Why do so many Americans want to hide their nationality?

For someone who grew up in Europe, the habit of picking and choosing different national identities seems completely bizarre, writes Holly Baxter

Americans are known for their patriotism, so why don’t they embrace their heritage? (Getty/iStock)

In America, you have this exact conversation a lot: “Where are you from?” someone who clearly grew up in the States will ask you, when they hear you order a coffee or a bagel or a slice of pizza the size of your head at some opportune moment.

“Oh, I’m from England,” you’ll say, shrugging as if I’m some sort of personal defect you couldn’t quite shake, because that’s what English people do.

“Where in England?” they’ll ask, all bright white perfect teeth and shiny hair, and you’ll concede that you have to say “London” because if you say where you’re really from they’ll just say, “Oh, I don’t know there. Is that near Buckingham Palace/the Scottish Highlands/the obscure village in Devon I once visited when I was five and now expect you to know about because to me England is the size of Greenwich Village?”