Though Lucy in Paris dot com remains my passion, I’ve been expanding my writing to other outlets, like the school newspaper and BuzzFeed. Particularly BuzzFeed this week. Now I know that all publicity is good publicity, well-behaved women rarely make history, blah blah blah, but les détracteurs vont détester. Or, en anglais, haters gonna hate.
My first article, 35 Things You Appreciate About America After Living in Europe definitely ruffled some feathers. I mean I really stirred shit up with this one. So far, it’s gotten over 450,000 views, and like 700 responses from angry readers. Allow me to grace you with a highlight reel of the best responses:
“Congrats Lucy on the worst BuzzFeed contribution in memory. […]” -Jeremiah Johnson.
“You Sir, are an idiot. […]” -Raul Caldeira. I just like that he called me “Sir.”
“This is the dumbest post I ever saw on BuzzFeed. […]” -Eva Christina.
“[…] The author [is] a spoiled rube.” -Evilito. I like the word choice. “Rube.”
“Ah yes a typical american post.. I would love to study americans in their little worlds.” -Manon Boelhouwer. What does it even mean?!
“Whoever wrote this article is a retard.” -Emily Irene Walton. Watch the R-word, Ms. Walton. www.r-word.org
“I cannot tell if Lucy H*bb is a troll or just a flag-waving ignorant red neck that is blissfully ignorant about anything across her county line. […]” -xtc888.
Many of the responses went into detail about how they do have pizza delivery in Vienna, and that waiters will bring you ice upon request in Greece, and that in conclusion I am the worst person in the world. Like if you say they sell Twizzlers in Ireland, then shit, they probably sell Twizzlers in Ireland! MY BAD.
And so many people told me not to hate on Europe. I LOVE EUROPE. This article was only meant to be my commentary on a few things I missed about America while I was studying abroad in France, but “35 Little Things I’ve Recently Realized I Like Having Easily Accessible in America That Make Me a Little Less Utterly Devastated About Having Left France” just didn’t roll of the tongue.
So at first when I imagined my cute little readers angrily typing away, like…
I was all…
And then I was kind of like…
But now I’m like…
I personally have enjoyed my 45 minutes of BuzzFeed fame (I would say 15, but like 4 of my articles have gone viral, so I think I’m at a solid 45). I’ve also gotten over 1 MILLION views! Check out my BuzzFeed page for more.
As Blog is My Witness 
You hit a nerve, which is way better than being boring! It must have been really hard getting so much venomous hate, even if it was from people who probably have little-to-no impact on society – I wouldn’t have handled it well at all. I think you handled it like a star, and have eloquently put them in their place, without resorting to spitting hateful comments, like they have.
I found your article so non-offensive, even when I personally couldn’t relate to the things you missed. Hating on aspects of American life that have less ‘cultural capital’ (for lack of a better word) than aspects of European life has become such a trend, I think a lot of people hardly understood what you wrote, decided what they saw and felt better about themselves after being rude to you.
You’re allowed to miss 24 hour shopping, outlet malls, etc and it doesn’t make you any less cultured nor does it make your opinion any less valid.
I don’t think any of these ‘oh so cultured’ commenters realise what an opinion piece is. It’s refreshing that you didn’t just write another post gushing about Europe is so much better than where you came from.
Haha, I recently published a post confessing that I really didn’t enjoy the Louvre at all, and got some comments disagreeing but luckily they were polite and respectful – making for interesting and engaging feedback, just how I wanted. It’s a shame so many of your readers didn’t do the same.
http://www.genevievewanderbug.wordpress.com/2013/07/01/confession-what-i-really-thought-of-the-louvre/
Thanks for being honest, different and for writing the ultimate comeback in your other post. I can’t wait to visit the US!
Ahh thank you so much!