America is not the greatest country in the world

[jhungary]

Since someone wrote an article here talking about what it's mean to be an American. So here I want to write an article detailing my version of America. And I am gonna put the truth out front, America is not the greatest country in the world.

Yes, I might have said that after I watched Jeff Daniels on the Newsroom rerun last night, but the problem is, he is actually right about this, there are no point denying it, no point trying to sugar coat it, or not point lying to ourselves, that America is not the greatest country in the world. We are not 6 anymore, we don't need to wave the flag and write an essay about How is America the greatest country in the world. We are all adult, we should know better.

When you look at the figure, what do we lead at? Beside spending much more on defence, having the largest single economy and probably have the biggest debt acuminated in the world and possibly leading heart attacks and diabetes per capita. We aren't leading anything, at least not anymore. And as a leader of free world, we aren't even top 5 country on freedom indexes, that's saying something.

It used to be the greatest country in the world, a country that, as Abraham Lincoln said in the Gettysburg Address "that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth." The government may be of the people, by the people, but I really doubt if they are for the people.

At least at that day and age, American still fight for what they believe in, well, I am not saying that Slavery is just, but the south still have the balls to break away from the union and fight for what they believe is just, that's something you wont see today. In fact, today America is all about fear, the fear that we won't be any more competitive, the fear of terrorism, the fear of unjust, the fear that can't repay my mortgage tomorrow and even the fear of the government themselves.

Government induce fear into people and make them fall in line, yet sacrifice the thing that Make America unique, that's who make us who we are. That's the American Identity.

What I see today is that the Black against White, White against Asian, Asian against Hispanic and everybody against Muslim, we just don't see any of those as American anymore, but their race. Well, I wont blame the government fully for that, but they did play a part.

So, What now?

Well, I am not gonna go all McAvoy and say the first thing we need to solve a problem is to realise a problem exist in the first place. What I am going to do is why I still proudly say I am an American, amongst other things.

What make America great is that despite all this, the bond of American still strong, yes, we fight about everything, but in the end of the day, we are still American. Yes, maybe our country is not the greatest country in the world, but that we accept that this is not greatest country in the world the same as the country accept that we are also, flawed. We are Chinese, African, Indian, Pakistani, Japanese, Native or European, but we are also, above all American, it doesn't matter if America is not the greatest country in the world, I am still proud to be an American.

Let me depart you with the Inauguration of John F. Kennedy


And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country

@Nihonjin1051 @SvenSvensonov @KAL-EL @AMDR @Kaniska or any American here

 

[Aepsilons]

To quote the great American President, Abraham Lincoln,

"But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate, we can not consecrate, we can not hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

 

[Aepsilons]

So change your flags bro. In particular, change your grossly mendacious flag of origin.

He's Chinese-American, so why make a big deal about it.

Let's stick to the topic.

 

[jhungary]

So change your flags bro. In particular, change your grossly mendacious flag of origin.

Dude, I did not say that. That's from JFK lol

 

[DrawingDead]

I'm going to answer your well thought out, well written post with this kinda simplistic and rather infantile example. Take my boy Tom Brady. Favre has more yards, Manning has more TDs and wins, Montana & Bradshaw have 4 SBs and no losses. Rodgers has a way better career quarterback rating. What Brady has, is atleast one thing over each one of these guys. He's got more superbowls than Farve, Manning and Rodgers, more Super Bowl appearances with Montana and Bradshaw, more yards and TDs than Montana and Bradshaw.

So if you really look it, we're the Tom Bradys of this world. We're more powerful than the countries with similar living standards, we're way richer than countries that substantial military power today, we have more freedom than a lot of the countries in this world. Plus we have a supermodel for a wife (that's right Canada, I'm talking about you )

On serious note, fortunes of nations approximate the lives of men. We're young, we fight, we're hungry to succeed, we work desperately hard, then we mature, live a quiet life, avoid confrontations. The one day we're old and struggling to hold off the young up and comers. Every civilization has had its ups and downs. To pretend that we're that much different from those that have come and gone would be foolish. However, at this moment in history, we are the greatest nation in the world. Maybe one day we'll just be a footnote in the pages history. But till then, I plan to enjoy the ride.

 

[AMDR]

Exactly.

There is no need to brag and argue about which country is the greatest. And at the end of the day, people know what we do, they know who we are, they know where we stand. We are a nation of many united under a common cause--the idea of America. As @jhungary said, the bond between Americans despite ethnic or racial differences is what makes us who we are.

I've said this before, but everyday I go to school with people from many different ethic backgrounds, Vietnamese, Chinese, Cuban, French, Pakistani, Indian, and Russian. It's not like Im pulling this "American Bond" stuff out of my a**. I live it. I talk to these people everyday. And if you walked up to ANY of them and asked them what their nationality was, they would say American first. THAT is what makes us strong, that is what sets us apart from the rest.

Long live the United States of America

 

[Chinese-Dragon]

"Greatest" is subjective depending on individual opinion.

If you say America is by far the most powerful country in the world, and the sole superpower, that is correct.

But for me the "greatest" country in the world will always be my own, even with its flaws it will always be mine.

 

[nForce]

How do you define the 'greatness' of a country ? What are the parameters ? And how does that affect you ? Last but not the least,"What does it matter if America is the greatest country or not ?"

 

[Roybot]

Good Americans like @by78 and @Luca1 please do chip in.

 

[Kaniska]

Dear friend ...you post is very well presented and well written..but honestly speaking..I could not correlate myself with the attributes that you have mentioned of being what is America today...It may be happening in some part of the America but for now, I do not feel all those things for which you mentioned that America is not as great as it used to be. This subject greatness is very subjective...For example, you mentioned, every one or every group in Americas/competes with other group which may be Asian, Black or Muslim....Apart from Muslims, as they have different histroy with respect to America, I do not experience any thing bad with me.....So for me, till today, America is greatest place to stay...

As i mentioned in my earlier post, just show me a single nation on the world., who provides equal amount of respect and gratitude to the outsider people and assimilate them so seamlessly that you never feel like you have an separate sub nationality withing yourself...And please do not share the excuse that because America is not a civilization so they never object any outsiders...This is the same BS excuse i always listen from America haters...Just to remind you that civilizations are made by the people....It is same people of modern day America who made the environment so amicable that any outsiders can come and excel and lead a successful like with out any hint of discrimination...

 

[Paksanity]

Americans are great at innovation and free thinking. There is a reason they hold secrets to world's leading technological advancements. That makes America great.

 

[jhungary]

Dear friend ...you post is very well presented and well written..but honestly speaking..I could not correlate myself with the attributes that you have mentioned of being what is America today...It may be happening in some part of the America but for now, I do not feel all those things for which you mentioned that America is not as great as it used to be. This subject greatness is very subjective...For example, you mentioned, every one or every group in Americas/competes with other group which may be Asian, Black or Muslim....Apart from Muslims, as they have different histroy with respect to America, I do not experience any thing bad with me.....So for me, till today, America is greatest place to stay...

As i mentioned in my earlier post, just show me a single nation on the world., who provides equal amount of respect and gratitude to the outsider people and assimilate them so seamlessly that you never feel like you have an separate sub nationality withing yourself...And please do not share the excuse that because America is not a civilization so they never object any outsiders...This is the same BS excuse i always listen from America haters...Just to remind you that civilizations are made by the people....It is same people of modern day America who made the environment so amicable that any outsiders can come and excel and lead a successful like with out any hint of discrimination...

no problem I post this to stimulate people's contribution, it is completely alright if you don't see what I see, why would you actually? You are an individual and I am another individual, unless you live my life, there are no way you can see the same thing I saw. And also because of this, this is what make America Great. That's because they allow and permit different Idea to grow, not just everyone have the same direction.

 

[BigBang]

good

 

[Sanchez]

I think if there's a greatest country in the world. It has to be USA.

USA is not flawless. What makes USA looking bad is the double standards in foreign policy, hegemony in international affairs, deeply rooted racism in your society and not so strong economy. When US is weaken in economical and military powers she should adjust her international behaviour.

If you mess around you have to have power to back it up. If you don't have the backups you are about to loose credit.

Nobody likes empty promises or threats or double standards!

 

[khanz]

i'd say norway must be the greatest country on earth if you look at what really makes a country successful.......