I am an Australian who lived in the US for 3-4 years up till 6 months ago.

Here's my opinion on why this is so:

* Media - SUCKS. Even NPR... your whole country is like a little bug in a tall glass jar... so hard to see out of because virtually all you're ever going to hear about is Number One, AMERICA.

* Health care - SUCKS. There are countless Americans living with mental illness who are untreated. The whole US thing is that it is WEAK to admit you have a condition of any kind. SUCKS.

* Education - SUCKS. The internet is littered with examples of Americans who are uneducated and cannot spell or construct simple sentences properly. This creates an inability to express oneself clearly... the American version of simplified English is partially to blame in my opinion.

* If you're not poor, or working class, chances are you're SPOILED and get everything you want because you have MONEY. Unfortunately, possession of money never means intelligence.

* Government - SUCKS. See Health Care... the present government has no interest in providing the country with decent services because the right wing is all about the Status Quo and unfortunately, they basically control the US.

Now, apart from some wonderful Americans who AREN'T stupid, countryside and cultural aspects, you couldn't pay me to live there.

Those are the main points I think.


.

[edit on 28-6-2006 by JPW]

Before keep talking about liberal agendas in schools you better go and find out who is the ones making the schools books that our children read in schools.

Is incredible that I see so much blaming about liberals and conservatives and everybody forget the root of the problem with education.

The American public has no clue as who dictate what is allow or not in public education.

Keep the sheep dumb and ignorant and they will grow up pliable and trusting, good patriots and good God fearing citizens.

Wake up !!!!!!!! it has nothing to do with liberalism.

I'm not making excuses, but am I the only one that finds it ironic that the biggest example of Ameri-centrism in our lives may be the whole "only Americans are ignorant of the world!" thing? Do you honestly think the average Brazilian, or Japanese citizen, knows any more about our country than we do of theirs? Is the American citizen that asks, "Is Bavaria a country?" any more ignorant than the German who asks, "Is Tennessee a country?" The shame is that we live in a world where we have access to unlimited information, and many do not pursue that. I do find that sad. I just think that when an American says "America is the most ignorant country ever", they are just being Ameri-centric. Is this a problem? After all, the majority of their experience IS in America, generally. It is always healthy to review our society, and see where our weakness is, but it seems fairly ignorant to me to think the rest of the world automatically knows everything there is to know because they are not America. Maybe we should be asking, "What's wrong with us humans these days? Why do we not care about the world around us?"

Originally posted by marg6043
Before keep talking about liberal agendas in schools you better go and find out who is the ones making the schools books that our children read in schools.

Is incredible that I see so much blaming about liberals and conservatives and everybody forget the root of the problem with education.

The American public has no clue as who dictate what is allow or not in public education.

Keep the sheep dumb and ignorant and they will grow up pliable and trusting, good patriots and good God fearing citizens.

Wake up !!!!!!!! it has nothing to do with liberalism.

Um, marg there it is generally known that most U.S. Public schools are very liberal, and most of all colleges. I know I have been to both...the problem is that many washed up liberals have turned the classrooms into their own personal soap boxes...

-- Boat

Originally posted by Boatphone

Um, marg there it is generally known that most U.S. Public schools are very liberal, and most of all colleges. I know I have been to both...the problem is that many washed up liberals have turned the classrooms into their own personal soap boxes...

-- Boat

I was a school teacher for 9 years and I guess I most be in the non-liberal part of the country . . . because were I live and was a teacher at . . . religion and religious groups dictate what goes on in school.

BTW I live in the south.

So I don't bite into the liberal BS. Thank you.

Wow, then maybe the South is safe from this trend, because it is the South. But I still stand by the notion that the majority of public schools, as well as colleges are run by "far lefters".

-- Boat

Americans view the world through an american reference point

the sudan?
they don't have anything to do with america

rwanda
just some africans killing each other

PEOPLE don't care about people anymore, they care about people that are like them

Originally posted by madnessinmysoul
Americans view the world through an american reference point

the sudan?
they don't have anything to do with america

rwanda
just some africans killing each other

PEOPLE don't care about people anymore, they care about people that are like them

and there it is.

to someone else who posted, you are far more likely to find a german who knows more about america than vice versa. america is a huge country and that's fair enough... again america just has a world view centred around america... plenty of other nations have a much better world view (or simply just a world view at all!) in my travel experiences..

Originally posted by JPW
and there it is.

to someone else who posted, you are far more likely to find a german who knows more about america than vice versa. america is a huge country and that's fair enough... again america just has a world view centred around america... plenty of other nations have a much better world view (or simply just a world view at all!) in my travel experiences..

I remember a survey done in 2003/4 that pointed out that 10% of Americans couldn't find America on a map and 40% couldn't find Iraq!!!

Personally, I could draw a map of the world from memory and I know plenty of others who can claim the same.

Originally posted by Boatphone
Wow, then maybe the South is safe from this trend, because it is the South. But I still stand by the notion that the majority of public schools, as well as colleges are run by "far lefters".

-- Boat

And you'd be dead wrong there too. Colleges have become bottom line focused and are generally run by bean counters who are interested in finding new ways to generate revenue to sustain their enterprise. Educators that don't buy into this plan are sent packing. Education is now big business where a professor is only as good as the students they can attract. If a professor is a "left leaning moonbat", and that is so distasteful to the students, that professor will soon find him/herself unemployed. Marge is 100% correct when she says there is a religious faction that drives education. Last time I checked, those religious folks didn't lean anywhere but to the right.

You know, I think I know why the education system gets labelled as being liberal. It's because it is. A lot of education is all about exposure to the liberal arts. There is nothing wrong with it either. What is wrong with learning science and humanities? Learning these things brings us closer to understanding our environment and each other. Personally, I think there should be a greater requirement in education for exposure to the liberal arts. It makes a person well rounded and accepting of his fellow human beings, and there is nothing wrong with that.

You know, the guys who founded America were liberals. I wonder what they would think of the idea that being a liberal was a bad thing and even considered by many as an enemy of the country?

Well, the majority of professors on campus are liberal (I have the data somewhere). They don't teach hstory any more (or at least don't require it to pass). It would appear that the definition of "liberal" has changed, just as "democrats" has.

Originally posted by JPW

Now, apart from some wonderful Americans who AREN'T stupid, countryside and cultural aspects, you couldn't pay me to live there.

[edit on 28-6-2006 by JPW]

Sounds like you spent your time here being brainwashed.

Home ownership is at an all time high.
Life expectancy keeps going up and up.
Any American in need of urgent medical care, that can’t pay, can walk into any hospital and receive treatment. Between governmental assistance, grants and foundations it will all be paid for if the person follow’s through with the paperwork. Our problems come from those that get treatment and then don’t bother to apply for aid leaving the hospitals holding the bag.

In 1990 while working a contract in Grand Forks, North Dakota, I sprained my ankle quite badly. It took 3 days to get into an orthopedic clinic because it was a Canadian holiday weekend and Canadians had every available appointment tied up. As I went from clinic to clinic the lots were full of Canadian vehicles. I’m still having trouble with that ankle and every time I hear about how wonderful Socialized Medicine is, I remember the row after row of Canadian plates in those parking lots.

You have a good point about the mentally ill. It is improving and hopefully that trend will continue.

The schooling depends on where you are. Throughout the Farm Belt states and in the Real West (western states including Alaska and not including those on the Pacific Coast) many of the school systems are still in good form. Since the media only reports on the most extreme cases I can see how you might believe what you have stated.

Had you lived in one of the smaller conservative communities in the interior states your opinion may have been radically different. The United States is a varied place by design. Each area has its own personality and problems defined by the area residents. It’s just not honest to lump all of the U.S. into one mold. It’s more like 50 countries than 50 states.

Originally posted by madnessinmysoul
Americans view the world through an american reference point

the sudan?
they don't have anything to do with america

rwanda
just some africans killing each other

PEOPLE don't care about people anymore, they care about people that are like them

Speak for yourself. America gives more foreign assistance than anyone else. A good question might be; what is the rest of the world doing about these problems? Since when is it the sole responsibility of the United States to deal with every issue on the planet Earth? Africa has the ability to deal with many of its own problems and does nothing. Instead they wait for the United States to bail them out. The U.N. sure is not doing anything either. All talk no action. Why isn’t the Sudan crawling with Blue Helmets right now? The U.N.’s people are to busy deflowering adolescent girls and selling arms to the bad guys. They sure love that oil though. These are the same people that criticize us daily while they line their pockets. Where are the German and French forces? Their not doing anything else to speak of. Sending money and food they know is going to end up in the hands of the animals they buy the oil from is not helping. Follow the money then you will understand what is going on in the Sudan.

Originally posted by Blaine91555
In 1990 while working a contract in Grand Forks, North Dakota, I sprained my ankle quite badly. It took 3 days to get into an orthopedic clinic because it was a Canadian holiday weekend and Canadians had every available appointment tied up. As I went from clinic to clinic the lots were full of Canadian vehicles. I’m still having trouble with that ankle and every time I hear about how wonderful Socialized Medicine is, I remember the row after row of Canadian plates in those parking lots.

You were in Grand Forks, North Dakota, and it took you three days to get into an orthopedic clinic? I can believe that as they have one hospital in Grand Forks (Altru). The only other facilities close are North Valley Heath Center in Warren (30 miles away) and Union hospital in Mayville (34 miles away).

Grand Forks population (2004): 48,984

Nearest city +50,000 population: Fargo, ND, 90,599 (74 miles away)
Nearest city +200,000 population: Minneapolis, MN, 382,618 (330 miles away)

I'm also going to have to call BS on the "row after row of Canadian license plates". Why would people from Manitoba go to a small town in North Dakota/Minnesota where there was only one hospital, when there are 10 facilities in Winnipeg, 13 in the Central Regional Health District, and 4 more in the South East Regional Health District, all servicing just over 1.2 million Manitobans (that's the whole province)? No, they would bypass these facilities to go lineup at a hospital in Nowheresville, North Dakota! To add to the incredible unlikelihood of this happening, the exchange rate in the early 90's was extremely oppressive, and American healthcare was oppressively expensive, which would have made procedures uber expensive for Canadians. Sorry, none of this adds up at all.

JPW, I agree pretty well on this statement:

"* Education - SUCKS. The internet is littered with examples of Americans who are uneducated and cannot spell or construct simple sentences properly. This creates an inability to express oneself clearly... the American version of simplified English is partially to blame in my opinion. "


I have seen people talking on the internet, and it is sometimes terrible how poorly sentences are formed, with spelling errors as well. And you pay thousands of dollars to go to college after you get out of high school and still you may not have progressed very far. This may seem too critical, but think about it. How well would you function in, say, Japan with only a hand full of Japanese words in your vocabulary? It may be a more extreme example, but I think it will give you an idea of what I'm talking about.

It's sad, and I was a product of that same education system. I did fairly well in school much of the time, however I am learning that my education was lacking. It's only in recent years that I have been cleaning up my understanding of words, and one of my tools is the dictionary. Some folks might look at a dictionary with disgust, but the truth is, it is one of the ways out of the mess that we are in. Like it or not, this is the truth. Not many kids I know are born with automatic vocabularies, so the words and the accompanying definitions have to come from somewhere. And you might think that getting your definitions from someone else is fine. It isn't, because how do you know the person you are asking really understands the word? A good dictionary is the only sure way to ensure you grasp a word's real meaning, otherwise you could end up with an incomplete or false understanding of the word. That might not seem like a big deal, but think about many words like this that you could place into your vocabulary over a number of years. You could get pretty messed up in your understanding of the world around you.

A large portion of the life we live is made up of words, and if we can't grasp words then we are crippled in this society, because if you want to be part of this society you will be using words. The better you grasp the words, the more understanding you will derive from the world around you.

This isn't a jab at my fellow Amercans, because I love them, but, the truth is, the education system needs reform. I also want to say it isn't necessarily the teachers fault either, because they are just following the system put in front of them. Many teachers have good hearts and only want to help. I really liked many of my teachers, some of them were just damn cool people!

Troy