Just another problem with 'Murica

[CapnAwesome]

''Fuck you, we're done,'' wouldn't matter to some big corporations, honestly. They'd just find people to work for less money than the people who threatened them.

Greed is not just an American problem, it's a worldwide one. How to solve greed...tis a mystery.

You don't solve it. Counter greed with personal happiness rather then jealousy.

[Minimalist]

The poor in America are better off than most people in the world. Most people own cars in this country, most people in the world do not. I know that people will probably say something stupid about Somalia in response but honestly, it's not a comparison with some fringe countries, it's a comparison to how things are in most of the world. The world.

The standard of living in America is very good, some countries are better but those countries have other problems as well and honestly I'd much rather live here. It's ironic that you decry the culture of money here (I agree that it's a problem) and then go on to say that 'poor' people in America would be better off if they just had a little more money. That's very idea that prevents people from being happy. People are happier in Latin America then in the US, and yet they have less money. But they have better senses of community and family and fun and sex and dancing then we have. Those are the real values that make people happy, not more money.

It really does depend on how hard you are willing to look, Cap'n.



This is in California.  I wonder where they park their cars?

[dyresand]

''Fuck you, we're done,'' wouldn't matter to some big corporations, honestly. They'd just find people to work for less money than the people who threatened them.

Greed is not just an American problem, it's a worldwide one. How to solve greed...tis a mystery.

^Communism it solves everything when it comes to greed you know force everyone to earn the same amount of money
so no one has a advantage or another and people are forced to share.

[Jackalope]

''Fuck you, we're done,'' wouldn't matter to some big corporations, honestly. They'd just find people to work for less money than the people who threatened them.

Greed is not just an American problem, it's a worldwide one. How to solve greed...tis a mystery.

^Communism it solves everything when it comes to greed you know force everyone to earn the same amount of money
so no one has a advantage or another and people are forced to share.

On paper, perhaps. When put into practice, not so much.

[abaris]

I know that people will probably say something stupid about Somalia in response but honestly, it's not a comparison with some fringe countries, it's a comparison to how things are in most of the world. The world.

Care to elaborate on the world? I don't see America's poor being any better off than the poor in most parts of Europe. I don't see them to be better off than in the more developed parts of Asia.

You can only compare it to the fringe. And truth is, the majority of the world is fringe.

On paper, perhaps. When put into practice, not so much.

Exactly. In practice, it had it's ruling class too. But there's this thing about the former communist block. Since it fell, capitalism no longer feels the need to present a smiling face. There's no competing ideology anymore. And it shows. This kind of corporate power, corporate rule even, was unthinkable three decades ago. Might be just a natural development, that would have happened anyway.

[CapnAwesome]

I know that people will probably say something stupid about Somalia in response but honestly, it's not a comparison with some fringe countries, it's a comparison to how things are in most of the world. The world.

Care to elaborate on the world? I don't see America's poor being any better off than the poor in most parts of Europe. I don't see them to be better off than in the more developed parts of Asia.

You can only compare it to the fringe. And truth is, the majority of the world is fringe.

On paper, perhaps.  When put into practice, not so much.

Exactly. In practice, it had it's ruling class too. But there's this thing about the former communist block. Since it fell, capitalism no longer feels the need to present a smiling face. There's no competing ideology anymore. And it shows. This kind of corporate power, corporate rule even, was unthinkable three decades ago. Might be just a natural development, that would have happened anyway.

Most of the world is fringe? Only if you totally redefine the definition of fringe. The reality is that the first world is fringe, western Europe is fringe. Also most of Europe is not better off. That's only if, like everybody who make these silly comparison, you imagine eastern Europe just doesn't exist or doesn't count for some imaginary reason. This idea that there is Western Europe, Japan, Australia and the rest of it is just some giant shithole is ridiculous. The only way America compares poorly is if it's intentionally cherrypicked against countries that it compares poorly to, like the above. Which isn't a shock because so does everywhere else in the world. It's continually amazing to me how poorly people on these forums have a concept of what other countries are like.

[abaris]

The only way America compares poorly is if it's intentionally cherrypicked against countries that it compares poorly to, like the above.

So, we should compare it against countries like Somalia after all, and not Australia, Japan or any given country in Western Europe? Is that what you're saying?

[Losty]

Capn, you're reminding me of my ex husband when he used to tell me how I shouldn't complain because other men beat their wives worse than he beat me. How does other people being more poor diminish the validity of the suffering of poor Americans? It doesn't...

[CapnAwesome]

The only way America compares poorly is if it's intentionally cherrypicked against countries that it compares poorly to, like the above.

So, we should compare it against countries like Somalia after all, and not Australia, Japan or any given country in Western Europe? Is that what you're saying?

Jesus, no we should compare it to the world at large. All of it, not a cherry picked list of countries. Also are you going to take back your 'most of Europe' comment, or admit that you forgot about eastern Europe?

[CapnAwesome]

Capn, you're reminding me of my ex husband when he used to tell me how I shouldn't complain because other men beat their wives worse than he beat me. How does other people being more poor diminish the validity of the suffering of poor Americans? It doesn't...

I think the suffering of poor Americans won't be helped by giving them more money. Why decry the culture of money and then propose as a solution more money? Also when the comparison to western Europe is constantly brought up, to remind people that other countries exist outside of western Europe, Japan, Australia and the US. Most people on these forums don't seem to realize that. Me, I've actually lived in the third world before and pardon me if I have tons of sympathy of the plight of overweight over privileged Americans whining about their first world problems.