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r/unpopularopinion•
TrueObservations

New European Immigrants to the United States Try Too Hard to Flaunt Their Wealth

I live in a major city and am friends with a lot of European immigrants. In my experience many of them are very concerned about flaunting whatever money they have through nice clothes, nice cars, going to fancy clubs, buying fancy things, etc. This seems especially true of Eastern & Southeastern Europeans.

Honestly it all looks like overcompensation to me. They want to show that they're making it, but people who grew up in the United States don't care at all. To me and I think a lot of other Americans, the pea-cocking comes off as trying too hard and looks cheesy as hell.

So, new European fam, try investing some of your money instead of blowing it on $15 drinks and Maserati day rentals.

Posted Sep 17, 2019, 7:58 PM UTC

417
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1
blargityblarf•

Why can't people have things they like?

1
TrueObservationsOP•

Why can't people have things they like?

My claim is what they actually want is admiration, but nobody admires it, people laugh at how cheesy they look.

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blargityblarf•

They admire themselves for it clearly

0
DigitalHypnosis•

It's the same thing with hispanic immigrants from Latin America. They like to run around in big-ass trucks bought on credit and wear gaudy boots and hats with bright yellow button-up shirts and sequined jeans all because they're making $15 an hour at a beef processing plant chopping up cattle and thinking they're the top of the pops since they're making in one day what they'd be making in three months down where they're from.

In reality, they're lower-middle class by US standards.

1
pisshead_•

I don't think Europeans are flaunting anything, Americans are just slobs. Wearing nice clothes or having a nice car is normal behaviour in parts of Europe.

1
TrueObservationsOP•

Well it's not really all Europeans, it's the ones from poorer countries who seem to want to flaunt the wealth the most.

Germans, French, British, Scandanavians, etc. don't really do that when they come here. French keep their style about them, but they aren't usually trying to show everybody that they own (i.e. rented) a lambo.

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pisshead_•

I think it's more of a north/south thing. Northern Italians aren't poor.

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Ananas_jabuka•

I came to the U.S as a refugee from eastern Europe in 1999. I agree with what you said. But they act the same way in their home country. At least in my homeland, people do care about wealth. It's a symbol of status. Since the majority of people live in poverty, having money is considered a big deal. It's even worse when they live in the U.S for a few years and then visit home. They always lie about how much money they make here and how great it is. And then other people come here and have to learn the hard way not everyone in the U.S is rich.

0
TrueObservationsOP•

I came to the U.S as a refugee from eastern Europe in 1999. I agree with what you said. But they act the same way in their home country.

Congrats on escaping, sorry you had to escape. Were you fleeing the Yugoslav wars?

I agree with you. Circa 2008-2011 I spent a lot of time in Serbia/Ukraine/Russia (software work) and saw a lot of the same behavior (although I experienced a lot of very genuine/humble people as well). The problem sometimes for them when they come here is in the process of trying to show they're making it, they're running their finances into the ground.

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Ananas_jabuka•

Yes, I did. I was actually born in Benkovac which is part of present day Croatia. In 1993 (I was 3) we had to evacuate that region into present day Serbia. Than in 1999 we had to escape Serbia. I was very little and don't remember much but my mom was on her own with a 3 year old and a 1 month old. She's very brave and strong.

We can be very humble and hardworking. But we also put way too much value on what others think of us.

0
DrFishTaco•

Many American consumers buy handbags, clothing, shoes, watches, jewelry, cars etc. based on the status it will project.

We even have tv shows based on flaunting. Lifestyles Of The Rich And Famous, Cribs, Pimp My Ride are just a couple of examples.

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Villifraendi•

I'm pretty wealthy and when I travel to the states it's usually the Americans who try to show it off in my experience. However I dont think it has anything to do where people are from, more so how they were raised.

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TrueObservationsOP•

Also, yes Americans often want to show off their wealth at points, but it's a lot more subtle and context dependent, not flaunted every single minute of every day.

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Villifraendi•

I cant relate, I dont know a single wealthy person who actually does and acts that way.

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TrueObservationsOP•

I think people who come from poorer countries feel the need to compensate for the fact that they came from a poor place. People from nations places don't tend to place as much importance on flaunting wealth.

For instance, you don't see many Germans or Japanese in the U.S. driving around in super fancy sports cars, because they don't need to prove anything.

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SwissPatricklol•

Americans are very materialistic...

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