Wałkuski: The US Is a Sensible Country

We are used to thinking of Americans as overweight and weird people who cannot tell Poland from Holland. Myths about the country of “the best ketchup in the world” are dispelled in a book called “Rolling Out the USA,” written by Polish correspondent Marek Wałkuski.

“I wanted to defend America against stereotypes, simplification and criticism, because the country has been a ‘whipping boy’ in the past few years. It often stems from misunderstanding,” explained Wałkuski during “Online Morning” on Radio Four.

In his book “Rolling Out the USA,” Walkuski confronts stereotypes about America as a country full of simultaneously self-righteous and ignorant people, unaware of what is going on in the world. “The intelligence indicator of the average American is exactly the same as that of the average European. Country people are actually not interested in world events, considering them irrelevant. Family, religion and sports are more important for them,” he explained.

What fascinated Wałkuski in the U.S. was the love of individualism and freedom. These two qualities make Americans tolerant toward strangers of all kinds and explain their devotion to cheap petrol and driving. “Americans rarely use public transport because, first of all, it is underdeveloped, and secondly, it reduces spontaneity and would subordinate them to a schedule,” said Justyna Dżbik’s guest.

The journalist also assured that the data on obesity in America is exaggerated. For further information please watch the video broadcast.