Mildly Interesting

why don't we American's have the common sense to stay out of the sun?

Parasols used to be a thing in Western culture up to the Victorian Era. Back then, it was a sign of wealth to have pale skin, since it meant that you weren't working outside in the fields. That reversed in the early 20th century when the default work switched from field work to factory work.

From then on, a tan was a sign that you had enough earnings to take time off and do things like go to the beach. Parasols died out around then since the goal of keeping pale switched to getting a tan.