Here’s What Europeans Really Think of Americans (from an American Expat)
Being an American immigrant to the UK is a pretty wild position to be in right now. I’ve watched from overseas as my country has succumbed to idiocracy, hate, and misogyny.
I’ve never exactly been ashamed to be an American, but for the next 4 years, I might say I’m from Canada.
The people who know me know that I’m not one of them: the ones who voted to implode the economy, extinguish bodily autonomy, and disintegrate human rights. But when I meet new people, I wish I could come with a disclaimer on my forehead: I’m American, not an idiot.
So what do Europeans really think of Americans? I’ve heard it all, so I’m here to spill the dirty details.
Disclaimer: These are the opinions that I have faced, firsthand, as an American who lives in Europe, and is not intended to portray what ALL Europeans think of ALL Americans.
1. They Think We’re Stupid
“I always thought that Americans were all stupid, but you don’t seem stupid”
-Random Norwegian Acquaintance
“Is it true that one in five Americans can’t read?”
-One of my child’s teachers
A fact that isn’t talked about nearly enough in America, but is talked about all the time in the UK, is the fact that 1/5th of our country – 21%, according to the latest statistics – are functionally illiterate (this includes only citizens who speak English as a first language).
Now, that doesn’t mean that they can’t read Go, Dog, Go. It means that over a fifth of our population cannot compute complex information that involves comparing, contrasting, and making inferences.
That means that tasks that seem simple to a literate person – comparing two candidates, their values, their mission, their promises – are extremely difficult for an illiterate person. This likely explains that when Donald Trump says he’ll “make the economy the bestest economy ever,” they take him at his word.
In England, this figure is 16.7%, but England’s population is much smaller. That sixteen percent accounts for 7.1 million people in England, but the 21% of functionally illiterate Americans accounts for 67 million people.
Many European countries boast a functional literacy rate of over 99%, so when Europeans generalize that Americans are stupid, they’re not exactly wrong.
Ironically – or totally unironically – I’ve never met an American who chooses to live in Europe that wears one of the red hats. One benefit of moving out of America is that it separates the wheat from the chaff. You’ll find it easier to meet like-minded people, immigrants and natives alike.
So why do they think we’re stupid, if the Americans who live here are generally well educated and articulate?
Because outside America, the news coverage of America is more unbiased. It’s much easier to find facts, and hear the truth about what’s going on, when you’re not being fed media that caters to one side or the other.
2. They Think We’re Loud
“You’re being the loud American right now”
-Me, to my husband on the tube
The stigma that Americans are the worst tourists, loud and obnoxious? It’s kinda true.
Sitting on a quiet tube ride through Central London yesterday, most people stared at their phones or read a book. But the American tourists were having a discussion so loud that we all looked up and stared.
I want to nudge these people and tell them that they give the rest of us a bad name, but it wouldn’t change their behavior. So why are Americans so loud, and oblivious to how their behavior affects others?
I don’t know for sure, but personally, I think the answer has something to do with entitlement. The Karen phenomenon is mostly an American one, and I’ve encountered many American Karens in the wild on their holidays.
What Americans don’t seem to comprehend is that customer service – you know, “the customer is always right” – is strictly an American thing. If you enter another country with that attitude, and run into service people who make a living wage and don’t rely on tips, you can’t expect the same level of service.
Our volume isn’t just our volume – it’s our inconsideration of others, and our focus only on ourselves. America is a “me, me, me” society, and with entitlement comes disregard for how your behavior affects others.
3. They Think We’re All Fat & Terribly Unhealthy
“Is it true that your restaurant portions are so big that you take the rest home in a box?”
-My Welsh hairdresser
They’re not wrong. Over 41% of American adults are considered obese (by BMI, which is a standard that does not correlate with overall health).
Compare that with the UK’s 28%, France’s 10%, Germany’s 24%, and Denmark’s 14%, it’s an alarming difference. But what many Europeans don’t understand is that our food production, infrastructure, and healthcare have set us up to fail in this regard.
In America, you likely have a car and can’t walk to where you need to go. Food is less regulated, and fruits and veg often cost more than pre-packaged stuff.
Both times I’ve moved to the UK, I’ve lost at least 15 lbs simply by ditching the car and walking.
And healthcare? Get ready to pay. A current discussion in my American Women in the UK group is about the weight loss injection, which is available through the NHS here. If you’re not eligible (it’s calculated by BMI), you can pay for it privately at about $50 per shot.
In America, if your insurance won’t cover it (and many companies don’t), expect to pay between $1,000 and 2,000 per month for the medication.
America has been set up to fail, and there’s no sugar tax that can reverse an entire infrastructure that keeps Americans relying on unhealthy food choices.
4. They Think We’re Not Well-Traveled
“You’ve not been to Iceland?”
-English friend
Europeans are more privileged than Americans in the travel sector, because you can reach other countries within Europe more quickly and more cheaply than in America.
So when Europeans are aghast that I’ve never been to Iceland to see the Northern Lights, they don’t quite realize the time and money it would take to get there from America.
I recently went to Belfast for the weekend, and the airfare cost me $40 per person round trip. The flight was less than an hour.
That same trip from the West Coast of America, where I’m from, would cost over $1,000 per person in airfare alone, and the plane ride would take over 10 hours, plus major jet lag.
Europeans also don’t consider that, for where we’re located, many of us are “well-traveled.” Though states don’t vary as drastically in culture as countries do, for Americans, going from North Carolina to Maine is kind of like the equivalent of going from England to Germany.
Even intra-American travel, however, is much more expensive than intra-European travel. The average cost of a plane ride from New York City to Los Angeles is over $500, and there really are no other options to get all the way across the country (unless you want to drive for 5 days, or spend an equal amount on a train that takes 3 days).
We’re well-traveled in our own way, at least those of us who have the privilege to do so.
5. They Think We’re Nice
“Well, I love that you’re here. We need some American cheer!”
-Fellow PTA parent
Now for a positive note: Europeans, despite their partial disdain for us, do think that we’re kind and generally nice people (most of us – though not the Karens).
Americans smile at strangers, pick items you’ve dropped, hold the door open for you, and are generally sociable and pleasant. Americans offer to help, and have a community spirit that doesn’t exist in a lot of major European cities.
I’ve touched on this before, but Americans have more of a “we’re all in this together” attitude (at least we used to?). Strangers help strangers. Neighbors help neighbors. Many Europeans just keep themselves to themselves.
Why? Because for many Europeans, it’s the government’s job to look after its citizens.
In America, it’s more like every man woman for herself. Americans band together because they have to, and Europeans will do when it’s required, but not as a rule.
6. They Think We’re Passionate
“It seems as though the passion of America has been misdirected.”
-English friend, after the election
No, not passionate in the romantic sense. The general feeling of Americans is that they have big dreams and go after what they want. They’re entrepreneurial, protest injustices, use their voices for change (even if it doesn’t work), and stand up for others.
I think this is generally true – Americans tend to take an interest in lots of subjects, and care deeply about their passions. We tend to be optimistic. We have more joie de vivre than your typical European: we get more excited, more angry, louder, and really engage with the things that excite us.
Unless it’s football, Europeans don’t tend to have as much intensity.
Where does this difference stem from? I think it goes back to safety nets. Most Europeans have always had the government looking out for them. But for Americans, we often do have to fight for and take what we want, because there is no plan B.
The American dream is alive and well, though most people won’t achieve it, because the country has set them up to fail. But we keep pushing, optimistically, with our loud voices, into an uncertain future.
7. They Think We’re All About Consumerism
“Is it true that you go to one big store and get all your groceries for the month?” my Dutch friend asked me some time ago.
For many Americans, yes, that’s how they have to shop. In major European cities, you can’t walk a block without passing a mini-mart, a fruit stand, a butcher, or a grocery store. But in rural America, your closest grocery store might be two hours away.
This is a bit mind-boggling for Europeans, because stricter food regulations here means that milk goes bad in a week, celery wilts after 3 days, and apples get brown before the month is up. We do frequent, small shops in Europe because we can, and we have to if you want fresh food.
In America, it’s more common to do one big weekly or monthly shop, then top up as needed when you’re near a grocery store. Most fruits and vegetables are treated for longer shelf life, so you can – in practicality – shop for the month. In order to store all that food, yes, we have enormous fridges, freezers, and pantries.
But their stigma about American shopping isn’t only about food, it’s about everything else. The Stanley Cup phenomenon, for instance, is mind-boggling to Europeans. “Why are the women on TikTok obsessed with these giant cups?” my same Dutch friend asked me.
It is hard to understand when, in Europe, it’s uncommon to walk around with a massive drink, and even less common to have a giant car with a giant cup holder to hold your massive drink.
I think it really comes down to the American ideal that what you have is what you are. The car you drive, your home decor, and your pink Stanley Cup with accessories (seemingly) defines you and your place in society.
Here, shopping is a necessity and not a hobby (except for the uber-rich ladies who frequent Harrods on a Tuesday afternoon). Sure, there are trends and hot items to have. But who you are in Europe is often more defined (rightly or wrongly) by your accent than what’s in your hand.
8. They Think We’re Weirdly Obsessed With Our Ancestry
“You’re Irish? I’m 7% Irish!”
-That random American at an Irish pub
Yes, Americans are the only ones who do this. No, that Irish person that you met at the bar doesn’t give a shit that your great-great-great-grandfather’s uncle on your mother’s side twice removed was from Dublin. That doesn’t make you Irish.
Where I think this stems from is the general youth of our nation. Compared to the relatively ancient history of England, France, and Spain, America – as we know it – is just a teeny toddler. We’re also fed the pilgrim story with a spoon in our primary schools, so it’s no coincidence that we’re all interested to learn where we came from.
But there is a horrific side to this history: many black Americans will never know which country their ancestors came from. When slave ships dropped them off in America, records of where they came from were scarce to begin with.
This isn’t unique to America, but the history of it is much more recent in the grand scheme of things. And for white Americans, we might not want to know who our ancestors were, especially if they were from the South.
There’s being curious about your heritage, and there’s boasting about your heritage. But if you take an honest look back, you might not like what you find. It’s not always something to brag about, and it’s definitely not something to bring up at the pub.
9. We’re Fun to Hang Out With
“Well, I’d have a round with ye anyday. You’re a fun lot despite your fucked up politics”.
-Scottish friend
Though many Europeans think we’re dumb, entitled, loud, and obnoxious, they’d still love to have a night out with us.
Why? Because we kind of don’t care that we’re “dumb”, entitled, loud, and obnoxious. We have fun, and we’re very good at having fun.
Ask any Englishman if he’d rather have a pint with a Frenchman or an American, and 95% of the time, he’d pick the American. We’re easy to talk to, look on the bright side, and love having a laugh.
We’re kind of like the puppy dog of the friendship group: always happy to have you by our side, always tugging on the leash to lead you somewhere fun, and loyal to a fault.
It’s where our loyalties lie – or, at least 51% of the countries’ loyalties – that’s questionable.
Who Really Cares What Europeans Think of Americans?
When you’re inside the American bubble, it’s easy to not have perspective. But if you plan on leaving the country – either on holiday, or immigrating elsewhere – it’s important to do understand what you’ll be facing.
When you’re in America, it feels like you’re in the center of the world. When you only compare your situation to other Americans, it’s easy to feel entitled, like you’ve got it made.
But outside of America, it’s easy to see that America doesn’t have the best reputation. Right now, in the end of 2024, America really doesn’t have the best reputation.
But to find out what they really think of us, you have to be amongst them. And in doing so, you’ll discover there’s a whole wide world out there, and it’s been waiting for you.
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