If you don’t know less than 50% of Americans have a passport. The ones who don’t, I really see the limitation in their thinking. They never saw that most of the world is in fact freer than them, has a better system in place for their people, and doesn’t have some of the major problems that America has. I’m currently in a country where over 90% of items are made in that country. America (made in China) can’t comprehend this efficiency. P.S. I’m American
The thing that gets me though is how dangerous many Americans say other parts of the world is without having ever been there lol. I travel and I’ll tell you America is the MOST dangerous country outside of warzones. Yes even more dangerous that Arab countries for women. Lol I know that propaganda is in a lot of Americans minds.
OK so who’s actually been outside the country and can talk geopolitics and actually know from experience what they are talking about?
I don’t have much to say about geopolitics off the top of my head, but I used to scoff at pedestrian-friendly designs and subscribe to the idea that car ownership is freedom and roads are for cars only. Living in Germany for a few months and enjoying public transit made me perish those old thoughts.
Among developed nations, the US should not get any awards for safety, but I would argue that there’s certainly worse out there without venturing into warzones.
Who is going to pay for such a luxury? Im not even sure if i would go if given money. Id probably just pay for a better car.
What’s the point in going somewhere else? Its just desperate working class people scrounging what they can to pay for living expenses in a different location.
Traveling is depressing as fuck.
Not American, so main question doesn’t apply. Have been to a couple other countries, have family in a lot more.
I’m currently in a country where over 90% of items are made in that country.
China? It’s got to be China, everywhere else has to import something other than raw resources. Hmm, maybe Cuba’s another candidate, I guess.
I travel and I’ll tell you America is the MOST dangerous country outside of warzones
That’s just straight up not true. The US is worst in class for the first world, but even parts of Mexico have a pretty high rate of violence.
No not China.
The US is huge and there is a lot to see. I know working class people who only travel as far as they can drive in a day trip. As far as America being “the MOST dangerous country outside of warzones” while it is popular to badmouth where you live (familiarity breeds contempt) I’ve never felt my life is in danger anywhere in the US. On the other hand I don’t go into areas likely to be crime ridden and these exist in other countries too.
Yes, lots of Americans don’t go beyond the Carribean and don’t have passports simply because they can spend a lifetime traveling around North America. They in turn have lots of stereotypes of all the places they’ve never been. People think the French are all horribly hostile snobs, I found them friendly, Turkey was like Midnight Express, ummm, no, and China is a police state with agents following your every step, nope. I was more worried about wandering off and getting lost than anything else in China.
most of the world is in fact freer than them, has a better system in place for their people, and doesn’t have some of the major problems that America has
Very debatable. Every country has its own issues and restrictions. Turkey is an autocracy for instance. Vietnam is a single party state with major corruption problems, etc. Switzerland is safe but very expensive. You seem to have a narrow view of the world.
Lived in Japan for 6 years (2 as military 4 as a civilian), best place I’ve ever been and my number one regret in life is not doing whatever it would have taken to stay.
Also traveled to France, Italy, and Germany at different times in my life and I was pretty impressed by those places as well.
Nope! I have worked from when I was in high-school all the way til now. I get a couple of vacation days a year. So I do what every good American does and goof off for decades. I still do good work mind you.
No time for travel when you dont have all that much vaca.
What does seem to be a point of agreement for Europeans that live in the States for years is that the US is so huge that for most people, there’s no reason to leave. Whatever landscape you want can be had, from the tropics to the Arctic Circle. Geography makes it easy to never have a passport and experience 20 lifetimes of places. It actually is an amazing and diverse place.
That being said, getting an outside perspective of the world is an entirely different thing. Until an American gets their exceptionalism challenged by someone, it’s an internal emotional paper tiger. It typically benefits Americans to leave the country.
I won’t touch your point about most dangerous. I don’t agree, but won’t engage because I don’t want to end up in a Palintir database. Delete this post unless you want CBP searching your phone next time you re-enter the country.
Being able to explore different geographic landscapes is nice but traveling outside of your country is necessary to broaden one’s worldview.
But even travel alone isn’t enough. You need to have a genuine curiosity about the world. About humanity.
I watched Eat Pray Love with my SO recently. I can’t think of a more narrow minded approach to telling this type of story. Using other nations and their people as a backdrop to one’s own half baked self discovery. It was poorly done and thankfully even the core audience of americans identified its issues.
I can’t imagine a life only seeing one nation’s people, worldview and lifestyle. It seems incomplete to me. I know for many Americans there are financial challenges (and not a lot of PTO) but I agree with you that its often to an individuals benefit to broaden their horizons.
Did you know you can be exposed to other cultures without leaving the country? You did a good job of pointing out why travel alone doesn’t make people more open minded, but you didn’t touch on the opportunities Americans have to connect with other cultures without leaving their own country.
You can be exposed to an Americanized version of that culture, absolutely. Its not the same as going to its source.
Not to mention different economic classes. Like people for whom travel to a different continent would be a luxury beyond their financial capabilities.
But even travel alone isn’t enough. You need to have a genuine curiosity about the world. About humanity.
Indeed. I’ve once met a boatful of American tourists visiting Cologne (Germany). I don’t think they actually knew where they were, and even called me a liar when I told them that the cathedral they were looking at was 750 years old (“No bulding can be that old!”).
I won’t touch your point about most dangerous. I don’t agree, but won’t engage because I don’t want to end up in a Palintir database. Delete this post unless you want CBP searching your phone next time you re-enter the country.
A scary reminder of chilling effects, hits close.
I’ll search their phones lol. Good post except most Americans don’t even know about other states. They don’t travel through America lol only a small percentage of us do.
Yes, quite a lot. I’ve never actually been to America though.
Sooooo funny haaaaaa
Something I really envy is the EU controls on food. Much of what passes for food here in the US is heavily processed, GMO, misleadingly labeled, etc.
it’s just the corporate way… lie, cheat, steal and murder.
I really miss the good tasting fresh food that Australia enjoys. In the US tomatoes are flavorless, bread is so sweet it’s like cake, and most fresh produce is unaffordable to lower income people.
Very true. Americans eat food not even fit for low beast. They think nutella is healthy and French fries are good because “Potato is vegie”. I’ve literally heard people say this in person. I had to leave them to eat slop on their own
This post is a bit American-centric.
A better wording would’ve been, “Have you ever travelled outside your own country?”
Or, one could say, outside of a 1,000 km radius to an area with a different culture and language.
If you’re in Europe, you can cross multiple countries in 3 hours. A 3 hour drive in any direction barely gets me out of my own state.
So I can understand why OP’s asking Americans. We’re pretty much secluded over here on our own plot with Canada and Mexico. Madrid to Moscow is about 4000 km as I understand it. Or 800 km less than it is from NYC to LA.
I’ve been to 44 States, Canada, Mexico and two other continents. Bad shit can happen anywhere. I will say that the best times I’ve had were hanging out with complete strangers from completely different backgrounds than mine and trading stories with them about home.
Except that these countries are quite more distinct from each other.
I’m asking about America only duh
Yes but lots of non-American readers see this post. So your wording is still a bit specific.
Americans: Have you ever traveled outside of America?
Would have made more sense.
In order to travel outside of America, you have to be inside of America. The people who really need to understand will surely understand the Americans. What you’re saying isn’t incorrect though. I’m just not going to change it.
I’ve only travelled outside of America.
Had some ideas about visiting the US for Gencon, but 2025 doesn’t seem like a good year for that.
I won’t talk politics, but I will say after going out and seeing other countries I completely agree, it’s way different than what I was told. I don’t think anyone who hasn’t left NA has any right to compare us against anyone.
Facts with extra facts on the side. ✨
Yup. American living in Germany for 2.5 years now, been traveling all over EU and UK…the world is a huge place and there’s a LOT of people. Most of them never think about the states and will never have any reason to. Germany may not be my favorite place, especially since i really struggle with the language so i know i dont fully understand a lot of things here. But the EU in general has a lot of things going way better.
With that said…everywhere always has its own issues as well. The grass isn’t always completely greener, if you will.
nope. im not part of that economic class.
No. I grew up poor. I was a poor young adult. Now I’m okay, but now I’m concerned with possibly ending up poor again. It’s like a stone around my neck.
Got a passport though. I’d love to be able to just move to another country (I swear I will learn whatever language I gotta, do my best to integrate, and not be too “outspoken American” if that is heavily frowned upon).
I believe you can do it.
