Why do ppl (inc non amer) assume everyone else is American?

Raizle

Sun, Oct 29 2023, 1:11 am

So I posted a comment on another thread recommending a product with a disclaimer that says it might be called something else depending on location and a poster responded that since she isn't American and has that product where she lives, therefore clearly it's not just in America...

See where I'm going with this post?

I find it annoying when Americans think thay we are all in America but when non Americans do that too I'm confused.

Personally I make no assumptions.

Are they really the majority here?

Reality

Sun, Oct 29 2023, 3:12 am

Why would you think Americans are not the majority?

This is an English language website. The largest Jewish community outside of Israel is the US. The communities in GB, Canada, S. Africa and Australia are tiny in comparison. In other countries, even if they speak some English, many are not fluent and not comfortable writing in English.

Raizle

Sun, Oct 29 2023, 4:15 am

Reality wrote:

It's not so much that I considered who was majority, it's more that I think there are enough non Americans that why do people just assume a poster is American. Especially non Americans

Elfrida

Sun, Oct 29 2023, 6:12 am

Because Americans are the majority, that's the default assumption unless otherwise specified.

I grew up in England, and live in Israel. Some people probably know that about me, because I don't hide it, and I normally post under my screen name. There are a few other posters who I know where they're from, either because I see them on the Israeli forums or because they have mentioned where they live. If I don't know, and it isn't obvious from context, then America is the default location.

When I post anonymously, I normally assume that people will think I'm American. I sometimes wonder if they notice that I use English spelling.

Raizle

Sun, Oct 29 2023, 7:53 am

Elfrida wrote:

Yeah.. but no...ok I get thinking of just people as American but sometimes it's just too much of an assumption like in the example I gave.

zaq

Sun, Oct 29 2023, 10:46 am

Americans (I.e. residents of the United States as opposed to Canadians and Latin Americans who should also technically be called Americans) are probably in the majority here. And of those, the overwhelming majority appear to be from Brooklyn and Lakewood, with a goodly number from Monsey. (Some would argue that these three communities are culturally not part of America, but we're talking geography here, are we not?)

USAmericans as a group are notoriously USAmerica-centric and have little understanding that there are billions of people, including observant Jews, living outside of its own 3.8 million square miles. They may or may not realize that champagne comes from France and Gouda cheese from Holland but they don't really believe anyone lives there. And those from the NY area think that 20 miles west of the Hudson River there are only cows and tumbleweed.

None so provincial as USAmericans; of them, none so provincial as New Yorkers; and of those, none so provincial as Brooklynites. (Lakewood in this context counts as New York. It's a piece of Brooklyn that broke off and drifted south.)

Wolfsbane

Sun, Oct 29 2023, 11:16 am

zaq wrote:

How so?

shabbatiscoming

Sun, Oct 29 2023, 1:54 pm

Raizle wrote:

It's not so much that I considered who was majority, it's more that I think there are enough non Americans that why do people just assume a poster is American. Especially non Americans

I agree with you.
I grew up america.
I never understand why international sites and groups people assume everyone is from place.
And if I may be so bold, its even more specific than just america.
But Ill leave it at that for now.

Its a mentality. Thats all.