Making America more like Europe

[Triple Nine]

Im going to cut to the chase, one of the main reasons many Americans are depressed about their country is because every time an index comes out, no matter what it is, we are always near the bottom of the list in developed countries. All Americans know this, so why can't we get America to be more like Europe. From guns to healthcare to education, why are Americans so resistant to the changes that are necessary to make our great country greater? It baffles me.

[Solitary]

You answered you own question.

Religion, Nationalism, and Racism is all under the evil wing of Conservatism and preservation of useless traditions!

Solitary

[Shiranu]

From guns to healthcare to education, why are Americans so resistant to the changes that are necessary to make our great country greater? It baffles me.

Because those things are what makes 'Murica 'Murica.

[Triple Nine]

You answered you own question.

Religion, Nationalism, and Racism is all under the evil wing of Conservatism and preservation of useless traditions!

Solitary

Heh heh, but I would like to think not all Anericans are conservative right? Conservatism and Traditionalism is arguably the worst thing about humanity.

[Colanth]

In 1776, America was peopled by a brave, well-educated reactionary electorate that questioned blind obedience to tradition.  Today it's peopled by a theistic electorate that wants its beliefs made law.  This isn't the same America that the Founding Fathers risked their sacred honor for.

[Hijiri Byakuren]

You answered you own question.

Religion, Nationalism, and Racism is all under the evil wing of Conservatism and preservation of useless traditions!

Solitary

Heh heh, but I would like to think not all Anericans are conservative right? Conservatism and Traditionalism is arguably the worst thing about humanity.

Even our left-wing politicians are conservative by European standards, so...

[Jack89]

For one, America is much more ethnically and culturally diverse than European countries.  It's much easier for a homogenous society, like Sweden, to get their shit together because most of them are marching to the beat of the same drum.  But even Sweden's starting to feels the pressures of diversity.
To be honest, I'm surprised how well we, as Americans, are getting along.

[Hydra009]

For one, America is much more ethnically and culturally diverse than European countries.  It's much easier for a homogenous society, like Sweden, to get their shit together because most of them are marching to the beat of the same drum.

Not to mention the sheer number of people.

[surly74]

For one, America is much more ethnically and culturally diverse than European countries.  It's much easier for a homogenous society, like Sweden, to get their shit together because most of them are marching to the beat of the same drum.  But even Sweden's starting to feels the pressures of diversity.
To be honest, I'm surprised how well we, as Americans, are getting along.

Bull. Canada's an immigrant country too and we don't have near the problems you do.

[SGOS]

every time an index comes out, no matter what it is, we are always near the bottom of the list in developed countries. All Americans know this,

No they don't.  You might be able to make a better case by changing this to "Many Americans have been exposed to the information."  I'm actually not sure how many have been exposed to such information, but I would venture to say that most do not know it.  Conservatives are especially prone to "knowing" that the United States leads the rest of the world in every respect.  And they require no data, surveys, or ranked listings to prove this to themselves.

[Jack89]

For one, America is much more ethnically and culturally diverse than European countries.  It's much easier for a homogenous society, like Sweden, to get their shit together because most of them are marching to the beat of the same drum.  But even Sweden's starting to feels the pressures of diversity.
To be honest, I'm surprised how well we, as Americans, are getting along.

Bull. Canada's an immigrant country too and we don't have near the problems you do.

Canada does seem like a nice place to live, but you're at about 1/10 the population with have plenty of elbow room. And let's not forget the longstanding tensions between Les Québécois and the rest of Canada.

I'd love to visit someday, especially Montreal and Quebec City.

[Nonsensei]

Im going to cut to the chase, one of the main reasons many Americans are depressed about their country is because every time an index comes out, no matter what it is, we are always near the bottom of the list in developed countries. All Americans know this, so why can't we get America to be more like Europe. From guns to healthcare to education, why are Americans so resistant to the changes that are necessary to make our great country greater? It baffles me.

How could you possibly be baffled?

The only people capable of making the changes necessary to make this country great again have determined that doing so is not in their personal best interest. That is the beginning and the end of the entire problem.

[Youssuf Ramadan]

For one, America is much more ethnically and culturally diverse than European countries.

Hmmm..... I'm not convinced by that one.....  :-k

Im going to cut to the chase, one of the main reasons many Americans are depressed about their country is because every time an index comes out, no matter what it is, we are always near the bottom of the list in developed countries. All Americans know this, so why can't we get America to be more like Europe. From guns to healthcare to education, why are Americans so resistant to the changes that are necessary to make our great country greater? It baffles me.

Blimey... where to start.  I guess the reality doesn't live up to the hype. US government's bully-boy tactics over the last few decades leading to disgust from the rest of the world while the media fail to report relevant issues to its public.  Maybe, among other things, this produces an overweening sense of entitlement, an overblown sense of USA's own awesomeness, and created a feeling in large swathes of the public that there is no need to strive for better things  because they are already at the top of the pile.  Compare this to the reality of what has happened to the USA's economy, the outsourcing of jobs, the driving down of wages for the working man, and the upflow of most of the capital to the big boys at the top of the chain, the growth of fundamentalism, the abandonment of the lowest economic band of people because they are never likely to earn enough to be a significant part of the precious 'market'... and that's just a few things....

Maybe that's completely wrong.  I'm British, so I don't have the same close-up perspective on USA as a lot of you guys, but that's what it looks like from here.  A lot of stuff that I said above is also relevant in Britain, but mainly on a smaller scale.  There are many people over here that seem to live in a bubble of entitlement and think that everything should be available to them at the push of a button without them having to lift a finger in effort.  The thing is, the system is open to abuse here, and there are plenty who are quite willing to do just that.  I was a primary school teacher for a couple of years and some of the kids I taught were 3rd generation unemployed.  It's bloody difficult to motivate kids who have no concept of working for reward.

 8-[

[surly74]

For one, America is much more ethnically and culturally diverse than European countries.  It's much easier for a homogenous society, like Sweden, to get their shit together because most of them are marching to the beat of the same drum.  But even Sweden's starting to feels the pressures of diversity.
To be honest, I'm surprised how well we, as Americans, are getting along.

Bull. Canada's an immigrant country too and we don't have near the problems you do.

Canada does seem like a nice place to live, but you're at about 1/10 the population with have plenty of elbow room. And let's not forget the longstanding tensions between Les Québécois and the rest of Canada.

I'd love to visit someday, especially Montreal and Quebec City.

what tensions?

1/10 the population with 90% of it within 100 miles of the US boarder. and that has nothing to do with, healthcare, paid parental leave, standards on vacation time.

Canada just isn't a tribal as the US so it can accomplish more for the actual people.


what longstanding tensions between les quebecois and the rest of Canada?

[Fidel_Castronaut]

It's funny because the idea often touted by politicians here when trying to implement more US style policies is "it works in 'Murica".

They haven't wised up to the fact that the majoirty of people here in the UK don't want our state structures to be anything like what they are in the states. I'd happily accept some of the nice Californian weather though.

United States and Europe are two different cultures. Far more different than Europeans would dare to say or Americans would like to accept. This is not necessarily a bad thing either. Europe is not an ideal place. Its make up and policy is. Same bullshit is happening there too. They have been around longer than US.

Why would trying to be like Europe would solve any other country's problems?

Well in one respect most Northern European states rigidly enforce their secularism and secular state structures. I actually think enforce is the wrong word because the vast majoirty of people, atheist or religious, accept them as positive. In the  US it seems like a constant battle to even keep the most basic of secular ideals upheld.