This is a large company / management culture thing, not a US thing. Also, it's a techie versus non-techie thing. People in Canada and the US are more prone to

This is a large company / management culture thing, not a US thing. Also, it's a techie versus non-techie thing. People in Canada and the US are more prone to admit mistakes than in more prestige / respect-oriented cultures. I.e. apparent lack of respect has its benefits.