25 Fields Where The US Excels Over Europe

In the ongoing debate of which continent reigns supreme in various aspects of life, a recent Reddit thread sparked a fascinating discussion by posing the question: “What are some things the USA actually does better than Europe?”

#1

Image source: Flashy_Row3219, Sung Jin Cho

Theme Parks

#2

Image source: cyberdong_2077, Daniel Lee

The interstate roadway system is pretty damn impressive considering how huge the US is and that only one country was involved in its construction.

#3

Image source: GammaGoose85, Carlos Lindner

Central air conditioning is something we take for granted in the US. I realized this when I started hearing countries in Europe getting summer heatwaves and people dying by the thousands.

#4

Image source: new22003, Jennifer Rogalla

I am not American but their National and State Parks system is f*****g glorious. Services, lands set aside and protected, information, knowledgeable employees, infrastructure. NO ONE else is even close. I have lived in 6 countries and traveled to more than 60, I still dream of American parks.

#5

Image source: TingoAlTango, Mohammad Rahmani

Software. Yeah, a lot of software sucks, but somehow, USA Software are most of the time the fist or the better option. There are a couple of exceptions like Tik Tok or SAP, but mostly USA software all around us.

#6

Image source: jaiunchatparesseux, Agencia INNN

Comparing as someone who had lived in France, the USA, and the UK:

Salaries. Vastly superior in the USA. Customer service is also notably better!

#7

Image source: Exotic_Talk_2068, Marten Bjork

US it is still more open to entrepreneurship than it is in Europe. Lot of bureaucracy and all sort of regulation is holding back enterprising people. In the US all you need is good idea and willingness to put the hours into it and you can make it into sustainable business. You feel you can make it and have your chance in US, in Europe you are easily persuaded not to follow your dreams. Here in EU it is more going for socialistic utopia where you get cushy job and work until retirement mindset.

#8

Image source: costigan95, Sam Pokhrel

Dryers. This was at least true comparing the US to the UK, who usually hang their clothes to dry, or have awful hybrid washer/dryers that don’t really work. Not sure if this is true across Europe.

#9

Image source: Traditional_Cost5119, Kevin McCutcheon

The blues. Most music genres that came after the blues were influenced by the blues or based on the blues, especially rock.

#10

Image source: miserablearchitect·, Aleksandr Popov

Free water in concert venues and restaurants. I was at a concert in Europe, and one bottle of water was the same price as wine and beer at the venue. It was really hot, and some people fainted during the show.

#11

Image source: WellActuallyUmm, Marvin Meyer

Technology innovation. Think back over the last 50+ years, microwaves to iPhones.

#12

Image source: badluckbrians, Scott Graham

Mortgages. Thankfully we still have FDR’s 30 year fixed rate mortgage policy. I know buying a house is tough right now, but it would be a lot tougher, and for everyone, if our system worked like the 1920s or like Australia or the UK.

#13

Image source: molten_dragon, Jeriden Villegas

Salaries for almost any kind of skilled labor. If you’re in the bottom 20% you’ll make more in Europe. If you’re anywhere above that you’ll make significantly more in the US.

#14

Image source: Phil_MyNuts, Vadim Artyukhin

Not paying to use the toilet

#15

Image source: CBus-Eagle, Manuel Silva

BBQ and smoked meats. USA USA USA!

#16

Image source: programaticallycat5e, natsuki

Here in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles we have a Japanese restaurant owned by Koreans, chefs are mostly Mexican, and somehow no one is really fluent in English except for a few servers.

#17

Image source: EngineerRemote2271, Ant Rozetsky

Work Ethic – the number of times I’ve seen Americans get up at 4:00am to hack ice off their pickup, before driving 200 miles to run an excavator all day, drive home in the dark and then work on building their mountain house for another 18 hours. It’s just ridiculous

Their DIY stores are better too, they have everything, you can’t even buy Sonotubes in my country without a trade account.

#18

Image source: xX_420DemonLord69_Xx, Trinity Nguyen

Nationalized postal service.

#19

Image source: inksmudgedhands, Dose Juice

Dealing with hot weather. I hear so many Europeans crack jokes at how we have A/C everywhere and how we dress in loose, baggy clothing that is mostly made up in t-shirts and shorts, how we have to have ice in all of our drinks, how we are always thirsty and are drinking every other second. But then Summer hits them and there are always a rash of articles of Europeans dropping like flies in the heat.

Put in some window A/C units if you can’t put in Central Air. Wear baggy clothing. Stay hydrated. For Pete’s sake, take some tips from people who live through this sort of weather every year.

#20

Image source: Select-Belt-ou812, Jakub Pabis

From what I read, disabled folks’ accessibility, like handicap parking, accessible bathrooms, ramps, etc. I’ve seen this relatively often. is this correct?

#21

Image source: iamminenzl, Priscilla Du Preez ??

I concur with this. I’m from New Zealand and have lived on both continents. The US is far easier to meet people and settle in

#22

Image source: quaosqueen, JJ Shev

Lack of cigarette smoking (although vaping has picked up in recent years)

#23

Image source: Mercury82jg, Christopher Burns

The one thing I would really miss is the cultural diversity in every large city. Any night of the week, I can go get great Mexican, Ethiopian, Cantonese, Sichuan, Japanese, Korean BBQ, Soul Food, Jamaican, Vietnamese, Thai, Memphis style BBQ, other latin countries, tiki bars, Filipino, Mediterranean…

It really is nice to be a melting pot.

#24

Image source: hockeyflames, Troy Coroles

Free refills

#25

Image source: No-Rip5491, Thomas Vimare

Ice! I am originally from Eastern Europe and have been living in the USA for over 20 years. I was visiting my grandma over there and on a particularly humid day, I ordered an iced latte. The barista looked at me horrified. she said they don’t have ice, so I asked her not to make my latte hot. She said ok… it was still piping hot.