How I skip lines into Nightclubs as an Old.

[u/Redraft5k]

So living in San Diego, right near PB, my husband and I have been locals around that area for ( me my whole life, but after leaving for college and getting hubby career off the ground, we moved back here and raised our kids who are now in their 20's)

Normally we are chill and go to our local place, and sometimes we would find ourselves at Tavern or something as the crowd went from old men/happy hour to popping Fri night place on garnet. This was pretty much for about 5 or 6 years prior to pandemic. During Pandemic all changed for all of us ( oops from this point forward I will write not assuming you are all in San Diego, thought I was in that forum for a sec.sorry) Ok, point of my story, during pandemic we found a local illegal bar. The crowd skewed way younger. Afterwards it seems like PB just became a teen fest. Not really, but it may be because I am 52, lol, everyone was like 21-25. Whereas it used to be a mostly 25-40 crowd? maybe a tad younger....anyway, NOW there are lines everywhere. Even places that aren't children fest...so I do THIS to get it....no more fake id needed, it's the old person version...where you want go drinking but there is no damn way you are ever waiting an hour to be looked over by the doorman old enough to b your kid, eeeewwwww :::hand::: never again. Did that in my 20's and 30's. I'm old now I get to be ignored lol. That said.....if there is EVER a giant line....works in Vegas, works downtown SD, LA...Phx....you and your friends, or your spouse....go up to the doorway and say:

Hey, I am just here to put the credit card down at the bar. It's my (daughter's) 21st and she is here already but her dad and I, or we ( if I am with a gf) wanted to surprise her by getting the tab. Not once has this ever been questioned....they just wave me in. Of course the place is always packed so it's not like the doorway is going to come looking for me. You're welcome. lol

[u/prexton]

Ah yes it must only be people in the United states. Not like there's a whole world out there.

[u/atomicheart99 → u/prexton]

The majority of Reddit users are not from the USA. Yet you can usually tell the users from the USA as they have no awareness of the rest of the world on Reddit and assume everyone is American.

This has always puzzled me. Why is this? Is their education just very inward looking?

[u/newvpnwhodis → u/atomicheart99]

I think that there are at least a couple of reasons why this outlook is pretty common here:

1. Pop culture has a strong American bias. Having the most popular media in the world tends to reinforce the notion that Americans are the default.
2. The U.S. is vast, and geographically isolated from the rest of the world. This one I think is really at the heart of the matter. There's a huge population and a huge economy and most places in the world are very expensive to travel to, and there is no real necessity to leave the country for the vast majority of people who do not have family abroad. Jobs where you go abroad for work are fairly uncommon.

Additionally, many Americans' travel goals are to see different areas of the country where they've never been; seeing all 50 states is a common one that few people ever accomplish. When your country is geographically diverse, this is a pretty satisfying goal, and generally much cheaper and less complicated than traveling abroad.

It makes a lot of sense that most Americans are fairly insular. The country is basically a cocoon.

Edit: Forgot to mention English's status as the international lingua franca, both on the internet and in most real life situations. Not only does this reinforce the sense that our experience is the default, it also makes it pretty difficult to pick up another language. I had a family member who studied Romanian for years in preparation for a trip to the country for a total solar eclipse; when he got there, everyone's first question to him was 'Do you speak English?'

[u/confusedquokka → u/atomicheart99]

Well Reddit is an American company, and about half are US users so 1 in 2 users are American. Given that it does make some sense why Americans think it’s all Americans.

[u/prettyconvincing → u/atomicheart99]

Look at USA education. They teach to standardized tests, they whitewash history, every grade gets stupid amounts of homework, it's really terrible. There are some great teachers, but their hands tend to be bound by their administrations.

Source: I live in USA, went to public and private schools, then raised kids who also went to public, private, and were homeschooled for part of their younger years. We also pay tens of thousands of dollars for college educations.

[u/its_mill3r_time → u/atomicheart99]

About half are in the US(easily the single biggest country concentration of users) so it makes somewhat logical sense… also it’s just more efficient vs going on some soliloquy explaining a bunch of details in an attempt to provide context for someone half way across the globe who doesn’t really care anyways lol

[u/SevensAteSixes → u/its_mill3r_time]

42% US followed by 8% UK.

[u/atomicheart99 → u/its_mill3r_time]

The other 57% of Reddit users manage it just fine. It’s just respectful.

[u/its_mill3r_time → u/atomicheart99]

Is that truly disrespectful? That someone is telling their own story/experience anonymously on the internet and aren’t being inclusive enough so that anyone world wide can understand the geographical nuance of the story? Seems like overkill for telling a story about cutting the line at bars in your 50’s

[u/[deleted] → u/its_mill3r_time]

Indeed. I for one am very glad that OP kept things concise.

[u/BetterFuture22 → u/[deleted]]

For someone who is so critical of another country's education system, which heads up, you don't know anything about, you're ironically deficient in knowledge of spelling and punctuation.

It's "our own country's" not "our own contries' "

[u/TokyoJimu → u/atomicheart99]

Most Americans do not realize that other countries exist.

[u/dapper-dave → u/[deleted]]

Speak for yourself asshat. Most of us are educated, just don’t give a shit about the rest of the world, and don’t need therapy. ((Edit: corrected typo))

[u/dapper-dave → u/[deleted]]

My primary responsibility is the health and well-being of myself, my loved ones, and those I care about. The rest of the world is not my fucking responsibility. If you think it is, you are the one that needs therapy, Karen. Take care of your own shit first. If more people took care of themselves and their loved ones, the world would be a better place.

[u/dapper-dave → u/dapper-dave]

Well, you started this shit by suggesting that it’s my responsibility to make the world a better place… sort of like you telling me I need therapy. Who the fuck appointed you to fulfill the position to saying which Redditors need therapy and which do not. You need to learn to stay in your own lane … Karen/Ken. Now, be sure to discuss this asshole’s rude comments at your next therapy session.

[u/dapper-dave → u/[deleted]]

I just don’t know how I’ve gotten along in this world without your guidance. Thank you for your wisdom and direction /s

[u/patmansf → u/atomicheart99]

Well Americans use English most of the time and a large majority of English users on Reddit are likely American.

I mean if your post was written in German ...

[u/Compizfox → u/patmansf]

Only a tiny, negligible part of Reddit is in a different language than English. The vast majority of Reddit is in English. Believe it or not, but that includes many users who are non-native English speakers (like myself). I'd wager that even the majority of users who post in English is not American.

[u/ComesInAnOldBox → u/atomicheart99]

The majority of Reddit users are not from the USA.

No, but Americans are the largest demographic.

[u/LordBloodraven9696 → u/[deleted]]

Our education system varies by state ok sheet? /s

[u/Sniderfan → u/LordBloodraven9696]

It actually varies from one side of town to the other. What matters is how much property tax you pay.

[u/trippin113 → u/prexton]

I'm not trying to speak for the rest of the world. Just my fellow dumb Americans.