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Old 09-17-2014, 12:47 PM
 
Location: M I N N E S O T A
14,848 posts, read 21,376,619 times
Reputation: 9263

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Materialism isn't really a good way to tell if a society is improving or not.
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Old 09-17-2014, 01:02 PM
 
Location: 'Back in the midst of a world gone mad'
165 posts, read 188,466 times
Reputation: 245
Quote:
Originally Posted by tom77falcons View Post
Well then you are a very rare breed in the US South, unless you are African American.
No, I'm not rare. Not at all.

You stated that African American's make up 50% of the South and are all democrats therefore secession could never happen.

Last time I checked, African American numbers were more like this:

NC 24%
TN 20%
SC 30%
Geogia 35%

You can look up more current stats, but I would be surprised if they changed much.

Last I heard NC political parties were like this:

Democrats 2.8 million
Republicans 2 million
Independents/other 1.7 million

You might want to verify those numbers too.

There may be Southern states that have a republican majority now. Remember though that just because you have a majority does not mean that there are not huge numbers in other groups also.
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Old 09-17-2014, 01:05 PM
 
367 posts, read 407,009 times
Reputation: 377
Quote:
Originally Posted by iNviNciBL3 View Post
Materialism isn't really a good way to tell if a society is improving or not.
Please explain any situation in which materialism is a morally good thing.

Note that it is not the same thing as consumerism, which is reflective of prosperity to a certain degree.
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Old 09-17-2014, 01:26 PM
 
Location: M I N N E S O T A
14,848 posts, read 21,376,619 times
Reputation: 9263
Quote:
Originally Posted by MarineBlue View Post
Please explain any situation in which materialism is a morally good thing.

Note that it is not the same thing as consumerism, which is reflective of prosperity to a certain degree.
I can't comment because everyone's morals are different...

But i am not bothered that other people may be "materialistic" its their choice to spend money how they want.
I view the people who sit at home calling people waiting in line for iphones or black Friday shoppers sheeple... its just strange how people are so bothered what other people and disrespect them when it doesn't even impact them.
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Old 09-17-2014, 01:29 PM
 
Location: M I N N E S O T A
14,848 posts, read 21,376,619 times
Reputation: 9263
Quote:
Originally Posted by SthrnCarolinaGrl View Post
No, I'm not rare. Not at all.

You stated that African American's make up 50% of the South and are all democrats therefore secession could never happen.

Last time I checked, African American numbers were more like this:

NC 24%
TN 20%
SC 30%
Geogia 35%

You can look up more current stats, but I would be surprised if they changed much.

Last I heard NC political parties were like this:

Democrats 2.8 million
Republicans 2 million
Independents/other 1.7 million

You might want to verify those numbers too.

There may be Southern states that have a republican majority now. Remember though that just because you have a majority does not mean that there are not huge numbers in other groups also.
I find it strange how the South is seen as the most conservative region of the United States.
Not that its a bad or good thing.

The Great Plains are actually way more conservative then the south.
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Old 09-17-2014, 01:37 PM
 
Location: Gatineau, Québec
26,758 posts, read 37,652,675 times
Reputation: 11527
Quote:
Originally Posted by iNviNciBL3 View Post
I find it strange how the South is seen as the most conservative region of the United States.
Not that its a bad or good thing.

The Great Plains are actually way more conservative then the south.
That's a really good observation.

I wonder if there isn't some old-time reflex among some people in certain parts of the U.S. that still want to keep the South down with negative stereotypes about them being backward. Lingering historical bitterness and condescension.

Also entering into it might be the fact that Southerners tend to be more outspoken than people on the Plains. So those outrageous (for some) views tend to be more eagerly shared by people in the South than on the Plains.
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Old 09-17-2014, 01:41 PM
 
2,043 posts, read 2,888,805 times
Reputation: 1546
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hightower72 View Post
1. Economically

Employment and labor force participation figures are terrible and getting worse. The middle class is being destroyed. Stocks and EBT card usage are both at all time highs, illustrating worsening wealth disparity. Manufacturing is mostly shipped overseas, many cities are close to bankrupt, and child poverty figures are shocking by developed world standards. 17 trillion USD in debt and growing. Retail is collapsing.

2. Politically (including militarily and geopolitically)

The government is rocked by scandal after scandal. US foreign policy is a laughing stock. The US's closest allies have been alienated and disillusioned. Obama is more keen on practicing his golf swing than doing his job. Disastrous rollout of Obamacare. A recent military disaster in Iraq. Mission NOT accomplished in Afghanistan. Meddling in Syria has led to the rise of ISIL and threats of terrorist attacks at home. A US-organized coup in Ukraine has led to a catastrophic civil war in the country and damaging sanctions for the EU.

3. Socioculturally

Divorce and out of wedlock pregnancy rates are high. Educational standards are a joke compared to other first world nations. Lawlessness and violence are in the rise. Obesity statistics are beyond a joke. Incarceration rates are ridiculous. Media has a heavy liberal bias and is serving more and more as a propaganda wing of the executive branch of government.

And worst of all ... some people actually think the USA is improving.
The statement that was being responded to was "The USA is a total failure", which is idiotic.

You are missing the forest for the trees.

Your "media has a heavy liberal bias", which is a myth, gives you away as just another complainer from the "side" who didn't happen to win the last election. Just wait, we'll soon have a "conservative" in office who will continue Obama's policies who continued Bush's policies who continued...ad infinitum. That's what US politics has become: "My team needs to win! What? Both candidates are essentially the same? Doesn't matter...my team needs to win!" No perspective. No deeper introspection of the actual state of politics in America. My team!

This is why some believe the sky is falling. It isn't.

Get some perspective. Travel some. Try to expand a little. Compared to the vast majority of countries in the world, the USA is anything but a total failure; in fact, it is doing very well.
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Old 09-17-2014, 02:17 PM
 
Location: 'Back in the midst of a world gone mad'
165 posts, read 188,466 times
Reputation: 245
Quote:
Originally Posted by iNviNciBL3 View Post
I find it strange how the South is seen as the most conservative region of the United States.
Not that its a bad or good thing.

The Great Plains are actually way more conservative then the south.
The South is conservative in a lot of ways. But it's also a very live and let live atmosphere in a lot of ways. That is why I feel so comfortable here.

Other states as I said may have more republicans, or may not, but I travel to the States I listed a lot, and it feels the same in those states as it does here.

You always have some that want to push their views on you, but most people in the South are not like that. Not at all.

There's more common ground than people think, but unfortunately I don't think that will ever come to light.

Last edited by SthrnCarolinaGrl; 09-17-2014 at 02:26 PM..
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Old 09-17-2014, 02:25 PM
 
1,889 posts, read 1,315,122 times
Reputation: 957
Quote:
Originally Posted by jeffpv View Post
The statement that was being responded to was "The USA is a total failure", which is idiotic.

You are missing the forest for the trees.

Your "media has a heavy liberal bias", which is a myth, gives you away as just another complainer from the "side" who didn't happen to win the last election. Just wait, we'll soon have a "conservative" in office who will continue Obama's policies who continued Bush's policies who continued...ad infinitum. That's what US politics has become: "My team needs to win! What? Both candidates are essentially the same? Doesn't matter...my team needs to win!" No perspective. No deeper introspection of the actual state of politics in America. My team!

This is why some believe the sky is falling. It isn't.

Get some perspective. Travel some. Try to expand a little. Compared to the vast majority of countries in the world, the USA is anything but a total failure; in fact, it is doing very well.
Your point about liberal bias (which is definitely not a myth) is a non sequitur. And no, my comment was never intended to prove that the USA is a "total failure". The rest of your comment I read as a contrarian indicator - a worrying warning sign that there are many americans mired in head in the sand normalcy bias who are clueless about what is happening to their country and what is going to happen in the years ahead.

I've seen plenty of the world. I'm also pretty clued into the global financial system. Maybe it's you who should travel the world and see more of it. Add to that a simple study of economic history to understand why the big money (not just here but in Europe, China and South America) are now quietly preparing for things to get much worse.
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Old 09-17-2014, 02:56 PM
 
2,043 posts, read 2,888,805 times
Reputation: 1546
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hightower72 View Post
Your point about liberal bias (which is definitely not a myth) is a non sequitur. And no, my comment was never intended to prove that the USA is a "total failure". The rest of your comment I read as a contrarian indicator - a worrying warning sign that there are many americans mired in head in the sand normalcy bias who are clueless about what is happening to their country and what is going to happen in the years ahead.

I've seen plenty of the world. I'm also pretty clued into the global financial system. Maybe it's you who should travel the world and see more of it. Add to that a simple study of economic history to understand why the big money (not just here but in Europe, China and South America) are now quietly preparing for things to get much worse.
I spent 12 years living abroad in Ukraine, Mexico, Argentina, India, and Russia. I think I have the international thing covered.

In a country where many people see The Economist as "liberal", I guess everything would be liberal, then. But if you mean "liberal" to mean "leftist", then I am afraid it is a myth. The main issue is that the USA is so far right, that anything approaching centrist is considered "liberal". That is not to say there aren't leftist media, there are...but they are few.
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