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?
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.
Not to mention different economic classes. Like people for whom travel to a different continent would be a luxury beyond their financial capabilities.
You can be exposed to an Americanized version of that culture, absolutely. Its not the same as going to its source.
No of course not, but it still exposes a person to a culture different than what they may be used to.
Its certainly better than nothing. But leaving your home country, especially to see and try to understand a culture different from yours, requires a type of humility that helps make a person more complete. I know many Americans struggle with work life balance which makes it not so feasible so I agree that exploring other cultures at home is a reasonable compromise. But a compromise nonetheless.
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!”).
100% yes.
I am privileged to be able to travel for fun, but also live in and get immersed in other cultures thanks to work.
The Americans that spend 5 days in Cancun, an all-inclusive in DR, or “went to Africa” by touching Morocco on a day trip from Spain…ugh. Y’all look bad saying box-ticking is anything else than that. It’s not a competition; what did you actually personally gain from the experience? What makes you grow as a person with greater understanding of our world? Sometimes the answers surprise you, but largely, it’s about saving money and being a dick to people you wrongly assume don’t speak English.
Agreed. I’d add that I don’t think experiencing a diaspora culture in the US is the same as going to another country and experiencing a culture on it’s home turf. The latter requires a sense of humility that I think the vast majority of Americans struggle with (or shy away from for other reasons). Overcoming those holdups leads to oppurtunities to have a more complete sense of the world and self.
I genuinely think many in America (also generally the West and wealthy people) see the world as a commodity that should offer a degree of “user/customer experience” which leads to some problematic world views and is part of why they may treat travel as a checklist. They want to go as far as possible without actually leaving home and wear it as a status symbol.
1 million percent correct here.
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.
Yeah. I’m aware, and it makes me sick.
But not as much as the fact that the Republic is over. Strap your survival pants on, pal.
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.
Except what? That was exactly my point.
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.
American centrism aah post
Could you share the link to your post that doesn’t focus on the USA?
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. ✨
nope. im not part of that economic class.
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.
why do you think it’s a thinking problem? applying for a passport costs money. travelling to another country costs even more money. not everyone has had access to the same opportunities.
anyways. i haven’t gotten to travel out of the US, but it certainly ain’t because i wouldn’t like to. it just isn’t financially feasible for a lot of people here.
Yeah this question really was “have you traveled to a different hemisphere”. Ok ok, there’s also central America and the Caribbean, but most American trips to either of those places are to resorts in impoverished nations unless it’s to Costa Rica, which i hear is gorgeous, but is also the equivalent of Aussies going to southeast Asia, but more culturally similar.
Why don’t we go to other hemispheres? Because they’re very far away. I’d be shocked if Canadians were significantly more likely to go to other countries (us excluded), and they’re quite a bit closer being further north. And a lot of Americans live between two mountain ranges in the middle of north America, where it’s a flight to either coast before flying to a different continent.
I think OP was saying that traveling opens your mind to new thoughts, not that people don’t travel because their thinking is limited.
Is it okay for non-Americans to answer this?
Technically speaking, I’ve ONLY travelled outside of America
If you want. But I wanted to get answers from Americans I need to see if they understand they can’t speak on something to the degree that they are notorious for without some experience and interaction with the thing
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.
Cuba then? Even NK trades a lot with China. Developed countries import cheap stuff from undeveloped countries. Undeveloped countries import a lot of technical, complicated to produce stuff from developed countries, because it’s hard to bootstrap that kind of production from scratch.
Just three words isn’t a lot to work with, which is probably why you’re being downvoted.
I don’t care about downvotes. Also production in other countries are high lol. I’m not revealing my location that’s why I’m not saying
Alright, that’s fair.
Yeah, a lot is produced for export, though. Like that would be true of Vietnam, for example. All to get that forex to import things Vietnam doesn’t make much of. There’s literally only two passenger jet manufacturers, for example.
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.
I have many times, and I agree that travel is a good thing. But don’t be so quick to scoff at Americans who don’t travel overseas. Traveling is expensive. The flight alone from my house to Frankfurt or Tokyo (for example) is at least $1,500 per person, and a day of travel each way. That’s out of reach for a lot of people. Hell, it’s out of reach for me now that I have a family to bring with me. The most basic, banal holiday overseas would easily exceed $10,000. Nevermind the luxury of being able to spend enough time there to understand local takes on geopolitics.
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.
As someone who has ridden Mexico City’s and Istanbul’s metros, Americans should be fucking embarrassed of mass transit back home.
Atlanta ripped up their street cars and I’m still angry about it. So many towns in Georgia have old train stops that have been converted into museums or restaurants. My parents and I both have one, but there’s no way for me to take a train to them. It’s upsetting.
So did Pittsburgh and then never replaced it. The only way to get around the city is via bus. There is a light rail system but it basically only goes from the suburbs to downtown
They destroyed the railroad networks because they tried to force people to buy cars lol only America could do something that short sighted
It is a lot more complicated than that.
Most early 20th century mass transit networks were private businesses subject to government regulation. Most of the government regulation focused on controlling fares, so there was a lot of deferred maintenance. This was made worse as some mass transit systems were built to be a loss leader to support selling real estate.
Several mass transit networks went bankrupt due to the combination of fares not covering expenses and reduced demand due to completion with cars. Most American cities weren’t equipped to take on subsiding or taking over mass transit, so they let the existing networks die.
Fair point about the nuance but this was a dumb mistake the government should have put development into them and expanded now they are regretting it. They think the solution to traffic was going to be Musk boring tunnels for Tesla’s. It’s like they forgot railroads exist
It was a dumb mistake, but it was a dumb mistake that had broader political support than the narrative that “car companies destroyed mass transit” suggests. It is important to recognize how a broad base of support was created in order to fight it in its current interations.
And I completely agree that Musk tunnels are a shit technology and that actual trains need to be built. I just think it requires understanding how politics functions rather than just accepting a corporate bogeyman.
GM did play a very large role in it though so you can say both but it def was pushed by the car industry to dismantle
It happened in the UK too, in the 60s. Some of the lines have been reinstated in recent years, but most were gone for good. Cars were the future! Really dumb.
