3 things that SHOCKED me about the US! | Feli from Germany

[@FelifromGermany]

What are YOUR thoughts and experiences with these topics? And which things do you think I'll mention in part 2? 🤔 ++Update: Check out PART 2 here ▸kzbin.info/www/bejne/bXabhqR8j56cfac ++

[@josueveguilla9069]

What do you think about the World Economic Forum?

[@captain_context9991]

From Norway here. Just wanted to say, Feli... You have to be 21 to have a legal drink in the US. So people discover weed and all kinds of other... Chemicals before they get a more stabile relationship to having a beer. Because pills and drugs dont come with an age limit. Then this idea that everything the government says is wrong and evil. So if the government tells you to not do drugs, well then people want to do drugs. And finally... The lack of any real healthcare makes people self-medicate on whatever pills they can buy, find or get from other people. I remember the incident with your broken wrist. When you were given enough INSANELY HEAVY sedatives to kill a village. Because doctors actually get paid extra to push those incredibly strong, addictive pills on people. So maybe, like me, you take 2 and think wow, this is not for me... Then the normal thing to do is sell the rest. Or you use them all and get addicted yourself. Thats how it usually works. Plenty of documentaries have been made on this topic. And it certainly deserves to be heavily criticised as an american cultural thing.

[@jimmihshs]

Definitely a drug problem in the USA, but I have never been to a party with any drugs harder than weed. We must run in different circles!

[@therealkoolbeans]

God guns and guts Beer bud and bullets

[@vicdiaz5180]

Somethings are worse and somethings are better depending state to state and where you go. In Cincinnati where you live you’re going to see some of the worst especially in blue cities. There is a drug problem on the cartel side (fentanyl) and under pharmaceutical side. The pharmaceutical side they are quick to subscribe you a medicine that you can quickly get hooked on just because they make money. This is just how big Pharma works 🤷‍♂️ on your last topic about circumcision, most A first Latinos are not circumcised, then again most of us are Catholics. Christians from what I hear tend to be circumcised

[@jimwatson7404]

"It's OK to criticize things. Even if you like them or care about them..." I wish more people understood that like you do!

[@stevecagle2317]

I grew up as a child in the late 60s - early 70s, and I remember the slams against Vietnam war protesters of: America Love it or Leave It! Since then, that has been reworked into something I can get behind: AMERICA - LOVE IT AND FIX IT!

[@austin4768]

I feel like this sort of healthy mindset towards criticism is more common in Germany than in the US - one of the things I like about the country.

[@WhackaWhacka]

Commented about this before I saw yours. One of my biggest complaints about living in the US.

[@matthewdunham1689]

Indeed

[@TMD3453]

Definitely a European perspective but a healthy one. America being a newer country, criticism a little harder to take.

[@michaelzoellner1143]

Hey Feli. I have been a nurse in alcohol/drug rehabs for 13 years,. The drug problem has only gotten worse. You are speaking the truth. Love your channel!

[@robertadams6606]

I think the Drug problem is more less an Innercity thing. Most of the Illegal Drugs in the USA comes from the Southern Border.

[@philippprime6844]

Nice video, Feli! As a German (not from Bavaria), watching your videos often gives me the feeling that I am learning as much about Bavaria as I am about the US.

[@markbrown145]

:-/?

[@amusliminusa]

That's really interesting.

[@rocjackson5975]

@@amusliminusa My exact thoughts! But there's always something new to learn!

[@eloflaith7074]

exactly my thoughts ;) - I´m from Westphalia. - but if you watch a TV show from BR, let´s say say about weed, you can get it that they think still of it as a beginner drug for a heroin or cocain career down there ...

[@bloozee]

Found a similar thing when I watch Americans and others comments on Australia... I don't really need to know about my own country that much but it tells you so much more about theirs.

[@THuff808]

Thank you for being honest about the drug problem. It is a problem that gets treated as a joke or as an expected behavior if young/college age. Lives are ruined. Sad.

[@treetopjones737]

Same for alcohol abuse.

[@bobbyknight3589]

Fuck em it there own death ☠️💀 there causing 90% of the time 😂😂

[@KilledKenny01]

I was an expat in knx Tennessee…I also recognised the opioid issue. Highly educated staff just disappeared regularly and some even died. First they cover it successfully. I was not so deeply integrated, cause I stayed less than one year and had long working hours. But I can definitely see why you are so shocked by this. I am too.

[@alancranford3398]

My first visit to Germany from the USA was when I was four--and I didn't have any expectations. Dad was in the America Air Force and so there was minimal culture shock. Then I went to Germany as a member of the US Army and was isolated from Germany--except when off-duty or on maneuvers. I even spent more than a year living off-post in a German apartment because I was a senior NCO and they wanted the barracks space freed up. It worked out. My German is rusty but I had four years of German language in high school.

[@Jess-Rabbit]

I was born in America and neither me or my husband have ever tried drugs (other than alcohol which is a drug), not even smoked pot, and I think we are the only 2 people I know who don't. I always thought it was weird how everyone seems to have drugs on them at all times. I'm such a square I can't even imagine how people obtain drugs. If I tried I bet I would be tackled and arrested immediately

[@JohnSmith-wx9wj]

Yeah, I've never been in a casual drug environment like she described.

[@emjayay]

@@JohnSmith-wx9wj Taking acid in the evening at a party is beyond casual drug use and more like just stupid. She needs better friends. Sure I and friends did it but planned with a whole day and in the woods camping, or ecstasy at a festival or rock show or something with recovery time or walking or transit home.

[@JohnSmith-wx9wj]

@@emjayay I meant where hard drus are everywhere as if it's no big deal.

[@vidalrodriguez2001]

I have a very square mindset when it comes to even alcohol, having sensitive eyes prone to irritation, I’ve always been averse to smoke, and I don’t enjoy being around an environment where many folks are smoking just naturally, so it definitely bugs me some with people so willing to just bust whatever drug at any time. I also just don’t really like the vibe at all that comes with potentially binge drinking and hard drug use so I just abstain from it all

[@cariwaldick4898]

@@vidalrodriguez2001 I feel the same. Most of these drugs--whether considered harmless or not--alter your mind for a time. I'm like....why? I can have fun without a "buzz." I like being totally present. I enjoy remembering things the next day. I like being in control. I need to know I'm not compromising my safety. I like dealing with people who are real, and not hiding behind something to make them feel good.

[@vrenak]

I'm danish and we have some of the highest consumer prices in Europe, including groceries, and frankly I was surprised to find that most grocery prices in the US was the same or higher than at home, and the US prices doesn't even include taxes, a few items were cheaper, like soda, a few items that actually were cheaper in the US was also of so low quality it couldn't be sold in Denmark legally. Americans are definitely getting ripped off big time when they go shopping.

[@prussiansocietyofamerica]

I completely agree with you also. The majority of food in American Supermarkets is fake and of utterly low quality by far, yet sold at such higher prices, so you are definitely right about it. Have you tried buying any kind of Tomato in the US to see what they taste like compared to any you'd buy in Europe!? Almost all of them are fake.

[@david-1775]

What items are you referring to?

[@vrenak]

@@david-1775 a few canned goods, soda, some candies, of course there are items where it's hard to make a comparison, because either Denmarl or the US simply doesn't have a product or the difference between them is too great, like two cheese aren't easy to compare if they're not both produced fairly equidistantly from the store, and have the same properties roughly, like it's not really fair to compare the price of a french brie in Denmark to the same brie in California, the cost of transportation is much higher for the california one.

[@jeanjohnson8492]

@@prussiansocietyofamerica Not really true about the taste of tomatoes in the US; you need to buy in season or grow your own. I am from the South and tend to eat in season. I also buy organic tomatoes a lot. I also do not buy packaged food like potato mixes, etc., for the most part. I cook most of the time from scratch. I believe that the German government also subsidizes the price of certain food items in Germany also. We have wonderful cheeses, vegetables, organic meats and poultry, etc., in this country.

[@JohnSmith-wx9wj]

US has a high corporate tax rate.

[@alanweinman1081]

Feli you are a very logical and practical thinker. I like to hear what others think about the U.S. Also, you and your boyfriend seem great together from your past videos. Wish you both all the best. This is definitely an interesting and fun channel! Good job!

[@52156drj]

Hey Feli (love your nick name), You go right ahead an comment on anything you want to. I had the good fortune to work at a company who employed a number of Asians and Europeans and found it endlessly fascinating talking about world issues and current events. We Americans can learn a lot by listening to other viewpoints and seeing other perspectives. Undoubtedly you'll hear from people who seem to be perpetually offended but who cares. Anyone who follows you knows that you're not spewing animosity but rather offering a constructive critique. I for one welcome your observations and look forward to what you have to say.

[@Angelus13AOV]

You’re 100% right on grocery prices. I’ve lived in the U.S. all my life & food prices are crazy. There were many times I had to resort to getting cheaper, unhealthy options since it was cheaper. As far as drugs go, yeah, it’s everywhere. Even weed. Everybody I know & their mother does it. I came from a family of drug addicts, drug dealers & alcoholics. From a very young age I swore I would never touch any of that & I never have. It is often disheartening & demoralizing to look around & see how many people consume all of that but then it ends up reinforcing my strength & principles to never use & focus on supporting my wife & daughter.

[@redrick8900]

That isn't strength. It's your weakness.

[@Angelus13AOV]

@@redrick8900 Yeah, okay. 👍

[@isaiahparis]

@@redrick8900 You know what they say about opinions

[@redrick8900]

@@isaiahparis Not an opinion.

[@masunrise7471]

@@redrick8900 Troll alert!!!! 🤣got to be as this d-bag has zero reasoning. They just want to fight or start shite.

[@nitrofanone]

I'm an Advanced EMT and in the last 5 years we have had to triple the amount of Narcan we keep on the Ambulance due to fentanyl overdoses.

[@LythaWausW]

Is that Nalaxon? I took my EMT training in Germany and heard that it is the only drug that police in America are allowed to carry. Not so in Germany, these cops have to wait for the medics/Notartzt to arrive.

[@robletterly6679]

what part of the US are you in? Now, fentanyl is not limited to the Appalachian Opioid belt, that's a problem we all share

[@douglasbelasco9773]

Thank you for your help EMT'S are the lifeline for some people

[@christophermoore9436]

I had a close friend of mine die just the week before last because she OD’d when she took some Adderall she bought off the street. It was fentanyl. I have a lot of respect for you guys. It’s unfortunate how necessary it is, but I’m glad you guys exist. Nobody knew she was even buying Adderall and Heroin.

[@billjasman2613]

Feli, Very interesting to hear your perspective on things. The Opiate thing took all of us by surprise and how widely they were prescribed. Also, The company I retired, drug tested and never have taken them. I studied German language and culture in College 35 years ago. I went to Hamburg and fell in love with the culture once again.

[@thomaskalbfus2005]

The problem with drugs is people live long enough to spread those habits to other people. I never was good with people so I never picked up the social disease of smoking and doing drugs!

[@archangele1]

@@thomaskalbfus2005 There is another problem in that people do live longer and unless you are older and have issues with chronic pain, you don't understand how you will do absolutely anything to get relief. I know because I am old enough to remember our president being IKE when I was a kid. I have some spinal issues and opioids are the only thing that keeps me going. Hydrocodone relieves enough of the pain so I can get up and actually exercise and do things. Without it I would just lay in bed in agony. And yes I tried every alternative and nothing works shy of a cortico steroid like prednisone. But prednisone causes massive weight gain and other real bad side effects where as opium relieves the pain somewhat and actually gives me a little energy boost which at my age is really welcome. I am one who actually needs the stuff but all too many people use opioids initially for pain then recreationally and finally become addicted. Also, I do not have an addictive personality. So, I can take a drug, then stop it with no ill affects where as many can not do that. But, any good doctor can usually see the signs of an addictive personality in a person. My friend is that type. He will actually get all huffy and confrontational with a doctor if he can't get a prescription for a pain medication. Most doctors refuse him and that is how it should be. Habits are a personal thing. Some people have addictive personalities and others do not. It is more of a genetic thing. Much like smoking. Some people have no problem quitting and just smoked because it was fashionable. Others try to quit all their lives and just can not no matter how many aids to quitting they try. But those types of people become addicted to just about anything. Two people I know who did become addicted to opioids after only a couple weeks were also smokers who could not quit. Basically people with addictive personalities who can not seem to quit anything. I firmly believe addiction is a genetic thing.

[@tyoung3982]

American have always been disproportionately enamored with. drugs. Opioids just another drug that’s more addictive.

[@archangele1]

@@tyoung3982 You are correct. Americans tend to be all about the quick fix, living large and the saying 'if it feels good, just do it'. The final nail in the coffin is that the USA has a lot of freedoms and unfortunately all those freedoms afford people to be free to be idiots and arses. But, another strange statistic is that even though the USA is thought of as a bastion of freedom, it has one of the highest percentage of it's population in prison and jails of any country on earth.

[@archangele1]

One thing that always impresses me about Europeans is how many are fluent in their country's native language as well as english. You speak English with absolutely no accent but are also obviously fluent in German. Most Americans are only fluent in English and know no other languages. One can go to a country like Bulgaria or Hungary and almost always find people who are fluent in English even though they have never been to the USA or the UK. I am always impressed by this since I have always found learning another language difficult.

[@Outmind01]

That's because neither your culture nor your education system encourage exposure to other languages at an early age. And I'll admit that it does make sense given the global dominance English enjoys. I've heard from some Americans that they didn't get to study any foreign language until they went to high school, by which point it's already too late to be able to master that language at the bilingual level. Unless you're exceptionally dedicated. It's obviously different for kids of immigrants as they presumably regularly come into contact with their parents' mother tongue at home since birth. I'm from Croatia and have never been to either the UK, US, or Germany. However, I have watched far too much TV as a kid and have since expanded that foundation considerably by interacting with natives online and reading a lot. People like me have grown up in an environment where it's taken for granted that the younger generations know at least one foreign language at a passable level. Many know two like myself, and it's not uncommon for folks to juggle even more. On the one hand, it's a necessity since there are only like 25-30 million people who speak some form of Croatian or Serbian, including the diaspora, whom we'd have no trouble communicating with. On the other, American pop culture & entertainment are so pervasive that it's almost impossible not to pick some stuff up along the way unless you willfully block out any outside influences.

[@archangele1]

@@Outmind01 You are correct. My mother was bilingual in Polish and English and my grandparents spoke many languages like Czech, Polish, Hungarian and English. But back then when I was a kid, most of the people in that city were immigrants from Europe. Mostly Polish, Hungarian and Italian. I still remember my friend's mother smacking him and telling him "Speak a da English,,, Dis is America!!!!" In her heavy Italian accent. And although my parents were bilingual, they spoke pretty much only English as did my grandparents when they talked to us. I know a little Polish and Hungarian but am in no way fluent in either language. I also learned a bit of French but again, I am not fluent. About all I can do is order something to eat or drink and ask where things are like a bathroom. But compared to most Americans I know a LOT more about the home countries my grand parents came from and the languages they spoke. USA does not encourage people via the education system to become bilingual. Well, unless it's Spanish.

[@BrianJuntunen]

Because English is the universal language we are not compelled to learn others.

[@louisthehedgehog2005]

And because of that I am glad that English is not my native language.

[@lelandunruh7896]

You find learning another language difficult because you likely haven't any incentive to learn a second language. Hungarians and especially Bulgarians have a huge incentive to learn English (or German). It really is as simple as that.

[@jimturpin]

As a lifelong citizen in the US, frankly I've been shocked for years that people feel the need to do drugs, including things like alcohol. I do understand younger people often succumb to peer pressure, and some people have to deal with issues such as depression and get hooked, but I never understand why especially when there is so much information about the negative side of excessive use. Oh well. Regarding the circumcision, bear in mind for many of us that decision was made for us when we were babies so we had no say in the matter. It probably has more about the hospital making an extra buck after the baby is delivered so a lot of parents get talking into it as being the "right' thing to do. When my cousin had a daughter she got charged for circumcision, which obviously she got refunded when she complained that she had a girl, and was going to be pissed if it was a boy before hand, but that kind of illustrates how gung-ho the hospitals are when it comes to making money.

[@radicalnomad1]

Hi Feli. Thanks for doing these videos. I really enjoy them. My family was Amish 9 years ago so I know Pennsylvania Dutch, which is similar to Niederdeutsch. I'm also learning regular German, or Hochdeutsch.

[@tosa2522]

Ich wünsche dir viel Erfolg!

[@matanadragonlin]

Ich mag Niederdeutsch sehr. Meine Mutter kommt aus den Niederlanden 😃 In my opinon, Amish people live in a very interessting society. I usually buy goods at the grocery store, but I'm educating myself to make them by my own. I apreciate this.

[@radicalnomad1]

@@matanadragonlin that's great. Self sustainability will be much needed in the near future

[@matanadragonlin]

@@radicalnomad1 I believe that, too. "Self sustainability"? Great. Thank you. I learned a new word 😃

[@cahinton.]

Wait, _was_ Amish? Did your family get banished from the community?

[@waynemiller2090]

When I lived and worked in Germany 25 years ago, I went to a steam bath and started to go in with my shorts on. The attendant stopped me and said kien kleiden (sorry for the spelling). So I had to go in completely bare. OK, that was a moment of shock. But then, the room was full of people, a mixed group. Suddenly I realized I was being "observed", but not at the face level. They were looking at the mid section. I was not comfortable about that. The next day I asked my office mate why people looked at my mid section. He laughed and laughed and almost fell on the floor laughing. Finally after getting control of himself, he told me probably no one in the steam bath had seen a penis skinned. I didn't go to the steam baths too much after that, and usually early in the day when no one was around.

[@rockymtn1291]

Wow, 😬that would be really uncomfortable.

[@ruralrebeltory7474]

Great Video as always!!!! I am always learning about America from my husband, from my in-laws, and from friends. I just knew I knew about America before I met my husband, here in the UK, but I swear I started learning just how wrong I was even before we started dating, let alone after our first visit to meet his family and a few friends. The size of the States is unreal. We drove from Boston to Dallas just so I could see part of the country. The size of the highways themselves is unreal. I got a crash course in America on that first trip! I love hearing how you feel about America!!!!

[@maryalicemeaneymeaney4551]

You drove from Boston to Dallas?? Not only a huge amount of land to cover, but a huge difference in the people as well, not to mention two very distinct accents. Hope you enjoyed seeing some of our beautiful country.

[@grassytramtracks]

Safeway has now been taken over by Morrisons and there is a real cost of living crisis in the UK at the moment. Inflation is at 7%, energy costs are zooming through the roof and the inflation figure is in some ways a bit misleading because the basics like food, rent and energy are generally hit the hardest, some basics like pasta have gone up by about 50%

[@alabama1413]

What a beautiful & sunny disposition! Loved your enthusiasm for the subject matter. Best wishes 👍

[@brians2733]

The grocery issue is one of the most frustrating parts of living here as an American. I frequently travel to Europe and when I return to the US, I get pretty irate at the grocery prices. It seems we’re being robbed. I also shop at Aldi almost exclusively for groceries.

[@davidlium9338]

“Living here “; where is”here ?”, Germany.

[@bloozee]

Are you saying groceries are more costly in the US? Are you judging against the minimum wage? ( that it pretty low, sometimes nonexistant) in the US).. or are you using the current exchange rate? ( in the past few years the AU$ has varied between 50cUS to $US1.05 or more) .

[@robertknight4672]

In the New England states the cheapest standard Supermarket we have is a company called Market Baskets. Ironically enough a few years an Aldi opened up right next to the Market Basket in Brockton Massachusetts.

[@bloozee]

Aldi is cheap in parts of Australia also ( I have only been to about 0.1 percent of my own country). But I though the EU made stuff expensive over there? Perhaps cheese and wind were cheaper than they would be in Britain. A lot depends on international exchange and perception of monetary value... Roubles are best used to buy Vodka and Caviar right now 😉 .

[@jglencarr5390]

@@bloozee Pay attention to what she said. 😁🤣

[@TabithaElkins]

I've studied in the US and Germany, and notice that German students are much more mature, studious and less prone to the college-party mentality. Universities in Germany are basically about learning, and all of the other things, like sports, clubs and parties take a back seat. Also, the public unis in Germany screen people based on grades, so the people who want to party just don't go (or drop out after one semester). In Germany, coursework is MUCH harder (in the US, there are "easy-A electives for pumping up your GPA), and the exams are IMO MUCH more stringent, even in an introductory course. This eliminates the possibility of being a junkie or drunk during the semester LOL. In Mainz, the big student parties were at the beginning and end of the semester (after finals week).

[@inotoni6148]

And in Germany, in technical courses such as mechanical engineering, there is usually an extra difficult subject to screen out weaker students in the first two semesters. It's mostly math or physics

[@TabithaElkins]

@@inotoni6148 Right. In Social Studies, it was statistics. You study like mad, and hopefully, you don't flunk, so no time for partying.

[@ShadowRaven66669]

I think this has a lot to do with the No Child Left Behind Act. It was passed with good intentions, but had the unintended consequence of dumbing down our entire education system so that the kids at the bottom of the class can still pass. Pre requisite/101 classes in college now teach stuff that used to be taught in middle/high school. Also, most of our colleges are for profit so they don't care if you graduate or not.

[@jefflewis4]

Yes the Universities in Germany and Europe are better and more challenging than in the US. But its the American companies full graduates from American Colleges and Universities that lead in technology and innovation over Europe. Success is not all about classwork.

[@inotoni6148]

@@jefflewis4 It's not that easy to say. As US companies and universities invest more, many engineers and scientists are lured away from other countries. Thousands have therefore also come from Germany to the USA and work and research there. The achievements are then booked for the USA. For example, NASA's space program was set up by a German and Tesla's technical manager is also a German. The University of Munich (TUM) won Tesla's Hyperloop competition. There is also a lot of misinformation about innovations and inventions, for example that the telephone, the lightbulb or the computer was invented in the USA. which is wrong. Where the US has advantages is in chip technology.

[@ebouwens]

Thanks for being honest. Experiencing different cultures can widen your perspectives and world view so much. I'm thankful for my college exchange program in Germany.

[@pierreabbat6157]

I went to Case Western Reserve University and specified a non-smoking room. I was placed in a suite of six rooms in Howe House (another dorm nearby has the same structure). Three of us didn't smoke - the other three smoked pot. The three who didn't smoke moved to other suites, and a fourth pot smoker moved in.

[@radioboy75]

I think the drug thing is more about which region of the US you are in, what kinds of people you hang out with or what kind of parties you go to. I have lived in the US my whole life and have never gone to any parties where people were doing drugs besides alcohol, nicotine, or caffeine. I know that people I used to know have gotten in trouble for drugs (meth, marijuana), but they weren't doing them (that I know of ) when we were friends. Even if I wanted drugs (which I don't), I have no idea where I'd even start. I think peoples' experience with drugs depends a lot on the individual and the kind of friends they have.

[@StandStrong614]

You can get drugs if you wanted in any city in America pretty easily. Drugs here effect rich people, poor people, all races of people, and are pretty much everywhere sadly.

[@LordLaroyalty]

The price of everything here, including groceries, literally depends on many things. Especially: Where you live and what store you shop at. For example, buying groceries from a Discount Grocery Store, like Aldi or WinCo Foods, will usually cost you less money than buying the same items from other stores like Walmart, Conveneience Stores, or Truck Stops. Convenience Stores and Truck Stops raise the price, sometimes doubling the price, because the store is easier to get in, get those items, and get out quickly. Plus, Truck Stops are one of very few places where truckers can stop to get some of this stuff and they know truckers will pay a hefty price for them.

[@blotski]

I hope a lot of Americans watch your videos. One thing that 'shocks' me about America is how often the Americans seem to be totally unaware of how and when they are different to the rest of the world. One small example, yesterday I read a thread of comments on YT from Americans commenting how a Canadian in a video had called the letter Z as zed. Many were calling it weird. Some said they had literally never heard it pronounced like that and some were saying it was just a British thing. In fact, in the English speaking world only the Americans call Z zee. Brits, Irish, Australians, New Zealanders, English speaking Africa, Canadians all say zed although I've read that zee is 'acceptable' in Canada. But Americans just don't know this. How many American men know that being circumcised is fairly unusual in the rest of the world unless you're Muslim or Jewish or have a specific problem requiring it? So many things which are pretty unique to the USA that many Americans are unaware of. I guess it's at least in part because it is so much harder for Americans to travel to other countries than for Europeans.

[@fermisparadox01]

zed makes no sense. No other letter has a sound different from what it actually is.

[@LoxTheEye]

@@fermisparadox01 What about double-u?

[@arleccio]

@@fermisparadox01 so you always pronounce every letter in every word like you would when naming the letter? Bee, Cee, Dee, Eff, Dshee, Aitsh, Jay, Kay, El, Em, En, Pee, Queue, Are, Es, Tee, Vee, Double-You, Ex, Why, Zed. Vowels are the only "pure" sounds. Except for Eye. Zed from Zeta. It's not unreasonable. Pronounce it how you want, but don't claim it's some weird outlier with no reason why it should be named as it is.

[@blotski]

@@fermisparadox01 Well, I don't understand your judgement there. Of course, it is quite an 'exotic' letter but the name in fact DOES contain the sound as it starts with it. You could argue that H and W are not exactly phonetic and of course G is only pronounced like that part of the time. It is just as often pronounced as a hard G as in garden, God, great. Whether or not it makes any sense though is not the point, which you seem to have missed. My point is not that zed is better than zee. I don't even think it is. My point is that Americans are unaware that zed is more common than zee. It is the lack of awareness that is my point. Not that zed is better.

[@celeboria]

Your last point about traveling is correct. Most people from European countries are just so ignorant regarding how tiny Europe is and how fast you can travel it by car as opposed to how gigantic the USA are and how much infinitly more time consuming traveling here is. For example: You can drive from Germany to Switzerland in 8 hours. By comparison: Get in your car in Amarillo, North Texas, and start driving south. You wanna take a guess, where you are after 8 hours of driving? Still in Texas! 😁 In Germany you have "Last Gas for 50 km signs on the highway." In the USA, it's not uncommon to have them say "Last gas for several hundred miles." And in States like Kansas, Texas or Alaska , there are areas where you not only don't find a gas station for that long; There is nothing and noone! There are towns in the North of Texas that are closer to several other bordering States, than to the southern border of Texas. That's why it's always easy for people from European countries to say: "We travel more and know more about the world", which is also an unrealistic comparison, since the international importance of a country is key factor. Ask someone in South Italy, what's going on in North Italy. They are entirely different areas and cultures. It's more common that someone in Tennessee knows what's going on in Maine.

[@jimberg4917]

Hey Felicia, I'm a half German Yank. My Mom grew up in a small village west of Munich called Leder. And the German Grandfather clock to my left came from the Black Forest at the House of a Thousand Clocks. I love your channel...

[@tinaschafer7780]

Leeder with two ee ;))

[@ahwhite2022]

My grocery bills in Germany were always higher than anywhere I lived in the U.S. - and that experience included a move straight from Germany to Indiana, where Kroger was our local grocery store. I would never claim to be an "average" shopper, however. Restaurant prices for beer and wine in the U.S. are what I always find absurd. Germany was definitely cheaper than Austria, where I found myself immediately following Indiana.

[@stevecagle2317]

Wish I could follow you out of this "Terminally Red State!" My Kroger bill for this week was over $70 for fresh fruits, veggies, and a few pantry items - NO MEAT (my freezer is full of vacuum sealed meats I got on sale before the latest price hikes).

[@Anon54387]

I think the taxes on alcohol are much greater for buying and drinking them on site rather than picking them up at a store.

[@vortex2598]

My friend in Australia is absolutely shocked every time by how low the prices of food, alcohol, and gas are here in Ohio. So it's definitely not as simple as "the US has high prices"

[@richh1576]

The US had a 'Fundamental Transformation' of everything beginning in 2008 of which the resulting & following profligate government spending (through the printing of 'imaginary' money & expansion of the money supply) caused the 'purchasing power' of the US dollar to drop by about 45% during the following 8 years !!!! .... This was later followed by another 14-15%/year drop beginning in 2019 (when the US congress again changed and then 'over-spent' as it did in 2008) ... and 'the dollar' has resumed its continued purchasing power decline as of today, especially in the artificial higher cost of fuels due to the artificially imposed reduction of its supply, which affects the costs of nearly 'everything' purchased. The purchasing power of the US 'dollar' is now down to about 1.7 cents per dollar in comparison to its purchasing power of the early 1970s (100¢/$) - a debasement of the currency by 98% !!! Even individual people cannot continually spend more than their income without severe consequences. Such is not only happening in the US but is worldwide, less so in nations that have 'careful' spending policies. I would NOT want to be a 'young' person in light of the inevitable dire consequences of the 'unstable' value of money, ... worldwide. BTW - I was/am an 'ardent' lifelong student of "the Austrian School of Econmics" (stability of money) ... very rarely applied in the USA.

[@richh1576]

@@stevecagle2317 Terminally Red States remain in a far better monetary position than those states that are deeply engaged in profligate spending ... spend well beyond their 'income'.

[@peterdawson2403]

It is interesting to see how someone new to the U.S.A. sees things. Thank you for your insights and opinions.

[@LeeFKoch]

Hi Feli, I remember growing up in a large city in Texas that drugs were a problem, and at my high school they did regular canine drug searches (we're talking about the 1980s). But we were close to the Mexican border and had hundreds of miles of open coast on the Gulf of Mexico, so drug smuggling was pretty common. Drug use (including weed) was limited to a small minority of students, and none of my friends used or even tried drugs. The worst we did was drink (beer, wine, occassionally hard liquor), though I only ever drank if I wasn't driving (honestly - I was a founding member of our school's chapter of SADD - Students Against Drunk Driving). I usually drove everybody home after the party. College was pretty similar. Sad to hear that the situation has deteriorated so badly in the States, though Bavaria is gaining a bad reputation for Crystal Meth due to its proximity to Czechia. A friend of mine works for German Customs (Zoll), and he says he is glad that he was transferred from the anti-drug-smuggling unit to the illegal immigrant employment unit because of how dangerous it has become for the officers.

[@EvandaGman]

Every country has good and bad things I love hearing opinions form people who visit the US and new Americans

[@benjackson7872]

Me too

[@paulk.6969]

Feli; this was your usual great video. You gave good insights on these problems without getting opinionated, and that is not easy to do. Very well done. What made me a little sad about the segment on drugs was how quickly you found out this country had a big drug problem after being here only a short time.I can truly attest to this because I just retired as an EMT after working for 30 years, and have seem quite a few people either suffer life long defects from drug use, or worse yet , die , despite all our best efforts to save them. As for the high grocery prices, While I don’t like the price increases, (who does .)it’s actually helped me to lose weight because I can’t afford to buy as much food as before ( I did give up fast food).😂😂😂.I so enjoy your videos. Keep up the good work.😎👍👍👍

[@HeWhoComments]

Drug testing for athletes seems to be really common in the US. I got tested every two weeks even though I never used anything.

[@matanadragonlin]

In Germany, if you are professional player are tested regulary, but mostly bc of athlete doping like anabolic steroids / testosterone etc.

[@unityostara6380]

I get drug tested every year regardless of decriminalization.

[@gawainethefirst]

How would anyone know that you weren’t using if you were never tested?

[@Doo_Doo_Patrol]

I never got tested for anything and I smoked pounds of weed, but I could also run a 10-minute 2 mile, which is nowhere near a record but these days (years later) it seems impossible to even consider.

[@susannorthcutt7411]

I think they test to make its fair. If your taking steroids its not fair for the ones competing.

[@adviceman66]

We visited Cincinnati in 2022 and it’s definitely more progressive than any place in Indiana with exception of possibly Merrillville in the northwest corner or Indianapolis. Those places are also higher in grocery costs. When we visited Munich, I was surprised at how cheap beer, wine and going out to eat was in Germany, but the cost of owning a car, parking, tolls, and gasoline more than made up for the difference.

[@qedsteve]

Our family first came to America (Wisconsin) in the 1850's as farmers from Germany. The connection to our origins from Nierstein and that region has been researched and a few connections have been made with our/their descendants still in Nierstein. We plan to visit before long and started looking at cultural differences. It was my research that kept pulling me back to your youtube channel! Yes, I can learn conversational German online but it's the subtle (and not-so-subtle) differences that do not always come out when I am attempting to be self-taught in German (by an un-named language program). Growing up, I learned a lot of "Milwaukee Deutsch" slang from the family which was a mix of German and yiddish but also learned a few German nursery rhymes (Mom's first language was German). Your channel here is fun, and EDUCATIONAL and very helpful in orienting me to subtle differences that can make my eventual visit to Nierstein and travelling in that region and Germany in general - FUN!!! Looking forward to be a less-ignorant tourist! (and yes, we will be travelling with a native German friend)

[@soloman30]

I am originally from Cumberland Co. Ky. A few years ago the FDA audited the pharmacies in Cumb. Co. (Population 7700) and reported that enough prescription painkillers were sold to medicate every man, woman, and child in the county.

[@gemoftheocean]

Wow

[@ShadowRaven66669]

I'm in the bluegrass region and I totally believe this about Cumberland Co. Kentucky in general is pretty awful when it comes to drugs. I'm a transplant from Chicago and it's worse here than anything I saw in Chicago (15 years ago, mind you, I'm sure it's worse now than it was when I left).

[@brendamoody4829]

Hi Feli, my husband and I hosted a girl from Saarland back in 1993. through our local High School Foreign Exchange Student Program. Bianca seemed to fit in very well and accepted our family life style very well. So a couple of months before she returned to Saarland, we decided to take a trip to Gatlinburg, TN. We went to Dixie Stampede for the Dinner Show. Well she really liked it until the food was brought out. As part of their dinner ritual, it was eaten using your hands. Bianca was TOTALLY appalled with this because of her German upbringing. We asked several waiters about getting some utensils for her and they literally had none in the whole building. Finally she did eat the food but with great reluctance!!!!!! As soon as the show was over and we could actually talk outside, she said that if we had taken her there when she first came, that she would have called her parents and went home. So lesson learned, if you ever take someone from Germany/ Europe make sure they are FULLY aware of this. I guess you could actually sneak in some plastic ware for them. Also right before she left a few months later, she apologized for her actions saying that she shouldn’t have got so upset. Her mom did try to tell her that our restaurants might be different than the ones they frequented in Germany. But we still miss her and we really did have a great time together that year.

[@gemoftheocean]

I'm American and I'd have been shocked. I've never been to any restaurant that didn't have utensils. Seriously, wtf?! Is that common in your area?

[@jefflewis4]

We had a friend over from Germany last month. He'd been to the US before, but he wanted to have a really good burger. So we went to a good restaurant and he ordered his burger with several toppings including avocados. He tried to eat it with a knife and fork as he had done before, but all the toppings would fall off every time he tried to cut into the bun. He finally had to relent and grab it with his hands to keep it stable ,and eat it the American way. We all had a good laugh watching him try and figure out how to eat it though.

[@zhampfu]

I've Had my first experiences with drugs when I was 19 and going to university (I'm German). My friends from uni smoked lots of weed and it was not an uncommon thing at all to smoke weed during the week. I got into heavier drugs pretty rapidly, doing acid and MDMA and also started doing Speed and ketamine when I was 20. Of course I also smoked weed and cigaretts and drank lots of alcohol. Now I'm Clean for more than 3 years. Occasionally I drink a Glass of wine but I actually keep my distance from all substances now.

[@roseg1333]

Wow congrats for getting off drugs. That’s an amazing accomplishment 👏🏼👏🏼 🎉 I pray all the best for you as you continue your journey 🙏🏼💕

[@zhampfu]

@@roseg1333 thank you very much. Your comment means a lot to me:)

[@roseg1333]

@@zhampfu No problem ☺️❤️😊

[@Nghilifa]

Good for you, I've tried weed a couple of times (less than 20), but that was it for me. I was offered coke once, but I politely declined haha. Glad that you managed to get out of it, here's to another 3 years and more!

[@zhampfu]

@@Nghilifa thanks mate, I only did coke once and I think it is pretty overrated. It gives you a feeling of false confidence like you can do anything but it only lasts 45 min.

[@aspieatheist6040]

I just thought of something you said about expensive grocery stores: You mentioned that there were German grocery stores like Aldi's that are cheaper than places like Kroger's or Giant Eagle. Right, Aldi's isn't the only cheap place to get groceries. In the USA, there are expensive, fast grocery stores, and there are cheap, slow grocery stores. There are places like Marc's, Aldi's, and Save-A-Lot that are cheap, but the shopping experience isn't as good. The stores aren't as clean, and there aren't as many cashiers so it takes longer to get in and out. Then there are expensive, fast places like Giant Eagle, IGA, and Acme that have a better shopping experience but are more expensive. So, when you go grocery shopping, you have to ask the question, "What do I want to save, time or money?" If you have to save money, go to Marc's or Save-A-Lot. If you have to save time, go to Giant Eagle and they'll get you in and out fast.

[@maryalicemeaneymeaney4551]

I'm a mom of two sons, ages 17 & 19. I just couldn't have them circumcised. I couldn't get over subjecting them to unnecessary pain. It felt cruel, and knowing that it isn't standard practice in Europe, I didn't worry about health issues. When they were about 10 & 12, I told them that most other boys are circumcised and if they wanted to get it done, we could arrange for that. I reminded them a few years later as well that if they ever want to have it done, we can make it happen. I feel good about letting them make the decision for themselves.

[@wcg19891]

To be honest I can’t imagine any boy who was not circumcised volunteering for it. The concept is extremely disturbing

[@WesB1972]

It is male genital mutilation, it should be against the law to do it to babies. If they want it done when they are adults, then OK

[@wesalker3479]

@@WesB1972 The pecker is not one of the genitals . . . . . I don't AND NEVER had any memories of the procedure AND never cared . . . . .

[@maryalicemeaneymeaney4551]

@@wcg19891 Some men opt to be circumcised as adults. As a nurse, I've had them as patients immediately after the procedure. The age range is usually mid-20s to early 30s though I did have one man who was 60-ish. I figured it was due to a gf/wife request.

[@maryalicemeaneymeaney4551]

@@WesB1972 100% agree.

[@riccardomallardo7779]

7:53 police doing k9 drug searches in high schools is very common here in Italy, I don't know why tbh. And plenty of private schools warn the students the previous day in order to save the school's reputation, comes up in the newspapers at least once a year

[@kjs4886]

Does Italy have bad drug problems like America? The substance abuse problem in the U.S is off the charts.

[@icerepublic]

Interesting. Didn't know that. That would be totally unthinkable here in Germany. I can imagine this would cause a major uproar by parents if the police came with dogs and searched every student. Insane.

[@riccardomallardo7779]

@@kjs4886 today I don't know, in the late 70s the percentage of heroin addicts in Italy was higher than that in america, smoking weed during breaks is common in almost every school, I don't think I ever met someone who hasn't attended class while bring high at least once. There's been a news report back in 2010 in a milanese high school with hidden cameras and stuff that showed that buying not just weed but also coke, ketamine and ecstasy on school ground was extremely easy and common. The journalist managed to interview a 17 year old girl who was dealing and she said that they get warned by the teachers the day before police searches

[@riccardomallardo7779]

@@icerepublic kzbin.info/www/bejne/fHWQoZePpJZ2eJo here's some footage if you want to know how it looks like

[@pwoody9416]

Interesting about groceries. My wife and Honeymooned in the UK. We had a low key trip where we prepared our own meals quite frequently. We found groceries in a normal Safeway store to be about twice as expensive as in the US. Much of the low income reliance on fast food has to do with “food deserts” in poorer areas. Quite often no grocery stores exist. Right on about the drugs issue.

[@slackerjo]

I would love Feli to do a video about the challenges of buying groceries in a food desert. Until you experience it, it's hard to understand.

[@pwoody9416]

@@slackerjo thank you for the reaction. I bet Cincy has food deserts, and I’d be interested in what Feli recalls or can find out about Germany in this regard.

[@modemacabre]

Yeah I have to say that I don't feel I've lived such a sheltered life, but in 45 years or so living in the U.S. I only actually *saw* people usomhg drugs harder than pot once. I definitely heard about things and I guess if that would have been a lifestyle I desired I could have seen a whole lot more. So I do not for a second disbelieve the numbers presented here, but I really wonder if you didn't just have a run of bad luck in your drug experiences. Or perhaps it's just that partular region of the country at this particular time. By the way, I still think of alcohol as the :gateway drug". I know very few people who have tried marijuana who did not get drunk first. Even more so that tobacco. But hey everyone has their recreational drug of choice - mine's music!

[@stevelangstroth5833]

"Food deserts" exist, because too many inner city single mothers give birth to boys with 16 different possible fathers for each one. No father figure in their life means that they join a street gang who then....rob existing stores, shoplift the hell out of different stores and murder innocent people who work in those stores. The store finally gives up and closes, then "mama" complains that she lives in a "food desert". They made (screwed in) their bed. Let them starve in it, while the rest of us laugh at their wicked foolishness and self-inflicted wounds.

[@JohnSmith-wx9wj]

I worked security in an area that normally would be food deserts. All the stores were loss leaders, and the company kept them open only because the city was their HQ. People tended to buy garbage instead of fresh food. Before ghetto riots food and drug stores were plentiful in inner cities.

[@seeblue5490]

The urban poor may live paycheck to paycheck. They may work long hours at low pay, and multiple jobs. No time or energy to cook. They also may not have $200 for a family shopping run. They may rely on lousy public transportation. They also may live on a food island; that is, there are no grocery stores near their economically disadvantaged neighborhood. Instead, only fast food or convenience stores (if any).

[@michaelbcohen]

when I was in France I found on average the groceries were more expensive in Paris than NYC where I am from, but found Warsaw in Poland much cheaper. In the US is knowing where to go, how to shop, sales, coupons, etc. You just need to budget and know what items and how to purchase. Also lower income in the US gets govt subsidies like SNAP and WIC which provides a lot of food for little or no cost

[@sassy0010]

Michael, the challenge for low-income people in the U.S. is that the income limit for subsidies is so incredibly low that there are many more low-income people who don't get any help. The challenge for many is not those on subsidies but those who just barely don't qualify for help.

[@dkim2011]

I grew up in NYC of the 1960s and 1970s and I've never gotten over my shock and dismay at American drug culture (and relatedly, our diseases of despair - in large part a product of our inadequate investment in poor and rural areas). Yes, Feli, I'd love to see a whole episode devoted to this. ( Ofc, I'm also shocked and dismayed by the prevalence of smoking in Europe, along with drinking to excess, just not to the same degree.) - I'm curious to know why German produce is cheaper. Does it have anything to do with Germany having a lower per capita income than the US? - It's absolutely WRONG for fast food to be more affordable (and often more accessible) than fresh produce and healthier forms of protein. - While there are pros and cons to circumcision, from a *medical* *standpoint* the whole subject has been vastly overblown. Personally, I find the uncircumcised penis unattractive. It looks like a tunicate worm.

[@Trifler500]

Speaking of the groceries costing more than restaurant food, it's similar to the clothing industry. Decades ago it was cheaper to buy fabric and make your own clothes, but it has become far cheaper to buy mass produced clothing. Fabric prices have unfortunately also skyrocketed as few people sew anymore.

[@emjayay]

That's because manufacture of clothes first moved to the low wage South and then to really low wage Bangladesh etc. Container shipping costs a fraction of what old style ocean shipping did plus low tariffs, internet etc. Fast food was invented to reduce restaurant labor to a minimum so not much choices, but it is still never cheaper than cooking at home. Try to get some broccoli or green beans at McDonald's. Or a slice of anything resembling an actual apple pie for that matter.

[@alesiaparis792]

But US-Americans are still used to throw around money, they don't have, if they would not do that animore the prices would come down, that is the law of the market. How to save money. Do you realy need consume articles, read used books, you do not need a new phone every year or TV-Set, use your car longer, drive a smaller car, go by bike, go fishing, do a little farming-tomatoes, beans etc. . If you have a house think about thermal insulation, photovoltaic, burning wood insted of electric heating and in the summer think about what is cheaper sweating or airconditioning. Pay cash and use only the money you have. DIY clothes - if it is more expensive to sew than to buy, repair and modify, buy second hand, give a fuck on fashion stay conservative, that fashon changes way slower, wear workers fashon. Build and invest in your own "social network", neighborhood, friends relatives, volunteer fire departments, repair cafes, church etc etc

[@shubinternet]

Yeah, drugs in college is not an uncommon phenomenon, especially depending on the college. Some are well known as "party schools", and that sort of thing will be more common.

[@TwoAcresandaMule]

Cincinnati is a notorious party school

[@matanadragonlin]

I (Germany) noticed in US movies, if someone mentions his college, immediatly they all nod or roll their eyes or grin 😏 Everybody in the US seems to know this one particular college is a "party college" or or not 😎

[@TwoAcresandaMule]

@@matanadragonlin all colleges have parties but some of them are nothing but a party

[@shubinternet]

@@matanadragonlin -- well I sure as hell didn't. Not when I was in college, and not at any time after college. I still don't.

[@matanadragonlin]

@@shubinternet then it was just for a good script 😁

[@lucieherrick6934]

My husband is from Southern Ohio on the OH and KY border. Home of the pill mill. Heroin is a huge problem. There is a book called Dreamland written about this area and the beginning of the pill mills.

[@bobsacamano2948]

I know Kentucky has severe penalties for these drugs, not so sure about Ohio. In the part of Oregon where I live, the penalties are minimal and most people I know don't do drugs. Of course I live in the high tech area and their are many people from all over the world living here.

[@Iron-sy4yp]

I’m from Cincinnati and have no idea what your talking about ? Pill Mill ?

[@Iron-sy4yp]

Drugs are a problem everywhere

[@brisnwinters8161]

My wife's family is from germany though she was born here. We visited germany several times and her aunts and uncles visited. My wife's family is from Hamburg. Though mt father in law was bkrn in far east prussia in 1934. His famiktbrefugeed west in1944. Where he was born is now 200 kms into poland. When he was born it was only 6 kms to the polish border.

[@sueferguson7288]

Of course you can be very critical of things here.... it's part of our culture. Took 3 years if German in high school...soooo many years ago, still remember many words! Danke!!!

[@pendragon2012]

Yay, a new video! Loved the introduction--made me chuckle! I'm sure that shocked faced is on many immigrants' faces when they get here. It would be interesting to know more about why the drug scene is different. I know my kids' suburban high school is suddenly having tons of issues with it too. Can't wait for part 2--maybe some more about guns? Have a great week, Feli!

[@roseg1333]

Please no more about guns. So controversial 🙈

[@mirajolinardiaglionis399]

@@roseg1333, any gun is made to, at least, harm another person. That's the reason why they are produced.

[@roseg1333]

@@mirajolinardiaglionis399 I’m talking about the topic not the justification

[@roseg1333]

@@mirajolinardiaglionis399 for protection. Your only harming the one that means to do you harm. Is your life not worth protection? Besides that is why there are classes and tests to weed out certain people.

[@elopix234]

@@roseg1333 and that’s why it’s ONLY prominent in the US. So yes this should definitely be a topic.

[@charlesmacgill2653]

I always enjoy your videos. I am a American that lived in England for two years so I enjoy your views. The only comment I would say is unfortunately the mid-west does not have as much competition when it comes to super markets. In the north east you have more compilations so food prices are less.

[@thehoneybadger8089]

Take it from a retired firefighter; breathing any kind of smoke, especially heavily concentrated smoke from tobacco and marijuana, will eventually cause serious lung problems.

[@timesthree5757]

Yea but we built the a powerful country smoking. So stop. It would be like me saying as a mechanic if you keep driving you will be injured.

[@foobar6194]

The least of the problems. The bigger one is delusional thinking among people who vote.

[@Doo_Doo_Patrol]

@@timesthree5757 That is kind of stupid, don't you think?

[@timesthree5757]

@@Doo_Doo_Patrol Be more specific.

[@Doo_Doo_Patrol]

@@timesthree5757 One day you're on top of the world; the next you're gasping for breath through a tube. Is that specific enough for you, stupid?

[@davidcawrowl3865]

Higher groceries. I have noticed more "food pantries" popping up around town (in the South) in response to higher, sometimes prohibitive, prices. I contribute to a very small pantry which was organized and erected by a woman who was so motivated and was interviewed by the local t.v. station. The wooden pantry is placed in front of the city hall/library. I contribute two small cans of peas and sliced carrots, a box of Kraft mac n cheese, "fundables "gummi candies, and a card with a bible verse. I make eight packs and deliver twice a week (16 total per month). Americans are very giving people!

[@mattkuhn6634]

The groceries being cheap in Germany thing definitely was a shock for me! I was used to US prices, but when I moved to Germany my estimated living expenses ended up being way higher than what I thought! The drug thing seems to be very much a result of where you ended up in the US, but I think overall you're right: opioids are a much bigger problem in the US than Germany. I'm from Houston, Texas originally, and while I knew several kids who smoked cigarettes and weed in high school, I only knew maybe 2-3 kids who did harder drugs at all during that time. Several people I knew did run into trouble with those later, during college, but when I was in undergrad I didn't encounter hard drugs in anywhere near the frequency you did, and I don' t personally know anyone who has died as a result of drug abuse. Also, spending 2017-2021 in grad school in Germany, I knew a lot of people who habitually smoked weed and several who did hallucinogens, but I never ran into party drugs because, like you, the EDM scene wasn't for me, but I certainly knew it was a big deal there, and frankly there wasn't much of a "scene" in my city other than EDM.

[@StandStrong614]

Drug overdoses in America kill more young people now than anything else. It recently passed accidents as the number one killer of young people.

[@thebudmeister8840]

On the food topic: I guess Kroger is big in Ohio and Upper Midwest. But they don't exist out west and they would never make it here because they are TOO expensive. There are more farm subsidies in the EU which keeps prices down and furthermore, prices reflect geography (markets are more spread out) whereas the location choice of retailers in Europe gives lots of choices in a narrowly defined area. Those strawberries you buy are likely grown in California and put on a truck and driven to Ohio. That's extra cost and no subsidies.

[@electronics-girl]

Kroger is all over the country. In California they are known as Ralphs.

[@emjayay]

@@electronics-girl Baker’s, City Market, Dillons, Food 4 Less, Foods Co. Fred Meyer (big in the NW), Fry’s, Gerbes, Jay C Food Store. King Soopers, Kroger, Mariano's, Metro Market, Pay-Less Super Markets, Pick’n Save, QFC, Ralphs, Ruler, Smith’s Food and Drug.

[@Rocketsong]

Kroger = Fry's. I remember they tried changed the branding to Kroger 10 or so years ago, and changed it back to Fry's very quickly.

[@SSanatobaJR]

I was born and raised in Colorado, USA, and I can genuinely say there are lots of things I love and lots of things I hate about the USA. So, welcome to the club! Yeah, drugs are really bad in some areas. Its so sad to see so many young people throwing away their health and lives due to drug addictions. I have thankfully stayed away from them all, except for Caffeine, which I get in tea, coffee and a few of my pain meds. I don't want to risk being addicted to anything else.

[@kevinpowell7435]

Feli, To be honest, I know nothing about Germany, and have no connections to there, but I love your videos!! They are always very interesting and entertaining. I love your personality!!! Thanks to you, I have learned a lot, and dispelled a lot of stereotypes, about your homeland. God bless you! 🙏😁

[@michaelparkin6974]

Cari from Easy German's sister has lived in the UK for a few years and is still surprised people serving you in shops make small talk and ''common'' (working class) people often address complete strangers as ''dear '' or ''love' or ''darling'' which would be unthinkable in Germany !

[@books4_kids]

The drug situation you're describing is shocking to me too. And although I am older (49) I grew up in Chicago and did a LOT of partying in my youth and never saw anything more than marihuana and liquor at parties. It's sad to hear it's so normalized amongst so many young people.

[@JBuchmann]

Same here... only see people drink alcohol, and on rare occasion marijuana. I was shocked to hear her talk about how common she saw the hard drugs happening around her. Honestly I had previously thought it was only like that in movies.

[@AllenGarvin]

Same! At 53, I've never seen actual cocaine outside of the movies. I was aware of people in college that did ecstasy and acid, but I never actually saw anyone doing it--it was not something done in plain sight.

[@JBWinter]

I've worked in bars and nightclubs my entire adult life, and I've never not been able to find a substantial amount of cocaine or pills any time I wanted if I searched a few patrons. I remember my childhood 20+ years ago being similar. It's largely based on social circles you're around.

[@christianoliver3572]

I'm surprised that groceries in Germany are cheaper than here in the USA. It's been my experience that they were extremely more expensive in the UK and France but about the same price in Italy and Greece. I was in most of the countries that used to make up Yugoslavia during the time the Yugoslavian Dinar would lose something like 80% (summer of 1990) of it's value literally daily but in the morning it seemed like $20 worth of their currency would buy quite a bit of food at least at restaurants but by dinner it wouldn't buy you a beer!

[@BifMcAwesome]

When was there later on (in Bosnia) the custom was to pay in Konvertable Marks (KM) and you would get your change in krona or dinar, depending on where you were in country. As Americans we would just leave the change as a tip.

[@Michael-eh8qm]

I studied in Germany a long time ago and was shocked at how much I spent on groceries in a standard grocery store. I eventually found PennyMarkt, which had much better prices, but the quality was something to be desired. Grocery prices in the U.S. don't bother me too much as long as I shop somewhere reasonable like WinCo.

[@annaclarafenyo8185]

US prices are inflated by complete corporate control. In Europe, they are stabilized by government price-controls.

[@mirkokaluza7467]

@@annaclarafenyo8185, who told you prices in Europe are stabilized by the government? They definitely not. This was tried out for 40 years in the GDR and, as we know, went terribly wrong. What affects production and therefore prices are, for example, fertilizer regulations, packaging regulations and so on, but that also exists in the USA, right?

[@annaclarafenyo8185]

@@mirkokaluza7467 Prices for goods such as eggs, flour, bread, milk, and certain types of produce are controlled by the government not only in the UK and parts of Europe, but in nearly all countries on Earth. This means that the prices of necessities never become unaffordable, as they are in the US. These price controls are limited to core goods, so they don't impact economic activity. You are so wrong, and also so absurdly confident in your ignorance, that you must be American.

[@mirkokaluza7467]

@@annaclarafenyo8185, thank you for insulting me for disagreeing with you. I suspect you're not an American, because there I've never seen people get rude even when they disagreed with me. In general Americans are extremely polite. As a German, I can tell you that you are simply wrong. True is, some staple foods, or the raw materials for them, are subsidized from time to time - which is a bad idea in my opinion - but again, that exists in the US as well. But definitely there is NO regulation of staple food prices in Germany. Therefore not in the EU either, because our neighbors would definitely object to Germany going that special path. What it's like in the UK? I have no idea, but the Brits are usually pretty smart, so I doubt that they would come up with such a stupid idea. After all, it is precisely because of this that there is always enough affordable food available. Wherever the government regulates prices, even the most basic things become expensive and scarce.

[@annaclarafenyo8185]

@@mirkokaluza7467 I am indeed an American, and I can guarantee you that a select basket of staple foods is price-controlled in Britain (and in most other countries), you can see the ridiculously cheap subsidized British prices at "Atomic Shrimp" on KZbin. This does not cause shortages, when the controls are done appropriately. Price controls can be done badly, by just imposing a mandate on businesses, or they can be done well, using incentives and compensating subsidies, to ensure compliance and sufficient supply. It's not expensive, and it ensures that even the poorest can cook their own food There is no excuse to leaving food distribution up to capitalists. If you actually are German, there is a somewhat less cutthroat corporate culture there, and corporates are run as aggregate entities by boards with consultation with labor, rather than as fiefdoms of big-man chiefs as in the US. Your economics 101 ideas are absurdly naive. The world doesn't work as in economics textbooks, it is vastly more complicated, because idealized markets are as rare as frictionless planes in physics.

[@shmirdonkin]

The one critique I have of this critique, is that you live in Cincinnati. There are towns where none of this happens. I grew up in a town where one person died from hard drugs, in 30 years there was one murder and most kids didn't start having sex until after highschool. We were aware that outside of our county that life was drastically different, but again the US is huge and has a little bit of everything.

[@jackcarreno907]

Grocery prices vary throughout the US. Produce like strawberries, peaches, or oranges are cheaper in the west coast as per say in Ohio (midwest states). The reason is they have to be shipped further from the source. For example, avocados in the midwest range from $2-3 ea. But in places like California they run .50-$1.00.

[@sm5574]

Speaking generally, not so much about this particular video. I think the important thing is to get rid of the "[Country] is perfect!" or "[Country] sucks!" mindset that seems so prevalent these days. There's so much "America is stupid for doing this" or "the USA should be more like this other country" or "America -- love it or leave it", that it's infuriating. There are things about every country that are good and things that need improvement. Comparing one country's trash with another's treasure is a disingenuous way to effect change.

[@multilingual972]

Thank you very much, Scott. Did you read his remark Feli? Hast Du es gelesen u.a. verstanden?

[@TWolf317]

I was surrounded by drugs in college. Since I graduated college, I rarely ever come across anyone doing drugs. In my experience it's a college thing. In fact when I've been asked by doctors, etc. about potential drug use, I always answer that I did drugs in college but not since. I usually get a nod of understanding as so many people did drugs during their college years, it's almost expected.

[@redfishradical]

Grocery prices have exploded the past couple years-also, the cost of living differs DRAMATICALLY from state to state!

[@susannorthcutt7411]

Gee I wonder why that happened.

[@tolikhl]

I live in western Washington and the drug problem is not as bad as in other parts of the country or state. Interestingly I found that groceries in Germany was way more expensive than in USA during my trip in 2008. The drug problem in Germany train station really shocked me too. So I had exact same experience than you during my visit to Germany. However I have to admit, I live in the better part of the country and would never live in Cincinnati due to these reasons.

[@tomlawhon6515]

I remember when weed dried up at school, one student who was 18 said it was the first time he had not been high on marijuana for 7 years. The same person also told me that when he was in high school that his social circle regularly had parties at which they dropped acid and tried to push each other to have bad trips and commit suicide. Many years later, it was not a few people I knew who did hard drugs, or were dealers, but it was common for people to do heroin and other hard drugs, and so many people sold drugs. Some would ever go to nearby Cincinnati to knock women in the head to steal their purses. A different person stole about $30,000 worth of farm equipment from his father. A different young man stripped the wiring from his mother's house to sell the copper. The reason for people preferring to steal from parents first is they are less likely to kill you for doing so than neighbors are. I remember when you never heard of someone doing drugs here in the rural area. Some people had a drinking problem, but nothing like this. It is bad everywhere. When I moved into an apartment in St. Louis, someone was killed across the street. A year later someone else was killed in the apartment building across the street. Both instances were believed drug related. Lower level heroin dealers regularly burned the higher up people in the food chain, the wholesales, and the only way for the wholesalers had to discourage the practice was to kill them, which they regularly did. In St. Louis they would dump the body in East St. Louis, who made their crime statistics higher. Their murder rate in East St. Louis was highest in the nation back when I lived in St. Louis. I thought that kind of crime was an urban phenomenon, but when I moved to the country, in a few years it followed me out here. You can't get away from drugs. If it is not bad now, just give it time. At the nearest house to the left someone died of an overdose. On the right someone had a drug-related suicide and a drug dealer moved in to replace him. If you are shocked by the amount of drugs in northern Kentucky, I am not surprised. It is shocking to people that who were born here. Several of our elected officials have had children caught up in drugs, sometimes resulting in murders from drug deals gone bad and so has been an assistant pastor. I am sure you were shocked and it should have been. It is thoroughly unreasonable.

[@paulstan9828]

That was really interesting. I always wondered what the differences were between American lifestyles and European lifestyles. America has definitely turned into an “I’m fine your fine we’re all fine” society. The reality is that we are not all fine over here. I think it all goes back to Parents no longer teach their children there are consequences for their behavior or teach them values or give them responsibilities. It’s so much easier to let the children run the show than to argue with them.

[@user-dr2js7bv2i]

Yes Feli our drug problem is shocking here in the US. It's very tragic and I'm happy to know that not all countries are plagued as we are. I don't know why there is so little attention paid to it. I can only hope and pray people find happiness so they don't need to numb themselves as they are doing now. I liked your video, thanks!

[@777rogerf]

...and Germany does not share a border with Mexico.

[@22craigjohnson]

Hi Feli: It’s interesting to hear what you have seen in the US as it relates to drugs. I’ve grown up in the south, went to college in the south, and never saw anyone do drugs. Now alcohol is a more common item seen if you want to get high on any substance. I wouldn’t know where to go to get illegal drugs, and if I did, I would be afraid to buy them because of what might be in them, and because you may not know who is selling them. So alcohol is legal, and easier and safer to get. I knew some friends who did weed occasionally, however that was only 2. Illegal drugs must be more common in Cincinnati.

[@morganzander5814]

I'm also from the south, but I know many people who have been around or done harder drugs at some point in there lives. I feel like it just depends on the area you live in. I've never been around harder drugs but I lived in a good area. My friends who didn't live in nice or higher income areas were not so fortunate.

[@ttintagel]

A lot of people from outside the U.S. don't realize just how different most things are depending on your state/region. I recently read a joke about the U.S. being 50 kids in one trench coat trying to sneak into the movies, and it was funny because it's so true.

[@keithhardy1784]

I'm an American living in the Philippines, a country that-besides suffering from a scarcity of dark beer-has one very serious problem when it comes to beer drinking: Filipinos just like TINY... LITTLE... drinking glasses-for drinking anything and everything. I longed for one of those big huge liter-plus German beer mugs. One day at SNR, the Philippine non-affiliated affiliate of Costco, they had in a shipment of these big glass Oktoberfest mugs, imported from Germany, with a liter-can of Paulaner Oktoberfest beer that fit right in it. I bought two of them, and finally... I HAD one (two). They've got a little Paulaner logo on them. Well, I decided that any company that could actually get one of those to me all the way in the Philippines... they've EARNED their right to have their logo on my beer mug! Happy to have it.

[@EasyEd1955]

Hi Feli, I'm an old guy, closing in on 70. Back during the true summers of love from 69 through 75 pot was huge. However, the active ingredient, THC, only had a concentration of 5% to 7%. I've recently found out, through selective breeding, the concentration has increased to a whopping 95% to 98%. A friend offered me some a few years ago (I hadn't smoked since 75) and became very paranoid since I was unprepared for the increased power of just a few tokes.

[@kevinhannon6863]

"The percentage of adults who consumed fast food increased with increasing family income" Source - US Center for Disease Control. It is a myth that low income people eat the most fast food. Just to set the record straight, love your channel

[@Nyet-Zdyes]

Increasing family income may well mean increasing # of hours worked, and thus less time to prepare a meal at home. Combine that with having kids, and kids having activities like sports, etc., and you've got another reason. Likewise, SINGLE people, without kids (or without kids living at home), ... well, when you you're cooking for just one person... and the number of single person households has been rising for some time So there is a third significant reason.

[@carlcushmanhybels8159]

Agree! Fast Food in USA is too expensive for a budgeted (Disabled / low income) person to eat often. Plus many now-lower income people, like myself years ago when I was starting out on my own, (low income at that time) are trained in, value, and experienced in cooking at low costs. (Rice and lentils, black eyed peas, or noodles and Swedish meatballs and peas...etc; 1 dish mixed meals ). Plus there is Food Stamps. And rural people if they want can grow parts of their/our food. It is true that in Food Deserts (high crime low income areas = with few supermarkets); there the stereotype of lower income people not eating healthy and/or only being able to buy expensive stuff at small stores.... can be true.

[@jamesbinns8528]

There are indeed a lot of poor people who eat fast food or junk food from Quickie Mart type stores. Npr has done at least two pieces on this subject, of course blaming white racism for the lack of grocery stores in crime- ridden neighborhoods. I've had those people work for me. Instead of packing a lunch, I I have done for forty years, they would daily go to a fast food joint.

[@Nyet-Zdyes]

@@jamesbinns8528 Ah yes... "food deserts"... in the middle of a city.

[@thysonsacclaim]

@@Nyet-Zdyes - It's definitely a thing.

[@haroldorndorff3133]

German groceries are cheap here too. It’s called Aldi.

[@fips6346]

Go to an Aldi in Germany, then you‘ll understand.

[@ArgusStrav]

Re: Drug Use. I think a lot of it depends on age, life situation, and socioeconomic status. I think the 2 most common groups of drug users are: 1) college-age students, and 2) minimum wage workers. College is seen in the US as a time for experimentation (hence terms such as "college lesbian"). It's the first time a lot of Americans are away from home, responsible for their own shit, and nearing the age of legally drinking. A lot of people will try out stuff in college, but then once they get a professional white collar job, settle down and maybe smoke marijuana occasionally, or just give up drugs entirely, especially after having kids. Minimum wage workers, well, they have such shitty labor conditions, who can truly blame them? Your job is shit, your hours are shit, you often have no health insurance, but if you get fired, you can usually find another minimum wage job, so why not smoke some marijuana before work to distract from the unending tedium of your existence?

[@williamg7267]

Drug use is more popular with people who have money…

[@carlcushmanhybels8159]

@@williamg7267 Expensive drugs like cocaine yes or high-volume frequent marijuana yes.

[@Lorena-tx8yy]

Excellent video. :) I was impressed with how thought out your subject was. Most videos like this focus on our stereotypes, but you pointed out things that are true and that most people don't know. Drugs are a really big problem here. Even in my tiny rural county, most of our arrests and social problems result directly from drugs. It's a shame. Grocery prices are definitely a pain, no matter where you live. And, yes.... in America it is actually kinda strange for a man not to be circumcised. I worked in childcare for years and have diapered many baby boys and to this day I have no clue what it looks like to not be circumcised, because all the boys I have cared for were circumcised.

[@m9078jk3]

I often grow my own food right in my backyard so I have a lesser need for groceries. I have two big raised beds of strawberries,multiple apple trees,cherry trees,pear trees,raspberries and even a very productive lemon tree. This amongst other crops too. I am fortunate though as a home/property owner . I coincidentally pay little in property taxes and get free home repairs. No expensive car needed by my as I try to live symbiotically with nature. I ride electric bikes instead which help me stay healthy. Everything else I can have delivered directly to my house. Food for me is nearly unlimited and I often give it away.

[@august44105]

Hi, i think it is really important to mention that Alcohol is a drug. In Germany, we have a big problem with alcoholics, but you didn’t say that. But good video!

[@rebelrailroader]

Grocery prices do vary depending on what part you are in. In my experience I shop at various stores for my grocery needs. Items that I use often and in large quantities I do buy from a discount store like Aldi, Sam's Club, Costco, etc.. quite often my local grocery store is cheaper on many things compared to the larger national chains like Kroger, Walmart.

[@jfaulk5717]

The first two are directly at the feet of indirect government intervention. The opioid crisis first kicked off in the 90’s when CMS introduced a “zero pain” policy for those hospitalized in the US. Pain scale ratings were a huge deal and tied to hospital funding. So the drug manufacturers responded (or lobbied for it in the first place) and there was a huge uptick in the manufacture of opioid pain meds. Flash forward 20 years and kids are dying in massive numbers. The second is a result of food / farm subsidies. We subsidize farming in the US along with subsidizing poor people with food stamps, EBT etc. This prevents prices from lowering to their true floor. Why do strawberries cost 6 bucks a carton when a market value should be $3.75? It’s because farmers and supermarkets know that there is government money that supports 6 bucks. The price would fall is one or both of those safety nets were removed.

[@troy9er]

My immigrated here from Germany (on myMom’s side) in the late 1700’s. My Dad’s family is from England/Sweden. Subbing. Welcome to America! 🎉🎉🎉🎊🎊🎊👍🏻

[@pauld6967]

The first time I was stationed in Germany, I was surprised to see cigarette vending machines on street corners and in ubahn stations. What was really shocking though was that hashish was being openly peddled downtown on the streets. Of course if you pointed out the gentleman to one of the polizei then a green and white would roll up and take him away.

[@tubekulose]

Not only in Gernany. There are cigarette vending machines all over Europe because kiosks are closed in the evenig. So your only chance to get tobacco products at night is driving to a petrol station or using one of the vending machines.

[@pauld6967]

@@tubekulose Ah yes, the question of when a shop would be open never occurred to me. Not even when I lived there, shops on base/the kaserne tended to follow typical American hours of operation and here Stateside it isn't too difficult to find a place that is open 24 hours.

[@tubekulose]

@@pauld6967 Oh, I see!

[@sonnystaton]

The opioid crisis is also much bigger in Ohio than most places. It's one of the worst. Some areas are in a methamphetamine crisis. Here in the San Francisco Bay area it's a mixed bag.

[@harrypotterzoup3886]

I’ve lived in Vacaville in ‘14 Yaa 🧊 was everywhere but I’m in Ohio now and this year alone I know of 3 people personally OD and 2 of them didn’t make it & the meth is getting out of hand

[@sonnystaton]

@@harrypotterzoup3886 Wow. I live in Vacaville. From Vallejo where their issue is heroine, when I was a kid it was crack.

[@harrypotterzoup3886]

@@sonnystaton ya people around here like mixing both it’s getting out of hand tbh

[@mixedupjoanna975]

In the '90s heroin was very prevalent. You could walk down the street and be offered "one n' ones" one part heroin & one part cocaine. I was under the impression that had really died down. Crystal was the current scourge. Always has been. They've been fighting it sense the 60s.

[@ColtonioBanderas]

It’s funny I had to opposite experience! Going to USA from Canada I thought groceries and food was so so cheap over there! 😂 looks like I’ll be eating well if I visit Germany!!

[@toribern816]

That’s true, growing up in US all my life we were always told how expensive everything is up in Canada, and super cheap in Mexico

[@n.b.3521]

Came here to say this. As a Canadian who grew up in a border town, I knew plenty of people who did their groceries in the US because it was cheaper (even though it was illegal to bring many fruits and veggies across the border).

[@jk180]

I grew up with Aldi in Central Illinois. I think it was about 40 years ago when they came to my hometown. I now live near DC, and we have both Aldi and Lidl. I like both.

[@buciallstar]

mz biggest shock in the US next to grocery prices were the abundance of homeless people. I lived in California for a few years but also frequently visited Chicago and New York, and it is just shocking how many people are homeless. And so many of them also have clear and obvious mental illnesses.

[@wlogan2000]

As with many other things in the US where there are great regional differences, circumcision rates are wildly different across the US. According to the CDC, in 2010 the newborn circumcision rate for the US was 58.3%, but that ranged from a high of 71.0% in the Midwest to a low of 41.2% in the Western US. The differences between individual states can be far more stark.

[@evanboyd1541]

At least the insurance coverage aspect is starting to dry up. But still some parents aren’t teaching their boys about the hygiene aspect.

[@jefflewis4]

Yes but bear in mind the CDC only counts hospital/medical circumcisions, in 2010 when you count the religious circumcisions done after leaving the hospital (mostly Jewish, and Muslim) it was about 77% of the US in 2010.

[@2deth3]

Grocery Prices will get even more expensive in the coming years.

[@MichaelPhillipsatGreyOwlStudio]

The drug situation certainly wasn't like that when I was younger. In the '80s and '90s all the drug use was in sharp decline among younger people. Sounds like things have now returned to the '70s!

[@allargon]

Depends on the area and the crowd. In the Midwest I went to more parties where harder drugs were common. In the South I typically only saw weed. Not saying either generalization was the rule. Only stating what I saw.

[@labj143]

Are you talking about the time of the "war on drugs" that only increased incarceration of minorities and created more racial disparity. Yeah, because that was a "better time".

[@carlcushmanhybels8159]

No. not the '70's. Feli's experience and location is different from many areas and many ages.

[@desertrat6075]

I lived near Frankfurt, GE about twenty years ago and the drug use was far more prevalent than anywhere I had been in the US at that point. I find it really odd that one of the top things that you found surprising was about circumcision. I've lived in many countries throughout my life and this topic never entered my mind, and I am a man. In my experience, the grocery prices in Hessen are about 4% higher than what I spend on groceries in the Mid-Atlantic area of the US. Interesting differences in experiences between us.

[@ttintagel]

The drug of choice at my high school in rural NYS was alcohol. Lots of alcohol. Looking back, it shocks me how normalized it was. It was just a given that a certain number of kids were going to be drunk at any given time of the day or night, and most parents happily supplied their kids with as much as they wanted. I'm not talking about a couple of beers or glasses of wine at a meal or a party, I'm talking like blackout drunk on vodka every weekend. Liter bottles of whiskey in lockers. Every year at commencement, if it was a good year you'd have a couple of kids getting their diplomas on crutches or in wheelchairs or all bandaged up because of the number of DUI's that occurred after classes ended. On a bad year, there'd be an empty chair with a dead student's picture on it.

[@richlaue]

I do most of my shopping at Lidl, because of the prices, the smaller size and it is the most convenient one to get to. There is an Aldi across the street, but that requires going through a stop light

[@slayer8actual]

I've been following your channel because I enjoy your content. You always come across as honest and considerate. I stuck with you when you had the channel name incident and was so happy when you found your own brand nobody could steal from you. Being cute as hell also helped. But I never subscribed because I agree with everything you've said. I appreciate your honest opinions and the way you present yourself. You have class, maturity and a level of intelligence that so many other KZbinrs could learn from, and that allows you to say things I don't agree with and still have my respect. Keep doing what you do, Feli, and I'll keep watching. You're awesome.

[@irwfcm]

The drug thing is interesting to me. I'm older and went to college in the late 80's. Sure I knew a couple of guys that did a little weed in college and high school, but it really wasn't much of a thing. And I didn't know anyone who did anything harder than weed. There was a rumor in college that one of the fraternities got in trouble for trying to buy ecstasy from an undercover DEA agent, but that was the only incident like that. I guess I've just never run in the circles that used drugs at all. I know it's worse now and the War on Drugs has been a 100% failure.

[@thomaskalbfus2005]

The War on drugs was a failure because traitors in our midst took power in our country! Too many damn hippies from the 1960s got elected and they murdered a bunch of Americans with their dirty habits! The hippies were not about peace and love, they spread violence and committed crimes contributing to the drug overdose problems of millions of Americans.

[@alesiaparis792]

The war on drugs was a 100% failure, because if doktors prescribe opinoides (insted of a real cure) for every pain people have there is no way to win it.

[@ltcajh]

God got disposed of, and drugs filled that void.

[@dominic7699]

I grew up in the 90s (in the US) and the DARE program used to tell us that weed was a 'gateway drug' lol. I'm pretty sure declaring weed as a 'gateway drug' makes it a 'gateway drug' because inevitably people are going to try weed and they will find out that it is not that bad. This then hurts the credibility of the claims about other drugs, and makes people more willing to try something more extreme (essentially, they are lumping weed together with harsher stuff; then weed is discovered to not be that harsh; so the assumption about the reality of the harshness of the other stuff is lessoned).

[@Blanko1998]

100% agreement ✌️😂

[@supralogical]

You are mistaken about why marijuana is called a "gateway drug." It's not called that because people think you will be more likely to try other drugs. "Gateway drug" was coined by neuroscientists, not just anybody. They called it a gateway drug because marijuana makes other drugs more pleasurable and addictive. For example, lab rats conditioned by marijuana will suck on heroin until they die, not stopping for anything, even to eat or have sex. But rats not given marijuana can take or leave heroin alone for other things, like eating or sex.

[@redonk1740]

Not only that, but by making cannabis illegal, it forces users to obtain it from the black market. Not only do drug dealers not check ID, but a street dealer is much more likely to offer other illegal substances for purchase as well. I've never heard of a dispensary being like "hey, while you're here, would you also like to purchase some cocaine?" If marijuana is a gateway drug, it's because they've turned it into one.

[@nickcox1408]

DARE failed with a capital F. It didnt nake us fear drugs. It made us more curious. The myth of pot being a gateway drug has been debunked. At least in my experience it has. The biggest gateway drug is alcohol. Another reason DARE failed was because it was coming from a criminal justice stand point. You tell kids not to do something and they'll just dont it anyway. Another reason why drug use has become worst over time is lack of mental health care and stress due to the economy.

[@supralogical]

@@nickcox1408 Do you have a link to where pot being a gateway drug has been debunked? As far as I know, the neuroscience experiments that led to Marijuana being called a gateway drug have not been debunked.

[@joeortiz3455]

Glad to see and hear your voice feli, thank you for addressing your experience and observances with drug usage in the 🇺🇸 USA, curiosity has me to ask you for your personal view on how would you see a way to help relieve this drug situation that is more than obvious in the US and around the world, feli i truly would like to know what would feli do to help heal the world's drug abuse

[@mar4kl]

I recently discovered your channel. I'm of German/Jewish) descent on my mother's side, and I find your perspective very refreshing, your analyses very astute and I really enjoy your playful and engaging delivery. BTW, we have Aldi stores in Chicago, and my wife and I shop there regularly.

[@hueyav8r]

I grew up in Cincinnati and now I'm back after 40 years. A couple things. First, the opioid problem is higher in the Greater Cincinnati area than other parts of the Midwest. That's sad, my old neighborhood I wouldn't want to buy a home. There's not an easy way to fix that problem. Food prices being higher. Back in the mid 70s I worked for a German immigrant butcher at Finley Market. He would tell me when his family visited from West Germany they would comment how much lower the food was in the US compared to their home. I guess we don't really notice the prices going up over the years. Finally I feel circumcision is a chosen because we've always done it. It's just something done since the previous generations have done it. I enjoy your podcasts keep it up.

[@BrianPatrickOMalley]

These are extremely insightful observations. Spoilers: Our Grocery prices are a crime. As for the first surprise, we do tend to go to extremes, especially in consumption (drink and food to excess, knickknacks to the brink of hoarding). There are probably several factors that contribute to it, but I sense other countries don't buy into the "more is better" vibe.

[@JBWinter]

To be fair, drinking to excess isn't unique to America and we aren't even the best at it. All the South Africans I met in uni drank much more heavily than we did, as did the Vietnamese guys