Top 50 Things Only Americans Do And Think it's Normal

Overview

The video (WatchMojo) ranks “Top 50 Things Only Americans Do and Think it’s Normal,” arguing that many everyday American norms—such as work habits, consumer behavior, language, and institutions—can feel unusual or absent elsewhere.

It frames these as “common beliefs and practices” that help define American identity, and sometimes cause culture shock for outsiders.

Key Themes (by Topic)

Work and lifestyle pressure

• Americans are portrayed as work-focused and reluctant to take vacations, contributing to a weaker work-life balance than countries with more paid time off.
• The video reinforces “grind culture,” suggesting Americans work too much, with fewer guaranteed breaks and leaves.

Convenience-first domestic habits

• A preference for clothes dryers over air drying is presented as part of a broader pattern: saving time matters more than energy or cost.
• Americans are also described as favoring 24-hour convenience retail and superstores, depicted as “indoor cities” that combine many services in one place.
• Drive-thrus and car-first infrastructure are highlighted as extending convenience everywhere (coffee, pharmacy needs, banking), leading to the idea that leaving the car is often unnecessary.

Food culture and portion sizes

• The list points to Americans eating very large portions, including free refills at restaurants.
• It also emphasizes a broad appetite for deep-fried foods, with jokes about frying “everything.”
• Leftover “doggie bags” are framed as normal in the US but can be seen as rude elsewhere.
• Peanut butter is treated as a cultural staple and comfort food; the US consumes over a billion pounds annually.

Social norms and communication

• American small talk is described as scripted, especially the greeting “How are you?”—typically not intended as a literal question.
• Americans are portrayed as comfortable talking to strangers, which can feel intrusive to outsiders.

Identity, heritage, and family structure

• The video claims Americans tie personal identity to occupation through frequent “what do you do?” small talk.
• It argues Americans encourage earlier independence—including driving or holding jobs before full adulthood—and often expect kids to leave the nest, reflecting an “individualism” ideal.
• Americans are also depicted as more likely to identify with ancestry (e.g., Irish-American, Hispanic-American) and celebrate heritage months.

Patriotism and symbolism

• The video argues Americans show patriotism consistently through:
  • Playing the national anthem at nearly every sporting event
  • Flying the flag year-round with strong commercial visibility
• The Pledge of Allegiance is described as a common school/official recitation practice, with controversy noted—particularly due to its reference to “God.”
• It also highlights Americans’ enthusiasm for the military as more visible than in many other countries.

Education and youth culture

• High school prom is singled out as unusually institutionalized and industry-sized in the US.
• College sports mania is described as a cultural system involving:
  • Huge crowds
  • Intense recruiting
  • Heavy media coverage

Personal safety, health, and institutions

• Healthcare is portrayed as uniquely difficult due to unexpected costs and medical debt, including issues like surprise billing and gaps in insurance coverage.
• “Medical costs cause bankruptcy” is presented as a major statistic claim, contrasted with other nations’ regulated or single-payer systems.
• The video also claims Americans advertise prescription drugs heavily, while arguing drug pricing is expensive due to less regulation.

Other claimed “American-only” habits

• Keeping eggs in the fridge (linked to washing practices)
• Keeping money visually uniform (e.g., greenback notes) and using month-day-year date formats in parts of the US/Canada
• Using the Imperial measurement system instead of metric
• Uniform sales tax at checkout, framed as confusing because taxes aren’t included in sticker prices (unlike many VAT countries)
• Pronouncing Z as “zee” instead of “zed”
• Red plastic “Solo cups” and gun culture (high civilian firearm ownership)
• Helicopter parenting, contrasted with places where kids gain independence earlier
• US public restrooms described as having large stall gaps and less privacy
• A “vote before they can drink” setup, framed as confusing due to mismatch between legal voting and drinking ages
• Pharmacies selling groceries, presented as an all-in-one convenience model
• “Cheque/meal culture” elements such as garbage disposals, tipping norms, and national anthem/sports rituals treated as everyday institutional differences

Presenters or Contributors

• No individual presenters are named in the subtitles. The video appears to be narrated/hosted under the WatchMojo brand.