The Student Room Group

"The British are reserved, Americans are more expressive"

How true would you say this is? I was listening to Richard Bacon's radio show last night and someone phoned in with their opinion about Michael Jackson's memorial thing that happened yesterday, saying that he believed Americans generally are the more expressive, the more extroverted...I'm sure Kate Fox in her book 'Watching the English' wrote about the reserved English, but tbh, her style of writing was so ****ing irritating I ended up skim-reading and selling the book on tbfh.

Well? :confused:

Sidenote: The Americans I've met, either at uni or whilst travelling, have been amongst the nicest people I've met, friendly, talkative, open, outgoing, humourous...or have I just been fortunate to meet these people?

The most irritating has been a Kiwi :rolleyes: :o:

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Reply 1
They are generally a lot more confident and say what they think. American girls also love our accent and will say hi randomly to you as well. Out there it's also more "socially accepted" to talk about money etc.
The feeling's mutual. The American accent on a woman can have rather arousing implications for my genitalia tbh.

**** maybe I should just emigrate to the US of A?
Well it really depends. There are many Brits who don't mind speaking out and expressing themselves. For some alcohol is a lubricant to let loose their inner thoughts, some don't at all.

So it depends.
But perhaps as far as international reputation is concerned Americans can be more open about their thoughts yes.

You can't really say "The British are reserved, Americans are more expressive" and leave it at that though.
Reply 4
That is the old stereotype, but tbh there is nothing calm or reserved about Britain's youth today (by youth I mean teens to late 20s), in fact in some ways you could say the British youth are even more depraved and extrovert than the Americans, because despite their depravity a lot of American youths still have a strong sense of patriotism and respect for tradition, but that moral value is not so evident over here.

Also pubs have more or less become the definition of British social culture, and we all know what alcohol does to people :P
Reply 5
Expressive is the word they're using now?
Reply 6
American girls are amazing.
Reply 7
WoWZa
American girls are amazing.


Considering how big America is and how many people there are over there than here, I dont think it's right to generalise so heavily that all the girls there are similar, or even amazing for that matter.
WoWZa
American girls are amazing.


like Paris Hilton?

I'm ashamed to say 'I would'. I bet she's a complete animal in the bed(room).
Reply 9
Zweihander
Considering how big America is and how many people there are over there than here, I dont think it's right to generalise so heavily that all the girls there are similar, or even amazing for that matter.


Agreed in that we shouldn't make generalisations, but from personal experience they are.
Reply 10
white_haired_wizard
like Paris Hilton?

I'm ashamed to say 'I would'. I bet she's a complete animal in the bed(room).


Lol it wasn't necessarily referring to that! Ones like this:



w00t.
WoWZa
Lol it wasn't necessarily referring to that! :tongue: Ones like this:



w00t :tongue:


It's an arresting image, WoWZa. Now who the devil is she?! :confused:
white_haired_wizard
How true would you say this is?


I'm not sure if 'expressive' is the right word, but yes, its definitely more common to find Americans divulging personal information about themselves to strangers than Britons.
Reply 13
white_haired_wizard
It's an arresting image, WoWZa. Now who the devil is she?! :confused:


Lol a singer. Quite amazing isn't she?
WoWZa
Lol a singer. Quite amazing isn't she?


It's your mother, isn't it? Ask her to call me.
white_haired_wizard
like Paris Hilton?

I'm ashamed to say 'I would'. I bet she's a complete animal in the bed(room).


It's not difficult to find out exactly how she is in the bedroom...
WoWZa
You're not good enough for her. And I don't think she finds Indians attractive! :tongue:


I'm not Indian. I just like the flag and country. I'm good enough for anybody :cool:
Reply 17
maybe the English are more reserved, but definitely in Scotland, or at least Glasgow anyway it seems to me just about anywhere people are really outgoing
El Doctoré de Mystéro
It's not difficult to find out exactly how she is in the bedroom...


She is feisty.
Reply 19
white_haired_wizard

Sidenote: The Americans I've met, either at uni or whilst travelling, have been amongst the nicest people I've met, friendly, talkative, open, outgoing, humourous...or have I just been fortunate to meet these people?



Nope not just you, I went tavelling in Canada / America and thought exaxtly the same!

Even other travellers I met (not just from the states) said us Brits were generally reserved, wouldnt talk to people unless we had to kind of thing.

It was bloody miserable coming home tbh