Best place to live?

[The Atlantian islands]

But that's why I was saying earlier that you can't really say what the best place to live is on a national level, as it depends too much on socio-economic status first.

Something that TAI would deny is a factor that should be taken into consideration in the US, as all USians are essentially equal.

Could you just not call us USians, please? It's just disrespectful, and for the sake of pleasant discussion, please stop.

In another language, you may use other words for us, but in our language, would you please use the word we use for ourselves. It's only polite.

[Wilgrove]

You can't go wrong with Sealand.

http://www.sealandgov.org/

[Cabra West]

You can't go wrong with Sealand.

http://www.sealandgov.org/

It's just a bit on the small side, isn't it?

[Neesika]

But that's why I was saying earlier that you can't really say what the best place to live is on a national level, as it depends too much on socio-economic status first.

Something that TAI would deny is a factor that should be taken into consideration in the US, as all USians are essentially equal.

Could you just not call us USians, please? It's just disrespectful, and for the sake of pleasant discussion, please stop.

In another language, you may use other words for us, but in our language, would you please use the word we use for ourselves. It's only polite.

TAI, I'm really tired of you making an issue of this. I use the terms "citizens of the US", "USians", "people living in the US" interchangeably. It has been ruled as peachy keen many times before, as long as it isn't intentionally used to piss people off. I understand that you insist on taking offense at it, but I'm in no way intending that outcome, and my use of the term has a long history, and is consistent. If you cannot have a pleasant discussion with anyone who uses the term, I suggest the problem is yours, as I have in no way intended or performed in a disrespectful manner.

[Gift-of-god]

This only supports my claim that your family is able to access more opportunities than most, and thus can not be indicative of the situation for most USians.

But that's why I was saying earlier that you can't really say what the best place to live is on a national level, as it depends too much on socio-economic status first.

Exactly.

Well, in societies where there is less of a gap between rich and poor, the situation of the average citizen is more realistic a depiction of reality than in those countries with a larger gap. My relatives in the developing world who make more money than Scrooge McDuck live better than I do as a middle class Canadian, but no one is pretending that they are typical of their nation.

And things like opportunity are associated with socio-economic class. There are more opportunities for white, well off males than for other people, especially in countries with a large rich/poor gap.

[The Atlantian islands]

But that's why I was saying earlier that you can't really say what the best place to live is on a national level, as it depends too much on socio-economic status first.

Something that TAI would deny is a factor that should be taken into consideration in the US, as all USians are essentially equal.

Could you just not call us USians, please? It's just disrespectful, and for the sake of pleasant discussion, please stop.

In another language, you may use other words for us, but in our language, would you please use the word we use for ourselves. It's only polite.

TAI, I'm really tired of you making an issue of this. I use the terms "citizens of the US", "USians", "people living in the US" interchangeably. It has been ruled as peachy keen many times before, as long as it isn't intentionally used to piss people off. I understand that you insist on taking offense at it, but I'm in no way intending that outcome, and my use of the term has a long history, and is consistent. If you cannot have a pleasant discussion with anyone who uses the term, I suggest the problem is yours, as I have in no way intended or performed in a disrespectful manner.

It hardly matters how you intend to use the term, because the term simply exists to disrespect Americans but not calling them by their actual name.

If I called a black person a nigglet over and over again, even if we were having a proper and polite discussion, and he asked me to stop because it was disrespectful to him, I'd stop because I'd call him by what he'd like me to call him. Why can't you just apply that logic to USian and realize that it is not the word we use to call ourselves. Look at the CIA globalfact and find that we are called Americans.

It really, really is fundamentally disrespectful, no matter the intent.

[Aelosia]

It hardly matters how you intend to use the term, because the term simply exists to disrespect Americans but not calling them by their actual name.

If I called a black person a nigglet over and over again, even if we were having a proper and polite discussion, and he asked me to stop because it was disrespectful to him, I'd stop because I'd call him by what he'd like me to call him. Why can't you just apply that logic to USian and realize that it is not the word we use to call ourselves. Look at the CIA globalfact and find that we are called Americans.

It really, really is fundamentally disrespectful, no matter the intent.

Sorry, but intention matters, a lot. Weren't you mad at muslims for the Mohammed cartoons' reaction specially because the muslims were unable to see the intention of satire?

Oh, double standards. Right.

If you call me hispanic, and I find it offensive, and I tell you to stop, would you stop?

[The Atlantian islands]

Sorry, but intention matters, a lot. Weren't you mad at muslims for the Mohammed cartoons' reaction specially because the muslims were unable to see the intention of satire?

Uhm...what?

If you call me hispanic, and I find it offensive, and I tell you to stop, would you stop?

Yes, of course! This is the point I'm making. You should call a people what they wish to call themselves.

Though my point was more that in Spanish, you can call us Estadounidense or Americano in Spanish, whatever you'd like (both are used), because it's your language and your names for us.

But in English, is it too much to ask for that we be called how we are actually called?

[Psychotic Mongooses]

But in English, is it too much to ask for that we be called how we are actually called?

Citizens of the United States of America?

[Aelosia]

Sorry, but intention matters, a lot. Weren't you mad at muslims for the Mohammed cartoons' reaction specially because the muslims were unable to see the intention of satire?

Uhm...what?

If you call me hispanic, and I find it offensive, and I tell you to stop, would you stop?

Yes, of course! This is the point I'm making. You should call a people what they wish to call themselves.

Though my point was more that in Spanish, you can call us Estadounidense or Americano in Spanish, whatever you'd like (both are used), because it's your language and your names for us.

But in English, is it too much to ask for that we be called how we are actually called?

I don't know, I have never used USians. I used to say "Unitedstaters", but I stopped because a mod asked me to stop, (although I wasn't trying to provoke, as you said, it was the closer thing I had to my native estadounidenses).

Right now I use citizens of the US, that happens to leave everyone happy.

[Wilgrove]

You can't go wrong with Sealand.

http://www.sealandgov.org/

It's just a bit on the small side, isn't it?

Hey, it'll bring you and your hubby closer together.

[Cabra West]

You can't go wrong with Sealand.

http://www.sealandgov.org/

It's just a bit on the small side, isn't it?

Hey, it'll bring you and your hubby closer together.

*lol Given the size of the two of us. we might sink it!

[Mikertaz Kein]

You can't go wrong with Sealand.

http://www.sealandgov.org/

It's just a bit on the small side, isn't it?

Quite old, but what did you eventually name you house?

[Wilgrove]

*lol Given the size of the two of us. we might sink it!

Hmm....it'll give you a chance to see how fast you can swim when a great white shark is chasing after you?

[Cabra West]

You can't go wrong with Sealand.

http://www.sealandgov.org/

It's just a bit on the small side, isn't it?

Quite old, but what did you eventually name you house?

We're still holding our breaths until the bid is accepted or rejected... we may never get to name it. We'll see...

[Cabra West]

*lol Given the size of the two of us. we might sink it!

Hmm....it'll give you a chance to see how fast you can swim when a great white shark is chasing after you?

Me, I might stand a chance. But my dear husband can't swim.

[North Suran]

*lol Given the size of the two of us. we might sink it!

Hmm....it'll give you a chance to see how fast you can swim when a great white shark is chasing after you?

Don't think you'll find many Great White sharks in the North Sea.

[North Suran]

TAI, I'm really tired of you making an issue of this. I use the terms "citizens of the US", "USians", "people living in the US" interchangeably. It has been ruled as peachy keen many times before, as long as it isn't intentionally used to piss people off. I understand that you insist on taking offense at it, but I'm in no way intending that outcome, and my use of the term has a long history, and is consistent. If you cannot have a pleasant discussion with anyone who uses the term, I suggest the problem is yours, as I have in no way intended or performed in a disrespectful manner.

It hardly matters how you intend to use the term, because the term simply exists to disrespect Americans but not calling them by their actual name.

...

It really, really is fundamentally disrespectful, no matter the intent.

How?

The whole point of the term "USian" is to be geographically and technically correct; there are two whole continents which are indentified as America, and unless the USA moves to annex both of them, it is technically wrong to call them "Americans".

Canadians live in North America. Mexicans live in Central America. Venezuelans live in South America.

Indeed, the only people who are truly entitled to the name "Americans" are those descended from the indigenous population.

[Wilgrove]

*lol Given the size of the two of us. we might sink it!

Hmm....it'll give you a chance to see how fast you can swim when a great white shark is chasing after you?

Don't think you'll find many Great White sharks in the North Sea.

A blue whale?

[The Romulan Republic]

The whole point of the term "USian" is to be geographically and technically correct; there are two whole continents which are indentified as America, and unless the USA moves to annex both of them, it is technically wrong to call them "Americans".

Canadians live in North America. Mexicans live in Central America. Venezuelans live in South America.

So basically linguistic nitpicking?

Frankly though, if you want to use it, I don't really care. I don't think it matters much either way, and I'm tired of this discussion. In fairness to you, it doesn't look like you started it.

Indeed, the only people who are truly entitled to the name "Americans" are those descended from the indigenous population.

This I must object to. "Indigenous" in what sense? Certainly, some populations have been here longer than others, but ultimately everyone in North America is descended from an immigrant. If you are a resident of the Americas, and think of yourself as American, then you're pretty much an American, as far as I'm concern.

Insisting on treating anyone in North America not of "First Nations" decent as an invader or outsider is not merely offensive, but socially damaging. It forces us to live endlessly in the past, rehashing old conflicts and injustices, rather than advancing to a society that doesn't base your position in society on your racial background.

[Imperialist Reich]

As I am in the UK at the moment - and I dare say that this nation is slowly going to the dogs, I am afraid to say I want to move. I like Norway, cold and such up there. So I might try there or Ireland when I leave school. If the UK improves, I will happily stay here.

[Sibirsky]

I don't really think that index denotes a good indication of best place to live, it's too generalised. The best place to live can depend heavily on your socio-economic status as well, so being poor in the USA is much worse than being poor in Sweden, but being rich in the US is far better than being rich in Sweden (speaking very generally here).

Generally, but correctly

[Hydesland]

The conclusion the author of this story came to that the best society is the society where you as a soul about to be born don't need to worry about what your life will be like.

That sounds like John Rawls.

[Sibirsky]

USA . . . for the sheer amount of opportunity to make whatever life for yourself you wish.

Correct

[Sibirsky]

USA . . . for the sheer amount of opportunity to make whatever life for yourself you wish.

Similar (or better) opportunities exist in almost every rich country. What makes the USA special in this regard, aside from it claiming it is ?

More economic freedom. Easier to get things done. A bigger market to sell to, although with globalization and the internet that is being leveled out.