Is America The Best Country In The World?

[The Genoese Cromanatum]

These United States are and have been the bastion of enlightened free thought for many, many years, and the glories of our victories whether they've been scientific or military have been sung and wrought throughout history, however, we have indeed fallen on hard times.

America, in the spirit of the good patriots who live within her borders, is indeed the greatest country in the world. They have no reason not to think so, for if you are born and brought up in a place, it is your patriotic duty to love and support it.

However, we are not the alabaster statue we used to be. We have fallen into financial and moral decadence as Rome once did, and I believe the time of our fall is slow coming at hand. We can still take this day, the Fourth of July that is, however, and reflect on the glories and histories of our past.

If by financial decadence, you mean the highest standard of living in the history of the world, then hell yeah, and that's a good thing.

What do you mean by moral decadence?

Too much of anything is never good. It allows the populace to become comfortable, and therefore when crisis strikes, the blow it inflicts will be more damaging than ever before.

By Moral decadence I mean prevailing godlessness, or as a religious man would use the term, "Hedonism". During the period of Economic Boom following the First World War, America was in a similar Financial and Morally expansive period as it is today, where money flowed greatly through a boisterous Wall Street, and people visited clubs, parties, and lived the "single life" quite often. I myself believe that in our current state of being, where people are using the relatively awful celebrities we have as role-models and are avidly doing drugs, partying, committing rife acts of adultery, etc, we are in a state of Moral Decadence.

[Elemental North]

These United States are and have been the bastion of enlightened free thought for many, many years, and the glories of our victories whether they've been scientific or military have been sung and wrought throughout history, however, we have indeed fallen on hard times.

America, in the spirit of the good patriots who live within her borders, is indeed the greatest country in the world. They have no reason not to think so, for if you are born and brought up in a place, it is your patriotic duty to love and support it.

However, we are not the alabaster statue we used to be. We have fallen into financial and moral decadence as Rome once did, and I believe the time of our fall is slow coming at hand. We can still take this day, the Fourth of July that is, however, and reflect on the glories and histories of our past.

That was the most depressing thing I've ever read.

[Elemental North]

If by financial decadence, you mean the highest standard of living in the history of the world, then hell yeah, and that's a good thing.

What do you mean by moral decadence?

Too much of anything is never good. It allows the populace to become comfortable, and therefore when crisis strikes, the blow it inflicts will be more damaging than ever before.

By Moral decadence I mean prevailing godlessness, or as a religious man would use the term, "Hedonism". During the period of Economic Boom following the First World War, America was in a similar Financial and Morally expansive period as it is today, where money flowed greatly through a boisterous Wall Street, and people visited clubs, parties, and lived the "single life" quite often. I myself believe that in our current state of being, where people are using the relatively awful celebrities we have as role-models and are avidly doing drugs, partying, committing rife acts of adultery, etc, we are in a state of Moral Decadence.

You do know that decadence means splendor and beauty right?

[The Genoese Cromanatum]

You do know that decadence means splendor and beauty right?

Maybe Indulgence would be a better term?

[The Huskar Social Union]

That was the most depressing thing I've ever read.

Not that bad for me buts its close.

[Eaglleia]

Not really.

[Saiwania]

IT SUCKS FOR THE POOR.

The poor are going to have a lower standard of living compared to the rest of society anywhere you go and get some stigmatization from middle class and rich people who don't like that their tax bill is only going up. I don't blame them.

Anyways to answer the question, If you've seen Dinesh D'Souza's film America it is clearly the greatest country ever. It went into doomsday scenarios of what the world would be like if it never existed. It wasn't pretty.

[Scholmeria]

I.dont know. The EU is becoming more totalitarian with time.

I hear ya. That's probably why Euro-sceptics and right wing parties did pretty well in the last round of elections.

Are you tring to be sarcastic?

There are left-wing eurosceptics like Syriza in the EU parliament.

People in Europe have enough from beraucratic rule from Brxelles.

[Othelos]

If by financial decadence, you mean the highest standard of living in the history of the world, then hell yeah, and that's a good thing.

What do you mean by moral decadence?

Too much of anything is never good. It allows the populace to become comfortable, and therefore when crisis strikes, the blow it inflicts will be more damaging than ever before.

So what, you want us to make ourselves be poor?

By Moral decadence I mean prevailing godlessness, or as a religious man would use the term, "Hedonism". During the period of Economic Boom following the First World War, America was in a similar Financial and Morally expansive period as it is today, where money flowed greatly through a boisterous Wall Street, and people visited clubs, parties, and lived the "single life" quite often. I myself believe that in our current state of being, where people are using the relatively awful celebrities we have as role-models and are avidly doing drugs, partying, committing rife acts of adultery, etc, we are in a state of Moral Decadence.

i don't see why those things are a problem, as long as people aren't hurting eachother or (stealing) their property.

[Scholmeria]

That the governnent interferes in the lives of people which is happening in Europe.

The EU passed net neutrality laws, many countries there are ranked higher than the United States in terms of economic freedom, press freedom, and democracy levels.

Source?

[Othelos]

I hear ya. That's probably why Euro-sceptics and right wing parties did pretty well in the last round of elections.

Are you tring to be sarcastic?

There are left-wing eurosceptics like Syriza in the EU parliament.

People in Europe have enough from beraucratic rule from Brxelles.

No, I'm just bad at european politics lol

[Democratic Sabha]

It's not.

Is America the best country in the world? No, but every immigrant who is here can attest to the fact they're better off than in their home country, and that's a fact; otherwise they wouldn't be here.

Kind of first page, but still:

It's not exactly difficult to beat Niger in pretty much everything.

[The Genoese Cromanatum]

So what, you want us to make ourselves be poor?

No. During the 2008 economic crash, many people lost their jobs, and it caused a great division between Rich and Poor in this country. One that is, and always has been growing. Financial equality (Not communism/socialism) must be met at some point, for as we have seen, few holding the resources of the many can cause very bad things to happen.

i don't see why those things are a problem, as long as people aren't hurting eachother or (stealing) their property.

Addiction to both drugs and alcohol can drive someone into social and financial ruin, and potentially turn them into a Criminal. So they are potentially a problem.

[Othelos]

So what, you want us to make ourselves be poor?

No. During the 2008 economic crash, many people lost their jobs, and it caused a great division between Rich and Poor in this country. One that is, and always has been growing. Financial equality (Not communism/socialism) must be met at some point, for as we have seen, few holding the resources of the many can cause very bad things to happen.

I agree that we need to work on the wealth divide.

i don't see why those things are a problem, as long as people aren't hurting eachother or (stealing) their property.

Addiction to both drugs and alcohol can drive someone into social and financial ruin, and potentially turn them into a Criminal. So they are potentially a problem.

that's been around for decades, though, so I don't see how we're becoming more morally decadent.

Anyway, most people who are addicts had preexisting mental health conditions that promoted addiction. Many, many people have done drugs recreationally or drink without getting addicted.

[Lalaki]

The EU passed net neutrality laws, many countries there are ranked higher than the United States in terms of economic freedom, press freedom, and democracy levels.

Source?

Net Neutrality: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/04/busin ... .html?_r=0
Press Freedom: http://rsf.org/index2014/en-index2014.php
Economic Freedom (and this source is a libertarian source): http://www.cato.org/economic-freedom-world/map

[Lalaki]

Source?

Net Neutrality: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/04/busin ... .html?_r=0
Press Freedom: http://rsf.org/index2014/en-index2014.php
Economic Freedom (and this source is a libertarian source): http://www.cato.org/economic-freedom-world/map

Here's the democracy index: http://www.economist.com/node/8908438

[Arkinesia]

Denmark hates your personal rights to religion or free expression.

I refuse to even deem such countries as “Western.” That would imply they hold Western values like liberty. Denmark does not uphold such values.

Explain how pls

Restricting animal sacrifices in the name of animal rights is explicitly anti-Islamic and anti-Jewish.

Denmark also forbids hate speech, which aside from making people uncomfortable, is a victimless crime.

Denmark also has laws forbidding blasphemy.

[MERIZoC]

Explain how pls

Restricting animal sacrifices in the name of animal rights is explicitly anti-Islamic and anti-Jewish.

Denmark also forbids hate speech, which aside from making people uncomfortable, is a victimless crime.

Denmark also has laws forbidding blasphemy.

No. You don't get to hide animal cruelty behind religious freedoms. It doesn't work that way. You have the right to practice your religion so long as it isn't harmful to anyone else.

Hate speech being a victimless crime is for another thread, so I'll leave it there.

Source?

[Duvniask]

Explain how pls

Restricting animal sacrifices in the name of animal rights is explicitly anti-Islamic and anti-Jewish.

Denmark also forbids hate speech, which aside from making people uncomfortable, is a victimless crime.

Denmark also has laws forbidding blasphemy.

And this means Denmark is completely anti-liberty and not "Western".

Wow.

[Phocidaea]

I don't think America is the best country, but it is a generally nice place, so while I'm not "proud" to be an American per se I am glad to be. Does that make sense?

Besides, today marks independence from Britain specifically, and I have no regrets about pronouncing my "r"s and not having a queen.

[Arkinesia]

Restricting animal sacrifices in the name of animal rights is explicitly anti-Islamic and anti-Jewish.

Denmark also forbids hate speech, which aside from making people uncomfortable, is a victimless crime.

Denmark also has laws forbidding blasphemy.

No. You don't get to hide animal cruelty behind religious freedoms. It doesn't work that way. You have the right to practice your religion so long as it isn't harmful to anyone else.

I'm a humanist and a low-level anthropocentrist. If someone wants to cut up an animal to worship some deity that is their right.

Source?

Aww, do I have to?

I only complain about the blasphemy law because it's that easy to find out about.

I have toned down my criticisms of the animal slaughter law since more information has come forward, since some clerics say it changes nothing (previously I had considered advocating for their expulsion from the EU on the grounds of persecuting religious minorities).

As for Danish hate speech laws, you're kidding, right?

[United States of The One Percent]

I would like a heart to heart statement as to why the Americans think that their nation is the best in the world. It won't change my opinion but I am always interested in hearing other people's opinions.

Sad to relate, for most of them it's because they believe what they've been told since before grade school and have never been to any other nation so as to have something to compare theirs with. A more than cursory reading of history shows that, as predominant nations go, America has not lived up to its ideals and shows little promise of doing so in future.

One could say America is a success in the same way as a successful Broadway play in that there seems to be a line of people waiting to get in. They have their own illusions about it I suppose.

[Blakk Metal]

Will McEvoy sucks. I could have easily answered that question.

[United States of The One Percent]

I think that we, Americans, left or right, should be proud to be an American

This one always gets me. I was born in America. I have no more reason to be "proud" of that fact than I do to be "proud" of the fact that I have brown eyes or a penis. I'm an American and glad to be one; I wouldn't voluntarily live in any other nation for an extended length of time, but I won't pretend to defend my nation's many, many faults.

In my state there is a woman who came from a refugee camp to this country, overcame a disadvantaged background, took U.S. citizenship, earned a law degree and got herself elected to the state house of representatives.

She can be justly proud to be an American. For most of us it was an accident of birth, and to take pride in that borders on the pathological.

[Atlanticatia]

I would like a heart to heart statement as to why the Americans think that their nation is the best in the world. It won't change my opinion but I am always interested in hearing other people's opinions.

I think many Americans think that because, for some reason, our culture is obsessed with patriotism - and dare I say nationalism?

From the first day of school, we recite the Pledge Of Allegiance every morning. Every American can recite it from memory. "I pledge allegiance, to the flag, of the United States of America. And to the republic, for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." And so many people have American flags flying in front of their homes.

We have an obsession with our flag and patriotism I think. And that sort of makes people blind to reality.

I'm American, and I love where I live, we're definitely not the best country in the world - in fact, the rest of the Anglosphere probably beats us easily.

Most people from other countries find the whole pledge of allegiance and flag obsession kind of creepy -- which it is -- but I think that it's just so ingrained in Americans from the time they're young kids.