Questions of culture and of perception that people ask of Google tell a story

The question English-speaking people ask the all-knowing polyglot Google God the most about the US is "Why do Americans love guns?" Other mysteries, such as their calling a game which involves carrying an elliptical ball football or why they drive on the "wrong" side of the road - will obviously pale into insignificance before this fundamental question troubling at least co-lingual people round the world, especially in the light of recent events there. It is intriguing, however, that the Chinese are more concerned about why Americans do not save money, and do not like carp, the fish, that is.

That word in its verb avatar is, needless to add, quite popular stateside. Even more interesting is the top query plaguing Francophones: "Why do Americans speak English?" Many of them may still be secretly smarting about how the Seven Years’ War between France and Britain played out in North America over 260 years ago. The British would probably omit the first word in that question, of course.

The most frequently asked questions on this country remain disarmingly harmless in contrast: why Indians wear turbans and shake their heads. While cultural complexities would necessitate involved answers, it is heartening that India still does not evoke consternation of the kind the prime query about Americans indicates.