Has the US lost its edge permanently?

[Cbrider]

I love people who complain that the U.S. is "not supporting them as a citizen." The infrastructure you have access to is so much astronomically more advanced and available than the rest of the world.

What brings the U.S. down are you people who feel a sense of entitlement. You WORK for what you want, it's not handed to you - save a few situations. If you don't get what YOU want as a U.S. citizen, then it is YOU who have failed.

You have every opportunity and advantage you can ask for in the U.S. If you flounder it and leave the country to proclaim someone else handled your life better, congratu-****ing-lations.

[dewilliams2]

I love people who complain that the U.S. is "not supporting them as a citizen." The infrastructure you have access to is so much astronomically more advanced and available than the rest of the world.

What brings the U.S. down are you people who feel a sense of entitlement. You WORK for what you want, it's not handed to you - save a few situations. If you don't get what YOU want as a U.S. citizen, then it is YOU who have failed.

You have every opportunity and advantage you can ask for in the U.S. If you flounder it and leave the country to proclaim someone else handled your life better, congratu-****ing-lations.

hahaha, so true

I can't type much cause I'm on my phone but keep in mind not everybody even coming from the same country have the same opportunities as everybody. I myself have had opportunities not available to everybody. I have excellent parents and come from a middle class family. I went to a small school and never had a class larger than 20 students until I was in college....there are more but as I said I'm on my phone.

Opportunities we may have had are not there for everyone. Socio-economic standards must be takin into account along with the idea that many times there is a cyclical family process and many people who find themselves at the bottom come from parents who also find themselves there. While they can pull themselves up they have to work much harder than somebody such as myself.

[SirWagginston]

I love people who complain that the U.S. is "not supporting them as a citizen." The infrastructure you have access to is so much astronomically more advanced and available than the rest of the world.

Exactly what I'm talking about--Americans who don't know anything about what goes on outside their country. American infrastructure is not astronomically more advanced than the rest of the world. It's not even marginally more advanced than the rest of the world.

[URL="http://hdr.undp.org/en/statistics/"]This[/URL] is the Human Development Index. It measures the quality of life of every country by taking many factors into account, including the availability and quality of infrastructure such as public transportation and schools. Notice that the United States is ranked #13--which, although very good, is not far and away better than everybody else. Canada had the top spot for a while, but now it's Norway, probably thanks to higher gas prices.

[IndiReloaded]

That's comparing 'Western' developed countries, though. I think Cbrider was meaning the entire world.

Still, the sentiment is correct: there are far more 'wasted opportunities' than lack of opportunity in a country like the US. Or Canada.

But in my opinion if you want to talk about American education we should not be discussing those at the very top but why there are those at the very bottom.

My opinion is that when not presented with a motivation to better oneself such as a good job then why would anybody put in the work? We must always consider there are people who come form worse backgrounds than we do. I sympathize for them and attempt to understand them.

This is the right focus. I agree, DW.

[Cbrider]

13th out of 182. That means there are 169 countries ranked below us. Do I really have to explain this?

You hate the U.S. and think Canada is the messiah of mankind, we get that. Were you denied internet access while in DC?

We can argue this all day, the point is you inferred/claimed that a country ranked 13th in the world and in the upper most echelon of development did not serve you well as a human.

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The U.S. is a min/max society. We have the best of the best and the worst of the worst. We DO need more focus on the lower tiers to lift society as a whole. Be it education, housing, income, etc.

P.S. I twisted my ankle and blistered the top of my foot playing b-ball today, I'm really not in the best of moods >.<

[IndiReloaded]

DM, you are Christian right? There is a great story in the bible about Jesus separating the human sheep and the goats. I'm paraphrasing b/c I'm a long time out of Sunday school, but it basically said:

'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or otherwise in need and did not help you?'

His reply was: 'Whatever you did not do for the least of these you did not do for me.'

The best society has to offer is necessary for progress, but a society isn't just a measure of its best. Its also about how we treat its least.

[SirWagginston]

13th out of 182. That means there are 169 countries ranked below us. Do I really have to explain this?

You hate the U.S. and think Canada is the messiah of mankind, we get that. Were you denied internet access while in DC?

We can argue this all day, the point is you inferred/claimed that a country ranked 13th in the world and in the upper most echelon of development did not serve you well as a human.

--------------

The U.S. is a min/max society. We have the best of the best and the worst of the worst. We DO need more focus on the lower tiers to lift society as a whole. Be it education, housing, income, etc.

P.S. I twisted my ankle and blistered the top of my foot playing b-ball today, I'm really not in the best of moods >.<

Is your ankle affecting your brain? Yes, the US is 13th. You said America is astronomically better than the rest of the world. Not, "The USA is one of the best countries in the world, at least marginally better than all but 12 others." I do think Canada is a better place to live, but I don't hate the US. The US is preferable to, say, Mexico, or anywhere in Africa. But I hate Americans who think their country is God's gift to planet Earth, and say that everyplace else is shit. There is no other country on Earth where that attitude is significantly prevalent.

[Cbrider]

Is your ankle affecting your brain? Yes, the US is 13th. You said America is astronomically better than the rest of the world. Not, "The USA is one of the best countries in the world, at least marginally better than all but 12 others." I do think Canada is a better place to live, but I don't hate the US. The US is preferable to, say, Mexico, or anywhere in Africa. But I hate Americans who think their country is God's gift to planet Earth, and say that everyplace else is shit. There is no other country on Earth where that attitude is significantly prevalent.

You act as if the margin separating the top 13 is even noticeable. The rest of the posters here seemed to pick up on the fact that "astronomically better' referred to the world as a whole, not the most developed western nations. If you notice Indi's post above, she even went as far as to explain that to you, but you still missed it.

You realize that in America all we constantly hear from Canadians is how much better Canada is than the U.S. because of X and Y?

"The US is preferable to, say, Mexico, or anywhere in Africa. But I hate Americans who think their country is God's gift to planet Earth, and say that everyplace else is shit."

This statement really hurts your attempt at painting Canadians as these wonderful, friendly people.

My ankle and my brain work at different levels. For instance I can separate thoughts into separate sentences and paragraphs.

P.S. Bluesummer is a good Canadian.

[SirWagginston]

And do you realize you sound like a character from Team America? AMEEEERICA, **** YA!!!! Seriously, that sort of arrogance is only present in the US. You don't see Canadians running around the world announcing their awesomeness; they make fun of Americans because Canadian culture is more humble, and the American tendency to shout about one's achievements is looked down upon.

[IndiReloaded]

P.S. Bluesummer is a good Canadian.

BlueSum is a born-Canuck, I think. Maybe that's the difference.

FWIW, I have a lot to be thankful to ma-USA for. My uber job here in Canada is, in part, due to my US graduate education. It opened doors, I can't say not.

Those who can't manage an ivy-league US education should take more advantage of the Canadian universities. The education quality is comparable, but the tuition is much more reasonable. Clearly, I didn't have a problem moving from the Canadian university system to the US one for grad school. They paid my entire way, in fact.

[Junket]

We need to stop thinking international, and start thinking nationally, and work our way down to locally.

I don't give a shit if the US is or isn't better than another country.

I care more about what states are better than other states, what cities are better than other cities, what communities are better than other communities.

And what we can do to improve them.

Grassroots bitches.

[IndiReloaded]

You don't see Canadians running around the world announcing their awesomeness; they make fun of Americans because Canadian culture is more humble, and the American tendency to shout about one's achievements is looked down upon.

You might want to retract that. I saw some major Canadian patriotism during the Olympics. Especially after that hockey game.

[IndiReloaded]

We need to stop thinking international, and start thinking nationally, and work our way down to locally.

I don't give a shit if the US is or isn't better than another country.

I care more about what states are better than other states, what cities are better than other cities, what communities are better than other communities.

And what we can do to improve them.

Grassroots bitches.

Fras, I know the idea turns your stomach, but you should think about politics. Some day. After all, if you aren't raising yourself up, then you deserve everything you get (or don't).

Don't say no. You are too young. Just say... hmmmm.

[SirWagginston]

You might want to retract that. I saw some major Canadian patriotism during the Olympics. Especially after that hockey game.

OK, granted. I was downtown after the final game, and it was ridiculous. Fireworks and weed and drunk people everywhere, like a hardcore rave covering the entire street of Granville.

Still, that was a special occasion, because it involved hockey, which is like a way of life. When I tell people in the US that I'm Canadian, many people react immediately with negative stereotypes. "Oh, so you live in an igloo, eh?" "Dude, Canada's not a real country, it's our hat." When I tell people in Canada that I'm American, nobody ever says such things.

[Junket]

Fras, I know the idea turns your stomach, but you should think about politics. Some day. After all, if you aren't raising yourself up, then you deserve everything you get (or don't).

Don't say no. You are too young. Just say... hmmmm.

Hmmmmm.
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