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Post by Deleted on Jul 9, 2018 22:32:06 GMT
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Post by Aj_June on Jul 9, 2018 22:34:34 GMT
It is not and never was. Greatest doesn't mean the most powerful or the most dominating.
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Post by lowtacks86 on Jul 9, 2018 22:37:51 GMT
I don't have any particular desire to live in another country, so I supposed by default (for now at least), sure.
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Post by them1ghtyhumph on Jul 9, 2018 22:42:24 GMT
Don't know. Only other country I've been to is Canada, and that was pretty much vacation time.
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Post by Morgana on Jul 10, 2018 9:11:50 GMT
A country that doesn't have, or even seem to care that it doesn't have, free health care for all, is not and never will be, a great, let alone the greatest, country in the world. A country that thinks having a gun is more important than that, is a joke. Until America realises it can form a third or fourth, or whatever, political party, it's a joke. Until America adjusts it's electoral system, it's a joke. When the American government stops being run by groups such as the NRA, the Jewish lobby, and the Military lobby, it will be a better country. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 10, 2018 11:05:32 GMT
I am sure it is for many Americans and that fine. As long as they don`t expect non Americans to think the same.
But to me Switzerland is the greatest country in the world. So i a saying no
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Post by geode on Jul 10, 2018 11:23:56 GMT
I think most people making replies are missing the point of the video. If you agree with the video you would be saying that America may have once been the greatest country in the world but presently is not. The scene in the video is from six years ago. At that time America was not in the running for the greatest country in the world in my opinion, and it has moved further away from being able to make a credible claim for such status the last couple of years.
I think the only thing really open to debate is whether it ever was the greatest country in the world. This was always subjective and depends upon the criteria one stresses. Every country that has ever existed has had negative aspects of one sort or another, so it is a matter of good things out balancing the bad. For instance keeping the Electoral College would not on its own exclude it. Not having free health care for all on its own does not exclude it from becoming the greatest, or being a great country. Requiring additional political parties to aspire to greatness is a joke. But I guess some non-Americans don't realize we already have more than two.
The Constitution of the United States is the oldest blueprint for running a country that exists and has been the inspiration for similar documents worldwide. As spoken in thr speech in the video there was a time after WW II when the United States stood for democratic principles and attempted to help other countries through cooperation while facing countries such as the Soviet Union attempting the opposite. The Marshall Plan helped rebuild Europe. Japan was helped to rebuild and turn itself around. It may well have been the greatest country in the world when I was told it was as a kid.
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Post by CoolJGS☺ on Jul 10, 2018 11:37:42 GMT
I haven't visited enough countries to make a determination.
I am perfectly fine with living in the US though.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 10, 2018 11:55:13 GMT
A nation that is that wealthy and yet won't provide citizens with healthcare, that thinks dozens of murdered children is a price worth paying for gun ownership, that is primarily devoted to making the wealthy even more wealthy at the expense of everyone else... no. America isn't the greatest country, or even a great country. Not any more.
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Post by Aj_June on Jul 10, 2018 14:32:01 GMT
I think the only thing really open to debate is whether it ever was the greatest country in the world. This was always subjective and depends upon the criteria one stresses. Every country that has ever existed has had negative aspects of one sort or another, so it is a matter of good things out balancing the bad. For instance keeping the Electoral College would not on its own exclude it. Not having free health care for all on its own does not exclude it from becoming the greatest, or being a great country. Requiring additional political parties to aspire to greatness is a joke. But I guess some non-Americans don't realize we already have more than two. I think it never was the greatest country in the world. I will applaud America for what they have given to entire humanity. Scientific progress at a rapid speed. Many medical and scientific breakthroughs have come from America. That's fine and we appreciate that. But the number of bad things they have done. Their internal society (slavery, racism, butchering of natives) and their behaviour towards outsiders (big stick policy, acting as international policeman, going frequently to wars) are too big factors against them to ever proclaim them as the greatest country in the world. That's why I said in my first post that America never was the greatest country. Just so an American doesn't mistake my intentions. I do not believe any country currently or in last few 100 years have been good enough to be considered the greatest country in the world. |
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Post by geode on Jul 10, 2018 14:48:46 GMT
I think the only thing really open to debate is whether it ever was the greatest country in the world. This was always subjective and depends upon the criteria one stresses. Every country that has ever existed has had negative aspects of one sort or another, so it is a matter of good things out balancing the bad. For instance keeping the Electoral College would not on its own exclude it. Not having free health care for all on its own does not exclude it from becoming the greatest, or being a great country. Requiring additional political parties to aspire to greatness is a joke. But I guess some non-Americans don't realize we already have more than two. I think it never was the greatest country in the world. I will applaud America for what they have given to entire humanity. Scientific progress at a rapid speed. Many medical and scientific breakthroughs have come from America. That's fine and we appreciate that. But the number of bad things they have done. Their internal society (slavery, racism, butchering of natives) and their behaviour towards outsiders (big stick policy, acting as international policeman, going frequently to wars) are too big factors against them to ever proclaim them as the greatest country in the world. That's why I sad in my first post America never was the greatest country. Just so an American doesn't mistake my intentions. I do not believe any country currently or in last few 100 years have been good enough to be considered the greatest country in the world. I think the difference between our opinions is summed up in your last sentence. You are attempting to only allow a country to be termed "the greatest country in the world" if it is a paragon of virtue. I very carefully stated that every country that has ever existed has had negative aspects. To me it is implicit that the meaning in the phrase was meant to be relative. On that basis there is now, and has always been in the past a country that was better, or greater, than the rest no matter how flawed. The others would simply be more flawed. Although we agree that the United States is not currently the greatest country in the world, in the context of the discussion in the video in the OP there is some country that actually is "the greatest country in the world" right now. I am not sure which one this might be. Your summation of the negative aspects of the U.S. is taking all of its history sort of lumped together. My discussion was more specific...specific to one period of time decades ago. A time when most other countries had as bad or worse problem with racism. At a time when the accusation of acting like an international policeman was not as valid. |
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Post by Aj_June on Jul 10, 2018 14:59:07 GMT
I think it never was the greatest country in the world. I will applaud America for what they have given to entire humanity. Scientific progress at a rapid speed. Many medical and scientific breakthroughs have come from America. That's fine and we appreciate that. But the number of bad things they have done. Their internal society (slavery, racism, butchering of natives) and their behaviour towards outsiders (big stick policy, acting as international policeman, going frequently to wars) are too big factors against them to ever proclaim them as the greatest country in the world. That's why I sad in my first post America never was the greatest country. Just so an American doesn't mistake my intentions. I do not believe any country currently or in last few 100 years have been good enough to be considered the greatest country in the world. I think the difference between our opinions is summed up in your last sentence. You are attempting to only allow a country to be termed "the greatest country in the world" if it is a paragon of virtue. I very carefully stated that every country that has ever existed has had negative aspects. To me it is implicit that the meaning in the phrase was meant to be relative. On that basis there is now, and has always been in the past a country that was better, or greater, than the rest no matter how flawed. The others would simply be more flawed. Although we agree that the United States is not currently the greatest country in the world, in the context of the discussion in the video in the OP there is some country that actually is "the greatest country in the world" right now. I am not sure which one this might be. Your summation of the negative aspects of the U.S. is taking all of its history sort of lumped together. My discussion was more specific...specific to one period of time decades ago. A time when most other countries had as bad or worse problem with racism. At a time when the accusation of acting like an international policeman was not as valid. Well, my categorisation of the greatest country was based on 'net positive' value added by a country to both its citizens and the rest of the world than only on being a paragon of virtue. That said in the period which you have described (end of WWII to next one or two decades) America was a better country than it has been at any time else in its history and I wouldn't hold you a chauvinist for holding such an opinion as I can totally understand that there are rationales behind holding such an opinion and also that some non-Americans can feel like the same way. However, America still doesn’t satisfy my criteria for 1940-60 period as racism was extreme even during that period and while it may have not been actively indulging in playing international policeman, the seeds for it was being planted then. |
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Post by Aj_June on Jul 10, 2018 16:06:06 GMT
I think it never was the greatest country in the world. I will applaud America for what they have given to entire humanity. Scientific progress at a rapid speed. Many medical and scientific breakthroughs have come from America. That's fine and we appreciate that. But the number of bad things they have done. Their internal society (slavery, racism, butchering of natives) and their behaviour towards outsiders (big stick policy, acting as international policeman, going frequently to wars) are too big factors against them to ever proclaim them as the greatest country in the world. That's why I sad in my first post America never was the greatest country. Just so an American doesn't mistake my intentions. I do not believe any country currently or in last few 100 years have been good enough to be considered the greatest country in the world. I think the difference between our opinions is summed up in your last sentence. You are attempting to only allow a country to be termed "the greatest country in the world" if it is a paragon of virtue. I very carefully stated that every country that has ever existed has had negative aspects. To me it is implicit that the meaning in the phrase was meant to be relative. On that basis there is now, and has always been in the past a country that was better, or greater, than the rest no matter how flawed. The others would simply be more flawed. Although we agree that the United States is not currently the greatest country in the world, in the context of the discussion in the video in the OP there is some country that actually is "the greatest country in the world" right now. I am not sure which one this might be. Your summation of the negative aspects of the U.S. is taking all of its history sort of lumped together. My discussion was more specific...specific to one period of time decades ago. A time when most other countries had as bad or worse problem with racism. At a time when the accusation of acting like an international policeman was not as valid. BTW, it is nice to see you again, geode. You are among my all-time favourite posters here and I have a great respect for the courtesy you show in your posts and the knowledge that you add to the board. |
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islandmur
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All religions have messages of peace and love yet all religions are used for wars and hatred...
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Post by islandmur on Jul 10, 2018 16:28:17 GMT
America is not a country. The United States of America is a country.
And no.... not even close.
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Post by OpiateOfTheMasses on Jul 10, 2018 22:22:05 GMT
I have lived in several countries (including the USA) and travelled to many, many more. None of them are perfect. There are a lot of really good things about America, but there are also a lot of bad things about America.
America is not the greatest country in the world. I love going there and I would miss it if it disappeared somehow, but the inequalities, the endemic violence, the institutional racism, the reliance on religion, the xenophobia and other factors mean that it can't possibly be the greatest country.
Great place to visit though. Especially if you're white and have some money! (and can avoid/tolerate the religious)
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Post by thefleetsin on Jul 11, 2018 0:06:16 GMT
if you define greatness as operating the largest death machinery to ever inhabit the known universe, then i guess we are great.
that being said there's also plenty of space to stack naked prisoners in pyramids while mocking them.
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Post by politicidal on Jul 11, 2018 0:47:04 GMT
I'm in no hurry to move, even with the chump in chief.
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Post by drystyx on Jul 11, 2018 2:58:59 GMT
I have no idea what the video was going to say. It is absolutely impossible to stay awake for more than 45 seconds of that boring whatever it is.
But America isn't the greatest country in the world. There are countries that are actually civilized with health care for all, and America is at best barbaric. Obama began to fix it, but we've taken steps backwards.
And I have no idea why my laptop is printing this way.
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Post by maya55555 on Jul 11, 2018 4:45:36 GMT
Drystyx
To the right?
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Post by maya55555 on Jul 11, 2018 4:47:14 GMT
Morgana
The Jewish lobby?
NAZI!!! NAZI!!!
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