Mott the Hoople
Sweet Jane
You know assholes like you and granie are just making the authors case.
10 Things Most Americans Don’t Know About America
- Thread starter signalmankenneth
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Mott the Hoople
Sweet Jane
You have obviously never read the communist manifesto.
Mott the Hoople
Sweet Jane
America "Love it or leave it" is such a Un-American concept left to the realm of semi-literate proles who are completely clueless about how we became a great nation in the first place. It sure wasn't made great by a bunch of mindless rednecks with no ability for critical thinking and who are afraid to try and do things better.
Mott the Hoople
Sweet Jane
Not if your objective and willing to learn.
Mott the Hoople
Sweet Jane
Facts are facts. It's pretty hard to refute.
Mott the Hoople
Sweet Jane
That's an oxymoron Tom. Have you ever known an erudite redneck?
Mott the Hoople
Sweet Jane
Yea well that may be true at the Truck Stops you frequent but maybe you need to get out of your comfort zone and get out of your truck or hey, try traveling abroad.Well, America is a center/right country. And I would say that due to the hard progressive push the last 4 years, it has arguably moved statistically further to the right...So, I'll repeat. Plenty of flights leave everyday from all major airports on the coasts....Hop on one and rid yourself of this oh so unfair land.....
christiefan915
Catalyst
Well, America is a center/right country. And I would say that due to the hard progressive push the last 4 years, it has arguably moved statistically further to the right...So, I'll repeat. Plenty of flights leave everyday from all major airports on the coasts....Hop on one and rid yourself of this oh so unfair land.....
Aren't you the guy who posted the definition of false dichotomy?
"Love it or leave it" falls under the definition.
Thought I'd interject another redneck response as I have been called that on occasion. 
I have taken the time to respond to this as I am sitting here waiting on the air conditioner repairman. My AC went out yesterday after church. He has come and gone, took my $80 with him (by the way, he is a former student of mine who has moved from poverty up the ladder) and left me with a nice cool house. I am comfortable....and very happy about it.
For most Americans that is quite alright, I think. Most of us just want to live quiet lives in our country enjoying the freedoms (more on this later) it has to offer. While I grant that there is a segment of the population who has the "look at us" mentality, they are in the minority, I think. Unfortunately a lot of them are our political figures so they get the press time and that provides the perception to the world that it is how all of us think.
You know we have the side that claims "they hate us for our freedoms" and the side that claims "everyone hates the US," which is what I can infer the author is implying with his blog. The truth, I think, is actually somewhere in between. Going back to what I said in number one about those getting the press, the arrogance shown by some of our political leaders can certainly add to the angst felt by some folks for America but still I think the truth is somewhere in between.
I will have to give the author this one. In my experience very few of the people know (even if they think they do) much about the rest of the world. Some of the reason is lack of interest, some is not taking the time to find out because one is so buried/involved in one's life, and a very few have pre-conceived notions (you know...muslims hate us, French are wimps, English people have bad teeth, etc.) and are not inquisitive enough to learn anything because they think they know it all. For whatever reason the most average American doesn't know much about other countries.
Big whoop... This describes my dad to a tee. It doesn't make him a bad person no more than it makes the average American a bad person. It is the way some of us are. And there is a difference between expressing gratitude (most folks will give an appropriate 'thank you' when warranted) and expressing affection. A lot of us simply are not 'huggy people.' So I repeat...big whoop.
Subjective...and I disagree. You can cite health care numbers (yes, people in some countries live longer) or go by your definition of 'quality of life,' but again, it is all subjective. As to upward mobility for individuals in our society, most middle class folks I know are satisfied with being middle class. Not many of them aspire to the top 1% or whatever it is the guy's blog was referencing. And mobility from being 'poor' to being 'middle class' definitely exists in America. I see folks move up that ladder almost yearly. It is not stacked heavily to the 'people of talent and advantage' but to the people willing to be educated and work a bit. Now, I will say this...the jobs that provided that mobility during the last 50+ years are dwindling. Used to a poor person could take a job in a factory and move himself up a notch, and then either he or his children would have greater opportunity for education and move up even further. I am a classic example of that. Those factory jobs are no longer here....or at least a whole lot of them aren't. I blame this on both republicans and democrats. But back to quality of life...as I said, that is very subjective. Many of our poor folks do OK and in fact are much better off than many of the world's poor. I agree that we need improvements in the system, especially in the area of health care, but I definitely disagree with the bloggers overall assessment on this point.
Absolutely. Like I said earlier, a lot of folks don't know a lot about the world. The images they have of, say, Africa are the poor kids shown on the infomercials as the narrator tries to guilt the watcher in to sending money or of the violence in the streets of many places in the middle east, or of the North Vietnamese doing their march down the streets. So they don't know about the other good places in the world. Sad, but true.
Again, it depends on one's perspective. From my perspective, protective maybe....prepared likely. But most of us don't go through life constantly looking over our shoulder....which is how I see paranoid. Yes, we have a gun culture...because a lot of us like guns. We hunt with them, target shoot with them, and yes, have them for protection should the need arise. That isn't paranoid. I am glad this blogger was able to travel to so many places and enjoy the experience. You know, the places where he was told not to go because he might be robbed, raped, killed or contract HIV. Well, that is possible in some of the places he went but it could happen to a person here in the states too. As to his encountering "friendly folks" ... He could encounter them here as well.
Absolutely. A lot (but by no means all) of Americans have what I call the Crane Complex (if you ever watched the TV show Frasier you know what I mean) and are obsessed with social status. I can't disagree with that statement. But I do not look at this line as "the" reason: "Our culture is built around achievement, production and being exceptional." I say without such drive a culture will die out. We must work to achieve....we can't sit on our butts and eat, drink and smoke all day and never produce, nor should they be able to. When a person works to achieve, he must produce. I teach Math and at the end of the year my kids must show adequate progress from the beginning of that year or else I haven't produced. For this reason I am not too worried (though there are some concerns) about accountability testing. If a person works to achieve and produces, the boss might just find that he is an exceptional employee. All of these are good things, IMO.
Well, we do eat too much, drink too much, smoke too much, etc. I have to concede that. Our portion sizes are out of control and what we eat isn't the healthiest. But in no way do I think the government should step in and try to micro-mangage what families are eating. I really don't know the answer to it. Part of the reason is laziness as it doesn't cost a lot more if any to eat healthy but you must create more from scratch in order to do so. Many folks aren't willing to take the time to do is as it is easier (yet more expensive) to go to some fast food place that to actually cook. I see healthy cuts of meat as the hardest thing to find for the average person as well as being the most expensive part of eating healthier. But this fact remains: People are going to prefer things that taste good. You said so in your article. ...but we eat chemically laced crap because it's cheaper and it tastes better. I know I prefer to eat a well marbled ribeye cooked medium rare over some hot oak coals that to eat a piece of dry chicken breast even though I know the chicken breast is better for me. And I allow myself that good ribeye (no chemicals added) about 4 - 6 times a year. I should have that option just like people should continue to have the option to ea a Big Mac once in a while. Educate them about making a steady diet of such food but allow them the freedom to choose. As to the blogger's health care talk all I will say is that we definitely need to do something to get the costs down for both health care and prescriptions in this country. That is what the ACA should have addressed 1st, IMO.
Well, I can't speak for most folks but when I am comfortable I am usually pretty happy. And if it weren't for economic growth and personal ingenuity there probably wouldn't be a USA. much of what the blogger says in his discussion following this point is again, subjective. I mean, to me, small business and growth are to be celebrated because this means jobs for people. And if I am not responsible for me then who is? And as to separation...whew! If I had to live in on of those communities where there are rows and rows of cookie cutter houses I definitely wouldn't be happy. So people desire to move to the suburbs. For many city dwellers it is a goal to achieve. Some are even like me and actually want to live in the boonies where I can't even see or hear my neighbors. Again....subjective.
I have taken the time to respond to this as I am sitting here waiting on the air conditioner repairman. My AC went out yesterday after church. He has come and gone, took my $80 with him (by the way, he is a former student of mine who has moved from poverty up the ladder) and left me with a nice cool house. I am comfortable....and very happy about it.
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Billy the Great Khan
Uwaa OmO
And I would say in my travels that he is massively wrong.
cancel2 2022
Canceled
Thought I'd interject another redneck response as I have been called that on occasion.
For most Americans that is quite alright, I think. Most of us just want to live quiet lives in our country enjoying the freedoms (more on this later) it has to offer. While I grant that there is a segment of the population who has the "look at us" mentality, they are in the minority, I think. Unfortunately a lot of them are our political figures so they get the press time and that provides the perception to the world that it is how all of us think.
You know we have the side that claims "they hate us for our freedoms" and the side that claims "everyone hates the US," which is what I can infer the author is implying with his blog. The truth, I think, is actually somewhere in between. Going back to what I said in number one about those getting the press, the arrogance shown by some of our political leaders can certainly add to the angst felt by some folks for America but still I think the truth is somewhere in between.
I will have to give the author this one. In my experience very few of the people know (even if they think they do) much about the rest of the world. Some of the reason is lack of interest, some is not taking the time to find out because one is so buried/involved in one's life, and a very few have pre-conceived notions (you know...muslims hate us, French are wimps, English people have bad teeth, etc.) and are not inquisitive enough to learn anything because they think they know it all. For whatever reason the most average American doesn't know much about other countries.
Big whoop... This describes my dad to a tee. It doesn't make him a bad person no more than it makes the average American a bad person. It is the way some of us are. And there is a difference between expressing gratitude (most folks will give an appropriate 'thank you' when warranted) and expressing affection. A lot of us simply are not 'huggy people.' So I repeat...big whoop.
Subjective...and I disagree. You can cite health care numbers (yes, people in some countries live longer) or go by your definition of 'quality of life,' but again, it is all subjective. As to upward mobility for individuals in our society, most middle class folks I know are satisfied with being middle class. Not many of them aspire to the top 1% or whatever it is the guy's blog was referencing. And mobility from being 'poor' to being 'middle class' definitely exists in America. I see folks move up that ladder almost yearly. It is not stacked heavily to the 'people of talent and advantage' but to the people willing to be educated and work a bit. Now, I will say this...the jobs that provided that mobility during the last 50+ years are dwindling. Used to a poor person could take a job in a factory and move himself up a notch, and then either he or his children would have greater opportunity for education and move up even further. I am a classic example of that. Those factory jobs are no longer here....or at least a whole lot of them aren't. I blame this on both republicans and democrats. But back to quality of life...as I said, that is very subjective. Many of our poor folks do OK and in fact are much better off than many of the world's poor. I agree that we need improvements in the system, especially in the area of health care, but I definitely disagree with the bloggers overall assessment on this point.
Absolutely. Like I said earlier, a lot of folks don't know a lot about the world. The images they have of, say, Africa are the poor kids shown on the infomercials as the narrator tries to guilt the watcher in to sending money or of the violence in the streets of many places in the middle east, or of the North Vietnamese doing their march down the streets. So they don't know about the other good places in the world. Sad, but true.
Again, it depends on one's perspective. From my perspective, protective maybe....prepared likely. But most of us don't go through life constantly looking over our shoulder....which is how I see paranoid. Yes, we have a gun culture...because a lot of us like guns. We hunt with them, target shoot with them, and yes, have them for protection should the need arise. That isn't paranoid. I am glad this blogger was able to travel to so many places and enjoy the experience. You know, the places where he was told not to go because he might be robbed, raped, killed or contract HIV. Well, that is possible in some of the places he went but it could happen to a person here in the states too. As to his encountering "friendly folks" ... He could encounter them here as well.
Absolutely. A lot (but by no means all) of Americans have what I call the Crane Complex (if you ever watched the TV show Frasier you know what I mean) and are obsessed with social status. I can't disagree with that statement. But I do not look at this line as "the" reason: "Our culture is built around achievement, production and being exceptional." I say without such drive a culture will die out. We must work to achieve....we can't sit on our butts and eat, drink and smoke all day and never produce, nor should they be able to. When a person works to achieve, he must produce. I teach Math and at the end of the year my kids must show adequate progress from the beginning of that year or else I haven't produced. For this reason I am not too worried (though there are some concerns) about accountability testing. If a person works to achieve and produces, the boss might just find that he is an exceptional employee. All of these are good things, IMO.
Well, we do eat too much, drink too much, smoke too much, etc. I have to concede that. Our portion sizes are out of control and what we eat isn't the healthiest. But in no way do I think the government should step in and try to micro-mangage what families are eating. I really don't know the answer to it. Part of the reason is laziness as it doesn't cost a lot more if any to eat healthy but you must create more from scratch in order to do so. Many folks aren't willing to take the time to do is as it is easier (yet more expensive) to go to some fast food place that to actually cook. I see healthy cuts of meat as the hardest thing to find for the average person as well as being the most expensive part of eating healthier. But this fact remains: People are going to prefer things that taste good. You said so in your article. ...but we eat chemically laced crap because it's cheaper and it tastes better. I know I prefer to eat a well marbled ribeye cooked medium rare over some hot oak coals that to eat a piece of dry chicken breast even though I know the chicken breast is better for me. And I allow myself that good ribeye (no chemicals added) about 4 - 6 times a year. I should have that option just like people should continue to have the option to ea a Big Mac once in a while. Educate them about making a steady diet of such food but allow them the freedom to choose. As to the blogger's health care talk all I will say is that we definitely need to do something to get the costs down for both health care and prescriptions in this country. That is what the ACA should have addressed 1st, IMO.
Well, I can't speak for most folks but when I am comfortable I am usually pretty happy. And if it weren't for economic growth and personal ingenuity there probably wouldn't be a USA. much of what the blogger says in his discussion following this point is again, subjective. I mean, to me, small business and growth are to be celebrated because this means jobs for people. And if I am not responsible for me then who is? And as to separation...whew! If I had to live in on of those communities where there are rows and rows of cookie cutter houses I definitely wouldn't be happy. So people desire to move to the suburbs. For many city dwellers it is a goal to achieve. Some are even like me and actually want to live in the boonies where I can't even see or hear my neighbors. Again....subjective.
I have taken the time to respond to this as I am sitting here waiting on the air conditioner repairman. My AC went out yesterday after church. He has come and gone, took my $80 with him (by the way, he is a former student of mine who has moved from poverty up the ladder) and left me with a nice cool house. I am comfortable....and very happy about it.
I have a lot of respect for you, some of the more rabid right wingers could learn from you.
Airstrip One
Completely Effed
So, according to the article, the second and third most awesome people in the world admire us. I can live with that...
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