Silk Road forums
Discussion => Philosophy, Economics and Justice => Topic started by: Limetless on October 23, 2012, 03:18 am
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Having just watched the final debate it makes me wonder what Americans feel about the U.S as a whole. From an outsiders perspective personally I think a lot of stuff you have is really good and unique but there are a lot of faults as well but I have no idea what it's like to live in the U.S and be a U.S citizen.
Please share. :)
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America is fucked. It is akin to a heroin addict that has reached rock bottom but is in full denial. Either the addict stops justifying his ways or dies.
The debate is a sham. No real answers are given. Both parties are owned by the same special interests. Neither represent the people. The questions are known ahead of time and the answers are scripted. Neither candidate, if elected, holds any true power. The government of the United States has been highjacked since WWII. I love my country, but I hate my government.
However, as America goes, so does Britain. This world is interconnected, so our fate inevitably destines yours. We are in this together. One must forget patriotism, forget national borders. Realize we are one species on one floating rock and work together or perish.
It is really that simple. Instead we have two actors get on a stage and debate how they are going to fight wars instead of debating how not to fight wars. Two puppets who talk about not burdening the middle class when they are nothing but servants to Multinational corporations.
A revolution is near. It is in the air. My fear is that it will be violent. This revolution must be peaceful. It is the only way to win. It is the only way to ensure future peace. If this revolution is won by violence, it will ultimately be run again by violence. Same oppression, different faces.
I advise everyone not to vote. It is nothing but constructive consent to their power and decisions. I refuse to participate in a rigged system in which the People are given two candidates which are predetermined by billions of dollars from SuperPACs in campaign contributions.
America contributed many great things to society. However it has turned into an absolute nightmare. At the moment I am not rioting in the streets as the citizens of Greece and Spain are presently doing. But that moment is not far away. For the U.S. and Britain as well.
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Interesting, at what point do you think America became "an absolute nightmare". Also what would you say growing up is like in the U.S? Is it good or bad or something else? Whats the education system like?
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Interesting, at what point do you think America became "an absolute nightmare". Also what would you say growing up is like in the U.S? Is it good or bad or something else? Whats the education system like?
Growing up in the US is largely defined by the education system. It is interesting you brought those two up in the same post.
One does not realize that their entire youth was nothing more than an indoctrination camp similar to the Hitler youth.
We are taught simply to memorize and repeat. To be just smart enough to run the machines. To obey orders. And of course, to love your country more than planet earth.
Every morning we recited the Pledge of Allegiance while placing our right hand over our heart and staring at the flag. We were taught the USA is number one and all other countries are inferior. The Federal Government has centralized the school curriculum through the Department of Education. As a result, the entire nation is taught nearly identical classes. No longer is their critical thought or problem solving emphasized. Only regurgitation.
The media brainwashes one into yearning for material objects that one does not need. That one is ugly. That one needs to be a badass. That one needs a hot wife.
Work is something that should be done Monday through Friday for longer than 8 hours. Two weeks vacation per year is not unheard of. People's stress levels are through the roof, as they continue to work and work but never get ahead. Many have been laid off from companies in which they have given 25 plus years.
All the food is malnutrition. All the water is dirty. All the infrastructure is crumbling.
As for when America became a nightmare, it would be the same time Britain became a nightmare. After WWII.
America completely devised their playbook from Great Britain. It was your colonization and things such as the British East India Tea Company which led the way for our new era of conquering nations through Economic Hitmen.
Today, there are no leaders of nations. There is only a web of Banking, Military Industrial Complex and Multinational Corporations running the world. Including America and Britain.
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Two weeks holiday? Whaaaat? We get way more than that here. I asked about education because I believe that your education is the fundamental in your life and determines who you are going to be.
The pledge thing I seen on the telly a couple of times and I find it a little disturbing but is it optional? Would you say, be punished if you were to abstain from it?
Materialism is universal so I wouldn't say it's fundamental to the U.S but it appears the U.S as well as the U.K are worse than most.
The water? You serious? The U.S ain't the third world surely? I been to your shores a few times and never seen this on a huge level.
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The biggest benefit of a college education these days is to have a better chance of working OUTSIDE of the USA. If you get an education today, chances are that you won't have a job when you get out of school. We have been brainwashed into believing a lie and that is why we are where we are currently. I believe we will experience a financial collapse and/or WWIII within the next 4 years. The Federal Reserve and QE3 practically guarantees it. The failing Petro dollar guarantees it. Notice you didn't hear ANYTHING about those during the debates? Nothing else matters if you don't take care of that problem....NOTHING. Obama is going to win again....I predicted it before Romney STOLE the Republican Nomination. We have two actor puppets that were chosen to run against each other so that we all fall for the illusion that we actually HAVE a choice....a voice.....a real vote. The truth is that it's all fixed and planned and the destination is NOT going to be a pleasant one....
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I love this country! But only the same as I love this world. Fuck poli-tics. It will never actually change anything. Only continue the back n forth match so status quo can continue to thrive, never changing really. It's designed to do just that.
I watched the debates only for amusement. I will not vote. Hopefully the generations growing up will see the bullshit that all politics and government really are and perpetuate. It's been great for a time. But not for our future. We are governing ourselves here and we're a bunch of coke head heroin druggie drug dealers eh?!
I hope at some point we will stop thinking so much about fake borders that don't really exist. And stop believing ANYTHING and EVERYTHING encompassing mainstream media.
We are and have always been.... lied to by government. The United States is a corporation. A fiction. A business. It's not actually a country. It's not "one nation" under god. It's many nations. The education system is pure shit. I was disgusted in high school. It's entire design is to pump out mindless drones to live out their lives paying off ridiculous school loans that didn't really teach much of true value. I'm so blown away at what our society is and how sick it really is. I think people need major therapy and trauma aid starting with the leaders and workers in government. I think the system needs to stop being about competition and consumption. Infinite growth paradigm. We are a stupid society most of the time. I can't wait till we move beyond the short sighted wheel spinning, doing very little to actually "solve" problems or move society forward. We have much more potential.
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I largely agree with what those above have said. This is a bad government and the source of most of the problems. Corporations, e.g. Microsoft, are also victims, who have to pay "protection" to do business. The schools are indoctrination centers. But the answer is in front of us. The internet, Bitcoin, online and offline black markets. If you love your children, home school them. There is help online, much if it for free. (e.g. Kahn Academy). Violence is coming, if you don't already have a gun get one or more while you still can, legally. Learn to use it and practice. The currency will become worthless. Buy and hold gold and silver. There's even a bank (Free Lakota Bank) which will pay generous interest on silver time deposits. If you have the space, buy and stockpile non-perishable foodstuffs. Even if inflation is "only" 10% a year, that's better interest than you can get at a bank, and you can eat it.
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So does everyone think this in America? You guys in the minority or is it a general feeling across the populace or what?
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The masses do what the masses do. It seems the majority of people in general, not just america, are somewhat or mostly asleep. Complacent. 9 to 5ers. Trust their doctor, and still believe the whole... "If we just get OUR guy in their... they will really change things"
I'm blown away that the elections are still going on like normal, but I do believe there is a larger amount of opting out folk then ever before. The media always plays it up. When the entire country and world were protesting about the US going into iraq, the media portrayed the massive festivals as much lower turnouts.
I thought having a very intelligent president would make a difference as well. I knew it was all bullshit but I still had that shred of hope. I believe nothing on tv. I believe nothing the government tells me. NOTHING.
I think most in America are still on the status quo train. Still believe it's the only way things can be.
But the younger generations all seem to know about chemtrails, zeitgeist, fed reserve bullshit. molly is spreading the nation along with dub. I really thing there is a shift coming a long with the predictions of such. I do have hope and faith for humanity still. And I think we can all contribute significantly to the change. It's partly why I sell drugs ;)
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So do you not think that in reality this has probably been the way of things since day one?
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I've always thought of America as a place of two extremes. Some of the best shit in the world is there or comes from there. On the other hand, a wealth of problems (not limited to just economic/financial ones) seem to come out of there too.
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That's basically how I see it and I think most non-Americans do. It does some great stuff but at the same time needs to reign itself in and address it's internal issues. I'm really interested in what American life is like though, and the concept of "what it means to be American".
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Two weeks holiday? Whaaaat? We get way more than that here. I asked about education because I believe that your education is the fundamental in your life and determines who you are going to be.
Two weeks vacation is standard in Canada, and to a lesser degree, in the United States. In Canada, 2 weeks is the statutory minimum; in the U.S. there is no statutory minimum vacation. My understanding is that paid vacations are not required to be offered by employers in the United States.
The pledge thing I seen on the telly a couple of times and I find it a little disturbing but is it optional? Would you say, be punished if you were to abstain from it?
I don't believe it's optional. I'm not certain you would be punished if you refused, but you would almost certainly be severely ostracized.
Materialism is universal so I wouldn't say it's fundamental to the U.S but it appears the U.S as well as the U.K are worse than most.
The water? You serious? The U.S ain't the third world surely? I been to your shores a few times and never seen this on a huge level.
Well, the infrastructure is crumbling in many areas. As far as dirty water is concerned, a 2009 New York Times article stated:
Millions in U.S. Drink Dirty Water, Records Show
By CHARLES DUHIGG
Published: December 7, 2009
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/08/business/energy-environment/08water.html?pagewanted=1&_r=0
More than 20 percent of the nation's water treatment systems have violated key provisions of the Safe Drinking Water Act over the last five years, according to a New York Times analysis of federal data.
hat law requires communities to deliver safe tap water to local residents. But since 2004, the water provided to more than 49 million people has contained illegal concentrations of chemicals like arsenic or radioactive substances like uranium, as well as dangerous bacteria often found in sewage.
Regulators were informed of each of those violations as they occurred. But regulatory records show that fewer than 6 percent of the water systems that broke the law were ever fined or punished by state or federal officials, including those at the Environmental Protection Agency, which has ultimate responsibility for enforcing standards.
Studies indicate that drinking water contaminants are linked to millions of instances of illness within the United States each year.
In some instances, drinking water violations were one-time events, and probably posed little risk. But for hundreds of other systems, illegal contamination persisted for years, records show.
On Tuesday, the Senate Environment and Public Works committee will question a high-ranking E.P.A. official about the agency's enforcement of drinking-water safety laws. The E.P.A. is expected to announce a new policy for how it polices the nation's 54,700 water systems.
"This administration has made it clear that clean water is a top priority," said an E.P.A. spokeswoman, Adora Andy, in response to questions regarding the agency's drinking water enforcement. The E.P.A. administrator, Lisa P. Jackson, this year announced a wide-ranging overhaul of enforcement of the Clean Water Act, which regulates pollution into waterways.
"The previous eight years provide a perfect example of what happens when political leadership fails to act to protect our health and the environment," Ms. Andy added.
Water pollution has become a growing concern for some lawmakers as government oversight of polluters has waned. Senator Barbara Boxer, Democrat of California, in 2007 asked the E.P.A. for data on Americans' exposure to some contaminants in drinking water.
The New York Times has compiled and analyzed millions of records from water systems and regulators around the nation, as part of a series of articles about worsening pollution in American waters, and regulators' response.
An analysis of E.P.A. data shows that Safe Drinking Water Act violations have occurred in parts of every state. In the prosperous town of Ramsey, N.J., for instance, drinking water tests since 2004 have detected illegal concentrations of arsenic, a carcinogen, and the dry cleaning solvent tetrachloroethylene, which has also been linked to cancer.
In New York state, 205 water systems have broken the law by delivering tap water that contained illegal amounts of bacteria since 2004.
However, almost none of those systems were ever punished. Ramsey was not fined for its water violations, for example, though a Ramsey official said that filtration systems have been installed since then. In New York, only three water systems were penalized for bacteria violations, according to federal data.
The problem, say current and former government officials, is that enforcing the Safe Drinking Water Act has not been a federal priority.
"There is significant reluctance within the E.P.A. and Justice Department to bring actions against municipalities, because there's a view that they are often cash-strapped, and fines would ultimately be paid by local taxpayers," said David Uhlmann, who headed the environmental crimes division at the Justice Department until 2007.
"But some systems won't come into compliance unless they are forced to," added Mr. Uhlmann, who now teaches at the University of Michigan law school. "And sometimes a court order is the only way to get local governments to spend what is needed."
A half-dozen current and former E.P.A. officials said in interviews that they tried to prod the agency to enforce the drinking-water law, but found little support.
"I proposed drinking water cases, but they got shut down so fast that I've pretty much stopped even looking at the violations," said one longtime E.P.A. enforcement official who, like others, requested anonymity for fear of reprisals. "The top people want big headlines and million-dollar settlements. That's not drinking-water cases."
The majority of drinking water violations since 2004 have occurred at water systems serving fewer than 20,000 residents, where resources and managerial expertise are often in short supply.
It is unclear precisely how many American illnesses are linked to contaminated drinking water. Many of the most dangerous contaminants regulated by the Safe Drinking Water Act have been tied to diseases like cancer that can take years to develop.
But scientific research indicates that as many as 19 million Americans may become ill each year due to just the parasites, viruses and bacteria in drinking water. Certain types of cancer — such as breast and prostate cancer — have risen over the past 30 years, and research indicates they are likely tied to pollutants like those found in drinking water.
The violations counted by the Times analysis include only situations where residents were exposed to dangerous contaminants, and exclude violations that involved paperwork or other minor problems.
In response to inquiries submitted by Senator Boxer, the E.P.A. has reported that more than three million Americans have been exposed since 2005 to drinking water with illegal concentrations of arsenic and radioactive elements, both of which have been linked to cancer at small doses.
In some areas, the amount of radium detected in drinking water was 2,000 percent higher than the legal limit, according to E.P.A. data.
But federal regulators fined or punished fewer than 8 percent of water systems that violated the arsenic and radioactive standards. The E.P.A., in a statement, said that in a majority of situations, state regulators used informal methods — like providing technical assistance — to help systems that had violated the rules.
But many systems remained out of compliance, even after aid was offered, according to E.P.A. data. And for over a quarter of systems that violated the arsenic or radioactivity standards, there is no record that they were ever contacted by a regulator, even after they sent in paperwork revealing their violations.
Those figures are particularly worrisome, say researchers, because the Safe Drinking Water Act's limits on arsenic are so weak to begin with. A system could deliver tap water that puts residents at a 1-in-600 risk of developing bladder cancer from arsenic, and still comply with the law.
Despite the expected announcement of reforms, some mid-level E.P.A. regulators say they are skeptical that any change will occur.
"The same people who told us to ignore Safe Drinking Water Act violations are still running the divisions," said one mid-level E.P.A. official. "There's no accountability, and so nothing's going to change."
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Bloody hell. Not sure what to say really, that not being optional thing is really dark.
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I am not happy with the state of things here. Our country was founded on certain principles and ideas that have now been all but erased by greed and corporate corruption of the government. If I had any sort of funds I would move to South America and deal with the crime and corruption there than here. My friend moved to Santiago, Chile two years ago and has never looked back. He use to be depressed and paranoid over the current situation in the States, but is now happy and living to his full potential.
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I am not happy with the state of things here. Our country was founded on certain principles and ideas that have now been all but erased by greed and corporate corruption of the government.
When Benjamin Franklin was asked was form of government was best, he is said to have replied, " A Republic, if you can keep it."
If Franklin were alive today, he would be literally horrified at provisions like the Patriot Act -- its' provisions are just as bad as any that he had to live under, coming from the British Crown.
If I had any sort of funds I would move to South America and deal with the crime and corruption there than here. My friend moved to Santiago, Chile two years ago and has never looked back. He use to be depressed and paranoid over the current situation in the States, but is now happy and living to his full potential.
I think that people have been preparing for an exodus from the U.S. ever since Bush got a second term. If Romney is elected, I think you'll see a lot of people getting out of the U.S.
One thing I think you'll find in South America is that there is no appreciable middle class. You have the very rich, and the very poor -- America is headed in that direction. In both places, if you've got money, you can do very well. If you don't....
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The good thing about South America is you don't have to be very rich to be very rich down there. My friend was low middle class, but down in Chile he is considered wealthy.
If you buy locally down there it is super cheap, but if you want American stuff like Jordans then expect the same or higher prices than here.
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I really want to answer the original question in a thoughtful, clear way. But then I start thinking about what I was promised as a child and what the reality is and I get so angry that I can't properly articulate my thoughts. Much of what I would say - or try to say - has been said already fortunately.
Yes, that Pledge of Allegiance was more-or-less mandatory at my schools growing up. Nobody even so much as thought to argue about it, because we were all children and we trusted our authority figures. I have to say that even at the age of six or seven I can remember just simply repeating the pledge without attaching any sort of religious-type significance to it. As I got older, I cared less and less what it meant as I grew more and more distrustful of those in positions of power.
By the time I was 16, most of my teachers in my public high school actively disliked me because I challenged their authority at regular intervals. "Why?" was my favorite question. I never accepted that "this is the situation because we say so." If something made no sense, I spoke up. Granted, it never got me anywhere positive, but at least I wasn't a mindless drone participating in some Two-Minute Hate every morning.
From those experiences, I learned that I needed to educate myself and turn off the rest of the noise, propaganda and interference.
My father's America was a very different one from mine, and because I am both my father's son and because my father was very involved in my upbringing, I was lead to believe that to be American was something to be proud of since "we are the best." As I became an adult, I saw the world more for what it is: corrupt.
And it has ALWAYS been corrupt. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss. I don't know what it would be like to be British, for instance, but I can't imagine that things are all that much different there. Perhaps some things are less corrupt, and perhaps other more so. But all Western governments - and probably all governments everywhere - are the same: they seek power and to do what it takes to maintain that power.
Just recently, one of the major news channels - I forget which one, but they're all corporate-controlled machines, so it really matters not - asked the very insightful question: "Which side are YOU on?" As if there were only two ways to vote or feel about politics. It's disgusting how brainwashed our society has become, and even more disgusting how hopeless it is that people will ever wake up en mass to see just that. If the populace is only given a small subset of ideas to debate over, they are effectively controlled. Just like the limiting and editing of the language in 1984. If you can control what people think and debate about, then you've effectively enslaved them.
Places like the darkweb give me hope for humanity though. At least there are other minds out there who also reject the bullshit around them and strive for better things.
//sorry for the rant.
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I really want to answer the original question in a thoughtful, clear way. But then I start thinking about what I was promised as a child and what the reality is and I get so angry that I can't properly articulate my thoughts. Much of what I would say - or try to say - has been said already fortunately.
Yes, that Pledge of Allegiance was more-or-less mandatory at my schools growing up. Nobody even so much as thought to argue about it, because we were all children and we trusted our authority figures. I have to say that even at the age of six or seven I can remember just simply repeating the pledge without attaching any sort of religious-type significance to it. As I got older, I cared less and less what it meant as I grew more and more distrustful of those in positions of power.
By the time I was 16, most of my teachers in my public high school actively disliked me because I challenged their authority at regular intervals. "Why?" was my favorite question. I never accepted that "this is the situation because we say so." If something made no sense, I spoke up. Granted, it never got me anywhere positive, but at least I wasn't a mindless drone participating in some Two-Minute Hate every morning.
From those experiences, I learned that I needed to educate myself and turn off the rest of the noise, propaganda and interference.
My father's America was a very different one from mine, and because I am both my father's son and because my father was very involved in my upbringing, I was lead to believe that to be American was something to be proud of since "we are the best." As I became an adult, I saw the world more for what it is: corrupt.
And it has ALWAYS been corrupt. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss. I don't know what it would be like to be British, for instance, but I can't imagine that things are all that much different there. Perhaps some things are less corrupt, and perhaps other more so. But all Western governments - and probably all governments everywhere - are the same: they seek power and to do what it takes to maintain that power.
Just recently, one of the major news channels - I forget which one, but they're all corporate-controlled machines, so it really matters not - asked the very insightful question: "Which side are YOU on?" As if there were only two ways to vote or feel about politics. It's disgusting how brainwashed our society has become, and even more disgusting how hopeless it is that people will ever wake up en mass to see just that. If the populace is only given a small subset of ideas to debate over, they are effectively controlled. Just like the limiting and editing of the language in 1984. If you can control what people think and debate about, then you've effectively enslaved them.
Places like the darkweb give me hope for humanity though. At least there are other minds out there who also reject the bullshit around them and strive for better things.
//sorry for the rant.
Don't be sorry for the rant. You expressed yourself eloquently. +1
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America is failing, not as a country but as America. We are anything but free, we are no more free than any other developed country, America is no longer special its just another big global power.
Our politics are even worse, it doesn't even matter who you vote for because neither party represents the ideals their respective parties are founded on, the represent the interests of the big time corporations that finance their campaigns.
I think the problem is the "winner take all" political system we have. If 51% of the country votes democrat, then the democratic party get 100% of the representation in government. That's not fair, they should get 51% representation while the republican get 49% representation, after all 49% of the country voted republican! More importantly, smaller parties have no chance of having any say because they never get close to 51%. In a truly fair political system, if 5% of the country voted for the libertarian party then the libertarian party would have 5% representation in the government, for example.
Its impossible to have meaningful change with a winner take all system because for 4 years the democrats have the power and make their changes and then 4 years later the republicans are in power and the reverse the changes and make their own and it just goes back and forth. If we had many parties participating in government, we would see some changes that everyone agrees to so they would stick. Right now both republicans and democrats have good ideas on improving the country but they will never have time to actually work because as soon as the other party gets in they change things.
It seems like US politics is just a big game designed to see who is better at convincing people to vote for them.
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im uk and dont no much about usa but the fed system just seems insane ,i seen a congress guy grilling bernanke asking how the fuck they can give 200 trillion/billion away to banks without asking congress which had gone from a couple of trillion in a few years and bernanke said we dont have to ask congress its a rule .the congress guy asked when the rule was from and he said 1913 ish and he said i dont think they expected u to be giving 200 trill away when the rule was made though
do most americans even know the fed isnt the gov
most the old heros they worship have quotes about all sorts saying things that should never be allowed to happen and they have all happened ,carnt remember them but i think 1 was never should private bankes be in charge of printing money
i watched this thing about wall mart and was in stitches they made all the staff stand there while a boss every morning gave a motivational speach and they all had to chant back like they do at footy in uk
give me a W ,W give me a A ,A and all this shit was funny as fuck .
can u imagine for a second them trying that in uk no one would do that shit theyd just laugh and say what the fuck we get minimum wage quit your bullshit well stack your fuckin shelves but leave the bullshit out u sap
its a sad fact the corporations bullshit are even worming there way into countries like burma one of the last un touched countries that hadnt been infected by them and the western cheese fest reallity show watching queing for new i phone for a week bullshit
the world gets sadder by the week ,when they find old tribes living in jungles etc they wank over it saying they should be left un touched but in countries were the corps can move in to make coin they slag them for living in the dark ages and they need modernising ,which basiclly means westernising and becoming consumers of pointless shit u dont need
anyone in uk watch that thing about that nob jockey donald trumps golf course in scotland ,what a scum bag he is .hes livid that the farmers want to stay and he can see there houses ,he has ruined the place and says they live in shit holes .there fuckin farms most working farms look a mess so what
no one would of got planning for what hes done there yet the decision gets turned round and he gets it and just takes the piss completly doing all sorts that arnt on plans ,people get there houses taken down for doing tiny things that arnt on plans but this rich cunt can do what he likes
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I refused to say the pledge of allegiance for most of my senior year of high school. It was then I was starting to become more libertarian. I was bothered for it several times by a teacher who insisted I must say it, I won out in the end.
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What do I think about America? I think it sucks. I want to move to Mexico with my gf when we can afford it. This is a police state. I really don't even know where to start because there is so much I dislike about living here. I mean I suppose in the grand scheme of things my life is not so bad, I grew up in a middle class family and never had to go hungry or anything like that, but I just want to be free!
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Hmmm, okay, politics aside....
I think you can find that America is sort of a Jekyll and Hyde thing, schizophrenic, or bipolar maybe. We are a nation of superlatives, hence, we do some good things better than anyone else, but we also excel at doing bad.
I'm not addressing politics here at all, you got plenty of discussion of that in previous posts.
First things first, there isn't "one" America. The range of cultures and landscapes going from east to west and north to south couldn't be any more diverse. America in New York is like a different galaxy than America in Cheyenne, Wyoming, or LA or Seattle. So, trying to describe it as one nation will invariably fail. Going back to politics, you can notice that by the country having traditionally red states and traditionally blue states.
Conversely, growing up in America can range from "the best place in the world to be" to a nightmare matching Dante's Inferno. Smalltown America can be a beautiful thing, it can also be a nightmare, same applies for the big cities.
Since you are asking from a EU perspective, let me touch on some things that are most apparent. Growing up and living in America first and foremost means getting your shit together or you'll keel over. We lack many of the luxuries Europeans enjoy, like real unemployment benefits or healthcare no matter what. That means from early childhood on, you're being taught that you need to cover your own ass. No one will bail you out (unless you are a really big bank :P) That's why some perceive Americans as "fearful", but what it really is, is more of an awareness that if shit hits the fan you are on your own. We also don't have much protection when it comes to employment or housing. In most European countries, landlords have to go through a lengthy court process to evict tenants, in the US your rent is overdue 14 to 30 days and you are out on the street no questions asked (notice term depends on state). Same with employment. In the EU, you stay in a company for over a year, and you know your job is safe. In the US the pink slip is always glooming over your head, no matter how good you are. If some corporate fuck determines you, or your branch or your department isn't profitable enough or what have you, buh bye. The bad thing is, since the population is so big, people are really only judged by their credit score anymore. If some shit happens to you, and you fall behind on some bills, it is virtually impossible to find decent housing or even good work.
Living like that feels "different" than living in Europe. You are constantly more "on guard".
The next thing you will notice is that we have an exponentially high number of really really stupid/ignorant/semi-retarded people. But, with the superlatives again, we also have droves of the smartest people of the world.
To put it simple, if you are born into the right social "class" and have a family support structure, America can be the greatest country to live in in the world. If you lack that, you might end up really shit out of luck.
Hence, defiance is a strong part of our identity. You may notice that most Americans have a penchant to "rail against the system", instead of exploring avenues to change it from within. It's part of who we are.
Nowadays the country is split down about in the middle. There is an ever growing number of people realizing that the glorified red white and blue with all the parades and the holidays has failed, in terms of foreign policy, the laws we have allowed to be enacted, and the impact unrestrained corporatism has had on our social structure. So that's all work in progress.
Sorry dude was ready to write a whole essay but now the drugs just kicked in.....to be continued....lol....
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----Nice thread Limetless and I've seen the first two debates and would say that either candidate does as they please to "appeal" to certain voters. The American political process has become yet another television show in which the uninformed and easily swayed viewer is fed scientifically designed bullshit to pander to their emotions. These uninformed viewers are not only lacking in intellectual ability they are also out-of-touch with the reality that this planet and its people are in pain. In short we are concerned with unimportant issues and illusions created by corporate backed and government approved media.
----The other problem is that this country is EXTREMELY polarized between the American ideas of left and right (I believe the American definition of Right and Left is different from the European definition). On one hand you have a large number of Right-wing Christian nationalists who hold onto to the ideas of a bygone era and hope to reestablish them so that "we may return to our former glory". Personally I think that this group is quite dangerous because they discourage change and growth.
----On the other side of the political spectrum we have persons who believe that the government is the way that we solve our problems. The problem with the left is that they are usually quite ineffective (story of the government) and even though they may have some good ideas they rarely make things happen.
----The only solution I see to the predicament of poor leadership is greater decentralization of power and a MASSIVE AND COMPLETE overhaul of ALL intellectual institutions so that people can become more intelligent and make decisions for themselves. That's my 2 cents.
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Most of the sentiments from my fellow Americans within this thread reflect my own line of thinking. I am beginning to see that trend growing throughout my circle of friends and family which gives me hope.
Things are stirring and there is an electricity brewing. We are enslaved, not by fear and force (Unless you count the NDAA, TSA and Patriot Act) but by our comforts and complacency. We have all we need and we have it in excess which sedates most of the social unrest. The only time a national effort of activism took place was during the SOPA bill making it's way through capital hill. Don't fuck with our free porn mother fuckers.
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As a non-American myself, I'm curious to know what other political system and social values disenfranchised Americans would support. One poster said he was wanting to move to Mexico to be free.
I guess my question is, if not your system as it is now, then is there another country's system that you look at and think might be better for you and your culture?
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Having just watched the final debate it makes me wonder what Americans feel about the U.S as a whole. From an outsiders perspective personally I think a lot of stuff you have is really good and unique but there are a lot of faults as well but I have no idea what it's like to live in the U.S and be a U.S citizen.
Please share. :)
Honestly, I fucking hate DC and its plethora of politicians, I also hate the voting ignorant who ensure they remain
As a non-American myself, I'm curious to know what other political system and social values disenfranchised Americans would support. One poster said he was wanting to move to Mexico to be free.
I guess my question is, if not your system as it is now, then is there another country's system that you look at and think might be better for you and your culture?
The wild west was a perfect example of individuals working together, the crime rate was actually very low- movies LIE we all know that, people worked together to live successful happy lives.
SR is the wild west of the digital world and it works doesnt it?
NO government- no STATE!
No gods no masters
And before anyone says (but we are free) wake the fuck up, your on SR idiots! If you were free why would you be here?
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America has turned into shit. The powers that be poison us and drain us of our energy. With that said, i see a good spirit and positive potential which could arise from this chaos, just look at the replies in this thread, many of us really do get it. The elections are a scam, the education system is a prison, and the drug war has created more prisoners of war than any other war in the history of the world....
to exist in america as they want you to, is to be a mindless slave with no original thought. -for that is the only way one can accept this bullshit; we act as crabs in a burning barrel.
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I can't say i closely identify with any of the previous posts and i don't in any way feel like i'm mindless. I grew up in small town America and was fortunate to have a great family. I went to school and some college and started working hard. I may not be as bitter as some because i actually did land a hot wife!! I have awesome kids and on a day to day basis i feel like my family is very safe. I feel like there is a great deal of freedom and i love it. Sure the government does some fucked up shit and i disagree with it, but you do what you can do. I certainly wouldn't want to leave here and go to Mexico! With all of our immigration influx here i have a lot of Mexican friends and they are coming here for a reason. Cartels riding around in groups with automatic weapons doing whatever they want. No thanks! Sure the government does some fucked things and i would love to hear of one that doesn't. Granted ours may be worse than others, but none are perfect. If I had the opportunity to move anywhere else i would pass. I happen to love it and i have my suspicion that a good portion of the people that have a huge problem with things could be to blame for their own problems. Work hard, play hard, & love your family. That's my formula and i have a great life. I cast my vote in all elections. At the presidential level i very well may be fairly powerless, but on a local level i know the people and can hold them accountable. When i don't like something i try to get actively involved. It seems to have a greater effect in comparison with just bitching.
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I don't see the American government as a omniscient, all powerful entity that operates completely independently from the wishes of it's governed. Whatever actions our government takes are a direct results of the sentiments that come from it's own citizens. An intolerant, oppressive state is always going to be empowered by intolerant, oppressive people.
A government can't be inherently evil; it is only a concept. It has no mind of it's own, no real motive. It can be likened to a weapon to be wielded by the population's 51% to oppress the other 49
So when I take a look at my government and feel nothing but disgust, I remind myself that it is a result of generations of cowardly, intolerant voters who brought this on all of us through a general lack of responsibility, and an eagerness to benefit themselves at the expense of others.
-schmuck
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I can't say i closely identify with any of the previous posts and i don't in any way feel like i'm mindless. I grew up in small town America and was fortunate to have a great family. I went to school and some college and started working hard. I may not be as bitter as some because i actually did land a hot wife!! I have awesome kids and on a day to day basis i feel like my family is very safe. I feel like there is a great deal of freedom and i love it. Sure the government does some fucked up shit and i disagree with it, but you do what you can do. I certainly wouldn't want to leave here and go to Mexico! With all of our immigration influx here i have a lot of Mexican friends and they are coming here for a reason. Cartels riding around in groups with automatic weapons doing whatever they want. No thanks! Sure the government does some fucked things and i would love to hear of one that doesn't. Granted ours may be worse than others, but none are perfect. If I had the opportunity to move anywhere else i would pass. I happen to love it and i have my suspicion that a good portion of the people that have a huge problem with things could be to blame for their own problems. Work hard, play hard, & love your family. That's my formula and i have a great life. I cast my vote in all elections. At the presidential level i very well may be fairly powerless, but on a local level i know the people and can hold them accountable. When i don't like something i try to get actively involved. It seems to have a greater effect in comparison with just bitching.
+1
I was gonna write up a whole essay on that last night, but then I noticed I dosed quite high...lol.
I am an expat now, pretty far away too. And since I broadened my horizon, I always have to laugh at people stating America has this all-present Nazi government. Check out France or Germany or most other EU countries. You basically need a license to fart and you get taxed for breathing so to speak.
The big problem with the international perception of America is that all these news agencies pick up these flavored and distorted "entertainews". People with brains in the US know that MSNBC or Bullshit Mountain FOX news is nothing but sensationalist bullcrap. But this shit gets exported verbatim, and people think OMFG its a banana republic.
Our biggest problems are bad education, bad healthcare and attention deficit disorder, making people decide on whom to vote based on 140 char tweets. Self-reinforcing ideology bubbles. Other than that, it is still one of the greatest nations in the world.
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I can't say i closely identify with any of the previous posts and i don't in any way feel like i'm mindless. I grew up in small town America and was fortunate to have a great family. I went to school and some college and started working hard. I may not be as bitter as some because i actually did land a hot wife!! I have awesome kids and on a day to day basis i feel like my family is very safe. I feel like there is a great deal of freedom and i love it. Sure the government does some fucked up shit and i disagree with it, but you do what you can do. I certainly wouldn't want to leave here and go to Mexico! With all of our immigration influx here i have a lot of Mexican friends and they are coming here for a reason. Cartels riding around in groups with automatic weapons doing whatever they want. No thanks! Sure the government does some fucked things and i would love to hear of one that doesn't. Granted ours may be worse than others, but none are perfect. If I had the opportunity to move anywhere else i would pass. I happen to love it and i have my suspicion that a good portion of the people that have a huge problem with things could be to blame for their own problems. Work hard, play hard, & love your family. That's my formula and i have a great life. I cast my vote in all elections. At the presidential level i very well may be fairly powerless, but on a local level i know the people and can hold them accountable. When i don't like something i try to get actively involved. It seems to have a greater effect in comparison with just bitching.
Okay, I'm really truly not interested in any war of words with you, but I need to address this, and I hope you don't take it personally. When I say "you," I mean most of America, not you specifically. The reason I'm quoting your post is because I see this same attitude across America and this is DANGEROUS thinking.
This is possibly the biggest problem in America. You were given a good life, you got lucky and managed to get a decent education and job, and so you think that mostly everything is a-okay. But fewer and fewer people are born into that every year, but we do nothing about it.
You say you feel safe. You say you don't like everything the government does, but "you do what you can do?" What exactly do you do? Is it holding your politicians accountable by voting once every couple years. Because that's obviously working out really well.
You are not safe. That is an illusion. The US government has amassed copious amounts of extra power since 9/11 under the guise of national security, and they will never give it up. You are under constant surveillance and scrutiny from all angles, yet you give your consent to this by voting more politicians into office. Do you really believe that there is a difference between the two parties? They both want power and they know to keep it, they need to maintain a divided country. They've been hugely successful at that.
Your politicians don't give a shit about you. Not a the local level, not at the state level, not at the national level. They're bought and owned by companies and corporations as soon as they take office - or possibly before the election has even happened - because with that power they were just given "by the people" they're going to make lots of money and friends off the books. Why else spend years and millions of dollars campaigning for a position that pays a small fraction of that money? Voting one snake out office so another can take its place is a push at best.
Working hard, playing hard, loving your family and saying fuck all to everything else does nothing for the country as a whole. it's that self-centered, selfish, and ignorant thinking that allowed the career politician to come into being in the first place. People may indeed be largely to blame for the choices they've made, but when you are playing against a dealer with a loaded deck, what chance did you ever have anyway?
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USA is full of religious fanatics who have far too much control over the nation and world. It is a hypocritical country that only pretends to follow its own constitution. The politicians claim that there is no respecting one religion over another, yet some religions are given exceptions to the controlled substance act allowing them to use drugs such as DMT and Peyote, while other people sit in prison for possessing the same drugs. Catholic children are allowed to consume alcohol in the form of wine, but kids are always being busted by the police for drinking underage at parties. Half of the laws in the country are the product of religious groups, and none of them make any sense unless you believe in the fairy tale book written by a bunch of shepherds over 2,000 years ago. The political system is completely corrupted, ostensibly they create laws for moral reasons but in reality the politicians only use the christian morals to appease the masses. In reality the politicians and their friends are cashing in big time on controlling things such as gambling, recreational drugs, prostitution, etc. USA has more people in prison than any other country in the entire world and a huge percentage of the population is monitored by parole or probation officers. The education system is abysmal and the population is stupid. Propaganda is everywhere and it controls the majority, making democracy little more than a mirage to placate the masses. The entire political system is to a large degree fixed. Half of the people are either broke or in prison. I hope that it collapses soon and that there is a massive purge.
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USA is full of religious fanatics who have far too much control over the nation and world. It is a hypocritical country that only pretends to follow its own constitution. The politicians claim that there is no respecting one religion over another, yet some religions are given exceptions to the controlled substance act allowing them to use drugs such as DMT and Peyote, while other people sit in prison for possessing the same drugs. Catholic children are allowed to consume alcohol in the form of wine, but kids are always being busted by the police for drinking underage at parties. Half of the laws in the country are the product of religious groups, and none of them make any sense unless you believe in the fairy tale book written by a bunch of shepherds over 2,000 years ago. The political system is completely corrupted, ostensibly they create laws for moral reasons but in reality the politicians only use the christian morals to appease the masses. In reality the politicians and their friends are cashing in big time on controlling things such as gambling, recreational drugs, prostitution, etc. USA has more people in prison than any other country in the entire world and a huge percentage of the population is monitored by parole or probation officers. The education system is abysmal and the population is stupid. Propaganda is everywhere and it controls the majority, making democracy little more than a mirage to placate the masses. The entire political system is to a large degree fixed. Half of the people are either broke or in prison. I hope that it collapses soon and that there is a massive purge.
Everyone is too blind to see this and happy with the current situation, because they have no problems right now. When the government starts telling them they can't leave their house or have to relocate to a government sanctioned housing that has a big fence around it for their "protection" they might wake up and see what is going on.
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USA is full of religious fanatics who have far too much control over the nation and world. It is a hypocritical country that only pretends to follow its own constitution. The politicians claim that there is no respecting one religion over another, yet some religions are given exceptions to the controlled substance act allowing them to use drugs such as DMT and Peyote, while other people sit in prison for possessing the same drugs. Catholic children are allowed to consume alcohol in the form of wine, but kids are always being busted by the police for drinking underage at parties. Half of the laws in the country are the product of religious groups, and none of them make any sense unless you believe in the fairy tale book written by a bunch of shepherds over 2,000 years ago. The political system is completely corrupted, ostensibly they create laws for moral reasons but in reality the politicians only use the christian morals to appease the masses. In reality the politicians and their friends are cashing in big time on controlling things such as gambling, recreational drugs, prostitution, etc. USA has more people in prison than any other country in the entire world and a huge percentage of the population is monitored by parole or probation officers. The education system is abysmal and the population is stupid. Propaganda is everywhere and it controls the majority, making democracy little more than a mirage to placate the masses. The entire political system is to a large degree fixed. Half of the people are either broke or in prison. I hope that it collapses soon and that there is a massive purge.
Well said...
Everyone is too blind to see this and happy with the current situation, because they have no problems right now. When the government starts telling them they can't leave their house or have to relocate to a government sanctioned housing that has a big fence around it for their "protection" they might wake up and see what is going on.
And why exactly would government want to do that?
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Why exactly do they restrict our freedom more and more as time goes on and monitor all parts of our private lives?
They can, more power and control over the people solidifying their power. If you are in a position of power the last thing you want is people doing things unmonitored and that you don't agree with.
They will have some excuse like a national emergency and declare that we leave our homes and go to government sanctioned places to be safe and if we don't we are breaking the law. Then they can cease our private property and assets.
Why wouldn't they want to do this is a better question. They show every action that they want more power and control and are already leaning towards this type of behavior and have already built the places to house us just for this purpose. Why did they want to lock up all the Asian people during Pearl Harbor? Do you really think it was for our protection like the Asian population would rise in the US after the Pearl Harbor attack and take over? No, they did it because they had an excuse to and saw it as an opportunity to exert their power without being questioned and make money from it.
They would of done it to all the Arabs today after 9/11 if they knew the public would of been behind it like they were with the Asians (I say Asians and not Japanese, because many weren't Japanese that got locked up)
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Got that all figured out for ya', huh?
Well, each to their own.
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;)
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America has strayed too far from the founding fathers' principles. Simply put, in my opinion, it is not the country it once was.
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USA is full of religious fanatics who have far too much control over the nation and world. It is a hypocritical country that only pretends to follow its own constitution. The politicians claim that there is no respecting one religion over another, yet some religions are given exceptions to the controlled substance act allowing them to use drugs such as DMT and Peyote, while other people sit in prison for possessing the same drugs.
I believe that certain native groups use peyote in religious rituals. That is one of the few exceptions.
Catholic children are allowed to consume alcohol in the form of wine, but kids are always being busted by the police for drinking underage at parties. [
I was raised Catholic, and this is damn-near unheard of. Even in cases where it does take place, the amount of wine allotted to each participant is certainly no more than 5ml. Kids can get more alcohol from consuming cough syrup when they're sick.
Half of the laws in the country are the product of religious groups, and none of them make any sense unless you believe in the fairy tale book written by a bunch of shepherds over 2,000 years ago.
No argument with you here. What you have written is especially true of morality laws, such as the statutes against 'obscenity'. If one studies the history of how these laws were passed, one can be forgiven for being flabbergasted by the machinations. The so-called Comstock Act of 1873 (provisions of which are still in force today) govern so-called 'obscene' materials. Apparently, this law was sneaked though when there was not even a quorum in Congress. So, technically, the law should never have been placed on the books, but countless people have been jailed for 'obscenity' offenses nonetheless.
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I believe that certain native groups use peyote in religious rituals. That is one of the few exceptions.
Native Americans can use peyote. People in Santo Daime can use DMT. Catholic children can consume alcoholic beverages under the age of 21. There are three of the most widely known religious exceptions made to the controlled substance act. If I am busted with peyote I will go to prison. If I am busted with DMT I will go to prison. I HAVE gotten in trouble for drinking underage in the past. These laws have a foundation in religion. Religious sentiment is largely responsible for prohibition, it was in the case of alcohol and it is in the case of other recreational drugs as well. The constitution of the United States claims that there shall be no laws favoring one religion over another. This is CLEARLY not enforced in practice, or else there would not be native Americans legally getting high on mescaline, people in Santo Daime getting legally high on DMT or underage Catholic children drinking wine regardless of the amount they consume. There is no religious equality in U.S.A. , there are exceptions made for specific groups and there are entire laws made just so a bunch of brain fucked Christians don't get their panties up in a bundle. And don't even get me started on gay marriage being illegal, that is entirely to appease a bunch of brain dead primitive sky wizard worshipers and it is EXPLICITLY FORBIDDEN for this to happen in the constitution. Christianity is the WORST THING that has EVER happened to the United States.
I was raised Catholic, and this is damn-near unheard of. Even in cases where it does take place, the amount of wine allotted to each participant is certainly no more than 5ml. Kids can get more alcohol from consuming cough syrup when they're sick.
Uhm damn near unheard of ? Which Catcholic churches don't have children under the age of 21 take communion? Wine is a controlled substance and nobody under the age of 21 is allowed to consume it or possess it in ANY AMOUNT. The only exception is made for the children of Catholics and this is BLATANTLY favoring one religious group over another. Simply because of their religion Catholic children are allowed to consume wine, children who consume wine that is not from a Catholic priest can get in trouble for consuming or possessing ANY AMOUNT of alcoholic beverage.
No argument with you here. What you have written is especially true of morality laws, such as the statutes against 'obscenity'. If one studies the history of how these laws were passed, one can be forgiven for being flabbergasted by the machinations. The so-called Comstock Act of 1873 (provisions of which are still in force today) govern so-called 'obscene' materials. Apparently, this law was sneaked though when there was not even a quorum in Congress. So, technically, the law should never have been placed on the books, but countless people have been jailed for 'obscenity' offenses nonetheless.
Religion is a disease and the USA has a bad case of Christianity.
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uhm....agreeing with kmf, who'd a thunk I'd ever do?
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Poor rastas aren't allowed to smoke weed though....
I remember there was a group that did declare weed a sacrament in the early 70's in Florida and lived in a mansion in a gated community and the cops never bothered them until they started selling tons of it. By tons I literally mean tons too, they were getting thousands of pounds from boats off shore and selling it.
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America has strayed too far from the founding fathers' principles. Simply put, in my opinion, it is not the country it once was.
Which founders?
Washington, Hamilton, and pals?
Or the real brains, Jefferson, Paine etc.,?
Seriously, when has a piece of paper ever been anything other then a piece of paper.
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These posts have been highly refreshing.
Remember, it is not just America. It is Britain and Israel as well. These are the three allied nations running the world through banking and the Military Industrial Complex. All their hands are dripping with blood.
To defeat this enemy is to not give money. Buy local, buy less, buy underground to avoid taxes.
We will never defeat them militarily. That is what they have mastered...the battlefield.
The only thing they don't know how to defeat is LOVE. I know it sounds like hippie bullshit but it true.
Simple non-resistance. Refusal to participate. I am NOT playing their game.
As such, never, ever vote. When the voter turnout hits 20% how can they argue their representation is legitimate. It wouldn't be. The people have vote a loss of confidence in the system by not voting.
Voting in this election is constructive consent to the War on Drugs. Yes, that war. The one that has relegated you to the darkweb and if you slip up, you will loss of your freedom faster than you can blink. Let alone the countless atrocities this rogue web of power addicted scum commit each day. Do not consent to their decisions and actions.
America is gone. Britain is gone. Israel is gone. No citizens of these nations can be proud of their governments. They are ruthless murderers whose only motive is profit. Hell, the EU is nothing but a sham as well. Look at Spain and Greece.
Since the elite have decided borders are meaningless. the citizens of Earth should as well. Its time to come together.
And it looks like the Road's community is light years ahead of any other forum I have seen on the clearweb. Funny how Silk Road users seem to be the most enlightened.
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+1 ^^
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It is awesome!! I think of course. Do they even make kids still do the pledge? I know for a fact they let kids sit out. I was confused about it when I moved to a bigger city and saw some kids not having to do it. I realiZed that they must have had parents who talked about it with them. I thought it was not a good thing they were sitting out. The water thing, I guess I never knew about.
In all honesty we are a little embarrassed about somethings American, but that is how it is. This is a diverse population. Politics are everywhere and conflict is everywhere. It seems the trend on the internet for Americans is to talk crap. There are things, but it isn't horrible at all. There are others that think everything is amazing about America. Wouldn't agree with those people.
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"Okay, I'm really truly not interested in any war of words with you, but I need to address this, and I hope you don't take it personally."
No worries here
"This is possibly the biggest problem in America. You were given a good life, you got lucky and managed to get a decent education and job, and so you think that mostly everything is a-okay. But fewer and fewer people are born into that every year, but we do nothing about it."
Given a good life by hard working parents & now i'm attempting to GIVE the same thing to my children. My wife does something about the ones who weren't born with that every day while i work for our family and i know lots of people who do something about it. It may be not enough, but "nothing" is not accurate.
"You say you feel safe. You say you don't like everything the government does, but "you do what you can do?" What exactly do you do? Is it holding your politicians accountable by voting once every couple years. Because that's obviously working out really well."
Quite a bit more than just voting once every couple of years and yes i do what i can do. What else can a person do?
"You are not safe. That is an illusion. The US government has amassed copious amounts of extra power since 9/11 under the guise of national security, and they will never give it up. You are under constant surveillance and scrutiny from all angles, yet you give your consent to this by voting more politicians into office. Do you really believe that there is a difference between the two parties? They both want power and they know to keep it, they need to maintain a divided country. They've been hugely successful at that."
At this point i feel my viewpoint isn't the one that is full of "illusions". I agree they have amassed more power and i don't see huge differences between the two parties.
"Working hard, playing hard, loving your family and saying fuck all to everything else does nothing for the country as a whole. it's that self-centered, selfish, and ignorant thinking that allowed the career politician to come into being in the first place. People may indeed be largely to blame for the choices they've made, but when you are playing against a dealer with a loaded deck, what chance did you ever have anyway?"
[/quote]
Your making A LOT of assumptions in recapping what i said. I never said fuck all to everything else.
People are largely to blame for the choices they've made including myself. When you are playing with a dealer with a loaded deck and you have only one hand to play you had better work hard with whatever chance you have. Don't just lay down and say fuck it this isn't fair i quit.
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SR seems to take a dim view of the USA, when I was 20 i'd have agreed. But having lived here for most of my life I now realize that I was lucky to have been born in the USA and it's actually not a bad place at all.
As schmuck says whether you love it or hate it it is simply a political system, a machine that reflects the competency and will of the voting citizens. It was put together as a half-ass compromise by a bunch of drunken white men 230 years ago and it's held up till today. It's far from perfect, but it could be much much worse, on balance the US is OK.
There are some out there that might be able to craft a better system, but certainly not the people of SR. If there's one thing I've realized it's that the stupid far outnumber the smart here. Just like in the streets of the USA, just like everywhere else in the world. None of you are as retarded as all of you put together.
Like any countries there are pros/cons, there's the good and the bad, but on a whole the USA is a nice place to live, and on average the US government tends to be a force for good rather than evil in this world.
pros:
-general stability of the nation and the region: no major wars fought on the continent since the US civil war.
-Generally good education system, an excellent higher education system, and free & independent academic institutions (some of the best in the world)
-NSF, NIH, NASA, national labs, some of the best research orgs on the planet.
-Good job opportunities & generally good pay, strong economy compared to most places.
-OK healthcare.. amazing healthcare if you have the money or insurance (i do so i'm not complaining)
-all volunteer military (well nowadays at least)
-Bill of rights (Freedom of speech, guaranteed rights for all citizens), rule of law.
-Beautiful massive expanse of territory and our national parks are amazing, a wealth of natural resources
-a huge amount of very smart people, so many of the best and brightest minds from all over the world have come to the USA for job opportunities (I was lucky enough to work with many of them during my days in the aerospace industry)
-generally solid & functional infrastructure.
-low levels of corruption
-reasonable cost of living.
-independent judiciary. An overall good judicial system
-reasonable cost of living in most of the US.
cons
-only 2 political parties with any real power
-higher crime rates than much of western Europe (a lot more guns) but still much safer than most other countries
-a lot of stupid people
-lack of social mobility (a little better than the UK, but that's not saying much)
-lots of religious wackos (a big thank you to Europe for sending them all here)
-outdated and failed drug policy (should legalize pot and non addictive drugs, focus the crack down on the really addictive & harmful things)
-outdated environmental policy & energy policy (we need to just go full-on nuclear & use electric for everything)
-too much patriotism, people here should see themselves as citizens of the world first and citizens of the country second.
-political system is overly influenced by $$ (consequence of the stupid masses again)
-too much military spending and too much focus on military security. (again, caused by the ignorant masses)
-too many crazys & homeless people. (I hate panhandlers)
On a whole the US is a great place to live, If you are willing to work hard or if you're educated you'll do fine, make good pay, and live a great life. If you're lazy or stupid you'll be screwed and there's not much of a social safety net to help you.
At least we don't have many gypsies.
Bob
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pros:
-general stability of the nation and the region: no major wars fought on the continent since the US civil war.
-Generally good education system, an excellent higher education system, and free & independent academic institutions (some of the best in the world)
-NSF, NIH, NASA, national labs, some of the best research orgs on the planet.
-Good job opportunities & generally good pay, strong economy compared to most places.
-OK healthcare.. amazing healthcare if you have the money or insurance (i do so i'm not complaining)
-all volunteer military (well nowadays at least)
-Bill of rights (Freedom of speech, guaranteed rights for all citizens), rule of law.
-Beautiful massive expanse of territory and our national parks are amazing, a wealth of natural resources
-a huge amount of very smart people, so many of the best and brightest minds from all over the world have come to the USA for job opportunities (I was lucky enough to work with many of them during my days in the aerospace industry)
-generally solid & functional infrastructure.
-low levels of corruption
-reasonable cost of living.
-independent judiciary. An overall good judicial system
-reasonable cost of living in most of the US.
Ma man, just as you, I don't the US as bad as many make them out to be. And I'm certainly not out to get into a drama battle with you, but frankly, I just have to rebut your pros:
-general stability of the nation and the region: no major wars fought on the continent since the US civil war.
True, albeit not a product of good policy but rather geographical advantage, but yes, a pro
-Generally good education system, an excellent higher education system, and free & independent academic institutions (some of the best in the world)
Not to be rude, but, preposterous statement. On average, our graduates lack behind the entire world except self-confidence. Unless your family is really saddled and able to tutor and legacy your way into the ivy league you are FUCKED. Whadday think why a 4 year community college degree qualifies you for...uhm...becoming shift manager at Starbucks or Subway if you're lucky? Sorry man, but all studies out there debunk your statement.
-NSF, NIH, NASA, national labs, some of the best research orgs on the planet.
-Partially true. However, many studies and statistics suggest that the perceived prolific innovation is a fallacy based on our outrageous number of patent registrations, which turns out to be a lot of recycling or humbug like patenting genes.
-Good job opportunities & generally good pay, strong economy compared to most places.
Good pay? I'm an expat now living overseas, and I can tell you that most definitely that the income level of average workers in the US lacks far behind the rest of the civilized western world, also, much longer hours and less vacation and very often not even proper health care. Sure, there are "some" highly specialized fields where we pay out more, but that is offset by the masses of underpaid low-income/long-hours/no benefits jobs. We have plenty of jobs in the US, but hardly any good careers anymore.
-OK healthcare.. amazing healthcare if you have the money or insurance (i do so i'm not complaining)
Sure, if you can afford to fork out 800, 900, 1000 bucks a month you get a great PPO, but with a median household income of around 50k for a family of 4, you get my meaning.
-all volunteer military (well nowadays at least)
That's a good thing for sure
-Bill of rights (Freedom of speech, guaranteed rights for all citizens), rule of law.
Freedom of speech, sure, we have that. Rule of law? Sure, if you got the cash for a good lawyer. The disparity in sentencing based on socio-economic class and ethnicity cries to the heavens. We have the highest per-capita incarceration rate in the world, surpassing China and Russia. Just let that sink in please. You are more likely to end up in prison in the US than in China, I mean W T F!!!!
-Beautiful massive expanse of territory and our national parks are amazing, a wealth of natural resources
True dat. Partially at least. It is truly one of the most beautiful countries on earth. Natural resources, well oil peaked already and is on the decline, so are precious metals. But yeah.
-a huge amount of very smart people, so many of the best and brightest minds from all over the world have come to the USA for job opportunities (I was lucky enough to work with many of them during my days in the aerospace industry)
True.
-generally solid & functional infrastructure.
Oh boy, what should I say. Where I am now I hit the highway in a 380hp car and floor it for hours, the road is so well engineered its just smooth, some of the fastest trains in the world and they even are on schedule, I get a 5MB (yeah, Megabyte, not bit) DSLv2 line for 30 bucks a month including phoneline, and my cellphone never has less than 4 bars. Switch to US: The fucking highways are a disastrous pothole collection no matter where you go, bridges collapse under cars all over the country, fuhgeddabout taking a train, and in most metropolitan areas they dun even post bus schedules anymore because they won't be on time anyways. Sure, there's FiOS in a few select areas, but other than that have fun downloading at 100k if you are lucky. And don't get me started on cell reception. So no, I would not call our infrastructure solid at all. It was, in the 70s maybe.
-low levels of corruption
Well, you usually can't bribe a cop on the road, but our lawmakers sure as hell are to be had at wholesale. Just ask Sheldon Addelson.
-reasonable cost of living.
You gotta be kidding, right? Well, okay, if you factor in cheap Chinese shit at WalMart. If you go where living is affordable, you have a hard time finding a job, if you go where the jobs are, you have a hard time making rent.
-independent judiciary. An overall good judicial system
I don't even know how to respond to that. Seriously dude?
-reasonable cost of living in most of the US.
Except where the jobs are.
Sorry man, but it is obvious that you are one of the ever-shrinking class of people that have gotten the right start. That's okay and nothing to feel bad about. But please, don't think that just because you got started off right (e.g. parents that actually had the time to make sure you get through highschool proper and had the funds to land you in a proper college after) everyone has a shot at it. The social injustice in America cries to the heavens, and if you are born to the wrong parents, your path is drawn for you (except in Disney movies, where the underdog always gets his fair shot and wins).
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1st Amendment - Dead
e.g. Marine veteran Brandon Raub was arrested without warrant for making anti-government facebook posts.
2nd Amendment - Dead
Well it explicitly states the right to bear arms will not be infringed. Right or wrong, this right has been eroded.
4th Amendment - Dead
Patriot Act killed it.
5th & 6th Amendment - Dead
The Bradly Manning case & the "War on Terror" done away with these.
The National Defense Resources Preparedness Executive Order (What a lovely Orwellian Name...) gives the government the power of eminent domain.
(Although we in the UK have our own little beauty - the Civil Contingencies Act 2003)
8th Amendment - Dead
Torture, Waterboarding
10th Amendment - Dead
Federal raids on marajuana patients/dispensaries.
I don't think the US is much worse than anywhere else really though. The masses just don't care enough about anything until it directly affects them. At least in the US there seems to be a relatively large number of people who are aware their government is fucking them over. Here in the UK the populace accepts that they need a licence to watch tv.
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First things first, there isn't "one" America. The range of cultures and landscapes going from east to west and north to south couldn't be any more diverse. America in New York is like a different galaxy than America in Cheyenne, Wyoming, or LA or Seattle. So, trying to describe it as one nation will invariably fail. Going back to politics, you can notice that by the country having traditionally red states and traditionally blue states.
Conversely, growing up in America can range from "the best place in the world to be" to a nightmare matching Dante's Inferno. Smalltown America can be a beautiful thing, it can also be a nightmare, same applies for the big cities.
+1
I don't see the American government as a omniscient, all powerful entity that operates completely independently from the wishes of it's governed. Whatever actions our government takes are a direct results of the sentiments that come from it's own citizens. An intolerant, oppressive state is always going to be empowered by intolerant, oppressive people.
A government can't be inherently evil; it is only a concept. It has no mind of it's own, no real motive. It can be likened to a weapon to be wielded by the population's 51% to oppress the other 49
So when I take a look at my government and feel nothing but disgust, I remind myself that it is a result of generations of cowardly, intolerant voters who brought this on all of us through a general lack of responsibility, and an eagerness to benefit themselves at the expense of others.
-schmuck
I can't agree.
It's not that having good people doesn't make a difference. It does. It's just that it entirely depends on what level of organization we're talking about. In a small corporation good people can be effective at causing positive changes, in a much larger one, less so. They sort of get averaged out. Fundamentally it's the system's structure that determines outcomes. Everybody is the product of the system, and if that system is configured incorrectly, then the results are plain to see. I don't think the Nazis or the Communists were especially terrible taken on an individual level. I just think their systems were configured in such a way that regular people did awful things to each other.
A system can be good or evil, you're being far too relativistic there. A system *does* have a mind of its own. The market is an excellent example of such an 'extended phenotype'. Any collective does have an ethos, a spirit, a mind, a style, a paradigm, whatever you want to call it, and this is hugely influential. The atomic parts, the individuals have surprising little to do with the action of the collective. A small inclination or tilt on the part of a large group of people can cause unexpectedly large effects, take on a whole other significance.
To me, the important thing is to figure out the correct configuration for society. Then we'll have the strong, intelligent, brave system participants you desire.
I appreciate that the government is not a single entity, that it's a composition, a network, but it doesn't mean those network agents are the statistical average of the people within those agencies, I don't think social organization works that way. This is mostly because of the division of labor with ideas. If I take 1 physicist and put him in a building, he bounces his ideas off nobody but himself through introspection. If I take 10 physicists and put them in the same room, I expect to see a dramatic increase in the development of their ideas, not just 10x as much. Compilations of collective thoughts (memeplexes) accumulate in an accumulative manner, not an additive one. So an organization with twice as many members, is not twice as complex, but many times more complex.
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Sorry man, but it is obvious that you are one of the ever-shrinking class of people that have gotten the right start. That's okay and nothing to feel bad about. But please, don't think that just because you got started off right (e.g. parents that actually had the time to make sure you get through highschool proper and had the funds to land you in a proper college after) everyone has a shot at it. The social injustice in America cries to the heavens, and if you are born to the wrong parents, your path is drawn for you (except in Disney movies, where the underdog always gets his fair shot and wins).
First off: regarding my pros, I never said we were the best in the world on any one of those issues just that the USA is above average.
Second: I was certainly not born into money. My mother worked hard to raise her kids right and get us through high school, but that was about it. After that I followed in the footsteps of my older brother and joined the army... I learned a lot about radios & communications, saved my money, refrained from pissing it away on hookers and gambling and eventually I made it back home from Vietnam alive and went and got an engineering degree pad for by the GI bill.
My success in life was not due to being richer than anyone else, nor was I naturally smarter (I was a B's average sort of guy) I wasn't better looking, and I'm not politically connected. The one thing that set me apart was I was persistent and frugal not only with my money but with my time. I never wasted time. There are 16-18 hours in a day that I wasn't sleeping and I always tried to make the best use of every second of every minute of every hour. To many people sit around watching American idol on TV or playing video games wasting time that they could spend making their lives better.
The median (not average, the median) income in my home state of Iowa is $48,000. Nowadays tuition at the engineering department of Iowa State is less than $10k/yr, and an apartment there is in the range of $600/month. If someone wants to go from Starbucks manager to software developer making $150+ they just have to throw their TV in the garbage, sell their fancy $30k car and upgrade to a 1996 honda accord with peeling paint, work hard and not fuck up along the way. Anyone who doesn't have kids to support can do it.
the USA lacks the social mobility and income equality that you find in many western European countries, it's fighting a war on drugs that it's just not winning, and it has a host of other flaws, but if you look at the data, on most all quality of life metrics the USA is above average, just not the top of the pack.
My biggest complaint with the US: We have far to many people here who sit at home and bitch and complain about various issues yet are too lazy go out and fix them.
Bob
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All I do is effect change, hence being an active VENDOR- of substances seen by you voters as evil.
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I'm high and in a chatty mood so I'm going to make some points and defend my desire to want to move to Mexico as well.
Why I want to move to Mexico:
1. Firstly, you must not trust the media representations of what life in Mexico is like. They are grossly exaggerated. Drug trade violence is concentrated around the border. Most other places in Mexico are actually SAFER crime-wise than US places if you look at statistics.
2. The police are lenient and bribable (keep 100 peso notes handy). As the great Rothbard said, corruption (and bribery) greases the wheels of trade. Its NOT automatically a bad thing. They are also less militarized and more friendly. When I look in the mirror and see a cop behind me, I feel FEAR. They are a thousand ways this thug can screw you over if he feels like it, and you're totally at his/her mercy.
3. Superior culture. There is no busybody culture in Mexico. Live and let live. If some dude is riding down the street on his unlicensed dirtbike, he's not gonna have the SWAT truck on his ass in 5 minutes (ok im exaggerating slightly here, but you get the point)
4. Check out Jeff Berwick's articles (he has a website called dollar vigilante) on living in Mexico. He is an anarcho-capitalist like myself and loves it there.
5. I am an (aspiring) computer programmer and will be able to work from home and probably avoid most taxes.
6. I'd also happily consider Thailand and maybe a few other countries like Argentina.
The people posting here you really enjoy living in America: Thats fine, I respect your opinion and can even understand where you're coming from. But, these are also people who have more than likely spent their entire lives here though, and don't know any different. And haven't ever been arrested or had the hugely unfortunate experience of going through the court system for some BS charge. And to me that is a huge mistake! I want to travel all over. There is so much more to the world than America. And the culture of obedience, patriotism, religiosity, national arrogance (sometimes called American Exceptionalism. which means we are the greatest because we say so, na na na not listening). As well as the focus on "bread and circuses" like mindless TV reality shows and sports worship.
Thankfully I still have friends here that can tolerate my being so different lol.
In closing, everyone must choose their own path. The cornerstone of liberty is tolerance of others personal choices.
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it was pretty funny when rommney was going on about his 5 point plan and then obama stands up and just says ,osama bin laden is dead
he knows thats all he has to say to get everyone exited,shouldnt be allowed to use that card when they declined to show the evidence though
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I do not share all this pessimism. I do see all the injustice and control. I see and feel the struggles of the middle class. I don't think I'll ever be a millionaire. I jumped through all the hoops and graduated from college and then worked and got a masters at the same time. I do not feel as though I am owed or that I have been lied to. Perhaps it is because my parents immigrated here.
I have kids, a job, a house and a dog. I have access to food, water and every other convenience imaginable. I am never uncomfortable when it's hot outside. I am warm when it's cold. I have 200+ TV channels. I was given a free K-12 education - a good one. I was not given a job. I had to earn a job. I do not believe the USA is a true meritocracy, but I think there is more class mobility here than in most other countries.
Long ago (or not so long ago) people relied on their neighbors and family to survive. Now, we have everything we need at the push of a button (or mouse click). Yet, we are unsatisfied. Today, those social interconnections are not necessary for survival. The result? Less sharing and a more "all for one" attitude. A complete lack of sympathy/empathy for others - and certainly NO forgiveness. A judgmental society that discounts the value of human connections. I got mine, you go get yours. A lack of respect for people who have earned their way up - even if some of it was luck. Judging your self-worth by comparing your net worth to others. Lacking an interest in investigating facts - this is a biggie, because so many attitudes (including those above) are not based in fact. It's all perspective people.
Yes, our government is out of control and we elect idiots that think a woman's body can prevent a rape pregnancy - and worse. But living here is not bad. Being part of the American society is not bad. Taking advantage of all America has to offer is not bad.
For those of you who want to move to another country, I think you are in for a rude awakening.
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I'm just going to write what the first thing that came to mind when I saw the topic.
If I am going to be traveling anywhere in the world other than my sovereign US, catch me donning a Canadian flag instead of the stars and stripes.
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I'm just going to write what the first thing that came to mind when I saw the topic.
If I am going to be traveling anywhere in the world other than my sovereign US, catch me donning a Canadian flag instead of the stars and stripes.
If you're going to try to pass yerself off as one of us, you better learn to do it properly, eh?
Fakin', Eh? How to Pretend to Be Canadian
Look it up on Amazon.
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I'm just going to write what the first thing that came to mind when I saw the topic.
If I am going to be traveling anywhere in the world other than my sovereign US, catch me donning a Canadian flag instead of the stars and stripes.
If you're going to try to pass yerself off as one of us, you better learn to do it properly, eh?
Fakin', Eh? How to Pretend to Be Canadian
Look it up on Amazon.
thx, I am going to get it because I want to find out the real reason Canadians are so nice lol
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Personally, I feel that the USA is in a downward spiral that is about to repeat itself again. I won't say much as to not give away info that could be linked together, but these "Liar Loans" aka mortgage loans with no proof of income are making a HUGE comeback again. I personally watched the first wave go through and left the banking industry due to the next wave of ethics conflicts that I was not ok with any longer. Currently working to create a wildlife preserve in a south american country to become self sufficient and run an ecolodge with local materials and foods. America needs to wake up and realize this cycle is about to come back with a vengeance after all the homeowner helping programs such as HAMP go away with the 2013 year start. In private meetings we were told that foreclosures within those loans will skyrocket soon. I advice any vendors with mortgages to please pay them off as soon as you can. Funny enough on my research of foreclosures 100% of them happened on a house with a mortgage lol :P
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When did you watch the first sub-prime go through then?
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I'm just going to write what the first thing that came to mind when I saw the topic.
If I am going to be traveling anywhere in the world other than my sovereign US, catch me donning a Canadian flag instead of the stars and stripes.
If you're going to try to pass yerself off as one of us, you better learn to do it properly, eh?
Fakin', Eh? How to Pretend to Be Canadian
Look it up on Amazon.
thx, I am going to get it because I want to find out the real reason Canadians are so nice lol
If you find out, clue me in, eh?
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If you find out, clue me in, eh?
Its like saying all French are assholes etc., aint true. I know plenty of canadians who are assholes and french who are cool
The real difference is that Canadians send 20 soldiers when the UN calls people up- which means the threat seen by people is the usa and gb not canada, that and canada pays for intelligent, educated persons to emigrate unlike the usa or gb which turns the intelligent ones away or charges them,
Of course people like canada, shit if the weather was better I would of moved long time ago.
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When did you watch the first sub-prime go through then?
Liar loans have been reissued around 6-9 months ago on a much more liberal basis than was responsible. Those loans do serve a purpose don't get me wrong but they are for consumers that are self employed and these loans are to be used when you already have a banking relationship with them and they meet other guidelines. I was seeing more what i call "race loans" where the mortgager clearly doesn't understand the full effect of this contract. Once I saw this I started my plan B strategy and started my journey to leaving the company with tact. 2013 is going to be interesting without home owner assistance programs we will have a secondary bubble pop on foreclosures that are barely skating buy now.
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America is fucked. It is akin to a heroin addict that has reached rock bottom but is in full denial. Either the addict stops justifying his ways or dies.
The debate is a sham. No real answers are given. Both parties are owned by the same special interests. Neither represent the people. The questions are known ahead of time and the answers are scripted. Neither candidate, if elected, holds any true power. The government of the United States has been highjacked since WWII. I love my country, but I hate my government.
However, as America goes, so does Britain. This world is interconnected, so our fate inevitably destines yours. We are in this together. One must forget patriotism, forget national borders. Realize we are one species on one floating rock and work together or perish.
It is really that simple. Instead we have two actors get on a stage and debate how they are going to fight wars instead of debating how not to fight wars. Two puppets who talk about not burdening the middle class when they are nothing but servants to Multinational corporations.
A revolution is near. It is in the air. My fear is that it will be violent. This revolution must be peaceful. It is the only way to win. It is the only way to ensure future peace. If this revolution is won by violence, it will ultimately be run again by violence. Same oppression, different faces.
I advise everyone not to vote. It is nothing but constructive consent to their power and decisions. I refuse to participate in a rigged system in which the People are given two candidates which are predetermined by billions of dollars from SuperPACs in campaign contributions.
America contributed many great things to society. However it has turned into an absolute nightmare. At the moment I am not rioting in the streets as the citizens of Greece and Spain are presently doing. But that moment is not far away. For the U.S. and Britain as well.
*Nods head in total agreeance*
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Speaking of the failing state of the US's infrastructure, did anyone here see the 2007 (I think it was 2007) American Society of Civil Engineers report on the state of the infrastructure? Overall a solid D. While our government of the rich, by the rich and for the rich hands itself trillions but barely invests anything in maintaining it's infrastructure or god forbid they do anything to keep the working classes from utter destitution. This country will be a bona fide 3rd world shithole in a decade or so. There will probably be extreme violence ahead as the underclasses try to strike back the only way they can, which will just result in the elaborately prepared police state institutions being turned against the populace and all who dare dissent even in the slightest way will be ground to paste. It's really a horrible time to be alive, I feel sorry for the little children I see, having to grow up in this nightmare.
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If you find out, clue me in, eh?
Its like saying all French are assholes etc., aint true. I know plenty of canadians who are assholes and french who are cool
The real difference is that Canadians send 20 soldiers when the UN calls people up- which means the threat seen by people is the usa and gb not canada, that and canada pays for intelligent, educated persons to emigrate unlike the usa or gb which turns the intelligent ones away or charges them,
Of course people like canada, shit if the weather was better I would of moved long time ago.
You're forgetting about climate change... in a few years Iqualuit will be tropical!
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When did you watch the first sub-prime go through then?
Liar loans have been reissued around 6-9 months ago on a much more liberal basis than was responsible. Those loans do serve a purpose don't get me wrong but they are for consumers that are self employed and these loans are to be used when you already have a banking relationship with them and they meet other guidelines. I was seeing more what i call "race loans" where the mortgager clearly doesn't understand the full effect of this contract. Once I saw this I started my plan B strategy and started my journey to leaving the company with tact. 2013 is going to be interesting without home owner assistance programs we will have a secondary bubble pop on foreclosures that are barely skating buy now.
Ok well the first sub-prime loans/mortgages were done in the late 70s early 80s and saw a small trading firm collapse because of it but it was isolated as they were the only company dealing with them. Sub prime has been around for years it's just that people think it's new which is completely false.
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When did you watch the first sub-prime go through then?
Liar loans have been reissued around 6-9 months ago on a much more liberal basis than was responsible. Those loans do serve a purpose don't get me wrong but they are for consumers that are self employed and these loans are to be used when you already have a banking relationship with them and they meet other guidelines. I was seeing more what i call "race loans" where the mortgager clearly doesn't understand the full effect of this contract. Once I saw this I started my plan B strategy and started my journey to leaving the company with tact. 2013 is going to be interesting without home owner assistance programs we will have a secondary bubble pop on foreclosures that are barely skating buy now.
Ok well the first sub-prime loans/mortgages were done in the late 70s early 80s and saw a small trading firm collapse because of it but it was isolated as they were the only company dealing with them. Sub prime has been around for years it's just that people think it's new which is completely false.
agreed. never said they were new but they are newly being used on the scene where they dont belong again. I have no hope for banks any longer after seeing what all i saw.
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Okay I'll give this an attempt.
First of all there is no such thing as "America". The term "America" can refer to the United States of America (a country), North America (The continent that includes USA, Mexico, Canada), South America (The continent that includes Columbia, Brazil, Argentina) or both of these continents.
I am going to make the assumption that you are referring to the country: United States of America. In which case: What exactly is it you want my opinion on? The geographical landmass that makes up the country? The proximately 310 million people that inhabit this geographical place? The government that controls the political affairs of the country? The culture? The country as a whole?
Ok I'll admit that I am being overly dainty so let me attempt to give you the kind of answer I presume you are looking for.
There are some really great Americans, unfortunately from a general perspective the majority of the general population seem overly naive, possess a sense of self worth beyond anything you will find in other countries (the phrase"You can't do this to me, I'm an American" springs to mind, something you would hear a US citizen yell whilst being held in a thai prison after doing something wrong) most annoyingly though: extremely uneducated about the world around them.
The following quote springs to mind:
"Only in America can you be pro-death penalty, pro-war, pro-unmanned drone bombs, pro-nuclear weapons, pro-guns, pro-torture, pro-land mines, and still call yourself ‘pro-life.’" - John Fugelsang
Now sure I am generalizing a lot, but the point I am trying to get across is that very specific american-train-of-thought. If anyone has watched the film "God Bless America" it highlights a similar point. Anyway, for me personally this is the fundamental aspect I think of when someone says "America". It's a shame. I don't blame the people or anyone in particular, it's just the way it is. Any 'American' that tries to be different would become an outcast, and who wants to be an outcast in your own country?
It's a combination of many things that contribute to this and like I said I don't blame anyone. Instead I adopt a very simple outlook when it comes to this: Assess each person as an individual regardless of race, nationality, citizenship etc.
And even those 'Americans' that are idiots, I don't blame them. They are just a product of their own corrupt educational system and the way they were raised. Everyone is simply a product of their environment.
So to sum up: I don't think anything in particular about 'America' as really there is no such thing.
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Umerica!
Ah bleed red, white and blue muthafuggas!
Oh wait, nope, detest this miserable excuse for a country.
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the culture of where i live in the midwest is sickening
alot of fat dumb people with thousand dollar ipads that are used to check facebooks and look at cats
a hella lot of people are racist and arn't so nice to homosexuals either
the majority of our country actually thought the iraq war had anything to do with 911
patriot act essentially extinguished the bill of rights
i cud go on
its a rich country but a frightening one unless your a white male christian hetrosexual who has no mind of their own doesn't do drugs or engage in unconvetional medical treatments and etc etc
rly.. it is good for the submissive and self decieving
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I think most Americans are honest people who dont want to believe that our government has been bought out but anyone who's even remotely cynical can see what really goes on. There's only two viable parties and they try to make you conform to one or the other.
Some stuff im conservative about, some stuff im liberal. Why do I need to put all my eggs in one basket? Cant we just have a "Logic" party?
All in all after visiting Europe i'm still glad to live here
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I think most Americans are honest people who dont want to believe that our government has been bought out but anyone who's even remotely cynical can see what really goes on. There's only two viable parties and they try to make you conform to one or the other.
Some stuff im conservative about, some stuff im liberal. Why do I need to put all my eggs in one basket? Cant we just have a "Logic" party?
All in all after visiting Europe i'm still glad to live here
Check out my thread about The Zeitgeist Movement! A big part of it is about how extremely similar both parties are and how their should be one universal 'system' instead of politicians who frankly know shit all about the world around them, most of them have been rich their whole life and don't actually understand the different aspects of the things they're effecting. TZM advocates using the scientific method to 'control' the different aspects of the world. People don't need to be governed. But certain aspects of society and the world needs to be organized and planned.
By the way, where in Europe did you visit and what is wrong with Europe? :P Europe is a continent consisting of many different countries, you can't really compare them.
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that the country has gone to shit especially when people vote to put obama in the white house b/c he is black and the 1st black president woopity fucking doo not b/c of his policies but because he was black he won and look where we are now good job voters now that the novelty of a black man with a muslim name being president is over maybe we can put someone qualified and vote for candidate with the best policies not the one that would make history but doesn't have a fucking clue and no i don't vote
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that the country has gone to shit especially when people vote to put obama in the white house b/c he is black and the 1st black president woopity fucking doo not b/c of his policies but because he was black he won and look where we are now good job voters now that the novelty of a black man with a muslim name being president is over maybe we can put someone qualified and vote for candidate with the best policies not the one that would make history but doesn't have a fucking clue and no i don't vote
If you're anyway not going to vote then why not vote for a third alternative? They're not going to get into power but at least you're supporting something other than the Democrats or Republicans.
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that the country has gone to shit especially when people vote to put obama in the white house b/c he is black and the 1st black president woopity fucking doo not b/c of his policies but because he was black he won and look where we are now good job voters now that the novelty of a black man with a muslim name being president is over maybe we can put someone qualified and vote for candidate with the best policies not the one that would make history but doesn't have a fucking clue and no i don't vote
If you're anyway not going to vote then why not vote for a third alternative? They're not going to get into power but at least you're supporting something other than the Democrats or Republicans.
i hate politics and everything involved with it just upset that people put someone in office b/c of skin color not qualifications thanks affirmative action oops i meant misinformed voters do some fucking research
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I've been to England, France, Spain, and Italy. It's not that I didnt like their culture, I just didnt like being profiled as an American. You could tell at like restaurants especially, like as soon as they hear the accent you just see their face go blank. Not that they are rude, they just dont really help you either.
Idk, England's food was pretty awful, maybe I just was at the wrong spots but idk how they eat and enjoy it. No hot sauce at KFC? I almost laughed in the cashier's face when he went "Would you like ketchup instead?"
I am very polite in person and left good tips regardless of the service so hopefully I put the USA in a good light.
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I've lived in America. I watched 9/11 from across the harbour in Staten Island. Blah.blah, blah ... I think Americans became too insular and apathetic - because of it's progress in becoming the world's economic and military superpower. Now the tables have turned. Most of it was a sham. Greed took control (banks, finance co's) and bad governments wasted taxpayers money on killing innocent people in other countries. I feel such compassion for so-called 'everyday' Americans because they have to suffer the sins of their father as your government's 'bad karma' plays out its roll in the coming decades. But there is still hope if more great souls, like some of its founding fathers try to right the wrongs. Barrack Obama has been a great caretaker for America imo. I hope people like him can keep nudging out the power-mongering billionaire phoneys that are trying to take control of your blessed country.
simulacra
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Same s**t different century. All the bulls**t has been going on since ancient Mesopotamia :o
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I once was having a discussion with someone and told them I wasn't proud to be an American, not because I had anything against America, but because I simply didn't like the idea of Nationalism. Their response was to punch me and yell angrily. Last year in high school, I didn't stand up for the Pledge of Allegiance, because, again, Nationalism is stupid. The principle happened to see this and then, during one of the breaks, I got a call from my angry father about the matter. She even got the German foreign exchange kid to do the pledge I think that pretty much sums it up here.
I don't get why everyone always talks bad about our education system. While there's a lot of aspects in which it's militarized, discourages independent thinking, underefunded, and broken in about a million different ways, you still learn quite a bit if you're motivated to do so; it's certainly a far cry from third-world-ness as a lot of people seem to think it isn't.
European countries, I have a few questions for you: how's the situation with nationalism in your countries; how do you look at America; does the prevalence of Nationslism here have anything to do with the negative outlook; what's the situation in your countries about stupid shit that should be obvious like cannbis legality, pro-choice, and gay marriage?
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I once was having a discussion with someone and told them I wasn't proud to be an American, not because I had anything against America, but because I simply didn't like the idea of Nationalism. Their response was to punch me and yell angrily. Last year in high school, I didn't stand up for the Pledge of Allegiance, because, again, Nationalism is stupid. The principle happened to see this and then, during one of the breaks, I got a call from my angry father about the matter. She even got the German foreign exchange kid to do the pledge I think that pretty much sums it up here.
I don't get why everyone always talks bad about our education system. While there's a lot of aspects in which it's militarized, discourages independent thinking, underefunded, and broken in about a million different ways, you still learn quite a bit if you're motivated to do so; it's certainly a far cry from third-world-ness as a lot of people seem to think it isn't.
European countries, I have a few questions for you: how's the situation with nationalism in your countries; how do you look at America; does the prevalence of Nationslism here have anything to do with the negative outlook; what's the situation in your countries about stupid shit that should be obvious like cannbis legality, pro-choice, and gay marriage?
It varies a lot, remember that Europe is a continent and every country is quite different from the rest. Generally though, sure there is a bit of nationalism but nowhere near as much as the US. I can't imagine a single European country where people would chant their country like they do in the US, sure it probably happens but not as much. You learn a lot in european schools as well, I'm guessing just as much as the US, just without the whole militarized thing.
I think europeans often see americans as narrow minded and ignorant, google "Americans are not stupid" a video on youtube. Now I know they only select the most stupid people and give a skewed view of reality, but it does prove a point. Americans are generally more uneducated about the world around them compared to other first world countries. The huge amount of ultra conservatives and rednecks and white trash doesn't really help either hehe.
(Don't mean to offend anyone, just saying it as it is)
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I once was having a discussion with someone and told them I wasn't proud to be an American, not because I had anything against America, but because I simply didn't like the idea of Nationalism. Their response was to punch me and yell angrily. Last year in high school, I didn't stand up for the Pledge of Allegiance, because, again, Nationalism is stupid. The principle happened to see this and then, during one of the breaks, I got a call from my angry father about the matter. She even got the German foreign exchange kid to do the pledge I think that pretty much sums it up here.
I don't get why everyone always talks bad about our education system. While there's a lot of aspects in which it's militarized, discourages independent thinking, underefunded, and broken in about a million different ways, you still learn quite a bit if you're motivated to do so; it's certainly a far cry from third-world-ness as a lot of people seem to think it isn't.
European countries, I have a few questions for you: how's the situation with nationalism in your countries; how do you look at America; does the prevalence of Nationslism here have anything to do with the negative outlook; what's the situation in your countries about stupid shit that should be obvious like cannbis legality, pro-choice, and gay marriage?
It varies a lot, remember that Europe is a continent and every country is quite different from the rest. Generally though, sure there is a bit of nationalism but nowhere near as much as the US. I can't imagine a single European country where people would chant their country like they do in the US, sure it probably happens but not as much. You learn a lot in european schools as well, I'm guessing just as much as the US, just without the whole militarized thing.
I think europeans often see americans as narrow minded and ignorant, google "Americans are not stupid" a video on youtube. Now I know they only select the most stupid people and give a skewed view of reality, but it does prove a point. Americans are generally more uneducated about the world around them compared to other first world countries. The huge amount of ultra conservatives and rednecks and white trash doesn't really help either hehe.
(Don't mean to offend anyone, just saying it as it is)
Actually... There is a whole lot of nationalism in Europe. Ever been to any Euro cup matches? Try calling an Austrian "German"... How about Serbs vs Croates... Maybe let's push to it with Polish, Russian or Ukrainian... In the past 100 years there's been lots more millions of or Europeans killing each other over nationalism than just about anywhere else on the planet.
Regarding "stupid Americans"... Yes, that is a view much of Europe has regarding us as we win the most Nobel prizes, invent most technology, space travel and have the most sought after universities and companies... That view is media driven and limiting to Europeans who are basically jealous. Look around you... So much of the clothes, cell phones, computers, music, electricity, medicine, airplanes, cars, etc comes from ignorant American inventions and creativity.... And thanks to the English and American military you're free to use it and insult us... That's an interesting dynamic isn't it.
Rednecks and white trash... Do you mean people who work hard, go to church, get married, have children, donate money to causes (domestic & foreign), help you out if you need a hand or are lost..? Or are you talking about the California movie version of a section of Americans that Hollywood & New York liberals portray to the world? I lived in the South and found the people to be extremely warm and hospitable. Yes they were more conservative in some ways than me, but in other ways they were more wild and fun-loving!
There are many parts of Norway, England, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, Greece, etc where I've run into plenty of "simple" and "unsophisticated" people too... And I cherish the time because I often find them to be the most open and "real".
Please tell me what an "ultra conservative" is?
I apologize if I just came off too strong... but I wanted to make a point... that to judge people based on media and movies is hurtful and limiting... To oneself and to those it's directed at.
America is a huge place with 50 states and was set up to allow each state certain rights of self rule... The socialist movement wants to take a way those rights and centralize all the power in Washington under Obama and the Liberals who control the east and west coasts... As such they portray everyone who disagrees with them as ignorant, a redneck, a bible-thumper, a "ultra-conservative"...
And God help the world if they win!!
Peace & Luvies!
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Actually... There is a whole lot of nationalism in Europe. Ever been to any Euro cup matches? Try calling an Austrian "German"... How about Serbs vs Croates... Maybe let's push to it with Polish, Russian or Ukrainian... In the past 100 years there's been lots more millions of or Europeans killing each other over nationalism than just about anywhere else on the planet.
Regarding "stupid Americans"... Yes, that is a view much of Europe has regarding us as we win the most Nobel prizes, invent most technology, space travel and have the most sought after universities and companies... That view is media driven and limiting to Europeans who are basically jealous. Look around you... So much of the clothes, cell phones, computers, music, electricity, medicine, airplanes, cars, etc comes from ignorant American inventions and creativity.... And thanks to the English and American military you're free to use it and insult us... That's an interesting dynamic isn't it.
Rednecks and white trash... Do you mean people who work hard, go to church, get married, have children, donate money to causes (domestic & foreign), help you out if you need a hand or are lost..? Or are you talking about the California movie version of a section of Americans that Hollywood & New York liberals portray to the world? I lived in the South and found the people to be extremely warm and hospitable. Yes they were more conservative in some ways than me, but in other ways they were more wild and fun-loving!
There are many parts of Norway, England, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, Greece, etc where I've run into plenty of "simple" and "unsophisticated" people too... And I cherish the time because I often find them to be the most open and "real".
Please tell me what an "ultra conservative" is?
I apologize if I just came off too strong... but I wanted to make a point... that to judge people based on media and movies is hurtful and limiting... To oneself and to those it's directed at.
America is a huge place with 50 states and was set up to allow each state certain rights of self rule... The socialist movement wants to take a way those rights and centralize all the power in Washington under Obama and the Liberals who control the east and west coasts... As such they portray everyone who disagrees with them as ignorant, a redneck, a bible-thumper, a "ultra-conservative"...
And God help the world if they win!!
Peace & Luvies!
I think you'll find that it's the same people that go to these football matches, and it's actually the only example I could think of which is why I added "i'm sure it happens, but not as much as in the US".
Your argument about the nobel prize is one I've heard before. I didn't say every American is stupid and ignorant did I? I would bet any amount of money that if you do a survey where you ask American children and European children questions about things outside their country, the European children would be consistently more educated about the world around them. Whenever I see a really stupid comment on Youtube 9 times out of 10 it's by an American.
Come on man, the "You're just jealous, we saved you in the war" bullshit is just immature :P Sure America has achieved and created a lot of things but at what cost? You are consuming insane amounts of energy, polluting the atmosphere etc. etc. example:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_carbon_dioxide_emissions_per_capita If I had the time and energy I could go on and link a lot more statistics.
Also remember that Europe is OLD, a lot of the wars and disputes between countries go back many centuries, during a time when that sort of thing was essential for your nation to prosper. If you take into account how young America is I think you'll find you've caused a lot more trouble on average. You're like the new kid at school who starts arguments and fights and think you're it just to try and fit in, and everyone else just wants you to chill the hell out.
You make another good point, the amount of religious nutjobs you have is insane, religion is OBSOLETE but still your presidents talks about god and shit, seriously? By ultra conservative I mean the approximately 40% that voted Republican, against abortion even if a woman is raped? Seriously gtfo haha, I don't even know how to argue against these sort of ideas because they haven't existed for many decades where I'm from.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-16386176
"In the last week Rick Perry has announced he is against abortion, even when a woman has been raped and put out an ad claiming Obama was waging war on Christianity. Ron Paul has been endorsed by a preacher who advocates the death penalty for homosexuality. Michele Bachmann says that under Biblical instruction she would be submissive to her husband, even as president."
Is this stuff actually real? Maybe I need to actually visit America to get a better picture but I find it hard to believe that the BBC is making this stuff up. Don't you see how insane it is? (Although I have to admit, I don't know what biblical instruction means but that thing about submission under biblical instruction sounds hot, man I bet she's nasty in bed)
I feel like I am digressing, I'll try and simplify it. There is an essence that the majority of Americans seem to posses that I absolutely hate and despise, take a look at this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAU6S6ke36o (Just google "American reactions to bin laden death" if you don't want to follow clearnet link) I ask you: Do you support this kind of behavior? I mean it's 2012, Americans claim to be the best, the most developed, the most modern but still you go out on the streets and celebrate the death of another human being? His death means nothing.
Again, I mean nothing negative, I like a lot of Americans, I really do, as a whole though I can't stand a lot of them.
Sorry if I didn't meet all your arguments but this debate is getting way too broad for being on an underground black market forum ;P
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Rednecks and white trash... Do you mean people who work hard, go to church, get married, have children, donate money to causes (domestic & foreign), help you out if you need a hand or are lost..? Or are you talking about the California movie version of a section of Americans that Hollywood & New York liberals portray to the world? I lived in the South and found the people to be extremely warm and hospitable. Yes they were more conservative in some ways than me, but in other ways they were more wild and fun-loving!
Yes. young Europeans are fed enormous amounts of what is essentially the most extraordinarily vitriolic propaganda and it all passes by as gospel. They think of Micheal Moore in the same way most people think of Carl Sagan. There is a whole lot of cognitive dissonance going on in Europe, the current generation basically are of the sophisticated opinion that Democrats are the Good Guys and Republicans are the Evil Ones. They... don't really know a whole lot of history, by which I mean any history at all to put current politics in any sort of context. It is not true that Europeans are more historically aware than Americans. Actually they're about as dumb as each other on that score I ain't going to dish out any compliments there.
Southerners are among some of the finest people I know. There should be an exchange program to prove y'all not cannibal hillbillies though, because I think that's pretty much what it'd take to change perspectives :D
It is true that the war in Iraq and Afghanistan has permanently damaged the Republican party in the eyes of Europeans. Their view of the GOP isn't too far off David Icke's interpretation of our world leaders. I once showed a Ron Paul video to a European friend and he declared he couldn't understand why Ron Paul wasn't a Democrat. This is a true story.
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Rednecks and white trash... Do you mean people who work hard, go to church, get married, have children, donate money to causes (domestic & foreign), help you out if you need a hand or are lost..? Or are you talking about the California movie version of a section of Americans that Hollywood & New York liberals portray to the world? I lived in the South and found the people to be extremely warm and hospitable. Yes they were more conservative in some ways than me, but in other ways they were more wild and fun-loving!
Yes. young Europeans are fed enormous amounts of what is essentially the most extraordinarily vitriolic propaganda and it all passes by as gospel. They think of Micheal Moore in the same way most people think of Carl Sagan. There is a whole lot of cognitive dissonance going on in Europe, the current generation basically are of the sophisticated opinion that Democrats are the Good Guys and Republicans are the Evil Ones. They... don't really know a whole lot of history, by which I mean any history at all to put current politics in any sort of context. It is not true that Europeans are more historically aware than Americans. Actually they're about as dumb as each other on that score I ain't going to dish out any compliments there.
Southerners are among some of the finest people I know. There should be an exchange program to prove y'all not cannibal hillbillies though, because I think that's pretty much what it'd take to change perspectives :D
It is true that the war in Iraq and Afghanistan has permanently damaged the Republican party in the eyes of Europeans. Their view of the GOP isn't too far off David Icke's interpretation of our world leaders. I once showed a Ron Paul video to a European friend and he declared he couldn't understand why Ron Paul wasn't a Democrat. This is a true story.
Maybe you misunderstand. I by no means think that all southerners are toothless bikers living in trailers with a meth habit. You can't deny though that the social group just described exists, right? Or are you telling me the people I see on Jerry Springer are actually brain surgeons and lawyers undercover?
Take a look at my previous link about the Republican Party from the BBC, what's your response to that? "Ron Paul has been endorsed by a preacher who advocates the death penalty for homosexuality." - Seriously? It's not about the good guys or the bad guys, it's about idiotic backward thinking that belongs in the 1800s. FUCK THE REPUBLICANS. Both parties are equally shit but the republicans are the fucking scum of the earth. Americans should know better. I know this is one individual but it doesn't matter, YOUR society PRODUCED this individual, it is not acceptable.
The very existence of that social group, no matter how small, shows a big failure in American society. I'm a firm believer in judging a country by it's lowest socioeconomic class.
Maybe that cleared it up. Nobody in Europe is stupid enough to believe that everyone in Alabama are white trash. Although even the so called 'good southerners' are most likely religious and very conservative (against abortion, against gay marriage, likely racist, etc.) They're only friendly if you're a white, straight heterosexual with not too liberal views.
I remember seeing an episode of the British Top Gear where they drove through Alabama and I saw many examples of the stereotypical backward thinking white trash people. Check this out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jG0D2nRGrQ (Google: Extra: "Top Gear" in Alabama)
I think you're being overly naive about your own country. This stuff wouldn't happen in Europe. Thank God I am not an American, no offense, honestly.
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I have a lot to say about America as a Russian immigrant. So here goes:
I DESPISE when politicians do this:
Interviewer (let's call him "Anderson"): "So will you be favoring the rich and cutting taxes for them while making the middle class pay more and more?"
Candidate: "I'm sorry the crowd is going wild here, Anderson; I can't really hear you. But I do want to say one thing: This is THE GREATEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD!!!""
Is anyone here familiar with THE PROTOCOLS OF THE LEARNED ELDERS OF ZION (http://www.aztlan.net/protocols.htm)??
This was an anti-Semitic document fabricated by the Chaika (the Czar's secret police in late Imperial Russia). I am a Jew myself (half) so I take no offense to it and I hope no other Jews here do as well. Now, let's take out all the Jewish aspects of it and replace it with the American government. Let's take out the communist conspiracy aspects as well. Is this document not describing EXACTLY what is happening in America today??
Did you all know that states where Republicans are governors have cut state university funding by almost 90%!! They want us to be dumber. But I will say this: the crazy-jesus-camp-speaking-in-tongues-psycho-fucks are losing power. And that is refreshing.
Do I hate America? No. As a matter of fact, every time I travel for a week or two to a foreign country I am always happy to be back in my home country. I live comfortably, admittedly. The only place where I did not want to return from was the Netherlands. They got their shit together like no other country.
I also live in America's biggest city; i interact with races and cultures from all over the world. I love my city. However, I have been to Alabama, Arkansas, and many other states on a road-trip across the U.S., and I can easily say this country contains the STUPIDEST and MOST RELIGIOUS DUMB FUCKS in the world. When asked if I was a Christian, I responded: "Russian Orthodox, yes." To which the man answered "what the fuck kinda Jewy dumb shit is that? That aint no gosh darn Christian!"
Because we do not have a federal education system, American will remain retarded, except for the rich states such as Cali, NY, and a few others.
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I have a lot to say about America as a Russian immigrant. So here goes:
I DESPISE when politicians do this:
Interviewer (let's call him "Anderson"): "So will you be favoring the rich and cutting taxes for them while making the middle class pay more and more?"
Candidate: "I'm sorry the crowd is going wild here, Anderson; I can't really hear you. But I do want to say one thing: This is THE GREATEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD!!!""
Is anyone here familiar with THE PROTOCOLS OF THE LEARNED ELDERS OF ZION (http://www.aztlan.net/protocols.htm)??
This was an anti-Semitic document fabricated by the Chaika (the Czar's secret police in late Imperial Russia). I am a Jew myself (half) so I take no offense to it and I hope no other Jews here do as well. Now, let's take out all the Jewish aspects of it and replace it with the American government. Let's take out the communist conspiracy aspects as well. Is this document not describing EXACTLY what is happening in America today??
Did you all know that states where Republicans are governors have cut state university funding by almost 90%!! They want us to be dumber. But I will say this: the crazy-jesus-camp-speaking-in-tongues-psycho-fucks are losing power. And that is refreshing.
Do I hate America? No. As a matter of fact, every time I travel for a week or two to a foreign country I am always happy to be back in my home country. I live comfortably, admittedly. The only place where I did not want to return from was the Netherlands. They got their shit together like no other country.
I also live in America's biggest city; i interact with races and cultures from all over the world. I love my city. However, I have been to Alabama, Arkansas, and many other states on a road-trip across the U.S., and I can easily say this country contains the STUPIDEST and MOST RELIGIOUS DUMB FUCKS in the world. When asked if I was a Christian, I responded: "Russian Orthodox, yes." To which the man answered "what the fuck kinda Jewy dumb shit is that? That aint no gosh darn Christian!"
Because we do not have a federal education system, American will remain retarded, except for the rich states such as Cali, NY, and a few others.
Interesting post, I'm curious about your roadtrip, maybe I've seen too many American roadtrip movies, but I've always wanted to go the US with a few friends and spend like two months driving around visiting every state. Food is cheap, motels are cheap, petrol is cheap car rental was pretty cheap as well. My countries currency is very strong against the dollars so it feels like I'd get a lot for my money. Would one get an accurate view of the US as a country if one were to do this? That is mostly what I'm after. It feels like when you go on holiday to a country you don't really get an accurate view of the country as you're just a tourist. If you were to drive around, stay in different motels in different states, go into normal shops in non tourists areas and do things like that, it would be the best way to get an accurate picture without actually living there.
I feel like its only right for me to go there and build my own view as most of my views about the US is based on things I read or see in films/online.
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The best part about America is weed.
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Sigh. I'm afraid there are hillbillies everywhere.
Even in Europe.
I beleive in the UK they have several breeds, Gypsies being the most obvious.
Check out all the hilarious YouTube videos of Russians doing hillbilly things.
I know a guy from India, and he says, even they have their form of hillbillies.
So, while I think Western culture is catering to the lowest common denominator in television and music, I also think there is much good in our society if you look at it more objectively.
Europe isn't the bastion of culture and sensibility they like to portray to the Americas, we all have a melting pot of various ethnicities and economic status' to make things interesting.
The media just likes to focus on some things to make money and create influence. When we watch TV about the UK, it's all Royal this and Becks that, and the Netherlands has nothing to offer but potheads and flowers. I think the media and our weird ideas about the media help create and enforce these stereotypes.
Think about that Gingam Style song that is collectively making us all want to tear our ears out... the only reason it "went viral" is because the media announced it as "the latest viral hit" and then proceeded to play it day in and day out.
I know I didn't choose to listen to it 50,00 times a day, but the media says it's a hit, so it is.
That being said, there are many who buy into the media hype and practically worship it. I think these are the hillbillies we have in the Americas. The ones who want to BE Homer Simpson. I don't doubt that there are some communities where these people are packed together, I could see wanting to move if my neighborhood starts going downhill with random acts of redneck.
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Gawwwd I opened Pandora's box with this thread lol...
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Gawwwd I opened Pandora's box with this thread lol...
Nothing wrong with a bit of discussion, right?
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Gawwwd I opened Pandora's box with this thread lol...
Nothing wrong with a bit of discussion, right?
No of course not but sometimes with certain topics on SR you start to get the SSDD feeling.
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I've been to the US a few times and recently as well.
Politics in the US seems really divisive. It's happening here to, where the Left is becoming more centre-right, and the Right is becoming......downright creepy. Unlike here however, there doesn't seem to be a shift to more left wing thinking either (except for 7 people in a flat in Portland ;) )
The baggage of the US zeitgeist seems really heavy at the moment.
However, there are fantastic parts about US culture. When you go there, you feel like anything is possible (in a good way). People are super friendly and helpful, and contextually in-country their outgoing verbose nature really works to their advantage. Yanks know how to get shit done.
I like the place and people stacks more than I ever thought I would.
Their microbrewers are fucking awesome, too. ;D
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Americans complain too much.
yeah, our government is all fucked up, but last time I checked, there isn't a single government on the planet that can be deemed "efficient" or "effective." lol.
This is a great place to live...lots of open space, plenty of food, shelter, & water, easy to find work (despite what republicans wanted you to think during the debates), all different varieties of hot chicks. and thats just the basics. there's a lot of other things that are great about america....hmm, let me think...
salad dressing! everywhere i went in europe they just give you oil and vinegar with your salad, but in america you've got at least 8 choices for what flavor you want on your salad.
and while i'm thinking of food, we get lots of free shit. i noticed in europe that at restaurants they want to charge you extra for stuff like condiments, drink refills, extra cheese, etc. that would not and could not EVER happen in america. the people would revold, seriously. if i want 5 containers of barbecue sauce with my fries, dammit, you better give me that fuckin sauce.
oh yeah, and the booze situation here is much better. if you order a scotch, they pour you a fuckin glass of scotch. none of this shit where they measure a small amount in a little metal cup and pour it over ice. in america they put some ice in the glass and fill it with scotch. and unless you're at some trendy city club, its gonna be cheap.
wide roads! its really easy to drive anywhere in america, or walk on any street without fear of being hit by a car. if you've been driving roads in europe your whole life, you would find driving in america to be a delight. we often have debates as to which state has the worst drivers, but the bad drivers here are like pros compared to europe, india, caribbean, china, etc. y'all are fuckin psychotic!!
if you don't like the weather where you live, or you've decided you hate everyone you know (or they hate you), you can just pack up and move somewhere else in the country and never have to look back. i imagine if you moved from london to manchester, you wouldn't see a huge change in your surroundings, but if you moved from new york to los angeles, you'd feel like you were in a totally different nation.
oh yeah, and we can vacation to places like key west, puerto rico, US virgin islands, with no passport and for a relatively small amount of money.
there is some shit that sucks about america though, as many others in this thread have pointed out. the politics really bugs me, especially the imperialism. the rednecks really piss me off too. the cost of higher education would bother me if i didn't think that 90% of higher education degrees are worthless pieces of paper that only suckers try to obtain. if you're determined and intelligent, its not that hard to get scholarship money.
the only country i've been to so far that i like better than the USA is Canada, but I can't handle the winters there. its pretty rough. i've been to montreal in early february once and it was so windy and so cold that i felt like we were all going to die. but canada in the summer is the greatest place on earth (particularly Québec).
don't get me wrong, i'm not some flag waving patriot, I just think that my life here is pretty good compared with what it could be. i've got a lot more traveling to do tho!
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Americans complain too much.
yeah, our government is all fucked up, but last time I checked, there isn't a single government on the planet that can be deemed "efficient" or "effective." lol.
This is a great place to live...lots of open space, plenty of food, shelter, & water, easy to find work (despite what republicans wanted you to think during the debates), all different varieties of hot chicks. and thats just the basics. there's a lot of other things that are great about america....hmm, let me think...
salad dressing! everywhere i went in europe they just give you oil and vinegar with your salad, but in america you've got at least 8 choices for what flavor you want on your salad.
and while i'm thinking of food, we get lots of free shit. i noticed in europe that at restaurants they want to charge you extra for stuff like condiments, drink refills, extra cheese, etc. that would not and could not EVER happen in america. the people would revold, seriously. if i want 5 containers of barbecue sauce with my fries, dammit, you better give me that fuckin sauce.
oh yeah, and the booze situation here is much better. if you order a scotch, they pour you a fuckin glass of scotch. none of this shit where they measure a small amount in a little metal cup and pour it over ice. in america they put some ice in the glass and fill it with scotch. and unless you're at some trendy city club, its gonna be cheap.
wide roads! its really easy to drive anywhere in america, or walk on any street without fear of being hit by a car. if you've been driving roads in europe your whole life, you would find driving in america to be a delight. we often have debates as to which state has the worst drivers, but the bad drivers here are like pros compared to europe, india, caribbean, china, etc. y'all are fuckin psychotic!!
if you don't like the weather where you live, or you've decided you hate everyone you know (or they hate you), you can just pack up and move somewhere else in the country and never have to look back. i imagine if you moved from london to manchester, you wouldn't see a huge change in your surroundings, but if you moved from new york to los angeles, you'd feel like you were in a totally different nation.
oh yeah, and we can vacation to places like key west, puerto rico, US virgin islands, with no passport and for a relatively small amount of money.
there is some shit that sucks about america though, as many others in this thread have pointed out. the politics really bugs me, especially the imperialism. the rednecks really piss me off too. the cost of higher education would bother me if i didn't think that 90% of higher education degrees are worthless pieces of paper that only suckers try to obtain. if you're determined and intelligent, its not that hard to get scholarship money.
the only country i've been to so far that i like better than the USA is Canada, but I can't handle the winters there. its pretty rough. i've been to montreal in early february once and it was so windy and so cold that i felt like we were all going to die. but canada in the summer is the greatest place on earth (particularly Québec).
don't get me wrong, i'm not some flag waving patriot, I just think that my life here is pretty good compared with what it could be. i've got a lot more traveling to do tho!
Not sure if serious? lol :P
You define the greatness of a country based on the amount of bbq sauce sachet you get, the amount of drink refills and the selection of dressings available on your salad?
The passport thing isn't a problem as virtually every European adult has a passport, it's only in the US people don't seem to bother.
I do have to admit though, I do see your point with the food thing, the portions and the quality of the food in a lot of places i Europe is quite disappointing, if my US road trip ever becomes reality I plan on going to all those awesome food places you see on Man v Food. It's insane how much you get for your money over there.
The roads are small because the roads were built a very long time ago.
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lol. i meant some of that to be kinda tongue-in-cheek; i do love to consume copious amounts of bbq sauce and honey mustard with my fries, but obviously this is a very trivial thing. just trying to break up the american pity party happening in this thread and remind my fellow countrymen that we live like kings compared to 80% of the rest of the world.
really what i love best about america is the geography, but i doubt that me rambling on about mountains, forests, deserts, rivers, and coastline would make for a very good post.
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I think America is a wonderful country compared to most i just wish the people were more educated and less brainwashed by fox news and cnn ect
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just trying to break up the american pity party happening in this thread and remind my fellow countrymen that we live like kings compared to 80% of the rest of the world.
True, but there's still just too many stupid, needless things that keep it from reaching it's true potential.
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Wow. Generalising an entire continent/generation in that manner makes you no different really does it?
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America is truly like any other country in the world. I've traveled all over and the more I travel the more I realize that everywhere you go people are just people. I'm sure there are some super secret societies out there that decide the fate of the world and blah blah blah but really does it affect my day to day life? Nope. I go to work, I make money, I spend my money on what I want (including stuff on SR), and I provide for my family. I for the most part live a happy and content life. I also feel like I could live that same life in quite a few different countries around the world. Honestly I don't pay attention much to the politicians, they're all crooks as far as I'm concerned. Except Ron Paul, he would've gotten my vote.
The only thing that truly irks me about the US is our credit system. It is structured so badly that it almost works against the consumer and stifles the economy. Now I'm not saying that any Joe Shmo should be able to buy themselves a $400,000 house or anything (that's what got us in trouble back in 2008). But I've known people that can't even get a loan for a $5,000 car because they were late on some credit card payments a couple years back. I'm not sure what kind of system they use abroad but I know it can't be as fucked up as America's seems to be.
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Having just watched the final debate it makes me wonder what Americans feel about the U.S as a whole. From an outsiders perspective personally I think a lot of stuff you have is really good and unique but there are a lot of faults as well but I have no idea what it's like to live in the U.S and be a U.S citizen.
Please share. :)
Being in the California, Oregon, Washington bubble that is the West Coast - I could image much worse growing up (yeah there were occasional shootings and domestic abuse around our building, but that's nothing compared to those poor bastards across the pond blowing each other up).
I like to think the government is going to step up and do the right thing when it comes to healthcare (like Great Britain) but after seeing decades of lies it's difficult to believe it.
I think this country is on the mend, but there are so many widespread societal problems that I HIGHLY doubt will be able to be fixed in my lifetime, or even my grand children's lifetime.
I didn't like either candidate, but I'm old enough that all I can do is vote - I can't even march in the street to protest thanks to all my injuries.
I'm not a fan of American politics in some respects but am in others. It really is a 50:50 split.
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When the people lead, the leaders will follow........Each and every one of us must chose for ourselves what we believe is right. Too many think that they are speaking for themselves, when in fact they are just repeating things they've heard on Fox news or some other completely ridiculous media outlet. We are all here on the SR choosing to say "Okay, we understand that our governments prohibit what we are doing, but we have the right to freedom of thought and expansion of consciousness." This is a perfect example of what there needs to be more of. Many people look at this site and frown upon it saying that we are the downfall of humanity, just a bunch of addicts. While I am sure there are some people struggling with addiction here, I guarantee that the majority of us are here to better ourselves and help others do so in a free thinking tribal environment. Its communities like this one that we can start to shift the current paradigm and get the pendulum to swing back to the side of the people.
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The pledge of allegiance is completely optional, that being said I don't remember anyone choosing to not say it all the way up until high school(9th-12th grade), and even then 99% of kids said it everyday, because it was just engrained in us as something we were taught to do at a very young age. but yeah America is not going to be able to survive much longer (10-15 years MAX) if we keep up they way we are.
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I think I can give a kind of different perspective seeing how im from the 49th state up north as seen in many shows on the discovery channel, Alaska. Up here the people are completely different then down in the lower 48 as we call it (i know cause i grew up in AK and im down on the east coast for school). Up in the far north people are much more laid back and liberal, much like Cali. Our drug laws are not as intense, just as much people blow tree as cigarettes. All and all I wouldnt trade living in AK for anywhere else in the world. However I do not like how our government is being run, at all. Too much of our politics is about making sure the president stays in office by offering things to illegal immigrants, and other bullshit policies that benefit freeloaders at the price of middle-class american citizens who work hard for their money and yes I'm talking about you Mr. Obama. The US is slowly coming to an end like all other great empires such as Rome, sad part is when our economy crashes we'll be bringing down the worlds economy as a whole, sorry about that. Honestly I would like to move to Europe in the mountains, cause who doesnt love a good mountain top smoke sesh. Europe, keep up your amazing drugs and great music. I might be seeing ya'll soon!
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All developed nations become the same in fairly short order. The powerful will leverage their power to get money, and the rich will leverage their wealth to get power. You have the politicians selling their power and the rich buying it. Both sides get what they want and both sides consistently leave the people out in the cold. "Capitalism: A love story" tells the story from an American perspective but a similar movie could be written about any country in western Europe.
In southeast Asia you have amateurs running the governments and this is a good thing. Corruption is systemic in both developed and developing countries, but in developing countries the power of the wealthy and the politicians is not yet all-encompassing. When a new law is made just weigh it. Put the pages on a scale. That will tell you how much power is being transferred from the people to the government and the corporations. The ten commandments could be written on a chalkboard, or you can put that old "All I needed to know I learned in Kindergarten" on a poster. Those will never do. Complexity breeds infection. If new laws were limited to a gram or less it would fundamentally change the way people are governed. How many sheets of paper in a gram? Plenty to make transparent laws. No space to hide the pathogens of government or the corporate world. Look at the tax code in any developed country. It is always written to protect corporations and politicians. They are always the authors.
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We're FUCKED!!! Too many people dependent on the government for their existence and the government pays these entitled people to have babies unchecked. We should have picked our own cotton
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I hate America and feel cursed for being born in this deplorable country. there is no freedom or happiness here and everyone is retarded.
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The country has a lot of flaws, and I would say that most of them are cultural. We're a first world country that is still ruled by ignorance and religious zealotry. I still have to say that I like living here though, there's really only one or two other countries that I would even consider living in permanently. Yes, I have traveled outside of the country.
As for the thing about the pledge in schools: I don't think there's anything that actually mandates that, and it certainly isn't mandatory. I went to several different public schools and a private school. In elementary school we would do the whole pledge+hand on heart+national anthem bullshit. In the private school (7th grade) we didn't do anything of the sort. When I got to HS they would just have someone read the pledge over the loudspeaker before the morning announcements, and in my other HS I do not recall doing that.
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I don't think I'll like living anywhere lines drawn in the sand dictating that this is here and that is there. That those people are different and our people are morally righteous. Everyone shits with their pants around their ankles and that is the greatest explanation of world equality to me.
If Money is involved; then it's fucked. The imbedding of Government and Corporate Entity has been infused long enough to erase any thoughts of a different model of Human life. It wasn't founded in America tho. History was wrote by the conquerors and since one man could pick up a bigger rock, others have been cast within it's shadow. Monkeys killing monkeys for dirt and bananas.
I love America, but I hate Nationalism on all levels.
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Americans are settling for the mediocrity, when with little effort, this country could be improved ten-fold in a decade.
Don't be fooled by your "comfortable" existence. They are simply fattening the herd before the slaughter.
Satan is real. Not in the Christian sense, but in the duality of everything. Obama is Satan.
The consciousness of the universe has allowed this deceiving, perverted, positive-energy vampire into the most "powerful" position in the world.
This man is the spokesperson, the icon of the evil of the world.
Its bring me back to an old saying, "The people get the government they deserve", and right not we are sitting here getting fat while our slave masters are sneaking in the back door to turn this Brave New World dystopia into straight 1984, boot to the face tyrannical rule.
With that being said, am I happy? Yes, because I spend everyday trying to restore my symbiotic relationship with mother earth.
In fact, the last year has spent studying the Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx.
The culture who created the Great Pyramid is the one we should aspire to.
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america seems like a nice place to live but i dont understand why everyone there is so cocky
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america seems like a nice place to live but i dont understand why everyone there is so cocky
They're not. Some are (That could be said about anywhere), but all are not.
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We're FUCKED!!! Too many people dependent on the government for their existence and the government pays these entitled people to have babies unchecked. We should have picked our own cotton
wow, really? you think? this is the first time i've ever heard that enslaving millions of people might have been a poor choice with some negative repercussions down the road ::)
i'm not sure there's any cure for cultural PTSD other than time.
funny how the white man's problems of today originate from his barbaric past. blame your ancestors.
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america seems like a nice place to live but i dont understand why everyone there is so cocky
They're not. Some are (That could be said about anywhere), but all are not.
As the aussie stand-up comedian Jim Jefferies put it, Americans may be
confident idiots
(not necessarily my opinion, but I get that feeling whenever I watch american TV).
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As a Washington citizen, I find it very funny that everyone forgot how to conduct themselves in a manner befitting the once greatest union on the planet. People now adays do not know the difference between state and us citizens, or how to operate under their own capacity and not that of the state or the national government. SR seems to be a way back to having the ability to conduct private business in a private manner without need of title or license. That's my two cents. Thanks for reading.
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I think America is caught up in the same "chasing ecomonic growth" spiral as europe that is ultimately unsustainable and will inevitably fail.
You cannot continue increasing the population , increasing production/farming efficiency, In the end we will hit a wall.
How that will manifest is unclear - probably either mother nature will take care of business on mankinds ass or things will subside into war and then it will be seen what the world looks like when the smoke settles.
Just my 2 cents.
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My little slice of America is pretty damn great!
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(not necessarily my opinion, but I get that feeling whenever I watch american TV).
Media is a fabrication; it isn't really the culture of a Nation.
Or at least I really fucking hope so or America is indeed fucked.
Unrelated note:
Stanford University has posted TONS of lecture courses on YouTube completely free for anyone to watch and learn what they're interested in. This is an institution that normally you would need to qualify and pay out the ass to attend which you can now do in your pajamas. Internet just won the internet.
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I think America is caught up in the same "chasing ecomonic growth" spiral as europe that is ultimately unsustainable and will inevitably fail.
You cannot continue increasing the population , increasing production/farming efficiency, In the end we will hit a wall.
How that will manifest is unclear - probably either mother nature will take care of business on mankinds ass or things will subside into war and then it will be seen what the world looks like when the smoke settles.
Just my 2 cents.
you're quite the philosopher.
::)
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God....nobody likes America then lol.
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i really cant say I do lim. I don't vote thats for sure. but something I am constantly aware of is that by continuing to live here and benefit from my citizenship i am an implicit accomplice to everything that feels deeply wrong to me internally. pragmatically, i feel our policies are necc. because, they would do it to us given the chance. But my heart knows this is not the way. I don't blame the country as much as I find the very institution of capitalism itself at fault. not that I am against capitalism on the theoretical basis, but I think other systems could be more effective for allocating resources....maybe....or maybe this really is the best way and the govts. just dont address market externalities adequately.
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God....nobody likes America then lol.
haha yeah pretty much..
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i love america but if elysium was waiting for me somewhere i might consider moving. please educate me.
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i really cant say I do lim. I don't vote thats for sure. but something I am constantly aware of is that by continuing to live here and benefit from my citizenship i am an implicit accomplice to everything that feels deeply wrong to me internally. pragmatically, i feel our policies are necc. because, they would do it to us given the chance. But my heart knows this is not the way. I don't blame the country as much as I find the very institution of capitalism itself at fault. not that I am against capitalism on the theoretical basis, but I think other systems could be more effective for allocating resources....maybe....or maybe this really is the best way and the govts. just dont address market externalities adequately.
I think the disconnect has become the complete imbedding of corporate entities into Government affairs. We're no longer "For the People" but "For the Interests of Return". It's not like America invented the idea although. Since Athens discovered large deposits of Silver in their region during times of the Greek city-states; people were enslaved to mine it. It's just now we have the internet and an ability to expose the tyranny of Colonialism (The extraction of resources and wealth of regions that do not benefit the native people). What the U.S. engages in now is Neo-Colonialism which instead of "occupation" like Early century British, French and Spanish empires, it uses economic and more discreet measures of control.
Foreign Aid is a key term that means propping up radical and corrupt regimes in countries that will accept bribes to continue the plundering of their resources. Take Iran in 1951 where the U.S. CIA overthrew a democratically elected president in order to get someone in power that would give us unchecked access to Oil reserves. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn't.
1954 In Guatemala, nearly half (42%) of the agriculture land ownership was from the Rockefeller family in the U.S. who, in conjunction, owned United Fruit Co. -- When the Guatemalan government decided to give the land back to it's poorest people and allow them to grow food for themselves, the CIA started an anit-communist movement within the country killing hundreds and throwing their Gov't in disarray.
If you look at any successful country's history, you'll see Corporation walking hand in hand with the term Empire.
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i'M A forced capitalist. and we're all slaves. Forget Americanism, or Nationalism...... fuck nationalism.
and it's not that i don't love a good game but SHIT! so fuckin sick of trying to run a good game!
we're moving out of that place of greed. more of my network than ever before is of wonderful intentions and the good taking care of one's brother kinda thing. america is the worst of the bunch. policing the world. the vatican is the religious center of the world (yeah right!), London is the monetary center, D.C. is the MILITARY center. We are all run by one funding machine folks. All wars. Every part of the institution has been crafted and implemented to perpetuate control. America is the leader in gluttony, waste, greed, competition, ignorance...
it's also where some of hopefully the greatest bringers of change are at right now. but as an entity... it's the most fraudulent display of pure horseshit mostly all of us here have absolutely know real idea of how it has become what it is and what it really was. wait a minute.. the most fraudulent display of a "country"... btw it's not "one nation" under god like we've been listening to and repeating our whole lives. Well, I haven't been... have you? Have you recited the "pledge" a hundred times?
Sorry for the rant but for any patriotic bitch still clinging onto extremely primitive concepts... I'll offer one last primitive expletive FUCK AMERICA!
I do dig this world though. I do have faith in all the fucks.
Okay america yknow I luv you...
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What I think of America as a whole is: that it's bunch of land spanning much of the Western Hemisphere, to include North America, South America, and the Caribbean. I'm not trying to be cheeky by sharing a literal approach to the term, because it illustrates hegemonic, exceptionalist perspectives that are too pervasive in the U.S.
United Statsians too quickly dismiss as irrelevant or unimportant things that can be learned by examining how shit gets done elsewhere, and the lessons of history. Capitalism has become our form of government at this point, and its collapse/increased decline will cause major turmoil here. We are becoming better critical thinkers, imo, and there's a major clash right now between the rational-minded people who really believe in liberty, and the Manifest Destiny types that feel that we are seated at the center of the universe (who, coincidentally[?], are the ones who always invoke liberty).
All of this is oversimplified, but a question like this invites only irresponsibly overgeneral responses. And I'm glad to share mine!
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I asked about education because I believe that your education is the fundamental in your life and determines who you are going to be.
I agree. US education taught me to dislike school and to make money through ways not involving a normal job. I'm very fortunate and appreciative of this.
Ever hear "the popular kids" by a friend who was attending school while you weren't? Sounds normal to them, but sounds quite funny and almost unbelievable to those who don't.
I believe the US education system builds character, but in more wrong ways then right.
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I love America, but hate the people in charge.
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I asked about education because I believe that your education is the fundamental in your life and determines who you are going to be.
I agree. US education taught me to dislike school and to make money through ways not involving a normal job. I'm very fortunate and appreciative of this.
Ever hear "the popular kids" by a friend who was attending school while you weren't? Sounds normal to them, but sounds quite funny and almost unbelievable to those who don't.
I believe the US education system builds character, but in more wrong ways then right.
The U.S. model of education was actually a copy of the Prussian model in the mid 1800's -- John. D Rockefeller founded the General Education Board and (more than likely) influenced the laws for Compulsory Education through out America which allowed the Gov't to fine and even detach the parents from their children in a forced education agenda. Reasoning behind Rockefeller "investment" into Education can be derived by some quotes.
“In our dream we have limitless resources, and the people yield themselves with perfect docility to our molding hand. The present educational conventions fade from our minds; and, unhampered by tradition, we work our own good will upon a grateful and responsive rural folk. We shall not try to make these people or any of their children into philosophers or men of learning or of science. We are not to raise up among them authors, orators, poets, or men of letters. We shall not search for embryo great artists, painters, musicians. Nor will we cherish even the humbler ambition to raise up from among them lawyers, doctors, preachers, statesmen, of whom we now have ample supply."
- Rev. Frederick T. Gates, Business Advisor to John D. Rockefeller Sr., 1913
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Having just watched the final debate it makes me wonder what Americans feel about the U.S as a whole. From an outsiders perspective personally I think a lot of stuff you have is really good and unique but there are a lot of faults as well but I have no idea what it's like to live in the U.S and be a U.S citizen.
Please share. :)
I think you nailed it Limetless. There are lots of benefits that are great living in the US, unfortunately just like every other society on earth there are some things that need to be changed. The American people are no less human than anyone else, trying their best to be civilized. Governments and massive organisations, however, do not always think of human emotions first and the people here must watch this activity closely. On another note I'm tired of all the US bashing arising from victimization complexes and being the scapegoat for the evils of commercialism around the world. To cast the US as responsible for everything as some do is just plain bullshit.
Anyways in general I enjoy the freedoms we still have here (always fighting for more) and it's generally a very stress free life for most. I said MOST so don't rip on me with your sad story and pretend it's the norm. You only have to travel to some countries to realize MOST have it well here and if you are working hard you are better off than the hopeless situation they are in.
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In school we were taught the USA is number one and all other countries are inferior.
Explains why americans are so fucking arrogant
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We were taught the USA is number one and all other countries are inferior.
Explains why americans are so fucking arrogant
Nobody I know talks like this and I live in the US. So please don't generalize a whole people.. it sounds just as ignorant.
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We were taught the USA is number one and all other countries are inferior.
Explains why americans are so fucking arrogant
oh come on. every country on the planet has a strong population of numb-skull nationalists who think their country is the greatest. have you ever met any israelis? brazillians? indians? south africans? italians? french? japanese? they all think they are the greatest. this is a very common trait among earth humans.
we americans just happen to be quite numerous and quite loud sometimes.
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we americans just happen to be quite numerous and quite loud sometimes.
dyou think if you all shouted at once we could hear you across the pond? lol
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In school we were taught the USA is number one and all other countries are inferior.
Explains why americans are so fucking arrogant
yea yea... fuck off with your ignorant generalization. american is waaay to complicated to make any generalizations about life, or how it is to be an american. the mid west, east coast, south, west coast, and pacific northwest all have their own distinct 'cultures' one might describe them as, and the variety increases between each individual state and cities.
=
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We were taught the USA is number one and all other countries are inferior.
Explains why americans are so fucking arrogant
oh come on. every country on the planet has a strong population of numb-skull nationalists who think their country is the greatest. have you ever met any israelis? brazillians? indians? south africans? italians? french? japanese? they all think they are the greatest. this is a very common trait among earth humans.
we americans just happen to be quite numerous and quite loud sometimes.
+1
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Three sentence preamble: My own family came here during the great potato famine and has yet to have any truly 'successful' progeny. The vast majority of my life thus far has been in or around the bible belt. Most of that time has been centered around a city who's number one employer is a University heavily involved in the fine arts.
The 'dream' was made out to be something tangible here for the McCarthy era boomers. I am trying my best to stay away from any direct Floyd references..but the dream has changed, or more accurately, is in the process of changing. Almost all of the previous generations are tied to religious institutions here (as I can imagine is the same with the rest of the world) and therefor letting go of God and the commodity fetishism, elitism and blind nationalism that seems part and parcel of 'Murica and Church is a hard sell. They were promised wanton consumption. They worked and fought and bled for the right to 'take it easy'. Now that they are FINALLY realizing that the world will never spin in that direction, without keeping 3/4ths of its population under heel, they are lost. Have you ever come across someone lost? They panic. They are scared. They are animals. My convoluted point is - 'people are people no matter where you are at.' Yes, it is a disturbing/disgusting shame we have arrived here on the backs of so many decent and valiant hominids, but, to blame the new dare I say....enlightened? generation for the sins of our fathers is not fair and can/will not broker a sustainable peace. I have not read every post in this thread, just trying to add my two cents. My hopes it is seen in the light I intended it.
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People are trapped in a habitual way of thinking. From birth they are influenced by their loved ones and their environment and the dam TV. By the time they reach age 20 they are so brain washed that they don't know how to change their paradigm.
Napoleon Hill talks about the power of habitual thinking and what bad it could do and also what good you can do with it. You have to reprogram your mind into a new habitual way of thinking that will change your reality
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If I lived in the US I wouldn't want people to know
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If I lived in the US I wouldn't want people to know
eh fuck you,
I am proud to be an American - not because I am proud of the atrocities my government has committed, but because of all the beautiful and amazing things that have been invented in America! think music - especially blues, without blues there would not be any of the popular music that exists today!
Certain fields of thought have been defined by scholars at American university; one example is how Franz Boas (though himself not American) came to America and completely reinvented the field of Anthropology, correcting all o the flaws that were inherent in British Anthropology at the time. I also think that graduate schools were invented in America, starting at John Hopkins university
I believe there is a long list of American accomplishments that positively influenced the world. Yea sure, you can come at me with all the anti-American hate about how fucked our government is, how the world hates us, how shitty our prison system is, our 'justice' system is - and I will agree with you. America is fucked in certain ways! But no one can deny that great things have originated in America and will continue to
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I am an American. I live in a state all of the other states look at like all other countries look at America. In other words, I live in Texas.
I am not very proud of being an American, even though I can trace my heritage directly to individuals who fought and died in the War of Independence, I have seen some of the things my country and its government has done in the people's name.
I am sick of this country, and I am considering moving out of it, along with all of my family and friends.
I am considering storing all of my wealth in Bitcoins which cannot be seized by the government, unlike bank accounts or credit cards, and Bitcoin is very easily portable, unlike gold or silver.
I honestly hate this country, and the hypocrisy I observe in the national televised news and in public.
If this country more honestly held to its principles and ideals, which are noble, that would be one thing, but all this country cares about is living comfortable at the expense of everyone else, especially non-Americans, and that is not what my adoptive parents taught me.
America used to be a country about freedom, about self-empowerment, about being able to forge your own path, and work for a comfortable life on an even playing field.
Now? If you were not born to a family who is already multi-billionaires, you will never achieve it. It is impossible, no matter how hard you work, and education is denied you, freedoms of every kind are denied you, and the military is now primed to fire upon their own citizens.
This country is tattered and ruined, and it isn't coming back.
America is dead.
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The Divided States of America more like.
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raynardine, I have to agree with a large part of your last post - opportunity has been taken away for many americans, both as far as wealth and certainly education. We are not together on much, a result, or even a freedom or sorts, of an open society. I do hate the way people are led / allowed to be led by the retoriticians in the media: they let their opinions be formed for them by Bill O'Reilly or some other ass (no one thinks for themselves).
We are too materialistic and chase all the wrong things in life, forgetting in the process of how to simply enjoy life. Then there's the F*&^%$ government - human language fails me to describe that miserable bunch of losers. Special interest groups run the country, this seems obvious when watching Congress' inaction on everything (except giving themselves pay raises).
I have considered what country to run to, but I am not sure of any good options (W. Canada in the woods? Denmark? Scananavia?)
One question for you, raynardine, are you origionally from Texas, or living here as am I?
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I have considered what country to run to, but I am not sure of any good options (W. Canada in the woods? Denmark? Scananavia?)
One question for you, raynardine, are you origionally from Texas, or living here as am I?
I was born and bred Texan, have lived in Texas my entire life.
In terms of climate, culture, the people, things like that, I love this state, especially the cities.
I am a very proud nerd, and there are a ton of telecommunications and electronics companies close to where I live. Many of my friends and family are electrical engineers or computer-related engineers.
I love the land, the people, the food, which is delicious, and I love the air, the culture, the music, but when you ask me if I love my country?
I loath what my country has become.
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The Hill Country I find really beautiful. Texas is pretty cool, but the cities (especially the one I suspect you're in/near) I can't dig (I lived 35+ years in Arkansas, so I like the woods, and sometimes banjos, too). In fact, even the countryside here is crowded to me, but Texas has been kind to me.
Back a bit more on topic, I love my country, but not the asses running it...
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The Hill Country I find really beautiful. Texas is pretty cool, but the cities (especially the one I suspect you're in/near) I can't dig (I lived 35+ years in Arkansas, so I like the woods, and sometimes banjos, too). In fact, even the countryside here is crowded to me, but Texas has been kind to me.
Back a bit more on topic, I love my country, but not the asses running it...
I'm a nerdy guy, and a proud geek. I would hate the isolation of the woodlands, no offense.
Maybe you'd say that I'd learn to appreciate the stark cruel beauty of nature, but I'm used to complete connection with the globe at all times.
The isolation would drive me batshit.
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Well, the "big cities" (I'm picturing Austin, more to my character with the strong arts scene & all) are OK - lots to do, but it can get noisy & give one stimulation overload. Trees are much quieter, and are good listeners (high or sober!)
8)
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lots to do, but it can get noisy & give one stimulation overload. Trees are much quieter, and are good listeners (high or sober!)
Yeah, I suppose some people need isolation.
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The American dream used to be a thing everyone wanted to attain, now, America is described as the best democracy money can buy. The dream has turned into a nightmare as Big Brother intimidates people into submission, overtaxing, spying, gathering intel on percieved threats to their agenda. The corporations control the government, and who controls the corporations? There you have it. What I truly think about America is that its getting worse as the government tightens its grip over the population and continues to indoctrinate people to their company line. Those who are aware of the governments agenda and who publicly speak out become targets. Forums like this are important to inform and share information while protecting identity. I think America would be a much better place to live without all the government control.
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Government
Govern = To control
Ment = having to do with the mind
:o
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+1 MM our thoughts is the one thing that nobody else can control but they dam sure give it one hell of a try don't they? Here where I am at they start the brainwashing from birth. It's really hard to over come it and millions never do.
As for the other post about living in the boonies yea I have done my share of living in the boonies and now I am in the city. I like it better in the city.
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I believe America is one of the greatest countries on Earth. Of course their are many flaws, and right now er are going through hard times, but all in all it provides for near everyone. The problems we are going through are a cycle it will happen now and once it is fixed it will happend again just as it has happened cyclically in the past. I wish drugs were legal, but then again do I? Maybe I can do abnormal amounts of drugs and still be a functioning member of society, but can all of the others that would be more strung out than they already are. The laws here are in place to help a majority, some may not be very helpful but no place is perfect.
The Hill Country I find really beautiful. Texas is pretty cool, but the cities (especially the one I suspect you're in/near) I can't dig (I lived 35+ years in Arkansas, so I like the woods, and sometimes banjos, too). In fact, even the countryside here is crowded to me, but Texas has been kind to me.
Back a bit more on topic, I love my country, but not the asses running it...
I like cities more than the country. I love to be around people, and be near a million things to do at any given moment. I lived in New Orleans for a majority of my life but am currently away for college. It does not get much better than New Orleans, and you may want to say something about crime rates but as a Native I must say, most criminals and ghetto people are like wasps is you don't mess with them they wont mess with you. Our food is the best in the country, and our culture is so rich, I wish people had a better perception of New Orleans it is truly one of the greatest cities on Earth.
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Boonies = Possibility for a simpler life, less money, less commercial capacity
City life = Possibility for a complicated more "exciting" life, more money, more commercial capacity
They've both got their uses ;)
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America is the belly of the beast.
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Every country in history that was in a large seat of power has fucked over the world and acted as if they will be there forever. We are no different and I hate us for it.
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Whether America is the greatest country in the world or not, if you are going to complain about it, just leave. We don't want you here if you hate it. I am not saying by any means that we do everything right, or we don't have some imperialistic or maybe even just mean policies, but you you are one of us and all you have is negativity I am sure their are many countries that will take you.
Its like if you let someone stay in your house and all they can do is criticize you, your rules, and your house. I am sure you would kick that jerk out.
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I like cities more than the country. I love to be around people, and be near a million things to do at any given moment. I lived in New Orleans for a majority of my life but am currently away for college. It does not get much better than New Orleans, and you may want to say something about crime rates but as a Native I must say, most criminals and ghetto people are like wasps is you don't mess with them they wont mess with you. Our food is the best in the country, and our culture is so rich, I wish people had a better perception of New Orleans it is truly one of the greatest cities on Earth.
BTW I absolutely love New Orleans. Best southern city BY FAR. Instead of new skool, modern sleaze like Vegas you have deep seated old skool sleaze soaked into the very establishment. Bourbon street, brothels, and exceptional cooking all wrapped up one action packed city 24/7. ;) I'm very fond of the place when I can make it there. Not sure why there's such a poor perception. :(
The only bad thing I will say about it is the New Orleans cops. Crooked motherfuckers. Saw one on a horse haul off this punk rock kid with a mohawk to jail just for taking a picture of him, obviously because he didn't like the way he looked. >:(
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I have always wanted to go to New Orleans...kinda disappointed with myself that I haven't been yet. it seems awesome. i played this game as a kid called "gabriel knight" which took place in new orleans and really got into a lot of the history and culture of the place. it greatly piqued my interest. i'm not much into big wild booze parties, so i don't think i'd go during mardi gras, but i do love dixieland jazz, spicy food, voodoo, fracophone culture, anne rice books, old buildings, etc. i was heartbroken in 2005 seeing and hearing about all the devastation to my beloved city i have yet to visit. within the next few years i'll make it there for sure tho
so not everyone has negative perception of New Orleans ;)
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BTW I absolutely love New Orleans. Best southern city BY FAR. Instead of new skool, modern sleaze like Vegas you have deep seated old skool sleaze soaked into the very establishment. Bourbon street, brothels, and exceptional cooking all wrapped up one action packed city 24/7. ;) I'm very fond of the place when I can make it there. Not sure why there's such a poor perception. :(
The only bad thing I will say about it is the New Orleans cops. Crooked motherfuckers. Saw one on a horse haul off this punk rock kid with a mohawk to jail just for taking a picture of him, obviously because he didn't like the way he looked. >:(
The crime and corruption give it its poor perception. The crime typically takes place amongst other criminals but people get mugged from time to time. The political corruption is rampant someone in office or once in office is getting brought up on federal charges all the time.
And the cops are unbelievable. There is extreme police corruption you can read all about it in books and news articles. But with all of that negativity comes way more positivity. Typically if you are minding your own business and just ejoying the wonderful place you will do nothing but have fun.
I have always wanted to go to New Orleans...kinda disappointed with myself that I haven't been yet. it seems awesome. i played this game as a kid called "gabriel knight" which took place in new orleans and really got into a lot of the history and culture of the place. it greatly piqued my interest. i'm not much into big wild booze parties, so i don't think i'd go during mardi gras, but i do love dixieland jazz, spicy food, voodoo, fracophone culture, anne rice books, old buildings, etc. i was heartbroken in 2005 seeing and hearing about all the devastation to my beloved city i have yet to visit. within the next few years i'll make it there for sure tho
so not everyone has negative perception of New Orleans ;)
if you do not party hard, but love jazz and culture every year their is the Jazz Fest, and there are tons of famous artists that go, and even more locally famous artists (who are better in my opinion) all of the best food vendors are out, and the buildings are always there haha. You especially have to see the cemeteries. THe city is better off because of the storm, we rebuilt and the city looks alot nicer. We also changed some laws, some kind tax law or something that has countless movies being filmed in New Orleans. We are being called the Hollywood of the south.
I am in New York for college now and I only have the money to go home for christmas and summer, but I talk about New Orleans so much here that all of my friends want to go. New Orleans is the love of my life.
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Allow me to vehemently disagree with and berate those individuals whom, at the beginning of this thread stated that they don't vote, and suggested that others shouldn't either (Brave New World, RetinaBlast this is directed at you). You speak of voting as if it is beneath you, as if participating would somehow taint your soul. Opting out is exactly what THEY want you to do. The fewer people who get involved, the easier it is to steal the elections.
Yes, we are bogged down by a two party system, where both parties are equally awful, but it doesn't need to be that way. There are more independents in this country than there are members of either party. There are plenty of people like those posting here, who get it, but are just unwilling to participate. Voter turnout in the last election was 57%, which means that if everyone like us got off there asses and campaigned/voted, someone reasonable, say Gary Johnson, would be sitting in the White House, and he wouldn't be assassinating US civilians via drone strikes, or assuming powers that he doesn't have (Executive Orders), or pissing on the second amendment in the name of "safety".
Opting out of the process is just a thin veil for laziness and/or cowardice. If you don't participate, you may as well be rolling over and asking the government to fuck you. Democracy isn't easy. Anyone not willing to work for it doesn't deserve the fruits of a free society. The founders would be ashamed of you.
We have the power to take the country back and return it to what it should be. The time to act is now. Get involved. Vote! Call your congressmen and demand change. You have seen the light, so spread the word to others. Yes, the people in power are working every day to take your rights away, but keep in mind that these men, these arm chair generals and 140 days per year congressmen, are the real cowards. They wouldn't dare go against an overwhelming majority of motivated, angry citizens
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Interesting topic. As an American, I think there really is only one default answer to this question. You have to back the home team. You have to support America because it is your home, your country. For all it's warts and faults, this is the country which you grew up in, live in, and presumably choose to stay in. If you hold any other position besides being on the side of America, then I'm sorry to sound colloquial, but it really is a case of love it or leave it. You have the freedom to move to any number of different societies where there are a myriad of possibilities of lifestyles, cultures, tastes, to explore. But if you choose to stay an American, then you have to stay loyal to America. This is not to say that everything in America is right or just. I for one think there are tons of things wrong in this country. But I never say there are tons of things wrong WITH this country. I choose to stay and choose to love it because, fundamentally America is the best place for me and my family. I have been to other countries, lived abroad, to good places and bad. I've seen the possibilities this world offers. Yet, I continue to come back home. Whether this is a personal trait or whether this is due to America being a better place than other countries is definitely debatable. What is not debatable is the fact that if you choose to stay an American, then you have to love America. There is no other philosophically non-contradictary stance. Sorry to sound like the typical cocky American, but that is my stance and I'm sticking to it.
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Allow me to vehemently disagree with and berate those individuals whom, at the beginning of this thread stated that they don't vote, and suggested that others shouldn't either (Brave New World, RetinaBlast this is directed at you). You speak of voting as if it is beneath you, as if participating would somehow taint your soul. Opting out is exactly what THEY want you to do. The fewer people who get involved, the easier it is to steal the elections.
Yes, we are bogged down by a two party system, where both parties are equally awful, but it doesn't need to be that way. There are more independents in this country than there are members of either party. There are plenty of people like those posting here, who get it, but are just unwilling to participate. Voter turnout in the last election was 57%, which means that if everyone like us got off there asses and campaigned/voted, someone reasonable, say Gary Johnson, would be sitting in the White House, and he wouldn't be assassinating US civilians via drone strikes, or assuming powers that he doesn't have (Executive Orders), or pissing on the second amendment in the name of "safety".
Opting out of the process is just a thin veil for laziness and/or cowardice. If you don't participate, you may as well be rolling over and asking the government to fuck you. Democracy isn't easy. Anyone not willing to work for it doesn't deserve the fruits of a free society. The founders would be ashamed of you.
We have the power to take the country back and return it to what it should be. The time to act is now. Get involved. Vote! Call your congressmen and demand change. You have seen the light, so spread the word to others. Yes, the people in power are working every day to take your rights away, but keep in mind that these men, these arm chair generals and 140 days per year congressmen, are the real cowards. They wouldn't dare go against an overwhelming majority of motivated, angry citizens
I was thinking this exact thing as i read through. If you disagree with the two-party system, vote to change it. Don't ever give up the rights you still have as a means to disapprove of their decisions. Vote against them.
Interesting topic. As an American, I think there really is only one default answer to this question. You have to back the home team. You have to support America because it is your home, your country. For all it's warts and faults, this is the country which you grew up in, live in, and presumably choose to stay in. If you hold any other position besides being on the side of America, then I'm sorry to sound colloquial, but it really is a case of love it or leave it. You have the freedom to move to any number of different societies where there are a myriad of possibilities of lifestyles, cultures, tastes, to explore. But if you choose to stay an American, then you have to stay loyal to America. This is not to say that everything in America is right or just. I for one think there are tons of things wrong in this country. But I never say there are tons of things wrong WITH this country. I choose to stay and choose to love it because, fundamentally America is the best place for me and my family. I have been to other countries, lived abroad, to good places and bad. I've seen the possibilities this world offers. Yet, I continue to come back home. Whether this is a personal trait or whether this is due to America being a better place than other countries is definitely debatable. What is not debatable is the fact that if you choose to stay an American, then you have to love America. There is no other philosophically non-contradictary stance. Sorry to sound like the typical cocky American, but that is my stance and I'm sticking to it.
You presume that all Americans have the economic ability to leave the country. Many, many people cannot afford to move. And regardless, it's not about deserting what you don't agree with, it's about fixing something that shouldn't have been broken in the first place. It's about getting the government to exist for the people, not to exist for it's own damn interests. It's a big decision to leave a country. It's not like the decision to walk out of a movie you hate -- there are actual losses and profits to be considered. Obviously the people who hate America, myself included, don't hate what America WAS, they hate what america has BECOME. People stay and hope for change, and it's still not here.
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"If voting changed anything, it would be illegal."
Emma Goldman
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"If voting changed anything, it would be illegal."
Emma Goldman
Excellent quote. All I was saying was: might as well do it and vote third party rather than not vote.
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America is a country based on the greatest genocide in history, a continent of indigenous peoples murdered to make way for shopping malls and McDonalds. It is a country based on endless imperialist war against the Third World. It is the heart of the capitalist-imperialist world system that is not only consigning the vast majority of humanity in the Third World to incredible poverty and oppression, but is threatening humanity itself with its endless unsustainable consumption. It is a great beast that humanity should be rid off.
The revolution is here and now.
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America is a country based on the greatest genocide in history, a continent of indigenous peoples murdered to make way for shopping malls and McDonalds. It is a country based on endless imperialist war against the Third World. It is the heart of the capitalist-imperialist world system that is not only consigning the vast majority of humanity in the Third World to incredible poverty and oppression, but is threatening humanity itself with its endless unsustainable consumption. It is a great beast that humanity should be rid off.
The revolution is here and now.
Yep. Consumption of all kinds is out of fucking control here. Oil, food, entertainemnt, etc. Even fucking drugs. We consume more than half of all illegal drugs in the world, then ban the sale of them and send the supply to Mexico where they terrorize the Mexican people while we sit all high and mighty over them acting good for throwing them a billion or two we borrowed from China to fight back at the cartels. We spark so much violence globally its truly a disgrace. Americans can accept responsibility for nothing!
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I'm sure this has probably been mentioned here before, and if so I'll come back and edit this post.
In regards to consumption, I've heard that if the rest of the world consumed on the same level as America (per capita obviously), we would need the equivalent of over 6 planet Earths to sustain that.
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Marking for later reads.
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There are the countries whose job it is to produce goods, then there are the countries that consume the goods, then there are the countries that process the waste. The powers that be don't give a damn about national borders in the 20th century sense anymore. America is a consumption country... that is our purpose. The money says so.
Someday the balance will shift and those in power will change our role in the global economy... that is that. Any old fashioned ideas of patriotism or national identity are meaningless in a global era. America is a business, the whole world is a business.
I'm not trying to troll or anything, just saying that financial incentives and power are the things that dictate our lives.. not principals, or voting, or the constitution.
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Interesting topic. As an American, I think there really is only one default answer to this question. You have to back the home team. You have to support America because it is your home, your country. For all it's warts and faults, this is the country which you grew up in, live in, and presumably choose to stay in. If you hold any other position besides being on the side of America, then I'm sorry to sound colloquial, but it really is a case of love it or leave it. You have the freedom to move to any number of different societies where there are a myriad of possibilities of lifestyles, cultures, tastes, to explore. But if you choose to stay an American, then you have to stay loyal to America. This is not to say that everything in America is right or just. I for one think there are tons of things wrong in this country. But I never say there are tons of things wrong WITH this country. I choose to stay and choose to love it because, fundamentally America is the best place for me and my family. I have been to other countries, lived abroad, to good places and bad. I've seen the possibilities this world offers. Yet, I continue to come back home. Whether this is a personal trait or whether this is due to America being a better place than other countries is definitely debatable. What is not debatable is the fact that if you choose to stay an American, then you have to love America. There is no other philosophically non-contradictary stance. Sorry to sound like the typical cocky American, but that is my stance and I'm sticking to it.
yeah qft, and I hate saying that expression but pretty much exactly how I feel too.
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There are the countries whose job it is to produce goods, then there are the countries that consume the goods, then there are the countries that process the waste. The powers that be don't give a damn about national borders in the 20th century sense anymore. America is a consumption country... that is our purpose. The money says so.
Someday the balance will shift and those in power will change our role in the global economy... that is that. Any old fashioned ideas of patriotism or national identity are meaningless in a global era. America is a business, the whole world is a business.
I'm not trying to troll or anything, just saying that financial incentives and power are the things that dictate our lives.. not principals, or voting, or the constitution.
^^^Agreed. People need to turn off their TV's and see the reality of what is coming. Voting is meaningless when they are controlled by the powerful...the numbers aren't real. Neither side, right or left (both complete shit) cares about The Constitution. We are being brainwashed and divided on purpose and most can't see it. Patriotism is NOT loving ones country (and especially not ones government), but loving FREEDOM within it. The Founders fought against their mother country in order to obtain that freedom...that is the very definition of Patriotism. Those who are seeing things with their eyes and not their hearts are going to be much better off when things really start to go south....and they will. Americans shouldn't be so concerned with terrorists in other countries or threat of war from other countries. They should be preparing for the war against the greatest and most powerful terrorists of all....the powers behind their own government.
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Sorry I totally disagree....... Voting is useless in the USA with regards to the Presidential races. Electoral college picks the president. We the people are given paper to write on to feel important. We MIGHT help in the process of the electoral college, but even that is a complete two party system that isn't going anywhere. The two parties are just playing everyone against each other. Stop participating in politics!!!!
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Sorry I totally disagree....... Voting is useless in the USA with regards to the Presidential races. Electoral college picks the president. We the people are given paper to write on to feel important. We MIGHT help in the process of the electoral college, but even that is a complete two party system that isn't going anywhere. The two parties are just playing everyone against each other. Stop participating in politics!!!!
It DOES matter in those key states that decide the electoral college. And it DOES matter in the primaries, especially for states that decide them using the caucus system.
And do you know why the two parties play politics? Because there ARE key differences between the parties. They represent different constituencies, have different party platforms and ideologies, and are wooed by different lobbies. Sure there's naturally some crossover among the lobbyists but the roles they play and the prominence and influence they can buy when one party is in power as opposed to the other is limited even though there are a few exceptions.
I have a hard time believing those that assume some sort of collusion is going on between the two parties to maintain the status quo actually understand how government works. Parties work to serve their own best interests, as that's the way the system was designed, and on a great many issues (though not all) the two major parties are diametrically opposed.
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America is a country based on the greatest genocide in history, a continent of indigenous peoples murdered to make way for shopping malls and McDonalds. It is a country based on endless imperialist war against the Third World. It is the heart of the capitalist-imperialist world system that is not only consigning the vast majority of humanity in the Third World to incredible poverty and oppression, but is threatening humanity itself with its endless unsustainable consumption. It is a great beast that humanity should be rid off.
The revolution is here and now.
Forget to take your seroquel this morning buddy?
Uhh ya know what thank god for Obama, could you imagine another 8 years of guys we need to fund haliburton and these states that mainly make guns. But back to the OP IDK bro they seem to be cracking down on the faggot ass IV users and Colorado might have a party scene in a few years. Im in college living on a foodstamp budget, the cost of living could go down because the price of things like power are monopolized. I just noticed that a box of velveta shells went up 25 cents the other day so................................................................................................. I feel like I might as well be explaining aggregate supply n demand to a dumb dumb. IDK how much thier still ramping the standardized testing still.
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The USA stands as a warning to all growing economies. This is what can happen if you value economic growth over all else and are willing to make compromises en route to economic growth.
There is no reason on earth why the worlds richest economy should have so many citizens living below the poverty line. Understanding the reasons why this is the case is to understand the cause of the American malaise.
The fact is that the wealth is concentrated on an extremely small minority of people. This is a country which is averse to taxation and deems 'socialism' to be a dirty word and yet, a more equitable sharing of the country's wealth - through taxation - would be one way of sharing the spoils of such a prosperous country.
I'm no liberal, but am of the opinion that the American right has lost its way. Somewhere along the line they just simply forgot to give a shit. The notion of caring conservatism has been lost for good amid a festering heap of global-warming-deying, young earth believing, abortionist killing shite that is modern American conservatism. For shame!
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The USA stands as a warning to all growing economies. This is what can happen if you value economic growth over all else and are willing to make compromises en route to economic growth.
There is no reason on earth why the worlds richest economy should have so many citizens living below the poverty line. Understanding the reasons why this is the case is to understand the cause of the American malaise.
The fact is that the wealth is concentrated on an extremely small minority of people. This is a country which is averse to taxation and deems 'socialism' to be a dirty word and yet, a more equitable sharing of the country's wealth - through taxation - would be one way of sharing the spoils of such a prosperous country.
I'm no liberal, but am of the opinion that the American right has lost its way. Somewhere along the line they just simply forgot to give a shit. The notion of caring conservatism has been lost for good amid a festering heap of global-warming-deying, young earth believing, abortionist killing shite that is modern American conservatism. For shame!
Uuuuuuhhhhhhhhhhhhhh........Ok
:o
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The USA stands as a warning to all growing economies. This is what can happen if you value economic growth over all else and are willing to make compromises en route to economic growth.
There is no reason on earth why the worlds richest economy should have so many citizens living below the poverty line. Understanding the reasons why this is the case is to understand the cause of the American malaise.
The fact is that the wealth is concentrated on an extremely small minority of people. This is a country which is averse to taxation and deems 'socialism' to be a dirty word and yet, a more equitable sharing of the country's wealth - through taxation - would be one way of sharing the spoils of such a prosperous country.
I'm no liberal, but am of the opinion that the American right has lost its way. Somewhere along the line they just simply forgot to give a shit. The notion of caring conservatism has been lost for good amid a festering heap of global-warming-deying, young earth believing, abortionist killing shite that is modern American conservatism. For shame!
Uuuuuuhhhhhhhhhhhhhh........Ok
:o
Whats your opinion chemcat? I'm not trying to be a dick.. just curious :)
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The USA stands as a warning to all growing economies. This is what can happen if you value economic growth over all else and are willing to make compromises en route to economic growth.
There is no reason on earth why the worlds richest economy should have so many citizens living below the poverty line. Understanding the reasons why this is the case is to understand the cause of the American malaise.
The fact is that the wealth is concentrated on an extremely small minority of people. This is a country which is averse to taxation and deems 'socialism' to be a dirty word and yet, a more equitable sharing of the country's wealth - through taxation - would be one way of sharing the spoils of such a prosperous country.
I'm no liberal, but am of the opinion that the American right has lost its way. Somewhere along the line they just simply forgot to give a shit. The notion of caring conservatism has been lost for good amid a festering heap of global-warming-deying, young earth believing, abortionist killing shite that is modern American conservatism. For shame!
well, i'm no liberal either...but as americans..i think we do live in this type of economic struggle on a daily basis...as far as a prosperous country ...ehhh....we're fucked...just my own opinion...
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Agreed it is time to leave the USA if you can. If not then bunker in for a shitstorm.
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I like americans but the USA is a shit country and they deserve better in my view. Problem is that democracy stopped working in the USA. It's become the least free country in the developed world. Controlled bu large corporations with the money to influence successive governments through financial contributions and powerful lobbying groups. The voice of the common american working man is the least resonant in the mind of US politicians.Americans are fearful and so used to being lied to that they are frozen in a paranoid stasis. They need their guns to feel safe whilst slurping 3 litres of Coke from a bucket. Americans have become fat, lethargic, ignorant, paranoid and fearful. They have forgotten that their government is supposed to be working for them and are too complacent to get angry. Come on americans, wake up, get angry - YOU DESERVE BETTER!
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I like americans but the USA is a shit country and they deserve better in my view. Problem is that democracy stopped working in the USA. It's become the least free country in the developed world. Controlled bu large corporations with the money to influence successive governments through financial contributions and powerful lobbying groups. The voice of the common american working man is the least resonant in the mind of US politicians.Americans are fearful and so used to being lied to that they are frozen in a paranoid stasis. They need their guns to feel safe whilst slurping 3 litres of Coke from a bucket. Americans have become fat, lethargic, ignorant, paranoid and fearful. They have forgotten that their government is supposed to be working for them and are too complacent to get angry. Come on americans, wake up, get angry - YOU DESERVE BETTER!
People, especially in America, have just grown so lazy and complacent that they are perfectly ok to buy into whatever the mass media tells them. And that mass media is owned by those corporations that secretly (but really not so secretly) control America. People have been convinced that "a single person can't do anything," so it's just not even worth trying. They realize they have grown powerful enough that they can suppress any revolution before it happens, so they can do pretty much anything that they want to.
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As a European who has worked a summer in the US, I can safely say my impression of the US was very negative. It felt like a true police state. In my country, I have rarely witnessed people being arrested. In the US, that was almost a daily occurrence. US cops seem to have no common sense, no matter how insignificant the crime, they hurry up to put the cuffs on you. I have seen lots of cars being pulled over and searched (most likely for drugs), cops were everywhere. I've seen senior high school kids speaking so proudly about their plans to join the army and go to Afghanistan, you had to show your ID for cigarettes and alcohol. Things that for an american may seem normal, just seemed excessive and unnecessary. It's just so ridiculous people call it land of the free. I've been to quite a few countries, the US is the most unfree country I've ever been to.
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I like americans but the USA is a shit country and they deserve better in my view. Problem is that democracy stopped working in the USA. It's become the least free country in the developed world. Controlled bu large corporations with the money to influence successive governments through financial contributions and powerful lobbying groups. The voice of the common american working man is the least resonant in the mind of US politicians.Americans are fearful and so used to being lied to that they are frozen in a paranoid stasis. They need their guns to feel safe whilst slurping 3 litres of Coke from a bucket. Americans have become fat, lethargic, ignorant, paranoid and fearful. They have forgotten that their government is supposed to be working for them and are too complacent to get angry. Come on americans, wake up, get angry - YOU DESERVE BETTER!
People, especially in America, have just grown so lazy and complacent that they are perfectly ok to buy into whatever the mass media tells them. And that mass media is owned by those corporations that secretly (but really not so secretly) control America. People have been convinced that "a single person can't do anything," so it's just not even worth trying. They realize they have grown powerful enough that they can suppress any revolution before it happens, so they can do pretty much anything that they want to.
Born and raised here and have wanted to move all my life because of the above stated. I LOVE the land and what this country was founded on. Please don't take me wrong, there are some really good people here as well, but the majority suck big time donkey cock.
I am not a violent person, by any means, but the thought goes through my mind almost daily of, "Why haven't the people taken up arms, yet?"; frogs in slowly heated water is all I can think of.
Take the Kelly Thomas beating fe; they say he was known around the area as crazy but harmless, there were also many people in the area that no doubt took note of the screams for help and cries to his father, but no one did anything.
I probably would have been stupid enough to call the cops.
We need new cops. There should have been another, bigger posse there, telling them to back off.
I want to gtfo.
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I am American, and I fucking hate America. The whole reason America became independent of Britain was to enjoy freedom and liberty. Today, those things no longer exist. People think we posses these things, but we don't; they're just an illusion. We have no ability whatsoever to make choices for ourselves. The only freedom we have is paper or plastic, cream and sugar or black, smoking or non-smoking, etc. The media makes our decisions nowadays. Everyone has become so absorbed in to media and blindly accepts everything thrown their way. They don't bother to think where the media came up with the shit they spew and the legitimacy of it. Corporations give us no option of how to survive. We have to play by their rules in order to survive.
Also, if America's takes so much pride in freedom and liberty, why can't I do anything without getting into legal trouble? If I do something that ONLY affects myself and NOBODY else, why should they give a fuck? I would understand if I got arrested for going around raping, killing, stealing, etc. But why the fuck should I get arrested for doing a drug? It's literally affecting nobody but myself.
Americans wonder why every country in the world fucking hates them. Maybe it's because America goes around screaming "We're the greatest country in the world! WOOO!" America is filled with a bunch of war mongers. They feel obligated to go around the world and put a base on every fucking country's land even when they are not welcome. And then they wonder why all these country's are trying to kill us. It's because we fucking started it and they are just retaliating!
Fuck.. this country pisses me off. I'm leaving ASAP.
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I am not a violent person, by any means, but the thought goes through my mind almost daily of, "Why haven't the people taken up arms, yet?"
The book Amusing Ourselves to Death does a good job explaining the shortcomings of society in our 21st century America. In it, he compares 1984 to Brave New World:
What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one. Orwell feared those who would deprive us of information. Huxley feared those who would give us so much that we would be reduced to passivity and egotism. Orwell feared that the truth would be concealed from us. Huxley feared the truth would be drowned in a sea of irrelevance. Orwell feared we would become a captive culture. Huxley feared we would become a trivial culture, preoccupied with some equivalent of the feelies, the orgy porgy, and the centrifugal bumblepuppy. As Huxley remarked in Brave New World Revisited, the civil libertarians and rationalists who are ever on the alert to oppose tyranny "failed to take into account man's almost infinite appetite for distractions." In 1984, Orwell added, people are controlled by inflicting pain. In Brave New World, they are controlled by inflicting pleasure. In short, Orwell feared that what we fear will ruin us. Huxley feared that our desire will ruin us.
I see the underlying problem to many of our issues being the fact that we don't spend much time thinking, we are so focused on instant gratification and pleasure, and we are a captive audience to politician's, fortune 500's, and talking heads....
In short, I think we're Amusing Ourselves to Death.
lelmeriodici
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The recent history of America imitates that of Hitler's Germany pre world war II.
I believe that America is the new Germany of the 21st century. I hope that a new "America" will rise out of the ashes and declare war, on the real America. I am scared daily of sudden riots, I am scared of being jailed with no trial.
Fear of "Terrorism" is rampant government propoganda, and has allowed the uncontitutional patriot act to remain active for 12 years. I fear every citizen is being spy'd on.
I fear "conspiracy theorists" are on the money and 9/11 was an inside job. I Believe that our rights and guns are being systematically and carefully taken away from us and it is near the time where marshal law will be imposed
I am afraid of FEMA Concentration camps all over the country, I am afraid of the secret service, I am afraid of drones. I am afraid of the torture they commited on suspected terrorirts and forced confessions they used to invade iraq for oil.
LIMITLESS. I Aplaud you for asking this question. I want you to know that I am scared shitless. I want to leave. We are offered no alternative to the economic slave wheel that is america.
Right now I hear sirens in the distance. I fear.
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propoganda.
we love you :)
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The recent history of America imitates that of Hitler's Germany pre world war II.
I believe that America is the new Germany of the 21st century. I hope that a new "America" will rise out of the ashes and declare war, on the real America. I am scared daily of sudden riots, I am scared of being jailed with no trial.
Fear of "Terrorism" is rampant government propoganda, and has allowed the uncontitutional patriot act to remain active for 12 years. I fear every citizen is being spy'd on.
I fear "conspiracy theorists" are on the money and 9/11 was an inside job. I Believe that our rights and guns are being systematically and carefully taken away from us and it is near the time where marshal law will be imposed
I am afraid of FEMA Concentration camps all over the country, I am afraid of the secret service, I am afraid of drones. I am afraid of the torture they commited on suspected terrorirts and forced confessions they used to invade iraq for oil.
LIMITLESS. I Aplaud you for asking this question. I want you to know that I am scared shitless. I want to leave. We are offered no alternative to the economic slave wheel that is america.
Right now I hear sirens in the distance. I fear.
Very well spoken.
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Materialistic country. People can't form their own opinions. Majority of teenagers seem depressed. Stupid ass laws.
Really, the only thing I like about it is the diversity of people/culture.
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In other words, a foreigner is asking you in your own language if you are happy. Are you, as an American--whether born and raised, migrated, or simply working in or visiting America--happy with your life and country?
The answer to any logical person should be a resounding "NO". Until a Utopia exists--thermodynamically impossible... like a perfect, ever-lasting crystal... although we can get really fucking close--then no one should be perfectly content with this question. The question is a deeply subconscious and emotional challenge to our health as a society. To be fair, it should be restructured to give the benefit of the doubt to any member of society within our human community called Earth.
Anyways, I am personally happy most of the time, as long as I have food, shelter, water, freely available knowledge/education, prozac and cannabis. I stay out of trouble this way. I am nonviolent--and always will be. I would commit suicide before hurting others, although I have done that to some degree with my words... and attempts have been made.
I am happy in America because there is always the possibility of changing America for a better tomorrow. America, like every democracy, is influenced by good and bad. It is the responsibility of the society members to participate and modify their local, state, and national legislature to accommodate for a changing society. The more technology we possess and invent, the more challenges there will be to social order. People don't like change, as goes for wealth old white men.... who are all the billionaires in the world? Are they all men? Are they all selfish? Human? Imperfect?
All we need is better error-checking--like BTC--in every aspect of our lives, and peace will infect the world better than Small Pox or AIDS.
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You people make me sick.
People are just never happy, America is a great country. You want perfection and cannot have it because perfection does not exist. I love America, I am not rich at all have no stake in any large companies and while I disagree with some laws a majority are here to keep me safe. I really wish all of you Americans that hate America would just leave. There are plenty of people that would love to take your place.
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You people make me sick.
People are just never happy, America is a great country. You want perfection and cannot have it because perfection does not exist. I love America, I am not rich at all have no stake in any large companies and while I disagree with some laws a majority are here to keep me safe. I really wish all of you Americans that hate America would just leave. There are plenty of people that would love to take your place.
Is this a description of a systemic trait of human nature? Never happy... is that like never immortal? Never perfect?
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a lot of fast food places in Europe don't even have drive-thrus
just another example of them *almost* getting on our level
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This is really interesting.
I was born in Tacoma and left the States when I was 5. I didn't return until I was 16. I entered the country with my British passport. The immigration guy took one look and asked me if I had renounced my US citizenship. I replied "err, no I don't think so, do I need to put that in writing?"
Faster than you can say Uncle Sam I'm in a small room with a very Mexican looking immigration officer, a lady, who also happened to have balls many times larger than my own. Apparently when entering the US I need to use a US passport unless I officially give up my citizenship. And if I did give it up, I would be a piece of shit not worthy of entering. Enemy of the State #1. So now I have a US passport. I must say it saves a lot of time. They are one tough bunch those immigration officials.
In fact I wish UK immigration was as tough but they'll let anyone in or it appears so. The UK could do with taking a few leaves from the US books of justice and immigration. LE on this side of the pond is soft as shit as inconsistent at best.
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Its days as a Super Power are numbered.