Views on America

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  • dls06
    dls06 Posts: 6,774 Member
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    I am 56 and have lived in America all my life. I love this country and everything it stands for but, I am very worried and discouraged.
    Politicians seem to be only interested in making a name for themselves. I am tired of the egos and the pis#ing contest. None of them put the country first. We can not be strong if we don't stand together. Everyone hates our choices but rely on us when anything goes wrong in the world. I think we need to consentrate on getting ourselves back on our feet. We are not what we use to be and the world is watching and waiting. I fear for my Grandchildren.
  • mixedfeelings
    mixedfeelings Posts: 904 Member
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    In short, I've met a lot of wonderful people that are from the U.S. and a handful of idiots, it's about the same proportion in every country.

    But if I was to believe people from the U.S. were represented by Fox news then I would be worried. I also think there are a lot of contradictions over there like the super wealthy Christians that seem to spread nothing more than hate which is quite scary. I also think it appears to be a super competitive country. I also don't understand the "World Series", it must be called the world series for another reason????
  • macpatti
    macpatti Posts: 4,280 Member
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    One of the great things about the United States of America is that you're free to leave our country if you do not like it here.
  • MisterTEZ
    MisterTEZ Posts: 272 Member
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    absolutely love Oregon, good friends there and I have found the people I have met very friendly and helpful.

    on a side issue I believe Matt Groening has revealed where he based Simpsons Springfield.

    Springfield Oregon :happy:
    Nope. In the Behind the Laughter episode it was revealed to be a small town in Kentucky. It was later changed to Missouri and references to landmarks in Springfields all over the states are made throughout the series.

    well this is where I read it

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-17673475
  • Hannah_Banana
    Hannah_Banana Posts: 1,242 Member
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    There are a lot of great things about America. I love the National Parks from the Coast of Maine to the Rockies, the Gran canyon and places like Yosemite and Buck Island National Reef - there is probably no other place with such diverse landscapes.

    I love the atmosphere in which I am free to work where I want, to take the jobs I want, to go to school for what I want, and having served a short time in the Army, I realize that all this is not how people live in other places.

    I have traveled in 13 countries outside the US and in all them I found poverty and wealth. I found people with the same basic life pains from addiction to health care concerns. I also found people of faith and those in dire need of hope.

    What I love about America the most is that we have chance to get off our *kitten* and do pretty much anything we want to. We can work hard, become educated or we can blame someone else because they made it and we didn't. We are free to do both.

    You know, it's like this weight loss game. You can work at it and others might pass you by, and you may pass others by, but for those the keep doing it, they eventually make it.

    This :flowerforyou:
  • Lauren8239
    Lauren8239 Posts: 1,039 Member
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    I'm Canadian (Ontario) and have friends in the US. Individually I think Americans are very generous and kind people. As a country......not so much. What I really don't understand is why the schools don't teach outside of their own country. My daughter has many American online friends, and they know nothing about Canada or any other country. From what her friends ask her, we are typecast as living in log cabins with snow year round. It's unreal. Are there no maps of the world in American class rooms?
  • maranatha777
    maranatha777 Posts: 145
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    I am 56 and have lived in America all my life. I love this country and everything it stands for but, I am very worried and discouraged.
    Politicians seem to be only interested in making a name for themselves. I am tired of the egos and the pis#ing contest. None of them put the country first. We can not be strong if we don't stand together. Everyone hates our choices but rely on us when anything goes wrong in the world. I think we need to consentrate on getting ourselves back on our feet. We are not what we use to be and the world is watching and waiting. I fear for my Grandchildren.

    I agree with you. Problem is that so many people do not do their research about anything, especially politics. They just believe whatever the media tells them, or their professors, or friends, etc.
  • Captain_Tightpants
    Captain_Tightpants Posts: 2,215 Member
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    I was born and raised in Europe and moved to America when I was in my late twenties. The immediate difference I noticed (and still notice today, over a decade later) is that Americans seemed very obsessed with the concept of freedom yet at the same time lead lives that are significantly more stressful and less 'free' than most European countries. I always make the comparison that a lot of European countries are geared towards the rights of the employee, while America is completely swayed towards the rights of the employers.

    Just one example - back in England, I got 4 weeks paid time off when I started my job, and gained another week after 5 years service to the company. This was on top of the various national holidays. Most of my friends in different companies had similar setups. Here in America I get just two weeks PTO after ten years of service to the company... and I don't get paid near as much in terms of income to cost of living ratio. Most of my friends here work two, three, or even four jobs to make ends meet. How that is considered "freedom" I'm not really sure.

    The irony is that my company in Europe got just as much work done, just as efficiently because the employees - while working less hours, were more refreshed and happy. There are more ways than one to meet efficiency goals, just sayin'.

    America does a lot of things right though. I love this country, and I love living here, even if I am a lot more tired and a lot more broke :-)
  • macpatti
    macpatti Posts: 4,280 Member
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    Are there no maps of the world in American class rooms?
    No. We do not believe in having maps of places outside of the United States in any of our classrooms. :huh:
  • goron59
    goron59 Posts: 890 Member
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    Love the landscapes, especially the Rockies, Andes, etc., but I guess this is mostly about the USA rather than all of America.

    Not too keen on US imperialism, stomping around the world like it owns it. Reminds me of the British Empire and that's not exactly something to look back at and be proud of. However, the US is a young country and needs a few more hundred years of history before it can properly be judged.

    American people, like people from everywhere are a superset of generous people, friendly people, kind people, fun people shallow people, selfish people, narrow minded people.... the whole spectrum really.

    Of the many I know and have known, I'd say they tend toward the more pleasant end of the spectrum :smile:
  • SkyPixie
    SkyPixie Posts: 224
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    I love the USA :happy:

    But then I judge a country by the people I meet and the experiences I have rather than the politics and laws and all those other things. Sure every country has its short comings , I think it would be a hard place to be if you didn't have a job especially if you got sick but then on the other hand the UK with all its benefits suffers with a huge problem of wasters who get paid to sit on their behinds and do nothing so no place is perfect !

    Oh and your police are pretty scary :laugh:

    I have been a few places in the US and I have to say I would happily live in NC tomorrow if I had half a chance and when I head back to Raleigh it now feels like coming to my second home, even if you do drive on the wrong side of the road :tongue:

    Its the only country I can buy jeans that actually fit ( thank heavens for American Eagle !) where I am yet to meet an impolite person ( people can be so rude in the UK !) and where the food rocks.. the healthy eating options are way way better than we have here , and completely seflishly you have the best range of vintage planes and airshows anywhere so count me as a fan !
  • Krizzle4Rizzle
    Krizzle4Rizzle Posts: 2,704 Member
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    Are there no maps of the world in American class rooms?
    No. We do not believe in having maps of places outside of the United States in any of our classrooms. :huh:

    There are OTHER countries!?!
  • Captain_Tightpants
    Captain_Tightpants Posts: 2,215 Member
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    Oh I gotta chime in on the healthcare issue. It's broken in America - badly broken, but you know what... it's broken in England too. I remember waiting for days and weeks when I lived in England to see a specialist about what could have been potentially time-sensitive health issues. Not to mention the facilities and standard of care is deeply lacking. In America, I can go and see my doctor within a few hours, in confidence that she's highly capable, and in a clean and pleasant environment. American healthcare is broken because of the expense. British universal healthcare is broken because of the lack of resources in an overloaded system. I'm convinced the best solution has got to lie somewhere inbetween the two extremes.
  • macpatti
    macpatti Posts: 4,280 Member
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    There are OTHER countries!?!
    Shhhhhh. We don't want Americans to know this, remember?!
  • Ash_76
    Ash_76 Posts: 186 Member
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    I am 56 and have lived in America all my life. I love this country and everything it stands for but, I am very worried and discouraged.
    Politicians seem to be only interested in making a name for themselves. I am tired of the egos and the pis#ing contest. None of them put the country first. We can not be strong if we don't stand together. Everyone hates our choices but rely on us when anything goes wrong in the world. I think we need to consentrate on getting ourselves back on our feet. We are not what we use to be and the world is watching and waiting. I fear for my Grandchildren.

    I agree with you. Problem is that so many people do not do their research about anything, especially politics. They just believe whatever the media tells them, or their professors, or friends, etc.

    this is same for england to,,,,, its all gone pear shaped, sort of just Britain now the Great isnt there any more.
  • ashreynolds09
    ashreynolds09 Posts: 257 Member
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    I live in America and I think there are a lot of things we can improve on (don't get me started). That being said, I do like living here. I know I am lucky to live in a country like this and I would never complain about it. However, I would also love to try living in a different country sometime. I've always kind of wanted to move to Canada. Or England...

    Every country has it's own problems but I wouldn't mind getting away from ours for a while :smile:

    ^^^ this ^^^^

    yup this!
  • xASHYxSMASHYx
    xASHYxSMASHYx Posts: 175 Member
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    I don't get the fact that, while many European countries start school early for their children (like around 4 years of age), Americans don't start until around 6 years of age.

    I don't get the fact that everyone has an opportunity to go to university, even if they failed half of their highschool classes.

    Americans, compared to Europeans, are out of shape and a bit on the lazy side.

    Americans are quick to blame everyone but themselves for problems in their lives. AKA, they don't take responsibility for themselves. This is one of the main reasons there is an obesity problem here in the U.S. "McDonalds made me fat. I think I will sue them." Come on. No one forced you to eat their food.

    Americans are not as educated as people in other countries, especially when it comes to international politics, environmental issues, and geography. I was watching a video the other day where this British chap asked Americans about political issues. He then presented a map of the world to them, except that the countries were mislabeled. For example, Australia was labeled North and South Korea. When people said that No. And So. Korea were hot zones for war, they were asked to put a flag on those countries. They put the flag right on Australia without even questioning if that was the right name for that continent. Australia! For goodness sakes!

    First off, I started school at 4 years old. All my friends also started at age 4 or 5.
    Second, everyone does have the opportunity to go to uni, if you didn't pass high school classes you get a GED and go to community college.
    Generalizing that Americans are lazy and out of shape is a pretty ignorant stereotype. Once again it's like saying that all Australians talk like Crocodile Dundee and cook shrimp on the barbie, or that all English people have bad teeth. There are a million stereotypes which could be true of any person in any country.
    Lastly, because you watched one video that showed several Americans answering trivia, you assume that all Americans are uneducated? That is really sad for you. Sounds like you should do some more research. I bet I could pull up a lot of different videos here in the modern age that are pretty convincing on just about any subject. It's called editing.
  • LizKurz
    LizKurz Posts: 340 Member
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    I Love America ... but then I'm American ... and its HUMP DAY so who cares we all live and share this lovely planet so no matter your views there's one thing we can all agree on....

    GAS PRICES ARE WAY TO HIGH !!!!!! :grumble: :grumble: :grumble: :grumble:

    I might be the only American that thinks they're too low. We paid close to $8 a gallon for four years when we lived overseas. You know what we did. Biked, walked and didn't drive much.

    America is the only country with a way off balance of carbon emissions compared to our population. I would love to see gas prices
    triple. I think we could finally more towards more public transportation, which would help the poor out as well as the planet.

    Too bad the food produced here is very dependent on the fuel. walking to the store is great if there is food there when you arrive , in quantities adequate to feed all , and at a price that can be afforded . I know what you mean in decrying the amount of fossil fuel consumed but the un necessary trips in the family car isn't all thats at stake here . We have by and large regulated ourselves into being a service and consumption economy . Let's at least retain the ability to feed ourselves and export food overseas too .

    Yes,I agree it is too bad. The rail system is so underutilized, and the agriculture system is so messed up here that consuming most of the world fossil fuels is an unfortunate side effect. There should be more regulation, less BIG AG and more farmers markets and family farms. We would stand to do well too, with not polluting our water and foods with more regulations on the type of crap we spray with. Organic farms are sustainable and don't take massive amounts of pesticides or fuel to spray those pesticides.

    I agree, there's more effed up here than just low gas prices.
  • LizKurz
    LizKurz Posts: 340 Member
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    One of the great things about the United States of America is that you're free to leave our country if you do not like it here.

    Oh yeah? You footin the bill? Cause we'd love to leave, but don't have the money. People like us, in the lower middle class/upper working class don't have the money to just up and leave. Plane tickets, finding a place to live overseas, these things take money. The privileged can leave, but why would they? America favors them at the expense of everyone else.

    This, I think comes off snarky, I don't mean to be snarky, it was more of an " oh yeah? Well what about...." type statement. I don't like it that people just say "you don't like it here? Then leave!" all the while knowing its not true, and that people just can't up and leave. Hell, some people can't even move cities or counties because of the fact that they're too poor, let alone entire countries.
  • Coolhand1969
    Coolhand1969 Posts: 833 Member
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    I am Australian (wee seem to be the majority on this thread..), but I've lived in the US for the past 6 years or so.
    ...
    On the other hand, there are things I will never comprehend. The gun thing is just madness to the eyes of aussies - we have something like 100 random gun-related homicides per year. In the whole country. The blind adherence to the 'right to bear arms' with no critical consideration that more guns is not actually a good way to prevent shootings.
    ....

    Some of us believe that we should have the right to bear arms so that we can overthrow the government when it becomes too radical or reactionary, and peaceful means to fix it have been exhausted. I believe that is the purpose of having the "well-regulated militia" referred to in the 2nd amendment. It is, afterall, how the authors of that amendment used their militia - to overthrow their government and create a new one. Obviously, small arms would not win a war against the actual army, but they may be enough to help gain some of the larger weapons required. (of course, I'm not saying that time has come, and I'm not advocating a revolution against the government of today, but I do want that option if it became necessary)

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