For a country that introduced the concept of talking in elevators and urinals? I'd say drinking in the afternoon is a lesser evil, if at all.

I guess we're digressing, but I don't think the US introduced urinals. And I fail to see how talking in elevators is incompatible with being a prude (or is there some subtle sexual innuendo that's flying over my head here?)

I think they meant “talking in urinals”

Ah, I'm an idiot – thanks :-)

Case in point: A city clerk near where I live recently made the TV news for drinking a Corona during a Zoom meeting.

https://turnto10.com/news/local/woonsocket-city-clerk-seen-d...

"A bad look", that's so stupid. Who the hell cares if you have a beer? It's not like you're chugging a bottle of whiskey.

Where I work no one would even blink. I typically turn my camera off when eating, but I don't think anyone would care if I didn't.

You forget that the US is incredibly heterogenous and the distribution of moral flavors varies widely. I have found Europeans to be prudish in certain domains when compared to mass US opinions (e.g. relatively conservative attitudes toward casual drug use in Scandinavia)

I've lived all over the United States. The local culture varies drastically. Where I work, no one would even blink if I opened a beer in the office, let alone on a video call. They typically send us DoorDash vouchers whenever we have to do lunch calls.

Seriously, this is a firing offense at my company.

It mostly centers around driving company vehicles in writing but the company makes no effort to hide the religious roots right on the public website.

Gotta remember, some humans will eagerly paint another group with a broad brush due to jealousy, fear or ignorance.