Why Are Americans So Greedy?
When my Mum and Dad were on a Hawaiian cruise a few years ago they were repulsed by the amount of gluttony displayed by the American passengers. Instead of people just putting what they could eat on the plate, they cram everything on as if it were their last meal before they died. What was really disgusting was that half of it ended up being thrown out.
Why Do They Act Like This?
Why can’t they just help themselves to what they know they can eat instead of being so wasteful? Do they not have the self-control just to eat sausage and eggs one day and bacon and beans the next?
My old dog used to live for food and would sometimes escape to raid the bins behind restaurants and takeaways. She would eat so much she had to be carried home. At least she had an excuse! She was a stray found by my Gran begging for food outside a butcher shop. Even although we gave her regular meals still had the fear of not knowing when her next meal would be.
Difference Between Americans and Europeans
Although things are far from perfect here, whenever I’ve been on holiday in Europe people tend to just put on their plate what they can eat. If they are still hungry they’ll go up for seconds or even thirds (or fourths).
If white Americans are descended from Europeans why is there such a gap in attitudes to food? I know that Burger King and MacDonalds are big business here too but what I’m talking about is the “eyes bigger than your stomach” syndrome. Although I’ve seen people act like pigs at these “all you can eat” buffets, they seem to be in the minority compared to in America.
On a side note, I find it really funny how people on the cruise seemed to think that eating low-fat yoghurt, low calorie maple syrup and diet cola would somehow improve their diet. Talk about being delusional!
Question: Do all Americans act like this or is it just people on Cruise ships?
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October 9th, 2007 at 8:00 pm
I think it’s more or less the other way around, us Europeans being more greedy than the Americans. Many within Europe would rather take too little than too much because it’s seen as a shame and waste of money in the end if food or anything else for that matter has to be thrown away.
Not just Americans but many other cultures throughout this world think the complete way around when it comes to food, in example one day I went for lunch along with a friend which came from Afghanistan. Apparently his mom cooked a warm meal, something which I’m not too used to at lunch but not that I can’t handle it. But the plate I received would be something I wouldn’t even finish for dinner, and then even there was plenty more where that came from.
Why us Europeans grab so little or the rest of the world puts so much onto a plate, I’m clueless :P. Perhaps an important factor is that many kids at least here get taught to finish their plates or otherwise they get whatever punishment, on a psychological level I can see how that can teach one from at a very young age to rather take multiple servings rather than pile up your plate at once.
October 10th, 2007 at 2:41 pm
Certainly I know that a lot of people are told that they need to eat everything because there are children in Africa starving. I was never told that and only eat what I can manage.
From what my Mum and Dad told me about the cruise it seemed that the Americans acted like children in a sweet shop. They didn’t know what to have so they just grabbed at everything.
October 13th, 2007 at 6:07 am
I think most Americans see things like cruises as smorgashborgs of excess where they can get as much of what they like without anyone harassing them. In real world America most people don’t act like you describe.
October 16th, 2007 at 1:29 pm
Just look at the difference in portion sizes between american and european restaurants. The american people are used to getting huge plates of food its not surprising they fill their plates. its normal for them to see that much food on a plate.
November 28th, 2007 at 2:56 pm
I think the author just doesn’t like Americans.
Why else would she pick such a petty thing like how much one has to eat on ones plate.
I’m an American and don’t consider myself greedy in the least.
But the blanket statement made by the author implies Americans “in general” are greedy people.
Three hundred million clones, all stuffing their faces and snatching bits of food from others plates when they’re not looking.
Please except my invitation to the USA so you can see how it really is before making offending untrue remarks about us.
We’re just people like you.
By the way, spent 4 months in the UK a few years back. Loved it.
Great people, deeply interesting culture, hope to return someday and meet my grand daughter in London for the first time. Cya.
July 2nd, 2008 at 7:43 pm
Greed permeates American society, infact it’s built upon it. When you can sleep at night knowing millions of your fellow citizens go without adequate social services just so you pay less tax you’re not going to think twice about taking more food than you can possibly eat.
July 3rd, 2008 at 2:05 am
Fraser, that’s the dunbest thing I’ve ever heard.
I, my family and everyone I know, barely make it from month to month. We eat one meal a day, because we have little money left after rent, food, and other mandatory items.
Your statement proves you don’t know any Americans, just propaganda that you’ve either heard or dreamed up.
October 29th, 2008 at 9:02 pm
I believe that making broad statements like this blog does makes alot of “straw-man” attacks at something that they don’t understand. People in American, people like me, do not constantly gorge ourselves. Did you ever stop to think that maybe if you pay to go on a cruise you might want to get what you paid for, instead of sitting around hungry knowing you want to eat more but you do not just so that you can keep up appearences. I mean seriously, do you even think before you post things on the internet you wrote: “Europe people tend to just put on their plate what they can eat. If they are still hungry they’ll go up for seconds or even thirds (or fourths).” So what you basically were say was that you guys do the same exact thing that we do except you are sneakier when you do it? I just think you are as an individual are so arrogant, and ignorant you know absolutly nothing about Americans and you want to bash us. You did not even actually see the things you talked about your parents did. So get some first hand experience and then make assumptions, but do not sit around posting your presuppositions and calling them facts.
December 17th, 2008 at 10:37 pm
I’ve always been wary of making blanket statements about population groups. While there are good people and bad in every society, one might identify a “median” cultural identity, a stereotypical way of thinking/acting. Whatever it may be would depend on the perceiver as well as the subject. Therefore, everyone may have a different opinion of the Americans.
When it comes to greed, I’ve always felt business marketing will continually push their products to increase revenue. “I could build a better, more useful product that will sell itself or just convince the public they need more of what I already produce”. The more they sell, the more they revenue they make. And I think the indoctrination of the marketer’s ideas start at an early age, when the child is still so malleable. And then it becomes habit. So why would the CEOs want more and more money when they have far more than they’ll ever need? They, too, were subject to the indoctrination and will always want. A vicious cycle, indeed…
I’m an American citizen, but I’m relatively non-materialistic. Many of my friend don’t understand why I only buy what I need, why I don’t live at a level of luxury I could afford. I simply have no need to. But I’ve tagged along with them to buffets on occasion and can understand the feelings of the “cruise” couple in the original story. They had to endure the revolting behavior throughout the cruise; I see have to see it everyday and know others will think I behave the same just because I’m American.
Like TL says, I’m unique - don’t lump me in with a stereotype (please!). But we here have more than our share of the greedy, and they are out there, like it or not.