Is America The Best Country In The World?

[United States of The One Percent]

I think this is a no brainer.

Murica!

The business of America is business.

[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.

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, but I don't think we're 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.

Some of us say "one nation, indivisible" as in the original.

[MERIZoC]

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?

Hmmm. It doesn't seem like their blasphemy laws are only for one religion, so it's not too much of a problem.

[Yumyumsuppertime]

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.

A hardcore right-winger whose claims in previous "documentaries" have been utterly debunked indulges in alternate history, and you take it seriously?

[Arkinesia]

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.


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?

Hmmm. It doesn't seem like their blasphemy laws are only for one religion, so it's not too much of a problem.

Blasphemy laws are stupid.

There is no right to sacredness for anyone or everyone at all.

[Blakk Metal]

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.


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?

Hmmm. It doesn't seem like their blasphemy laws are only for one religion, so it's not too much of a problem.

If their blasphemy laws were applied universally, then how come they have so much metal?

[Pan Asian Amercian Coalition]

Ha! No we're not.

[Nazi Flower Power]

How well is the economy growing? The U.S. GDP growth rate is ranked 169th out of 216 countries, according to the CIA World Factbook.

Easier to grow when you are starting with an underdeveloped economy.

The GDP per capita is only 12th in the world, behind Qatar and Liechtenstein, says the CIA World Factbook.

And yet Qatar is a craphole where the majority of the population are not citizens and are shamelessly exploited.

I haven't heard anything terrible about Liechtenstein, but getting extreme per capita statistics is easier in a small country. I used to have a coworker who was from Liechtenstein, and she said it was nice. But there are things a country that size can't do as effectively as a larger one. If the whole world was broken into countries that size, we'd have serious problems with political stability and a lot of idiotic little wars when Detroit gets jealous of Lansing or whatever. Even though Liechtenstein is pleasant enough, I don't think it is a contender for the best country in the world because it does not have much to contribute to the international community.

The growth rate of industrial production is ranked 79th, according to the CIA World Factbook.

Again, easier to grow if you are starting from a low level.

The U.S. is only 11th in oil exports, according to the CIA World Factbook.

Not seeing how oil exports are something we should strive for... Oil is bad for the environment.

Some of the other stuff you pointed out is legitimate evidence that the US is overrated. The US does have some problems, and there are Americans who let their national pride blind them to the problems, which makes it harder to fix them. But here's the thing: Even if you looked at a country like Liechtenstein or Canada or Norway that does have some advantages over the US, you could still put together a long list of things where that country is not #1.

[Nazi Flower Power]

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

Not a New Englander, eh? Given where the Revolution started, I think it is safe to say that it was not about the right to pronounce "r"s.

[Atlanticatia]

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

Why do you hate Lizzy?

[Phocidaea]

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

Not a New Englander, eh? Given where the Revolution started, I think it is safe to say that it was not about the right to pronounce "r"s.

It was a joke.

But yeah, not a New Englander. Besides, it's only parts of New England like that to my understanding. And some of the Dayp Sayuth too.

[Atlanticatia]

Not a New Englander, eh? Given where the Revolution started, I think it is safe to say that it was not about the right to pronounce "r"s.

It was a joke.

But yeah, not a New Englander. Besides, it's only parts of New England like that to my understanding. And some of the Dayp Sayuth too.

Some parts of the New York area could be considered non-rhotic, too. Brooklyn accents.

[Rabbidskiya Republika]

We were until September 11, 2001. The Patriot act was an over reaction to the Terrorists.

[Scomagia]

We were until September 11, 2001. The Patriot act was an over reaction to the Terrorists.

The first in a long line of over reactions to terrorism.

[Nazi Flower Power]

Not a New Englander, eh? Given where the Revolution started, I think it is safe to say that it was not about the right to pronounce "r"s.

It was a joke.

But yeah, not a New Englander. Besides, it's only parts of New England like that to my understanding. And some of the Dayp Sayuth too.

The only New Englanders I've met who pronounce their "r"s are the ones who just don't have a noticeable regional accent.

[The New Sea Territory]

Fuck no.

Saying "we're the greatest country in the world" is like saying "we are the best family in Empire Bay", for a Mafia 2 reference. Being the best coercive entity is not something to be proud of.

[The New Sea Territory]

Not a New Englander, eh? Given where the Revolution started, I think it is safe to say that it was not about the right to pronounce "r"s.

It was a joke.

But yeah, not a New Englander. Besides, it's only parts of New England like that to my understanding. And some of the Dayp Sayuth too.

It's actually, Dayp Sowuth.

[Nazi Flower Power]

We were until September 11, 2001. The Patriot act was an over reaction to the Terrorists.

The first in a long line of over reactions to terrorism.

Yep.

The US definitely has gone downhill since 2001. The overreations to terrorism are part of the problem, but there's also been some mishandling of economic issues and too much mixing of religion and politics.

[Scomagia]

The first in a long line of over reactions to terrorism.

Yep.

The US definitely has gone downhill since 2001. The overreations to terrorism are part of the problem, but there's also been some mishandling of economic issues and too much mixing of religion and politics.

Well the decline has been going on since at least The Eighties, in my opinion. Cowardly responses to terrorism have just helped things along.

[Atlanticatia]

Yep.

The US definitely has gone downhill since 2001. The overreations to terrorism are part of the problem, but there's also been some mishandling of economic issues and too much mixing of religion and politics.

Well the decline has been going on since at least The Eighties, in my opinion. Cowardly responses to terrorism have just helped things along.

It all started going downhill when Reagan got elected..

[Othelos]

what do u think

[Estrain (Ancient)]

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what do u think

[Wind in the Willows]

No, it's not. FAR from it.

[Yumyumsuppertime]

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what do u think

Nice catch.

[Othelos]

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what do u think

Nice catch.

Thanks dude.