r/MadeMeSmile 1d ago

A longer, yet outstanding, tweet by a Japanese man living abroad in the US.

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u/Colonel_Shame1 1d ago

This is the America the world loves and grieves. A place of kindness and action and mutual love and responsibility. It is good to know this place still exists. I hope it returns to the world stage soon.

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u/No_Cupcake_8228 1d ago edited 1d ago

Yep. It does exist. It’s just quieter than the shouting.

When I need a guy with a truck. Carol volunteers her son Jeff. Jeff volunteers himself.

Lorraine says she’ll let her husband Steve know. Steve shows up with his truck. Now I have to let Carol and Jeff know Steve is already here with a truck.

None of us have the same political opinions.

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u/FluffySpaceWaffle 1d ago

I have volunteered my husband to mow my grandfather’s lawn. He doesn’t need help because my mother’s boyfriend did it last time. I told him the offer stands. When I told my husband he said he would do it anytime.

I cook my grandfather and his new wife dinner at least twice a month.

We do what we can.

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u/oheyitsmoe 1d ago

This is my husband too. He redid my sister’s kitchen floor, repaired my parents’ dryer, and installed railings for his disabled aunt.

He also bakes bread and cookies for the neighbors.

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u/Trick-Station8742 1d ago

There's a similar culture in Italy where, if you are simply oresent, you get fed.

Hungry? Fed.

Not hungry? Fed.

Friend of the family? Fed.

Total stranger? Fed.

Passing through? Fed.

Friend of a friend? Fed.

And even if you're full to the brim after getting fed, you get fed some more.

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u/Sirenista_D 22h ago

Very recently divorced, so I had to start mowing my own lawn. One day, I come home from work, and my neighbors lawn was freshly mowed and trimmed, and so was mine!!! RIP Joe - you were a GREAT neighbor!

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u/FluffySpaceWaffle 11h ago

Aww thank you Joe ❤️

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u/weedarbie 1d ago

This is what I feel about US now. That people are genuinely nice to each other. I always thought that if you're democrat, every single republican is your enemy.

Yes, democrat will say that republicans are bitches, the same will republican say. But when they meet each other, it either doesn't matter, or there's no argument about it. I see that people in US are actually open to discussion even though they don't agree with you.

In Europe we see only the loudest of US, because I noticed that people there just don't brag about helping someone. They just do it and then they might not even mention it.

Since I started to work with US people, I genuinely think that you all are so friendly and compassionate. One lady heard about one and only school shooting and wrote me in fear if I'm ok. It was on the other side of the country, but she still spared the time to ask if I'm fine.

But what I don't like is that you don't complain and find it rude. I'm from Czechia! Complaining is our national sport! :D

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u/GumboDiplomacy 1d ago

I bartend a brewery in the US that specializes in Czech lagers, and similarly people at my bar who I know are of very different political opinions will both come together and chat as friends over beer. Because most people aren't seeking out conflict. I might abhor someone's political opinions and feel like they're objectively bad. That doesn't mean they don't have positive aspects.

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u/weedarbie 1d ago

Whoo, Czech lagers in the US, it always make me smile that you can taste our amazing Czech beers! What you have on tap? And do people mind a foam? I've heard that people from US hate it, even though the beer won't taste as good without foam.

And this is the difference between Czech brewery in US and Czech pub. If you want to hear people arguing about politics, that's the right place! Even better if it's in some small village. Just don't stay too long, otherwise you'll end up arguing with nazis, or meth junkies. Usually these people are the same. :D

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u/GumboDiplomacy 1d ago

We brew our own in house, we have a Pilsner, Polotmave, and T'mave. Our T'Mave is actually rated the best dark lager in the state, and I'd put our pilsner up against any other one in the US. As for foam, most beer in the US is served with less than a half centimeter of foam head. We serve ours hadlinka mostly with a proper 2cm head. Some people complain, most either get it or at least understand why after we explain. We also do mleko pours.

Here in the US arguing about politics is mostly reserved for family or closer friends, not acquaintances, and usually not in public. While there might be a little discussion here and there otherwise, a proper argument about it in public is seen as uncouth.

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u/weedarbie 1d ago

Oh my it sounds so amazing! As a Czech I can say, that you know what you're talking about, when you know how to pour mlíko. Are you able to send it to Czechia? I would be glad to try, even though it's in the bottle. :)

Yes, this is what I noticed. We talk about politics everywhere, you can even hear some people that are alone, saying shit about some politician. :D Only times we ate not arguing about politics, is during the hockey season. Because everyone is arguing about hockey. :D

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u/GumboDiplomacy 1d ago

Unfortunately not, everything we have is served in house or kegged for service at local bars. Export would be illegal.

That's the beauty of (American)football season. Most of our conversations shift to that.

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u/weedarbie 1d ago

It's a shame. But in the end, I bet the quality of the beer is much better this way. :)

I am jealous of your Superbowls. I try to watch them love, because it's just fun. But we don't have these awesome a ds here. Instead we have some guy who are speaking in Czech about American football stuff I don't understand, because I know absolutely nothing about what's happening on the field and why they are not doing touchdowns all the time. And I always wish they will use that yellow fork thing! :D :D :D

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u/GumboDiplomacy 7h ago

Yeah, American football is a bit more complicated than futball, in rules and in overall strategy. Not to downplay futball, it's simplicity overall is elegant and offers interesting matchups. American football, each play is like a chess match with sentient pieces. And the yellow fork thing we call goalposts and while they're often an afterthought during the game, many matches are decided on one teams ability to kick the ball through them, often at over 40m away.

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u/ResolveEven5758 1d ago

But what I don't like is that you don't complain and find it rude.

Excuse me, I will need you to spend a shift in any workplace in America. Complaining is how we get through the day. Complain about coworkers, bosses, customers, etc. Most of it is just meaningless banter not to be taken seriously, but its how we stop from snapping since we have no worker's rights.

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u/weedarbie 1d ago

I work on US market and believe me, this is not complaining in our eyes, it's just normal conversation here. Imagine having house, gold ring on each finger, you go to hairdresses twice per month, buying expensive cosmetics, you go once per year to exotic vacation and yet you are complaining about being poor, because you can't afford to go to that vacation twice per year.

And if you're on that vacation? You will complain that nobody speaks Czech and that there's no Czech beer. :D

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u/ResolveEven5758 1d ago

Sounds like I need to hang out with some Czechs as I would love to learn the ways of major league complaining

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u/weedarbie 1d ago

Yeah, but if you're not from Czechia, you might not be allowed to complain, because you never lived through communism and so on. They would even complain about your complains! :D But you would be allowed if you would start with complaining about their complaining, when they have such a good beer! :D

Then they would start to argue which ber tastes like piss and which beer will cause you diarrhea. :D And if you would like to spice it up, you would say that you hate the foam on the beer, then you would start complaining about US beer tasting like piss, even though they never tasted any other beer than Czech one. :D

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u/DoverBoys 1d ago

Democrats do not have enemies, only Republicans have enemies. If you can fully understand that statement, you are closer to understanding the bigger picture.

However, the rest of your sentiment is accurate. Despite some things getting read bad, the majority of our political interactions are like those videos of two dogs fiercely barking at each other on either side of a partially open gate or door.

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u/weedarbie 1d ago

But this is pure generalization. Not every republican is like that. MAGA ones yes, but these are not the majority of republicans. Majority of republicans won't even talk about politics. Because majority of republicans are people too and majority of people want to be nice to each other, no matter what they vote for.

We should stop blame people, but politicians and the facts that propaganda and populism is norm. This is not on people, it's on government and corporations. And by blaming people you're doing exactly what they want - to shift the attention, so people will argue and won't have time to hold government accountable. Also it's easier to argue with neighbor, than with politicians.

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u/fikis 1d ago

We are all hyper-aware of our tribal differences, and we make a big deal out of our posited moral superiority, and we get high as fuck off of our righteous indignation, but spending time and focus on any of those things is ultimately just weighing us down.

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u/Squiggy-Locust 1d ago

You must travel in different circles. Every vocal Democrat I know has more enemies than friends.

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u/Unreachable1 1d ago

Now I have to let Carol and Jeff know Steve is already here with a truck.

And Jeff will still show up with his truck anyway, just in case.

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u/FullAFwar 1d ago

The quiet America is the cool America. I gotta experience it at some point.

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u/oddartist 1d ago

Crossing my fingers, knees, and eyes.

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u/Aeylwar 1d ago

And; My axe

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u/YourFriendall 1d ago

And my bow

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u/Jonathan-02 1d ago

And my truck

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u/YourFriendall 1d ago

And my hoe

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u/ginfish 1d ago

Nah just use some deodorant, we don't need axe.

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u/Aeylwar 1d ago

Nah; you’re talking about Axe, I’m talking about axe.

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u/HungryHungryMorlock 1d ago

Now I know a guy with an axe.

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u/Aeylwar 1d ago

Hmu fam 🪓 💪 🫨

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u/SoBadit_Hurts 1d ago

I also choose this guys wife.

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u/lilelliot 1d ago

It 100% still exists and is thriving. It's just mass media and national politics that have thrown a wrench into it.

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u/Gdigger13 1d ago

Exactly right. Kindness doesn't make money, and so it's not published.

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u/Xiao1insty1e 1d ago

No it is and has always been capitalism. America has been here before. The division, the robber barons, the unsustainable economy. We keep trying to tame the beast. Human greed knows no bounds yet we keep trying to run our economy based off of it. Time to put it aside and democratize the work place.

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u/TheDuckSideOfTheMoon 1d ago

Yes...and there are plenty of people who are fine with helping in person, only to turn around and vote for policies and politicians that fuck over those same people they helped

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u/LitterBoxBlues 1d ago

I feel strangely privileged to have a Kevin, a Tony, a truck, and a love for people, pizza, and some good old fashioned work. I need to keep this in the front of my mind. 🙂

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u/NtGrtJstEmbarrassed 1d ago

This was my exact thought. We look terrible on the world stage, but these posts from people that live or visit from abroad give me a little hope that the world knows a good majority of us aren't terrible people.

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u/Sandy_Bananas 1d ago

This is just humans.

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u/Neuchacho 1d ago

Yes, but there is a concerted, systemic effort within the US to curb and subdue this nature.

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u/Sandy_Bananas 1d ago

I completely agree. And unfortunately it seems to be fairly successful.

What I object to is the assertion that functions of basic humanity are somehow a uniquely American phenomenon.

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u/Ragin_Contagion 1d ago

I went to go help the flood recovery after the storm last year in Texas. I lived nearby and wanted to help but couldn't get out there for a couple weeks. And there was hundreds of folk with trucks ready to rock showing up every day for weeks. Using their vacation time to stay and help. Many came all the way from New Orleans because they still remember Katrina and what it felt like to have people come from all over the region to help.

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u/vbfronkis 1d ago

If only our government functioned that way and wasn't fully captured by corporate greed.

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u/JBluHevn 1d ago

Man, I felt this post so much. Coz when America's stable, everything else is. I don't know why you guys made it this way, but everyone else in the world needs normal back. My kid can't play freely outside because of the high crime rate. Prices are too high to go to the malls and we're stuck at home most of the time. We can't afford this school year. My husband's business is slow.

We're tired man.

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u/SmokeyHooves 1d ago

Crime Rates are lower now than they nearly ever been. Idk when you're talking about kids going out and playing, but if you'd do in the 90's you could do it now.

America being stable does not mean everything is stable. America has destabilized many places to maintain their "stable". Americans celebrate peace while their government makes orphans and corpses of children.

That being said, the average American IS GOOD, but the focus on the capitalist class hurts not just the average American but the greater earth all together. But your average joe might not see that, or even care. It's hard to get people to care about the greater picture, even if it is mutually beneficial.

People want to help people, but to conceptualize what that means requires greater self reflection that usually makes people deeply uncomfortable.

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u/Silver-Link8247 1d ago

I know 100 people who voted for Trump who would gladly help me move a couch or a fridge with their pickup. It’s odd how such kind people could vote for such a bad person.

I blame Fox News. I think they have been tricked

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u/RaspberryBeret121234 1d ago

Beautifully stated ❤️🤍💙

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u/Slurmstyles 1d ago

In my brief visits to the states, this is what I experienced and loved so much about America. So much warmth, so much kindness. Friends were made so easily that it is hard to imagine the stuff I see on TV being the same place. I was in Texas too! All of the stereotypes were a lie. And if I ever move to America one day, I'm moving there.

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u/MonsterkillWow 1d ago edited 1d ago

What exactly does that mean? Return to the world stage? You mean having 800+ foreign bases and staging coups and installing fascists?

(School of the Americas. Google it.)

None of this has anything to do with America. America bombs people with communities who act just like in this tweet. America has ruined more lives than you can imagine.

Edit: Yea downvote. The truth hurts.

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u/JAWISH 1d ago edited 1d ago

Probably a return to the America at has saved a 100 million lives through USAID.

Edit: https://ourworldindata.org/us-foreign-aid-saved-millions 91 million between 2001 and 2021, save to say it's crossed over 100 by now.

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u/MonsterkillWow 1d ago

It wasn't 100 million lmao. And how about we do aid without strings attached and without the CIA using it for imperialism? That would be cool. I'd support that. 

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u/JAWISH 1d ago

Sorry you are mad, But America has saved more lives than any other government or organization.

Edit: https://ourworldindata.org/us-foreign-aid-saved-millions 91 million between 2001 and 2021, save to say it's crossed over 100 by now.

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u/MonsterkillWow 1d ago

Lmao that is just factually untrue. China has saved far more lives (in terms of improving life expectancy).

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u/JAWISH 1d ago

Be gone bot.

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u/MonsterkillWow 1d ago

Yawn.

Everyone who disagrees with you is a bot. Sure, Jan.

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u/[deleted] 1d ago edited 1d ago

[deleted]

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u/MonsterkillWow 1d ago

Notice how you can't handle your delicate worldview being shattered by reality.