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It's funny to see people (Who I bet never even been to America) judge the country so bad by listening to the media.
Yes, I agree that it sucks being poor or low-income in America, but so does it suck being poor in other western countries as well. At least the big plus from poor people in America is that they get to live in a beautiful country, and at least live near wealthier areas and get to see rich people. At least the future is bright in America, and everybody has the opportunity to get an educated and become wealthier. Yes, there is financial aid in universities as well.
you think living near to rich people makes poor people happy
i could be wrong of course , americans are different
Yet somehow you don't feel like you belong, as indicated in your profile.
BTW, my wife lived in Leiden, NL for six months back in the early 90's as a part of a study abroad. While there she had her locked bike stolen and her apartment broken into with her wallet and passport stolen. It's the most crime she has ever experienced in her life in that short of a period of time. For a frame of reference she grew up just outside Detroit and now lives in the Dorchester section of Boston.
What are you trying to say, that the NL has a higher crime rate than Detroit because your wife got her bike stolen and her apartment broken into? It's unfortunate that this happened to your wife but I'm sure you can find many anekdotes of people in the US who also had their bike stolen and house broken into, it doesn't really say much.
Quote:
Originally Posted by In God We Trust
It's funny to see people (Who I bet never even been to America) judge the country so bad by listening to the media.
Yes, I agree that it sucks being poor or low-income in America, but so does it suck being poor in other western countries as well. At least the big plus from poor people in America is that they get to live in a beautiful country, and at least live near wealthier areas and get to see rich people. At least the future is bright in America, and everybody has the opportunity to get an educated and become wealthier. Yes, there is financial aid in universities as well.
I have access to virtually all the same information about the US that you have, from tv shows to newspapers to music to journal articles to internet blogs to political speeches, et cetera. I go to an international University with students and professors from all over the world, including the US. You learn about the US the same way I do, unless you have personally visited every single region of the country. I don't have to be born and raised there to have an informed opinion about it. I get my information about the US straight from American sources, unlike Americans whose information about Europe is filtered by American sources before it reaches them. Why do you believe the US is "the best country in the world" if you haven't visited all the other countries in the world? Where do your misconceptions about Europe come from? Surely the media had 'some' role to play in that.
What makes you think that the poor in other western countries do not get to live in a beautiful country? Have you ever been to Norway or Australia or Switzerland? These places are breathtakingly beautiful. Why would the poor even be interested in "getting to see rich people"? If you honestly believe that everyone in the US has the chance to become wealthy, you are seriously deluded. Social mobility in the US is actually lower than in many other countries. As the saying goes, "there is the American dream and there is the European reality"
Don't get me wrong, I don't think the US is "inferior" to other countries. I don't think in terms like that. The US has a lot of great things to offer and I personally love many things about the country, from the multicultural society to the diversity in nature and climate to the delicious (but unhealthy ) food. Many people I admire are American. However, as another poster mentioned, that doesn't mean that I think the US is "heaven on earth" even if that's hard for people like you to believe. There are no 'best' countries, all places have some good and some bad aspects. Objectively speaking, the US is simply not #1 in many things, whether it's personal income, health care, security, environmental protection, etc. and the rest of the world is not dreaming of becoming just like the US. If you would step out of your nationalistic bubble and not dismiss any criticism of your country as jealousy, you might get a better understanding of reality as it really is.
Crime occurs everywhere, not only in American cities. Crime has been lower since WWII in America anyway. Many suburbs and large European cities have high crime as well, even the ones' you would never expect.
Every single American large city I've been to I feel 100% safe.
So have I, but then I stuck to and near the tourist areas. Most American cities are not truly safe. By American cities, I don't mean only the top 10 in size, I mean places like St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, San Juan, etc. The secondary major cities where you can't as easily escape from crime like you can in NYC
. Iran and Venezuela is the size of a mid-sized state in the US.
Iran is the 18th largest country in the world by area and has 78 million people. What mid-sized US state does this compare with?? It's about the size of Alaska and it has twice the people living in California. Same goes for Venezuela, but to a lesser degree.
And anyway, size does not always matter...
Quote:
Originally Posted by In God We Trust
At least the big plus from poor people in America is that they get to live in a beautiful country, and at least live near wealthier areas and get to see rich people.
What a perverted, extremely cynical - or more likely - just ignorant statement! You have obviously always had money and have no idea whatsoever what poor people appreciate.
Last edited by Vichel; 06-14-2012 at 11:43 AM..
Reason: Keeping the peace in this contentious thread.
Looking at some of the earlier threads in this forum, lots of people (especially people who don't live in the U.S. or never been here) think it sucks living here, that we have low minimum wages, expensive or no health care, that the poor have it bad, lack of vacation, poor housing, etc.
First of all. The United States of America is the only superpower nation in the world. It is the world's wealthiest (yes, even with the crises), the world's famous and well-known.
The Federal minimum wage in the U.S. right now is $7.25. However, individual states/cities could set their own minimum wage and most have it higher than the federal minimum wage. Just because the minimum wage is only $7.25 does NOT mean that's what most people working in retail or whatsoever get payed. There are many European countries, even the ones' highly developed, don't have any minimum wage at all! At least in the U.S. any worker is guaranteed something. Remember that taxes in America are lower than those in Europe or countries with higher minimum wage! Some states do not even have any state tax.
Anyways things cost two-three times more in Europe than they do in America.
Regards to the health care. Yes, the U.S. is virtually the only industrial nation with no national health care. Guess what - that does not mean nobody has any health care. If you are low income or elderly, you get medicare/medicaid and pay NOTHING for your medication, hospital visits, etc. In countries where you get health care, you still pay small amount for decent service they provide you. If you have insurance, the U.S. has the best medical service in the entire world <- Yes, it's true.
Americans who work in companies still get health insurance from their companies, and those who work in private could buy their own type of insurance they want. With this 'Obamacare' we will almost get health care. Yes, unfortunately there are many people who don't have any health insurance, but guess what - there are many doctors out there who help you out, and many of them treat you free or low cost.
Remember that in other countries who get health care pays for it too, that's why they have high income taxes! Nothing is free.
Regards to the poor. Yes, there are many low-income Americans. Yes, it sucks being poor in America. However I could guarantee you that the low income in America lives nicer than the low income in other countries.
Anyways there are poor people everywhere, in every single country. I've been to most European countries, including western and northern Europe and saw plenty of homeless people.
Regards to the 'lack of vacation'. Yes, the U.S. is the only industrial nation where the government do not mandate any paid days off for any reason. Just because there is no government mandatory does NOT mean workers do not get any days off. Yeah, most people get 2 weeks off, but PLENTY of workers get 3-5 weeks off, including public holidays. I have friends who get 6 weeks paid vacation, along with all national holidays. Nobody gets this much anywhere in Europe. No, they are not teachers. Anyways I don't think anyone would work in a company that offer bad benefits, or that any company offers that.
Last but not least. Houses in America might not be built in a quality as 'great' as most of Europe; however our houses in general are MUCH MUCH nicer, larger, better gardens, central A/C (most have it) and overall look better. Quality of life is great here!
America is the land of opportunity. This nation has everything that no other nations offers, anywhere from the all type of climates, to the chain stores, to the diversity, to the cities and much more!
God Bless America!
Oh God. You sound like a flaming politician. That last statement, God Bless America, I haven't heard that in ages.
But anyway, I think America has a sound QOL. However, the only reason why we are famous is because we have shoved that down every other country's throat.
American cities are far more dangerous than their European counterparts..
1998 was a long time ago, and I'm sure US cities have seen numbers fall a lot, but in this year, Washington D.C had 27.4 murders for every 100,000 residents.
Brussels, Belgium had 0.4 murders per 100,000 and London had 2.1. The most dangerous was Moscow with 18 murders for every 100,000 residents, still lower than D.C.
First of all there are MANY beautiful places in Iran and Venezuela. However you cannot compare America with those nations. An Islamic with Sharia Law and Communist country. Iran and Venezuela is the size of a mid-sized state in the US.
If you judge an entire country based on its government, the US wouldn't fare too well either. Maybe these countries have other things to offer in terms of food, music, culture, people, architecture, nature, whatever. Maybe the people there like living in an Islamic or 'communist' country, have you ever considered that? As I said, not everyone looks to the US as a model society. You can't say the US is objectively better than those countries just because it better suits your preferences. If you were born in the Middle East, you would probably prefer Iran over the US.
It's funny to see people (Who I bet never even been to America) judge the country so bad by listening to the media.
Yes, I agree that it sucks being poor or low-income in America, but so does it suck being poor in other western countries as well. At least the big plus from poor people in America is that they get to live in a beautiful country, and at least live near wealthier areas and get to see rich people. At least the future is bright in America, and everybody has the opportunity to get an educated and become wealthier. Yes, there is financial aid in universities as well.
Could you be more arrogant?
Being poor in western Europe is a whole lot different than being poor in the US. Social mobility is lower in US, which used to be the land of opportunities. That faded away the past decades or so. You're so blinded by patriotism (jingoism comes to mind) that you fail to see how different the world is. In the grand scheme of things, USA is irrelevant in terms of history - past, present and future. As is every other country.
Humbleness and modesty. That will make it easier to see the world more rationally.
I don't! But as BigSwede says, I don't think the US is the greatest place on earth, and for some reason that annoys people.
For example, take the OP, saying God bless America, America is great yada yada yada - I never see anyone from any other country doing this.. reps to you for loving your country and all, but..
Only England has more to be proud of and they say God save the Queen. BTW they are both songs, not sure if you aware of this.
Man, this thread is full of BS from both sides...bad stereotypes, bad information, emotional posturing.
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