This summer I spent time in Germany, Sweden and Iceland. I have been to Europe several times in the past. I have never had so many people give me a lecture about why the USA is now destroying their country and the world by extension.

When I worked at an international institution summers during college all I met were polite, well behaved Brits. Gracious, and everything the Brits like to think about themselves, and the Americans are deluded enough to think about them. A decade later I worked for a British man who was insufferably rude to the employees under him. A highly educated man working in a prestigious institution. But that was only one person out of many positive experiences, and I put it down to the individual. Then I moved to Loudoun, and found several British equestrians in my neighborhood. They were the WORST. They were rude to me, and they were rude to my young child. In fact, one British couple regularly insulted me -- I mean, they called me names and shouted at me, without provocation on my part -- in the presence of my child. It was rather twilight zone-y. Eventually I encountered the husband walking his dogs unleashed, as usual, on our private lane, a couple of miles from his house, walking down the middle of the private lane refusing to move to the side to allow me to drive past. This is not a publicly maintained road. It's private property, owned by the people who live on this lane. He launched into his usual insulting condescending speel when I politely asked him to move to the side of the road so I could drive past him. I lost my temper this time, and shouted back at him. I told him to go back to England so he wouldn't impose his ugly visage on Americans any further. Their behavior was rude beyond belief. Eventually, other neighbors who'd had enough of these idiots ran them out of the community. We had moved by then, and other former neighbors told me about it.

I don't think they are rude... but they are "dry". i love British humour thou.

Anonymous wrote:Most Brits I know are polite, but even left wingers are contemptuous of people in lower social classes.

They are also easily shocked by behavior that doesn't conform. Europeans live in such close quarters that behavior is much more regulated (Swiss apartments assign residents hours to use the washing machines, no one can build a building without an archaeologist's evaluation, no one talks on public transit as personal space is so closely guarded etc.). The tendency of Americans to do what they want shocks them so much that they sometimes question your behavior in a away that Am ericans would find intrusive.

Heavens, not freedom!

Anonymous wrote:Most Brits I know are polite, but even left wingers are contemptuous of people in lower social classes.

They are also easily shocked by behavior that doesn't conform. Europeans live in such close quarters that behavior is much more regulated (Swiss apartments assign residents hours to use the washing machines, no one can build a building without an archaeologist's evaluation, no one talks on public transit as personal space is so closely guarded etc.). The tendency of Americans to do what they want shocks them so much that they sometimes question your behavior in a away that Am ericans would find intrusive.

That makes SO much sense. Thank you for this post getting at the root of the issue

Most Brits I know are polite, but even left wingers are contemptuous of people in lower social classes.

They are also easily shocked by behavior that doesn't conform. Europeans live in such close quarters that behavior is much more regulated (Swiss apartments assign residents hours to use the washing machines, no one can build a building without an archaeologist's evaluation, no one talks on public transit as personal space is so closely guarded etc.). The tendency of Americans to do what they want shocks them so much that they sometimes question your behavior in a away that Am ericans would find intrusive.

I thought Brits were polite until I met a rude one.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DH is British and I don't think he'd argue with you. On the one hand, Brits can be incredibly polite and never really tell you if they're upset, offended, etc. On the other hand, many, particularly the younger ones think Americans are obnoxious and full of themselves. They hate Trump and perhaps group us all together. The worst is when they hear things like us chanting 'USA USA USA.' They don't understand all the patriotic stuff and think we're arrogant. These are obviously vast generalizations and not always the case. What kind of snide comments are you hearing, OP?

That's exactly it- basically comments about "obnoxious Americans". Which I can KIND OF understand in the context of cultural differences and not liking Trump, etc- however, when it moves over into "Americans have no sense of humor" "Americans have the worst food" "Americans all dress like slobs" I start to think it's just flat out unacceptable generalized rudeness

This.

I have a British friend who was constantly putting the US down. I always felt like reminding her that nobody forced her to move here, get a job, get a green card.....if it's so awful, why are you here?

This is so interesting to me because I've never met a rude Brit. Even in London, people seemed to love to talk to the American and they were all very friendly.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When you're the best, people are naturally envious. It's a lot to ask when you're the best for people to also give up their competitive nature and just love you also. If I were a competitive person from Britain I would feel trapped in a euro country where they throw impediments in front of trying to achieve your dreams. I would feel like I was missing out by not being an American citizen .

HAHAHA, yes I am sure you would miss not being an American citizen who thinks the UK is a euro country....

NP. What continent do you think Britain is located on?

DP, what continent it is located on? Why none, it is an island and while us Continentals might think it is part of Europe, British people certainly do not.

So it's is own continent? Interesting. Someone really needs to notify the Royal Geographical Society. Time to redraw the maps

Geography nerd

Not really. Anyone with a second grade education knows that there's 7 continents...

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When you're the best, people are naturally envious. It's a lot to ask when you're the best for people to also give up their competitive nature and just love you also. If I were a competitive person from Britain I would feel trapped in a euro country where they throw impediments in front of trying to achieve your dreams. I would feel like I was missing out by not being an American citizen .

HAHAHA, yes I am sure you would miss not being an American citizen who thinks the UK is a euro country....

NP. What continent do you think Britain is located on?

DP, what continent it is located on? Why none, it is an island and while us Continentals might think it is part of Europe, British people certainly do not.

So it's is own continent? Interesting. Someone really needs to notify the Royal Geographical Society. Time to redraw the maps

Geography nerd

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When you're the best, people are naturally envious. It's a lot to ask when you're the best for people to also give up their competitive nature and just love you also. If I were a competitive person from Britain I would feel trapped in a euro country where they throw impediments in front of trying to achieve your dreams. I would feel like I was missing out by not being an American citizen .

HAHAHA, yes I am sure you would miss not being an American citizen who thinks the UK is a euro country....

NP. What continent do you think Britain is located on?

DP, what continent it is located on? Why none, it is an island and while us Continentals might think it is part of Europe, British people certainly do not.

So it's is own continent? Interesting. Someone really needs to notify the Royal Geographical Society. Time to redraw the maps

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When you're the best, people are naturally envious. It's a lot to ask when you're the best for people to also give up their competitive nature and just love you also. If I were a competitive person from Britain I would feel trapped in a euro country where they throw impediments in front of trying to achieve your dreams. I would feel like I was missing out by not being an American citizen .

HAHAHA, yes I am sure you would miss not being an American citizen who thinks the UK is a euro country....

NP. What continent do you think Britain is located on?

DP, what continent it is located on? Why none, it is an island and while us Continentals might think it is part of Europe, British people certainly do not.

Why are they rude? Let me count the ways -

-They used to be a dominant world power. Now, not so much.
-Their country has now become pretty crappy overall.
-Their monarchy is now little more than tabloid fodder.
-What was the last industry they dominated? It's not the '60's any more.
- Watch any episode of House Hunters International. It is *usually* some Brit desperate to move out of there.

So sad...

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When you're the best, people are naturally envious. It's a lot to ask when you're the best for people to also give up their competitive nature and just love you also. If I were a competitive person from Britain I would feel trapped in a euro country where they throw impediments in front of trying to achieve your dreams. I would feel like I was missing out by not being an American citizen .

HAHAHA, yes I am sure you would miss not being an American citizen who thinks the UK is a euro country....

NP. What continent do you think Britain is located on?