American culture has permeated the rest of the world so deeply that even people who have never set foot in the U.S. are familiar with it. Many people grow up watching American movies, following American influencers, and absorbing many aspects of American culture in the process. However, there are some things about the U.S. that are exaggerated, whether in fictional stories on the screen, comments online, or other forms of media.

Not every high schooler’s experience is like that of HBO’s hit show Euphoria, but some Americans are really afraid to call an ambulance because of the high medical bills. In fact, 23% of Americans admitted in 2024 that they didn’t call 911 during a medical emergency precisely because of that.

Recently, one Redditor asked people all around the globe: “Non-Americans, what is something about the US that you’ve always wondered if it was real or just myth/hyperbole?” And people got a chance to dispel any misconceptions they have had about the U.S. and what life there is really like.

Bored Panda also got in touch with the Redditor who posted this thread, and they kindly agreed to have a chat with us. Read our conversation below!

Read More: People Ask Americans If These 44 Things Are Actually True In Real Life And Get Surprising Answers

#1

For those that are against universal healthcare because they don’t want to be paying for other people’s treatment, do they really not understand how medical insurance works ?

AllRhythmNoBlues:

Yes. They really do not understand. At all.

ETA: I should clarify that the health care system in the U.S. is purposely convoluted. There are a multitude of reasons for this thought process. Some, for example, may think everyone should simply be responsible for themselves, even though that is impossible in a functioning society. Mostly, it’s corporate greed driven. Aside from the money structure which has been discussed in another answer, health insurance is tied to employment. It’s seen as something to be earned or deserved for working. If you don’t work, you supposedly don’t deserve to be healthy? Very broadly speaking, the American perspective is that things should be earned and for some reason, your health is included in that. It’s depressing on a whole new level because it’s self-inflicted.

Image credits: Frothingdogscock

#2

Is it true that prices of goods in shops is displayed without the tax and you have to work that bit out yourself? Surely not.

ItsNotKenough:

The sales tax also varies from state to state and can even vary from counties and cities within each individual state. Typically people don’t take the time to calculate the sales tax and just know it’ll be more than the price tag.

Image credits: walktheground

#3

Are house numbers really as big as they are in movies. Every house is like 51234 something or other street. It’s a rare road here in Oz that cracks more than 200.

Flame_MadeByHumans:

The beginning number of a house in the US usually relates to the cross street.

So all the houses between 42nd and 43rd street will be 4210, 4220, etc. It’s typically a codified system instead of houses 1-20 specific to a single street.

Image credits: cackmobile

#4

Is it true that millions of sedentary obese American citizens drive huge pickup trucks and hate cyclists & vegans?

AllieLoft:

If the other comments haven’t answered your question- yes. All of those things: pickups, cycling, veganism, are tied to identity and politics at least loosely in this insane current political climate we have. At this point, a lot of us are programmed to make assumptions about people based on their car, eating habits, etc.

Basically, we’re drowning in propaganda over here.

Image credits: summitcreature

#5

Is it actually true you’re scared to call the ambulance or go to the hospital?

Lily_Lupin:

Called the ambulance in college once. Got a bill equal to several months’ rent afterwards. Haven’t called one since – uber or friends it is.

Image credits: WhoregasmPerfection

#6

Do you just hang up the phone without saying goodbye, like in tv shows and the movies?

keirmeister:

No. That’s weird to us as well. I’m not sure where that concept in movies came from.

Image credits: nerdy_vanilla

#7

Are there really beer kegs in big parties? Where do you even buy kegs?

GeorgeCabana:

Yes. Many liquor stores offer kegs (you have to return the empty keg and taps).

Image credits: pseudo__gamer

#8

Do you really throw garbage down the sink? Doesn’t it get clogged?

Kent_Knifen:

Some sinks are equipped with a garbage disposal. Think of it like a blender hidden just past the drain. It will chop up food particles small enough where they can go down the plumbing.

You would NOT use this for all garbage, just discarded food.

Image credits: Marco-YES

#9

Do your police systems/databases not talk to each other? Like you always hear “they crossed state lines we lost them” whereas in australia everyone is in the one database. You do something in one state? You’ll show up in the next.

protomanEXE1995:

We are remarkably divided among states and localities. The cultural demand for various levels of local sovereignty means that centralized control is heavily discouraged and rather uncommon.

Image credits: millycactus

#10

Can you really pull yourself up by your bootstraps all on your own and achieve the American dream?

Amenmeit:

Unless you get extremely lucky or severely neglect your health, not anymore. Round about the mid to late nineties that fizzled out.

Image credits: KratosLegacy

#11

Do schools really have their own police/security?

CuriousCuriousAlice:

Yes, the bigger ones. In my city you will see them in their own police cars that say ‘[school name] campus police’ on the side. Honestly, most of their time is spent dealing with traffic before and after school.

Image credits: TheLesserWeeviI

#12

One of our exchange students was floored when she found out that the yellow school buses are real.

Image credits: SomePeopleCall

#13

Does your front door actually lead directly to the living room? that’s so wild to me. Like if I’m lounging on the sofa and my room mate comes home with maybe even another guest in tow, they’d be entering right into the living room and the door is opened to the outside?

Ironhold:

Depends on region, age of house, design of house, and lots of other things. Most of my apartments had some kind of entryway, at least. A few of my friends’ houses front door was straight to the living room/front room and the back door was straight to the kitchen.

Image credits: No_Step9082

#14

How common are basements and attics in houses?

Is it exclusive for middle and upper middle class and above or most houses have them?

atomiku121:

Depends on the area you’re in. In my area (Midwest) both are quite common for a couple reasons.

Attics are common because we can get a LOT of snow, so sloped roofs are needed to handle the load. Depending on the slope, the space may not be usable for much outside of storage, hence the attic. My home has an attic that was large enough to convert into a large master bedroom.

Basements are common here because the soil has a lot of clay and is generally soft enough to dig through without too much issue, and having a portion of your home below grade is very nice to have in the event a tornado comes through.

Image credits: WnDelPiano

#15

Shark Week.

Is it really just about sharks?

vixiecat:

Sure is! It’s great! All day and night, nothing on that channel but programs about sharks.

Image credits: MisterBerry94

#16

In The Sopranos, Tony quotes another character saying “Nowhere else in the world [do] people expect to be happy except here in this country and still we’re not.”

Do most Americans actually have that expectation?

jimb575:

As an American, I can unequivocally say that this is 100% true. I never understood this drive that people have here that they need to be happy. Not content, but happy. We’re taught that if you’re not happy then there is something wrong. In my view, this causes all types of issues – hyper-materialism, self doubt, false competition, etc…

And the worst part is that the people that expect to be happy usually expect someone else to make them happy…

Image credits: johnnyknack

#17

From watching (admittedly too much) reality shows – how common is lip-fillers/Botox in people in their 20s/30s?

FluffyOwl30:

In every day people? Probably not high. In people who make money off their appearance? Probably high.

Image credits: Iluvaic

#18

That you have to “earn” your sick days at work.

ATLDeepCreeker:

Not earn, “accrue”.

When you start a job that pays by the hour, you accrue a certain percentage of PAID sick time per week. The same holds true for vacation time.

You can also take unpaid sick time. Some companies are flexible also, allowing you to use un-accrued sick time, before you actually earn it.

If you are on salary, its a bit different. All of my sick and vacation time is available to me on January 1st.

Image credits: dexvoltage

#19

The pledge of alliance, is that something that is children actually have to say daily? 

Elegant_Bluebird_460:

Yes, in public schools and many private schools. I can’t think of a time in my adult life I have ever said it. However, kids cannot be forced to say it according to the Supreme Court.

Image credits: seweso

#20

Is it true Americans have no job security and your boss can just fire you for no reason, like Trump in the Apprentice?

tstackspaper:

Yes this is true. It’s called “at-will employment”

It is illegal for an employer to terminate an employee for reasons that violate federal or state laws, however you’d be burdened proving this in a court of law so typically people just move on instead of waisting time trying to sue over it.

Image credits: ElkNaive8344

#21

Do school kids really sell wrapping paper and cookies to make money?

budgie02:

Sometimes, school fundraisers are common. At least when I was in school we got a magazine of home items like candles, blankets and such and would have to canvas the neighborhood and our family to sell it. The kid who sold the most would win an Xbox, or something like that.

Image credits: Thatkoshergirl

#22

Haven’t really thought about it “always”, but become wondering some time ago if americans really can’t go anywhere without car. Do they really can’t come outside their homes and go by legs with friends to nearest park or some shopping mall to just chill there? Are they really imprisoned in their suburbs untill some parent drive them on their hammer 100 km to the nearest “fun place” or untill the same parents buy them a car?

LakeExtreme7444:

The more rural you are, the more dependent on a car you’ll be. Where I live, the closest gas station and grocery store are about 10-15 minutes away and I live 30 minutes from my work (this is all by car). We don’t have public transportation where I live, so if I didn’t have a car, I wouldn’t be able to work or buy things without a full day’s walk, at the very least.

Timtronic125:

My local park is about 1.4 miles away. That’s 4 minutes by car, 35 minutes to walk.

I work in the next city over. 26 miles by interstate @ approximately 40 minutes commute time. Walking to work would take 9 hours. America is huge and really spread out. And I live in the suburbs. Couldn’t imagine living in the Midwest.

Image credits: InteractionGreedy159

#23

I’ve always wondered if people really do have endless refills at restaurants or if it’s just a thing in movies.

DonovanSarovir:

Yeah that’s real, but generally only applies to fountain drinks like soda and cheap lemonade (NOT SPRITE), as well as black coffee. You’ll pay once and they keep you topped up, or sometimes you can refill it yourself. Expensive drinks like cocktails and stuff are one-offs like other places though.

Soda is just so cheap because of corn subsidies that each glass costs them like five to ten cents.

Image credits: lunchbockslarry

#24

I often wondered if people really go to places in their pajamas sometimes. Ive lived in the US now for a long time and I know that that answer is “sometimes yes in certain places”.

I also heard that highschoolers sometimes would go to their classes in PJs, I dont know if this is true or not (or for college classes for that matter).

AngryKitty57:

I see people at the gas station and Walmart in Pajama pants very very often.

#25

I was surprised that people wear shoes indoors in the US. I thought it was only a movie set thing.

LetsGoGators23:

It is very climate dependent I find. I grew up in snowy, muddy upstate NY and you absolutely took your shoes or boots off. The last 21 years in Florida, not nearly as necessary and you are in/out a lot more that makes it more impracticable to take them off. Not impossible, my Indian and Asian neighbors absolutely always take shoes off. It’s also heavily tiled indoors and it’s really hard on the feet/back to not have shoes on.

Image credits: moksliukez

#26

Grew up on American movies thinking prom was this glitter-bombed fairy tale with slow-mo entrances and no awkward dad dances—turns out my US cousin’s was just sweatpants and pizza in a gym, but hey, the myth kept my teen dreams alive longer than reality ever could.

rancidmilkmonkey:

Prom really is like that (without the slo-motion part) depending on where you live. Every school does their prom differently. I went to a public high school school with a disproportionate amount of wealthy kids in Tampa. We usually had our proms in a nice hotel or large restaurant with everyone in full tuxedos and expensive dresses. It’s not uncommon for a groups of kids to arrive in a limo. It was like that when my wife and I went there, our parents went there, and when my oldest son went there 7 years ago. I was a poor kid in a rich kids school, but anyone from Tampa can tell you the name of that school without me having to. Honestly though, most of the other local high schools have their proms hosted somewhere outside the school as well. Tuxes and custom dresses are common, limos not so much.

#27

Columbus Day is that a thing you guys still celebrate?

km89:

“Celebrate” is a strong word.

Schools, banks, and some workplaces are closed for the day, but there’s no particular celebration attached to it. The vast majority of the country treats it as somewhere between “business as usual” and “a random day off.” Nobody’s booking a reservation for Columbus Day dinner.

#28

I had someone ask me if I live in a dorm “like in the movies.” (Yes).

Image credits: justbreathe5678

#29

How you guys are able to punch a hole through a wall. Where I’m from, all our homes are brick and concrete so if you punched a wall you’d be pretty screwed for life.

arrius01:

Most residential walls in the US are sheetrock which is fairly easy to punch through between the studs which are generally 16 in apart.

Before sheetrock, many walls were strips of wood covered in plaster. I think hitting one of those would not have gone well for the person.

There are lots of homes here with brick as well, but that is not as common, particularly portions of the country that aren’t constructed pre-turn of the century

Image credits: Beneficial_Pay5720

#30

Do y’all really drink soda a lot? Or is it just when special occasions or travelling or things?

Character-Lack-9653:

IME people either drink lots of soda or very little soda and nothing in between.

Personally I never drink soda, I think it’s sickeningly sweet. Most people in my social circle don’t drink much soda either. OTOH I have a few (very overweight) coworkers who continuously drink soda all day.

Image credits: Weird_Strange_Odd

#31

Do you guys really get mad when people speak other languages?

RandomGen-Xer:

Most don’t. When they get mad is when you and your friend obviously look them up and down, then turn to each other and speak in another language, laughing about them.

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Image credits: Lizardk1