The United States may not be perfect – and it is certainly often criticized by Americans and non-Americans alike – but there are some very good things about life here, in my humble opinion. Recently, Redditor u/Cass979 asked, “Americans (US): What’s good about your country?” Both Americans and non-Americans have provided truly thoughtful, important, and inspiring responses. Here is what they said.
1.
“The United States is HUGE! You can go on just about any type of vacation without leaving the country. We have beaches, mountains, deserts, snow, high culture, big cities, small rural towns, etc. The only limit is your time and your budget.”
2.
“It’s one of those rare nations that still gives you a chance for upward mobility through hard work. I know it might be controversial, but compared to many nations on earth, the opportunity is better.”
3.
“The fact that when you go to a restaurant they just give you a gigantic glass of ice water for free.”
4.
“The United States has 63 national parks and thousands of state parks. They preserve some of the most beautiful places in America.”
5.
“30 year fixed rate mortgages. As an American living in Scotland due to refinance in July, I can confirm this is truly special.”
6.
“I live in Seattle and I love that you can find any type of food from anywhere in the world if you look closely. I’ve traveled all over the US and every city has its own food history since most families are from somewhere else.”
seven.
“I’m a naturalized American citizen. I’ve lived here for 12 years now and I’m still in awe and in disbelief how amazing the public libraries are here.”
8.
“Our obsession with air conditioning. I love that during the summer you walk into any store and need a coat despite it being 100 degrees outside”
9.
“Halloween season. I love the whole spooky season in America. I live in the UK now, and they just don’t do it here like they do in the US. You don’t see houses lit up and decorated with pumpkins, and you don’t really see any Halloween-themed treats. Halloween is gaining momentum here thanks to TikTok and other social media, so hopefully we’ll embrace the state of the art more. American spirit where people aren’t afraid to let out their inner child and put on a silly costume.
ten.
“The Americans With Disabilities Act. I hadn’t realized how important it was to have reserved parking spaces, wide, clean sidewalks, accessible bathrooms, and ramps at building entrances to that my brother is in a wheelchair.”
11.
“In general, despite how the media might portray it or how much the United States is criticized for racism, the United States is by far the most culturally diverse country. don’t have as big a problem with racism because they’re mostly homogeneous and the outliers are usually well integrated in. If you see a black man, an Asian, a Caucasian, and an Indian all hanging out in the United States, no one don’t move an eye. But if you have that same group somewhere else? People would look like you’re looking at a group of aliens.”
12.
“Innovation. The United States has been home to nearly every major invention of the past two hundred years, and even though we’re laughed at for being stupid, we still have some of the smartest people in the world.”
13.
“Our hot smoked meats, which are Central Texas brisket, Carolina smoked pork and everything in between. We make the best of the best. I’ve traveled much of the world and eaten everywhere, and our smoked brisket is in a league of its own.”
14.
“Beer culture. I had a colleague who traveled with me to the Pacific Northwest from France and he was absolutely blown away by the beer culture there. Budweiser and Coors are NOT all that we have to offer. There are tens of thousands of microbreweries. Even in small towns, you can often find a good tavern to try the local stuff, often with 20 or more beers on tap.”
15.
“Road trips. Nowhere – and I mean nowhere – does better road trips than the United States. It’s one of the most fun things you can do if you’re here. The system The freeway is great and well connected, you can drive just fine from Maine to California, or Barrow, Alaska to Key West, Florida. It’s one of the greatest experiences of living in the United States.”
16.
“Of course, there is red tape, but you can still work in any industry in the United States. You can also change careers and start over at any time.”
17.
“Our space program! It’s so impressive that even a space nerd like me can totally forget there’s a mission going on – I had no idea DART had even been launched until a few days ago. before the mission.”
18.
“We have Dark Sky Protected National Parks, which have many rules against light pollution and are amazing for stargazing and photography.”
19.
“America’s bureaucracies. I know most people like to complain about things like the DMV and the IRS. But the system of American bureaucracies does more to make the world a better place than people think. The amount of money and manpower spent collecting and deciphering the data is hard to fathom NOAA, for example, collects weather data used by every news channel, every weather agency, every government and military force, etc. .impacts on billions of lives.”
20.
“The fact that I can pee and moan and criticize the government and/or the president and not fear official retaliation is pretty awesome.”
21.
“We have so many choices of cereals for breakfast.”
22.
“It might not show up in the news or even on social media, but the diversity in the United States is truly amazing. I’ve never been out of the country, but I find it good that here in the United States , you can get a taste of almost anything. It might not be perfectly authentic, but at least you can get a taste.”
23.
“Access to public education for children with special needs is a right guaranteed by law. And these protections are stronger and the educational service for children with special needs is better than in most other countries of the world.”
24.
“Restaurant substitutions and alterations. When I visited Spain, I couldn’t find anywhere that allowed me to substitute or change things. Everything had to be ordered as listed on the menu. No, you don’t You can’t substitute ketchup on your burger for barbecue sauce. Here in the US, substitutions are generally allowed without issue.”
25.
“Our hospitals. The Cleveland Clinic and Mayo Clinic are among the best hospitals in the world. Most of the top 50 hospitals in the world are in the United States. Our healthcare system may be flawed in many ways, but the work that what hospitals are doing is second to none.”
26.
“You can drive only a few states and everything looks completely different.”
27.
“People in the United States are almost universally friendly. It’s our culture. You say hello to strangers and ask how they are even if you’ve never met them. It’s our little chat to start a conversation, whether you be in a store, restaurant, or just walking down the street.”
28.
“I always hear complaints about portion sizes, which is fair – they’re big. But we have to give America credit for how socially acceptable it is to bring home leftover food. As a frugal Dutchman, that fascinates me, and I’m very sad that it’s not so acceptable here.”
29.
“Large living spaces. I live in Hong Kong and the average size of our apartments is around 300-500 square feet. If you’re in an apartment over 1,000 square feet, that’s considered super luxurious .”
What do you admire, appreciate, love, or even take for granted about living in the United States? Tell us in the comments.
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