Aspies For Freedom

Could you describe the nature of these difficulties? Does it have to do with differences in how language is used or more to do with social assumptions? Something else?

I notice that when I spend too much time on AFF (oh wait, that's always) I start spelling in the english way. I wrote an entire post using "behaviour"  which I'm not sure if that's the right way to spell that at all. Several americans have thought I was from UK. My own fault, admittedly, and humorous.

Surely we americans are not all that bad?

Some of the UKers are not all that much easier with the slang... (while I think Ian is an awesome business entrepreneur I usually have little idea of what he's saying, for instance.)

But I seem understand the australians very well, as well as the americans...

But I'm interested in knowing what I could do to lessen the confusion.

Strike a light Guv'nor, don't wantcha shatting a turtle now do we son? *tongue clicks and winks*

oh it's just a combination of london slang, accent and something from austin powers ;p

I'm a Brit and notice Americans don't understand the British wry sense of humour or slang, and it can at times be hard to explain. That and the spelling differences are the only cultural differences I have observed.

:blushes:  Okay then, I take back my defensiveness.   I do try to think through what I say and the fact that some things are not clear to others... though admittedly sometimes I just say whatever pops out onto the keyboard as well...

Ian, what the heck is that!?!  

(Sarah spends the next half hour trying to think of something equally sporadic in americanese and realizes that she really has little knowledge of her own country's slang...)

Americans, Canadians, British, Europeans - all seem the same to me. I can pick up cultural differences on line.

I can pick up cultural differences with you Ian, you are way, way to cool and clever for me as well. I know what you say, although you are quite subtle.

I meant to say - I can't pick up cultural differences on line - everyone just seems the same.

"The ones I have issue with are the totalitarian, supremisist cultures."

Ah so you don't like the UK then? :p

One People, One Nation... :p

It's hard talking over the net, I hope I didn't offend.1111111111111111
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kitty.

umm - I just meant to add my point of view, that's all.
I don't speak for everyone, just myself

Americans more serious? My being an American, I have some difficulty grasping this...

It's somewhat funny, I think...in my case, I find myself wanting to assume people are not from the US. Perhaps I am just too used to visiting forums where the people posting are mostly outside of the US. That, and the healthcare here sucks.

You keep yourself putting down quickduck - please don't do it.
You put up interesting threads.

Americans seem to be very competitive in general.

I would agree with this. It is one of my peeves about the society in which I live.  Every silly little thing seems to be cast in terms of winning and losing, and individualism is frequently taken to a ridiculous extreme. It is as if we can't get away from the less-than-helpful ideas described as "Social Darwinism" (though I doubt Darwin would like his name so used).

Speaking of healthcare, how many have seen Michael Moore's Sicko? It will rock your world, believe me. Some Americans (conservative) feel Moore is an opportunist, that he skews the facts, but if only 30% of what he reports is 100% accurate (or mostly so) we are really in trouble as a nation.

I LOVE the various points he makes (in comparing the US culture with UK's and France's), especially:

In the UK and France people in general have the gov't afraid of THEM- in the US the average worker is still cowed by the gov't, terribly afraid of losing their jobs (fewer and fewer unions) and benefits.

In the UK and France the average joe votes, whereas in the US the same sort of worker, both white and blue collar, is so demoralized they don't even bother to vote. This is backed up by statistics.

Everyone and his global uncle gets adequate sick and vacation leave- we get 9, NINE weeks less than everyone else. (May explain why some here find Americans so serious???) We basically work ourselves to death here. A person having two or three jobs (esp. in CA where housing is so damn expensive) is not uncommon.

Anyway I could go on and on. We have always had savings, but about 7 years ago we had to pay out about $27K for my husband's kidney stones operation because it was "pre-existing" (we had private health insurance at the time). We had the money in savings, but what about people who don't. Medical expenses are the number one reason homes go into foreclosure in the US. Well, actually, the crummy, ridiculous balloon rates are more to blame in the past 12months, but before that, medical costs were the number 1 reason Americans were losing their homes and/or had to declare bankruptcy....

Sicko almost makes me want to look again at living abroad someday- it would be safe from a financial standpoint in many ways. I have friends who live in India half the year for that reason I think.