Why do they all say we're the greatest country?

[Syrinx]

I'd say Canada and the Netherlands are greater for starters.

[Lucky Luciano]

1. probably because you can go from rags to riches easier here

than anywhere else in the world. I have seen many people go from nothing to successful myself - not billionaires or anything, but very well off.That is much harder to do in Europe and Canada for example. Of course, it is up to you to go for it. Also, our cost of living is lower here than in most other countries relative to what we earn. That is a good deal. In Europe prices are WAY higher for the same items and their salaries are not proportionately higher. We do have more comfort here actually......for the time being.....

[Fear]

2. Thank you syrinx9999

Appreciate the words there (Netherlands is where I'm from).
And in reply to Lucky Luciano:
I'm wondering why it would be harder to become a success in Europe? - you would have to explain that to me.

Yes, prices can be a bit higher - but mostly it aren't the same kind of products - take a look how for example a home gets build here in the Netherlands (brick - heavily insulated / energie efficient, dubble pain glass etc. etc.) aka (wood) in the US - so perhaps you pay for the quality - build to last. Ow and gas prices are on the same level now :P - and I guess that's why we have health care and schools for everyone (WHICH in my honest opionion builds a strong society).......so where's the comfort? and what's wrong with paying for your community (hmmmm, perhaps that's really patriotic ;)

The intention is set differently - and I must honestly say that we (in the Netherlands) might have gone TOO far left, but I do believe that it's a SINUS wave going up and down, we touch the proper middle line and we slam towards the far right / left (same thing in the US).

I love the US for it's space / wide spread lands, been there and still go there many times. I have some nice friends there. A different culture for sure, many things I love in Europe and many things I love in the US. I guess my point is the fact that I don't like the high consumption level (WHICH WE ARE IN FACT STARTING TO ADOPT AS WELL!) from the US / the US went too far to the right now - but I don't think it's about to take that left turn yet.

Much more I could write, but what's the use.......every country has it's pro's and con's.

[Lucky Luciano]

9. I'm wondering why it would be harder to become a success in Europe?

I am going by the words of Europeans that have moved here. Of course it depends on how you define success. I am just defining it as financially for now. The tax rates prevent success from occurring is what they have told me, but bear in mind that the people I am speaking of are aiming very high. I have been around quite a bit - and I have been to your country as well (along with 30-35 others or so). I liked it very much and found the people to be kind. To achieve success, one must be able to save early and invest from there and this is difficult with the very high taxes. Again, I am going entirely by what these Europeans have told me. They include French, Belgian, Dutch, German, and Norwegians.

And prices over there are not just a "bit" higher - they are outrageously higher! Even when the dollar is strong, European travel is way more expensive than travel within the States. Our gas prices are terrible now indeed but are still about 40% of the European price. I live in California where the gas is among the most expensive in the US at $2.40 per gallon, which converts right now to 0.517 Euros per liter.

We do have school for everyone too....although we cannot figure out why the quality of our education stinks compared to the rest of the developed world - I have no idea. College, of course is something we have to pay for, but a far greater percentage go to college here (from what I understand) than over there. In Europe (Well, I do know that all countries are quite different), I understand that college is generally free, but only the best go (is this true?)...our best get scholarships as well.

You got me on the healthcare. I would love it if we could do taht right now, but we cannot because idiots like b*sh do not understand about balancing budgets and he and his ilk have made the US far too overloaded with debt to set up a system like you have. I really hate those assholes - they are so damn incompetent with money that it makes me wonder how they ever got any in the first place! Obviously I am joking - they got it by robbing the US Treasury and not giving a shit about our country.

Also, I love the style that Europeans have....Americans dress like such slobs! Europeans dress so well - and without spending too much. That is just me though - I love to see a beautiful woman with style. I think my favorite countries in Europe were Spain (Spanish women/mountains/fiestas) and Switzerland (breathtaking mountain scenery) for two different reasons, but not to worry!! Holland is up there too!

Take Care
Lucky

[K-W]

11. Elementary my dear watson.

America could support the American Dream model because of expanded territory and influence. First we had the growth from the country expanding and our large territory, then from our position of economic power in the world. We dictate the global economy.

You could say the same thing about Britain when it was an empire. It was nice to be British then. It has been nice to be American throughout the period of American growth and monopoly. It was nice to be a Greek or a Roman too.

The problem is that the price to pay for our luxery is that we have to exploit the rest of the world to do it. Europe does so too, certainly, but not on the same level as the United States. Our kind of society is not sustainable.

[Lucky Luciano]

15. I cannot argue with you too much,

but what do you suggest? Be a member of the exploiting country or the exploited country (if it was not us, then it would be someone else as you pointed out)...which do you pick...some day in the future this will not be a problem....it will take many more years of evolution (assuming we do not kill each other) before worldwide equality can occur. I don't think any kind of revolution will work, because revolutions like the ones in China, USSR, and Vietnam, etc created a different ruling class that liked the power they suddenly had....power is an awful drug...

[Michael Costello]

50. We dictate the global economy?

I don't think you've been reading the Wall Street Journal or BusinessWeek for the past few decades. The US certainly does not dictate the global economy. The average inflation-adjusted hourly wage in the US is below what it was 30 years ago - people made more per hour (adjusted for inflation), than they do nowadays. The US GDP and EU GDP is pretty much equal - the EU's economy is as big as the US economy. Also, the hourly productivity rate of a lot of EU countries is higher than the US's - France's is higher, and it's a lot higher in a lot of the Scandinavian countries. The US worker usually works more hours per year, and wins in overall productivity, but not by much. It's sort of like the tortoise and the hare - the slower American worker is constantly working and thus slightly beats the faster European worker who loses slightly by having so much free time. Also - the Asian economies are growing - China is growing enormously, Japan may be coming back, and the Asian tigers are growing as well.

The EU is equivalent to the US economy, it has the same strength as the US economy. There are some differences - they're more productive when they work, we work more hours. In a number of years, Japan, China and ASEAN will be at the same level of growth goes as estimated. The EU is already a US equivalent, and Asia, where most of the growth is in the world nowadays, will be at the same level in a number of years. It's been many decades since the US can dictate the global economy.

[Fear]

54. Yeah, really don't know what's going to happen when ASIA

hits the US and Europe BIG, I mean it's starting, but this is just the first drop. International businesses don't have a home country anymore, they won't care about 1000+ jobs lost in Europe / US when it's cheaper in Asia...........wonder what the im-export regulators are going to do here. Are we going to build an iron tower?

[Fear]

55. yeah yeah yeah, Holland for the green grass :P and the red lights LOL

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

68. You've been to30-35 countries?

That's amazing. I have to admit I'm jealous. I know I'm getting off topic. Could you name some of them? I'm really curious.

[Hubert Flottz]

10. Welcome Fear!

The USA is the greatest country in the world if, you're GW Bush, Donald Trump, Kenny Boy, James Baker, Dick Cheney, Poppy Shrub and other well to do people here in America, with far more money than even those I mentioned above! I guess the major scavengers, blood suckers and gangsters in the USA all agree, that the Banks are better on the tropical islands and in countries like Switzerland, because that's where they stash their cash! The high rollers evidently all agree that the labor force in Red China is better than here in the USA also!

The thing is, most of us were born here and have nowhere else to go! So, our minds are easy prey for the "Lying Liars"! It makes us feel so much better, to be constantly stroked and told how great we have it here, even if it is a slight white lie! Most of the ones who constantly tell us that story, really do in fact have it made here! They even preach the same stories at Fundie School, so it must be the Gospel!

[Fear]

57. Geez, I think I'm going to move to Switzerland then :D

[Raskolnik]

62. Context

Sure there are myriad problems in our country, but are you suggesting there is someplace in the world free of those types of issues? People have been greedy and poor people have gotten screwed since the beginning of time; we didn't invent those problems.

If you feel that we should be doing more to minimize those problems, then I would agree. If you think that the U.S. has some sort of monopoly on bad human behavior, I would disagree.

[Kellanved]

19. I disagree

The social mobility is higher in Europe; "from rags to riches" is more likely to happen in Europe. (or rather the up from the very bottom is higher in Europe; getting up from the middle class is easier in the US.)
Also not all price are higher, food for example is cheaper.


http://www.bos.frb.org/economic/nerr/rr2002/q4/issues.pdf

[Lucky Luciano]

38. Ok, maybe this is what I was thinking

From the middle class, you can go anywhere in the US. I can't speak for being from the lower 15% since I have no experience with this and don't know anyone from this class. I am from probably the 40-45%ile.

[NewJeffCT]

20. I think that used to be true

However, when Reagan slashed the tax rate on top earners, then turned around and raised the payroll tax, which hurts the poor & middle class the most, it really cut into our social mobility... Prior to the 80s, the rich paid the most taxes. Now, that burden falls on the middle class.

With college getting more & more out of reach for many poor & middle class earners, it has an effect on the long term social mobility.

[Roaming]

44. The only problem is, prior to the 80s, inflation was running rampant

and interest rates were astronomical, so I guess everything's a tradeoff.

[BillZBubb]

47. Your point is ridiculous

Prior to the 1980's inflation was high. So what? Real incomes (adjusted for inflation) were still growing. They started falling under Reagan. Carter put Volcker in charge of the Fed and he raised rates to kill inflation--NOT REAGAN.

Reagan's economic policies were uniformly bad--unless you were in the top 15%.

[Roaming]

48. Well, with high inflation, interest rates were very high too, so

getting a mortgage was a real pain. Plus, unemployment was bad. You can't ignore that it not a pretty picture in the 1970s. Except for people who had lots of money invested in savings accounts--I cannot imagine earning 12% plus on my bank account again!

[BillZBubb]

52. You're not remembering the 70's very accurately.

The conservative propaganda has got to you I'm afraid. Let's do some research, shall we?

Look at some poverty numbers:

Percentage of families living in poverty:
1983........... 13.9
1982........... 13.6
1981........... 12.5
1980........... 11.5
1979........... 10.2
1978........... 10.0
1977........... 10.2

Seems to me that things go a lot worse for many people AFTER the 1970's!

Or how about some unemployment figures?

Percentage unemployed per month:
1978-01-01 6.4
1978-02-01 6.3
1978-03-01 6.3
1978-04-01 6.1
1978-05-01 6.0
1978-06-01 5.9
1978-07-01 6.2
1978-08-01 5.9
1978-09-01 6.0
1978-10-01 5.8
1978-11-01 5.9
1978-12-01 6.0
1979-01-01 5.9
1979-02-01 5.9
1979-03-01 5.8
1979-04-01 5.8
1979-05-01 5.6
1979-06-01 5.7
1979-07-01 5.7
1979-08-01 6.0
1979-09-01 5.9
1979-10-01 6.0
1979-11-01 5.9
1979-12-01 6.0
1980-01-01 6.3
1980-02-01 6.3
1980-03-01 6.3
1980-04-01 6.9
1980-05-01 7.5
1980-06-01 7.6
1980-07-01 7.8
1980-08-01 7.7
1980-09-01 7.5
1980-10-01 7.5
1980-11-01 7.5
1980-12-01 7.2
1981-01-01 7.5
1981-02-01 7.4
1981-03-01 7.4
1981-04-01 7.2
1981-05-01 7.5
1981-06-01 7.5
1981-07-01 7.2
1981-08-01 7.4
1981-09-01 7.6
1981-10-01 7.9
1981-11-01 8.3
1981-12-01 8.5
1982-01-01 8.6
1982-02-01 8.9
1982-03-01 9.0
1982-04-01 9.3
1982-05-01 9.4
1982-06-01 9.6
1982-07-01 9.8
1982-08-01 9.8
1982-09-01 10.1
1982-10-01 10.4
1982-11-01 10.8
1982-12-01 10.8
1983-01-01 10.4
1983-02-01 10.4
1983-03-01 10.3
1983-04-01 10.2
1983-05-01 10.1
1983-06-01 10.1

Oh my! The highest numbers occurred in 1982-1983! How can that be, it was the "Carter" 70's that were so bad!

[misanthrope]

21. So what you're saying...

...is "because we're more materialistic," huh?

[Lucky Luciano]

34. no, but if you want something (within reason) then you can get it

Maybe it is just my personality type though. I definitely have a type A+, thrill seeking, adrenaline fiending, confident, and aggressive personality. My mother is probably more in agreement with you and she is definitely Ultra-Left wing and unabashedly communist...she wishes I would just be a professor, but that will not give me the adrenaline and thrills I require. I never had privilege, but I have so much opportunity right now - too many offers to consider, but I am actually looking for one that would pay very well and let me be an expatriate - I am a travel junky afterall as well, which is probably the main reason I chase money - traveling is an expensive hobby that I want to devote my life to! Actually, I did have one privilege - that my parents were teachers. We didn't have money, but they put me on the education track very early and I am sure this was an advantage. My parents provided the spark - I just chose to run with it. Anyone else can do this too - it is all about the confidence, and maybe few people have that and that is the problem.

[Michael_UK]

26. I have to disagree

I'm only coming from having read Will Hutton's "The World we're in" and in it, he argues that social mobility is actually greater (for the most part) in Europe than in America. He defines it as being able to transfer from ,say, the bottom 15% to the top 15% (or similar percentiles). It might be correct to say that Americans have more material possessions (televisions, cars etc), but it is a myth to believe that America is a land of great social mobility.

ON EDIT: Damn you DUers, someone made my point before me.

[DNA]

37. That's mostly myth

There was a time when people could come to this country and do better than they had elsewhere. Nowadays, however, (in fact, for a long time now) most people who immigrate here remain in the exact same economic group from which they came. Most people, despite their belief that they're some day going to become wealthy, remain working class. We do not have the world's highest standard of living (which is what I think you mean by comfort). And since most people (overwhelmingly) do not rise from their social class, we have to look at the standards of living for the working class across countries. There we do really badly compared to other countries that have socialized medicine, a solid infrastructure, etc.

[Lucky Luciano]

39. I guess I look more at the middle class than the working class.

Though people w/o good educations can move up with certain kinds of enterpreneurship...like getting into dry cleaning - one could start off by making a dry cleaning delivery service where they just bring the clothes to a store and take a cut...I know someone who made a few huindred grand in a year doing this and then was able to open his own store. This is hard for a well educated person to do because it would cause brain atrophy from the lack of intellectual pursuit. Or some of my neighbors when I was young - they just started mowing lawns in high school...and never stopped....now they have reasonably big landscaping companies. Immigrant families often do ok if the whole family is here and it is a big family - then the family business often does well because there is no charge for labor with everyone in it together.

[DNA]

42. Yes,

but this happens in other countries as well. There is a lot more immigration to other countries - and a lot more immigrant families getting wealthy or getting by - than our ethnocentrism tends to acknowledge.

[DrWeird]

45. I think I read somewhere...

That greater than 99% of Americans end up dying in the same socioeconomc class they were born into. And the remaining few were equally divided into those who got richer and those who got poorer.

[paulk]

60. For every entrepreneurial success story

there are a whole lot more stories of failure. Perhaps it does take a certain kind of personality to be good at making money, but the old adage that if you work at something hard enough you can be successful isn't anywhere near as true as it should be.

The playing field here in the US has become terribly uneven. In fact, it's not even the same field - the big guys are playing in a brand new 80,000 seat stadium built for them by the gov't., while the rest of us are playing in a sandlot.

I've owned a business for six years now, so a know quite a few people in the business community - some who have been extremely successful - and here's the truth - ninety percent of the successful small business people I know either had money to start with or had money from their family to back them up. No rags to riches stories - more like riches to more riches.

That's a more accurate reflection of the modern day America.

[paulk]

59. ah... if only that were true

The US has one of the worst records in the industrialized world for upward mobility in the last 30 years. It was true at one time - but not any more. It's a myth.

Quality of life and standard of living are higher, on average, in Europe than here also. Another myth.

[Darth_Kitten]

73. Actually, it's easier to move up in the world in Canada.....

than it is the United States, wish I had a link. :(

[GoBlue]

3. Cause they're US, wannabees, and fools.

As far as I am aware the only things we are the greatest at is selfishness. And that puts US at a huge disadvantage where greatness is concerned.

[no_hypocrisy]

4. Because Donald Trump said so . . . . (See, "fantastic", "the best"

"terrific", & "amazing")

[K-W]

5. Its called nationalism.

It is a complex but fairly universal thing. People do and think alot of things to protect thier egos. Human social behavior is regulated heavily by the desire to be validated by others.

People who feel that they are a part of a group will tend to say, if not believe, that thier group is better than other groups regardless of the objective facts. In general we defend and spin things positively for our family, town, community, friends, school, state, city, nation, sports team, work, etc.

We all do it, I try desperately not to, but I can't help it. I have to protect my ego or I get depressed. Its a tricky little social psychology thing.

All the leaders of a country have to do is convince people that they are a part of this group and people will do alot of the work themselves. Once we call ourselves Americans we differentiate ourselves from non-americans, and then we personally have a stake in what America and Americans are.

When an American says we are the greatest country, he is indirectly complementing his/her self as a part of the winning team. Now some of us can look critically and see that national distinctions are artificial and that we dont need to tie our own ego to our national image, but the natural reaction is to do so. Its all about critical thinking.

[Disturbed]

7. Brainwashing

Many Americans are ego trippers that must feel superior because deep down they feel insecure.

[K-W]

8. It doesnt take brainwashing to make people insecure.

But insecurities are great tools for brainwashing.

[smirkymonkey]

75. And our culture does everything in it's power to

keep us feeling insecure so that we will keep spending our hard earned money trying to "keep up". It never works though, materialism has never been a antidote for human angst & insecurity.

[Sporadicus]

6. Only in Terms of GNP, Military

as Michael Moore suggested, change the name of the country to 'The Big One.' Thanks to the neocons, we now tell the world to bite the big one.

[Mikimouse]

12. Pfft! Read my sig. line (If it is there)...If not...

The true greatness of a nation is inversely proportional to the number of times it proclaims itself to be so.

[Lucky Luciano]

14. All nations speak highly of themselves...

or in some cases it is not the nation, but the tribe that speaks highly of themsleves. Examples of that would include many African nations that were divided up by the Europeans without much regard for the tribal boundaries. You may only see us speaking highly of ourselves, because, well....you are here...go elsewhere and people generally think theirs is the best wherever you go.

[Mikimouse]

17. The sig. applies to any and all, and is based on historical

evidence of the inflated and jingoistic attitudes of all of the 'great' powers. If one listens to the constant barrage of RW spew in the mass media, that is what one hears, over and over and over. Greatness is defined by laudable actions, not words, and especially when those words come from the source claiming greatness. It rings hollow and sophomoric. Alexis de Tovqueville said it best: "America is great becuase it is good; when it ceases to be good, it will cease to be great." (1837)

[misanthrope]

24. Alex also said...

..."The American form of democracy will cease to exist when politicians realize they can bribe the people with their own money."

...or something to that effect.

[Mikimouse]

28. Something to that effect in Volume II of Democracy in America...

yes, you are correct. Tocqueville was far more critical of American Democracy than most people realize. My favorite: "In an aristocracy, there are few works of art produced, but they are created from granite or marble. In a democracy, there are many produced, but they are of plaster." (this is not the exact quote, but the meaning is not lost.)

[Lucky Luciano]

29. I agree with you, but it is not just the 'great' powers that

call themselves great....People in India think they are the greatest...the Chinese think they are the most superior...so do the Japanese...so do the Koreans...Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, various European countries, Middle Easterners...other places...damn near every country I have been to, the people there think they are the greatest. Therefore, your statement implies that no country is truly great and maybe that is true. It applies very well for individuals though. Mother Theresa was pretty great, but I doubt she went around telling people that. Every knucklehead I met who went on about their greatness was a moron and nothing more. The truly successful people I met almost tried to hide their success in laid back social situations.

[moondust]

13. They don't know any better.

Never been anywhere else, never going.

[indigobusiness]

16. 'Cause we'll kick their ass if they don't...

America is a material paradise.. and a spiritual wasteland.

http://sludgereport.blogspot.com/

[bacchant]

18. Maybe they mean America is a "Grate" country

NTRANSITIVE VERB:
1. To make a harsh rasping sound by or as if by scraping or grinding.
2. To cause irritation or annoyance: a noise that grates on one's nerves.

[LeahMira]

22. Who's "they all"?

I'd think most people think that their own homeland is "the greatest." If U.S. citizens say that the U.S. is "the greatest," it seems pretty natural. I don't see Canada and the Netherlands saying that the U.S. is "the greatest" so "they all" aren't really saying anything.

[theboss]

23. You run for office on the platform of "America....it's okay!!!"

And see how far that gets you.

[GreenArrow]

25. hubris

.

[Endangered Specie]

27. I'll go with you on the Netherlands part

;)

[DemExpat]

71. I will, too! It ranks up at the very top of great countries to live.

Just a wee bit too crowded for my comfort, though, but feel freeer in many aspects here than in my home country USA.

DemEx

[seabeyond]

30. i dont say we are the greatest

how can that be said. there is good and bad in all...........nope, i dont say that

[Fescue4u]

31. Mostly because we are

Not to complicated.

Sure we have problems, but so does every other country.

[IrateCitizen]

32. Because it lets you continue to ignore your own shortcomings

It falls in line with the Reagan legacy -- our real problems became too difficult to deal with, so we began to ignore them and made up other non-existent problems to take their place.

Farms are foreclosing in record numbers? Don't look there -- there are "welfare queens" sucking the public treasury dry popping out babies and buying Cadillacs! The trade deficit expanded yet again this year? Wait -- there are gay people looking to get married! We financed death squads in Central America? Never mind that -- we need to buy these new stealth bombers at $1 billion a pop just to keep up with the Soviets, even though the Soviets don't have stealth bombers either!

Get my drift?

[PurityOfEssence]

33. 'cuz life is like a goddamned school spirit rally in High School

and if we don't yell over and over how fabulous we are, we'll sink into the despair of the vain and shallow. Human nature.

Besides the endless repetition of the fascists, why do you think so many people from so many walks of life say that "Reagan made us feel good to be Americans again"? It's because people need to be stroked constantly, and any criticism rips at their very core.

Most other countries do it to, and so do other groups; it's a group mindthink to ward off the fear of insignificance and doubt.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

35. It's one of those sayings that we hear repeated all our lives

Years ago, I happened to catch a Canadian TV program in which the main character captured a fellow Canadian who was spying for the Soviets. Confronting the spy, he said, "How can you do this? This is ONE OF THE GREATEST countries in the world?"

You know very well that if the series had been American, the line would have been, "This is THE GREATEST country in the world."

Greatness can be measured in many ways, and the attitude expressed in that Canadian TV program seems much more realistic and level-headed than all those mindless chants of "U.S.A. Number One!"

I've noted throughout my life that really great people don't brag about being great, because their deeds and accomplishments speak for themselves. It's the poseurs who are always telling everyone how wonderful they are.

[napi21]

36. Great people don't brag!

Lydia, that's the best statement on here. It is also very true! Actions speak louder than words, and if something is repeated often enough, people start believing it.

[Generator]

40. Well this week with the Reagan fest

I'm wishing I was Canadian again. It's brought up all the old pain and anger of those years-the Contras/dead that I paid for with my taxes back then were the worst of it to me, not to mention the greed and meaness that existed in this country during Reagan's term.

I feel like I live in a parallel universe where black is white and good is evil. Reagan deserves nothing! Not only was he a lousy, dumb President-he was a distant unloving father as well. (I actually read Patti Davis article in Newsweek and it made me cry- I have an unloving father so it hits close to home)

I'm depressed and disgusted. America stinks for me right now if this is the best we've got-idolizing this clown Reagan and ANYONE that defends this piece of incompetent lying trash Shrubscum.

Reminds me why I'm a Gnostic at heart. The world is controlled by some demented being. There is a flaw in the universe. Maybe it's all perfect in Canada or The Netherlands! Who knows? It's certainly better than being an American right now.

[noonwitch]

41. Because of the potential for greatness that is always present

1. Our constitution, which balances community interests against individual rights.
2. The nature of a nation consisting of the offspring of immigrants from all over the world, combined with native populations and the descendents of african slaves gives us a culture that can't be matched anywhere on earth. Our music, art, movies, food, sports, etc., are what they are because of this multi-cultural influence. I'm of course talking about the best aspects of these areas.

I love this country. Part of loving this country means I also can look at it's faults and look for ways to make a great country better. Of course, the first way would be to get a different president.

[EndElectoral]

43. Because as Gen. Patton says Americans love winners!

[goodhue]

46. hegemony

[kofijoe]

49. And if they are, they don't keep saying it....

... as Lewis Black (of The Daily Show fame) said on his broadway show, if you had a guy at work who went around saying he is the greatest every single day, you'd kill him by the end of the week.

[Raskolnik]

51. Because we are...

For all our flaws, we are the most free, most prosperous nation in the history of the world.

That doesn't mean we've had a spotless record, but no nation has.

What in your opinion makes the Netherlands or Canada greater than the U.S.?

[Karenina]

53. Other nations have no need

to get into dick-waving contests. That attribute is 100% Amurikkkan! ;-)

[Raskolnik]

56. Bull.

Have you ever seen international soccer games? Did you see the thousands of non-Americans quietly acknowledging the relative merits of each other's countries?

I don't think patriotism is really equal to "dick-waving". Loving the principles that have guided us and the people who have sacrificed to make it work is nothing to be ashamed of.

[Karenina]

58. Soccer games = Patriotism

in your world view? Meine ficken Fresse!!! :silly: Actually, fans being herded by the cops pass by my corner on a regular basis and they are by NO MEANS "quiet," nor on most occasions international!

GOOOO HAIE!!!!

[Raskolnik]

61. No, I do not equate those things.

I merely used it as a clear example that the rest of the world does in fact engage in "dick-waving" on a regular and visible basis. It isn't a "100% Amurikkkan" phenomena, as you so eloquently and incorrectly put it. Do you honestly believe that we invented the practice of ugly shows of national identity?

People are dicks all over the world. We've got no monopoly on that.

[Karenina]

63. You're funny!

"Do you honestly believe that we invented the practice of ugly shows of national identity?"

No, you've just raised it to a high art form! ;-)

[Raskolnik]

67. Ah, so I'M the problem.

What in particular makes you feel that you know me well enough to guess at my displays of patriotism? Or are you just guessing?

[Karenina]

72. Das hat n ichts

mir Dir persönlich zu tun ;-)

[Raskolnik]

74. Well its hard to argue with that.

Oh, because your German. That explains everything.

[hel]

64. If anybody says...

"Ours is the greatest country in the world!", he/she is assumed to be (and very probably, is) a right-leaning nationalist, at the very least, in my country. I believe it is almost the same in European countries as well.

I find it puzzling that in the US even the left-wingers keep saying this, as if it was an undisputable truth.

[Nihil]

66. It's the conflict between belief and truth

> I find it puzzling that in the US even the left-wingers keep saying
> this, as if it was an undisputable truth.

That is the crux of the matter: any attempt to moderate the fervent
semi-religious belief that America is the greatest gets shouted down
as "Un-American" or "unpatriotic" - frequently even here (in the most
liberal and open-minded US-based forum I've encountered).

It has grown this way due to the environment in which Americans are
raised - originally with simply materialistic advertising but now
through 24x7 television, force-feeding children with the "no-one else
matters" attitude that underpins the "America is great" meme.

You will not grow up with a global viewpoint if your 24-hr news
channel spends only 5 minutes per hour on events outside your own
borders. A story about a missing dog will take up more time than
an explosion killing hundreds of people (unless they were Americans).

Without an honest perspective on the role of America in the world,
you can't expect people to be reasonable, to understand national or
cultural differences. You certainly can't expect the "I want that,
I'll take that" attitude to change if that is all someone knows.

Most of the DUers have made the effort to find out more than the
"news" that is piped into their homes, to learn about the variety of
people out here beyond the oceans. You are the global Americans, the
evolved ones (apologies to any Creationists) but you are very much
in the minority.

Until this level of education, understanding, compassion, is changed
then the belief that "America is the greatest country in the world"
will continue to be cheered inside the US and ridiculed outside it.

Nihil

[SarahB]

65. To keep us from questioning why....

So many children live in poverty.
We don't have universal healthcare.
Why corporate interests are more important than human beings.
There's unlimited, unaccounted for, military funding.
Our jobs are increasingly exported over the past 30 years.
There's such great chasms between rich and poor areas within the public school systems.
So many Americans are in prison instead of treatment for drug offenses.


And many, many more......

[txkevin]

69. Why is USA the greatest county

Because the gov cant hunt you down and kill you for asking that question. Further, if you want to get off your butt and do something, the sky is the limit. If not, we will support you and protect you from natural selection.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

70. And that is different from Western Europe, Australia/NZ, Canada, or even

Japan because...?

:shrug: