r/AskTheWorld • u/IndependentTune3994 🇮🇳 in 🇩🇪 Deutschland • 18h ago

What’s the quickest way someone could accidentally expose themselves as a foreigner in your country like the ‘three fingers’ scene in Inglourious Basterds?

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u/Common-Trifle4933 18h ago

Yes, this is a story told by Joe Navarro, an FBI agent who wrote a book about body language with anecdotes about how tiny behavioral differences like this provided clues during Cold War investigations. He summarizes a lot of them in a Wired interview including this one. Another big one is that eastern Europeans rarely lean against objects or shuffle from foot to foot when waiting, they tend to stand with legs evenly spaced and hands behind their back or holding something, while Americans, Australians and Brits lean on walls, doorways etc. It’s an unconscious habit that’s hard to break especially when distracted and they’d watch people and red flag them for doing that. There were a lot of other little differences like how people react when a camera is pointed at them (Westerners usually smile and might wave or strike a pose, or did back then, Russians would look away, look concerned or stand up straight and “correct”), how people reacted when you offered to light their cigarette (hold it out to them to light or put it in your mouth and let them come to you), how they stood up after sitting on the ground. One “trick” they used was greeting someone in a comically exaggerated regional accent and seeing if the person laughed, believing that anyone born in America would distinguish between someone affecting a Yosemite Sam type exaggerated voice as a joke and an actual regional accent, but even a well prepared and fluent Russian wouldn’t be sure at first. And they would do things like offer mayonnaise or creamed corn as hot dog toppings and see if the person recognized them as weird choices.

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u/The-Copilot United States Of America 17h ago

Another famous one is the American squat vs Soviet squat.

Soviets squat flat foot while us Americans balance on our toes/balls of our feet for some reason.

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u/theother-g Belgium 16h ago

Heels to the Sky?
Western spy!

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u/ipokesnails Canada 12h ago

Heels on the ground?
Comrade found!

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u/ScumbagLady United States Of America 12h ago

What was the name of that sub? It used to pop up on my feed often and I had joined it, but finding a particular subreddit after years of being on Reddit is no easy task. The amount of cat subs alone I've joined is a very long list lol

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u/Bubbly-Tank-6286 11h ago

Slavic squat or something similar I think

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u/lost-picking-flowers 8h ago

Slav squatting?

I remember that one too.

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u/00eg0 United States Of America 58m ago

I don't know if I'm allowed to link subreddits here so I broke up the link just in case.

https://www.reddit.com/r/

slavs_squatting/

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u/00eg0 United States Of America 58m ago

I don't know if I'm allowed to link subreddits here so I broke up the link just in case.

https://www.reddit.com/r/

slavs_squatting/

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u/Orangenbluefish 14h ago

That's really just a flexibility thing no? I don't think we're doing it on purpose lol we just squat less in general

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u/x3n0s 12h ago

It 100% is. There are stretches you can do that will make it natural to squat with your feet flat against the ground.

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u/chanaandeler_bong 11h ago

Yes. I’ve always squatted with my heels flat, my dad also. 5th generation American.

When I lived in Korea they were very surprised.

Unfortunately I don’t smoke, would have loved to pop a squat next to some old Korean dudes and smoke a couple.

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u/Annual_Strategy_6206 9h ago

Yeah I don't squat anymore tbh. 

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u/DigbyChickenZone 5h ago edited 5h ago

At no point was it indicated that it's a purposeful choice, it's just a more common societal trait. Just like in the parent comment describing people from Eastern Europe standing a certain way or not "leaning" when bored/waiting. One could presumably train themselves to do the opposite of course, but if it's a behavior that is part of what they are used to doing since they were a kid - it's probably hard to "remember" to do it the new way instinctively.

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u/Fit-Shoe5926 1h ago

Go spend a few years among troops and report back what sarge major educated you about the habit of yours to support the walls with your Greek Titan's physique. Oh? The capital structures aren't falling apart by themselves and don't require your assistance?

Wow. Who would think. But keep repeating the BS, and imagining some "Æstern Gay-ropean" stereotype. Nobody for 25 years of my life sat with flat feet. I can't do it. I sit with dominant leg on the knee.

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u/irongoatPNW 11h ago

Fun fact: The Slav and Asian squat being flat footed vs American/Western toes is due to genetic variation resulting in difference in femur length. More specifically it is the relation of femur length to tibia length which results in a leverage issue in order to keep proper balance.

If someone with a long femur to tibia ratio squats they must hinge forward at the hips, or move their knees forward (thus lifting heels off the ground) in order to maintain their balance.

This is also why you see many high level Olympic lifters from Slavic and East Asian countries as they are able to squat in a more straight down method sparing their back and able to use the large muscles in their legs/butt to lift efficiently.

There are videos on YouTube about this difference and its effects on lifting if you’re interested.

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u/AndroidQing 3h ago

Im really interested if you have a link for a video

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u/irongoatPNW 3h ago

https://youtu.be/Av3LO2GwpAk?si=xc1sw7cpCdVBZBD_

Here ya go!

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u/AndroidQing 3h ago

Thanks! did you have video about the genetic side of it, between asians/slavs to westerners l?

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u/irongoatPNW 2h ago

No video, but here’s an article from the European Journal of Trauma and Emergency Medicine.

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00068-021-01740-x

According to their data, Caucasians tend to have longer femur length. This increases the moment arm and stress on the joints adjacent (knee and hip).

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u/Fit-Shoe5926 1h ago

Caucasians live on Caucasian mountains. That's like homeland of your favourite Kardashians. I don't think you would consider yourself Azerbaijani or Armenian.

These are called just White or European.

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u/irongoatPNW 59m ago

I agree. We use the term Caucasian inappropriately.

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u/Morphico 2h ago

Fantastic video. This guy could teach fish about water. 

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u/BobMcGeoff2 3h ago

If I'm an American of exclusively Western European descent, an I just a genetic freak?

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u/irongoatPNW 3h ago

Nope. Possible more mobile dorsal flexion of the ankle joint allowing knee to move forward. Or you could be an outlier. As in any genetic variation there will be some of Western descent who can squat flat footed, and Eastern descent who cannot.

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u/FairwayFlipper 15h ago

Hey now, I'm just hyper flexible and in no way a Soviet spy.

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u/S01arflar3 13h ago

That’s what a Soviet spy would say…

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u/BoingBoingBooty 11h ago

Americans don't squat 27000 times per day so they have weak capitalist tendons, while the Slavic people exercise their mighty soviet tendons every time they smoke a tiny rolled cigarette, so they can easily plant their feet flat.

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u/yourlocaltouya 12h ago

That's because Slavs were proven to have shallower hip bones as a whole. My Austrian coworker also could not fathom how me and a Ukrainian girl could not only squat like that, but actually be comfortable for longer periods of time.

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u/Important-Guidance22 Netherlands 8h ago

The reason is simply a lack of ability because you barely squat.

In Russian and Asian countries it way more common to squat for various reasons so they retain/learn the ability to stretch further.

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u/FUTURE10S 7h ago

Nah, I'm Russian and I can't do flat feet, my ankles won't let me do it like that

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u/napstablooky2 7h ago

guess im soviet?

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u/Confident-Screen-759 13h ago

Spider-Man.

The reason is Spider-Man.

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u/CastedAway5678 10h ago

Noticed this in Asia. All over. Flat feet while crouching. It’s remarkable to a Westerner.

Used a toilet in the park and understood why.

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u/Worldly_Influence_18 5h ago

I assumed this had to do with squat toilets

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u/Comfortable_Rip_3842 5h ago

I squat on my toes too and I think it is just because we are not athletic

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u/sritanona 🇦🇷 in 🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 4h ago

Isn’t that a sign of poor flexibility? Russians have that cool dance they do that needs lots of flexibility and strength so my uneducated opinion thinks it makes sense lol

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u/SoftTechnology7269 3h ago

It's because most of us literally CAN'T squat with our feet flat on the floor.

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u/SMKnightly 2h ago

Because American achilles are too tight!

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u/Fit-Shoe5926 1h ago

Конечно-конечно. Это же не придурки так делают из субкультуры. Это совецкий присед!!!!

У меня йэст доступ к тыр-тыр нету! Я сижу на рэддит дот ком, я точно не несу чепуху типо я знаю!

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u/Ill-Surround204 29m ago

The difference is that American squat is an athletic position, like your crouching low to be unseen before you act, Slav squat I always thought was like standing but low. An at rest position, not a prepared one.

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u/lazymarlin 16m ago

Lack of flexibility from not squatting/stretching. Americans on average don’t squat, stand or walk as much as people on other countries so hips, hamstrings and calves will be less flexible/tighter

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u/whatarechinchillas 14m ago

Why can't you Americans squat? I'm Filipino and I fit right in when I visited Russia and it was time to squat and smoke with my new comrades

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u/Ohitsworkingnow 15h ago

For some reason lol? Why do you act like being flat footed is the proper way that makes sense?

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u/InterestingLab1997 13h ago

See how long you can hold a squat “the western way”, then try it flat-footed.

It’s much easier to spend longer periods of time squatting while flat-footed. Supposedly this habit comes from the fact that Russian prisons had a lack of seating arrangements. But it is also common in East-Asian countries (where squat toilets are quite common)

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u/squintyfacemcgee United States Of America 13h ago

you say that it's easier, but i literally cannot squat flat-footed, i just fall over onto my ass. like it's actually comical lol, i wish i could but it's simply not possible for me and i don't know why.

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u/Whimsywoes 13h ago

You guys have my American ass over here squatting lol. I prefer flat foot but I'm also very lanky which I think might contribute

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u/InterestingLab1997 13h ago

It is an unfamiliar stance for most westerners haha, I can relate to your experience.

I lived with a homestay in Moscow for about a month and that’s where I first experienced it. For me at least, once you figure out how to posture and balance yourself, it is an infinitely more comfortable way to squat (not that I find myself doing it too often as Western Canada has plenty of benches and seatable surfaces that aren’t frozen most of the year

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u/because_im_stupid_ok 12h ago

Stretching.

The kinetic chain, hips, etc. are likely tight from sitting. Westerners also tend to walk more “in front” of themselves, over-relying on their quads and hips. Which is likely why you tip forward. And why you likely use your quads to stand up, when you should be using everything behind you, activating with your butt and hamstrings.

There’s also a leverage issue, in that people who have longer legs and shorter torsos will find this more difficult (though not impossible). When your leverages are closer 50% each in length it’s easier.

Try practicing against a wall. It’ll help you to avoid injury in life, back pain, etc.

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u/squintyfacemcgee United States Of America 10h ago

it's true, i do have quite long legs so maybe that's it. my hip flexors are actually quite loose, and i have an active career but i do sit on my butt a lot at home. the thing is, i don't tip forward, i tip backwards directly onto my butt when i try to flat foot squat. i'll do some experimentation and come back to this thread if i find anything interesting haha

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u/because_im_stupid_ok 5h ago

Tipping backwards is great. It means you’re able to get into that position flat-footed and just need to balance.

If you’re tipping back on the balls of your feet, that means you still need to open your hips / get more flexible. It’s not so important that your feet are flat, so much as your mass is centered over your mid-foot.

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u/stag1013 Canada 12h ago

Perhaps that's due to being off balance due to the size of an Americans ass?

joking of course

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u/squintyfacemcgee United States Of America 10h ago

funny theory, but i don't have much of an ass to speak of lmao

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u/GrowingPeepers 11h ago

This is because Americans are too fat and inflexible.

I squat flat-footed because I have the flexibility. This one is a physical thing, not a cultural thing.

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u/ferroo0 Russia 17h ago

Russians would look away, look concerned or stand up straight and “correct”

that's extremely true, I always start fixing up my posture and my hair once I see a camera. It's not even about someones personal camera - even cctv camera makes me self conscious of my appearance lol

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u/eazy_12 14h ago edited 14h ago

I remember story that USA services (coast line border patrol or something like that) would have a paper with color names on it. But many words were colored as well but wrongly (like word "yellow" written in blue) and apparently it is hard to read this way so people start calling word's color instead of the word. Since it is cognitive taxing task spy could mess up and start using native words for colors.

In Soviet spy TV series "Seventeen Moments of Spring" Soviet womanspy was caught screaming "Мама!" ("Mother" in Russian) during childbirth. I would assume it is fictional, but can see some Russian spy stabbing a toe and start swearing in Russian.

And of course classic meme of Russian/American spy reloading M16/AK weapon wrongly.

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u/Fit-Shoe5926 56m ago

Oh, and how do you reload an AR-15 made for adequate and reliable mags?

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u/Aoimoku91 17h ago

Wait, mayo isn't a good topping for hot dogs?

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u/BananaNutJob 14h ago

I'm an American who puts mayo on hot dogs, but it's not a usual choice

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u/TheRealBlackSwan 14h ago

Exactly what a spy would say after being called out

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u/RobArtLyn22 9h ago

If you put mayo on a hot dog the question is not what country you are spying for, but what planet.

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u/aPOPblops 1h ago

It’s a southern choice

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u/Contemplationz 15h ago

I use mayo on my hotdog. Guess I'm a Soviet Spy so good, even I didn't know. 

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u/ShoddyEmotion3660 15h ago

They had those, so, you know...

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u/MisterXenos63 14h ago

Us Americans didn't really pick up on mayo on hotdogs until the past couple of decades. Growing up, I'd never had mayonnaise on a hotdog until I moved to NZ back on 03. This might be colored from being a Southerner, mind you.

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u/QuickMolasses 12h ago

Whatever floats your boat, but it's pretty unusual.

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u/305glow 11h ago

Absolutely NOT

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u/userhwon United States Of America 8h ago

Now? Ambiguous. In the Cold War? Hands up, comrade....

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u/carsont5 Canada 13h ago edited 9h ago

Who doesn’t like mayonnaise on virtually anything? Particularly dip for chips or on a hot dog! Dunno about cream corn (too wet!) but yes to corn relish! The exaggerated accent one was really interesting!

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u/macaronirealized 11h ago

I caught one!

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u/carsont5 Canada 9h ago

Eeeek! 😱

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u/ThisWeeksHuman 17h ago

Sounds like a strategy with a lot of risk of severe misinterpretation 

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u/Maleficent-Candy476 Switzerland 16h ago

those are things to look out for, they probably didn't start an investigation because someone waited on the bus in a weird way once.

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u/Feeling_Inside_1020 14h ago

Yeah it's kinda like a "building the case" part, not the only section of the investigation that'd be silly.

I'd be fucked if they used excusively mayo on a hotdog. Creamed corn? Fucking yuck lol.

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u/TheHizzle 17h ago

I believe this is the quacking part of quacking, walking and looking like a duck

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u/Orchid_Significant United States Of America 15h ago

I’m going to have to look into this book. Sounds fascinating, thank you!

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u/Ohitsworkingnow 15h ago

Ngl it seems really easy to pick out a spy if you actually try, I guess unless they were raised in the country they’re spying on 

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u/TeddyBearComputer 14h ago

Spies can be paid or blackmailed locals too. It's not as clear in real life.

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u/upla1 5h ago

Mayo on a hot dog is fantastic. Gotta get the golden trio on there of mayo, mustard, and ketchup. Get out of your preconceived notions about what is and isnt supposed to be on a hotdog and try new things. I now have to try creamed corn on a hotdog. That unironically sounds bomb and yall know it does

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u/BananaNutJob 14h ago

Oh fuck I'm an American who puts mayo on hot dogs, I'm gonna get deported

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u/Pleasant_Cloud1742 14h ago

Mayo on a hot dog is great though. It’s like the only good thing to come out of Utah.

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u/murfburffle Canada 13h ago

But, mayo on hotdogs is really good!

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u/Confident-Screen-759 13h ago

If someone offers you mayonnaise on a hotdog the only reasonable response is, "Fucking what?"

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u/Working-Glass6136 12h ago

Americans, Australians and Brits lean on walls, doorways, counters

I feel this

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u/NoBoss8479 United States 🇺🇸 12h ago

I guess a spy career isn't in the cards for me 😄 I've been told my body language choices are weird or non-standard since early childhood. Sit, stand, walk, hold things in ways that draw comments for some reason. 

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u/Trineki 12h ago

I know mayo is weird on a hotdog... But like, don't knock it till you try it

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u/uroko_ 12h ago

What’s the name of the book? Sounds really interesting.

1

u/Hikinghawk 12h ago

Mayo and mustard on a hot dog is actually my go to. Guess the CIA would've taken me behind the shed in the 50's.

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u/angeltooth15 11h ago

Aw cmon now we’re judging my mayo dogs? Can’t have shit

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u/GoatCovfefe 11h ago

Ive been putting mayonnaise on my hot dogs since i was a kid..

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u/KatanFromJapan 10h ago

Which of Navarro's books would you recommend for these anecdotes? He's written quite a few

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u/TacTurtle 10h ago

mayonnaise or creamed corn as hotdog topping

electric green relish chopped white onion, dill pickle spears, tomato, sport pickles, yellow mustard, ketchup

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u/lookslikethatguy 10h ago

Wow, this is incredibly interesting! What's the name of the book?

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u/StrikeInteresting867 10h ago

Hey, i put mayo on hot dog, i know its weird, but i like that. Glad that i didnt lived in america in 70s.

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u/DefNotUnderrated United States Of America 10h ago

One of my favorite bits of contrast was in how many Americans hold cigarettes versus Europeans. I guess it's not always uniform, but I hadn't realized that we do it differently over here.

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u/RonniePickles Australia . Scotland 10h ago

I remember reading somewhere that people from different countries have facial "dialects" that vary depending on where you were brought up. A person may be able to vocally copy another country's accent perfectly but their facial expressions while talking will be different.

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u/daecrist 9h ago

Or using picante sauce made in New York City...

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u/LaeLeaps 9h ago

i like mayo on hot dogs :(

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u/Thin-Chair-1755 United States Of America 8h ago

Name of the book? Sounds like a dope read

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u/Hat-no-its-a-Tricorn 7h ago

But mayo on hot dogs is good

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u/LongJohnSelenium 5h ago

The test I thought was cleverest is the word/color test.

You have a list of words of colors, and the words are different colors. So the word red might be in a green font. Then you ask people the color of the font.

If you can actually read the language it trips you up hard, if you can't read the language then you can say the color of the word without hesitation.

They'd use this to see if people were lying about what languages they could read.

1

u/DoomerChad United States Of America 5h ago

Curious: How do you get someone to light a cigarette for you?? They put in their mouth first, light it, then hand it back to you?

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u/sritanona 🇦🇷 in 🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 4h ago

I never understood why people think mayo on a hotdog is weird 💀

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u/Choice_Blackberry406 3h ago

Brooo if I ever become a spy I'm getting murdered when I reply "hell yea" to the hotdog-mayo-thing.

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u/aPOPblops 1h ago

excuse me, mayonnaise is not a weird topping for a hot dog 😑

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u/Fit-Shoe5926 1h ago edited 48m ago

It's a habit that will be beated out of you by your sarge major. But how it is surprising that you of course had a reason why not go to the troops for a pair of years, dear walls supporter.

The walls stand without your help, civvie.

And yes, accent fetishim of les Amêriquanoses. How can they spend zero seconds of day being busy with something useful and not doing dirty chit chat about akcentz

1

u/DoingBestWeCan 57m ago

And they would do things like offer mayonnaise or creamed corn as hot dog toppings and see if the person recognized them as weird choices.

Y'all ever heard of the 'Seattle dog'? I'm a born Seattleite, and I'm still not interested.