Is America the greatest country in the world?

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  • OnWis97
    OnWis97 St. Paul, MN Posts: 5,610
    Sorry (not sorry), but that lamb meme made me LOL.

    But really, we have a wanna be despot in office and, overall, are OK with it.  No, we're not the greatest country in the world.  
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  • Spiritual_Chaos
    Spiritual_Chaos Posts: 31,465
    I enjoy the fact that my2 ”America is the greatest country on earth” hands just got a hissyfit. 
    "Mostly I think that people react sensitively because they know you’ve got a point"
  • jeffbr
    jeffbr Seattle Posts: 7,177
    I'm sure it is m2h's object lesson. The old European proverb - "Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones." Perhaps some of the more vociferous anti-US posters could spend more time cleaning their own house before worrying about pointing out every flaw in ours. Not sure anyone has denied that we've got our share to fix. Just like most other countries. We aren't the greatest, by a long shot, by most measures. But I don't believe there is "a greatest" so the entire premise of the thread is dumb.
    "I'll use the magic word - let's just shut the fuck up, please." EV, 04/13/08
  • Meltdown99
    Meltdown99 None Of Your Business... Posts: 10,739
    jeffbr said:
    I'm sure it is m2h's object lesson. The old European proverb - "Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones." Perhaps some of the more vociferous anti-US posters could spend more time cleaning their own house before worrying about pointing out every flaw in ours. Not sure anyone has denied that we've got our share to fix. Just like most other countries. We aren't the greatest, by a long shot, by most measures. But I don't believe there is "a greatest" so the entire premise of the thread is dumb.
    This thread was likely started by someone who is butthurt that Trump is president...so it goes like this, "how can America be the greatest with Trump as president".  And there is no such thing as the "greatest"...that's just nonsense.  And people who generally pile on about the US problems also should be objective, because there is plenty to like about the US.
    Give Peas A Chance…
  • my2hands
    my2hands Posts: 17,117
    jeffbr said:
    I'm sure it is m2h's object lesson. The old European proverb - "Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones." Perhaps some of the more vociferous anti-US posters could spend more time cleaning their own house before worrying about pointing out every flaw in ours. Not sure anyone has denied that we've got our share to fix. Just like most other countries. We aren't the greatest, by a long shot, by most measures. But I don't believe there is "a greatest" so the entire premise of the thread is dumb.

  • Meltdown99
    Meltdown99 None Of Your Business... Posts: 10,739
    One area where I never thought America would budge on was the legalization of Cannabis.  Kudos to the States have legalized it...

    Cannabis in Sweden

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabis_in_Sweden

    In Sweden, cannabis has no officially recognized medical usage and medical use is not seen as an extenuating circumstance. Rather the opposite, in a case that drew some attention in the national press involving a multiple sclerosis patients, the disease, and the fact that she stated that cannabis helped her, were seen as an aggravated circumstance by the court. The court argued in the verdict that she lacked motivation to stop using the drug and therefore gave her an unconditioned jail sentence, although she was a first-time offender, she would have otherwise regularly been given a suspended sentence or a fine.[1][2]

    The Medical Products Agency reported in 2008 that no drugs containing cannabinoids are available, although they can have beneficial effects on symptoms like neuralgia.[3] Cannabinoid mouth spray Sativex that is derived from cannabis plants was approved in Sweden for the treatment of spasticity due to multiple sclerosis on 22 December 2011.[4]

    What kind of country makes someone go to court for their medicine...and then FINES them.  Sounds like Sweden is not great either.  Keep looking.


    Give Peas A Chance…
  • OnWis97
    OnWis97 St. Paul, MN Posts: 5,610
    Meltdown99 said:
    jeffbr said:
    I'm sure it is m2h's object lesson. The old European proverb - "Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones." Perhaps some of the more vociferous anti-US posters could spend more time cleaning their own house before worrying about pointing out every flaw in ours. Not sure anyone has denied that we've got our share to fix. Just like most other countries. We aren't the greatest, by a long shot, by most measures. But I don't believe there is "a greatest" so the entire premise of the thread is dumb.
    This thread was likely started by someone who is butthurt that Trump is president...so it goes like this, "how can America be the greatest with Trump as president".  And there is no such thing as the "greatest"...that's just nonsense.  And people who generally pile on about the US problems also should be objective, because there is plenty to like about the US.
    Either that or someone burned out on hearing how the US is the greatest country in the world.  It burns me out and I'm an American.  And my burnout has nothing to do with Trump.*  It dates back to my youth (1980s or 1990s). Admittedly, post-911 flag-waving (which has not gone away) exacerbated it.  I still feel like we're the only country that needs to tell everyone we're the greatest; but maybe we're not?  I still feel like we're the only country that shames its own citizens for not exhibiting their believe in the country's greatness "correctly"; but maybe we're not.

    I agree (and said so many times in the early days of this thread) that there is no "greatest country in the world," if for no other reason, there are just too many criteria and too many points of view.  I therefore don't think there is one. But I do think American insistence that we are the greatest ultimately does us some disservice.

    *Yes, I mention Trump a few posts up...I do think that our devotion to him (particularly the likely scenario that he'll be re-elected) is a mark against us...but the topic is silly to begin with.
    1995 Milwaukee     1998 Alpine, Alpine     2003 Albany, Boston, Boston, Boston     2004 Boston, Boston     2006 Hartford, St. Paul (Petty), St. Paul (Petty)     2011 Alpine, Alpine     
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  • brianlux
    brianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,662
    The greatest country in the world was when there were no countries.


    "It's a sad and beautiful world"
    -Roberto Benigni

  • Meltdown99
    Meltdown99 None Of Your Business... Posts: 10,739
    brianlux said:
    The greatest country in the world was when there were no countries.


    That is a great point.  
    Give Peas A Chance…
  • Meltdown99
    Meltdown99 None Of Your Business... Posts: 10,739
    OnWis97 said:
    Meltdown99 said:
    jeffbr said:
    I'm sure it is m2h's object lesson. The old European proverb - "Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones." Perhaps some of the more vociferous anti-US posters could spend more time cleaning their own house before worrying about pointing out every flaw in ours. Not sure anyone has denied that we've got our share to fix. Just like most other countries. We aren't the greatest, by a long shot, by most measures. But I don't believe there is "a greatest" so the entire premise of the thread is dumb.
    This thread was likely started by someone who is butthurt that Trump is president...so it goes like this, "how can America be the greatest with Trump as president".  And there is no such thing as the "greatest"...that's just nonsense.  And people who generally pile on about the US problems also should be objective, because there is plenty to like about the US.
    Either that or someone burned out on hearing how the US is the greatest country in the world.  It burns me out and I'm an American.  And my burnout has nothing to do with Trump.*  It dates back to my youth (1980s or 1990s). Admittedly, post-911 flag-waving (which has not gone away) exacerbated it.  I still feel like we're the only country that needs to tell everyone we're the greatest; but maybe we're not?  I still feel like we're the only country that shames its own citizens for not exhibiting their believe in the country's greatness "correctly"; but maybe we're not.

    I agree (and said so many times in the early days of this thread) that there is no "greatest country in the world," if for no other reason, there are just too many criteria and too many points of view.  I therefore don't think there is one. But I do think American insistence that we are the greatest ultimately does us some disservice.

    *Yes, I mention Trump a few posts up...I do think that our devotion to him (particularly the likely scenario that he'll be re-elected) is a mark against us...but the topic is silly to begin with.
    My biggest 3 pet peeves about the US are:

    foreign policy
    warmongering
    lack of universal health care

    Overall the good outweighs the bad.  And there are far worse places to live.

    Trump is the worst POTUS or maybe Busch is...but overall your Presidents never really impress me, it does not matter, democrat or republican.


    Give Peas A Chance…
  • OnWis97
    OnWis97 St. Paul, MN Posts: 5,610
    Meltdown99 said:
    OnWis97 said:
    Meltdown99 said:
    jeffbr said:
    I'm sure it is m2h's object lesson. The old European proverb - "Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones." Perhaps some of the more vociferous anti-US posters could spend more time cleaning their own house before worrying about pointing out every flaw in ours. Not sure anyone has denied that we've got our share to fix. Just like most other countries. We aren't the greatest, by a long shot, by most measures. But I don't believe there is "a greatest" so the entire premise of the thread is dumb.
    This thread was likely started by someone who is butthurt that Trump is president...so it goes like this, "how can America be the greatest with Trump as president".  And there is no such thing as the "greatest"...that's just nonsense.  And people who generally pile on about the US problems also should be objective, because there is plenty to like about the US.
    Either that or someone burned out on hearing how the US is the greatest country in the world.  It burns me out and I'm an American.  And my burnout has nothing to do with Trump.*  It dates back to my youth (1980s or 1990s). Admittedly, post-911 flag-waving (which has not gone away) exacerbated it.  I still feel like we're the only country that needs to tell everyone we're the greatest; but maybe we're not?  I still feel like we're the only country that shames its own citizens for not exhibiting their believe in the country's greatness "correctly"; but maybe we're not.

    I agree (and said so many times in the early days of this thread) that there is no "greatest country in the world," if for no other reason, there are just too many criteria and too many points of view.  I therefore don't think there is one. But I do think American insistence that we are the greatest ultimately does us some disservice.

    *Yes, I mention Trump a few posts up...I do think that our devotion to him (particularly the likely scenario that he'll be re-elected) is a mark against us...but the topic is silly to begin with.
    My biggest 3 pet peeves about the US are:

    foreign policy
    warmongering
    lack of universal health care

    Overall the good outweighs the bad.  And there are far worse places to live.

    Trump is the worst POTUS or maybe Busch is...but overall your Presidents never really impress me, it does not matter, democrat or republican.


    I agree...and if it was "is the US great?" my tone would be different.
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  • mcgruff10
    mcgruff10 New Jersey Posts: 29,113
    edited April 2019
    Just wanted the world to know that My in laws had about fifteen people over after Easter brunch and everyone wore their shoes with zero problems. 
    Post edited by mcgruff10 on
    I'll ride the wave where it takes me......
  • Halifax2TheMax
    Halifax2TheMax Posts: 42,105
    mcgruff10 said:
    Just wanted the world to know that My in laws had about fifteen people over after Easter brunch and everyone wore their shoes with zero problems. 
    Heathens!!!
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  • OnWis97
    OnWis97 St. Paul, MN Posts: 5,610
    mcgruff10 said:
    Just wanted the world to know that My in laws had about fifteen people over after Easter brunch and everyone wore their shoes with zero problems. 
    I successfully scrolled through, what, 20? Pages of shoe banter without absorbing what everyone was talking about.  I can do it again.
    1995 Milwaukee     1998 Alpine, Alpine     2003 Albany, Boston, Boston, Boston     2004 Boston, Boston     2006 Hartford, St. Paul (Petty), St. Paul (Petty)     2011 Alpine, Alpine     
    2013 Wrigley     2014 St. Paul     2016 Fenway, Fenway, Wrigley, Wrigley     2018 Missoula, Wrigley, Wrigley     2021 Asbury Park     2022 St Louis     2023 Austin, Austin
    2024 Napa, Wrigley, Wrigley
  • brianlux
    brianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,662
    mcgruff10 said:
    Just wanted the world to know that My in laws had about fifteen people over after Easter brunch and everyone wore their shoes with zero problems. 
    Yeah, OK fine.  But did any of them have bunny shoes?

    "It's a sad and beautiful world"
    -Roberto Benigni

  • HughFreakingDillon
    HughFreakingDillon Winnipeg Posts: 39,473
    my2hands said:
    https://www.pri.org/stories/2014-05-23/peace-loving-sweden-and-switzerland-are-among-top-arms-exporters-capita-world
    per capita? but i thought that couldn't be compared to the US???
    By The Time They Figure Out What Went Wrong, We'll Be Sitting On A Beach, Earning Twenty Percent.




  • HughFreakingDillon
    HughFreakingDillon Winnipeg Posts: 39,473
    mcgruff10 said:
    Just wanted the world to know that My in laws had about fifteen people over after Easter brunch and everyone wore their shoes with zero problems. 
    that's a lot of rude fuckin' people. LOL
    By The Time They Figure Out What Went Wrong, We'll Be Sitting On A Beach, Earning Twenty Percent.




  • Meltdown99
    Meltdown99 None Of Your Business... Posts: 10,739
    mcgruff10 said:
    Just wanted the world to know that My in laws had about fifteen people over after Easter brunch and everyone wore their shoes with zero problems. 
    You Americans are out of control...
    Give Peas A Chance…
  • Meltdown99
    Meltdown99 None Of Your Business... Posts: 10,739
    my2hands said:
    https://www.pri.org/stories/2014-05-23/peace-loving-sweden-and-switzerland-are-among-top-arms-exporters-capita-world
    So they do not mind selling weapons to Saudi Arabia so they can terrorize Yemen but are too gutless to get off the sidelines and participate fully in the biggest war ever that was taking place in their backyard.  Jeesh.


    Give Peas A Chance…
  • Spiritual_Chaos
    Spiritual_Chaos Posts: 31,465
    mcgruff10 said:
    Just wanted the world to know that My in laws had about fifteen people over after Easter brunch and everyone wore their shoes with zero problems. 
    I feel sad for you, and your family.
    "Mostly I think that people react sensitively because they know you’ve got a point"
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