Which country would you prefer to live in other than USA?

I'm curious, and think it'll make a good discussion. Maybe even to simply list where you are from, and living currently, then if USA is or isn't you preferred place to live, tell us why.

Issues and subjects that affect the choice could be things like freedom, political freedom, economy, education, well-being, ideologies, religious freedoms...heck, anything even cuisine! I'm sure there are plenty reasons I forgot to list.

Also, lists and analysis have been published on the "best places to live", and I have no problem if anyone wants to reference them...the thing I mostly want is to hear from ATS members generally, and even if their opinion differs with media examples.

Point/Counterpoint is encouraged in discussion.

a reply to: FlyingFox

1. Japan........(Can be pretty "nanny state" like, even worse than US in a lot of ways)
2. Philippines
3. Malaysia
4.Cambodia
5 Indonesia

I have been to all these countries for extended periods of time, I lived in the philippines for 15 years as an Expat.
I left the United States because I was tired of all the nanny state micro management.

While all these places have their own problems being that they are all developing countries with the exception of Japan; I found them to be a welcome relief. Especially my time living in The philippines and Cambodia.
They are so busy with big issues they simply don't have time or resources to devote to micromanagement.

Thus, I feel I had more liberty in those places than I did in the US and that's my recommendation from personal experience. If you can handle the stress of other factors though one may find it reasonable and can be peaceful, it is what you make it.

That being said................I'm living in the US again, and it's a love hate relationship.

I think there is an inherent contradiction between non Americans in as much as they decry USA, but stampede like animals to get here. Same/similar situation in Europe.

I understand the migrant's goals could different than typical residents family ideals that may be a few generations old in USA, and FAR older in the World of Auld. otoh, some argue that migrant's goals are exactly the same as other ethnics that came to USA in the 19th and 20th centuries....just to raise a family in relative safety and prosperity.

I'm not sure when the new group poses a threat to the original group's status and their own family security. I fairly understand world history and accept that people migrate on short and long distances and scales. Actually, it's been a mixed bag of passive and aggressive "colonization". "Balkanization","Russification",Spanish in the New World...the examples and lessons embedded in history should tell us something about today.

I live in Australia the greatest nation that ever existed in all the history of the world but if I got convicted of a crime and shipped to America I guess it wouldn't be too bad. However I would never go there by choice unless I got lots of guns for free. I love the wide open spaces and free guns to boot would be too much for me to resist. We aren't allowed to have guns here, not easily anyway

I love those daisy dukes and guns in America. If I lived in America it would be the South no question

I met people who raved about Puerto Rico. They were sincere, but it's not my cup of tea. Maybe someone here knows something about there...?

As for Malaysia and Indonesia....Oceania. It seems like it's quite heavily populated there. I wish I new or experienced more.

a reply to: FlyingFox

I'm happy to live/accept the circumstance of a country I was born in. Croatia.

When I was a bit younger...I did fantasize about going to live somewhere else...but it was a youthful phase that passed.

I have come to understand...that...short of living in a war stricken area...one can always build a good life...to your own liking.

It just means to surround yourself with good people, find a decent job...and be happy with what you got.

a reply to: FlyingFox

I live in Australia and to be honest i would not live elsewhere . I visited your country for 6 weeks and travelled bottom to top in an RV . Beautiful country and loved travelling through it , but , it was recommended to have travel insurance to the tune of 15 million , there is your first hint . Upon landing we met up with the American couple we were travelling with and the first thing i was shown was where the gun was in case anything got nasty . Second hint . Now to be fair 6 weeks is probably nowhere near long enough to get a fair and unbiased opinion , but i tell you , we were so glad to land back in Australia . Oh and you drive on the wrong side of the road , almost got me killed .

im from the uk so i whould live in the good old USA lol for one its so big and you can move around and the wheather can be good and you have great places to see and also you can get lost if you dont need to be found .............and the beast one of all is if you want you can be in possession of a gun of which you will always feel safe in the good old USA .............. lol

No country equals what the interior of Washington State(US) does. Aka largely Libertarian leaning, supports the Second Amendment as well as Marijuana legalization(albeit there are some issues that legalization has caused in Wash. anyway, OR has better laws).

More for anyone interested:
"10 Best Countries for Gun Owners"
See here
First being the US, of course. Second is Czech Republic and as probably figured(here anyway) Switzerland in third.

Compare;
. Czech Republic Legalizes Medical Marijuana Use
Source

. Switzerland:

On 5 October 2012, the Federal Court invalidated the Latin Concordat on hemp culture and trading, that came into force on 1 January 2012, which allowed private citizens in the cantons of Geneva, Freiburg, Valais, Vaud, Neuchâtel, Bâle-Town and Ticino to grow up to 4 hemp plants (containing less than 1% of THC),[7] for violating the Federal Law on drugs.

Source

I would love to have the opportunity to travel and visit so many places. I have Irish ancestry on my mothers side and have always felt a very strong affinity for the Emerald Isle. One of my dreams is to spend a few months there. I would also love to visit several places in Europe proper, England ( for the history ) as well as eastern Europe.

Egypt, of course, for the history as well.

As far as wanting to live elsewhere. I have thought long and hard about starting anew in a Scandinavian or Central European country over the years. My philosophies and politics would certainly be a match. But, ultimately, I am proud to be an American. I love this country and would rather stay here and fight to make it a better place than to simply jump ship and let things continue to slide downhill.

a reply to: FlyingFox

I won't leave the US ever, but for the sake of discussion, we will assume I did.

Japan Australia or the UK, that is about it.

Except in Australia everything that lives is lethal, and or ultra poisonous.....

The UK has the worst weather..... Cold and damp.....

Japan...... Fukashima... Need I say more

All these places have one thing in common that disqualifies them though, I have to travel across thousands of miles of ocean to get there......there is crap in that water big enough to swallow me whole, not crossing it period!

Texas.

a reply to: johnwick

Except in Australia everything that lives is lethal, and or ultra poisonous.....

Not everything in Australia wants to kill you .

a reply to: FlyingFox

Which country would you prefer to live in other than USA?

I hope no more people from the USA come to Australia becuase my obervations of the US is that its a land of exteremist, radical views on numerous issues that would stuff up any country they were exported to.

The USA in my view is a very very harsh country to live in due to the insane radical views people Americians seem to have.

originally posted by: hutch622
a reply to: johnwick

Except in Australia everything that lives is lethal, and or ultra poisonous.....

Not everything in Australia wants to kill you .

Oh that little bugger!!!!

That was my campsite he ransacked!!!

originally posted by: Azureblue
a reply to: FlyingFox

Which country would you prefer to live in other than USA?

I hope no more people from the USA come to Australia becuase my obervations of the US is that its a land of exteremist, radical views on numerous issues that would stuff up any country they were exported to.

The USA in my view is a very very harsh country to live in due to the insane radical views people Americians seem to have.

You watch too much TV man.

Most people in America don't have time to hold extreme views, they are too tired from having 2 jobs so they can afford to live.

This makes many irritable, which lends itself to short tempers and seemingly extreme views.

When in fact, they are just lashing out, and this one topic just happens to be the one they decided to use as an excuse.

a reply to: johnwick

Luckily for you that kangaroo found alcohol .

This is biased and unfair because nobody is going to pick backwards Muslim countries unless they want free slaves and like abusing women.

Nobody is going to pick a European country because they are about to be turned into backwards Muslim countries for the same reasons.

That leaves places like China where you are about as significant as a grain of rice in an ocean of rice that is about to be devalued to sand.

Then there is Russia where you can never be Russian unless you were born there or have the last name of Snowden.

Australia seems nice and free like the US, but it is not the US so I will pick the US.

a reply to: PutinTheGreat

Australians and Americans have a special relationship, both being dissidents of the pomes, one unwanted one hard fought. They are relatively interchangeable, so I would say the good old land down under,then of course the U.K but I'm from Texas and I'm a cowboy so why would I ever want to leave?

I don't think I could live anywhere but the UK. I base this on the facts that I am highly unlikely to get shot here and the most dangerous wildlife are wild boars. 😊