Does "Where the World is Going" bother you? Do you cope?

America is going down the crapper! I suggest moving to Europe, Canada, or New Zealand. Or travel around and see the world, meet interesting people, and cultures that aren't as materialistic and selfish as America. Also, believe or not, many people in Third World countries are happier than many American's are. If you don't think this is true visit the Philippines or Brazil and see what I'm talking about.

 

Been to the Philippines, bad food. bad everything pretty much quality wise. You also have like a 500% better chance to get mugged or murdered over there. Canada, New Z, Australia are all good alternative. But not Philippines or Brazil, I'd rather not get murdered by a drug cartel or live in a country where people eat their daily meals from landfills, that wouldn't make me very happy!

 

You planning to move to the Third World?

 

Agreed that public education is a joke these days. It's amazing how crappy American students do compared to the rest of the world.

I have no problems with capitalism. The amount of wealth it has created for the world in the past is unprecedented in human history. There's a reason the world's poor gravitate to more capitalist countries. Don't give me that crap about poor countries being happier.

As far as materialism, I dont think that's necessarily a result of capitalism. It's more the culture and the values we seem to have embraced.

 

No, I'm just saying that people there are more genuine and down to earth in those countries than they are in the States. If I had to choose a country to live in--it would be either New Zealand, Canada, or somewhere in Europe.

 

I think maybe you had a few bad experiences and are now labeling a whole country.

 

I disagree with the sentiment of the original poster. I think the world and especially America, is in its greatest position it has ever been for the greatest number of people. I am very much optimistic for our youth and for the future.

Several reasons why. For example in America, overt racism is not present in most of the country. Political correctness is a good thing, and it has more people understanding of each other ethnic group. Prior to the 60's, you had blacks as second class citizenry, you had Japanese in internment camps, and immigrants were generally viewed as a rung below society. Now immigrants are embraced as the lifeblood of this rapidly growing economy. More people get along today, than in the past.

You see a greater caring of things today than in the past. This includes the disabled, the poor and the environment.

Technology has changed dramatically over the past 10 years for the greater good of everyone. It has the world connected, and usually when people are understanding of each other there is less conflict in the world. Children at younger and younger ages are being exposed to technology and computing. This bodes well for future productivity and set of skills they might develop.

In America, anyone of any colour can achieve anything if they work hard enough. In other countries, working hard enough is just not enough. You have to be born into the right class and right family. America is the great equalizer for everyone.

Capitalism is not bad. It makes everything more efficient. If government was run more like a business, you definitely would not see the frivolous spending that if often attached to Congressional bills.

The only thing that worries me is the health of the nation in regards to obesity.

Other than that, I have never been more optimistic about the future.

 

When I visit the Netherlands I feel like I am home. I really dislike living in the United States more and more every day Chicago in particular.
I like the food here, but that is it. The weather sucks, the people suck, the goverment sucks, the cops suck, taxes suck, crime sucks, rent sucks, the bars suck...etc etc etc

It's not just the drugs and debauchery that I like about Amsterdam though that stuff is a big part of it...the overall vibe of that city is so great, I feel like it's where I belong. There are people from every corner of the world all sitting around getting stoned and listening to music. All day every day. Music blasting from every doorway. Cops who leave you the **** alone.
The people are not pushy or mean they don't get into your business unless you invite them in. People just strolling about enjoying being alive.
It's a beautiful city and I wanna live there.

 

you'd dig it the most.

 

I find it hard to believe that people claim the world is getting worse when things like slavery, sexism, and health have all been vastly improved.

People have more free time. Whether it's to go surfing, read a book, or watch Paris Hilton on TV because that's what they are interested in is a great thing.

Why should people worry about the problems of others constantly? Especially in America, where unlike folks who sit around listening to music getting stoned all day, spend a lot of time working.

There are a 1001 things to worry about - from the kind of tires you are buy, to recycling, to wars overseas, to the education system, to the injustices and corruption in the gov't.....who wants to constantly be thinking about this stuff? Occupying your mind with all of this and getting angry about it will just make you unhappy.

It's a question of control. And the amount of control we have is in the actions we take. In this country, that control amounts to your vote and to a cause you might join. And everyone should have one cause, but not 20.

Better to change your own behaviors then that of others. That's what I think. You can't worry too much about other people....

 

good point new yorker. you have to save yourself before you start trying to save others.

 

i'd like to take this opportunity to say i agree. i'd even go so far as to say it's being redeemed.

 

newyorker, donkey, max, you guys live in a different world.

 

So I like to stir **** up at work between labor and management, I have become known for giving long impassioned speeches in the breakroom about not letting these **********s walk all over us and we need to unite and blah blah blah
I do it every day pretty much. It's how I pass my time at work.
This makes management very angry as I am one of the few white dudes who work there and being white I was openly being groomed for one of these management positions at one time but I have broken away and joined the ranks against them, hell not just joined but am full on leading the anti-management rebellion.....they see that as a doublecross and me as some sort of lunatic traitor.
I am cool with all that as I want no part of their bull****, almost the entire workforce is black and mexican yet every manager and supervisor except ONE is white. Not just white but completely incompetent no clue kiss ass ******* white. I just wanna get in and get out and enjoy my free flights anywhere I want anytime I want and stir up some unrest while I'm at it.
A few days ago management took the couch out of the breakroom in the middle of the night and put it into the manager's office.
They said that they took it because people were sleeping on it during the work day. The thing is, that is not the company's couch. I personally, along with a few other guys stole that couch from another company in the same building when they went out of business.
Now they come and steal it from us?
Finally after all this I walk by the manager's office and there is a white supervisor chick, on duty, sleeping on the couch.
I went NUTS and gave a fire breathing speech that had everyone ready to kill then I went home.
I walk in today and they tell me they have voted me as their representative and I have to go down to Atlanta, the main offices, and speak to the board of directors and the CEO and:
1. Get us more money
2. Lay out our gripes and concerns with the way management has been treating the workers at our station and the fact the racial makeup of the management team doesn't even come close to matching the racial makeup of the overall workforce
3. Get our couch back

Jesus, thanks guys.
I bet I get fired over this **** but **** it what's right is right and my people think I'm the man to do this job so off I go next month.
I have to start preparing my presentation tonight I guess.
I figure I'll try and get us a cost of living raise as I see this company gives more money to workers in several other cities but not Chicago.
The complaints I'll just wing it and the couch I'm just gonna go in and take it back and see what they do.
_________________

 

awesome

 

or at least a different perception. i do think the world is a better place than it was 1000 years ago...or 2000 years ago...or longer. honestly, i think it's better than it was 100 years ago. i may be giving disproportionate weight to human rights.

 

Everyone has measurements for improvement...

I think the measurements are important to understand what it means going good or going bad.

My sample size is small but I can give my opinion of what changes I have observed from my youth to this day

1. Most children I encounter between the age of 4-11 are traumatized by dysfunctional home life; few have both a loving father and unselfish mother in the home and many of the children are on prescription mind alterating drugs.

When I was in that age bracket most children had a father and mother at the little league game. We had our trouble maker (usually one or 2) and they usually had troubled home life. We didn't know what retlin was.

2. I ask teenagers all the time if they lie regularly, watch shows with immoral content, if they steal sometimes or cheat, and do they respect their parents. And I would estimate over 90% say they lie, cheat sometimes, watch lots of shows or movies with immoral content and they think their parent(s) want their lives to be miserable.
When I was growing up you had to ask the pharmacist if the drug store sold Playboy because it was kept in a hidden drawer. The raciest TV show was Laugh In and the most sexually explicit movies were James Bond flicks. And up until they divorced I respected my parents and appreciated a close relationship.

3. I have counselled hundreds of couples having marriage problems and divorce has become the number one answer as to how to solve the problems they are having. When I was a teenager I was the only kid in my class with divorced parents.

I could go on and on but families are crumbling apart. Regardless of the educational advancements attained and the good progress we have made regarding equal rights and the new diversity paradigm and social programs; the war on drugs, the explosion of technology - I must say that the moral base and the state of personal relationships has never been worse in my lifetime.

We have more cars, HD tv's, computers, Ipods, and music videos than any other generation. But as far as unselfish love, honest integrity, faithfulness and commitment in relationship, and self sacrifice- I have the opinion that we are free falling at this moment.

Today it is trust only yourself, get all you can, everyone cheats/lies a little, and sex is love.

EDIT- forget about it- my opinion is tainted by trying to help people with these problems- too subjective- we are probably far more ethical, honest, loving and faithful today than we have ever been.

Stupid post on my part.

 

Humans are imperfect. Humans must always strive to be better because gains will be made in some areas and setbacks in others. Overall if society slowly creeps towards a better existense, then progress is being made.

 

I just find it hard to say it's better when the skies are gray instead of blue, litter is everywhere, wildlife is going extinct, and habitats are bulldozed for malls. If that is redemption then I don't want to be redeemed.