Is America the greatest country in the world?

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  • PJ_SoulPJ_Soul Vancouver, BC Posts: 49,473
    edited November 2018
    my2hands said:
    PJ_Soul said:
    my2hands said:
    PJ_Soul said:
    OnWis97 said:
    I fail to see how the smaller populations of Canada, Sweden, etc. render them lesser places than the US.
    A lot of people would think the opposite - the smaller the better. An overpopulated place isn't generally appealing.... But yes, the richest nation in the world manages to handle its too-large population much better than the other nations with far less wealth. That is true.

    you say richest nation like that is a bad thing... did that happen by accident? did America just wake up an economic superpower? did someone hand it to us? you think your comfy way of life isn't in part because you have the USA as your southern neighbor and #1 trading partner? get real
    How did you get that I said it as a bad thing?
    And no, it sure didn't happen by accident, lol. My goodness, do you really want to get into a conversation about how America accumulated all its wealth and power throughout its history?
    Okay man, I'm not sure what you're driving at here, lol. If you want us to bow down to America as though its out lord and saviour, it ain't happening. But rest assured that we know exactly how America benefits us, exactly how it harms us, exactly what it's done for and against us over time, and that is probably why we actually give a shit. Again, you fail to acknowledge that the reason we are so into the issue of America's problems right now is because we care about America, and about how America impacts us. You really don't seem to get that. You seem to think we're all just a bunch of bullies who want to pick on someone for shits and giggles. Or out of jealously, apparently, lol. It's a pretty immature perspective. Like, literally the kind of reasoning you find on a a playground.


    how does America harm you? how does it impact you?


    I never said anything about lord & savior... I just said stop with the nonstop bullshit stereotyping and shit talking

    Again, I have no clue how you can say that last sentence seriously, with all your stereotyping and shit talking. It's so weird.

    Do you really not know how America impacts us, or how Canada impacts America? I mean, there are so many ways I barely know how to start. But I'll try.
    For one, it's our main source of media, which influences many, many things, obviously and subtly, plus that has a big economic factor in and of itself (btw, do you know how many American movies are made in Canada? A lot!!). It's our biggest trading partner (and we're one of yours). Almost all of us live within 150km of its border, which I think is the longest border in the world or something close, and we are accepting Americans across that border in the millions every single year, and are now taking your non-American refugees.  We visit America and spend time there like it's our own backyard (spending billions of our dollars there btw), and vice versa, many Canadians own property there too, many Americans own Canadian property. Many, many Canadians work for American companies, we have friends and family who live there and/or are American. There are many Canadian students studying in the USA too, and many American students studying here. America's economy has a direct daily impact on our economy, is the biggest buyer of our oil (yeah dude, your biggest supplier of oil is actually Canada), America's foreign relations have a direct impact on ours, we have a free trade agreement together, we are military allies (in case you didn't notice, we went to fucking war with Afghanistan for you guys after 9/11) .... shall I go on??? Why don't you know this already?

    Post edited by PJ_Soul on
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  • josevolutionjosevolution Posts: 28,258
    How many other countries suffered a weds night massacre ? 
    jesus greets me looks just like me ....
  • The JugglerThe Juggler Behind that bush over there. Posts: 47,141
    Seems like a lot of my fellow Americans have some awfully thin skin in here. Jeez...
    chinese-happy.jpg
  • Seems like a lot of my fellow Americans have some awfully thin skin in here. Jeez...
    Just puff your chest, square your jaw, strut, pretend to button your suit jacket that won’t fit around your girth and have someone else fire your underlings.
    09/15/1998 & 09/16/1998, Mansfield, MA; 08/29/00 08/30/00, Mansfield, MA; 07/02/03, 07/03/03, Mansfield, MA; 09/28/04, 09/29/04, Boston, MA; 09/22/05, Halifax, NS; 05/24/06, 05/25/06, Boston, MA; 07/22/06, 07/23/06, Gorge, WA; 06/27/2008, Hartford; 06/28/08, 06/30/08, Mansfield; 08/18/2009, O2, London, UK; 10/30/09, 10/31/09, Philadelphia, PA; 05/15/10, Hartford, CT; 05/17/10, Boston, MA; 05/20/10, 05/21/10, NY, NY; 06/22/10, Dublin, IRE; 06/23/10, Northern Ireland; 09/03/11, 09/04/11, Alpine Valley, WI; 09/11/11, 09/12/11, Toronto, Ont; 09/14/11, Ottawa, Ont; 09/15/11, Hamilton, Ont; 07/02/2012, Prague, Czech Republic; 07/04/2012 & 07/05/2012, Berlin, Germany; 07/07/2012, Stockholm, Sweden; 09/30/2012, Missoula, MT; 07/16/2013, London, Ont; 07/19/2013, Chicago, IL; 10/15/2013 & 10/16/2013, Worcester, MA; 10/21/2013 & 10/22/2013, Philadelphia, PA; 10/25/2013, Hartford, CT; 11/29/2013, Portland, OR; 11/30/2013, Spokane, WA; 12/04/2013, Vancouver, BC; 12/06/2013, Seattle, WA; 10/03/2014, St. Louis. MO; 10/22/2014, Denver, CO; 10/26/2015, New York, NY; 04/23/2016, New Orleans, LA; 04/28/2016 & 04/29/2016, Philadelphia, PA; 05/01/2016 & 05/02/2016, New York, NY; 05/08/2016, Ottawa, Ont.; 05/10/2016 & 05/12/2016, Toronto, Ont.; 08/05/2016 & 08/07/2016, Boston, MA; 08/20/2016 & 08/22/2016, Chicago, IL; 07/01/2018, Prague, Czech Republic; 07/03/2018, Krakow, Poland; 07/05/2018, Berlin, Germany; 09/02/2018 & 09/04/2018, Boston, MA; 09/08/2022, Toronto, Ont; 09/11/2022, New York, NY; 09/14/2022, Camden, NJ; 09/02/2023, St. Paul, MN;

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  • Seems like a lot of my fellow Americans have some awfully thin skin in here. Jeez...
    Just puff your chest, square your jaw, strut, pretend to button your suit jacket that won’t fit around your girth and have someone else fire your underlings.
    Don't forget the shiny black shoes with the toilet paper stuck on the bottom of them.

    That feature makes you look exceptionally awesome when you push your jaw out and wave to the minions.
    "My brain's a good brain!"
  • Thoughts_ArriveThoughts_Arrive Melbourne, Australia Posts: 15,165
    Seems like a lot of my fellow Americans have some awfully thin skin in here. Jeez...
    America is the greatest because you live there, Juggler.
    Adelaide 17/11/2009, Melbourne 20/11/2009, Sydney 22/11/2009, Melbourne (Big Day Out Festival) 24/01/2014
  • eddieceddiec Posts: 3,832
    my2hands said:

    America is the 3rd largest country on planet earth with about 325 million people living here... below is the list of the 20 most populated countries.... out of the 20 largest countries on planet earth I see only three that I would like to live in... USA, Japan, and Germany... again, we have 200 MILLION more people here than Japan and 4 times the population of Germany... for a country that is so large, with such a diverse population, and a diverse culture, I think we are doing pretty fucking good.... as you can see, the globe can be a shit place and the vast majority of the worlds population lives in questionable countries at best, dare I say "shitholes"... show me a country in the top 9 of population that is doing it better, that you would prefer to live in, Nigeria maybe? how bout India? Bangladesh is hopping! How bout Putin on The Ritz? Canada has 36 million people, which is 3 million less than California alone... Sweden has 9 million and would be only our 12th biggest state, just behind New Jersey lol... Sweden is so white it doesn't even keep track of racial demographics... and now the influx of immigrants has caused a spike in your crime and has charged the politics which hard line right wingers making strides... and Canada has a black population of 2.5% and even less of a Hispanic population... your idea of diversity is white people with different European backgrounds... America has problems, of course, what country of 325 million wouldn't and doesn't? show me a country of 150+ million that is doing it better? some people sure have a guarded and naïve view of the world.... so feel free to continue to point your judgmental stereotyping finger, parrot what the media wants you to believe about this beautiful country, I don't give AF, just don't be upset when I call bullshit. I heard Pakistan is nice in the spring

    1China1,379,302,784
    2India1,281,935,872
    3United States326,625,792
    4Indonesia260,580,736
    5Brazil207,353,392
    6Pakistan204,924,864
    7Nigeria190,632,256
    8Bangladesh157,826,576
    9Russia142,257,520
    10Japan126,451,400
    11Mexico124,574,792
    12Ethiopia105,350,016
    13Philippines104,256,080
    14Egypt97,041,072
    15Vietnam96,160,160
    16Congo, Democratic Republic of the83,301,152
    17Iran82,021,568
    18Turkey80,845,216
    19Germany80,594,016
    20Thailand68,414,136


    I'm not sure I get the point of this graph. While the US may have a large population, it is actually one of the least dense countries in the world. In fact, it falls near the bottom of the list for population density. So I don't think it's as difficult as you say to manage a country of that population when you have such a huge land mass with bountiful resources.
    I'm from New York and I lived in Manhattan and while it's busy, I never felt people were living on top of each other compared to other countries I've visited. I've been to India- completely different story.
  • eddiec said:
    my2hands said:

    America is the 3rd largest country on planet earth with about 325 million people living here... below is the list of the 20 most populated countries.... out of the 20 largest countries on planet earth I see only three that I would like to live in... USA, Japan, and Germany... again, we have 200 MILLION more people here than Japan and 4 times the population of Germany... for a country that is so large, with such a diverse population, and a diverse culture, I think we are doing pretty fucking good.... as you can see, the globe can be a shit place and the vast majority of the worlds population lives in questionable countries at best, dare I say "shitholes"... show me a country in the top 9 of population that is doing it better, that you would prefer to live in, Nigeria maybe? how bout India? Bangladesh is hopping! How bout Putin on The Ritz? Canada has 36 million people, which is 3 million less than California alone... Sweden has 9 million and would be only our 12th biggest state, just behind New Jersey lol... Sweden is so white it doesn't even keep track of racial demographics... and now the influx of immigrants has caused a spike in your crime and has charged the politics which hard line right wingers making strides... and Canada has a black population of 2.5% and even less of a Hispanic population... your idea of diversity is white people with different European backgrounds... America has problems, of course, what country of 325 million wouldn't and doesn't? show me a country of 150+ million that is doing it better? some people sure have a guarded and naïve view of the world.... so feel free to continue to point your judgmental stereotyping finger, parrot what the media wants you to believe about this beautiful country, I don't give AF, just don't be upset when I call bullshit. I heard Pakistan is nice in the spring

    1China1,379,302,784
    2India1,281,935,872
    3United States326,625,792
    4Indonesia260,580,736
    5Brazil207,353,392
    6Pakistan204,924,864
    7Nigeria190,632,256
    8Bangladesh157,826,576
    9Russia142,257,520
    10Japan126,451,400
    11Mexico124,574,792
    12Ethiopia105,350,016
    13Philippines104,256,080
    14Egypt97,041,072
    15Vietnam96,160,160
    16Congo, Democratic Republic of the83,301,152
    17Iran82,021,568
    18Turkey80,845,216
    19Germany80,594,016
    20Thailand68,414,136


    I'm not sure I get the point of this graph. While the US may have a large population, it is actually one of the least dense countries in the world. In fact, it falls near the bottom of the list for population density. So I don't think it's as difficult as you say to manage a country of that population when you have such a huge land mass with bountiful resources.
    I'm from New York and I lived in Manhattan and while it's busy, I never felt people were living on top of each other compared to other countries I've visited. I've been to India- completely different story.
    "We have many people" is just the blanket defense for people not being able to admit that they've grown up in a country that isn't the greatest, most unique country in the world. 

    The top 3 defenses are:
    1. We have a bigger population than you, so you can't take our problems into account
    2. We are more diverse than you, so you can't take our problems into account
    3. We have free speech, no other country has free speech. It's unique to the US to be able to say what's on your mind.
    "Mostly I think that people react sensitively because they know you’ve got a point"
  • cincybearcatcincybearcat Posts: 16,072
    Seems like a lot of my fellow Americans have some awfully thin skin in here. Jeez...
    Hahahaha thin skinned after 31 pages of derogatory remarks and you disagree.  c'mon.
    hippiemom = goodness
  • cincybearcatcincybearcat Posts: 16,072
    eddiec said:
    my2hands said:

    America is the 3rd largest country on planet earth with about 325 million people living here... below is the list of the 20 most populated countries.... out of the 20 largest countries on planet earth I see only three that I would like to live in... USA, Japan, and Germany... again, we have 200 MILLION more people here than Japan and 4 times the population of Germany... for a country that is so large, with such a diverse population, and a diverse culture, I think we are doing pretty fucking good.... as you can see, the globe can be a shit place and the vast majority of the worlds population lives in questionable countries at best, dare I say "shitholes"... show me a country in the top 9 of population that is doing it better, that you would prefer to live in, Nigeria maybe? how bout India? Bangladesh is hopping! How bout Putin on The Ritz? Canada has 36 million people, which is 3 million less than California alone... Sweden has 9 million and would be only our 12th biggest state, just behind New Jersey lol... Sweden is so white it doesn't even keep track of racial demographics... and now the influx of immigrants has caused a spike in your crime and has charged the politics which hard line right wingers making strides... and Canada has a black population of 2.5% and even less of a Hispanic population... your idea of diversity is white people with different European backgrounds... America has problems, of course, what country of 325 million wouldn't and doesn't? show me a country of 150+ million that is doing it better? some people sure have a guarded and naïve view of the world.... so feel free to continue to point your judgmental stereotyping finger, parrot what the media wants you to believe about this beautiful country, I don't give AF, just don't be upset when I call bullshit. I heard Pakistan is nice in the spring

    1China1,379,302,784
    2India1,281,935,872
    3United States326,625,792
    4Indonesia260,580,736
    5Brazil207,353,392
    6Pakistan204,924,864
    7Nigeria190,632,256
    8Bangladesh157,826,576
    9Russia142,257,520
    10Japan126,451,400
    11Mexico124,574,792
    12Ethiopia105,350,016
    13Philippines104,256,080
    14Egypt97,041,072
    15Vietnam96,160,160
    16Congo, Democratic Republic of the83,301,152
    17Iran82,021,568
    18Turkey80,845,216
    19Germany80,594,016
    20Thailand68,414,136


    I'm not sure I get the point of this graph. While the US may have a large population, it is actually one of the least dense countries in the world. In fact, it falls near the bottom of the list for population density. So I don't think it's as difficult as you say to manage a country of that population when you have such a huge land mass with bountiful resources.
    I'm from New York and I lived in Manhattan and while it's busy, I never felt people were living on top of each other compared to other countries I've visited. I've been to India- completely different story.
    "We have many people" is just the blanket defense for people not being able to admit that they've grown up in a country that isn't the greatest, most unique country in the world. 

    The top 3 defenses are:
    1. We have a bigger population than you, so you can't take our problems into account
    2. We are more diverse than you, so you can't take our problems into account
    3. We have free speech, no other country has free speech. It's unique to the US to be able to say what's on your mind.
    So it can certainly be overused, but it does have a place in the conversation  Have you ever worked at a small place and then a large corporation?  Or even a small location and then a bigger one at the same corporation?  Were they in different areas of the US?  Cause I have, and they are all very different and present unique opportunities and challenges.  It is certainly a factor, as you can see with the senate. People in the US live very different lives depending on where you live.
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  • oftenreadingoftenreading Victoria, BC Posts: 12,821
    eddiec said:

    "We have many people" is just the blanket defense for people not being able to admit that they've grown up in a country that isn't the greatest, most unique country in the world. 

    The top 3 defenses are:
    1. We have a bigger population than you, so you can't take our problems into account
    2. We are more diverse than you, so you can't take our problems into account
    3. We have free speech, no other country has free speech. It's unique to the US to be able to say what's on your mind.
    So it can certainly be overused, but it does have a place in the conversation  Have you ever worked at a small place and then a large corporation?  Or even a small location and then a bigger one at the same corporation?  Were they in different areas of the US?  Cause I have, and they are all very different and present unique opportunities and challenges.  It is certainly a factor, as you can see with the senate. People in the US live very different lives depending on where you live.

    Which, again, is in no way unique to the US.
    my small self... like a book amongst the many on a shelf
  • cincybearcatcincybearcat Posts: 16,072
    eddiec said:

    "We have many people" is just the blanket defense for people not being able to admit that they've grown up in a country that isn't the greatest, most unique country in the world. 

    The top 3 defenses are:
    1. We have a bigger population than you, so you can't take our problems into account
    2. We are more diverse than you, so you can't take our problems into account
    3. We have free speech, no other country has free speech. It's unique to the US to be able to say what's on your mind.
    So it can certainly be overused, but it does have a place in the conversation  Have you ever worked at a small place and then a large corporation?  Or even a small location and then a bigger one at the same corporation?  Were they in different areas of the US?  Cause I have, and they are all very different and present unique opportunities and challenges.  It is certainly a factor, as you can see with the senate. People in the US live very different lives depending on where you live.

    Which, again, is in no way unique to the US.
    Ummmm it isn't solely unique but only applies to some of the larger countries.  
    hippiemom = goodness
  • Out of curiosity I clicked on a site depicting the unsafest countries in the world. There were some interesting ones in the mix with places like Afghanistan, Mexico and Venezuela (number 1) leading the pack.

    The US wasn't on the list of 70 countries depicted.

    What struck me though was the fact that the dangerous element for every country was human activity- not things like volcanoes, potential earthquakes, dangerous animals, or inhabitable terrain.

    We're such a goofy species. We just f**k things up for each other. The world could be so much better. Just leave everybody alone. Stop impacting others.
    "My brain's a good brain!"
  • OnWis97OnWis97 St. Paul, MN Posts: 4,814
    There are so many potential criteria for the question and we'd all value the criteria differently.  

    There are a lot of things that are great.  It's not perfect, but the Constitution is great.  So great, perhaps, that America did not need to be made Great "Again."  There are a lot of pieces of Americana that I love...baseball (our sports culture in general), college towns, rock and roll (not that it doesn't exist elsewhere), etc.  But some people don't care about that stuff.

    Someone pointed out GDP.  That is neither here nor there, to me.  Someone pointed out our driving/car culture.  To me that's a negative.  I'd much prefer a culture that finds other ways to get around as much as possible.  And regarding the whole "doing pretty well with lots of people and diversity" view.  Well, how do we compare to others?  Would people from all groups be as likely as we are to think that "we're handling diversity well."  People are calling the cops on blacks nowadays for doing things I don't even think twice about.  Cops shoot black guys with cell phones and bring down white mass shooters without firing shots (and stop at Burger King on the way to the police station).  I'm not really sure the inequities in law & order contribute to "greatness."  Now, maybe there is no country on earth that does this better.  But I honestly hope not.

    And we hate each other.  The right is united, but look at us on the left barking at each other.  And look at the utter contempt right has for left, left has for right, and many, many more groups have for each other.

    Greatest Country in the World?  Who cares?  Either way, we need to get greater.  And not "again" because most of "again" is probably a step backwards.

    And we continue to thump our chests about greatness...almost to the point that it looks like insecurity. 
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  • OnWis97 said:
     the Constitution is great. 
    What makes it better than the "constitutional law" in other countries, making it worth pointing out and setting the US apart?
    "Mostly I think that people react sensitively because they know you’ve got a point"
  • Meltdown99Meltdown99 None Of Your Business... Posts: 10,739
    OnWis97 said:
     the Constitution is great. 
    What makes it better than the "constitutional law" in other countries, making it worth pointing out and setting the US apart?
    Just curious have you ever been to the US?  I have certainly criticized the US foreign as much as anyone.  Here are some of the reasons I love the US

    -the Florida keys
    -Sedona, Arizona
    -Grand Canyon, Sequoia NP, Death Vally and so many other National Parks.
    -You pick the climate, the US probably has a place for you to live, no matter the climate...you like -40, live in Alaska, you like the desert, Arizona is the place to be, etc.
    -Affordability (there are still many places in the US and Canada as well), that you can still raise a family in a single family detached home that is still affordable...this my absolute number 1 for if a place is good place to live,
    -Sports, sports, sports.
    -Music, music, music
    -and from what I've read, the US Constitution is pretty good
    -Pearl Jam



    Give Peas A Chance…
  • OnWis97 said:
    There are so many potential criteria for the question and we'd all value the criteria differently.  

    There are a lot of things that are great.  It's not perfect, but the Constitution is great.  So great, perhaps, that America did not need to be made Great "Again."  There are a lot of pieces of Americana that I love...baseball (our sports culture in general), college towns, rock and roll (not that it doesn't exist elsewhere), etc.  But some people don't care about that stuff.

    Someone pointed out GDP.  That is neither here nor there, to me.  Someone pointed out our driving/car culture.  To me that's a negative.  I'd much prefer a culture that finds other ways to get around as much as possible.  And regarding the whole "doing pretty well with lots of people and diversity" view.  Well, how do we compare to others?  Would people from all groups be as likely as we are to think that "we're handling diversity well."  People are calling the cops on blacks nowadays for doing things I don't even think twice about.  Cops shoot black guys with cell phones and bring down white mass shooters without firing shots (and stop at Burger King on the way to the police station).  I'm not really sure the inequities in law & order contribute to "greatness."  Now, maybe there is no country on earth that does this better.  But I honestly hope not.

    And we hate each other.  The right is united, but look at us on the left barking at each other.  And look at the utter contempt right has for left, left has for right, and many, many more groups have for each other.

    Greatest Country in the World?  Who cares?  Either way, we need to get greater.  And not "again" because most of "again" is probably a step backwards.

    And we continue to thump our chests about greatness...almost to the point that it looks like insecurity. 
    Great post
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  • The JugglerThe Juggler Behind that bush over there. Posts: 47,141
    Seems like a lot of my fellow Americans have some awfully thin skin in here. Jeez...
    Hahahaha thin skinned after 31 pages of derogatory remarks and you disagree.  c'mon.
    Call it the way I sees it. I think we're the best but I can certainly understand why others do not share that opinion, especially with how our government is currently constructed. Too many in here seem to have their panties in a bunch lately.
    chinese-happy.jpg
  • my2handsmy2hands Posts: 17,117
    eddiec said:
    my2hands said:

    America is the 3rd largest country on planet earth with about 325 million people living here... below is the list of the 20 most populated countries.... out of the 20 largest countries on planet earth I see only three that I would like to live in... USA, Japan, and Germany... again, we have 200 MILLION more people here than Japan and 4 times the population of Germany... for a country that is so large, with such a diverse population, and a diverse culture, I think we are doing pretty fucking good.... as you can see, the globe can be a shit place and the vast majority of the worlds population lives in questionable countries at best, dare I say "shitholes"... show me a country in the top 9 of population that is doing it better, that you would prefer to live in, Nigeria maybe? how bout India? Bangladesh is hopping! How bout Putin on The Ritz? Canada has 36 million people, which is 3 million less than California alone... Sweden has 9 million and would be only our 12th biggest state, just behind New Jersey lol... Sweden is so white it doesn't even keep track of racial demographics... and now the influx of immigrants has caused a spike in your crime and has charged the politics which hard line right wingers making strides... and Canada has a black population of 2.5% and even less of a Hispanic population... your idea of diversity is white people with different European backgrounds... America has problems, of course, what country of 325 million wouldn't and doesn't? show me a country of 150+ million that is doing it better? some people sure have a guarded and naïve view of the world.... so feel free to continue to point your judgmental stereotyping finger, parrot what the media wants you to believe about this beautiful country, I don't give AF, just don't be upset when I call bullshit. I heard Pakistan is nice in the spring

    1China1,379,302,784
    2India1,281,935,872
    3United States326,625,792
    4Indonesia260,580,736
    5Brazil207,353,392
    6Pakistan204,924,864
    7Nigeria190,632,256
    8Bangladesh157,826,576
    9Russia142,257,520
    10Japan126,451,400
    11Mexico124,574,792
    12Ethiopia105,350,016
    13Philippines104,256,080
    14Egypt97,041,072
    15Vietnam96,160,160
    16Congo, Democratic Republic of the83,301,152
    17Iran82,021,568
    18Turkey80,845,216
    19Germany80,594,016
    20Thailand68,414,136


    I'm not sure I get the point of this graph. While the US may have a large population, it is actually one of the least dense countries in the world. In fact, it falls near the bottom of the list for population density. So I don't think it's as difficult as you say to manage a country of that population when you have such a huge land mass with bountiful resources.
    I'm from New York and I lived in Manhattan and while it's busy, I never felt people were living on top of each other compared to other countries I've visited. I've been to India- completely different story.
    "We have many people" is just the blanket defense for people not being able to admit that they've grown up in a country that isn't the greatest, most unique country in the world. 

    The top 3 defenses are:
    1. We have a bigger population than you, so you can't take our problems into account
    2. We are more diverse than you, so you can't take our problems into account
    3. We have free speech, no other country has free speech. It's unique to the US to be able to say what's on your mind.
    Yo ABBA, who in here said it was "the greatest, most unique" anything? 
  • brianluxbrianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 40,596
    There are very few places besides America that I would consider as alternatives to living in America, very few places that I believe would be as livable as America.  But I don't think that makes any country "great".  This world is becoming more and more a difficult place in which to live.  We are lucky to live in America instead of Myanmar or North Korea or Somalia, etc.  That means it is better.  But "great?"  I'm not sure there is any country in the world I would call "great".  I really don't think so.  Not any more.  Not in 2018.  Countries vary, but they are just "better" or "worse". 
    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • SmellymanSmellyman Asia Posts: 4,517
    edited November 2018
    Of the 3 countries I have lived in for considerable amount of time.  The US would be the last one moving back to.
    Post edited by Smellyman on
  • josevolutionjosevolution Posts: 28,258
    brianlux said:
    There are very few places besides America that I would consider as alternatives to living in America, very few places that I believe would be as livable as America.  But I don't think that makes any country "great".  This world is becoming more and more a difficult place in which to live.  We are lucky to live in America instead of Myanmar or North Korea or Somalia, etc.  That means it is better.  But "great?"  I'm not sure there is any country in the world I would call "great".  I really don't think so.  Not any more.  Not in 2018.  Countries vary, but they are just "better" or "worse". 
    I agree lucky to have landed here !
    jesus greets me looks just like me ....
  • cincybearcatcincybearcat Posts: 16,072
    brianlux said:
    There are very few places besides America that I would consider as alternatives to living in America, very few places that I believe would be as livable as America.  But I don't think that makes any country "great".  This world is becoming more and more a difficult place in which to live.  We are lucky to live in America instead of Myanmar or North Korea or Somalia, etc.  That means it is better.  But "great?"  I'm not sure there is any country in the world I would call "great".  I really don't think so.  Not any more.  Not in 2018.  Countries vary, but they are just "better" or "worse". 
    I agree lucky to have landed here !
    Kinda a glass is half empty mindset though, no?

    i think the same except I think there are a lot of great places.
    hippiemom = goodness
  • josevolutionjosevolution Posts: 28,258
    brianlux said:
    There are very few places besides America that I would consider as alternatives to living in America, very few places that I believe would be as livable as America.  But I don't think that makes any country "great".  This world is becoming more and more a difficult place in which to live.  We are lucky to live in America instead of Myanmar or North Korea or Somalia, etc.  That means it is better.  But "great?"  I'm not sure there is any country in the world I would call "great".  I really don't think so.  Not any more.  Not in 2018.  Countries vary, but they are just "better" or "worse". 
    I agree lucky to have landed here !
    Kinda a glass is half empty mindset though, no?

    i think the same except I think there are a lot of great places.
    Yeah but it bothers me to think of this country as anything but great it has offered me & my family so much I’m saddened by the turn of events in the last 6 yrs , it just feels different..
    jesus greets me looks just like me ....
  • mcgruff10mcgruff10 New Jersey Posts: 27,739
    After watching a Kevin hart special last night I have to say that we have the greatest comedians in the world. 
    I'll ride the wave where it takes me......
  • mcgruff10 said:
    After watching a Kevin hart special last night I have to say that we have the greatest comedians in the world. 

    You're digging deep lol!

    Okay fine- you can have this one. Happy?
    "My brain's a good brain!"
  • mcgruff10mcgruff10 New Jersey Posts: 27,739
    mcgruff10 said:
    After watching a Kevin hart special last night I have to say that we have the greatest comedians in the world. 

    You're digging deep lol!

    Okay fine- you can have this one. Happy?
    Check mate! Lock this thread up!!
    I'll ride the wave where it takes me......
  • Lerxst1992Lerxst1992 Posts: 6,094
    edited November 2018
    my2hands said:
    PJ_Soul said:
    OnWis97 said:
    I fail to see how the smaller populations of Canada, Sweden, etc. render them lesser places than the US.
    A lot of people would think the opposite - the smaller the better. An overpopulated place isn't generally appealing.... But yes, the richest nation in the world manages to handle its too-large population much better than the other nations with far less wealth. That is true.

    you say richest nation like that is a bad thing... did that happen by accident? did America just wake up an economic superpower? did someone hand it to us? you think your comfy way of life isn't in part because you have the USA as your southern neighbor and #1 trading partner? get real

    Richest nation? Keep on believing that propoganda,

    Because we are big, we get to forget about a large %of our country? Talk about propoganda, hail hail.



    ...

    "The US has the second-highest rate of poverty among rich countries (poverty here measured by the percentage of people earning less than half the national median income.)


    According to a 2012 UNICEF study, 23.1% US kids live in poverty.

    ....

    Obesity is a primary indicator of poor diet, and although the US isn’t the fattest country in the world it leads OECD countries in obesity.

    ....

    Americans spend nearly 17% of GDP on health care, with a yearly per capita cost of over $9,400. That’s $1,600 more than the second-highest spender, Luxembourg, and more than double the OECD average.

    But while Americans spend enormously, they remain in relatively poor health. The US has fewer physicians, hospital beds, and psychiatric care beds than most other economically advanced countries, ranking towards the bottom in each of these parameters.  The US is also the only advanced economy in the world not to have full health coverage of its population.


    Child mortality is higher in the US than any other advanced economy, and adult Americans also live shorter lives: Average US life expectancy is 78.8 years, nearly two years less than the OECD average. For comparison, Japan has the longest life expectancy in the OECD, at 83.7 years.

    ....


    When it comes to education, US schools are mostly distinguished by their high cost. The US is among the five countries spending the most (pdf, p. 10) on education between pre-primary and secondary school. Plus, Americans spend far more on higher education: The cost (direct and indirect) of a tertiary degree in the US is around $110,000 for both men and women, against an OECD average of $50,000 for men and $40,000 for women.

    In the US, early childhood education is attended by fewer children (55% versus an OECD average of 84% attendance), at an older age (four years old, versus three years old), and can be administered by untrained professionals. Most other high-income OECD countries have specific educator certification requirements.

    Perhaps unsurprisingly, the US fares just about average among OECD countries when it comes to basic literacy and problem solving skills. Advanced literacy (pdf, p.15) in the US is below the OECD average. Basic numeracy in the US is lower than in most other wealthy OECD nations.





    .https://qz.com/879092/the-us-doesnt-look-like-a-developed-country/
    Post edited by Lerxst1992 on
  • Thirty Bills UnpaidThirty Bills Unpaid Posts: 16,881
    edited November 2018
    It's probably more accurate for some to say, "America is the greatest country in the world for me."

    I think the US is great in some areas. In particular... entertainment (it's the greatest by far). But there are significant social problems that detract from its greatness in my opinion.

    I poke fun at some here all the time, but I have never had a crappy visit in the US. I'm repeating myself, but Washington, Massachusetts, Nevada, Hawaii, Minnesota and Arizona are the only places I have spent any time to formulate any 'reasonable' opinion. I have nothing bad to say about these places and have even looked into moving to Hawaii (I spent a week in Arizona about 25 years ago and had a great time, but I'm wondering how it is now with what I read?).

    On an individual basis, the people I have met have been outstanding: warm, friendly, and generous. 

    Edit: except for at the Golden Corral when I tried to get an end cut of prime rib. Shit got hostile and my box of rubber bands was no match for the AR15 slung over the Redskins' offensive lineman warning me to back off.
    Post edited by Thirty Bills Unpaid on
    "My brain's a good brain!"
  • PJNBPJNB Posts: 12,625
    A little off topic but it is crazy how small land wise Japan is and how many people are crammed in there. It is also crazy how low their crime rate is with so many people stacked on top of each other. Could you imagine the crime in the States if they were shrunk to 3 times the land size of Japan with the same population they have now (using 3 times because of the population is around 3 times more). 
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