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Americans are known for being great salespeople. People have some theories about why.

What is it about American culture?

via LinkedIn Sales Solutions/Unsplash and Kindel Media/Pexels

American sales people making deals happen.

Americans are known as some of the best salespeople in the world. The country has been the home of some of the most influential business communicators of all time, like Steve Jobs of Apple or filmmaker Walt Disney. America is also the birthplace of people who became legends for their ability to excite people with their incredible, audacious promotional skills, such as P.T. Barnum or Muhammad Ali.

There’s also a dark side to the uniquely American gift of gab. Americans have the reputation of being masters of BS. Hunter S. Thompson, a writer with a fondness for exaggeration, once referred to America as a “nation of 220 million used car salesmen.”

An X user named Alz, born in Hong Kong, was curious about why Americans are so great at sales, presenting ideas, and (less favorably) BS-ing than people in other countries. The tweet went viral, receiving over 1.4 million views. Nearly everyone agreed that Americans are the world's best salespeople, but there were many different answers to why.

“Why are Americans, on average, so incredibly good at presenting/selling/ (you could uncharitably call it) BS-ing? Is it something about early/middle/high school education? Culture? Parents teaching their kids?” Alz asked.

“I troll, but this is an incredibly important skill, and for some reason observationally, America, which has an early education system few are generally jealous of, seems to systematically produce ppl with a much higher distribution of presentation ability than anywhere else,” Alz continued.

Some respondents believe Americans are great at sales because so many work in the service sector. Over the past 50 years, globalization has altered the labor landscape, with many jobs moving from manufacturing to the service sector. Thus, Americans have learned to place a significant value on those who can communicate one-on-one, such as people who work in hospitality, retail, or personal training.

Others believe Americans have the gift of gab because its education system highly values communication skills, which are favorable in the business world. However, some believe this emphasis comes at the expense of STEM skills, which are seen as more important in other countries.

Many people think Americans are great communicators because it's crucial to be able to sell and persuade in a competitive, free-market capitalist system. If you aren’t able to sell the goods and services you provide and produce, then it doesn’t matter if you’re in business at all. Further, American business culture is also seen as more relationship-based than in other countries, where buying and selling is merely transactional.

It could be that it’s all part of a culture that values openness and confidence which bleeds over into other aspects of American life. Persuasion and sales come a lot more naturally to people who've been raised with zero fear of calling attention to themselves. Outside the business world, Americans are also seen as friendly in social situations and have no problem engaging in small talk with strangers. Americans’ extroverted nature can sometimes shock people who travel to the U.S. on vacation.

Or, it could be that Americans just have a ‘rizz that’s the envy of the world.

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Family

15 tweets that only married people will understand

Even the perfect marriage (if that exists) would have its everyday frustrations.

Photo from Twitter.

A typical... frustrating day.

Being married is like being half of a two-headed monster. It's impossible to avoid regular disagreements when you're bound to another person for the rest of your life.

Even the perfect marriage (if there was such a thing) would have its daily frustrations. Funnily enough, most fights aren't caused by big decisions but the simple, day-to-day questions, such as "What do you want for dinner?"; "Are we free Friday night?"; and "What movie do you want to see?”

Here are some hilarious tweets that just about every married couple will understand.

grievances, irritable interactions, dissastifsfaction

The dinner debates...

Image from Twitter.

What do we need from the store?

Image from Twitter.

A silent competition.

Image from Twitter.

Stop moving things around.

Image from Twitter.

Lack of empathy.

Image from Twitter.

Breakfast in bed!

Image from Twitter.

Load it; then start it.

Image from Twitter.

espoused, mated, joined in holy matrimony

Marrying up.

Image from Twitter.

united together, walking the path, joined at the hip

Watching shows together.

Image from Twitter.

little forms of affection, affectionate, considerate

Putting the seat down... or up?

Image from Twitter.

Like me on Instagram. Like me!

Image from Twitter.

We both get up when I get up.

Image from Twitter.

funny marriage jokes, marriage memes, marriage tweets

Share and share alike.

Image from Twitter.

There are rules to the bedroom.

Image from Twitter.

Fun with pets.

Image from Twitter.

This article originally appeared on 09.06.17

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This is fine.

On Monday evening, the Washington Post dropped a bombshell of a story: "Trump revealed highly classified information to Russian foreign minister and ambassador." And depending on where you get your news, it's either an overhyped #FakeNews nothingburger or a confirmation of your worst Trump-based fears. Fun times, indeed!

While running for president (and even before), Trump made protecting classified info a priority. If there's one man who'd be less careless in these situations, he told crowds of his supporters, it's Donald J. Trump!

Seriously, check out all the times he tweeted as much:

1. Investigations need to be independent when they involve the president.

2. It's a bad idea for the president to get too chummy with the Russians, as that might compromise our national security.

3. Leaking intelligence is no joke. (Fun fact: One of the authors of the article cited in this tweet co-wrote Monday's Post article about Trump's leak to the Russians.)

4. We must have zero tolerance for a president involved in cover-ups.

5. Want accountability? Then investigations must be independent.

6. Seriously, independent investigations rule.

7. There should be outrage when a president leaks national security information.

8. And the media shouldn't let up one bit.

9. Records were made to be broken, I guess?

10. If a president has no problem leaking national security secrets, why can't he release his records — such as his birth certificate? (Or his tax returns?) What's he hiding?

11. We really need to be more careful about who has access to classified information.

12. We shouldn't stand for our "weak leaders who are threatening national security."

13. He even proposed some very ... unconventional solutions.

14. But unfortunately, if you just say the classified info out loud — say, to the Russian ambassador — having it written down doesn't really do much.

15. Our leaders must be careful with classified info. "This is a very big deal."

16. And being careless with that info makes one "not presidential material."

17. If someone compromises our national security and doesn't face criminal charges, it's evidence of a "rigged system."

18. And people who are careless with "highly classified information" are "not fit!"

19. So it's probably best if we don't let those people have access to national security information, according to Trump.

20. Here, Trump is worried about leaks of top-secret reports again, even though it turned out that NBC was referring to a declassified version of a report related to an ongoing investigation into Russian hacking and the release of emails from the Democratic National Committee and Clinton adviser John Podesta.

21. Having accused Obama's administration of what he perceived to be corruption for leaking to NBC, Trump tweeted that it's imperative we investigate the leaks — with no mention of the corruption.

22. This is serious, guys.

23. Nazis!

24. Nothing is more un-American than giving out classified info "like candy."

25. Leaking "has been a big problem in Washington for years."

26. Seriously, it's a priority to find the leakers.

27. & 28. The FBI needs to track down the leakers. "FIND NOW."

29. & 30. Again, Trump tweets that the real story is the leaks and not the corruption. But why not both?

31. Etc.

32. And so on.

33. And, uh, so forth.

Which brings us to today.

After initially denying the Post report about giving classified info to the Russians, Trump seemed to confirm it on Twitter Tuesday morning, saying that he has the "absolute right" to share whatever info he wants with whomever he wants. He's right, too! As president, it's within his power to declassify whatever material he wants.

So yes, what he did is likely 100% legal. But what he did doesn't mesh with what he's said in the past about being vigilant when it comes to national security, leaks, and classified information.

In tweets 34., 35., and 36., he offered a defense of his actions, appearing to confirm the Post's story in the process:

And no, it doesn't seem he ever quite finished that last thought. Maybe a staffer intervened to stop ... the leak?

Trump, who built his reputation on being tough on national security and able to protect classified info, appears to be doing everything he once railed against.

The hypocrisy between Trump's words and Trump's actions is clear; it might even seem funny if it wasn't our national security he was putting at risk. His reported carelessness with national security makes him, in his own words, "NOT FIT!" to keep America and its allies safe.

If this bothers you (it probably should), now's a pretty great time to reach out to your member of Congress and ask that they hold the president accountable.

10 tweets that reveal the bullshit female writers have to put up with.

Photo by Susan Q Yin on Unsplash

Women have been and continue to write all types of things.

BREAKING NEWS: Women write. Professionally. For money. More at 11.

This may not seem like breaking news to most of you, but apparently, quite a few people still can't seem to wrap their heads around the idea that women write and publish works of fiction, nonfiction, journalism, and research every single day.

Some write full-time, while some balance other jobs or careers. But each one has to balance the expectations and frequent criticism from people who see the work of women writers as sub-par or only accessible to women — and the writers themselves as self-indulgent or neglectful of their homes and families.

Joanne Harris, author of more than a dozen novels, including the hit "Chocolat," which was adapted for the screen, called out this discrepancy on Twitter.

After one tweeter said, "Men sacrifice interests for family. That's a fact. I think it's a mistake to believe otherwise," Harris replied:

And, with that, the hashtag #ThingsOnlyWomenWritersHear was born.

Harris started the hashtag, and almost immediately, women writers from around the world shared their stories from the industry and ridiculous microagressions they field from people (mostly men) every single day.

1. Women are often encouraged to go by pseudonyms or use their initials so people don't know they're women.

2. Ask a boy to enjoy a story from the point of view of a girl? Perish the thought.

3. Conversely, it's also OK if women want to write male protagonists. We can do that too.

4. These backward, outdated attitudes affect women writers across all genres.

5. Don't try to write about mythical creatures. Those belong to men.

6. It's not just content either. Too often, women writers have to clap back at people who assume their work is a hobby instead of a professional pursuit.

7. Because how stressful can balancing a career, home, and family be — right? (Actually, pretty damn stressful.)

8. But even a hashtag meant to bring a problem to light and help women support and encourage one another was co-opted by fragile men.

9. Men were quick to jump into the conversation to say this problem didn't exist or that they were affected too.

Yes, we're well aware of the success of J.K. Rowling, Stephenie Meyer, and E.L. James. They are icons, to be sure. But the success of three women doesn't negate the lived experiences of thousands more.

One person even reached out to me while I was sourcing tweets for this story and tried to tell me not to write it.

Yes, this is a person telling a woman writer not to write about sexism against women writers.

10. But it should be said: Women in publishing don't stop at writers. We're founders, agents, editors, and decision makers. And yes, assholes, we see you.

Because we're not victims — we just want to write.

We'd much rather these anecdotes and experiences didn't exist. We'd much rather be writing than sharing anecdotes on a hashtag.

Until these belittling experiences end, we'll share them to support each other and tell the world what we're up against. Not to feel sorry for ourselves, but to let you know how hard we had to work to beat you at your own game.

We most certainly will.

Family

Carrie Fisher normalized mental illness. These 13 tweets show why that matters.

Rest in power, Carrie Fisher.

Actress, jokester, and animal-loving icon Carrie Fisher died on Dec. 27, 2016. As evidenced by the response that followed, her impact dismantling stigma surrounding mental illness will live on for generations to come.

Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images.

The "Star Wars" legend, who died at age 60 less than one week after suffering a heart attack, was more than an actor. She fought for animal welfare. She railed against sexism, body-shaming, and ageism in Hollywood. And she often spoke candidly about living with addiction and bipolar disorder.

To many fans, Fisher's openness about living with mental illness made a big difference.

Helping to stomp out the stigma against mental illness quickly became one way that fans honored Fisher's legacy.

People began opening up about their own experiences living with mental illness using the #InHonorOfCarrie hashtag on Twitter.

As their responses show, Fisher's commitment to live freely helped normalize mental illness. And it helped countless others do the same.

Because, really, mental illness is nothing to feel ashamed about.

Many used the hashtag to "come out" as someone living with a mental illness.

Sharing a secret with thousands of strangers is a very brave thing to do, after all.

One fan shared how Fisher's book, "Shockaholic," changed their life.

Others used the hashtag to send a simple, thoughtful note Fisher's way.

Just by being herself, Fisher helped others understand you are not your mental illness.

Just by being herself, she helped others — at any age — seek help.

And just by being herself, she made it OK to not always be OK.

Fisher helped people understand why they should receive the care they deserve.

She lived a life that showed why no one should be held captive by any mental illness.

And in some small way, her bravery helped whole families heal.

Fisher's on-screen legacy will no doubt live on for generations to come. But it's the person who brought Princess Leia to life that the world will miss most.

As Maya Angelou once said, “people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Fisher made us feel alive. She helped us laugh. She helped us cry. And for millions around the world, she made it a little bit easier for us to simply be ourselves — mental illness and all.

Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images.

A scientist schooled a climate denier on Twitter, and J.K. Rowling was loving it.

J.K. Rowling is at it again. And we love her for it.

On Aug. 15, 2016, astrophysicist Katie Mack tweeted this:

Climate change is a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad thing. And if anyone knows this to be true, it's scientists like Mack.

A few hours later, Twitter user Gary P. Jackson responded to Mack's tweet, letting her know she should go learn "actual science" and quit with all this climate change mumbo jumbo.

Mack, in return, kindly let Jackson know that astrophysics is, in fact, actual science, and she's certainly qualified to have an opinion on the matter.

"Pretty much whenever I mention climate change on Twitter, people show up out of nowhere to argue with me that it's not real or that humans didn't cause it,” Mack said. "It's fairly rare that I'll make the effort to have a discussion at all, because it generally boils down to them accusing me of holding up some kind of vast conspiracy, or not understanding how science works.”

With nearly 6,000 likes and 2,000 retweets, Mack's rebuttal clearly resonated with plenty of people online.

One of them was famed Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling.

J.K. Rowling loved the Twitter exchange so much, she shared a screengrab of the back and forth, adding her own two cents.

"The existence of Twitter is forever validated by the following exchange," Rowling tweeted.

That tweet definitely resonated with plenty of people too.

"It's awesome and unexpected and rather overwhelming,” Mack said of seeing Rowling's support.

On a related note, NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies just published new data finding that July 2016 was the hottest month ever recorded.

No, not the hottest in 2016, not in the last decade — the hottest since humans began tracking global temperatures back in 1880.

It also marked the 10th consecutive month of record-breaking highs.

Whatever "actual science" or "global warming scam" Jackson was referring to when he tweeted at an actual scientist, the facts don't lie.

Fact:97% of scientists agree that human-made global warming is real.

GIF from "Anchorman."

Fact: Big Oil has poured millions of dollars into climate-denying lobbying groups that sway U.S. lawmakers into not acting on the issue.

GIF from "Glee."

Fact: Most of the developed world finds it perplexing that Americans continue debating climate change, even though the evidence for it is overwhelming.

GIF from "Stargate Atlantis."

"It's become a political thing, when it really shouldn't be,” Mack explained. "Attitudes toward climate change have gone from being scientific questions to matters of political identity."

Fact: There are so many other facts that support both the existence of man-made climate change and the dire need for us to act quickly.

Do Rowling and astrophysicist Mack a favor and stay woke on climate change, internet.

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Astrophysicist shuts down climate change denier - Upworthy ›

Welp.

Photo by Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images.

Ughhhh.

Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images.

So we ... ugh. Hold on.

Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images.

I just need a second.

Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images.

OK. Donald Trump is actually the presumptive Republican nominee for president.

For reals.

Lets face it: This is a scary time.

A guy with a real, honest-to-god shot at being the president of the United States is the same guy who once told a lawyer who requested a break to pump breast milk during a 2011 deposition in court that she was "disgusting."

Photo by Isaac Brekken/Getty Images.

It's a wild time to be alive. I'm scared. You're scared.

You know who's the most scared? Children.

Yep. Poor, sweet, innocent children. It's true.

Trump is scaring kids. As his campaign has picked up upsetting amounts of support across the country, parents have taken to Twitter to express their grief at the fact that the former steak salesman and reality star is giving their kids the straight-up heebie-jeebies.

Parents like these:

And these:

People who don't have children themselves have also noticed the fear Trump instills in our country's youth:

Trump even made one young "Star Wars" fan suspicious of her own Trump-supporter grandparents.

And he's certainly scaring kids from other countries, and those who have friends from immigrant families.

Which is something really worth thinking about.

We adults know that Trump can't really deport the millions of people that he says he wants to because we know how impossible enacting that plan would be. But kids don't know that.

Imagine being a kid, seeing an adult on TV talking about kicking families that look like yours out of the country. Of course you'd be terrified.

This is just a small handful of tweets. The truth is, Trump's rhetoric has been scaring America's youth for a while now.

There's been an uptick in violence associated with the Trump campaign, and many of the incidents have involved young voters — from the young woman who was repeatedly assaulted and called names at a Trump rally to the 26-year-old who was sucker-punched in the face ... also at a Trump rally.

Photo by Ty Wright/Getty Images.

Last month, The Huffington Post made a video highlighting instances of young people being negatively affected by the Trump campaign, and NPR's Cokie Roberts recently blasted Trump for creating an environment wherein kids can be hateful toward each other.

How do you make a child feel safe in a world like this?

In December, Melissa Yassini, a Muslim-American wrote on Facebook that she found her 8-year-old daughter Sofia distraught and packing a bag, terrified that Trump would kick all Muslims out of America.

The Facebook post caught the attention of Kerri Peek, a U.S. Army veteran, who rallied other vets around the country to respond using the hashtag #IWillProtectYou and let Sofia know that they would stand up to anyone who tried to hurt her family and other families like them.

Now that Trump is one of the two final contenders for next resident of the White House, there's a lot of questions we need to answer.

Some of them are big questions like, "WTF, America?" and "Is that really how a contested convention works?"

The most important questions, however, are often the ones asked by the smallest and most scared amongst us. Questions asked by children who don't want to be separated from their friends and family, who don't understand why a man who acts like a bully is so close to being president, and who don't get to vote but have to live in the world our votes create.

At the end of the day, what we really need to ask ourselves is this: Do we reallywant a president who scares our children?

Photo by Andrew Renneisen/Getty Images.

GAAHHH!

Sorry.