You are all gonna live like in socialist scandinavia

reply to post by Nyiah


That's funny because every American that I know works to get ahead. I don't know anyone who gets a free ride.

It seems maybe an opposite problem. Opposite as in most everything is quite the opposite of what you just stated.

reply to post by neo96

Narcissim is not a trait unique to Americans.

That's true, but methinks America would be the place where most people would deny with a passion the fact that being so damn patriotic and nationalistic isn't narcissism.

That's not true we spend more on everything all those social engineering programs to education.

I meant yes you do spend the most money on everything, but you only are #1 at the military, which shows exactly what you mean, that money doesn't solve a damn thing.

I know a lot of social engineers who always say the US needs to be more like Europe, and Canada.

In some respects it does. I think it's probably too late to do anything about it though. Entrenched mentalities and all that.

~Tenth

Merinda
Occasionally American politicians seem to like to scare voters off a candidate, by accusing him to have the intention to turn America into socialist Europe, with Europe being more Germany, maybe France and Scandinavia and not so much say Spain or Italy.

Do Americans know what live in those countries is like? I was under the assumption with the information one gets over the internet that isnt such a scary prospect.

Who exactly is saying this ?

And how do we *know* for sure that Germany, maybe France and Scandinavia are any *better* or *worse* than say Spain or Italy ?

There must be more to this than just 'accusations' ?

reply to post by Merinda


Oh man! You're gonna get a lot of flack over this one. Don't you realize that you're asking these people to consider for a moment that there may actually be countries that do something better than the U.S.? Good luck with that one!!!

Just looking into the facts surrounding different lifestyles in different countries would severely cut into their chant practicing schedule. One has to realize that getting chants like; "USA!, USA!, USA!" or "We're Number 1, We're Number 1, We're number 1" down right, takes a lot of practice. Not to mention, a mind that closed up tighter than a steel drum.

tothetenthpower

Narcissim is not a trait unique to Americans.

That's true, but methinks America would be the place where most people would deny with a passion the fact that being so damn patriotic and nationalistic isn't narcissism.

Americans are definently nationalists. Some Americans are dangerously nationalistic. You won't find too many other countries that have their national flag on every other street corner.

reply to post by tothetenthpower

That's true, but methinks America would be the place where most people would deny with a passion the fact that being so damn patriotic and nationalistic isn't narcissism.

Apparently 30 million citizenship challenged 'visitor's think USA is the greatest thing since microwavable mac and cheese, and don't have too many problems with us.

Other countries are better why is their number one travel destination the USA ?

Don't have a problem with being patriotic there, but far too many Americans put self interest above all else in this country.

meant yes you do spend the most money on everything, but you only are #1 at the military, which shows exactly what you mean, that money doesn't solve a damn thing.

I don't think our military is number #1 sure they might have some good 'toys', this country has not been seriously challenged, nor has the full military might been put behind any 'war' of the last decade.

Hell not even for Korea, or Vietnam. The last time this country put it's full weight behind anything was WW2.

Overconfidence is dangerous.

In some respects it does. I think it's probably too late to do anything about it though. Entrenched mentalities and all that.

This is true.

Well, it may not be the going opinion at times, but I do think America has been the best in the world and without a doubt.

Now, to clarify that, I'm American. America is what I know, what I've always known and the culture here has formed who I am to really find life here ideal. ...at least it was, until recently. Many other nations see what we consider ideal life as hopelessly materialistic or morally bankrupt. That's on a good day! lol...

Serious though, To the standards America largely set? We've had the best standard of living in the world since 1945. I tend to stand by that too. In things like creature comforts in life, personal vehicles at 2-3 per household not being uncommon, home ownership being a common thing and more, we've been at or near the top.

To some people I've talked to from other nations? Our idea of 'ideal' is a pathetic rat race and tending to a farm or much simpler life elsewhere that we call "primitive" makes their nation the best in the world. (Of course, some agree with outsiders that their nation just stinks too and some things can't be made to sound good... The DPRK comes to mind..lol)

I think Pride/Nationalism can be a very healthy thing that drives progress and advancement as much as too much drives brings Hubris to the point of menace. To all things in life, some balance, right? I find the seeming trend toward stomping out nationalism in all forms as similar to the way Romans must have felt toward the end. Not much left to show what created the Empire they lost by then.

reply to post by neo96

Other countries are better why is their number one travel destination the USA ?

I think you answered your own question:

Don't have a problem with being patriotic there, but far too many Americans put self interest above all else in this country.

Self interest. America is the world's playground in some respects, it is a VERY cool place to go and visit and do things, don't me wrong. From a tourism perspective it's a giant theme park, who wouldn't want that.

As for the illegals, that's probably more of a geographical outcome than one about America being great. If American was positioned where Canada is and vice versa, we'd have the same exact problem. In fact, Canada has a huge population of illegal immigrants from Asian countries who come in through the ports in BC.

I don't disagree that 50 years ago, America was the place to be if you wanted to better yourself and your family and provide them and you with the BEST possible opportunities and life, liberty and happiness.

It's not the same anymore though.

~Tenth

reply to post by tothetenthpower

I don't disagree that 50 years ago, America was the place to be if you wanted to better yourself and your family and provide them and you with the BEST possible opportunities and life, liberty and happiness

So after 50 years of turning America in to 'Europe' hasn't been all that's cracked up to be.

A time when America was 'Less' progressive.

reply to post by neo96


I'm not sure if the destruction of the middle class and the gutting of the economy can be considered 'progressive'. Let's remember Reagan, the GOP conservative "Jesus" is the reason a lot of those so called ' progressive' changes took place.

Mind you the series of leaders in congress and the senate totally screwed up over and over and over after that, but it's originating point is mired in traditional US conservative policies. Or at least policies that were sold as Conservative.

~Tenth

neo96
reply to Other countries are better why is their number one travel destination the USA ?

I'm curious if you could provide some data on that. Most Europeans I've spoken to will travel through the US to get to Mexico and South America.

links234

neo96
reply to Other countries are better why is their number one travel destination the USA ?

I'm curious if you could provide some data on that. Most Europeans I've spoken to will travel through the US to get to Mexico and South America.

edit on 11-10-2013 by links234 because: wtf, italics?

You need data on 30 million illegals who have come to America and millions more on the way?

Really?

Nyiah
The embodiment of the US is a spoiled rotten child with an ego problem. Like someone raised a kid, and only tended to their ego & stoked greed instead of preparing them for reality. Imagine what kind of person would come from this kind of rearing: (edit: that's sort of a trick request, you only need to look at who's in charge)

"You are the prettiest, most attractive there is!"

"You are smarter than them."

"You are of privilege, you can do no wrong."

"This family's morals are far superior than our lowly neighbors'."

"Everyone else is an ignorant fool, this family is always right."

"we can have and do what we want, it is our right as who we are."

"Money fixes everything."

Now teach that to a populace. Makes for a really disgusting society who thinks their feces doesn't reek. That's essentially America when we look at the rest of the world. Young, rich (well, formerly, on the decline ATM) ego-centric, greedy, snide, holier-than-thou.

There are a lot of us who refuse to think this way, so there is hope that a sense of social humility, if you will, catches on eventually.

edit on 10/11/2013 by Nyiah because: (no reason given)

edit on 10/11/2013 by Nyiah because: (no reason given)

ADDICTION - United States of ADDICTION

reply to post by Merinda


"Socialist Scandinavia"?
Americans, or any other country can NEVER understand what the society, and everyday life was like when your own country was a puppet state for Soviet Russia.
There was only ONE truly socialist country in Scandinavia, and you better leave Sweden, Norway,
Iceland and Denmark out of this.
They deserve better.

reply to post by tothetenthpower

I'm not sure if the destruction of the middle class and the gutting of the economy can be considered 'progressive

I do since the time of Reagan where gas was 89 cents a gallon, savings account, and money market accounts, and other investment vehicles is what created quite a bit of middle class wealth.

Investment accounts today don't pay like the use to, the value of the dollar is nothing what it use to be.

And that is directly caused by 'progressive' ideology.

That ideology that says America should be more like Europe.

So 50 years ago adjusting for inflation:

50 years ago would be 1963

$10,000 bucks would have todays value of $76,000+ that would be a 'middle class' salary or near to.

data.bls.gov...

links234
reply to post by txinfidel

 

Nearly every other industrialized nation has a bill of rights.

Are you seriously suggesting we're the only ones?

Australia does not have a bill of rights or anything Close.

reply to post by neo96


You said 'travel', not immigration.

Nevermind.

reply to post by 13th Zodiac


I said 'nearly every', I didn't say 'every other country has a bill of rights.'

I know some countries don't have them.

links234
reply to post by neo96

 

You said 'travel', not immigration.

Nevermind.

'

Well they do 'travel'.

Just mean a different kind.

The point being when someone comes to this country are they coming here because they want it to be more like Europe?

No.

reply to post by 13th Zodiac


I´m not aware that any other country has a "bill of rights" except the US.
My country has "Every man´s rights" but they relate only to the nature I.E. Right to fish, hunt, gather berries ETC.

I could be wrong, though.