Pay me like a French doctor. You know you want to.

[Brain Bucket]

---

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[Dave89]

As far as I'm concerned, comparisons between America and other countries are inherently shaky because of the massive differences in population and demographics.

People want to put America on one side of the scale, Switzerland on the other, and point their fingers in righteous indignation at how poorly we do in comparison.

But I think size and diverse demographics muddy up the waters.

For example - take a look at the countries with the populations in the same ballpark as ours; anyone think these tend to run all that smoothly?

America is just too big.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

As far as I'm concerned, comparisons between America and other countries are inherently shaky because of the massive differences in population and demographics.

People want to put America on one side of the scale, Switzerland on the other, and point their fingers in righteous indignation at how poorly we do in comparison.

But I think size and diverse demographics muddy up the waters.

For example - take a look at the countries with the populations in the same ballpark as ours; anyone think these tend to run all that smoothly?

America is just too big.

This is in truth a reality, no one is going to deny that heterogenousity of a population has negative effects on a population. However even when you look strictly at whites on the coasts, Europeans have in many cases access and opportunities that we do not.

Simply put Americans have very substard worker rights. And unfortunate your appeal that for our size and population we are doing well is unsubstantiated as every nation referencable to that description has had an enormous distinct history. Ex. Colonialism/ Facism/ Marx-Leninism, etc.

 

[Dave89]

This is in truth a reality, no one is going to deny that heterogenousity of a population has negative effects on a population. However even when you look strictly at whites on the coasts, Europeans have in many cases access and opportunities that we do not.

Simply put Americans have very substard worker rights.

Please elaborate.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Please elaborate.

The above contains the current finished comment.

And I mentioned before. Europe has safety nets, free education, anti-social injustice functions, and many things that drive a much more health population ( maternity/paternity leave, paid vacation, free healthcare, and 35 hour work week limits).

Americans are working far more for far less, and claiming to be free and better off. When really most European kids are debt free, have traveled much of the continent, and are well supported by their state till they start earning wages.

 

[Dave89]

The above contains the current finished comment.

And I mentioned before. Europe has safety nets, free education, anti-social injustice functions, and many things that drive a much more health population ( maternity/paternity leave, paid vacation, free healthcare, and 35 hour work week limits).

Americans are working far more for far less, and claiming to be free and better off. When really most European kids are debt free, have traveled much of the continent, and are well supported by their state till they start earning wages.

European countries are plagued by welfare programs and "safety nets" that were never actually viable in the long-term. Which is why the elites out there are importing hordes of non-European immigrants, much to the anger of the little people.

35-hour workweeks, early retirements and pensions, and cradle-to-grave "government" freebies take extraordinary tolls on societies, but these tolls are not immediately apparent.

I'm by no means an anarcho-libertarian, but I wholeheartedly believe that you need to leave citizens some struggle room if you want to foster a national atmosphere of durability and sustainability.

Life is not a vacation.

 

[PL198]

European countries are plagued by welfare programs and "safety nets" that were never actually viable in the long-term. Which is why the elites out there are importing hordes of non-European immigrants, much to the anger of the little people.

35-hour workweeks, early retirements and pensions, and cradle-to-grave "government" freebies take extraordinary tolls on societies, but these tolls are not immediately apparent.

I'm by no means an anarcho-libertarian, but I wholeheartedly believe that you need to leave citizens some struggle room if you want to foster a national atmosphere of durability and sustainability.

Life is not a vacation.

This for sure. Tell me how your plans work long term. You act like it's all peaches and cream and all of these government subsidies are perfect and don't have their flaws. Are you aware of the tremendous cost ? Surely doesn't seem like it. I suppose next you will tell us all of these plans are more economically viable than anything the US has. Also the traveling thing is funny. Americans travel to different states all the time. You can't honestly compare Americans leaving America to Europeans leaving their specific countries.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

European countries are plagued by welfare programs and "safety nets" that were never actually viable in the long-term. Which is why the elites out there are importing hordes of non-European immigrants, much to the anger of the little people.

35-hour workweeks, early retirements and pensions, and cradle-to-grave "government" freebies take extraordinary tolls on societies, but these tolls are not immediately apparent.

I'm by no means an anarcho-libertarian, but I wholeheartedly believe that you need to leave citizens some struggle room if you want to foster a national atmosphere of durability and sustainability.

Life is not a vacation.

Actually, they've worked enormously well since the 40s.

No matter what you're going to have to create safety nets and subsidized classes. In the US we choose to finance the very rich while in Europe they choose the worker.

Again, both systems have tolls on the state. Who do you think is more likely to break, the worker who is on his last knees working 3 jobs or one who is healthier, well fed, and better functioning? Both systems have their negatives. But I'll argue that the former has more.

And yet, that's factually wrong. We don't grow or advance by getting into gear when struggles arise. We aren't pulling ourselves by our boot straps, we're bridging connections and standing together through foundations collectively grown.

Not sure where you got the idea that life was a vacation. Look around, the world is a hell, you either choose to make it better for everyone or you bring upon your children the possibility that they will end up in chains one day.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

This for sure. Tell me how your plans work long term. You act like it's all peaches and cream and all of these government subsidies are perfect and don't have their flaws. Are you aware of the tremendous cost ? Surely doesn't seem like it. I suppose next you will tell us all of these plans are more economically viable than anything the US has. Also the traveling thing is funny. Americans travel to different states all the time. You can't honestly compare Americans leaving America to Europeans leaving their specific countries.

Yes, because going from cornfield to cornfield is comparable to speaking French in Nice in the morning and Italian in Milan in the evening.

Yes, a system that drives brilliant minds to perish under the plow is a better one than one that offers them the opportunity to change the world dramatically.

 

[PL198]

Lol what ? Corn ? Do you really want to compare the economies of America and Europe ? I was saying you make it sound like traveling through Europe is some feat, when it's actually a much shorter distance than traveling to various states in the US.

You act like the concern of the people is the only thing relevant. It would be nice to give everyone 100000000 dollars and call it a day. Yet obviously that isn't sustainable. Your system is an less exaggerated version of that. Eventually all of this spending will catch up to you. You can't give everyone a free ride and have no one moving the train on.

But hey, back to shuckin' corn for me. At least some pretty cool dudes play baseball at the field we built.

 

[Dave89]

I have no idea what on earth Serenade is talking about.

 

[PL198]

I have no idea what on earth Serenade is talking about.

I love the whole "we're not pulling ourselves out by the bootstraps." That is completely indicative of the methodology in play. That's right, you aren't, someone else is pulling you out. That's the thing. When **** gets bad, someone is always going to have to buckle down and do work.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

I have no idea what on earth Serenade is talking about.

What specifically don't you understand?

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

I love the whole "we're not pulling ourselves out by the bootstraps." That is completely indicative of the methodology in play. That's right, you aren't, someone else is pulling you out. That's the thing. When **** gets bad, someone is always going to have to buckle down and do work.

Yah, I guess you're a completely selfmade man.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Lol what ? Corn ? Do you really want to compare the economies of America and Europe ? I was saying you make it sound like traveling through Europe is some feat, when it's actually a much shorter distance than traveling to various states in the US.

Sure, why not. The corn was a joke. A poor one... And it's not a feat, but it's sure leaves an impression and it sure teaches a lot.

You act like the concern of the people is the only thing relevant. It would be nice to give everyone 100000000 dollars and call it a day. Yet obviously that isn't sustainable. Your system is an less exaggerated version of that. Eventually all of this spending will catch up to you. You can't give everyone a free ride and have no one moving the train on.

That's fallacious. And sure, the concerns of the people are pretty important... they're just the ones sustaining the entire society and for whom the entire society advances for..

But hey, back to shuckin' corn for me. At least some pretty cool dudes play baseball at the field we built.

Well, at least you didn't say football.

 

[Doudline]

Lol what ? Corn ? Do you really want to compare the economies of America and Europe ? I was saying you make it sound like traveling through Europe is some feat, when it's actually a much shorter distance than traveling to various states in the US.

You act like the concern of the people is the only thing relevant. It would be nice to give everyone 100000000 dollars and call it a day. Yet obviously that isn't sustainable. Your system is an less exaggerated version of that. Eventually all of this spending will catch up to you. You can't give everyone a free ride and have no one moving the train on.

But hey, back to shuckin' corn for me. At least some pretty cool dudes play baseball at the field we built.

The Scandinavians have had extremely generous social programs for more than half a century, yet their economy are very strong. Their debt in % of GDP is much smaller than that of the USA, and they had actually been reducing it for years before the financial crisis of 2007 (I think they're headed that way again, too). When last did the American debt NOT grow of uncountable billions every year in the previous century?

Their people are significantly more educated and healthier, social mobility is astoundingly high -the USA is terrible in that regard, despite what you'd like to think; rich Americans stay rich and poor ones stay poor- and the jobs are plentiful and of high quality.

If **** hits the fan, they'll be the last ones to fall, not almighty America with its $650 billion/year on defense spending or legal tax evasion policies.

 

[Dave89]

The Scandinavians have had extremely generous social programs for more than half a century, yet their economy are very strong. Their debt in % of GDP is much smaller than that of the USA, and they had actually been reducing it for years before the financial crisis of 2007 (I think they're headed that way again, too). When last did the American debt NOT grow of uncountable billions every year in the previous century?

Their people are significantly more educated and healthier, social mobility is astoundingly high -the USA is terrible in that regard, despite what you'd like to think; rich Americans stay rich and poor ones stay poor- and the jobs are plentiful and of high quality.

If **** hits the fan, they'll be the last ones to fall, not almighty America with its $650 billion/year on defense spending or legal tax evasion policies.

I don't think many people are would say America is particularly healthy.

 

[wjs010]

so, is it better to practice in france or usa? After tuition and malpractice, do US physicians REALLY end up making more money than in France? Yes, I am only comparing money here...happiness is what you make of it...I'm not gonna trust a European saying they are "super happy!"...do they really have another choice? I've been around a lot of international people, and nobody can tell me how to be happy...even in a place where literally everyone seems genuinely happy (Brazil) I wonder if they stopped being so happy and naive for one second, maybe they could be constructive and make changes to their corrupt country. ( I can say this because my wife is from Brazil, lol..so Brazil is just an example)

that said, i can't say it's a bad thing to always be happy, so long as you aren't blind to obvious problems.
I think a lot of this post didn't have much of a point ( sorry, i tried), and I'm sorry for that.

 

[wjs010]

The Scandinavians have had extremely generous social programs for more than half a century, yet their economy are very strong. Their debt in % of GDP is much smaller than that of the USA, and they had actually been reducing it for years before the financial crisis of 2007 (I think they're headed that way again, too). When last did the American debt NOT grow of uncountable billions every year in the previous century?

Their people are significantly more educated and healthier, social mobility is astoundingly high -the USA is terrible in that regard, despite what you'd like to think; rich Americans stay rich and poor ones stay poor- and the jobs are plentiful and of high quality.

If **** hits the fan, they'll be the last ones to fall, not almighty America with its $650 billion/year on defense spending or legal tax evasion policies.

This is the one thing I freakin love about a lot of European countries...especially Norway/Finland. Part of me wishes I was born there. Super educated people. I really think education would change our country, but unfortunately people just don't value it anymore. In Finland, kids know 4 languages by the 8th grade...and their kids are far more advanced than US kids in math/science. I regret not caring more about my education while I was in elementary/high school, but I do value it greatly now. Why can't people here care about education more?

 

[BobbyB]

This is the one thing I freakin love about a lot of European countries...especially Norway/Finland. Part of me wishes I was born there. Super educated people. I really think education would change our country, but unfortunately people just don't value it anymore. In Finland, kids know 4 languages by the 8th grade...and their kids are far more advanced than US kids in math/science. I regret not caring more about my education while I was in elementary/high school, but I do value it greatly now. Why can't people here care about education more?

you can still move there. if it is such a better place wouldn't you want to raise your kids there?

you can't control other people's actions. you can only control your own.

if you value being around educated people so much, you should move to a country with educated people.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

you can still move there. if it is such a better place wouldn't you want to raise your kids there?

you can't control other people's actions. you can only control your own.

if you value being around educated people so much, you should move to a country with educated people.

Never heard of tv huh?

 

[Dave89]

This is the one thing I freakin love about a lot of European countries...especially Norway/Finland. Part of me wishes I was born there. Super educated people. I really think education would change our country, but unfortunately people just don't value it anymore. In Finland, kids know 4 languages by the 8th grade...and their kids are far more advanced than US kids in math/science. I regret not caring more about my education while I was in elementary/high school, but I do value it greatly now. Why can't people here care about education more?

Don't fret. Those countries are undergoing severe demographic upheaval that will leave nothing for you to be jealous of in a few decades.

 

[WhippleWhileWeWork]

you can still move there. if it is such a better place wouldn't you want to raise your kids there?

you can't control other people's actions. you can only control your own.

if you value being around educated people so much, you should move to a country with educated people.

Your avatar and screen name confuse the hell out of me. In a good way.

 

[WhippleWhileWeWork]

This is the one thing I freakin love about a lot of European countries...especially Norway/Finland. Part of me wishes I was born there. Super educated people. I really think education would change our country, but unfortunately people just don't value it anymore. In Finland, kids know 4 languages by the 8th grade...and their kids are far more advanced than US kids in math/science. I regret not caring more about my education while I was in elementary/high school, but I do value it greatly now. Why can't people here care about education more?

Are you guys saying more educated or better educated? As in does your average Finnish person literally have more years of education or just a higher quality education?

Also on the language thing, isn't it pretty essential for children in Europe to learn several languages?

Mother tongue to speak to your mother
English to make business
Italian to woo the ladies
French to talk **** about Americans
Spanish to take naps and eat tapas
German to brag about your car

 

[WhippleWhileWeWork]

Don't fret. Those countries are undergoing severe demographic upheaval that will leave nothing for you to be jealous of in a few decades.

Eastern Europeans, North Africans, and Middle Easterners ?

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

This is the one thing I freakin love about a lot of European countries...especially Norway/Finland. Part of me wishes I was born there. Super educated people. I really think education would change our country, but unfortunately people just don't value it anymore. In Finland, kids know 4 languages by the 8th grade...and their kids are far more advanced than US kids in math/science. I regret not caring more about my education while I was in elementary/high school, but I do value it greatly now. Why can't people here care about education more?

They're educated because their culture is better. They have a culture of expectations. America has a culture of bad beer, burning books, and disinterest in anything remotely intellectual

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Don't fret. Those countries are undergoing severe demographic upheaval that will leave nothing for you to be jealous of in a few decades.

You must have an enlightened view of minorities in America too I guess?

Honestly I'm not exactly a fan of European immigration policies. But they somewhat accomplish their intended purpose. And for the most part integration is getting better.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Are you guys saying more educated or better educated? As in does your average Finnish person literally have more years of education or just a higher quality education?

Also on the language thing, isn't it pretty essential for children in Europe to learn several languages?

Mother tongue to speak to your mother
English to make business
Italian to woo the ladies
French to talk **** about stupid Americans
Spanish to take naps and eat tapas
?

Depends which country you're in. If you're in Belgium then you're almost certainly going to know French, Dutch, English, and German as they require fluency in 4 languages.

 

[WhippleWhileWeWork]

They're educated because their culture is better. They have a culture of expectations. America has a culture of bad beer, burning books, and disinterest in anything remotely intellectual

I'm trying to figure out which "ism" label is appropriate to call you here. J/k, I like criticism.

I'll have you know, we've had a recent micro brewery revolution and our beers are getting much better. Not up to Belgian standards, but those monks have been at it for half a millennium.

The only books I've ever seen burned here were engineering text books because new editions were coming out almost annually and the current ones were worthless, overall.

Don't judge our interest in intellectual pursuits by our least common denominators in the general public. A dumb populace is a political advantage for many.

 

[Dave89]

Eastern Europeans, North Africans, and Middle Easterners ?

2/3. Eastern Europeans don't pose a problem.

You must have an enlightened view of minorities in America too I guess?

Honestly I'm not exactly a fan of European immigration policies. But they somewhat accomplish their intended purpose. And for the most part integration is getting better.

What was their intended purpose, exactly?

 

[Mad Jack]

The Scandinavians have had extremely generous social programs for more than half a century, yet their economy are very strong. Their debt in % of GDP is much smaller than that of the USA, and they had actually been reducing it for years before the financial crisis of 2007 (I think they're headed that way again, too). When last did the American debt NOT grow of uncountable billions every year in the previous century?

Their people are significantly more educated and healthier, social mobility is astoundingly high -the USA is terrible in that regard, despite what you'd like to think; rich Americans stay rich and poor ones stay poor- and the jobs are plentiful and of high quality.

If **** hits the fan, they'll be the last ones to fall, not almighty America with its $650 billion/year on defense spending or legal tax evasion policies.

The trouble is, such systems don't work in large, diverse countries all that well. The Scandinavian countries have relatively small, homogeneous (until very recently) populations. The barriers to social mobility in the US brought about by racism, wealth, and class differences are thus not really present there.

They're educated because their culture is better. They have a culture of expectations. America has a culture of bad beer, burning books, and disinterest in anything remotely intellectual

Culture of expectations? In America we traditionally have a culture of getting what you earn and work, not what is given to you, both financially and intellectually. To say that the country that put men on the moon, created the Hubble telescope, that has largely shaped 20th century medicine and science is just a land of unintelligent book burners with no culture is insulting as all hell. Every country has ignorant people- travel the world and you'll find them in England, France, Germany, Japan, really wherever you go. The phenomenon is not uniquely American. Perhaps the most grating thing is that many of those who claim to be so enlightened never bother speaking with the "unenlightened" enough to learn that they're actually mostly good people with hopes, dreams, and love for their friends and family that happen to have a bit less education but are outwitted just like anyone else.

If our country is so damn worthless in your eyes, feel free to leave. I'm tired of all this American self-loathing. America is not perfect, but it certainly isn't horrible. If you like the European system better, live there. Or way of life may not be perfect, but it had spawned nearly as many Nobel prize winners as the rest of the world combined, has the best overall college system, and has the most advanced research capabilities in the world. Don't throw out the baby with the bath water- America is awesome, it just has some problems.

 

[notbobtrustme]

The trouble is, such systems don't work in large, diverse countries all that well. The Scandinavian countries have relatively small, homogeneous (until very recently) populations. The barriers to social mobility in the US brought about by racism, wealth, and class differences are thus not really present there.

Culture of expectations? In America we traditionally have a culture of getting what you earn and work, not what is given to you, both financially and intellectually. To say that the country that put men on the moon, created the Hubble telescope, that has largely shaped 20th century medicine and science is just a land of unintelligent book burners with no culture is insulting as all hell. Every country has ignorant people- travel the world and you'll find them in England, France, Germany, Japan, really wherever you go. The phenomenon is not uniquely American. Perhaps the most grating thing is that many of those who claim to be so enlightened never bother speaking with the "unenlightened" enough to learn that they're actually mostly good people with hopes, dreams, and love for their friends and family that happen to have a bit less education but are outwitted just like anyone else.

If our country is so damn worthless in your eyes, feel free to leave. I'm tired of all this American self-loathing. America is not perfect, but it certainly isn't horrible. If you like the European system better, live there. Or way of life may not be perfect, but it had spawned nearly as many Nobel prize winners as the rest of the world combined, has the best overall college system, and has the most advanced research capabilities in the world. Don't throw out the baby with the bath water- America is awesome, it just has some problems.

see, this is the mindset that everyone in the US has. It's not the '50s anymore and the US is not #1 in every category that matters because the rest of the world is picking up the debris from WWII. The US has fallen behind in so many categories of standard of living that we look like Eastern European states instead of developed nations.

 

[WhippleWhileWeWork]

The trouble is, such systems don't work in large, diverse countries all that well. The Scandinavian countries have relatively small, homogeneous (until very recently) populations. The barriers to social mobility in the US brought about by racism, wealth, and class differences are thus not really present there.

Culture of expectations? In America we traditionally have a culture of getting what you earn and work, not what is given to you, both financially and intellectually. To say that the country that put men on the moon, created the Hubble telescope, that has largely shaped 20th century medicine and science is just a land of unintelligent book burners with no culture is insulting as all hell. Every country has ignorant people- travel the world and you'll find them in England, France, Germany, Japan, really wherever you go. The phenomenon is not uniquely American. Perhaps the most grating thing is that many of those who claim to be so enlightened never bother speaking with the "unenlightened" enough to learn that they're actually mostly good people with hopes, dreams, and love for their friends and family that happen to have a bit less education but are outwitted just like anyone else.

If our country is so damn worthless in your eyes, feel free to leave. I'm tired of all this American self-loathing. America is not perfect, but it certainly isn't horrible. If you like the European system better, live there. Or way of life may not be perfect, but it had spawned nearly as many Nobel prize winners as the rest of the world combined, has the best overall college system, and has the most advanced research capabilities in the world. Don't throw out the baby with the bath water- America is awesome, it just has some problems.

@Priapism4tooLong we have immediate need of your avatar, here. Thanks.

 

[Mad Jack]

see, this is the mindset that everyone in the US has. It's not the '50s anymore and the US is not #1 in every category that matters because the rest of the world is picking up the debris from WWII. The US has fallen behind in so many categories of standard of living that we look like Eastern European states instead of developed nations.

We have more disposable income than any other country in the world. We have the best higher education system in the world. If you have the money to pay for it, we have the best medical system in the world. We have the most innovative, best funded, and largest research departments in the world. All of these things are pretty widely accepted. I fail to see how we look like Eastern Europe, and I've freakin' been to half the countries in Eastern Europe.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

The trouble is, such systems don't work in large, diverse countries all that well. The Scandinavian countries have relatively small, homogeneous (until very recently) populations. The barriers to social mobility in the US brought about by racism, wealth, and class differences are thus not really present there.

Culture of expectations? In America we traditionally have a culture of getting what you earn and work, not what is given to you, both financially and intellectually. To say that the country that put men on the moon, created the Hubble telescope, that has largely shaped 20th century medicine and science is just a land of unintelligent book burners with no culture is insulting as all hell. Every country has ignorant people- travel the world and you'll find them in England, France, Germany, Japan, really wherever you go. The phenomenon is not uniquely American. Perhaps the most grating thing is that many of those who claim to be so enlightened never bother speaking with the "unenlightened" enough to learn that they're actually mostly good people with hopes, dreams, and love for their friends and family that happen to have a bit less education but are outwitted just like anyone else.

If our country is so damn worthless in your eyes, feel free to leave. I'm tired of all this American self-loathing. America is not perfect, but it certainly isn't horrible. If you like the European system better, live there. Or way of life may not be perfect, but it had spawned nearly as many Nobel prize winners as the rest of the world combined, has the best overall college system, and has the most advanced research capabilities in the world. Don't throw out the baby with the bath water- America is awesome, it just has some problems.

That's the thing, if not for Brain drain I doubt America would have gotten half the things it had.

Without escaping Jews in the 30s, captured Germans in the 40s and 50s, and Russians in the 90s America wouldn't be how it is now.

We don't have a culture of expectation. We have simply been blessed with many foreign minds when the rest of the world lay in ruin.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

We have more disposable income than any other country in the world. We have the best higher education system in the world. If you have the money to pay for it, we have the best medical system in the world. We have the most innovative, best funded, and largest research departments in the world. All of these things are pretty widely accepted. I fail to see how we look like Eastern Europe, and I've freakin' been to half the countries in Eastern Europe.

Did you miss the, Canadians now the richest middle class? Sorry, but Americans don't have much disposable income these days. He'll not even 50% have above 1k in their savings accounts.

 

[Dave89]

I won't lie... Canada is looking better and better.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

see, this is the mindset that everyone in the US has. It's not the '50s anymore and the US is not #1 in every category that matters because the rest of the world is picking up the debris from WWII. The US has fallen behind in so many categories of standard of living that we look like Eastern European states instead of developed nations.

Americans will hold a cross up, barely have enough to eat, have the reading comprehension of 7 year olds and on cue will cry that they are the most free people on Earth.

 

[Mad Jack]

Did you miss the, Canadians now the richest middle class? Sorry, but Americans don't have much disposable income these days. He'll not even 50% have above 1k in their savings accounts.

http://skift.com/2013/05/15/u-s-has-the-highest-disposable-income-as-uk-slips-down-the-list/

Provide links proving Canadians have more disposable after tax income than Americans. Americans have more opportunity to save via a larger amount of disposable income, but consume instead, which is not a fault of our country but our values.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

I won't lie... Canada is looking better and better.

Honestly I'll have no issue moving to BC.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

http://skift.com/2013/05/15/u-s-has-the-highest-disposable-income-as-uk-slips-down-the-list/

Provide links proving Canadians have more disposable after tax income than Americans. Americans have more opportunity to save via a larger amount of disposable income, but consume instead, which is not a fault of our country but our values.

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/04/2...s-no-longer-the-worlds-richest.html?referrer=

This is a better measure.

 

[WhippleWhileWeWork]

Americans will hold a cross up, barely have enough to eat, have the reading comprehension of 7 year olds and on cue will cry that they are the most free people on Earth.

Free to be dumb, fat, and ignorant. This my friend, is the New American Dream.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Free to be dumb, fat, and ignorant. This my friend, is the New American Dream.

It's an unfortunate and heavy fall.

 

[Mad Jack]

Americans will hold a cross up, barely have enough to eat, have the reading comprehension of 7 year olds and on cue will cry that they are the most free people on Earth.

My god, it's like it is a crime to say "maybe America is actually kind of awesome" nowadays. It's not that america is the best country in the world, and we certainly don't have the most freedom, but overall I feel like America has a pretty decent package.

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/04/2...s-no-longer-the-worlds-richest.html?referrer=

This is a better measure.

No, it isn't. It is a measure. Whether it us a better measure or not depends on how you feel about income distribution.

 

[Dave89]

Americans will hold a cross up, barely have enough to eat, have the reading comprehension of 7 year olds and on cue will cry that they are the most free people on Earth.

We have more than enough to eat. See: McDonalds.

 

[Mad Jack]

Free to be dumb, fat, and ignorant. This my friend, is the New American Dream.

If none of us love this country enough to try and fix it, nothing will change. I love America, we've got a pretty sweet history and could be great once more if we so choose. Being hopeless and misanthropic fixes nothing.

 

[WhippleWhileWeWork]

If none of us love this country enough to try and fix it, nothing will change. I love America, we've got a pretty sweet history and could be great once more if we so choose. Being hopeless and misanthropic fixes nothing.

I'm with you, I want the tide to turn as well. I do this with my personal pursuits, how I plan to educate/raise the next generation, and how I vote. I'm not sure what else I can really do to help, outside of these things.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

My god, it's like it is a crime to say "maybe America is actually kind of awesome" nowadays. It's not that america is the best country in the world, and we certainly don't have the most freedom, but overall I feel like America has a pretty decent package.

No, it isn't. It is a measure. Whether it us a better measure or not depends on how you feel about income distribution.

Something's are assume about America. Like centralized AC.

Largely it's difficult to say America is awesome because America is like 3 different countries these days. You have the two coasts which have what I call Europe-lite. The Middle which is heavily impoverished, and has distinct cultural and geographic issues that are almost incomparable to the coasts.

 

[WhippleWhileWeWork]

Something's are assume about America. Like centralized AC.

Largely it's difficult to say America is awesome because America is like 3 different countries these days. You have the two coasts which have what I call Europe-lite. The Middle which is heavily impoverished, and has distinct cultural and geographic issues that are almost incomparable to the coasts.

Yet, this is where all the food comes from. There's a lot of hate from the big cities on rural America. Not all of us are ready and willing to embrace the dependent lifestyle that comes with being a city dweller.

Btw, there are 3 coasts. Represent.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

If none of us love this country enough to try and fix it, nothing will change. I love America, we've got a pretty sweet history and could be great once more if we so choose. Being hopeless and misanthropic fixes nothing.

Not at all. I want to fix it, I want people to reach out their hands to the sky and grasp as much of the universe as they can, even if it is only a bit of dust. But we cannot have a bright future looking towards the sky when our heads our pressed against the ground and while we wage endless wars for ignorance.

The reality is that I'm eternally grateful for this country. I want the future children of this nation to have what I had at least... I want them to know that they have an option to reach for the sky. That is my drive. Not one of hate, but one who wishes for others to benefit and have a better world than the one we came into. Is that not the most basic tenet of our Western rationalist society since the axial age?