“It’s as Backawards as Can Be”: Things in American Culture That Make No Sense to the Rest of the World

The way the US government reacts to certain crises is really weird to people outside of the country. Heck, it’s weird to a lot of people who live here, too. One example of these weird priorities is who and what the government deems “worthy” of saving. If a bank fails, a safety net swoops in right away to bail it out or cover any lost funds.

If there’s a crisis that affects the lives and health of everyday people, that’s another story. If there’s, say, a chemical spill caused by a lack of rail regulations in a Midwestern town, the government is a little slower to respond. Obviously, a bank failing is bad news, but isn’t the health and safety of citizens more important?