We’re in a bad habit of using the USA as a pedestal to compare everything wrong or bad in our country with them.
Yes, the United States is one of the most developed and advanced nations. They have got a lot of things correct. They are better in many areas as compared to the rest of the world.
However, they are not perfect. We mustn’t epitomize America and Americans to set parameters for us in the social, political, economic, and cultural segments. And this is possible only when we stop treating them as a crass novelty. They have many flaws too.
One of the biggest misconceptions Indians have about the USA is that poverty is non-existent there. This isn’t surprising; after all, we’re talking about the richest nation in the world. In reality, there are a lot of poor people there. In 2018, 38.1 million people lived in poverty in the USA. That’s 11.8 percent of the population. (Source) So, don’t let those tall buildings and Hollywood movies create a wrong perception for you.
Another misconception Indians have about the USA is that the people there are more educated so they don’t face social issues. Admittedly, the adult literacy rate in the USA is 99 percent. (Source) But let that not confuse you that they don’t have social issues just because they are educated. Racism remains a VERY big problem in the country. Their black-white is equivalent to our Hindu-Muslim. Their education still fails to teach them to look beyond skin color. So, their social fabric, too, has stains.
This is a very big misconception Indians have about the USA…That Americans have a very active sex life; that everyone is getting some action whenever they want; that it’s a paradise to get laid. NOT TRUE. Sure, the dating scene there is much elevated. But this perception that movies and shows have created that everyone is freely hooking up with each other is wrong.
Aside from these, I am sure there are many other misconceptions Indians have about the USA. Like…
• There are tall buildings everywhere
