Reddit Post Starts Online Debate About How Americans and Europeans View Ancestry Completely Differently

“Where are you from?” This sounds like a simple question, and it is.

The answer, however, may be a bit complicated, depending on which side of the Atlantic you are on. Europeans and Americans just can’t seem to agree on the concept of ancestry.

Europeans don’t view Americans’ need to emphasize ethnic origin very kindly because, to them, everyone is simply American. They just don’t see the point in declaring oneself as Irish or Italian when one’s family has been living in the US for centuries.

On the other hand, Americans believe that roots are important because the country was built by immigrants. A Redditor going by the name u/IamNotIrishK posted an interesting question (already answered in her name): “AITA for not being Irish?”

This question has instigated quite a debate. To be honest, this is not actually a problem, and it doesn’t require a solution, but the sheer amount of information and people’s views shared makes it incredibly interesting.

We gained great insight into how people view this subject, and some myths were debunked along the way.

It is all connected to the hardships the first immigrants had to endure when they came to the US. Take a look at this interesting sub, and some things will become much clearer to you.

OP asks:

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OP is British, of Irish descent. Her family has been living in England for more than a century. OP started living with an American who introduces herself as Irish.

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OP is aware of Americans' connection to their ethnic heritage, but she doesn't want to do the same.

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OP’s American friend now thinks that OP is disrespecting her roots by not telling everyone she is Irish.

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OP asks where you draw the line on ancestors:

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Irish people were the first to respond:

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Another Irish person agrees.

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Some Americans with Irish roots concur.

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One American offered an explanation that is both insightful and sad:

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It is an important part of American culture.

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Some Europeans don't agree.

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They can’t understand this need to emphasize your roots.

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But people should learn to accept this.

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Americans and Europeans just don't see eye to eye on this...

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Why?

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It is a matter of pride...

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Yes, it can be misleading.

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It’s the same in Canada too.

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An Italian American says:

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This is where confusion sets in...

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This explains it all:

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This is how Europeans see it:

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Americans tend to think that Europeans don’t move around as often, but the fact is that all European nations are intertwined, and due to frequent wars, entire nations have moved from one place to another. It is hard to find someone who can claim they are “pureblood.”

Almost every person has roots from different ethnic groups. So, in Europe, mentioning ancestry and roots would just cause confusion.

Your ethnic identity depends on the country you are born in, and that’s it. Of course, there are some ethnic groups that stick closer together, but even that fades away after a couple of generations.

In America, a country that’s built by immigrants and foreigners, ancestry is important as a way to preserve heritage. Europe is small compared to the US, and people there don’t need to keep that ancestral memory alive because they are not that far away from their roots.

But when Europeans come to the US, they feel far away from their homeland, and that’s why they have to keep the memory of their homeland strong with new generations.