is living in the USA overrated

[The_Bends]

I live in the UK and I've travelled around the world, although I've only been to the US for two weeks. A week of that was skiing and another four days was Vegas so it was hardly a fully representative look at US life but whatever. The best thing about the US is without doubt the scenery/terrain. The worst thing about the US is the blanket of, and I hate to say propoganda because thats a loaded word but lets say 'mythology' you have built up around yourselves and your country. It creates a deluded bubble around your actions which make criticism much more difficult than it should be in a democratic company.

The two things that scare me the most are your aderrence to the constition to the point of worship and the fact you have young children repeating the pledge of allience. The fact that both of these are perfectly normal to most Americans is more than a little worrying to me.

[kutuz_off]

I'm surprised nobody brought up Russia (or better yet, USSR) in the geographical diversity department. That didn't quite translate into insanely high quality of life over there.

[2Fast]

[ QUOTE ]
However we dont have to pay for healthcare at all doesnt matter what is wrong with you, all operations and treatment are free, although if you get prescribed drugs from the Pharmacy they are £7.50.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hear you Davey, but don't you guys have to wait forever for certain "non-critical" operations like they do up in Canada? One of the current trends I read about in Canada is the waiting time for certain surgeries like knee ACL tears can take like 6-9 months +. Apparently it's so bad that Quebec just allowed for private healthcare for the first time ever to give people a choice. I lived in Canada for two years and had no issues with the service (routine check-ups and drug accessiblity was readily available and cheaper than US mostly) but never had to have serious medical care, so am wondering how it works over there. I once had a long conversation with this UK doctor who now practices in the US - she was so anti-UK health system and basically said it's infrastructure is completely out-of-date and it's underfunded and broken in general, but she was coming from the physician POV.

Also, not that it's a huge thing but don't you also have some sort of weird BBC annual fee where you pay like $1000 equivalent for each TV you own?

[econophile]

our healthcare is expensive, but if you can afford it it's damn good. one explanation could be that our relatively privatized healthcare system allows doctors to earn more than in other countries, so we attract the most skilled doctors. if saudi oil sheiks need heart surgery, they come here.

[JuntMonkey]

[ QUOTE ]
However we dont have to pay for healthcare at all doesnt matter what is wrong with you, all operations and treatment are free, although if you get prescribed drugs from the Pharmacy they are £7.50.

[/ QUOTE ]

lol at "free"

[Kneel B4 Zod]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
As I came to the US as an exchange student I immediately felt more at home in the US than I did in Sweden.

[/ QUOTE ]

interesting. ive never heard anyone say that about moving to a foreign country.

[/ QUOTE ]

Feels that way for me up here in Sweden/Denmark. Already feel much more at home than in the states.

[/ QUOTE ]

see you back here in year

OP: the USA is the best country in the world for smart driven people. If you are intersted in a life of modest leisure and wine drinking, then parts of Europe are nicer.

if you're on the lam, I would imagine Brazil is pretty nice

[dvo352]

I grew up in NYC and I am definately thinking about moving elsewhere once I finish my degree. The pro's of being able to live up to your potential by working hard is also the reason I hate this city (if not the whole country). This idea spawns so many selfish people who will stab anyone in the back to get ahead. The belief that you NEED to get ahead in life and make as much money as you can by working as hard as you can just to blow it on expensive items is just not my belief. Everthing is just so commercial. Everything is about status. People in NYC own Escalades... how does that make any sense? Logically explain this to me. Why on earth do you need an SUV in NYC when it is notorious for [censored] parking? I am planning to move to Vietnam (being that I am Vietnamese) sometime in the near future. I want to relax and enjoy the more community oriented culture. I just realized after this rant what the problem is... I hate the damn culture. The living standards are great. Good food, good looking women, a lot of luxuries but the people... I can't stand the people.

[Duke]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]


Funny you can say that without knowing my personal history such as me not being born in the USA.

[/ QUOTE ]

what does where you were born enter into this conversation? either you believe it or you dont.

[/ QUOTE ]

You are right, it does not. After rereading his statement it appears i read it too quickly and just assumed he was tying me in with the average american citizen that he speaks of.

[/ QUOTE ]

Nah, we import people who make us all look bad too.

[mother_brain]

I think america is a great country, this wacked out place that its morphed into is less impressive.

I know this convo could get turned into one of the crappy threads in the politics forum but America really is losing sight of what is important in life.

[ChipWrecked]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]


Funny you can say that without knowing my personal history such as me not being born in the USA.

[/ QUOTE ]

what does where you were born enter into this conversation? either you believe it or you dont.

[/ QUOTE ]

You are right, it does not. After rereading his statement it appears i read it too quickly and just assumed he was tying me in with the average american citizen that he speaks of.

[/ QUOTE ]

I would say you still display a high level of naivete if you expect a cell phone conversation to remain private anywhere in the world.