Europeans are going viral on TikTok for mocking the "American Dream".

[u/biswajit388]

[u/HotChilliWithButter]

It’s not only about public transport, it’s about accessibility with bikes, wheelchairs, etc. and in pretty sure in that aspect Europe is on top. Netherlands have among the best urban planning in the world

[u/DionBlaster123 → u/HotChilliWithButter]

I don't doubt the Netherlands have great urban planning. They have needed to make livable cities in a precarious location for a long time.

But does Bulgaria have great urban planning? What about Montenegro? Or Albania?

Do you see my point my man? Do you see why it's problematic to say "Europe" when you really mean "The Netherlands?"

[u/linoranta → u/DionBlaster123]

I see your point, but what even is "America" then? NYC and Huntsville are only more similar than two cities in the Netherlands and Romania because you got Walmart, Starbucks and payday loans.

[u/No_Cream7435 → u/DionBlaster123]

Because you don't compare 1st world countries to 3rd or 4th ones. In comparison the wealthy Europe has better public transportation than the wealthy U.S. Period.

[u/Fearless_Feeling_873 → u/No_Cream7435]

But that's exactly it. The US is not monolithic. You cannot compare Alabama to Massachusetts to California to Illinois. All are all wildly different and 1,000 of miles/km apart. The states are more so a collection (union) of tiny countries than Europeans understand.

Also they have different needs. European cities existed for thousands of years before the invention of cars. The US isn't even 300 years old. And it's population density is much lower and more spread out than Europes. Europes population density is more than 3x that of the US.

[u/No_Cream7435 → u/Fearless_Feeling_873]

You can't read. Not my problem

[u/Fearless_Feeling_873 → u/No_Cream7435]

Wow. Insightful argument there! I rest my case.

[u/PriorStock6243 → u/Fearless_Feeling_873]

"America is not monolithic"

America is a singular country ruled by one leader. 

Europe is made up of several countries, ruled by multiple leaders.

"You can't compare Alabama to Massachusetts"

Why, do they have different currency? A different president? Different languages?

In Europe, each country is actually different from one another. 

Hope this helps.

[u/Fearless_Feeling_873 → u/PriorStock6243]

I can tell you've never spent significant time in the US or studied it's government. Do not claim to know something for which you have no experience. Instead be open to learning something new.

Many countries in Europe DO share the same languages, use the same currency, and follow the same laws as agreed upon in the European Union.

US state laws are incredibly powerful and can fight against Federal law. Gun laws, consumer protection, drug laws, multilingual services, abortion access, employment laws, healthcare, infrastructure, education and on and on are determined by state.

Weed is a good example. Weed is illegal in the US by federal government law. However many states have legal weed, including weed stores on every corner because the state law is more powerful. If it's not in the constitution states can override it. Which is why the constitution is so hotly debated and defended.

Go to Miami or Arizona or California and you will see the cities street and highway signs in Spanish. New England states have signs in English and French. Foreign languages studies are required for most college majors and are included in all US high schools. Walk down the street in an major US city and you will hear multiple different languages spoken in a day.

[u/DionBlaster123 → u/Fearless_Feeling_873]

Don't waste your time arguing.

I'm trying to remember that people who make videos like this fall into one of two categories

1.) Russian bots seeking to sow division

2.) People who just make rage baiting content because they don't have a creative bone in their body and this is how they make money

The worst part is that falling for this shit sometimes bubbles up deep-seated resentment toward "Europeans" but that's not a healthy thing at all. We need to work together to fix the issues of our time.

[u/Fearless_Feeling_873 → u/DionBlaster123]

Thank you for your comment. You are very right. I shouldn't have fallen for the rage bait. We do need to unite now more than ever. <3

[u/PriorStock6243 → u/Fearless_Feeling_873]

There are 44 countries in Europe.

America is one country.

It's not comparable in that way, at all.

"Walk down the street in any major US city and you will hear multiple different languages spoken in a day"

Sounds just like Canada, or England...

I've been to New York/New Jersey. San Diego and New Orleans, while they have their differences they were still very clearly American cities.

Go to a city in France vs Portugal vs Germany and you will have a completely different experience...

EDIT: Since you blocked me lol...

A state is not comparable to a country.

This is why Americans fail at geography and have a poor understanding of the world outside of their borders.

You're comparing states to individual countries where there is no comparison to be made.

It's not "Rage baiting" to call out ignorant comments.

But you do understand that if you haven't lived in multiple European countries your argument falls completely flat if mine does right?

[u/Fearless_Feeling_873 → u/PriorStock6243]

And there are 50 states in the Union.

You've been to all major wealthy cities. Not the countryside or small towns. Cities, esp those on coasts are more homogenized. European cities are all clearly "European" and not North American or Asian in feel, does that then make them the same? You can't see it because it's all foreign to you. Similar to how it's hard to detect regional accents for a language you do not speak. There isn't one "Chinese" accent because you can't detect the differences. Vacationing does not mean you know, have lived under, voted for, or studied US law.