Does Winning The Olympics Medal Count Make America The Greatest?

They should have give the USA extra medals on Women Beach Volleyball arse groping. I've never seen so much fondling.

Everything depends on what criteria you are using to judge the "best" country.

America has accomplished things that either no other country has, or did so way before other countries. America is extremely wealthy, has a large and well developed infrastructure, military, and a high standard of living. Despite the many nay-sayers, the US is also one of the countries with the most free populace of the planet. America also has people of all races and cultures, top minds in all fields of science and technology. America has deserts, high mountains, plains, pretty much every type of climate all wrapped up into one. America also produces a huge amount of the planet's food.

In that respect America is definitely one of the greatest countries on the planet. I honestly don't know how anyone could argue that. The actions of the government are questionable for sure, but there are few governments around the world that are really any good. America just gets more grief because they have the power and influence to project their will on others. That's something the majority of the governments would love to do if they could.

To me, the idea of saying you are better than someone else just seems wrong. I wouldn't go up to someone on the street and say "I'm better than you!! I'm richer, better looking, smarter, have a better life, etc etc" That would just be a total jerk move. So why is it OK to do for countries?

Part of being the best should also be humility, and not shoving it it everyone's face.

reply to post by jam321


Of course it doesn't mean anything.
First off, we have the biggest team so our odds are better, second we have better facilities than alot of the countries, third i think we do get, to some degree preferential treatment - and possibly buy off judges (many nations buy off judges).


We had a girl fall on her butt and still get silver in gymnastics. I saw people from Romania talking about how if their girl (who won gold because the American fell) had fallen she couldn't expect anything let alone silver. The girl that won silver made faces and covered the medal disrespectfully from the podium.

We are a huge nation, with lot's of money, and more people in more sports. Nothing really to do with being the best.

Im sure there are some Chinese that are getting a beating for not bringing it all home....especially the badmitton players......

They got DQ'd for fakin it.


Honestly who cares......the Olympics are not what they used to be...perhaps if there was some blood sport involved...or naked gymnists...then maybe I'd watch....hell even just televise the orgy afterwards....then I might be interested.....

Its just another thing to mess up my regularly scheduled programing...like the election year..and Jerry's stupid telethon.....dammit I wanna watch matlock!

reply to post by beezzer


I watched synchronized swimming for the first time a bit this year and it blew my mind. People holding the same amount of their body out of the water by synchronizing special upside down paddling.. wtf.

In "Medal Count"....well, yes (duh).
Of course, I am an American and thus biased (others may want a measurement based on population but that metric wont help China, America's nearest Olympic competitor [post soviet break up]).

Divide medal count by population or spend on sport and see what you get.

As you yourself note, of course not, but the chest thumping and emphasis we place on it sure says a lot about our culture. A healthy society might consider itself for having bragging rights for any of these good reasons:

- leading in literacy
- leading in math and science graduates per capita
- lowest in murder rates
- a long term trend showing wage growth keeping up with productivity
- having the best and most available healthcare
- leading in probability for upward mobility no matter to status you were born (believe it or not, we are no where near the top here; most north European nations beat us)
- having the lowest carbon footprint of industrialized nations
- highest percent of workers earning a living wage
- lowest infant mortality and highest life expectancy
- fewest children or elderly per capita in poverty
- lowest incarceration rate per capita

Those are just a few of things that a nation could use as bragging rights. We are now rank near third world status on many of these metrics. Winning Olympic medals hardly ranks, but it is a nice distraction for those who the flag as lapel pins.

Originally posted by pajoly
As you yourself note, of course not, but the chest thumping and emphasis we place on it sure says a lot about our culture. A healthy society might consider itself for having bragging rights for any of these good reasons:

- leading in literacy
- leading in math and science graduates per capita
- lowest in murder rates
- a long term trend showing wage growth keeping up with productivity
- having the best and most available healthcare
- leading in probability for upward mobility no matter to status you were born (believe it or not, we are no where near the top here; most north European nations beat us)
- having the lowest carbon footprint of industrialized nations
- highest percent of workers earning a living wage
- lowest infant mortality and highest life expectancy
- fewest children or elderly per capita in poverty
- lowest incarceration rate per capita

Those are just a few of things that a nation could use as bragging rights. We are now rank near third world status on many of these metrics. Winning Olympic medals hardly ranks, but it is a nice distraction for those who the flag as lapel pins.

What about ranked 50th in longevity...
...but spends more than the rest of the world combined on health care.