so what Makes USA "the BEST Country in the World"?

[Som-Pong]

I can't recall the last time I heard it. Growing up in the 90s sure. Now, never.

when is the last time you visited the OG or watched FOX NEWS?

Haven't been on the og since maybe 2010. I don't get much of my take on reality from internet or "news"
Met a Californian just the other day though.

[theraskal]

how was the meeting with the Californian? Pleasant I hope?

[Som-Pong]

He was heavily into larp swordfighting

[theraskal]

^LOL fantastic!

[salsero]

At one point, the USA was the best place to make money. There were some unique factors afoot in this country during the early 1900s - 1960s that made it possible to make one's way, raise a family, and perhaps build a nest egg.

However, what made the USA a success became formulaic and driven by greed over time. The ability to make a buck and master marketing to entice demand led to inflation, divided loyalties, and formulaic facsimiles of success.

Another added problem is political and religious zealots. They have a vision of the USA's history and future that is removed from reality. For the history, it is revisionist. For the future, it is based on tropes, partisan foolery, and zero-sum thinking.

My motto: Non-Partisan for a Better America.

[theraskal]

I sometimes hear people complain about the loss of the MiddleClass but yet when I observe the lifestyles of Today's MiddleClass vs Yesterday's I see A LOT of LIBERAL SPENDING on things like HouseCleaning, LawnMowing, ChildCare.....Yesterday's MiddleClass did all those things themselves and GranPa didn't have a Military Arsenal and instead just one or two Hunting Rifles.

[Masato]

I sometimes hear people complain about the loss of the MiddleClass but yet when I observe the lifestyles of Today's MiddleClass vs Yesterday's I see A LOT of LIBERAL SPENDING on things like HouseCleaning, LawnMowing, ChildCare.....Yesterday's MiddleClass did all those things themselves and GranPa didn't have a Military Arsenal and instead just one or two Hunting Rifles.

Is it because today's middle class are lazier? Or because they are busier (both parents working, etc)?

[Masato]

At one point, the USA was the best place to make money. There were some unique factors afoot in this country during the early 1900s - 1960s that made it possible to make one's way, raise a family, and perhaps build a nest egg.

However, what made the USA a success became formulaic and driven by greed over time. The ability to make a buck and master marketing to entice demand led to inflation, divided loyalties, and formulaic facsimiles of success.

Another added problem is political and religious zealots. They have a vision of the USA's history and future that is removed from reality. For the history, it is revisionist. For the future, it is based on tropes, partisan foolery, and zero-sum thinking.

My motto: Non-Partisan for a Better America.

Can you elaborate on how you see the zealots as having a revisionist history?

I am Canadian btw, and have only recently developed an interest in American history and USA in general.

[theraskal]

Is it because today's middle class are lazier? Or because they are busier (both parents working, etc)?

I guess I am questioning this need for both parents working and/or how much when if they cut out a lot of the LIBERAL SPENDING on LawnCare, ChildCare, MaidService, and eating out because too tired to cook then they may find that they could live on less. And hobbies too, GUN$, GOLF, things like that.


This book gives some example to what I am speaking:

[salsero]

Can you elaborate on how you see the zealots as having a revisionist history?

An example would be the claim that American founding fathers were Christian in the same way the term is used today. Many zealots today try to position their beliefs as being identical to what the founding fathers believed.

The truth is that the founding fathers had a plurality of beliefs even amongst the so-called Christians.

For example several of them thought Christianity was a decent moral system, but they didn’t believe in the divinity of Jesus, miracles, salvation, etc. In fact, John Adams (as a Unitarian) found major problems the evangelical or Calvinist branches of the faith.

https://founders.archives.gov/documents ... 03-02-3058