Do you see the UK as the parent of the USA?

[-]

ukbot-nicolabot@reddit

**Your post from /r/AskUK has been removed by a human moderator.** AskUK is a "catch-all" subreddit for questions about the UK life and culture, but this does not mean we accept any and all questions or answers. We are liable to remove posts or comments which are best discussed in more specialised subreddits, or are simply not desired here because of the problems they bring. We explicitly do not allow questions or answers on or including: - politics (r/askukpolitics, r/unitedkingdom, r/ukpolitics) - technology (r/techsupport, r/technology) - relationships (r/relationships, r/relationship_advice) - DIY (r/diyuk) - university/education (r/sixthform, r/uniuk) - visas/citizenship (r/ukvisa) - [medical advice](https://111.nhs.uk/) (including [mental health](https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/mental-health-services/where-to-get-urgent-help-for-mental-health/)) (r/mentalhealthuk) - ranting/venting (r/britishproblems) - surveys (r/samplesize) - advertising/solicitation (including the mention of **brands** which could be perceived as marketing) - repetitive/seen-often (just search the sub) - "does anybody else" type vent posts (as yes, someone does, be more specific or use r/britishproblems). - questions based on protected characteristics, such as race, religion, ethnicity, etc. subject to moderator discretion. ...and we may remove others if we believe they are liable to introduce problems for the subreddit. In some circumstances, a more appropriate subreddit may be available. Check the sidebar for other subreddits to have these discussions. Also see r/unitedkingdom's extensive list of subreddits; https://www.reddit.com/r/unitedkingdom/wiki/british_subreddits *If you believe this post should not have been removed, [first read our rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskUK/about/rules/) before [messaging the moderators](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=/r/AskUK&subject=Post Removal Appeal)*. See our guide on [common issues with posts](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskUK/wiki/postremoved) and how to overcome them!

Reply

[-]

mynameisfreddit@reddit

I think the term "our American cousins" is more used. Or "kith and kin"

Reply

[-]

ARobertNotABob@reddit

All I can say is *if* we are, then USA is an errant brat.

Reply

[-]

likesrabbitstbf@reddit

No, for so many reasons, chiefly among them, the people who lived there first had nothing to do with the UK and didn't even know it existed until Europeans made it inescapably obvious that it did.

Reply

[-]

palebluedot365@reddit

Until a few months ago I would have said absolutely not. But with the recent shenanigans, I’ve found myself slightly feeling like the US and Canada are two adult kids who have fallen out. And the US is embarrassing the whole family.

Reply

[-]

PipBin@reddit

We don’t think about America in that way at all, well I don’t anyway.

Reply

[-]

LittleSadRufus@reddit

Absolutely not. If I had to choose a single nation as closest match: Pennsylvania feels more German inspired, New York feels more Italian than British, southern California more Mexican, etc. I suppose parts of New England do feel fairly British. Eg Princeton was as close to England as I might expect the US to get.

Reply

[-]

Bionix_52@reddit

If we are their parents we’re definitely guilty of abandoning them when they were still in their infancy and partially responsible for their poor development.

Reply

[-]

zone6isgreener@reddit

It's like letting a toddler run ahead. You need to let them fall, then they'll be keen to take your hand again n. Mother UK will have to step in again.

Reply

[-]

one_pump_chimp@reddit

It's more that they ran away from home rather than abandoning them

Reply

[-]

Bionix_52@reddit

I guess, but they were such a problem child we didn’t bother telling anyone or going to look for them. Only realising our mistake when they showed up on our doorstep 20 years later pregnant, with an opioid addiction and a criminal record

Reply

[-]

TreKeyz@reddit (OP)

Damn!

Reply

[-]

CoffeeIgnoramus@reddit

>I've noticed a lot of Brits see the UK as the USA's parent. I'm surprised. I'd say we (roughly) understand the history and that we had something to do with it. So I suppose we see that the US's history has something to do with us... But I've never heard of it as "parents". But if you say you hear it a lot, then maybe best ask those people. They seem to be outliers to me.

Reply

[-]

TreKeyz@reddit (OP)

It seems I am wrong. My 'alot' was really limited to a few people who i have had that convo with lol. Now I'm debating if I should edit and rephrase.

Reply

[-]

DrawfPlanet@reddit

Generally speaking we share the same ancestors just the US split from the UK 250 years ago. Just like how the Aussies split 200 years ago. I like to think of it like the multiverse.

Reply

[-]

TreKeyz@reddit (OP)

That works.

Reply

[-]

Savanarola79@reddit

Native Americans say what

Reply

[-]

Mental_Body_5496@reddit

Useless/useful fact - All but 1 US President EVER has not had British ancestry.

Reply

[-]

spectrumero@reddit

So only 1 US president has had British ancestry?

Reply

[-]

Mental_Body_5496@reddit

Bad grammar i will edit for clarity

Reply

[-]

Mental_Body_5496@reddit

No the opposite they have ALL had British ancestry except 1 a long time ago.

Reply

[-]

always_off_balance@reddit

The US is older than the UK, so we can’t be considered as a parent of it

Reply

[-]

Precipiceofasneeze@reddit

Maybe a great-grandparent. Distant enough to be able to not claim responsibility for them, but still knowing that we basically laid the foundations for their insanity.

Reply

[-]

Beaglebeak@reddit

As a Brit who regularly has tea and scones with the Queen, I can only assume all Americans shoot celebratory pistols in the air while chowing down on hotdogs and smash burgers at the ball game, while local high-school kids spontaneously break into song and dance on a basketball court about the upcoming prom and summer vacation before going to college

Reply

[-]

BastardsCryinInnit@reddit

>I've noticed a lot of Brits see the UK as the USA's parent. Where... where have you noticed this? ^They're gonna say TikTok, arent they...^

Reply

[-]

Another_Random_Chap@reddit

We are aware that many of the early colonists and the majority of the founding father had British or Irish heritage, but I've never come across the 'parent' concept. We prefer to think of you as a bunch of ungrateful colonials :)

Reply

[-]

DoubleXFemale@reddit

I don’t think anyone actually thinks that, it just gets used for cliche banter.

Reply

[-]

ThatSamShow@reddit

Most Brits don't give America a second thought, let alone whether we have a relationship with them. We've got more important things to discuss like the weather.

Reply

[-]

Dax_Thrushbane@reddit

.. and be related to that buffoon in office? no thanks .. you left home when the tea hit the water and from hereon in you're on your own ..

Reply

[-]

TreKeyz@reddit (OP)

😂

Reply

[-]

Dax_Thrushbane@reddit

Just to clarify - I have nothing against the good people of the USA .. visited there once and loved every minute. As a Brit some of your accents to me are really cute/lovely. Hate canned laughter on TV though .. love the movies you make :-)

Reply

[-]

Shawn_The_Sheep777@reddit

I don’t think people consider our relationship with the US in those terms. We never studied American history at school and the fact that we had colonies in America was never mentioned. I think Americans seem surprised that the war of independence and 4th of July means absolutely nothing to us Brits. It’s not something we think about or care about really. We are not aggrieved that we left or see it as something important. You are a different country with different values who just so happen to speak English.

Reply

[-]

perrosandmetal78@reddit

Not at all. We share a history and a language but the States is more of a foreign country in a lot of ways to many European ones.

Reply

[-]

Quaser_8386@reddit

The Dutch have to take some responsibility too

Reply

[-]

non-hyphenated_@reddit

Not parent, but maybe cousin. We have some common ancestors but like they came from some distant relatives weird brother. You know, the one the family doesn't mention anymore. We used to send Christmas cards, but ya know, it just got weird so we stopped.

Reply

[-]

TreKeyz@reddit (OP)

🤣

Reply

[-]

DanS1993@reddit

Australia, New Zealand and Canada are the kids. USA is someone is we don’t talk about…

Reply

[-]

froggingexpert@reddit

This!!!

Reply

[-]

TreKeyz@reddit (OP)

Oh that's interesting.

Reply

[-]

T1nFoilH4t@reddit

We don't really think like that. If anything we're the senile grandfather that the family just puts up with for traditional reasons and wishes the old bugger would stop touching the younger girls innaporiately.

Reply

[-]

TreKeyz@reddit (OP)

🤣

Reply

[-]

TeenyWeenyQueeny@reddit

No. More like a distant cousin that’s fun and entertaining at family get togethers but gets on everyone’s last nerve after a while.

Reply

[-]

BeKind321@reddit

Not at all. We see that there is some English heritage there but not the parent !

Reply

[-]

WorldAncient7852@reddit

I feel like we don't think about them in any other terms than as an ally really, not in a paternalistic way, not in a "we're responsible for this mess" way, nothing. I've never met anyone who views America as a former colony like you're suggesting.

Reply

[-]

mister-rik@reddit

Not taking responsibility for that, thanks

Reply

[-]

TreKeyz@reddit (OP)

😂

Reply

[-]

Krafwerker@reddit

“I’m wondering what the British consensus is on this” Well good luck with that! Some agree some don’t and most probably don’t care. There’s my prediction!

Reply

[-]

AndreasDasos@reddit

Historically obviously yes in a sense. In other senses relevant to today, no.

Reply

[-]

cougieuk@reddit

I don't think we want anything to do with this offspring at the moment. Happy to have it adopted.

Reply

[-]

TreKeyz@reddit (OP)

😂

Reply

[-]

OneNormalBloke@reddit

We think that they are cousins across the pond.

Reply

[-]

TreKeyz@reddit (OP)

That's what I have come to think too. Modern Britian is not the same as Britian back then. If anything it's more like both the UK and USA share a common ancestor, and neither would exist without it, but now, more like distant cousins.

Reply

[-]

joe_smooth@reddit

They are the loud annoying cousin that everyone tries to avoid at family parties.

Reply

[-]

Btd030914@reddit

Not in the slightest.

Reply

[-]

Small-Magician-5887@reddit

Hah #metoo. I'd be more concerned about a Brit who had this view, than an American that did

Reply

[-]

scrotalsac69@reddit

The USA isn't our fault, ok we were involved but the French triggered it all to kick off. So in summary no, not a patent. Maybe closer to that cousin no one like talking about

Reply

[-]

AutoModerator@reddit

**Please help keep AskUK welcoming!** - When repling to submission/post please **make genuine efforts to answer the question given**. Please no jokes, judgements, etc. - **Don't be a dick** to each other. If getting heated, just block and move on. - This is a strictly **no-politics** subreddit! Please help us by reporting comments that break these rules. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AskUK) if you have any questions or concerns.*

Reply

[-]

AutoModerator@reddit

As the leading UK "ask" subreddit, we welcome questions from all users and countries; sometimes people who ask questions might not appreciate or understand the nuance of British life or culture, and as a result some questions can come across in a different way than intended. We understand that when faced with these questions, our users may take the opportunity to demonstrate their wit, dry humour, and sarcasm - unfortunately, this also tends to go over the heads of misunderstood question-askers and can make our subreddit seem hostile to users from other countries who are often just curious about our land. **Please can you help prevent our subreddit from becoming an Anti-American echo chamber?** If you disagree with any points raised by OP, or OP discusses common tropes or myths about the UK, please refrain from any brash, aggressive, or sarcastic responses and do your best to engage OP in a civil discussion, with the aim to educate and expand their understanding. If you feel this (or any other post) is a troll post, *don't feed the troll*, just hit report and let the mods deal with it. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AskUK) if you have any questions or concerns.*

Reply

Reply to Post

58 Comments