I was today years old when I realized how weird it was/is for the US school system to make us say the pledge of allegiance every morning in school. I literally forgot we did that.
I’m from Texas, and we do a state pledge for too! I only realized how weird that was when I asked someone from college what their state pledge was 😂🤦🏾♀️
I agreed with you. I stopped saying the pledge of allegiance in my junior and senior year of high school. People thought I was being rude, but I realized there is no point for me saying it. Because once you go to college you don’t say it... I don’t understand why the United States make us say the pledge of the allegiance?
@@nitabby have you ever thought that maybe just like you claim to be tricked to think that the usa is great, now you are tricked to think its not. and in both times you are just a sheep on the bandwagon of trends ?
It depends on the type of job you have but yes, basically for most people it’s automatically deducted from wages. A lot of employers use “PAYE” which basically means “pay as you earn”. We do still often get rebates at the end of the tax year as you may well have paid more than you owed once a full calculation has been made including your “tax free allowance” of around £11,000. If you’re self employed, you do your own taxes though so it’s not available to everyone. It’s a simple system so it’s not like employers are hiring a tax lawyer to do each employees taxes, it’s somewhat automated and then calculated by the HMRC (Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs).
Not all taxes though. For example, in Russia the employer pays your income tax but you still have to pay your property taxes (for your house/flat, car etc) at the end of the year
They do that in Canada, taxes, unemployment it’s all stream lined and done for you. You can even request a higher percentage if you want to be deducted.
I’m glad that as Americans we are all collectively realizing how weird and cult-like it can be!! I literally forgot about the pledge of allegiance until one of my friends who isn’t from the US asked me about it a few months ago and then I realized why the fuuuck did we have to do that??? lolll
As a European when I hear pledge of alliegiance everyday in school I think about hitler, cause that’s what we were told was part of a dictature, a brainwashing of the children.
even tho i know that a healthcare system in canada or france would probably be better than the current usa insurance...BUT getting taxed and tarifs on goods isn't such a better solution than the usa, plus the usa has way less waiting queue times.
@@raoufm1291 no, i hadn't got it because that's not what you had written. I don't think we're crushed under taxes, and we definitely wouldn't say no to paying nothing when going to the doctor or the hospital (even if where I live the national health care system doesn't cover 100% of the bills, most people can afford what we call "a complementary insurance")
About Americans never walking and always just using their cars: there is actually a Dutch journalist (who lived in the US) who wrote a really intersting book about the American society in general, and it's called: Amerikanen lopen niet --> Translated: Americans don't walk.
I've never read it, now I kinda want to. I'm an American in my 20s and I don't have my license (long story lol). Even if i'm walking 10 minutes on a lovely day to get somewhere my friends will have a fit and insist I take a ride from them...One of my former coworkers literally lives down the street from me and would always drop me off at my house and then drive back to his even after I repeatedly told him I could just walk from his house (literally he lives like 2 blocks away)!!
I lived in the US for one year (yes, I'm that ✨gap year girl✨ lol) and there were so many times were I just shook my head at how the system there works. But the funniest thing was always when I complained that I had to drive 4 hours to the next city and Americans were like "oh that's not too bad!", like, dude, I would be on the other side of Germany in that time what do you mean?? lol
That's very true lol, US Americans have a very different idea of "far" and we can drive for long periods of time. My university was 4 hours away from my home and one of the reasons that I picked it was because it "wasn't far" and because I could (and did) drive home for a weekend. It was wild to me when I studied abroad in Korea and there were some students who lived like an hour away from Seoul, where the uni was, and didn't even go home for the summers. Like, I'd be coming home just for dinner 😂
@@BrandiMonard Whether you enjoying driving across the country is one thing (I personally love a good road trip but that's just me) but the US absolutely has a culture. You may not like the culture, but it's still, by definition, a culture. Football is US culture, as is potlucks, blue jeans, banjos, baseball, pickup trucks, peanuts cartoons, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, Andy Warhol's art prints, and road trips just to name a few. Route 66 is pique US culture, and you can make a whole vacation out of stopping at all of the mom and pop restaurants, kitschy road side attractions, and unique geological features. I took 14 days to drive the route and it's one of my favorite vacations that I've been on, and I've been to and lived in countries across the world. It's not glamorous, and it's totally cool if its not your thing, but it's not totally devoid of merit.
Ok wait hi, I’m in high school and we just had a lecture on the electoral collage and maybe I clear some things up or help out? 1. The electoral collage was invented bc the gov didn’t think we had enough “educated” people to vote for themselves so they hired smart (rich, white) men to vote for the uneducated. 2. Electors are nominated by a party and pledged to vote for their party's candidate. They legally don’t have to vote for the party the state wants but its kinda social suicide, and they would get fired 3. Each state started out with 3 electoral votes no matter the population, (this is how smaller states get representation) 4. Then electors get added as population increases. Ex; big population states like California have 55 (the most electoral votes in the country) 1. Issues raised w this bc when this came into play black ppl wern’t considered part of the population, but the south wanted more representation which is where the 3/5 compromise came in. Enslaved people were considered 3/5th of a person so that the south could have more representation, but the votes only came from white ppl. 5. Most states are majority rule, not all tho, ex; (in a state) democrat has 51% of popular vote and republican has 49% of popular vote. All the electoral votes would vote democrat, see the issue?, minority would be misrepresented 6. Arizona,Georgia, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin are swing states this presidential election which means they could go either “blue” or “red”. 1. the campaign for the possible presidents would spend lots of money and time on these states because they’ll need it to win and forget the states that are historically constantly consistent with their party therefor sates like mine (Oregon) don’t get visiting bc we consistently vote blue. 7. oh fun fact a president only needs all the electoral votes of 11 states for them to win 8. If we did go with a popular vote 2 issues would arise. Campaigning would only go to big cites and leave the majority of the states without any representation. Also our government would be almost all “democrat”, not that I would be complaining but still doesn’t seem fair 9. The US doesn’t have really any good options but its really hard to change it. ok sry this is so long. plz tell me if I got anything incorrect :)
i feel like though the fact that more americans are democrats yet we have a republican president and a republican senate (ew mitch ew lindsey) is wack. if more americans are democrats, we should have representation equal to our numbers 🤷♀️
i feel like if they got rid of the electoral college along with the 2 party system it would solve most of those issues. either way, i still think majority should win if that is what the majority of people are voting for. what is worse? smaller. states not getting enough representation or the majority of people?
There is a solution. Just implement a single-winner ranked-choice voting system like most countries. That eliminates the 2 party system and candidates have to run their campaigns on policies that people want to see or they don't get the vote.
Italian living in the US here. Explaining what a deductible is to my friends in Europe is always fun, because none of them had an idea that paying into health care system still doesn't ensure you with health care. And the fact that your deductible depends all on the decision of your employer regarding on which plan to put you...insane.
@@Rina021 you might be able get insurance through the university, otherwise you can buy short term / student insurance. there are insurance standards and requirements for most student visas.
@@Martina95673 sure, everyone has a deductible, the question is always how high :) if the deductible is $200 one's life is fine. If your deductible is 9k, it gets a bit more complicated :D
The pledge has always been vaguely dystopian to me. Even as a 1st grader I would just stand there silently because it scared me that everyone said it all together. I was ahead of my time lol
I always felt like that was what it must have felt like to be in Hitler's Youth... Kids at my schools were also very woke and challenged the system a lot, which I'm thankful for
My mom told me to mouth it and not actually say it ahaha.. i was 4/5 when we did it too like?? then moved to 🇨🇭 and noone even knows the melody of our national anthem.. let alone the lyrics
When I lived in GA after 9/11, they made us sing that "proud to be an American" song EVERY DAY after the pledge of allegiance 💀 thank you for dragging up that repressed memory
I’m laughing at this electoral college bit hahaha “so those points, they’re people.... 55 people” electors, Damon!! That doesn’t make it more clear but anyway lmao
Did anyone else, as an act of rebellion, go through a phase of refusing to say the pledge in high school just bc you realized how weird it was? Eventually none of us, including the teachers, gave a sh** anymore
Yes! I remember the looks that people gave me which seemed as if I had just insulted their entire family lol But it's definitely a form of "political socialization" which I didn't (and still don't) agree with at all. What's concerning is that many people don't question their society or government enough and tend to blindly follow whatever the majority of people do. I think this is why travelling is so important because by removing yourself from what is familiar and recognizable will give you a fresh perspective. That distance can help open your eyes to reality and make you question the way things are and learn how to change them. What is originally thought of being "normal" and "harmless" might be the opposite, but it's up to everyone as individuals to recognize the pitfalls of their society and do what they can- no matter how insignificant it may seem- to change it! Sorry about going on a tangent, but yeah... small acts of rebellion can make big changes in the face of adversity :)
idk why but after the 1st few months of each school year most people in my school seemed to stop caring. Like throughout high school, during the first period class where they recited the pledge of allegiance over the intercom, most people ignored it and kept doing their worksheets/said it while sitting down organizing their stuff
I still stood but I stopped saying it. I remember it was a big deal when the teachers told us we didn't have to do it if we didn't want (I don't understand why). It's such a strange concept and very cultish
YES! When I was in high school, they told us (finally) that we had the right to sit down and not say it. Almost everyone in the class sat down. It was kind of moving, actually.
Zoe I have one piece of knowledge to share with u, and that is there is no rhyme or reason to the way the US works EVEN WE DON’T UNDERSTAND IT. I’ve lived in California my whole life and the way we operate will never make sense to me lol
The healthcare system in America really upset me, especially when you have things such as the insulin crisis and the extortionate amount of money people need to survive!
I’ve actually learned from a Legal Eagle video on electoral college that the state representatives are not obligated to follow the popular vote, and even if the majority in a certain state votes for Candidate A, the representatives can cast their votes for Candidate B
They are supposed to be bound to what they voted during primaries- however in 2016, at the Democratic Convention the DNC literally told Electoral College members they had to change their vote or lose their ticket to the Convention. This was the reason the State representitives "can" cast their votes for a different candidate.
Certain states have put in measures that punish members of the electoral college if they don't vote in accordance with the majority of state votes so it's getting betterish?
@@marinak5112 IT depends on the state. Each state sets the rules for the elctors. Some states have recently changed their rules to where if an elector votes contrary to the popular vote of their state, that individual elector vote is invalidated.
As someone from New England, fluff is common staple for school children here. The fluffer-nutter (peanut butter and fluff) is a true American delicacy.
Was looking for this comment! Haha. Yea, it's not a staple here in Cali like it is on the east coast I hear, but damn, it's good, and even just the fluff with crackers is yummy.
When I went to highschool in MN we only said the pledge of allegiance once a week in homeroom, but when I moved to Texas (lol) we said it EVERY DAY. AND said the Texas pledge... ????????? absolutely wild
Lol "honor the Texas flag... " I remember sometimes we would get invited to "lead the pledges" over the intercom and it was the most exciting thing. XD
@@damondominique Not that I ever said it out loud, ......because ew. But something like "I pledge allegiance to the texas flag, one state under God, one indivisible." V original. Also we had to put our hands out like we were saying an oath in a courtroom smh
@@Hayley-tx3jx i am Dutch actually and no we do not have them like that. We do have ads for defensie (dutch defense?) But those are not focused on military they also recruite for the cyber defense force
@@Ottilie17 nee klopt maar het is wel echt een heel andere insteek in NL. Wat in mijn ogen beter is. Veel minder vanuit nationalistisch oogpunt met 'vecht voor je land' etc zoals in Amerika wel is.
im in high school and just recently realized how odd the pledge of allegiance is. i decided i didn’t want to say it anymore for multiple reasons, and when i stayed seated in class, i was stared at as if i had pulled my pants down or something
You have no idea how much comfort your videos are bringing me... Going through what I would consider rock bottom and there are three things that are getting me through it. A very very dear friend, my son, and your content. So, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your contagious smile and outlook on life.
@@damondominique You are too good of a person. Thank you for taking the time to read my comment and also replying. I’ll try to keep those words at the front of my mind.
I like to say I grew up in a healthcare bubble here in the States. My mom works for the school system with a strong union in a rich state. I have never had deductibles and my copay is 10 dollars. The day I learned everyone didn’t have this blew my mind....
American here: i got a new job close to my 26th birthday. A month after I turned 26, i fell down the subway steps and hit my head pretty hard. The ambulance took me ten blocks and all they gave me in the hospital (after waiting like 6 hours) was some paid meds. My bills were about $2,000 and my work was like “sorry! You haven’t hit three months here so the healthcare hasn’t kicked in yet!”
Can we talk about the plethora of GMO, glyphosate and chemicals too? I'm in the uk and a bag of chips just has seasoning, no yellow no 5, genetically modified ingredients and extra additives. It's nonsense
the fact that i'm American and learned so much about the U.S government from this video is great but also very sad and kind of terrifying. The U.S school system really doesn't teach us shit about our own country lmao.
@@elisamaarredondo353 True. But the problem there is that there is no real American school system. If we're being honest, the U.S. is 50 different countries all kind of doing their own thing while existing under the vague umbrella that is the U.S. flag. So their educations systems are the same way. That's even before you get down to county and. city school systems.
The hospital part got me rolling on my bed laughing hard (sadly) haha you explained it so well Damon and I can tell she is surprised. Who wouldn't be? As a social worker, I always remind people not to sit in any hospital bed if they end up in ER, this alone can cost you 5 K or more. I have said it and will always say it, the US act like they know better and have their priorities straight but they do not. From someone who grew up in a poor country and still decides to get my medical needs done there, I can attest that here in the US you can die for a tiny infection if you are uninsured. Sad but true!
1) mothers against drunk driving had a huge!! impact on drinking age bc they were basically gonna give the US money if they increased it, and law enforcement is so strict here it makes sense for multiple reasons that drinking age would be enforced so heavily (especially bc we drive everywhere) 2) also i learned before they don’t add the tax in order to get you to buy more bc america is capitalistic through and through 3) there’s music playing everywhere also bc it’s a psychological thing to get you to stay longer so businesses make more money lmao oh america
Definitely agree that living in different countries makes you even more knowledgeable about your own country of origin! You see differences that sometimes other people are so used to and don't care about. As for the health care part, some hospitals (usually smaller and charitable ones) will actually accept you even if you cannot pay for health care under uncompensated care like emergency Medicaid or because they're funded by the government.
Its funny how a lot of people I know (I am dutch) wanted to move to the USA, but when we learned how screwed up the government is a lot of us changed our minds. I would still want visted, the country can be very pretty 😍.
I also thought this too and then I went to the US and I absolutely hated it. The racism I felt there was indescribable and you see stark differences between wealthy neighborhoods and really poor ones are mind-blowing. I came out of that trip quite traumatised so I'd say choose wisely where you are visiting and keep in mind how different it is from Europe
@@elysian2765 hmmmm what part of america did you go to? because so many parts of america can treat you well and other parts treat non-white people very poorly. oh, and keep in mind that many parts of europe also treat people of color poorly
@@lsnqkcnqkpnkpsnqpjcbpq I was in Miami, which surprised me since I thought it was a more progressive city but the way I was treated and approached by police and other people made me feel a way i had never felt at home
I'm so glad Damon has a midwestern perspective because as an Ohioan, we/ the "fly over states" get shit on ALL THE TIME by costal people but I really love my state! It's cheaper, its STUNNING (ohio has a lot of forests and mountain-y areas) and we have more culture than just cornfields!! MIDWEST GANG RISE UP
Americans always find freedom very important, but I think what they see as freedom is not real freedom. I think there are two ways to interpret freedom: 1. being able to do anything without any restrictions, which results in only rich people being able to go to college and having healthcare because the system allows college and healthcare to be expensive; 2. giving everyone the chance to do whatever they want, which results in less rich people being able to go to college and have healthcare too. (The second way of freedom seems a lot more free if you ask me.) (And yes, I realize no 1 is capitalism and no 2 socialism, and yes, I realize that a combination of the two is necessary because pure socialism is communism and there is a whole lot of bad things to say about that too, but I'll keep this comment section essay short)
Also, for what it’s worth: 1) The 55 “people” are the number of members of Congress. Each state has two senators plus all their House members. DC gets 3 electoral votes despite not being a state. So California has 53 House representatives and 2 senators, giving them 55 electoral votes. (Though the electors themselves tend to be older politicians who are no longer working in government directly, that's where the number comes from.) 2) Faithless electors still exist! Their little rebellions are negated by a series of rules but they do still happen.
@Alison Burkholder And why I'm so in favor of its abolition! The NPVIC gained Colorado this cycle, and Virginia may be in the pipeline. Getting rid of it outright directly, though, would obviously be better, and more impervious to legal action.
This is why we do this thing called “pre-gaming” where you meet up at a friends house have a couple of drinks there because it’s much cheaper to get a bottle at the Liquor store and then go out to the bar afterward. That way your already a little drunk and don’t have to spend as much at the bar. I asked my mom if she did this when she was in her twenties and she had never heard of it(she was born in the 60s). She said alcohol used to be a lot more affordable in the 80s 😂
@@emj1113 indeed that is true, however I find even in the middle of Nowhere (where I live) it’s still slightly cheaper to pregame before going out. Just my experience tho! Edit: Here a glass of wine ranges from 4 to 8 bucks, whereas you can get a bottle for under $10
Omg bruhhh Damon your channel is my go to channel to show to people I live with in Germany (I'm from the US) and EACH TIME I tell people about the pledge of alliance it's THE biggest WTF moment everrr
The pledge of allegiance...it hit me in high school it seemed cultish & I didn’t agree with the verbiage ‘one nation under god’ (separation of church & state & all?!) I decided to sit quietly whilst it occurred. I got detention. When my teacher questioned me if I’d continue to do so, I responded I would. She put me in detention again, yet this time insisted on parental presence. My father showed. The teacher told him why she requested his presence & why I got detention. He was pissed. Told her he took off work for this. It being ridiculous, she can’t force me to recite the pledge nor punish me for sitting quietly, not disruptive. She was stunned. Not the response she expected. Now come to present times (by 20 yrs.) Same father says it’s disgraceful when people do not stand & recite the pledge AT A SPORTING EVENT & should be ‘fired’ for not. I reminded him of the one time in high school. My, how the brainwashing has effected this country.....
I just want to say that I love watching all these videos because it gives me such hope in young Americans that maybe weren’t not all so ego centric, and care to have these conversations with friends. I feel like you always have guests on your channel that are down to earth and understand the fabric of what it means to be human.
This conversation is so relevant. I often think about the ways America is different from the rest of the world. In terms of American culture and life, you stated the facts and attitudes perfectly- especially regarding healthcare.
The reason why they can’t show you the sales tax is because some states have different sales tax. In California it’s more than in Florida, some states don’t have sales tax at all. Brands can’t raise the price for certain states and not for others. Only states can tax its citizens through sales, not the federal government. THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE “Article II, Section 1, Clause 2 of the Constitution, empowers each state legislature to determine the manner by which the state's electors are chosen. The number of electors in each state is equal to the sum of the state's membership in the Senate and House of Representatives.” It isn’t a random number, and it’s supposed to make sure small states don’t get steamrolled by larger states- like see; A candidate needs 270 votes to win the election. Candidate 1 wins these states: California (55), New York (29), Virginia (15), Washington (12) Michigan (16)...Candidate 1 has 127 electoral votes. Candidate 2 has these states: Texas (38), Florida (29), Pennsylvania (20), Illinois (20) and the rest of the states are undecided...2 has 107 electoral votes. Even though candidate 1 has more small states, they have a better chance of winning despite it. Big states do help, but they’re not end all be all. I don’t like the system, but it wasn’t made willy nilly.
As an American who is really only getting the tourist’s experience of Canada, it’ll be no different from America. There’s still the luxury of seeing new foods and stuff but your experience of simply existing in Canada probably exists in another part of your state. Aside from the touristy stuff, yeah it’s very different
@@cat-ou2jf you have socialist policies, and there is NOTHING wrong with that. Unfortunately the word is demonized. Democratic socialism is practiced in so many countries and it works when people aren't selfish.
The reason taxes don t appear on adds or on price tags in groceries stores is because taxes change from state to state but the price of the product itself stay the same. It would cause a lot of confusion if suddenly an item was a bit pricier when you cross a state line also it s more convenient for advertising
If there isn’t one, I’d love to see a video on your favorite culture based on the ones you’re familiar with. Maybe you could compare how Americans generally are to how other people are (in terms of friendliness, etc)
“Girl, that’s Texas!” Haha, so true. I just moved to France from America and it’s true, I’ve never traveled because of how expensive it is and how far things are. I can’t wait to travel Europe but now we’re in Confinement🤦🏽♀️
I completely relate to the comment about feeling the need to "talk bad" about the US, especially when abroad or with foreigners, and I also relate to the comment about "sticking up" for the US in a lot of ways. It can be really exhausting as an expat being constantly around people talking bad about the place that you're from. When I first moved I would joke along with it, but eventually after hearing the same negative things over and over and never anything positive it really became grating. It got to the point where I would just be thinking "alright alright, I GET IT!" And eventually it made me defensive. Like, hey, my mama lives there! And so does almost all of the people who I love and care about! These are genuine, kind, good-hearted people who are intelligent, generous, and empathetic, and they aren't any of these things that you keep saying that they are! And you know what, neither am I! It also really got to me that along with valid criticisms (which there are valid criticisms to be had. Trust me, I'm the first to complain about things like the healthcare and educational systems or how we still have tipping or imperial measurements. You know who also complains about those things though? Almost every US American that I know 😂) there is always a healthy amount of generalizing, stereotyping, and flat out cultural misunderstanding. Just as the misconception that the French are rude comes from cultural misunderstandings, so does the idea that US Americans are, for example, fake. Many people, I've found especially Europeans, have a hard time understanding why we smile so much, why we have the customary "how are you?" greeting, why we strike up conversations with strangers, the overly politeness of our servers, etc, and attribute that all to us being 'fake'. I could go into depth about all of these, but basically it all boils down to it being our etiquette and culture. I don't personally understand all of the French etiquette or culture either, like why would I need to say hello and goodbye to complete strangers on an elevator? I don't know them, and if anyone were to say hello to me in an elevator like that in the US I'd be completely thrown off guard 😂. But, simply put, that's their etiquette, which is part of their culture, and I understand and respect that. It's also part of our etiquette to ask "how are you?" as part of our greeting and it's customary to respond with something simple like "I'm good, I'm doing alright, I've been better, I'm fine" and so forth. Especially if it's someone you don't know, like a grocery store clerk. So please don't read into it that we are fake people because of it. I also desperately miss US small talk, funny as it sounds. When I came back to the states after living in Japan I felt so deprived of human interaction that I talked to just about everyone I came across for a solid 2 months. Since it's not customary to strike up conversations with strangers in Japan, I could go several days at a time being surrounded by an immense amount of people but never communicating with any of them. As someone from the US, this was hard for me. At times I felt like a ghost floating through the city. Back home I've had conversations with people on trains, in lines at the grocery store, while sitting on a park bench, in a traffic jam even, you name it. Sure, most of these where small, shallow interactions, but I still enjoyed connecting with another human being even if briefly. And not all of the conversations have been shallow. I've had some very thought provoking and soul stirring conversations with strangers on all sorts of topics. I've even been given some sage advice, many of which I still remember and some of which I still live by. So I completely understand if you do not understand, or like, or feel comfortable with our 'small talk' culture, but I for one am thankful for it each time that I come back to the states. The best way that I can put my thoughts on the US is to say that I think of it much the same way that I think of my family. I don't always agree with them, or even fully understand them, and they can disappoint me greatly. I can even be embarrassed by them sometimes. They aren't perfect, or the greatest family out there. But I'm thankful for them, and I appreciate everything that they've done for me and everything that I have because of them. I love them, flaws and all, because they are mine. And they have some pretty great aspects too. I'm the person I am because of them, and I like who I am. I love living in France (even if this comment seemed ranty and salty) It's a beautiful country that I'm thankful to be in. But the US will always be my home.
I relate to this comment. I was never patriotic or “pro-american” ever until I started making friends with people from other countries and seeing how much generalizing and shit talking people do about us. I noticed that some of the things we’re known for and that people mock us for (ignorance, racism, stupidity, bad politicians, obesity) are really common in many other countries, sometimes worse. But I also feel dumb getting defensive about generalizations, because many critiques are valid and people generalize other countries too. It’s just a little weird to hear people say americans are so fake or that our country is an embarrassment. I mean our president is yes haha but there are other countries with presidents on the same level of stupidity as him, and I would never tell them that they or their country are an embarrassment.
They are key primordial points that you have elevated during this video... which never made me attracted to the US. The cultural clash is big. Also I worked in an American company, my manager was Texan from Dallas. Their work culture was horrible too ... she took 2 weeks off after her pregnancy and expected everybody to be like her and to never be ill or in vacation , so when I had my open heart surgery she made my life hell because I needed time off to recover ( 6 months) ... also because my office was located in France and my work contract was French she was always complaining that I had too many days off ( mandatory public holidays ) and that I should still work anyway ... it was horrible, I worked for them 5 years, it was my first job after graduating... I regret so much that i didn’t have enough experience to resign before !!
There were small light rail trains (electric even) in urban and suburban areas, but during the 1950s the auto industry and oil industry lobbied for them to be retired and replaced with expressways and other roads, which was conveniently part of Eisenhower's plan after seeing what Hitler had done for Germany.
as someone who has multiple disabilities, on many many medications simply to function, had corona, high risk for the virus, as well as declining health mentally & physically that i never expected since losing my job 8 months ago... getting next to no support from the country or state.. i appreciate y'all having these conversations. it's important.
@@nicole-su8dl lmao I love it! omg. I think it takes 24 hours to get from the panhandle of texas to the tip of texas and i'm like ???? that is insane lol!
as an american... i learned so much..... damon the way you explained deductibles and the electoral college is better than anything ive heard in my 21 years of life. thank you lmao
As someone from London as well this was so informative. I think its crazy how we both speak the same language but when i've been to Europe i've found it easier to get along with them compared to when i have met americans (i have only met some from Florida and Californa so i can't say that for all of them of course). I also can't wrap my head around how different each state is!
America needs public medicine like fr idk how so many generations have bought into the idea that we have a good healthcare system 🙄🙄 Don't worry, us GenZ kids will change that one of these days ✨✨
The way you set up your shots is just so aesthetic!! It looks amazing and the colors are sooo good. Ps. Other jobs are expected to be tipped like barista's, hotel cleaners, valets, etc. But they still get paid minimum wage. Tips should be built into the price of food like some restaurants require an 18% tip if there is more than 5 people
~culty~ lol im from india and every morning we have "morning assembly" at school (some schools had it on alternate days or once a week or whatever) and we say a couple prayers (i go to a private school so we say hindu prayers but you cant do religious stuff in govt schoold) and then a bunch of kids read out some news or like the weather forecast or they do some sort of ~creative~ presentation like a sing a song or whatever ANYWAY at the end we sing the national anthem or sometimes the school song so yeah. this didn't need to be so long sorry
That's not necessarily culty i think. For me still weird and unnecessary, but I can see the point. Singing the national anthem every day is kinda culty for me, but I'm German and patriotism instinctively seems fishy and wrong to me. But pledging alliance to a flag definitely is on a whole different level. Real North Korea vibes
I started the video laughing with that new version of I'm proud to be an American and ended the video completely mindblown with that Sitcom explanation. What a rollercoaster
I could be wrong, but I've heard that the reason they add the sales tax after is because taxes are different per state, county, etc. Like some states tax certain items where others don't, some counties have higher sales tax compared to neighboring counties, and since there are so many variations in the rules depending on the area it's added at the register vs. already in the price.
omg.. the healthcare issue just sounds horrendous! and the tips/minimum wage issue is just cruel... and then the whole electoral college? i understand it, but it's actually shit. but i think the UK dose similar? how had the US not been burned down yet?
Yeah when I was in Middle School (between 11 and 14 years old) they taught the Electric Slide and Cupid Shuffle in Physical Education classes as a form of Cardio Exercise. Our class or grade had so many students they had to split us up to use space outside (track, random fields) and inside (gymnasium). Yep.
I was today years old when I realized how weird it was/is for the US school system to make us say the pledge of allegiance every morning in school. I literally forgot we did that.
I’m from Texas, and we do a state pledge for too! I only realized how weird that was when I asked someone from college what their state pledge was 😂🤦🏾♀️
@@PhoenixBlade538 Ahahahahaha so funny. i love that u guys do that. it promotes love for their country!
I agreed with you. I stopped saying the pledge of allegiance in my junior and senior year of high school. People thought I was being rude, but I realized there is no point for me saying it. Because once you go to college you don’t say it... I don’t understand why the United States make us say the pledge of the allegiance?
I felt so uncomfortable when I was an exchange student 😥 (didn’t know about it until I came there) they made me stay and stare at the flag..
Wait what?? As to European, that sounds crazy.
I guess it's not a party in the usa anymore.
Never was
@@capedluna true
never has been, we’re just now finding out though 🥴
@@nitabby kinda sad 🥺
@@nitabby have you ever thought that maybe just like you claim to be tricked to think that the usa is great, now you are tricked to think its not.
and in both times you are just a sheep on the bandwagon of trends ?
wait....THE EMPLOYER DOES THEIR TAXESSSSSS!!!!!!!!! 🥴 wowowowowowoww
right!!!!!! how convenient wtf
It depends on the type of job you have but yes, basically for most people it’s automatically deducted from wages. A lot of employers use “PAYE” which basically means “pay as you earn”. We do still often get rebates at the end of the tax year as you may well have paid more than you owed once a full calculation has been made including your “tax free allowance” of around £11,000. If you’re self employed, you do your own taxes though so it’s not available to everyone. It’s a simple system so it’s not like employers are hiring a tax lawyer to do each employees taxes, it’s somewhat automated and then calculated by the HMRC (Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs).
Not all taxes though. For example, in Russia the employer pays your income tax but you still have to pay your property taxes (for your house/flat, car etc) at the end of the year
They do that in Canada, taxes, unemployment it’s all stream lined and done for you. You can even request a higher percentage if you want to be deducted.
@@alexwyler4570 you’re truthful? huh
🎶And I'm proud to be an American *expat* where at least I know I'm free 🎶
Hahaha, I love you so much for this.
Thanks for educating us
@DamonDominique isn't it pledge of allegiance lol I still remember from elementary school and last time I was there was like 8 years ago
🎶And I won't forget the one's who🎶---came back from war to zero support from the government and began homeless 👏👏
You're much freer as an expat in France than you would be in the States. I'm sure the irony of the song is not lost on you.
‘Sinister’ is a pretty good way to describe the American healthcare system 🙃 We’ve got a lot of work to do here, that’s for sure.
I’m glad that as Americans we are all collectively realizing how weird and cult-like it can be!! I literally forgot about the pledge of allegiance until one of my friends who isn’t from the US asked me about it a few months ago and then I realized why the fuuuck did we have to do that??? lolll
As a European when I hear pledge of alliegiance everyday in school I think about hitler, cause that’s what we were told was part of a dictature, a brainwashing of the children.
It's the same in singapore too
aena mustafa ..... no
It was major indoctrination
@aena mustafa not true
For us Europeans it’s literally impossible to understand America’s health care . I felt that 26:16
even tho i know that a healthcare system in canada or france would probably be better than the current usa insurance...BUT getting taxed and tarifs on goods isn't such a better solution than the usa, plus the usa has way less waiting queue times.
?? There are taxes on goods in the US too, I don’t get your point
@@TherealJJKhl you dont want to get my point. taxes on goods doesn't mean same amount taxes on goods
@@raoufm1291 no, i hadn't got it because that's not what you had written. I don't think we're crushed under taxes, and we definitely wouldn't say no to paying nothing when going to the doctor or the hospital (even if where I live the national health care system doesn't cover 100% of the bills, most people can afford what we call "a complementary insurance")
@@raoufm1291 And it doesn't mean I'm preaching for a similar health care system in the US, everyone makes their own choices and that's okay
About Americans never walking and always just using their cars: there is actually a Dutch journalist (who lived in the US) who wrote a really intersting book about the American society in general, and it's called: Amerikanen lopen niet --> Translated: Americans don't walk.
I've never read it, now I kinda want to. I'm an American in my 20s and I don't have my license (long story lol). Even if i'm walking 10 minutes on a lovely day to get somewhere my friends will have a fit and insist I take a ride from them...One of my former coworkers literally lives down the street from me and would always drop me off at my house and then drive back to his even after I repeatedly told him I could just walk from his house (literally he lives like 2 blocks away)!!
Ummm have you tried salon king to the grocery store in Texas. A hour walk! Not even kidding lol
Ok but seriously: What comes to your mind when you hear "The United States?" Has this changed in the past few years since Trump?
An orange Donald duck.
Confusion
It's the Ghettttooo!!! 😭
greed. and also really good food...which was taken from other cultures. so yeah
First thing that comes into mind is US Imperialism and it still comes to mind. Shocker...
I lived in the US for one year (yes, I'm that ✨gap year girl✨ lol) and there were so many times were I just shook my head at how the system there works. But the funniest thing was always when I complained that I had to drive 4 hours to the next city and Americans were like "oh that's not too bad!", like, dude, I would be on the other side of Germany in that time what do you mean?? lol
That's very true lol, US Americans have a very different idea of "far" and we can drive for long periods of time. My university was 4 hours away from my home and one of the reasons that I picked it was because it "wasn't far" and because I could (and did) drive home for a weekend. It was wild to me when I studied abroad in Korea and there were some students who lived like an hour away from Seoul, where the uni was, and didn't even go home for the summers. Like, I'd be coming home just for dinner 😂
Because the US is huge some states are bigger than some countries
and in those 4 hours its just empty fields and no culture lol
@Edanna Poudrier i've driven cross country tons of times. its boring af
@@BrandiMonard Whether you enjoying driving across the country is one thing (I personally love a good road trip but that's just me) but the US absolutely has a culture. You may not like the culture, but it's still, by definition, a culture. Football is US culture, as is potlucks, blue jeans, banjos, baseball, pickup trucks, peanuts cartoons, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, Andy Warhol's art prints, and road trips just to name a few. Route 66 is pique US culture, and you can make a whole vacation out of stopping at all of the mom and pop restaurants, kitschy road side attractions, and unique geological features. I took 14 days to drive the route and it's one of my favorite vacations that I've been on, and I've been to and lived in countries across the world. It's not glamorous, and it's totally cool if its not your thing, but it's not totally devoid of merit.
“Would nobody check?!”
“Chloe there was a mouse in that supermarket...”
Ok wait hi, I’m in high school and we just had a lecture on the electoral collage and maybe I clear some things up or help out?
1. The electoral collage was invented bc the gov didn’t think we had enough “educated” people to vote for themselves so they hired smart (rich, white) men to vote for the uneducated.
2. Electors are nominated by a party and pledged to vote for their party's candidate. They legally don’t have to vote for the party the state wants but its kinda social suicide, and they would get fired
3. Each state started out with 3 electoral votes no matter the population, (this is how smaller states get representation)
4. Then electors get added as population increases. Ex; big population states like California have 55 (the most electoral votes in the country)
1. Issues raised w this bc when this came into play black ppl wern’t considered part of the population, but the south wanted more representation which is where the 3/5 compromise came in. Enslaved people were considered 3/5th of a person so that the south could have more representation, but the votes only came from white ppl.
5. Most states are majority rule, not all tho, ex; (in a state) democrat has 51% of popular vote and republican has 49% of popular vote. All the electoral votes would vote democrat, see the issue?, minority would be misrepresented
6. Arizona,Georgia, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin are swing states this presidential election which means they could go either “blue” or “red”.
1. the campaign for the possible presidents would spend lots of money and time on these states because they’ll need it to win and forget the states that are historically constantly consistent with their party therefor sates like mine (Oregon) don’t get visiting bc we consistently vote blue.
7. oh fun fact a president only needs all the electoral votes of 11 states for them to win
8. If we did go with a popular vote 2 issues would arise. Campaigning would only go to big cites and leave the majority of the states without any representation. Also our government would be almost all “democrat”, not that I would be complaining but still doesn’t seem fair
9. The US doesn’t have really any good options but its really hard to change it.
ok sry this is so long. plz tell me if I got anything incorrect :)
i feel like though the fact that more americans are democrats yet we have a republican president and a republican senate (ew mitch ew lindsey) is wack. if more americans are democrats, we should have representation equal to our numbers 🤷♀️
i feel like if they got rid of the electoral college along with the 2 party system it would solve most of those issues. either way, i still think majority should win if that is what the majority of people are voting for. what is worse? smaller. states not getting enough representation or the majority of people?
Thanks for posting this. It's really helpful!
There is a solution. Just implement a single-winner ranked-choice voting system like most countries. That eliminates the 2 party system and candidates have to run their campaigns on policies that people want to see or they don't get the vote.
@@BrandiMonard hit the nail RIGHT on the head
Maybe you could watch and review an episode of Emily in Paris 😂
YES! DAMON! You know this is a bandwagon that needs your fine ass in cargo pants jumping on!!
Yes! Even though I've watched every E in P reaction vid, I would burn all my memories of them to watch Damon's.
Yes pleaseeeee!
Italian living in the US here. Explaining what a deductible is to my friends in Europe is always fun, because none of them had an idea that paying into health care system still doesn't ensure you with health care. And the fact that your deductible depends all on the decision of your employer regarding on which plan to put you...insane.
Question from a Maltese planning to go study in the States - how do students get health insurance if you're not yet working? 🤔
@@Rina021 you might be able get insurance through the university, otherwise you can buy short term / student insurance. there are insurance standards and requirements for most student visas.
@@kateschlauch6550 thank you so much 🤗🤗🤗🤗
Im italian, but i work for a us company so i have private healthcare as well (which feels very bougie) and I also have a deductible.
@@Martina95673 sure, everyone has a deductible, the question is always how high :) if the deductible is $200 one's life is fine. If your deductible is 9k, it gets a bit more complicated :D
The pledge has always been vaguely dystopian to me. Even as a 1st grader I would just stand there silently because it scared me that everyone said it all together. I was ahead of my time lol
I always felt like that was what it must have felt like to be in Hitler's Youth... Kids at my schools were also very woke and challenged the system a lot, which I'm thankful for
I’m not American but I lived there as a kid and I would just sit during the pledge and hope that wasn’t disrespectful lol
My mom told me to mouth it and not actually say it ahaha.. i was 4/5 when we did it too like?? then moved to 🇨🇭 and noone even knows the melody of our national anthem.. let alone the lyrics
Dystopian describes my impression really well
@@kellywink310 Yeah it's a pretty dictatorship kind of thing to do
When I lived in GA after 9/11, they made us sing that "proud to be an American" song EVERY DAY after the pledge of allegiance 💀 thank you for dragging up that repressed memory
What?! I lived in Georgia then! Can I ask what part of state you were in?
@@dillrobin Peachtree City!
I was in LaGrange. I'll have to ask my kids if they had to do that too! I do vaguely remember them learning that song, though......
bro my teachers would deadass cry to this song😭😭😭😂
I cant breathe 😭
snapple is widely available in london tho
the pledge of allegiance gives off mad north korean vibes
I love this convo so much.
Ps I’ve been on 24 hour time since I studied in France. Never changed it (for nostalgia 💘) but now I prefer it
I’m laughing at this electoral college bit hahaha “so those points, they’re people.... 55 people” electors, Damon!! That doesn’t make it more clear but anyway lmao
it makes so much more sense lmao... because americans always have to ask "am or pm?"
Did anyone else, as an act of rebellion, go through a phase of refusing to say the pledge in high school just bc you realized how weird it was? Eventually none of us, including the teachers, gave a sh** anymore
Yes! I remember the looks that people gave me which seemed as if I had just insulted their entire family lol But it's definitely a form of "political socialization" which I didn't (and still don't) agree with at all.
What's concerning is that many people don't question their society or government enough and tend to blindly follow whatever the majority of people do. I think this is why travelling is so important because by removing yourself from what is familiar and recognizable will give you a fresh perspective.
That distance can help open your eyes to reality and make you question the way things are and learn how to change them. What is originally thought of being "normal" and "harmless" might be the opposite, but it's up to everyone as individuals to recognize the pitfalls of their society and do what they can- no matter how insignificant it may seem- to change it!
Sorry about going on a tangent, but yeah... small acts of rebellion can make big changes in the face of adversity :)
idk why but after the 1st few months of each school year most people in my school seemed to stop caring. Like throughout high school, during the first period class where they recited the pledge of allegiance over the intercom, most people ignored it and kept doing their worksheets/said it while sitting down organizing their stuff
@@jonasbarr7286 y’all still said it in high school?! We stopped in elementary school!
I still stood but I stopped saying it. I remember it was a big deal when the teachers told us we didn't have to do it if we didn't want (I don't understand why). It's such a strange concept and very cultish
YES! When I was in high school, they told us (finally) that we had the right to sit down and not say it. Almost everyone in the class sat down. It was kind of moving, actually.
As an irish girl who has tried and failed to understand America, I really needed this😂😂
Viva la difference!
Lol I feel that and I’ve been living in America for a while, and my dad is also American.
A lot of the stuff still doesn’t make sense to me 😂🙃
Zoe I have one piece of knowledge to share with u, and that is there is no rhyme or reason to the way the US works EVEN WE DON’T UNDERSTAND IT. I’ve lived in California my whole life and the way we operate will never make sense to me lol
@@ryukyuprincess9621 I've lived here all my life and am very confused also
chloe: i'm not following
me, an american: girl me either
The healthcare system in America really upset me, especially when you have things such as the insulin crisis and the extortionate amount of money people need to survive!
I’ve actually learned from a Legal Eagle video on electoral college that the state representatives are not obligated to follow the popular vote, and even if the majority in a certain state votes for Candidate A, the representatives can cast their votes for Candidate B
yuppp was going to say this too!!
They are supposed to be bound to what they voted during primaries- however in 2016, at the Democratic Convention the DNC literally told Electoral College members they had to change their vote or lose their ticket to the Convention. This was the reason the State representitives "can" cast their votes for a different candidate.
Certain states have put in measures that punish members of the electoral college if they don't vote in accordance with the majority of state votes so it's getting betterish?
@@ellax325 that’s what the Legal Eagle guy said too! But even if they get punished, the votes they cast still count, don’t they?
@@marinak5112 IT depends on the state. Each state sets the rules for the elctors. Some states have recently changed their rules to where if an elector votes contrary to the popular vote of their state, that individual elector vote is invalidated.
As someone from New England, fluff is common staple for school children here. The fluffer-nutter (peanut butter and fluff) is a true American delicacy.
yesss! my family's from Lynn, MA where its made and the fluffernutter was a staple when I visited.
I see it in a lot of supermarkets in the UK so was surprised that neither of them knew it.
Was looking for this comment! Haha. Yea, it's not a staple here in Cali like it is on the east coast I hear, but damn, it's good, and even just the fluff with crackers is yummy.
Or a big spoonful in hot chocolate😋. I was surprised he had never had it before I thought everyone has!
When I went to highschool in MN we only said the pledge of allegiance once a week in homeroom, but when I moved to Texas (lol) we said it EVERY DAY. AND said the Texas pledge... ????????? absolutely wild
hahah thats the south for u! Im midwestern too but we said it everyday? Ig it differs from school to school as well
Lol "honor the Texas flag... " I remember sometimes we would get invited to "lead the pledges" over the intercom and it was the most exciting thing. XD
omg other states dont have a pledge?
Wait, how does the Texas pledge go???
@@damondominique Not that I ever said it out loud, ......because ew. But something like "I pledge allegiance to the texas flag, one state under God, one indivisible." V original. Also we had to put our hands out like we were saying an oath in a courtroom smh
Also: what is America's obsession with the military? I heard there are even ads for it....
I’m sure there are ads for the army and navy in the UK too
@@Hayley-tx3jx i am Dutch actually and no we do not have them like that. We do have ads for defensie (dutch defense?) But those are not focused on military they also recruite for the cyber defense force
100% no ads for the defense force in the UK and also not in australia either
@@MaritMarzipan huh ik zie echt heel erg vaak ‘kom werken bij defensie’ reclames. Maar opzich niet erg toch?
@@Ottilie17 nee klopt maar het is wel echt een heel andere insteek in NL. Wat in mijn ogen beter is. Veel minder vanuit nationalistisch oogpunt met 'vecht voor je land' etc zoals in Amerika wel is.
im in high school and just recently realized how odd the pledge of allegiance is. i decided i didn’t want to say it anymore for multiple reasons, and when i stayed seated in class, i was stared at as if i had pulled my pants down or something
I really didnt know this was a thing in american high schools.. so weird
we were only allowed to not say it if we were jehovah witness and had a note. i grew up in texas lol
You have no idea how much comfort your videos are bringing me... Going through what I would consider rock bottom and there are three things that are getting me through it. A very very dear friend, my son, and your content. So, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your contagious smile and outlook on life.
I agree, your content always makes me smile!
I hope things get better for you!!
Awww ❤️Thank you and I sincerely wish you the best. The past has no power over the present boo (unless you let it...)! It's only up from here.
@@damondominique You are too good of a person. Thank you for taking the time to read my comment and also replying. I’ll try to keep those words at the front of my mind.
I like to say I grew up in a healthcare bubble here in the States. My mom works for the school system with a strong union in a rich state. I have never had deductibles and my copay is 10 dollars. The day I learned everyone didn’t have this blew my mind....
American here: i got a new job close to my 26th birthday. A month after I turned 26, i fell down the subway steps and hit my head pretty hard. The ambulance took me ten blocks and all they gave me in the hospital (after waiting like 6 hours) was some paid meds. My bills were about $2,000 and my work was like “sorry! You haven’t hit three months here so the healthcare hasn’t kicked in yet!”
Can we talk about the plethora of GMO, glyphosate and chemicals too? I'm in the uk and a bag of chips just has seasoning, no yellow no 5, genetically modified ingredients and extra additives. It's nonsense
!!! this
the fact that i'm American and learned so much about the U.S government from this video is great but also very sad and kind of terrifying. The U.S school system really doesn't teach us shit about our own country lmao.
I felt this
@@elisamaarredondo353 True. But the problem there is that there is no real American school system. If we're being honest, the U.S. is 50 different countries all kind of doing their own thing while existing under the vague umbrella that is the U.S. flag. So their educations systems are the same way. That's even before you get down to county and. city school systems.
They do but... like, they be lies lmbo
The hospital part got me rolling on my bed laughing hard (sadly) haha you explained it so well Damon and I can tell she is surprised. Who wouldn't be? As a social worker, I always remind people not to sit in any hospital bed if they end up in ER, this alone can cost you 5 K or more. I have said it and will always say it, the US act like they know better and have their priorities straight but they do not. From someone who grew up in a poor country and still decides to get my medical needs done there, I can attest that here in the US you can die for a tiny infection if you are uninsured. Sad but true!
omg I died when he said "I'm proud to be an American (expat)"
1) mothers against drunk driving had a huge!! impact on drinking age bc they were basically gonna give the US money if they increased it, and law enforcement is so strict here it makes sense for multiple reasons that drinking age would be enforced so heavily (especially bc we drive everywhere)
2) also i learned before they don’t add the tax in order to get you to buy more bc america is capitalistic through and through
3) there’s music playing everywhere also bc it’s a psychological thing to get you to stay longer so businesses make more money lmao
oh america
#3 is funny because nothing will have me speedrun my shopping trip like hearing Rob Thomas choke on boss lyrics for the thousandth time
Love how you always find a reason to shoot at grocery stores and turn it into a Sociology class featuring the employees/locals
Damon explaining the concept of Snapple is something I didn’t know I needed 😂
This just shows how so many things are so illogical here in the states... perfect timing before the election!
Definitely agree that living in different countries makes you even more knowledgeable about your own country of origin! You see differences that sometimes other people are so used to and don't care about.
As for the health care part, some hospitals (usually smaller and charitable ones) will actually accept you even if you cannot pay for health care under uncompensated care like emergency Medicaid or because they're funded by the government.
Its funny how a lot of people I know (I am dutch) wanted to move to the USA, but when we learned how screwed up the government is a lot of us changed our minds. I would still want visted, the country can be very pretty 😍.
The US is the best country if you want to do business, more better than in Europe.
its funny because so many people still want to move to America, and im like “WHY” lmao
I also thought this too and then I went to the US and I absolutely hated it. The racism I felt there was indescribable and you see stark differences between wealthy neighborhoods and really poor ones are mind-blowing. I came out of that trip quite traumatised so I'd say choose wisely where you are visiting and keep in mind how different it is from Europe
@@elysian2765 hmmmm what part of america did you go to? because so many parts of america can treat you well and other parts treat non-white people very poorly. oh, and keep in mind that many parts of europe also treat people of color poorly
@@lsnqkcnqkpnkpsnqpjcbpq I was in Miami, which surprised me since I thought it was a more progressive city but the way I was treated and approached by police and other people made me feel a way i had never felt at home
as a brit, chloe just voices all the thoughts i am thinking in my head lol
Chloeeeee❤️❤️
I'm so glad Damon has a midwestern perspective because as an Ohioan, we/ the "fly over states" get shit on ALL THE TIME by costal people but I really love my state! It's cheaper, its STUNNING (ohio has a lot of forests and mountain-y areas) and we have more culture than just cornfields!! MIDWEST GANG RISE UP
Americans always find freedom very important, but I think what they see as freedom is not real freedom. I think there are two ways to interpret freedom: 1. being able to do anything without any restrictions, which results in only rich people being able to go to college and having healthcare because the system allows college and healthcare to be expensive; 2. giving everyone the chance to do whatever they want, which results in less rich people being able to go to college and have healthcare too.
(The second way of freedom seems a lot more free if you ask me.)
(And yes, I realize no 1 is capitalism and no 2 socialism, and yes, I realize that a combination of the two is necessary because pure socialism is communism and there is a whole lot of bad things to say about that too, but I'll keep this comment section essay short)
I feel like he is one of the people who has a real talent and good taste.
Also, for what it’s worth:
1) The 55 “people” are the number of members of Congress. Each state has two senators plus all their House members. DC gets 3 electoral votes despite not being a state. So California has 53 House representatives and 2 senators, giving them 55 electoral votes. (Though the electors themselves tend to be older politicians who are no longer working in government directly, that's where the number comes from.)
2) Faithless electors still exist! Their little rebellions are negated by a series of rules but they do still happen.
@Alison Burkholder And why I'm so in favor of its abolition! The NPVIC gained Colorado this cycle, and Virginia may be in the pipeline. Getting rid of it outright directly, though, would obviously be better, and more impervious to legal action.
Seeing a foreigners outrage at the US healthcare system is like therapy for me. This place is MESSED TF UP
wait what?!, 13$ for a glass of wine?🙃🙃 in Spain for a glass of wine is like 2€, and we have some fine ass wine 😅
This is why we do this thing called “pre-gaming” where you meet up at a friends house have a couple of drinks there because it’s much cheaper to get a bottle at the
Liquor store and then go out to the bar afterward. That way your already a little drunk and don’t have to spend as much at the bar. I asked my mom if she did this when she was in her twenties and she had never heard of it(she was born in the 60s). She said alcohol used to be a lot more affordable in the 80s 😂
This also depends on where you're at! In smaller towns, everything is cheaper. In big cities like New York, everything is way way more expensive
@@emj1113 indeed that is true, however I find even in the middle of Nowhere (where I live) it’s still slightly cheaper to pregame before going out. Just my experience tho!
Edit: Here a glass of wine ranges from 4 to 8 bucks, whereas you can get a bottle for under $10
@@Cosmicattt no doubt!
£5 for a bottle in the uk 😍😍
it's the way i'm using his videos to romanticize my life until i can finally get out of america🥴😔
Where do you wanna go? :)
ok but LITERALLY
same haha
Same
me literally
Omg bruhhh Damon your channel is my go to channel to show to people I live with in Germany (I'm from the US) and EACH TIME I tell people about the pledge of alliance it's THE biggest WTF moment everrr
OH GURL! That low voltage electric slide gave me life, it actually made my day.
Chloe trying to open that Snapple STRESSED me out omg.
Especially when she put it between her legs, like giirrll 😭
The pledge of allegiance...it hit me in high school it seemed cultish & I didn’t agree with the verbiage ‘one nation under god’ (separation of church & state & all?!) I decided to sit quietly whilst it occurred. I got detention. When my teacher questioned me if I’d continue to do so, I responded I would. She put me in detention again, yet this time insisted on parental presence. My father showed. The teacher told him why she requested his presence & why I got detention. He was pissed. Told her he took off work for this. It being ridiculous, she can’t force me to recite the pledge nor punish me for sitting quietly, not disruptive. She was stunned. Not the response she expected. Now come to present times (by 20 yrs.) Same father says it’s disgraceful when people do not stand & recite the pledge AT A SPORTING EVENT & should be ‘fired’ for not. I reminded him of the one time in high school. My, how the brainwashing has effected this country.....
I just want to say that I love watching all these videos because it gives me such hope in young Americans that maybe weren’t not all so ego centric, and care to have these conversations with friends. I feel like you always have guests on your channel that are down to earth and understand the fabric of what it means to be human.
damon writing "will bring up his ex" is his other way of bringing up his ex
This conversation is so relevant. I often think about the ways America is different from the rest of the world. In terms of American culture and life, you stated the facts and attitudes perfectly- especially regarding healthcare.
“We like what we don’t have” LMAO EVERYONE EVER
The reason why they can’t show you the sales tax is because some states have different sales tax. In California it’s more than in Florida, some states don’t have sales tax at all. Brands can’t raise the price for certain states and not for others. Only states can tax its citizens through sales, not the federal government.
THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE
“Article II, Section 1, Clause 2 of the Constitution, empowers each state legislature to determine the manner by which the state's electors are chosen. The number of electors in each state is equal to the sum of the state's membership in the Senate and House of Representatives.”
It isn’t a random number, and it’s supposed to make sure small states don’t get steamrolled by larger states- like see;
A candidate needs 270 votes to win the election.
Candidate 1 wins these states: California (55), New York (29), Virginia (15), Washington (12) Michigan (16)...Candidate 1 has 127 electoral votes.
Candidate 2 has these states: Texas (38), Florida (29), Pennsylvania (20), Illinois (20) and the rest of the states are undecided...2 has 107 electoral votes.
Even though candidate 1 has more small states, they have a better chance of winning despite it. Big states do help, but they’re not end all be all. I don’t like the system, but it wasn’t made willy nilly.
Damon: "Canada is more or less the same culture as the states."
Canadians: Sorry, but you're wrong.
As an American who is really only getting the tourist’s experience of Canada, it’ll be no different from America. There’s still the luxury of seeing new foods and stuff but your experience of simply existing in Canada probably exists in another part of your state. Aside from the touristy stuff, yeah it’s very different
Some americans are convinced we’re socialist.
@@cat-ou2jf you have socialist policies, and there is NOTHING wrong with that. Unfortunately the word is demonized. Democratic socialism is practiced in so many countries and it works when people aren't selfish.
@@Toywins I think you mean social democracy, democratic socialism is something different.
I'd ♥️ for Canada to adopt me!!!!
The reason taxes don t appear on adds or on price tags in groceries stores is because taxes change from state to state but the price of the product itself stay the same. It would cause a lot of confusion if suddenly an item was a bit pricier when you cross a state line also it s more convenient for advertising
22:26 “It just means, obviously, that people with more money are going to have more health, and they’re going to take the best jobs.“
Yup.
Not just the Electric Slide but also the Cha-Cha Slide!!! The vibes are on point when it comes on
If there isn’t one, I’d love to see a video on your favorite culture based on the ones you’re familiar with.
Maybe you could compare how Americans generally are to how other people are (in terms of friendliness, etc)
Damon, your videos on literally any topic are just pure gold, you deserve more attention, people need to see this.
“Girl, that’s Texas!” Haha, so true. I just moved to France from America and it’s true, I’ve never traveled because of how expensive it is and how far things are. I can’t wait to travel Europe but now we’re in Confinement🤦🏽♀️
In France, we also pay for Health Care (Sécurité Sociale) : part of our salary goes as taxes for Health Care !
I love marshmallow fluff and am shocked you’ve never tried it...
Any-who, hi from California!
the filming, the editing, the thought that went into this video...
everything is perfect
- honeypot films
you really put the same comment on a ton of videos kadfjdksf hope you can boost your channel tho
I completely relate to the comment about feeling the need to "talk bad" about the US, especially when abroad or with foreigners, and I also relate to the comment about "sticking up" for the US in a lot of ways. It can be really exhausting as an expat being constantly around people talking bad about the place that you're from. When I first moved I would joke along with it, but eventually after hearing the same negative things over and over and never anything positive it really became grating. It got to the point where I would just be thinking "alright alright, I GET IT!" And eventually it made me defensive. Like, hey, my mama lives there! And so does almost all of the people who I love and care about! These are genuine, kind, good-hearted people who are intelligent, generous, and empathetic, and they aren't any of these things that you keep saying that they are! And you know what, neither am I! It also really got to me that along with valid criticisms (which there are valid criticisms to be had. Trust me, I'm the first to complain about things like the healthcare and educational systems or how we still have tipping or imperial measurements. You know who also complains about those things though? Almost every US American that I know 😂) there is always a healthy amount of generalizing, stereotyping, and flat out cultural misunderstanding. Just as the misconception that the French are rude comes from cultural misunderstandings, so does the idea that US Americans are, for example, fake. Many people, I've found especially Europeans, have a hard time understanding why we smile so much, why we have the customary "how are you?" greeting, why we strike up conversations with strangers, the overly politeness of our servers, etc, and attribute that all to us being 'fake'. I could go into depth about all of these, but basically it all boils down to it being our etiquette and culture. I don't personally understand all of the French etiquette or culture either, like why would I need to say hello and goodbye to complete strangers on an elevator? I don't know them, and if anyone were to say hello to me in an elevator like that in the US I'd be completely thrown off guard 😂. But, simply put, that's their etiquette, which is part of their culture, and I understand and respect that. It's also part of our etiquette to ask "how are you?" as part of our greeting and it's customary to respond with something simple like "I'm good, I'm doing alright, I've been better, I'm fine" and so forth. Especially if it's someone you don't know, like a grocery store clerk. So please don't read into it that we are fake people because of it. I also desperately miss US small talk, funny as it sounds. When I came back to the states after living in Japan I felt so deprived of human interaction that I talked to just about everyone I came across for a solid 2 months. Since it's not customary to strike up conversations with strangers in Japan, I could go several days at a time being surrounded by an immense amount of people but never communicating with any of them. As someone from the US, this was hard for me. At times I felt like a ghost floating through the city. Back home I've had conversations with people on trains, in lines at the grocery store, while sitting on a park bench, in a traffic jam even, you name it. Sure, most of these where small, shallow interactions, but I still enjoyed connecting with another human being even if briefly. And not all of the conversations have been shallow. I've had some very thought provoking and soul stirring conversations with strangers on all sorts of topics. I've even been given some sage advice, many of which I still remember and some of which I still live by. So I completely understand if you do not understand, or like, or feel comfortable with our 'small talk' culture, but I for one am thankful for it each time that I come back to the states.
The best way that I can put my thoughts on the US is to say that I think of it much the same way that I think of my family. I don't always agree with them, or even fully understand them, and they can disappoint me greatly. I can even be embarrassed by them sometimes. They aren't perfect, or the greatest family out there. But I'm thankful for them, and I appreciate everything that they've done for me and everything that I have because of them. I love them, flaws and all, because they are mine. And they have some pretty great aspects too. I'm the person I am because of them, and I like who I am. I love living in France (even if this comment seemed ranty and salty) It's a beautiful country that I'm thankful to be in. But the US will always be my home.
I relate to this comment. I was never patriotic or “pro-american” ever until I started making friends with people from other countries and seeing how much generalizing and shit talking people do about us. I noticed that some of the things we’re known for and that people mock us for (ignorance, racism, stupidity, bad politicians, obesity) are really common in many other countries, sometimes worse. But I also feel dumb getting defensive about generalizations, because many critiques are valid and people generalize other countries too. It’s just a little weird to hear people say americans are so fake or that our country is an embarrassment. I mean our president is yes haha but there are other countries with presidents on the same level of stupidity as him, and I would never tell them that they or their country are an embarrassment.
They are key primordial points that you have elevated during this video... which never made me attracted to the US. The cultural clash is big. Also I worked in an American company, my manager was Texan from Dallas. Their work culture was horrible too ... she took 2 weeks off after her pregnancy and expected everybody to be like her and to never be ill or in vacation , so when I had my open heart surgery she made my life hell because I needed time off to recover ( 6 months) ... also because my office was located in France and my work contract was French she was always complaining that I had too many days off ( mandatory public holidays ) and that I should still work anyway ... it was horrible, I worked for them 5 years, it was my first job after graduating... I regret so much that i didn’t have enough experience to resign before !!
i’m dating a brazilian and i’m so bad at explaining america to him.. i can’t wait to send him to this and everything make sense
There were small light rail trains (electric even) in urban and suburban areas, but during the 1950s the auto industry and oil industry lobbied for them to be retired and replaced with expressways and other roads,
which was conveniently part of Eisenhower's plan after seeing what Hitler had done for Germany.
Damon: Canada is basically the same culture as the US
Canadians: 👀
Canadian think they are different from american but culturally they are pretty close though...
@@jonpetter8921 esp the treatment of their indigenous population
I live in Canada and you would literally not be able to tell the difference if someone was american or not
2:36 I'm living for the "Next" descriptions
i’ve never been this early omg i’m so happy i’m here
Jack McEwan I read "i'm so happy i'm free"
@@alicelynx i’m stuck in London i’m definitely not free lol
Jack McEwan well London is a cool city
as someone who has multiple disabilities, on many many medications simply to function, had corona, high risk for the virus, as well as declining health mentally & physically that i never expected since losing my job 8 months ago... getting next to no support from the country or state.. i appreciate y'all having these conversations. it's important.
No Chloe. Out here we buy those yellow school buses, and we turn them into fabulous homes. So make that fantasy your reality girlfriend ☺️
We had to to the Pledge of Allegiance AND The National Anthem every morning for a few years in elementary school
Me, in Texan: it took me 24 hours to get to California.
It took me like 30 hours to get to NYC from Denver
It took me around two days to just get from Virginia to Florida (never driving down again)😭
it took me 10 hours to get from northern california to southern california lmao
@@nicole-su8dl lmao I love it! omg. I think it takes 24 hours to get from the panhandle of texas to the tip of texas and i'm like ???? that is insane lol!
as an american... i learned so much..... damon the way you explained deductibles and the electoral college is better than anything ive heard in my 21 years of life. thank you lmao
Damon is telling the truth on the states y’all!!! I don’t understand how this country is still functioning
Great job Damon. You actually opened up my perspective on a few issues, very entertainingly.
Damon: "Canada is basically the same culture as America."
Canadians: 😬
I’m American and went to school in Canada. The culture is way not the same.
Look we don't want to feel like we're in this alone.
Misery loves company
And Canada is close
But in comparison to Bolivia, Uganda, Austria, Fiji and Mongolia for example, the US and Canada are not that different
@@aideletx7170 what were the biggest differences?
I mean history wise Canada isn't squeaky clean like the stereotypes USA gave them. But healthcare wise at least they attempt to do something.
As someone from London as well this was so informative. I think its crazy how we both speak the same language but when i've been to Europe i've found it easier to get along with them compared to when i have met americans (i have only met some from Florida and Californa so i can't say that for all of them of course). I also can't wrap my head around how different each state is!
Peanut butter fluff sandwiches are 💣
also y’all be drinking some expensive wine 😂
Damon how are so chill with speaking to strangers like wow I could never
I’m so early Damon hasn’t even changed the error in his thumbnail lol
There's always at least ONE error every video 🤣
love this. elevating the quality of youtube itself with every upload
America needs public medicine like fr idk how so many generations have bought into the idea that we have a good healthcare system 🙄🙄 Don't worry, us GenZ kids will change that one of these days ✨✨
The way you set up your shots is just so aesthetic!! It looks amazing and the colors are sooo good. Ps. Other jobs are expected to be tipped like barista's, hotel cleaners, valets, etc. But they still get paid minimum wage. Tips should be built into the price of food like some restaurants require an 18% tip if there is more than 5 people
The part about the healthcare just scares me. So thankful I don't live there
Thank you so much for this content. It's a total ray of light these days. Editing is on point too.....just waiting for you to have a show already.
~culty~ lol im from india and every morning we have "morning assembly" at school (some schools had it on alternate days or once a week or whatever) and we say a couple prayers (i go to a private school so we say hindu prayers but you cant do religious stuff in govt schoold) and then a bunch of kids read out some news or like the weather forecast or they do some sort of ~creative~ presentation like a sing a song or whatever
ANYWAY at the end we sing the national anthem or sometimes the school song so yeah.
this didn't need to be so long sorry
That's not necessarily culty i think. For me still weird and unnecessary, but I can see the point. Singing the national anthem every day is kinda culty for me, but I'm German and patriotism instinctively seems fishy and wrong to me. But pledging alliance to a flag definitely is on a whole different level. Real North Korea vibes
@@jeanneg6004 i don't think either thing is culty tbh but its like forceful patriotism and its v weird and unnecessary
ok but your painting above your couch is SO GOOD i would commission that
Can we make sure Damon gets BACK TO EUROPE SAFELY AND ASAP please???!!!
I started the video laughing with that new version of I'm proud to be an American and ended the video completely mindblown with that Sitcom explanation.
What a rollercoaster
It was cheaper for me as a New Yorker without dental insurance to travel to England and pay cash for my wisdom teeth extraction. WHAT?!
I could be wrong, but I've heard that the reason they add the sales tax after is because taxes are different per state, county, etc. Like some states tax certain items where others don't, some counties have higher sales tax compared to neighboring counties, and since there are so many variations in the rules depending on the area it's added at the register vs. already in the price.
omg.. the healthcare issue just sounds horrendous! and the tips/minimum wage issue is just cruel... and then the whole electoral college? i understand it, but it's actually shit. but i think the UK dose similar?
how had the US not been burned down yet?
Yeah when I was in Middle School (between 11 and 14 years old) they taught the Electric Slide and Cupid Shuffle in Physical Education classes as a form of Cardio Exercise. Our class or grade had so many students they had to split us up to use space outside (track, random fields) and inside (gymnasium). Yep.