It's a mixture of Christian fundamentalism that waxes and wanes with each generation, poor educational standards, a hopelessly inept and stagnant bureaucracy that can't fix any of these problems, and rampant nationalism that is only galvanized by any outside criticism.

The US is a gigantic anti-culture, fueled by conspicuous consumption, run on the model of Bernays, and peopled by drones with a poor grasp of their mother tongue.

>Is it something in the water?

Fluoride

Take the Second Amendment, for example. There's nothing more American than assuming the average citizen has the right to decide whether or not somebody lives or dies. And then you'll get gun-toting retards who only bought their weapon because it's the only way they'll get any respect out of anyone blindly defending the law because without their murderstick they'd realise how utterly insubstantial they were.

While I'm clearly aware that this thread was intended to create a shitstorm (as it surely will), I cannot help but post the following:
I can't help but feel if sometimes I'm the only person of my generation who thinks America is a damn fine country, regardless of what has happened to it in recent years. At its core though, it is still one of the greatest counrties ever to grace this fine Earth.

>>356270
>this thread was intended to create a shitstorm
God no. It was intended to get some answers. Your country is controlled by profit-driven corporations who constantly put money before people and yet members of the working class will blindly defend them while working 8+ hours a day for eight dollars an hour. When it's not like these corporations who are raking it in can't afford to pay you a couple dollars extra for the work you put in for them.

>>356270
>At its core though, it is still one of the greatest counrties ever to grace this fine Earth.

Americans always say this. Even Noam Chomsky says this. What the fuck does it mean?

Your founding fathers were badass dudes, Lincoln was alright, Wilsonian idealism was the death knell of Western liberalism, and everything since then has been imperialism and assassinating presidents. And almost destroying the world. For thirty years.

How are you greater than all the republics and democracies that came before you, and.. you know.. actually worked?

>At its core though, it is still one of the greatest counrties ever to grace this fine Earth.

Why? It's mildly frightening if you think this but cannot explain why. Some call it brainwashing.

Anyone want to cast bets on the most likely version of dystopia America is headed for?

I'm voting for "Escape from LA/New York" style fundie hell, myself.

OH SAY CAN YOU SEE
BY THE DAWN'S EARLY LIGHT
WAS SO PROUDLY WE HAILED
AT THE TWILIGHT'S LAST GLEAMING
WHOSE BROAD STRIPES AND BRIGHT STARS
THROUGH THE PERILOUS FIGHT
O'ER THE RAMPARTS WE WATCHED
WERE SO GALLANTLY STREAMING
AND THE ROCKET'S RED GLARE
THE BOMBS BURSTING IN AIR
GAVE PROOF THROUGH THE NIGHT
THAT OUR FLAG WAS STILL THERE
OH SAY DOES THAT STAR-SPANGLED BANNER YET WAVE
O'ER THE LAND OF THE FREE
AND THE HOME OF THE BRAVE

>>356291
Well, maybe it wasn't intended to, but unfortunately, that's what it will probably become.

You say that America is controlled by profit-driven corporations who put money before people. While I agree with that statement, I ask you: What developed country isn't?

You say that the working class rushes to defend the companies that pay them 8 bucks an hour for 8+ hours a day. Why, you ask? Because for some folks, it's all they can do do support themselves. Some folks, it's their only choice. Hell look at some coal mining towns in West Virginia and Pennsylvania. Those people have some of the most dangerous jobs in this country and most of them are poor as hell. Why? because it's what their family has been doing for damn near 200 years. Some folks don't know any better.

I'm not say that that excuses it. Hell, I'm not saying that even accounts for everyone who has a shit job, or gets little to no money for their work. It's just the way it is.

On top of that, Americans have a deeply ingrained sense of "you've got to do what you've got to do." We do what we can, and for some, that's it.

>>356294
See, you don't know what the fuck you're talking about. Lincoln was a tyrant, but is hailed as something noble because he freed the slaves, which was entirely a political move.

People don't understand that America invented modern-day democracy. Not only that, but America is also the biggest exporter of media, still a military super-power and a giant in terms of international influence. Despite your perception of America, it is, for better or worse, one of the most important nations in modern times. Influence is unmatched, bro.

>>356324
Balkanization

Water is going to be a scarce resource, and corporations are going to find a way to control this to gain power and will eventually compete against other corporations. People who need water will eventually have no choice but to support their local water company in order to survive

It'll eventually turn into city-states and we have Ancient Greece all over again

>>356361
This guy also has a point. I don't quite agree with his wording, but he's right.

We are still ridiculously influential in the world. and in political and economic situations, influence is directly connected to greatness.

>>356266
>murderstick
Stopped reading there.

You've clearly never handled a firearm.
Jesus fuck, I'm british and I know there's nothing to be scared of.

Yuro trolling on r9k now, huh?

Go back to /pol/

>>356197
I've lived here all my life and if it got bombed right now I would be relieved too.

>>356316
It's called patriotism my friend. Other countries have it too, you know.

>>356197

I've never been to the US, but I have met a lot of Americans and from my experience they were just as retarded as the rest of the population on this planet, no more, no less.
Only difference I noticed is that they're more delusional, but that's the remenants of the baby boomer propaganda from what I understand.

Most people are idiots, it's the sad, sad truth.

amerifag here

I had all this shit typed up about how bad this country is buttfuck it.
There's too much wrong to discuss here.
Our biggest flaw is the government's running off of a constitution that the forefathers explicitly stated was only a temporary solution. But apparently no body gave enough fucks to try and come up with something decent so we're just running ourselves into the ground at this point.
What i can say is this shits going to hit the fan soon and all hell will break loose because Americans are just too damn ignorant and immature. We have too much groundless pride and rampant greed.

I still live here now and wish it would be bombed

Personally I want to get the fuck out of this country as soon as possible.

America is a weird mixed bag of good and bad. Our constitution was written with flowery language that makes our founding fathers seem like saints, but it was bullshit when they wrote it, and in some cases still is. "All men are created equal" was never taken seriously at all. The first amendment has been constantly belittled and subdued, etc...

I like to think that America can be great, if it is just reworked a bit. I think we need a minor revolution to reset some things, reorganize how shit works, and update some of our extremely old and outdated methods of getting things done.

For all you non-americans out there. The main reason our country is so fucked up is that we are one of the most propaganda filled countries on the planet. Our citizens are lied to, coerced, and generally misinformed to the point that no one understands what is going on and basically goes with the flow. Our corporations tell us what we need to work towards in order to be successful and happy in life (products, lifestyles etc...) our churches dictate public policy on all levels in order to make our country more suitable for their belief systems. And our elected government is a collection of overly comfortable, paid-off stooges who work for the corporations because HURR DURR CORPORATIONS ARE PEOPLE.

I think America is a great country, especially in terms of historical significance. To deny that is like denying that the Roman Empire played a large role in shaping modern day Europe. I also think we have an amazing military that is excessively over-funded and way too large. I like the American spirit of individuality and personal liberty, and I like that it has been, and sometimes is a great place to be an entrepreneur.

But yeah its kind of a fucked up place, but what isn't these days? I'd like to see the corporations put in their place as the engines of economic growth and nothing more. I'd like the churches to be reigned in when it comes to messing with public policy, and I'd like our government to be downsized and streamlined with more power in some areas, and far less in others.

America can be fixed, its just no one wants to do it because its so comfortable here for most people.

America is the biggest threat to world peace, not Iran or any of these places. I would sleep better if your government didn't exist. American people are generally ok though there is a massive % of the population that is fucking retarded and ignorant.

dooky cat

>>356607

I agree with you on the world peace front. We just love to fuck with any country that slightly bothers us. Yet we have no interest in actual humanitarian tragedies. My brother is in the military, its a great organization, and the people are generally good, understanding and dedicated.

Pretty much whenever a vindictive Republican president gains power here I get pretty afraid.

America decided that the best way to fight communism in the cold war was to knock over governments in a dozen nations around the world and put in puppet dictators that would fight communism. We didn't care that they were asshole tyrants that treated their people like shit. Now, a few decades later we are shocked that these people might not like us, and would rather elected a militant islamic government into power to rebel against us.

If anything Americans are short-sighted. We are also painfully misinformed most of the time due to our country being one giant propaganda farm.

>>356361

>America invented modern-day democracy

wat

I think people are too harsh on america. It's my far the largest 'western' country in terms of population (and its not exactly geographically small) its obviously going to lag behind our more butique country in terms of social polies because it's all that much harder and costs that much more.
Not to mention their massive military spending also frees up our budgets because we don't have to spend as much (and we do use america as a meat shield to protect 'westernism').

That said a lot of Americans are pants on head retarded and honestly belie america can do no wrong.

My two favorite recent events in American life are "Freedom Fries" and "Take that Japan, you thought we forgot about Pearl Harbor!"

Freedom Fries - Basically at the start of the Iraq war the French told us that Iraq had no weapons of mass destruction, and that there was no point at all in starting a war there. Instead of listening to them the majority of Americans labeled the french as pussies and boycotted them whenever possible. So instead of "French Fries" we now had "Freedom Fries". 8 years later, guess who was right all along?

Pearl Harbor - When the tsunami hit Japan many Americans took that as a sign of retaliation against the Japanese for the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. Facebook was covered in posts like "Take that Japan! I bet you thought we had forgotten about what you did to Pearl Harbor". I fucking hate people.

America is funny because we grow up hearing about how we are the best country on the planet, and that if anyone says otherwise they are just jealous. America can't do anything wrong, and our history is squeaky clean.

>>356624
It's true you mind-gobbled shitfaced dirteater.

There is nothing worse than a self-hating American that will jump at the first opportunity to apologize when exposed to foreign criticism.

I'm not Jesus. I don't have to answer or apologize for shit because what the powers-that-be do is out of my control. The country is shit and filled to the brim with freakish idiots but it's MY country.

Sanctimonious foreigners also disgust me. Don't act like your shit doesn't stink, faggot.

>>356639

Keep telling yourself, you fat american cockmongler

>>356639

There is a country named France that would like to speak with you. And a half dozen other countries that helped to build the foundations of "true democracy" hundreds if not thousands of years before America decided to give it a try.

>>356636

>America is funny because we grow up hearing about how we are the best country on the planet, and that if anyone says otherwise they are just jealous.

Yea, maybe if you live in Texas.

In Montana, they teach history with the good and the bad parts included.

Also, I've heard of the freedom fries, which was mostly blown out of proportion by media outlets. However, I never actually saw any restaurant calling french fries, "freedom fries."

And I've never even heard of the Japanese thing.

Don't believe everything you read.

>>356642

Every country has its problems. America just seems to think its problems are also its bright points and proudly displays them for all to see. Imagine being someone who does not live in America watch a tea party rally.

>>356636
Maybe I'm too optimistic, but I like to think at least our younger generations are starting to get over that. For one thing, a lot of young Americans are now growing up in an era where America isn't the economic power it once was, and in which most popular entertainment is extremely critical of the government and policy. I teach college, and the level of cynicism even the freshmen display... actually gives me a little hope.

Still too much to ask for the fuckers to learn how to write, though, but hey.

There are stupid people everywhere, get over yourselves.

Most people everywhere aren't smart. It's a statistical fact.

>>356647
How about you learn some history first.

>Picture related

>>356660
...and it's working out very well for them.

:/

>>356647
>>356645
Except without the American revolution there would be no French revolution, and America had the first half-way democratic constitution ever, and it was the first country to actually care about 'freedom'.

>>356657
>>356658
Acknowledging international stupidity hive-mind!

>>356655

I think that has one thing to do with hopefully making younger generations a bit wiser. But also think about this conversation. Most people older than say 40 don't have regular conversations with people outside of the country. Because of the internet that is now very accessible. I play games with people in Europe, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Brazil, Russia, Canada, etc... And I get to hear a lot of opinion and express my own.

The age of all Americans being sheltered and restricted to only the American way is over, and I for one am very glad to see it go.

Just move to australia.

>>356672
What's kind of funny is that American exceptionalism goes both ways.

Sure, there's the original version--"America is the best country ever anywhere and if you don't agree you CAN GET OUT!"--but now there's this new version that even Americans display where Americans are the STUPIDEST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD.

As it turns out, neither is true.

>>356679

You're right. But consider the fact that Americans have the means to express their stupidity more than any other country, so it just appears that we are far dumber.

Im sure that if everyone in the DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo) had a webcam we would see plenty of stupid there too.

>implying if America was bombed to oblivion anyone on the planet would be alive after we launched our arms.

>>356652
>America just seems to think its problems are also its bright points and proudly displays them for all to see.

Yes, we champion the collapse of our economy, the corruption that has infiltrated every level of government, the failure of our political system and ten years of failed foreign policy.

Wait, no we don't. Blow me.

>>356678
Seriously, do this.

how dare u insult my country? amurrica strong
kg;dr
FUCK YEAH AMERICA

I, unfortunately, went through American public school, so I'll talk a bit about it, for the foreigners. The standards are low. The stick is set about an inch off the ground and all we have to do to graduate is jump over it. Of course, there are still ways people find to fuck that up, and I can't even fathom how. Even a dumb kid can sleep through their classes and pass with an A or B. Literally, sleep.

Every year, we were basically re-taught the same material over and over. No, I'm being serious. Our health class, for example, from seventh grade to twelfth, covered STDs and how drugs were bad. We did not learn first aid. We did not learn things like injury prevention, nutrition, how cavities form, what causes some of the common diseases, or how to prevent food-borne illness. Every year, we learned STDs and illegal drugs, and neither of those were in any depth, to top it off. The tests were something like, "How can you avoid getting an STD?" The answer would be to not have sex, or to wear a condom if you did. You just got an A.

1/2

>>356744

Our education is not an education--it is a child care system. The schools just babysit these kids all day. With the exception of a handful of AP courses I voluntarily took in high school, I learned NOTHING. Abso-fucking-lutely nothing, from preschool to grade 12. A few main topics across the spectrum (math, science, history, writing) were covered in poor detail, and with no explaination of why. There was never any "Why?" If you like learning concepts, in order to be able to apply them to other situations and extrapolate outward from them, you're SOL here. They teach some facts to be memorized for the standardized test, and that's where they stop.

So if you wonder why most Americans do not care to take the time to learn about things before having an opinion on them, it is because they do not know how to learn. They know how to be spoonfed very basic, often fallacious, facts, and take them as gospel truth to the day they die, without exploring them any further. That's just as our education system taught them.

2/2

I think the US is just too big of a country. I mean, wtf, it's bigger than all of Europe together and it's already hard to govern countries as "small" as the europeans. I don't wanna know how hard it is to govern such a huge country.

Additionally, I get the impression that it's just too young of a culture. Maybe I'm biased because I'm from the old world, but sometimes America seems like it's just a young kid country without much history to learn from.

>>356651

"America is no. 1" is the common belief held by the populace. Ask any random person off the street who isn't an angsty teenager, and that's how they'll respond. I guarantee it. Even more so if they've never been to college, and in that case I absolutely guarantee chauvinism.

The freedom fries thing never took off because we laughed it to oblivion. Americans do not change their terms for things easily. We still call them Indians, we still use imperial, and we wouldn't change our word for one of the most common food items in the country.

>And I've never even heard of the Japanese thing.

No media outlet would cover that, obviously, but it was a very common sentiment. If you looked on facebook at the time, or saw screencaps from, you'd have seen people cheering the earthquake.

>>356655
>>356674
This is flat out anecdotally retarded. You may see the cynicism in current college students, but it is hugely anecdotal compared to the masses of retards not even graduating now.

High school drop out rates are at all time highs and are ever increasing.

America is a lost fucking cause, we aren't the greatest in anything but military(welfare) and it's going to either crash and burn, turn into a feudal democracy like you see in all the Latin American countries, or some people will realize it will take a huge revolt and murdering greedy corporate fucks and politicians to fix it.

Yeah, something needs to be done to turn this retardation around before it gets worse. But nobody at the top who can do anything wants to.

YOU GUYS ARE FUCKED

I really like being British.

Lack of access to higher education is a problem as well. The average 4 year degree will cost you nearly a quarter of a million dollars putting it out of reach for many except those very few with scholarships or money.

dude, i hate this place too.

>>356848
>Lack of access to higher education is a problem as well. The average 4 year degree will cost you nearly a quarter of a million dollars putting it out of reach for many except those very few with scholarships or money.

That's because people were somehow convinced that it's ok to segregate the rich population that can afford proper higher education with the poor who can only get it by going into debt, lucking out with grants or getting a scholarship.

It's looked at as a privilege, as if most people aren't "worthy" of low cost/free college education while it's practically as required as a High School diploma with very few exceptions.

>I think America is a great country, especially in terms of historical significance.
>America invented modern-day democracy
>mfw
it's always the same with you amerifags

>obvious troll thread
>soon to be 300 replies

>second amendment bashing

Honestly, why do you people do that? You WANT to have Big Brother tell you that you can't have guns?

I'm not saying 'murrica isn't 'tarded: but you're an ignorant, brainwashed pussy to be for having civil liberties taken away.

There's plenty of countries that respect firearms rights that have fatality rates that dwarf those of the US.

>>356924
But think about why you want guns. What do you need them for? My country doesn't have guns and we do just fine. You only need them to protect yourself against other people with guns...who wouldn't have them if they banned them

>>356924
ohboyherewego.txt

>>356943

I don't want guns. I don't need 'em. But I am completely for responsible, law-abiding adults being allowed to have them, if they want them.

This is where you pricks make me sick. You can't fathom sticking up for someone else's liberty: if it's not what you'd personally do it should be BANNED.

>>356943
No, you dumbtard. THINK about if for just a SECOND.
Criminals are people who break laws.
If there is a law that bans guns, criminals are the ONLY people who will have guns, because they don't give a fuck anyways.
HURR DERP

>Live in America
>Hate the fact that I'm considered American because this country runs off of greed

my close friend lives in america for some years now.
whenever he tells me stories about american encounters and the way people live/think there in general i can't decide if i want to laugh or cry.

Don't tell them it's bad, leave them to rot in their country. I would love to diss America, though not to any American.

Let them have the naive notion that the USA is best America and a great country. Culturally they are a blight and Politically they have irreversibly fucked up countless nations and their own people.

Would you want this cancer spreading around the world? To your homeland?

>>356943

If there is a law against guns,

Law abiding citizens will not have access to guns.

Only criminals will have access to guns.

You forget, we have a significant nigger population in the US.

>>356956

Who gives a fuck about that, a criminal with a gun is going to outshoot you in every situation that matters, do you think you are some wild west quick shot?

Guns being banned would eliminate psychologically unsound people from mass murdering, accidental deaths from firearm missuse, conflicts that would have ended with a fight escalating to a person getting shot, and people being gunned down in fits of rage.

>>357007
>Guns being banned would eliminate...

Just like prohibition stopped alcoholics getting a drink.

>>356197
Canada here.

I could not agree with you more

>>357007
>a criminal with a gun is going to outshoot you in every situation that matters, do you think you are some wild west quick shot?

>You have no chance, no choice, and aren't allowed to fight to defend yourself. Roll over and die.

Bunch of anti-American propaganda.

We may have a lot of retards, but your countries have them as well.

The best part is, is that most countries political leaders suck our cock.

>>356361
>invented Modern day democracy

Yeah, and how's that going for you bro? California with it's 36 million people still got the same number of senate votes as, say, Iowa with 3 mil. No proportional voting system, meaning some seats in ultra liberal or ultra conservative areas stay uncontested for years..... yeah.. can see why everyone else uses the MURRICA version of representative democracy.

Compared to other highly developed countries like Norway, Sweden and Finland, USA is quite primitive. I just think that with all of their resources they should have developed in a different direction.

New constitutional amendment needed: Congress shall make no law abridging or restricting the right to free trade and enterprise.

You say America is fucked up, that our nation is full of idiots, if you go to done cowherd of this country, you would be right, but Britain has their chavs and their nanny state, the rest of Europe has gippos and very socialist economies/social policies. In America, the initial principle was that you either flourish and prosper or you don't and that is based on how hard you are willing to work and how intelligent you are, and that hasn't really changed very much.

If you work hard and are blessed with done innate intelligence, you will succeed in this country, if not, well, we always need people to flip burgers for $8 per hour.

The social protection network here had gotten out of control and definitely needs to be reigned in. Stop the welfare whores from fucking up our entire social system.

To quote Atlas Shrugged : I swear by m my life and my love of it that I shall never live for the sake of another man nor ask another man to live for mine.

Also, to all the people in this country who 'hate' being here, please renounce your citizenship. We don't want you here, you don't want to be here, so just please go. There are plenty of hard working people in other countries who would love the opportunity to become a US citizen, who would love this country, and who would be greatful for all the opportunities they would have here.

>>357118

>doesn't understand why Ayn Rand is bullshit and why free markets don't work

We've got a prime example of the retarded American everyone is talking about right here.

>>357124

No, you just want a free pass at life and to live off the hard work, intelligence and effort of others.

>>357118
A-are you retarded or rich?

What... what? I just.... No. No.

>>357118
Not sure if tr0llin or just really stupid.

>>357131
Says the guy who lives of the hard work of the illegal Mexicans.

>>357131
HURRR DURRR
>you can get ahead in corporate America for intelligence even if you lack status.
>other people want to live in America
>less social protection will make america better.
>Majority working $8 an hour is a good thing.

So many things are wrong with what you are saying, 10/10 if troll.

>>356744
Thanks for the input. I'm European and would like to learn more about your education system

Free markets create and foster innovation and nowhere is that more apparent then here in the US. Could you have a Google start up in China, or an Apple, or a Walmart? Would any of those companies thrive in a European market with a European workforce?

Microsoft developers work 80-100 hour weeks when their products are close to release? Is there any European country where that would fly? I don't think so.

As for Atlas Shrugged being bullshit, how do you think the products that you use every day were invented? Would those products exist if there wasn't a direct profit notice behind their creation and sale?

Why should I have to support those who tefusr to work? Why should my hard earned money not go into my pocket? Because of some 'bond' I should feel with the rest of humankind? Because I should feel the need to help my fellow man? Nope, no thank you, I work for myself and for no one else.

>>357007
i think i'm a better shot than the nigger that bough a rusty gun from his dealer friend.

I love a good troll thread in the morning.

OH WAIT NO I FUCKING DON'T, CUT IT OUT

>>357172
This isn't a troll. Your country sucks but you are brainwashed to think it rules.

>>357150
your culture is shit, your politics is shit, your education is shit.
If you succeed it is due to a free pass at life and to live off the hard work, intelligence and effort of others as you are born into the wealth.

I am not going to discuss this anymore you must be a troll else you prove your nations decrepit state.

>>357181
MURRICA! FUCK YEAH!

>>356197

No you wouldn't, because the ensuing worldwide economic collapse and power vacuum would usher humanity into a dark age of war and negative progress not seen in centuries.

>>356291
>>356353

I'm just wondering what the hell's wrong with being profit driven...

>>356848
>A quarter of a million
Fuck no. My 4 years of college are gonna cost around $150,000, and I go to one of the more expensive public schools in my state. I guess if you went to a private college or out of state it could cost that much.

>>357144

What innate value does a mexican laborer provide to society? They perform labor, but they also utilize resources comporable to those that the people they provide labor for save. Their equation balances out, and they have a real net value of zero to the country and the economy.

The inventor on the other hand does one thing, creates, but his creation provides benefits every time it's used or employed somewhere, the inventor consumes resources comparable to that of the laborer but the fact that they invented something useful means that their value to society is positive.

The welfare whore provides nothing of value to socioty and yet consumes based on the hard work of others, no value minus consumption means that their 'value' to socioty is negative.

Would you continue to invest in a business that was losing you money? Our would you invest it in a venture where you were guaranteed to make a profit?

Why throw away money, tossing it into a pit that is going to continually ask for more and more when you can put it into a venture that will bring you a reward.

Ausfag here I have made many trips to the US as i work for IBM marketing and in the last five years IBM hasnt been doing to well , so they grab a global approach by hiring different marketers from other countries , this happened all through 98-09 so I have spent a few years in the states , I dont see it as being a bad country , but i would say its very economocily driven and often leaves people in financial struggle . The average person in the states is friendly but by having the gun laws they have , that average nice person could easily shoot me . also during my say in the States (I was in Chicago) i was in a minor car accident , i got a hematoma and a broken collarbone this resulted me in staying at the hospital for a few days , now where im from i would spend my time in hospital hand them my medicare card and get free medical , but in the states i was left with a bill of $3000 . I think the US government has enough money to get a healthcare for its citizens . but the states have their own pros aswell i.e. im a big fan of NBA and i enjoy american food (OH GOD HOW I MISS AMERICAN FOOD) but im happy in australia

>TL:DR - The States isnt a bad country but needs a few "required" improvements

>>357181
Do you realize how ridiculous you sound?

Just because I don't spend my days being angry on the internet doesn't mean I have a shrine to America in my closet.

Act like an adult, man. Get over yourself. America isn't causing your problems. Your life just sucks.

>>357181
>I-Im not a hipster, I just hate America too!

>>357200
It's the short way of saying profit driven at the expense of everything else.

>>357211

Despite how catchy it is to claim that corporations are driven by profit before anything else, it's simply not true.

And even if it were, what is inherently wrong with that?

>>356197

I lived there for 20 years, man. It's not the water it's the TV.

>>357204
>American food is good
wut

GRR I HATE A COUNTRY I DON'T EVEN LIVE IN

GRRRRRRR SO EDGY

I WAS ONCE IN AMERICA AND 18 NIGGERS RAPED ME WHILE I WAS BEING CHARGED FOR HEALTHCARE AND A CHRISTIAN SHOVED A BIBLE DOWN MY THROAT TRUE STORY LETS KILL THEM ALL WITH KNIVES

>>357228
>LETS KILL THEM ALL WITH KNIVES

>bannedinBritain.jpg

>>357228
I am sorry that that happened to you, our country may be bad with the healthcare but I think you were just unlucky to be raped by 18 niggers. Maybe if instead of seeing someone as trying to force the bible down your throat you believed in God's love you would have coped better and had felt love for your fellow man instead of such foreign violence that you convey.

You say our education is bad! take a look at how you had written.

It's our education system that is fucked up.
Things that we're learning in high school have already been taught to other countries while they were in grade school.
Kids are motivated enough to go to school and actually learn.
Not enough people make their education a priority or importance.

>>356197
These kinds of posts make me wish America had never salvaged Western Europe with the Marshall Plan.

>>357219

>MnMs with Peanut butter in inside
>Hersheys
>The Pounder burger at Mcdonalds ( we only have the double quater pounder)
>Wendys (the burger one not the ice cream one we have that)
>Dennys
>Taco Bell

>>357258
Kids aren't motivated enough***
Derp

>>357200
Let's see...
The fact that limitless growth is impossible, that destroying nature and our main source of life is needed, that it panders to desire rather than necessity?

>>357260
Hamburgers are actually German.
They don't count as American. I wouldn't count Taco Bell either. Cheap rip off of Mexican food.

>>357259
aided nazis initially, entered war late, let 21 million Russians die making billions off of weapons supplied to UK + Russia. Only enacted plan to turn nations off Communism that won the war.

I kind of wish America never interfered with Europe at all.

>>357260
their food is so full of sugar it is disgusting. There seems to be nothing fresh, nothing healthy just highly processed stuff.

>>357282
Well Pizza is technically Italian, but if you showed me an American pizza and an Italian pizza I would probably not even know they were supposed to be the same food.

But I would love them both equally

>>357284
>enacted plan to turn nations off Communism
You say that like it's a bad thing.

>>357282
I would say that they are American, insofar as they've been so corrupted from what they'd be in the old country. Like American Chinese food- General Tso's Chicken does not exist in China.

GRRR MY GIRLFRIEND BROKE UP WITH ME TO DATE AMERICA

GRRRRR FAT PEOPLE CHRISTIANS WORLD WAR 2

PAY ATTENTION TO MEEEEE I HATE AMERICAAAAA, DOES ANYONE LOVE ME YET?????

>>357282
wasn't the idea to make it into a sandwich american though?

>>357316
I'm pointing out that everything America has ever done has always been in their interests not because they were trying to help people. America got so big off the war it was great for them.

Xenophobia in the outskirts, greed in the cities, these things have been at the core of America since its infancy. While the "have's" and the "have not's" are at the very core of our capitalism. Greed is human nature it, drives the urge to accumulate resources, money, wealth, power, or security, and some people just do that better than others. The people that don't excel in this process, the have not's, need to justify their failure or struggle somehow, so they blame others. The rich, the jews, the banks, the gubmint, welfare, taxes, old money and inheritance, the illuminati, the libruls, the christfags, immigrants - someone else has to be at fault because they have failed in this process and they can't accept it. Then they scramble and cry for what they believe they are entitled to - but they aren't entitled to jack fucking shit. They don't DESERVE anything. Welcome to America, stake your claim and gather your own resources or just GTFO.

>>357355
Yeah, no country on Earth besides America ever acts in self-interest or anything. That's solely and American thing.

>>357352
Good. You, unlike a lot of others seem to get the picture.

Where are you living OP? I feel like my campus is an Island of smart amid a stormy sea of complete fucking retards.

>>357279
>that it panders to desire rather than necessity?
oh ok I guess we better go back to living in huts and sustainance farming

>>356750
Typical retarded Ameritard spotted.
You think just because you didn't remember anything from school that you didn't learn anything? Want to know why? Because you didn't continue studying after you learning something. The human brain forgets shit over time unless its used on at least a weekly basis. The fact that this happened is by and large your own fault and not the school systems. Take some fucking self responsibility you self entitled fuck and self study outside of school.

>>357377
>wish America had never salvaged Western Europe with the Marshall Plan.
implying they did it because it was the right thing to do.

America surprisingly does not act in self interest where it should which is in the interest of the general population. Name one war that was good of America to be affiliated in post WW2 and I mean good for it's own people as well.

I reckon half the problem with americans is the way they idolise rights over commonsense, and this leads them off on crazy tangents.

Like actually believing in an absolute right to have dangerous weapons so you can kill people over a tv or something they might steal, or that you should extend the right of free speech to people picketing funerals with 'god hates fags' over the right to privacy of the deceased's families.

I mean seriously, wtf?
Its like laughinggirls.jpeg everywhere

>>357452
car are also dangerous maybe we should outlaw those too.

>>357439
We might be helping you in a way that helps ourselves, but you shouldn't forget, we're also helping you.

>>357468
You need training and a license to drive, it should be the same way with guns.

>>357468
one is designed to kill stuff, in the case of handguns - people.
One is designed for transport.

Why would having small concealable guns easily available possibly be a good thing? If they are leagal the Govt. should tax it pretty heavily.

>>357452
laws shouldn't be based on "commonsense" since "commonsense" can actually be wait erroneous and based on peoples biases rather than any sound logic or reasoning. take pornography for instance it use to be "commonsense" that pornography was a grave societal ill and turned men into depraved sexual predators.

>>357468
Doesn't this shit compute with you?

Purpose of guns= TO KILL THINGS

I don't go and buy a car to mow down pedestrians do I?

>>357479
>it should be the same way with guns.
but is the same way with guns

>>357439
There's the war in Libya.

>>357489
Handguns arent easy to get, all states require a back ground check and most require getting training and a license before you're legally able to own one.

>>357478
implying that forcing small European nations to be capitalist for reparations and not communist when the communists liberated them and promised equality to the people is a good thing.
Matter of perspective, the help had a lot of strings attached.
Why are you focusing on the Marshall plan? please list the countless other examples of America helping the world.

>>357508
>Purpose of guns= TO KILL THINGS
yes it is thank you for clarifying that
>I don't go and buy a car to mow down pedestrians do I?
and i don't go and buy a gun to mow down pedestrians either.

>>357452

Rights are what are important to americans, if you believed in something strongly wouldn't you like the right to stand up and talk about it? European nations have this idea that noone can do or say anything that offends our might possibly offend someone else... Nanny states are BS...

As for guns, why shouldn't I be allowed to own one? I am a responsible person who understand what harm they can cause and and uses them responsibly.

>>357407
Oh ok I guess we'd rather make great Viagra than feed starving children.

>>357510
No you dont need a license or any mandatory training to buy a rifle of shotgun. I've never had the process of walking into the store with money and walking out with a rifle take more than 45 minutes.

I don't even get why you would want a gun.
If someone robs you at gun or knifepoint, just give them what they want. I mean at least that way you'll live to tell the tale.

And anyway, if you ban guns, all you gotta do is run away if you don't wanna give people shit. Its not like criminals are gonna learn to throw knives like ninjas.

>>357282
>>357354
>>357307
A lot of American food consists of altering food from other nations. For example, meatballs being added to spaghetti is an American thing (courtesy of Chef Boyardee), and a lot of "Mexican" food Americans eat were created in America (nachos and chimichangas for example).

>>357500
Half of the Australian 'rights' and shit are implied or in common law.

I mean, I trust a judge to look after my wellbeing more than some politician. Look at what happened after 9/11- all the amerifag politicians went to town.
Now the country that crows about its 'rights and freedoms' has the least rights, is the least free, and the most miserable and oppressed in the first world.

>>357513
OIL OIL OIL OIL
that didn't help the american people and they did it out of love for cheap oil. America was almost self sustaining in oil by 1985 but OPEC stabilized oil costs resulting in alternative/efficient power sources being abandoned leading to the current dependence.

Yes it was good they helped there however they were quite friendly with gadaffi up to then pic related. (Wiki)

I don't get the whole 'guns kill people' argument. Walk into any kitchen in the world and there are 30 knives. Sharp killing devices they are! Freely available to any stranger within reach too! Are you afraid to walk through the kitchen because knives are present? No. You have parties in that kitchen with friends of friends, sometimes people you don't even know. But for the sake of argument, what if you are afraid. What then? Is the answer to dispose of all the knives? No, the solution is to find more trustworthy housemates.

>>357598
>Australian
yeah you guys had a judge declare that fictional characters count as real people so he could throw a guy in jail for having simpsons porn.

>>357620
It sorta seems to me like American capitalism tends to shoot itself in the foot way too much. You gotta get a balance between 100% dog eat dog capitalism which is pretty much evil, and uber nanny state socialism.

Basically America has forgotten to protect its bottom line in terms of living standards in favour of sucking chocolate penises that ejaculate money.

That's right. America is a woman.

>>357598
This, you guys have gone and pissed on everyone you once stood for. Whats worse is America is just full of extremists, either these stupid socialists "We are the 99%" fucking idiots that dont understnad some basics of how to get an economy to function, or gun-toting moron rednecks.

Everyone is kind of embarrassed for you really, your economy is going to shit and you have only yourselves to blame.

>>357640
Well its not like America is a shining light in terms of paedophile rights.

I'd prefer to live in a country where one dumb judge sends a guy to jail for simpson's porn, then live in America where fucking a 16 year old is somehow illegal.

>>357627
you can use a knife for more than hurting people. Knives in the kitchen are for preparing food.
Guns are built with the express purpose of killing people. There is no other reason that guns exist.

>>357627
Again, I don't buy kitchen knives because I want to kill people with them.

With a gun, what else am I going to use it for other than killing? Cutting meat at the table? .

>>357656
you are misinformed. each state has their own statutory rape laws. The age of consent in america IS 16. The question is, does it matter if you are more than 3 years older than her, and in what state you are having sex.

Maybe that sounds complicated, but sex with teens is possible in the US

>>356624
They did bro, of course the whole idea of Democracy wasn't their idea, but many democratic have striking similarities in their laws.

>>357685
In that case I am definitely going ahead with my trip to america. I have some -ahem- business to attend to.

>be American (from New England)
>have visited Australia
>been in Ireland for the past year & a little
>everyone is still just as stupid
>majority of people on internet are stupid
>determine people are generally stupid

Why is it so hard for people to see this?

>>357656
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ages_of_consent_in_North_America

It differs from state to state.

Fuck this shit. Everywhere needs to be Sweden.

>>357710
Aussies and Irish are only stupid because we are drunk. Always. Americans have no excuse.

>>356793
The US does not and never has used Imperial measurements. The US broke off from the British empire before the Imperial system was codified (Imperial was first defined in 1824). US standard units share common history with Imperial units, but are often different because they developed in parallel. It wasn't until the 1950s that the inch was standardized between the systems (this is why there is a regular mile and a surveying mile in the US system now). Units of volume are different to this day. Even in weight, which was the closest between the systems, there are differences like the US ton (short ton) being 2000 pounds and the imperial ton (long ton) being 2240 pounds.

The US uses US standard and metric units (the metric system was adopted in 1866).

This stuff is taught in school. Pay more attention next time.

>>357710
The Irish are inherently stupid, with VERY few exceptions. They directly contributed to the evolution of idiocy in America.

>>357739
The fuck is this shit?
Why would you even?

Its simple- mm, cm, m, km. Done and done. You don't even have to learn it in primary school. Even a 3 year old can get that.

I agree with OP. I don't know whether to laugh or cry when I meet americans who genuinely believe their country is the greatest.

-Got a life threatening disease? Pay up thousands or else we'll let you die.
-Policemen shoot men dead on the street and get away with it
-Majority of people still actually believe in a sky god
-Obesity statistics are through the roof. A man overweight anywhere else in the world is 'normal sized' in americ.
-One of the most racist countries in the world

+Some good tv shows

>>357755
Yeah seconded. I guess they're good as meat shields against the Chinese.

Religion rules the roost in the US. That's your problem. Religious people in government pandering to other religious people. And if you're not religious, you'd better start sucking Jesus' cock at every turn and start talking about "how great it is to have faith" and "how beneficial Christianity is to humanity", otherwise you'll be labelled as an asshole. And if you dare speak up against the theocracy, then you're a "militant" atheist. So yeah, any country where it is not only considered cool, but pretty much compulsory to have fallacious beliefs, is probably going to have some seriously shitty social issues.

Euroscum jealousy and butthurt
mmmmmmmm your sweet tears nourish me

>>357800
Yeah in terms of making aussie politics into american style chimps shitslinging, I blame Abbot- and half of his problem is that he thinks he can make his own conservative Catholic viewpoint legislation.
And this is coming from a conservative Catholic.

>>357800
Europe actually has/had theocracies
Europe sucks muslim theocracies cocks daily and hates on the one secular democracy in the middle east
Euroscum call the US a theocracy

I love you guys you're all so predictable

>>357800
I spoke to a Japanese guy he remarked that western brand atheism reassembles a cult to him.

>>357829
I love Israel!
Gonna show them sandniggers whose boss!

>>357755
>One of the most racist countries in the world
that's bullshit , multiculturalism is like freaking religion here.

>>357755
Forgot to add one more line about how in america there have been countless cases of 16 year old boys having sex with girls that are a few months younger than them, and they're put on the sex offenders list for life. Every house they move into, all the neighbours get leaflets letting them know he's a peado. One kid answered the door one day to be shot in the head.

Am I trolling? A little bit, but here's sauce: http://freestudents.blogspot.com/2009/09/there-is-fury-and-and-sadness-inside.html

>>357053

>no proportional voting system

What are the House of Representatives and the Electoral College, Trebek?

>>357852
im not seeing anything there about a kid getting shot in the head, that a seperate news story?
link?

>>357850
But like all things, you take it too extremes.

Tolerating black people doesn't mean tolerating niggers. If letting them get away with shit a white guy wouldn't be caught dead doing isn't racism, I don't know what is.

>>357852
are you gay or retarded or something?
do you realize that the laws of consent take into both being minors and age difference?
a 16 year old will NOT get in trouble for diddling a 14 year old
oh and a blog =/= law
you fucking retard pedo

>>357868
Read the article, it's about halfway down. Doesn't give sauce, but it says it was in Maine and my google-fu gives me this: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5355980

>>357876
If we can tolerate white trash, we can tolerate niggers, spics and whatever else.

>>357754
We use two systems because the US doesn't deem international standardization more important than tradition and personal choice. We're fine with the complications of dual systems since it means letting people use a traditional measurement system they prefer. To switch completely to metric requires a forced change. You have to tell people not to use other systems. That rubs americans the wrong way. We're too individualistic for that bullshit. Why do we stick with standard? Fuck you, that's why. (meant jokingly)

As for metric being so simple, is that why you use multiple units with weird conversions to express the same thing just like we do in standard? A calorie is 4.184 joules (kg*m^2/s^2). Then you get the weird units like kiloponds (kilogram-force, 9.8N) and metric cups (250ml) that exist solely to help people in everyday use.

>>357896
You shouldn't tolerate any of those cunts. At least we know to hate our abos and bogans.

>>357833

That's a pretty common argument among the Christfags as well. They see a movement that they don't like and say "ha, look at the them with their views and philosophical stance, they're just like a religion!". Of course, it's pretty retarded when it's coming from a religious person, but that doesn't stop them. The point is that there are many different viewpoints out there, many different philosophies and political movements and ways of looking at the world, each with their own figureheads and popular thinkers that they feel represent them in some way. Your Japanese friend obviously doesn't understand that he could stick the label "cult" onto pretty much any group of people with shared views and a common goal. Nobody ever accuses feminism or nationalism or nihilism or being a cult or a religion (well, maybe nationalism). Anyone who accuses atheism of has obviously been mislead by the anti-atheist bias created by religious fundies to smear their most dangerous adversary.

tl;dr your friend is a faggot and so are you

>>357936
Feminism has got pretty culty at times with its 'women are closer to nature and have strong spiritual feminine energy' shit

>>357936
oh go eat a thousand dicks
it is always atheists bitching and crying always starting thread moaning about theists
I am an atheist and I do not have one atheist friend because 99% are retarded angry teenagers (regardless of their actual chronological age) with a hardon for christfgas

that being said
Europe is an old irrelevant shit hole
Australia is a new irrelevant shit hole

>>357976
And America is just a shithole, and will soon be worse.

>>357982
enjoy your immediate economic collapse, high suicide rates and Muslim caliphates
because in about the US is about sick of Europe

>>357522

>implying that forcing small European nations to be capitalist for reparations and not communist when the communists liberated them and promised equality to the people is a good thing.

Wait, some Western Europeans actually think this? I find that to be incredibly delusional and naive.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hungarian_Revolution_of_1956

>In the immediate aftermath, many thousands of Hungarians were arrested. Eventually, 26,000 of these were brought before the Hungarian courts, 22,000 were sentenced, 13,000 imprisoned, and several hundred executed. Hundreds were also deported to the Soviet Union, many without evidence.

>>357620
are you retarded?
the US has about 200 years worth of oil in the ground but our envirotards won't let us drill our own oil, or build atomic power plants

>>358064

That's just a cover, the real reason the US doesn't drill its own oil is because it wants to save it for its military in the advent of a major war.

>>356197
Americunt here.

My mom once worked a doctors office. They dumped old medications down sinks.

Yup.

I've seen an equal distribution of retards in every country I've been to. America just has a lot more people cramped up on the same land mass.

>>356266
implying the second amendment isn't extremely important and then going and generalizing a group of people
>this guys legit

>>357976

If you can't defend your views in an argument and have to resort to broad and obviously false generalisations (hurr durr all atheists but me are angsty teens derp) then you should probably reconsider said views. And no, being cuckolded by the religious fundies does not make you a special little snowflake, so I'd abandon that line of thought too.

>>356219
http://hhlrp.livejournal.com/82499.html

I wonder, now, how you work. I wonder how false the rest of this thread is.

Half of the people in this thread have never been to America and have a very skewed view of the populace. The other half seem to be very well informed. What i find astounding though is how negatively many foreign peoples perceive these United States. Could someone please explain why?

>>357216
Ohhhhh god no. In murica. Any corporation is legally bound to make maximum profits for its share holders. Any way possible. Check it if u don't believe me.

>>358698

>What i find astounding though is how negatively many foreign peoples perceive these United States. Could someone please explain why?

Are you joking? Please be joking. I'm begging you, _please_ be fucking joking.

>>358873
That was most definitely not a helpful answer, You can be helpful and answer my question, or you can move on.

>>358853

I don't feel like looking that up to see whether or not you're right. However, given the choice of getting paid to massacre puppies and kittens, or refusing to do so and also getting paid, you seem to be willing to argue that they will massacre puppies and kittens, every time.

There are many different ways to turn a profit. Some companies might argue, "Killing them is the quickest and easiest way to earning a profit." Others might argue, "Sure, steamrolling them is easy...But think of the publicity we'll get if we said 'no' to this deal!"

>>357542

Where, exactly, are these starving children?

Here's the way I think of my country at times:

You know that dude who was a badass quarterback in high school and led his team to the championship every year, posting astronomical stats all the way? But he can never get over what he did, so now he's 45 and still wears his letterman jacket?

That's America. Our government is ruled by money and bureaucracy, the bi-partisan system has led to ignorant people who don't vote based on knowledge of candidates, but on which party they represent, and it seems like a lot of people are either frighteningly redneck conservative or retardedly Socialistic.

>>363449

>mfw if people actually voted based on what they believed and what the party they were voting on believed, we'd have a Libertarian or Constitutionalist president, with a Socialist and a National Socialist as runners-up.

The sheer amount of ignorant college kids who think Socialism should replace Capitalism as the national economy frighten me. It's like they've never opened a book and read about nations that either currently are or have been run under Socialism.

>>363498
Come on socialism is pretty good.
I mean the labour party is nominally a socialist party, and its in power here, even if it is pretty watered down.

I get government benefits till I can stand on my own two feet, everyone gets subsidised uni and great loans (its still a bitch that it isn't free like it was decadeds ago, but still), and I get thousands of dollars from the government every time I move to help me set up.

Shit is perfect, and without it most of my options in life that involve becoming a productive member of society are shut off.

>>363619
>Shit is perfect, and without it most of my options in life that involve becoming a productive member of society are shut off.

The trouble, and fear, is that many will use these benefits to live off the government tit, working far less than they otherwise should or be able to (Or at far less productive jobs), or not working at all.

I don't understand why the government has an obligation to keep you alive.

Defend you from foreign invaders, and regulate inter-state commerce. That's about all the federal government should do.

You want your state to be socialist? Go for it. I think it's just as retarded, but at least then it doesn't affect my wages.

>>363647
I know that in the future my wages will support a few manchildren or disability benefits bogans. A couple of people are always gonna slip through the cracks.

But on the whole, what schemes is my money going to-
+Family tax benefit A and B. Families below a certain income level. I know how hard that shit can be, particularly when you've got 8 people living off like 60-70k a year. I'm ok with this
+Youth allowance and all that shit. This has been pretty damn helpful for me and I'd be a hypocrit if I didn't want to pay myself.
+Disability benefits. Nuff said. They should probably crack down on some of the bullshit claims though.
+Newstart for jobseekers. Again that shit has been fuckin helpful. You get enough to get by barely, for as long as you as you are looking for a job.

I don't understand why no one would support paying for these schemes just because one or two neckbeards might take advantage of them.

I think half the disconnect here is that without socialist benefits schemes, so many Americans think that people will just sit on there asses. If you run it right they don't, and when a lot of these people go on to be productive, they're willing to support it too.

The only people I know who don't support these benefits are rich as fuck and have no idea just how much of a leg up in life they can give you. Most people know just how much you can need them either personally or second hand

Don't worry man.
a lot of us have lived here our entire lives and are crawling to get out at the first opportunity.