nutella is healthy and French fries are good because “Potato is vegie”. I’ve literally heard people say this in person. I had to leave them to eat slop on their own
I’ve only travelled outside of America.
Had some ideas about visiting the US for Gencon, but 2025 doesn’t seem like a good year for that.
37 countries 42 states Bachelors degree in international relations and international political economy
Every place is normal. People live there. Every place has dangers 🤷🏻♀️
Yup. American living in Germany for 2.5 years now, been traveling all over EU and UK…the world is a huge place and there’s a LOT of people. Most of them never think about the states and will never have any reason to. Germany may not be my favorite place, especially since i really struggle with the language so i know i dont fully understand a lot of things here. But the EU in general has a lot of things going way better.
With that said…everywhere always has its own issues as well. The grass isn’t always completely greener, if you will.
