A simple video showing clothes drying in a backyard has sparked a cultural debate on social media, raising questions about tone, assumptions, and comparisons between countries. The footage, shared by Instagram user Mohammad Anas, shows a common scene—clothes hanging on a washline in the backyard of a home in the USA. However, Anas’s post, which accompanied the video with a shocked emoji and the text “Not India, this is USA,” quickly gained attention for its underlying implication and led to a flurry of responses.
Anas, whose bio states that he helps international students move, settle, and succeed in the USA, shared the video to highlight the cultural contrast he perceives. The video, set to Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” simply shows a typical American backyard with clothes hanging to dry, but Anas felt the need to clarify that this was not an Indian practice, as if the two were directly comparable.
Here’s the video he shared: View the post on Instagram
While drying clothes outdoors is a common and practical practice in many parts of the world, the video quickly went viral, sparking backlash. Many social media users were puzzled by the comparison, with some even questioning whether drying clothes in the backyard is considered inappropriate in the US.
Social Media Reactions:
Some users were outraged, with one commenting, “Do Americans not dry their clothes?” Another user asked, “Sorry, is it illegal to dry your clothes or something?” A third wrote, “I am very confused. Are we not supposed to do this in the US?” Many others, particularly those from countries where air-drying clothes is a standard practice, were baffled by the need for such a comparison. A user from New Zealand remarked, “Using sun and air is the normal way to dry clothes.”
The controversy raises important questions about cultural assumptions and the unintended consequences of making comparisons between countries. In this case, it seems Anas may have assumed that the practice of drying clothes outside could be misunderstood by his followers as something uniquely “Indian,” which led him to make a distinction. However, the global reactions suggest that many people from around the world view air-drying clothes as an everyday activity—regardless of where they live.
Background on Anas:
Anas, who frequently posts content related to international student life, is associated with Amber, a real estate platform that helps students book accommodations in various countries including the USA, UK, Australia, and more. His platform often shares advice about settling in new countries, but this video, in particular, has sparked more questions than it answered.
As the debate unfolds, it highlights the complexity of cultural assumptions and the varying interpretations of what might seem like a simple, everyday practice. For many, drying clothes outdoors is just a normal part of life—and this video has proven just how diverse and varied that everyday life can be around the world.