Făkünamę wrote:America: Greatest Nation on Earth!
I hear that a lot, unilateral self-praise from Americans living in America that it is, and wonder what metric they're using. I've checked various rankings, which use different methods, and the USA ranks between 3rd and 5th generally, very closely (lagging by less than ~%1.5) followed by about 6 other countries. Makes me wonder what the hell they're on about.
ETA: On the 'inequality adjusted' HDI the USA ranks 16th.
Umm, yeah... ranks, that's nice. It's not a contest. It's subjective. Don't make the mistake that because you read some rank, that's the way it is for every American.
I'm happy. I live well. I have money. I'm educated, holding multiple degrees and have a good job. I drive a nice car. I own multiple properties totaling in the hundreds of acres. I get all the health care I need. We have the mightiest military in the world, (don't agree with being the world police though). And even better, I'm not a fucking felon just because I own an AR-15 and its standard capacity magazines. I can also legally carry a concealed pistol, which honestly is more for defending my family than myself.
I live in one of the greatest places on Earth and except for the snow in April, this is a great place to raise your children.
These douche bag, sanctimonious counties like the UK, Australia, et. al. with all the anti-gun brainwashing, like to make themselves feel better, lying to themselves about being "more civilized" than the US. It's just pure bullshit, plain and simple. It's Ego.
Just a matter of a few days ago, there was a blizzard and my car got stuck on a residential street in Minneapolis. I drive a BMW and despite it snowing in Bavaria also, my car being rear-wheel drive, doesn't really like it very much when there's 5+ inches of snow on the ground. It's about 10:30 or later at night, I'm just trying to go home, and I can't leave because I'm stuck. I underestimated the ridiculous April snowfall. I sat in my car for about 45 seconds before some of the neighbors came home, and without me even asking or signaling them an any way, a 30-something married couple came out with two snow shovels and fucking helped me shovel my ass out of the snow. No hesitation to approach me whatsoever.
Sorry, but I don't consider total strangers helping me in the middle of the night, in Minneapolis, shoveling heavy wet snow, some "uncivilized" country. There are countless of examples like this that I have experienced in my lifetime where I have been helped and I have helped a complete stranger. Not to mention, the other millions of random acts of kindness. And all these people who are this nice, this helpful, this civil, who all belong to this construct we call society, are all still this helpful, even though they know that it is legal to carry a gun. Yet, nobody cares. Nobody thinks, "OMG he might have a gun!"
This fear that these sanctimonious douche bags have from other countries is literally sick. People are not staying in and barring their windows. We live our lives happily and do not hesitate to be social and help others, because we know that if it were us, we would want to be helped too. Anyone who thinks America is "uncivilized" is a fucking ignorant bigot. Plain and simple. If you hate America so much, then stay the fuck out of it, it's not that difficult. We don't want you. There are plenty of people who flock to this country. We don't need any more high and mighty assholes to look down on us. You don't understand the culture. You fear and demonize what you don't understand. No surprise there.
You don't like my culture? I don't give a shit. I couldn't care less what you ethnocentric bigots think of America. If you think I'm changing my culture because sanctimonious snobs think I should, you're dead wrong. Instead, I will embrace it even deeper.
It is, after all, your country and not mine.
