The United States is the Greatest Country in the World. Why don't you think so?

[MikePrime]

The goal of my post is to gather an understanding as to why so many individual on this site believe that the United States is not the greatest country in the world now, and throughout its existence.
To me the United States is the best country an individual could live in since the Mayflower in 1609.

I honestly don't get why people think that other countries are better than the United States.
-If it is not the best country to live in, than what country is better? And why don't you live there instead?

The only think I can think of as to why people think other countries are better than United States is if you personally prefer a more predictable life with more certainties which created a sense of stability. You prefer moderation and comfortability guaranteed by the state. You like that your life is less unpredictable and you prefer equity than equality of opportunity. You think that the state should care for the better of the majority and not the individual, you would rather the state take care of us instead of employing people with agency to make decisions on their own.
You can live as you want here more so than any other country in the world, and I don't see why you wouldn't want that.

Essentially, I believe that the ultimate purpose of life is to have freedom over your person and life, the ability to create a life you want.

The United States has its large share of atrocities and evil deeds, thought it doesn't erase the overwhelming good we have brought the world. The United States set the precedent for democracy and spread it around the world. The US fundamentally changed the structure of governments worldwide.

Here is a list of the best countries in the world based on "quality of life" or I see it "certainty towards basic needs, mostly healthcare"
These list base the quality of life on equity of the society not the access to opportunity, which is wrong in my opinion. You can have everything you need and be terribly unfulfilled and bored.

Rank	Country	Score
1	Finland	99.06
2	Denmark	98.13
3	Norway	96.75
4	Belgium	96.53
5	Sweden	96.15
6	Switzerland	94.4
7	Netherlands	93.69
8	France	92.08
9	Germany	91.26
10	Japan	91.23
11	United Kingdom	90.68
12	Canada	90.3
13	South Korea	89.67
14	United States	89.11
15	Taiwan	88.73
16	Austria	88.52
17	Australia	88.23
18	Ireland	87.76
19	Singapore	87.64

 

[Lloyd Christmas]

Greatest at what? Greed? Imprisoning people? Terrorism and war mongering? Hypocrisy? Poverty rates for such a weatlhy country? greatest amount of drug addicts?

Overwhelmingly good? We murder and destroy, have done that for decades. We lead to industrialized world in prison rate up there with some really shithole country. The entire history of the US is rife with ****ed up shit, America being so great is fake bullshit American say to try and hide all the shit.

 

[Superfly]

The goal of my post is to gather an understanding as to why so many individual on this site believe that the United States is not the greatest country in the world now, and throughout its existence.
To me the United States is the best country an individual could live in since the Mayflower in 1609.

I honestly don't get why people think that other countries are better than the United States.
-If it is not the best country to live in, than what country is better? And why don't you live there instead?

The only think I can think of as to why people think other countries are better than United States is if you personally prefer a more predictable life with more certainties which created a sense of stability. You prefer moderation and comfortability guaranteed by the state. You like that your life is less unpredictable and you prefer equity than equality of opportunity. You think that the state should care for the better of the majority and not the individual, you would rather the state take care of us instead of employing people with agency to make decisions on their own.
You can live as you want here more so than any other country in the world, and I don't see why you wouldn't want that.

Essentially, I believe that the ultimate purpose of life is to have freedom over your person and life, the ability to create a life you want.

The United States has its large share of atrocities and evil deeds, thought it doesn't erase the overwhelming good we have brought the world. The United States set the precedent for democracy and spread it around the world. The US fundamentally changed the structure of governments worldwide.

Here is a list of the best countries in the world based on "quality of life" or I see it "certainty towards basic needs, mostly healthcare"
These list base the quality of life on equity of the society not the access to opportunity, which is wrong in my opinion. You can have everything you need and be terribly unfulfilled and bored.

Rank	Country	Score
1	Finland	99.06
2	Denmark	98.13
3	Norway	96.75
4	Belgium	96.53
5	Sweden	96.15
6	Switzerland	94.4
7	Netherlands	93.69
8	France	92.08
9	Germany	91.26
10	Japan	91.23
11	United Kingdom	90.68
12	Canada	90.3
13	South Korea	89.67
14	United States	89.11
15	Taiwan	88.73
16	Austria	88.52
17	Australia	88.23
18	Ireland	87.76
19	Singapore	87.64

American Exceptionalism is a warm blanket for cisgender white men who like to bury their heads in the sand, and pretend that life is as peachy-keen for everyone else as it is for them.

 

[bomberfox]

We are a country that doesnt strive to do better and in fact openly attacks what makes it worth living here.

 

[tshade]

The goal of my post is to gather an understanding as to why so many individual on this site believe that the United States is not the greatest country in the world now, and throughout its existence.
To me the United States is the best country an individual could live in since the Mayflower in 1609.

I honestly don't get why people think that other countries are better than the United States.
-If it is not the best country to live in, than what country is better? And why don't you live there instead?

The only think I can think of as to why people think other countries are better than United States is if you personally prefer a more predictable life with more certainties which created a sense of stability. You prefer moderation and comfortability guaranteed by the state. You like that your life is less unpredictable and you prefer equity than equality of opportunity. You think that the state should care for the better of the majority and not the individual, you would rather the state take care of us instead of employing people with agency to make decisions on their own.
You can live as you want here more so than any other country in the world, and I don't see why you wouldn't want that.

Essentially, I believe that the ultimate purpose of life is to have freedom over your person and life, the ability to create a life you want.

The United States has its large share of atrocities and evil deeds, thought it doesn't erase the overwhelming good we have brought the world. The United States set the precedent for democracy and spread it around the world. The US fundamentally changed the structure of governments worldwide.

Here is a list of the best countries in the world based on "quality of life" or I see it "certainty towards basic needs, mostly healthcare"
These list base the quality of life on equity of the society not the access to opportunity, which is wrong in my opinion. You can have everything you need and be terribly unfulfilled and bored.

Rank	Country	Score
1	Finland	99.06
2	Denmark	98.13
3	Norway	96.75
4	Belgium	96.53
5	Sweden	96.15
6	Switzerland	94.4
7	Netherlands	93.69
8	France	92.08
9	Germany	91.26
10	Japan	91.23
11	United Kingdom	90.68
12	Canada	90.3
13	South Korea	89.67
14	United States	89.11
15	Taiwan	88.73
16	Austria	88.52
17	Australia	88.23
18	Ireland	87.76
19	Singapore	87.64

We still, barely, lead the world----------Trump has screwed that record up a bit,. but we are hanging on

 

[tshade]

Greatest at what? Greed? Imprisoning people? Terrorism and war mongering? Hypocrisy? Poverty rates for such a weatlhy country? greatest amount of drug addicts?

Overwhelmingly good? We murder and destroy, have done that for decades. We lead to industrialized world in prison rate up there with some really shithole country. The entire history of the US is rife with ****ed up shit, America being so great is fake bullshit American say to try and hide all the shit.

Don't see you moving to another nation, do we??

 

[phoenix2020]

I think that when all things are considered, good and bad, we are absolutely right up there in the top 20 or so.

 

[tshade]

I think that when all things are considered, good and bad, we are absolutely right up there in the top 20 or so.

This is why the EAST is taking over the WEST--------people think we no longer are #1. I blame trump

 

[PeacefulWarrior]

The goal of my post is to gather an understanding as to why so many individual on this site believe that the United States is not the greatest country in the world now, and throughout its existence.
To me the United States is the best country an individual could live in since the Mayflower in 1609.

I honestly don't get why people think that other countries are better than the United States.
-If it is not the best country to live in, than what country is better? And why don't you live there instead?

The only think I can think of as to why people think other countries are better than United States is if you personally prefer a more predictable life with more certainties which created a sense of stability. You prefer moderation and comfortability guaranteed by the state. You like that your life is less unpredictable and you prefer equity than equality of opportunity. You think that the state should care for the better of the majority and not the individual, you would rather the state take care of us instead of employing people with agency to make decisions on their own.
You can live as you want here more so than any other country in the world, and I don't see why you wouldn't want that.

Essentially, I believe that the ultimate purpose of life is to have freedom over your person and life, the ability to create a life you want.

The United States has its large share of atrocities and evil deeds, thought it doesn't erase the overwhelming good we have brought the world. The United States set the precedent for democracy and spread it around the world. The US fundamentally changed the structure of governments worldwide.

Here is a list of the best countries in the world based on "quality of life" or I see it "certainty towards basic needs, mostly healthcare"
These list base the quality of life on equity of the society not the access to opportunity, which is wrong in my opinion. You can have everything you need and be terribly unfulfilled and bored.

Rank	Country	Score
1	Finland	99.06
2	Denmark	98.13
3	Norway	96.75
4	Belgium	96.53
5	Sweden	96.15
6	Switzerland	94.4
7	Netherlands	93.69
8	France	92.08
9	Germany	91.26
10	Japan	91.23
11	United Kingdom	90.68
12	Canada	90.3
13	South Korea	89.67
14	United States	89.11
15	Taiwan	88.73
16	Austria	88.52
17	Australia	88.23
18	Ireland	87.76
19	Singapore	87.64

USA doesnt even have universal healthcare, many people die because they don't do simple stuff like go to a doctor or get their prescriptions filled because they simply cannot afford it. And many people that have decent insurance are still bankrupted by illness in the USA. Its a complete sham and unconscionable that we allow this to continue.

Our fabulous Gun Nuts? EWWWWWW. In the USA, you have to regularly swab the blood and brains out of the classrooms, malls, music venues, navy Shipyards, places of employment, etc et al. because people have WAY TOO MANY GUNS...and WAY TOO FEW brains. Gnarlee FrEeDuMbZ$™!!

Infrastructure going to shit, the trains are prehistoric where they exist at all. Bridges falling apart and crumbling.

The warmongering? Yeahhhhhh, waging war is an industry that has taken on a life of its own, I'm not sure it could be stopped now and thats scary.

American cities are cesspools of drugs, crime and filth.

Now I still enjoy living in the first world, don't get me wrong, but the USA has become sort of a joke.

 

[Luce]

America is great at punching itself in the balls for any reason or no reason at all.

 

[TheParser]

Oh, I would say that the Scandinavian nations (with one exception) are the "greatest" in the sense of a harmonious social environment.

 

[Lloyd Christmas]

Don't see you moving to another nation, do we??

Don't see you making an argument, oh, its because you got nothing. Why even go on these forums if all you can do is post pathetic one liners void of any intelligence?

Exactly why this country sucks, we have to share it with people like you

This is why the EAST is taking over the WEST--------people think we no longer are #1. I blame trump

The US is the land of the Greed. Every atrocity we committed was in the name of greed. Even today, all the shit, half the country right at cusp of poverty working full time or even multiple jobs, while Bezos buys himself a 450M yacht while the same moronic poor worship the greedy assholes that take all the wealth and control government. That's why this country sucks

 

[OrphanSlug]

Not this shit again....

For whoever is willing to take this challenge, by what measure or metric or empirical data of some sort is the US the greatest country in the world?

 

[Lycanthrope]

Why are you presupposing that having healthcare makes life boring? Do you believe there's some thrill or added fulfillment to life having to lose your life savings to pay for it?

 

[reinaert]

I just question the need to belong to the greatest human-capture-and-control machine, and then crow about.

It's not like we're discussing whether the current combined talent of Mané, Salah, Firmino, Jota, Fabinho, Alexander-Arnold, Robertson et al is superior to that of whatever gang of Bond villains, mercenaries and sorcerous golems currently take home field at the Etihad...

 

[Redress]

To my mind, if you consider everything, the US is the greatest country in the world for me. We may not be the best at everything, but we are near the top of nearly everything, and I do not know of any other country that compares.

 

[Luce]

How is New Zealand not an option?

 

[Lycanthrope]

I didn't provide an answer to the poll.

Is the United States the best possible nation to live in? How can I answer that when I have no experience living in other nations? I will say that currently it's acceptable enough that I'm not driven to expatriate. I will also say there's nothing exceptional about the States that way - in other words, I am relatively confident that I could find a similar or perhaps even higher quality of life overseas. The chart you provided bears that out.

 

[phoenix2020]

In my experience, the United States struggles because it has developed a weird interpretation of patriotism in the last ~half century. For most of the world, patriotism is not about pledging allegiance to a flag or singing an anthem. After all, that's easy - any bonehead can do it. Rather, true patriotism comes in the form of acting in the interest of the community or nation even when it might be against one's self-interest. It involves sacrifice in its more tangible form: giving things up so that the nation as a whole becomes stronger.

I believe that was emblematic of American culture and life through the nation's formation and growth, through its civil war, through its economic booms and busts, through world wars, through suffrage and civil rights and so on. Not everyone always got what they wanted but the nation seemed to be stronger on the balance.

Sometime in the last 50 years a number of things became more important to people than their nation:
- individual rights and principles now must never be sacrificed for the good of the nation, whether you lean left or right
- speaking of which, people feel patriotism not to their nation but to their political party. Members of the other party are increasingly not considered to be Americans, so screw them, right? You can't have a win unless "they" also lose.
- as a result of the above, rational policy or even recommendations are instantly politicized. Imagine a 1950s PSA on dental health running today: the left would criticize it as racist and classist because the poor can't afford toothpaste, and the right would be infuriated that someone is telling them that they should brush their teeth.

I think if we could back away from politicization and embrace rational policy we'd be a "greater" country but in our current state I don't think we can call ourselves the 'greatest' with a straight face. We're the declining Roman Empire 100 years before its fall.

The one HUGE thing we have going for us is heretofore stable and robust rule of law. Our laws tend to be enforced consistently, our legal code tends to be fair, and corruption tends to be low. As a result, capital, business and talent has flowed to our nation nigh uninterrupted for a century because businesses and talented immigrants want to live in a land with stable, predictable laws. The worst part of the last few years has been the erosion of some of these safeguards and I don't think people realize how dangerous that is. Make no mistake, the businesses that employ our citizens will leave in a heartbeat if they ever start to sense that America is trending in the direction of corruption and bribery as the only way to get things done.

 

[americanwoman]

To me the United States is the best country an individual could live in since the Mayflower in 1609.

I doubt a slave who was forced to leave their homeland to become someone's property and their generations for the next couple centuries would agree. You've got to be us if you truly believe that.

 

[MikePrime]

I doubt a slave who was forced to leave their homeland to become someone's property and their generations for the next couple centuries would agree. You've got to be us if you truly believe that.

free blacks existed in times of slavery. Being a free black in the United States is better than being a slave in Africa or being in a extremely impoverished underdeveloped nation.

 

[MikePrime]

Greatest at what? Greed? Imprisoning people? Terrorism and war mongering? Hypocrisy? Poverty rates for such a weatlhy country? greatest amount of drug addicts?

Overwhelmingly good? We murder and destroy, have done that for decades. We lead to industrialized world in prison rate up there with some really shithole country. The entire history of the US is rife with ****ed up shit, America being so great is fake bullshit American say to try and hide all the shit.

Greatest at opportunity and freedom, along with a host of other things.

 

[reinaert]

Greatest at opportunity and freedom, along with a host of other things.

What kind of 'freedom'?

 

[MikePrime]

American Exceptionalism is a warm blanket for cisgender white men who like to bury their heads in the sand, and pretend that life is as peachy-keen for everyone else as it is for them.

where else do people who aren't white males have better opportunities?

 

[MikePrime]

What kind of 'freedom'?

freedom to express yourself as you want, own what you want. Freedom from government management of your life. Your life is in your hands.