Aussies debate the worst parts of American culture – ‘It needs to be kept as far from us as possible.’
- Replies 11
Australia and the USA are similar in some ways. Both are large countries in terms of area, with beautiful, natural landscapes. Both boast of incredibly diverse cultures and have significant immigrant populations. The nations are also part of the Anglosphere. We, like the US, also live in a democratic society.
But there are also differences, such as preferred systems of measurement, the format of dates, and the side of the road people drive on. While these could be considered trivial, others are not – and we might be better off for it.
An Aussie on the social news website Reddit spurred a discussion: what's one aspect of American culture or psyche you're glad has never been able to get a foothold in Australia? The thread was interesting, with many others weighing in.
The original poster shared their thoughts: ‘[I’ll] name one: The university admission system and the cringe university culture that goes with it.’
Redditors also had their thoughts about American ‘college’ admissions. One answered: ‘Their university admissions system, the obsession with irrelevant extracurriculars, and kids as young as 8 or 9 doing an extracurricular activity, not because they or their parents like it, but because it will look good on their applications. It's ridiculous and there's socio-economic gatekeeping too.’
Another Redditor said: ‘I work at a university and get so many emails from people overseas who want to study in Australia. They send us their enormous CVs discussing all their extracurricular and charity work and requesting an interview to show how they’d be a great fit for the uni. This is how things work in places like the US, and it favours wealthier students who know how to ace these ridiculous admission interviews. I get a lot of pleasure explaining that uni admission in Australia is based exclusively on your ATAR or foreign equivalent, nothing more and nothing less.’
The Redditor went on to say that the ATAR, which stands for the Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank, isn't determined by a single standardised test. Instead, it is based on students’ final scores for subjects in their final year. It is not perfect, but students do not have to undergo multiple interviews and essays to be admitted. ATAR can also be adjusted to account for socio-economic disadvantages.
In recent years, Americans have observed that the competition has become more intense, causing great anxiety and stress among students to overachieve. Its cutthroat nature has even led to controversies such as the so-called ‘Operation Varsity Blues’ in 2019, with wealthy parents conspiring with and bribing school officials so their children could get into prestigious American universities such as Yale, Stanford, and Georgetown.
Another common answer on the post is the critique of America’s tipping culture. One Aussie responded: ‘Tipping. Gig economics is trying to sneak this in to keep underpaying people, don't let them do it!’
Australians do not feel obligated to tip compared to their American counterparts. Credit: Andrea Piacquadio
Many felt the system was unfair, with another sharing: ’Poverty wages only becoming liveable because of tips, relying on the kindness of strangers so you're able to afford a roof over your head is just a terrible system.’
Others have observed that the system is already creeping into the country, with many expressing strong objections to the practice. One Redditor commented: ‘I'll refuse to tip for the rest of my life in Australia, but g**d*** I will protest hard for wage increases. Do I want people to get paid more? Heck yes! Out of the little guy's pocket, though? Heck no! The tip system makes rich people richer.’
While tips are not standardised in the US, the unwritten rule is generally to give tips of 20 per cent or higher for good service. Many restaurant servers rely on gratuity to live as their fixed wages are insufficient. The federal minimum wage in the US is a meagre US$7.25 per hour, compared to Australia’s $21.38 per hour, which is about US$15.
Aussies also view Americans’ love for firearms in a negative light. One answer with high upvotes (Reddit’s version of ‘likes’) is ‘school shootings’, prompting a discourse on the US gun culture.
A Redditor said: ‘Their gun culture and obsessive attitude towards it are deeply upsetting. It needs to be kept as far from us as possible.’
Another Aussie chimed in: ‘I think both here and in many other countries, guns are more seen as tools that farmers have or as a specific hobby. Many Americans seem to think owning a gun is the only way to keep you and your family from being murdered in the middle of the night. That kind of cultural paranoia is genuinely terrifying to me.’
Australians can procure guns, but ownership is more regulated than in the US. Another comment said: ‘Yeah like shooting is a thing in Australia, you can get a gun if you wish. But even with that, the cultural aspect of it is so different. You can walk into a gun range in America and rent a pistol for $100. No licensing, no checks. Nothing. It's f****** terrifying.’
According to the Pew Research Centre, four out of ten adults in the US live in a home with guns, and at least 30 per cent say they own a firearm. Sixty-three per cent cite personal safety as a reason for owning a gun, compared to hunting at 40 per cent, recreation or sport at 6 per cent, and line of work at 5 per cent. In Australia, ‘genuine reasons’ for having a firearm licence do not include personal or property protection. The ABC discusses more differences between Australian and American gun laws in the feature below:
Are there other things in American culture you’re glad aren’t a thing in Australia? Or, we suppose, the opposite – anything in America you’d like to see here? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
But there are also differences, such as preferred systems of measurement, the format of dates, and the side of the road people drive on. While these could be considered trivial, others are not – and we might be better off for it.
An Aussie on the social news website Reddit spurred a discussion: what's one aspect of American culture or psyche you're glad has never been able to get a foothold in Australia? The thread was interesting, with many others weighing in.
The original poster shared their thoughts: ‘[I’ll] name one: The university admission system and the cringe university culture that goes with it.’
Redditors also had their thoughts about American ‘college’ admissions. One answered: ‘Their university admissions system, the obsession with irrelevant extracurriculars, and kids as young as 8 or 9 doing an extracurricular activity, not because they or their parents like it, but because it will look good on their applications. It's ridiculous and there's socio-economic gatekeeping too.’
Another Redditor said: ‘I work at a university and get so many emails from people overseas who want to study in Australia. They send us their enormous CVs discussing all their extracurricular and charity work and requesting an interview to show how they’d be a great fit for the uni. This is how things work in places like the US, and it favours wealthier students who know how to ace these ridiculous admission interviews. I get a lot of pleasure explaining that uni admission in Australia is based exclusively on your ATAR or foreign equivalent, nothing more and nothing less.’
The Redditor went on to say that the ATAR, which stands for the Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank, isn't determined by a single standardised test. Instead, it is based on students’ final scores for subjects in their final year. It is not perfect, but students do not have to undergo multiple interviews and essays to be admitted. ATAR can also be adjusted to account for socio-economic disadvantages.
In recent years, Americans have observed that the competition has become more intense, causing great anxiety and stress among students to overachieve. Its cutthroat nature has even led to controversies such as the so-called ‘Operation Varsity Blues’ in 2019, with wealthy parents conspiring with and bribing school officials so their children could get into prestigious American universities such as Yale, Stanford, and Georgetown.
Another common answer on the post is the critique of America’s tipping culture. One Aussie responded: ‘Tipping. Gig economics is trying to sneak this in to keep underpaying people, don't let them do it!’
Australians do not feel obligated to tip compared to their American counterparts. Credit: Andrea Piacquadio
Many felt the system was unfair, with another sharing: ’Poverty wages only becoming liveable because of tips, relying on the kindness of strangers so you're able to afford a roof over your head is just a terrible system.’
Others have observed that the system is already creeping into the country, with many expressing strong objections to the practice. One Redditor commented: ‘I'll refuse to tip for the rest of my life in Australia, but g**d*** I will protest hard for wage increases. Do I want people to get paid more? Heck yes! Out of the little guy's pocket, though? Heck no! The tip system makes rich people richer.’
While tips are not standardised in the US, the unwritten rule is generally to give tips of 20 per cent or higher for good service. Many restaurant servers rely on gratuity to live as their fixed wages are insufficient. The federal minimum wage in the US is a meagre US$7.25 per hour, compared to Australia’s $21.38 per hour, which is about US$15.
Aussies also view Americans’ love for firearms in a negative light. One answer with high upvotes (Reddit’s version of ‘likes’) is ‘school shootings’, prompting a discourse on the US gun culture.
A Redditor said: ‘Their gun culture and obsessive attitude towards it are deeply upsetting. It needs to be kept as far from us as possible.’
Another Aussie chimed in: ‘I think both here and in many other countries, guns are more seen as tools that farmers have or as a specific hobby. Many Americans seem to think owning a gun is the only way to keep you and your family from being murdered in the middle of the night. That kind of cultural paranoia is genuinely terrifying to me.’
Australians can procure guns, but ownership is more regulated than in the US. Another comment said: ‘Yeah like shooting is a thing in Australia, you can get a gun if you wish. But even with that, the cultural aspect of it is so different. You can walk into a gun range in America and rent a pistol for $100. No licensing, no checks. Nothing. It's f****** terrifying.’
According to the Pew Research Centre, four out of ten adults in the US live in a home with guns, and at least 30 per cent say they own a firearm. Sixty-three per cent cite personal safety as a reason for owning a gun, compared to hunting at 40 per cent, recreation or sport at 6 per cent, and line of work at 5 per cent. In Australia, ‘genuine reasons’ for having a firearm licence do not include personal or property protection. The ABC discusses more differences between Australian and American gun laws in the feature below:
Are there other things in American culture you’re glad aren’t a thing in Australia? Or, we suppose, the opposite – anything in America you’d like to see here? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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