America

[Satoshi]

20 hours ago, hk blues said:

It depends where they're coming from - plenty shitholes worse then the USA hard as that is to believe.  Also, too many folk fall for the hype and the "American Dream" stuff that may have been true 50 years ago. 

Social mobility is fairly low in the US these days relative to other advanced economies. They did fairly successfully break the class system though that is still prevelant in the UK.

Quite a few presidents have grown up dirt poor (Nixon and Clinton immediately spring to mind) isn't common at all in the UK.

Also agreed that not visiting somewhere because it had a recent terrorist attack doesn't particularly stand up statistically, I remember not doing para gliding once because someone died doing it recently. Turns out where I was living just walking on the street (never mind driving!) was statistically more dangerous.

[hk blues]

3 minutes ago, Satoshi said:

Social mobility is fairly low in the US these days relative to other advanced economies. They did fairly successfully break the class system though that is still prevelant in the UK.

Quite a few presidents have grown up dirt poor (Nixon and Clinton immediately spring to mind) isn't common at all in the UK.

Also agreed that not visiting somewhere because it had a recent terrorist attack doesn't particularly stand up statistically, I remember not doing para gliding once because someone died doing it recently. Turns out where I was living just walking on the street (never mind driving!) was statistically more dangerous.

I wasn't so much talking about the American Dream for Americans as much as immigrants following the dream. 

I love visiting the country but wouldn't like to live there - I passed up the opportunity to move there 10 or so years ago.  As a tourist, I doubt we are exposed to much of the underbelly of poverty and discrimination that exists.  I spent a little time there as a visitor rather than a tourist and certainly could could have a slightly different perspective. 

[craigkillie]

Yes, I’m being completely serious. I was on a cruise out of Southampton recently that visited both Oslo and Copenhagen. There have been shootings and folk dying in both cities over the last couple of weeks. Not sure what point you’re making. 

When those things happen in those countries they're massive news because they're so rare. When they happen in the US people just shrug their shoulders and move on because it's a weekly occurrence.

[Empty It]

When those things happen in those countries they're massive news because they're so rare. When they happen in the US people just shrug their shoulders and move on because it's a daily occurrence.

FTFY.

[Brother Blades]

13 hours ago, pozbaird said:

Yes, I’m being completely serious. I was on a cruise out of Southampton recently that visited both Oslo and Copenhagen. There have been shootings and folk dying in both cities over the last couple of weeks. Not sure what point you’re making. 

Wow! If those countries (with population taken into account) had mass shootings on the same scale as America the incident in Denmark would have been their 92nd since the last time it occurred, in Norway it would have been their 125th! There is absolutely no comparison. 

[Melanius Mullarkey]

19 hours ago, Theroadlesstravelled said:

I wonder if people in Japan or Denmark sit and think about the UK and how shite the NHS is.

Probably too busy watching their top class porn channels tbh,

Or BritishReadersWives.com

[101]

On 04/07/2022 at 11:59, hk blues said:

Where I am now, it's pretty much the dream of many to move to the US and marry a rich American (all Americans are rich of course) and they've seen and heard so many others who have done that.  However, those who have may be being more than economical with the truth and paint a picture not exactly in line with reality.  And, they only hear from the "successful" ones and the less successful are never heard from again so there's little or no balance.

To many it really does appear to be a utopia.  

America really is excellent at cultural diplomacy and when that fails an invasion or a targeted assassination works as well

[Lex]

Never really understood this countries obsession with America tbh.
Just another country with its own issues. Like everywhere else.

[welshbairn]

10 minutes ago, Lex said:

Never really understood this countries obsession with America tbh.
Just another country with its own issues. Like everywhere else.

Given America's dominance in entertainment and media it's inevitable there's more resonance, along with its military and financial clout. 

[Empty It]

Never really understood this countries obsession with America tbh.
Just another country with its own issues. Like everywhere else.

Ironic since America is the one country that has to meddle and get involved with literally everything.

[stevieKTID]

Word of warning then. Out there they call them 'fanny-packs'. Cos fanny means your arse over there.... Not your John McVeigh is a tit.

 

[bobbykdy]

13 minutes ago, stevieKTID said:

Word of warning then. Out there they call them 'fanny-packs'. Cos fanny means your arse over there.... Not your John McVeigh is a tit.

 

 Big Keith, some boi.

[stevieKTID]

M*nge gets auto corrected to John McVeigh is a tit, p&b is a constant source of wonder 

[Jacksgranda]

1 hour ago, Empty It said:

1 hour ago, Lex said:

Never really understood this countries obsession with America tbh.
Just another country with its own issues. Like everywhere else.

Ironic since America is the one country that has to meddle and get involved with literally everything.

I can remember when that was our job...

[Elixir]

[D Angelo Barksdale]

[bennett]

 

 

 

 

 

[TxRover]

The biggest mistake people looking at America make is considering it a monolithic society. The 50 States are, quite literally, countries of their own. There are inconsequential differences between some and yawning chasms between others. Consider:

California, staunchly Democratic in a national context, but riven with political infighting between the “costal elites” and the “inland farmers/pot farmers/yokals”. There are currently several active attempts to split the state into multiple states, which will never succeed.

Texas, the formerly Democratic, now Republican, stronghold that is trending strongly toward becoming Democratic again. Wildly varying strongholds of “suburban Republican upper middle class and lower upper class” (north of DFW), “hippie Democratic loving anarchist” (Austin), “conservative Latinos” (San Antonio) and “militant left wing African-Americans” (Houston). Add to that the massive migrant worker population it shares with California and other farming states…

New York, Democratic in the city, Republican in the country, the massive population advantage the Democrats have here makes the State, in the eyes of many right wingers, a Marxist dream.

Idaho, being actively taken over by the Christian Identity and White Nationalist movement, with those resident in Idaho encouraging others to join them in the “Western Redoubt”. They harbour fantasies of creating a White State, independent of the U.S., in the Montana/Idaho/Wyoming/eastern Washington/eastern Oregon area.

Louisiana, strangely conflicted state with French tastes, Catholic urges, and following the Napoleonic Code instead of English Common Law. A haven for the LGTBQ+ in the southeast, Cajun and Creole in the southwest, and firmly Protestant and Republican in the north, a state whose leadership and direction changes more than the Italian government.

Florida, Republican dominated, barely, mainly due to conservative Cuban refuges, but now trending Democratic due to Puerto Ricans flooding in. Gerrymandering is the only reason the Republicans still hold power here, and it’s likely o end in tears.

 

Thats just a quick taste, as nearly every State can have a similar confused description posted. The devolution of rights to the States, recently expedited by the Supreme Court is likely to have reached its furthest extent, and soon the pull back will occur, again. The most confusing thing for those outside this maelstrom to understand is just how quickly something can radically change because of these weird combinations. While I fear what may happen over the next few years on the rights and theocracy front, I’m pretty sure it will all come out in the wash in a truly surprising fashion.

[vikingTON]

3 minutes ago, TxRover said:

The biggest mistake people looking at America make is considering it a monolithic society. The 50 States are, quite literally, countries of their own. 

They are quite literally not countries of their own champ.

[invergowrie arab]

11 minutes ago, TxRover said:

The biggest mistake people looking at America make is considering it a monolithic society. The 50 States are, quite literally, countries of their own. There are inconsequential differences between some and yawning chasms between others. Consider:

California, staunchly Democratic in a national context, but riven with political infighting between the “costal elites” and the “inland farmers/pot farmers/yokals”. There are currently several active attempts to split the state into multiple states, which will never succeed.

Texas, the formerly Democratic, now Republican, stronghold that is trending strongly toward becoming Democratic again. Wildly varying strongholds of “suburban Republican upper middle class and lower upper class” (north of DFW), “hippie Democratic loving anarchist” (Austin), “conservative Latinos” (San Antonio) and “militant left wing African-Americans” (Houston). Add to that the massive migrant worker population it shares with California and other farming states…

New York, Democratic in the city, Republican in the country, the massive population advantage the Democrats have here makes the State, in the eyes of many right wingers, a Marxist dream.

Idaho, being actively taken over by the Christian Identity and White Nationalist movement, with those resident in Idaho encouraging others to join them in the “Western Redoubt”. They harbour fantasies of creating a White State, independent of the U.S., in the Montana/Idaho/Wyoming/eastern Washington/eastern Oregon area.

Louisiana, strangely conflicted state with French tastes, Catholic urges, and following the Napoleonic Code instead of English Common Law. A haven for the LGTBQ+ in the southeast, Cajun and Creole in the southwest, and firmly Protestant and Republican in the north, a state whose leadership and direction changes more than the Italian government.

Florida, Republican dominated, barely, mainly due to conservative Cuban refuges, but now trending Democratic due to Puerto Ricans flooding in. Gerrymandering is the only reason the Republicans still hold power here, and it’s likely o end in tears.

 

Thats just a quick taste, as nearly every State can have a similar confused description posted. The devolution of rights to the States, recently expedited by the Supreme Court is likely to have reached its furthest extent, and soon the pull back will occur, again. The most confusing thing for those outside this maelstrom to understand is just how quickly something can radically change because of these weird combinations. While I fear what may happen over the next few years on the rights and theocracy front, I’m pretty sure it will all come out in the wash in a truly surprising fashion.

Cool story.

The mass shootings happen all over though