First of all, let’s get one thing straight—the USA might be big, but it’s only one country, while Europe has 44 different countries in one small space. Therefore, when talking about lifestyle differences between the USA and the EU, we’re prone to generalizations that might not always be correct. With that in mind, it’s obvious that Europe and USA have very different approaches to life, love, work, and happiness, so let’s study them a bit closer:
Hustle culture VS relaxation
In the States, work is one of the most important things in people’s lives. According to research, Americans are more likely to say that it’s very important to work hard in order to be successful in life. In Europe, people are more relaxed and easygoing when it comes to careers, and many think that success in life depends on external forces as much as hard work.
Religious culture
Americans are quite religious when compared to most European countries. Over 50% of Americans say that religion is a huge part of their lives, almost double the numbers in Poland, which scores very low on religion. In general, the US lifestyle is very much faith-centric. Americans believe in religion and their nation, and praise consumerism religiously. For instance, holidays like Black Friday are huge in the States and not so much in Europe.
Morality issues
Europeans and Americans have to face many disagreements on morality, especially sexuality. It’s true that only 30% of Americans believe that sex out of wedlock is immoral, but it’s still a much higher number when compared to European countries. Also, Europe is full of nude beaches and adult content on TV and other media. It seems that the Old Continent is simply more comfortable and flexible when it comes to moral issues.
Dating differences
In the states, dating tends to be a very rehearsed play that’s taken seriously. There’s nothing wrong with that if you have big plans for the future, but it’s sometimes nice to just enjoy the connection between people without having to define anything. In Europe, dating is fun and open, and people are very honest with their expectations. And very few things are frowned upon in intimacy, as well. Even activities like sugar dating are safe and accepted, and people approach them with an open mind and with no judgment.
Approach to food
People who live in Europe often have quick and easy access to meat shops, fruit and veggie shops, cheese and wine stores, etc. Sometimes, there are even two fresh produce shops on one street, and different bakeries selling fresh bread and pastries. In most cases, Europeans don’t do huge shopping trips where they load their cards with long-life foods. They are more prone to small shopping trips every day or every other day. In the States, buying local, fresh food can be expensive, and people often go online to shop for groceries, but things like farmer’s markets and artisanal bakeries are gaining in popularity.
Culture of socializing
In European cities like London, Amsterdam, and most Balkan cities and towns, bars, cafes, pubs, and even clubs are filled with people on any given night. In most cases, people pop up for drinks to sit, talk, catch up, laugh, and then go home. Unfortunately, the art of casual socializing is almost lost in the States, especially in smaller cities and suburbs.
Personal space
This is where European differences come to light. While in the States, people usually respect their 2 feet of distance, in Europe, this can get a bit tricky. In many places like Italy, Spain, or London, you can’t help but stand too close to a stranger. Also, bumping into someone on the street might not get you an apology. However, in Scandinavian countries, personal space is very important, even more so than in the States, so it depends on where you are in Europe.
Smile and nod
Americans have a reputation for being a very friendly and smiley crowd, which is refreshing. But for the rest of the world, this can be quite shocking. And there’s a good reason why things are the way they are. The States is a melting pot of different people, and the only way to find common ground with all of them is to be friendly, smile, and nod. This demonstration of friendliness was the only way to overcome language and cultural barriers for many Americans. However, this prioritizing of friendliness over honesty didn’t translate well in all parts of American culture. For instance, 77% of Americans think that it’s okay to say something that someone else might find offensive. This is a higher score than any European country.
We can agree that both the USA and Europe (with all their different countries) have their pros and cons in terms of lifestyle and culture. One is for sure: it’s best to celebrate our differences and admire our individual lifestyles than to discuss which is better, so let’s do that wherever we find ourselves in our beautiful world.
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