American exceptionalism a myth: Norway #1, US way back in #16 (Iraq, soldiers, border)

[michiganmoon]

I do find this a bit dubious. How do you determine that Iceland is the most inclusive place on Earth with a population that is 99% white?

The UN Human Development Index has the US in 5th place in the world and relies a bit more on hard data.

[cupper3]

Originally Posted by Aunt Maude

Canada is diverse if you considered a population of English, French, Scottish, Irish, German, Italian, and a smattering of everyone else as 'diverse'.

Bad example.

I live there six months of the year. The visible minorities are significantly more diverse than in the US.

[Supachai]

Originally Posted by cupper3

I live there six months of the year. The visible minorities are significantly more diverse than in the US.

What about the invisible minorities?

[cupper3]

Originally Posted by workingclasshero

I am referring to the link...it shows US debt at 17.9 trillion which is our NATIONAL debt (NOT including personal debt)....the link show norways NATIONAL debt at 737 billion(3/4 trillion)..NOT including personal debt...NATIONAL debt

and to say that Norway has a trust fund... so does the usa...supposedly we have a trillion dollar SS trust fund....but it doesn't REALLY exist

sorry but noway is in WORSE condition than the USA...not by much...but certainly not number 1 which you seem determined to want to say

Please read the following from your link. It INCLUDES private debt.

"This is a list of countries by external debt, the total public and private debt owed to nonresidents repayable in internationally accepted currencies, goods, or services,[1] where the public debt is the money or credit owed by any level of government, from central to local, and the private debt the money or credit owed by private households or private corporations based in the country under consideration. This is not to be confused with public debts which can be found under 'List of countries by public debt'."

Norway's trust fund is real, just like Alaska's is.

Norway Heats Up as Wealth Fund Nears $1 Trillion: Nordic Credit - Bloomberg Business

Norway’s gargantuan sovereign wealth fund, by the numbers – Quartz

[cupper3]

Originally Posted by Supachai

What about the invisible minorities?

Much less than in the USA. Canadians tends to be a bit more tolerant, so same sex marriage and abortion are not issues.

[iNviNciBL3]

Originally Posted by cupper3

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/04/09...-low-life.html

US has fallen so far in so many areas, that it is only a myth that it is the best country to live in. That myth may slowly sinking as Americans expand their horizons and travel outside of their country, however it is a well known fact, that most Americans have never been outside their own country so how could they have a clue as to what goes on elsewhere.

What a sad situation.

Quality of life rankings are one of the biggest jokes of the internet.... they are just random a-- articles and studies meant to get views and get people arguing... in reality a news article can't tell you what place is the best for you, only you can.
I'm sure Norway is a great place for some people, for me? no thank you.

[cupper3]

Originally Posted by iNviNciBL3

Quality of life rankings are one of the biggest jokes of the internet.... they are just random a-- articles and studies meant to get views and get people arguing... in reality a news article can't tell you what place is the best for you, only you can.
I'm sure Norway is a great place for some people, for me? no thank you.

Have you been there? I have, and talked to the people. I asked them about their high taxes, and you know what the common answer is?

"The government provides the services we want and need".

Well, what about waste?

" We trust that they are spending our money wisely ".

That is NOT the way that conversation would go in Canada or the USA.

[iNviNciBL3]

Originally Posted by cupper3

Have you been there? I have, and talked to the people. I asked them about their high taxes, and you know what the common answer is?

"The government provides the services we want and need".

Well, what about waste?

" We trust that they are spending our money wisely ".

That is NOT the way that conversation would go in Canada or the USA.

No i havent.... but do people not all have different tastes/values/goals in life?

for some people USA is the best place to live, for some people Norway is the best place to live.

just because you like one place better doesn't mean we all have to also like it better

[s1alker]

I don't know how accurate these surveys are. But here in America we simply do not believe in robbing Peter at gunpoint to pay Paul.

[SiegendesLicht]

Originally Posted by 14Bricks

This is loser talk. If this is the new mindset in this country we're doomed. If weren't for people chasing money and wanting to be "No. 1" we wouldn't have computers and internet that you're using right now to type on. We wouldn't have airplanes and cars and smart phones, and radios, tv's and cable, and Google, Amazon, steel and electricity, advances in medicine.

I am not in "this country", fortunately. I am in a country that I love, would never leave for any other place, and that has been through the ages a home for many of the inventors of the things you mention. We would not have computers without Konrad Zuse, automobiles without Karl Benz and Gottlied Daimler, X-rays without Wilhelm Röntgen, and Americans would not have made it to the moon without Wernher von Braun. And for a lot of the great inventors and discoverers it was not so much about the money as about the sheer joy of discovery and at least a hope of benefitting the humanity. We would probably NOT have many of the things we have now if all of them spent their days chained to their desk/workshop thinking only about how to make a buck and get the next promotion.