What is a social norm in America that you feel is ridiculous?

Social norms that are deemed acceptable, not "what I think is wrong with america".
What do you dislike in the life here in the USA but were not ready to express your opinion.
I know that many social norms are not acceptable but who is ready to tell us which?

 

No bike lanes and our sidewalks are crap.

 

Adults wearing "kid's clothing" like American Eagle and Abercrombie and Fitch.

Obesity in general.

Overconsumption of media (with average American spending 40 hours per week in front of some type of screen).

 

That drugs are bad.

 

I would say the misconception between drug use and drug abuse

..we have a normal understanding that most people who drink alcohol are not addicts, but we do not hold this same understanding for illegal drugs. We make little to no distinction between drug users and drug addicts

 

Almost being afraid of becoming a racist. Using African American as a more "acceptable" way of saying that someone is black. How the hell would that possibly matter. Its gotten so bad that a girl in my history class ended up calling people in Africa African American because she was scared of saying black. And yet somehow saying someone is white is fine...?

 

that Obama is the first black president... instead of an american president... because I guess black people aren't americans, only african-americans...

hey what do you call a black person born in france... french...
hey what do you call a black person born in germany... german...
hey what do you call a black person born in america... african-american...

what do you call an actual immigrant from africa, who becomes a citizen... american... (they seem to be offended when you say otherwise)

they often struggled and worked hard to become an american citizen, and they think its a special thing to say they are an american... why can't we learn that...

hey what do you call a white person born in france... french...
hey what do you call a white person born in germany... german...
hey what do you call a white person born in america... caucasian...

when will WE learn everything we do to define people by color is racist... WE ARE AMERICANS...

 

One of the social norms that's embedded in our culture which bugs me because I can't seem to break myself of the habit is when I want to express empathy for someone who is grieving, or suffered some kind of tragedy, is saying, "I'll pray for you".


I don't believe prayer does anything, except for the person doing the prayer. It also bugs me when somebody says they will pray for me. I know they mean well, but it's a useless phrase. I know a more appropriate response would be to say, "you're in my thoughts" or just letting me know they are there if I need someone to talk to.


There are so many social shorthands like these that we take for granted that really don't mean anything other than a social courtesy, and most all of them are rooted in a religious context. We say these things out of reflex, especially to total strangers.


Sort of like when Southerners say "bless your heart" to someone, what they're really saying is, you're a real idiot aren't you?

 

We have become even more prudish about being uncovered than we were in the 70's 80's and 90's. Folks are treating the human body as visually offensive in ways and degrees they did not in my youth. I am not talking about the 'full monty' either. I am talking about jogging without shirt, or being nude in locker rooms or feeling like if you are overweight you, have to wear a tank top in a public pool.

 

Incredible. Simply beyond belief. Are you two really Cheech & Chong? A doper is a doper.

 

"Have a nice day"
Enjoy!

 

I live in Texas so...

That everywhere I go or work, someone has to speak Spanish
This is America, official language English, welcome to our country but learn the language

And how some people seem to be miffed if no one speaks Spanish

 

At what point does one become a "doper"?

 

How cursing is considered a big deal. Curse words are just words, and nobody needs to be sheltered from them. Though it seems like as the older generation dies off, this is improving.

How sexual things in the media are considered more serious than violence. Cutting a head off? PG-13, but showing a breast? You get an R rating now.

 

People who start threads, never participate, get banned, then come back under new names and continue doing so.

 

that I must say "Happy Holidays" because someone might be offended if I say "Merry Christmas" to them...

during the kids christmas program, renamed the holiday program (at a catholic school), they were told to wish everyone a happy holidays at the door when greeting people for the show... it was christmas eve... and we were at a school church... celebrating christmas... and they still couldn't say merry christmas...

P.S. I should note that principal is no longer at the school after that year... it was her 2nd year there... guess she wasn't working out...

 

And titties can't hang out on the beach

 

The social norm that miffs me the most is grade-school Hispanic children that are born in the US, and after having lived off the largesse of the American, English-speaking tax payer, can not speak English when they start school.

It irks me the in-your-face disrespect Hispanic mothers show for the people who pay for their food, rent, clothing, cell phones, etc.The least they could do is learn English and teach it to their children like the Asian immigrants do.

In some schools in Eastern Washington, where there are more Hispanic students than American, the teacher spends half the day translating the lesson from English to Hispanic. This is BS, and is not fair to the American children. Hispanic children who do not speak English are a drag on the education system.

 

FCCCK YOU! I grew up in a Greek immigrant family and didn't know English when I started school! FCcck your language eat shht.

And all these Hispanics bust their butts working harder than you, they do all the jobs weak asss Americans aren't strong enough to do. Like landscaping for instance. They work HARDER THAN REPUBLICANS.

 

Calm down... no need to get yourself infracted.

I agree they work hard but he was referring to grade school children.

As for Republicans, you are correct.
Thus, they are the ones providing the landscaping jobs at their homes.

 

America has no official language. English is just the most common one.

 

I think you are taking what he said way to personal. . I agree with tidbit. I know of people in the town that I live who have lived here for 14 years and have 5 year old kids who do not speak English. I find that unacceptable. One of these people I a translator for the bank. When asked why her kid did not speak english, she said she is Mexican and it is not her job to teach her kids english. I find this to be bull s***.

 

I think that many ... too many ... have forgotten the pride of good manners and to be considered ladies and gentlemen..........

 

It may not constitutionally be the Official language...But I would say that if you polled the American people they would tell you it is English, 28 of the 50 states recognize it as the official language...
And anywhere I have gone in the world, you have to pay to have official documents translated to English, then pay to have them translated back to the native language. Maybe if we started charging people $10 for that voting card written in Spanish or whatever...more people would learn the language.

 

PC in general. I'm overly frightened of offending someone because you really have no idea what they could do. I don't like having to talk around pins and needles because a liberal might get their panties in a wad. You have to be so careful in the workplace compared to maybe a decade ago.

The other norm is simply diversity in everything. There just has to be diversity even if there is no reason for it. It's just shoved in your face.

Just came back from Quebec. I have to say, any Canadian here who claims they're diverse is Fracking clueless. I could count the number on NON white people on 1 hand the week I was there. Diversity isn't a bad thing but it's also not something to strive for because it accomplishes nothing. Being diverse doesn't make anything better except in your own head. If it happens naturally great. Otherwise keep your overly PC bull crap to yourself.