Countries that are less free than America.

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Eric
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Re: Countries that are less free than America.

Post by Eric »

I feel like America is the loneliest place I've ever been that I could ever even imagine. This place is so goddamn lonely, it's like loneliness is the standard par and it is (individualism). It really sucks in a sense. If you think of other countries, almost any other ones there's more of a cultural sense, less restrictions, you take away the individualism of America and you'd had normal countries, that's the thing like in Mexico or England...people are warmer to each other, more connected and there's a deeper sense of, something..I dunno what, but something. That's what I can't get around and explain to Americans when they look at me with a cockeyed expression as I talk about these things. Americans get mad when you say their country isn't the greatest, but in a lot of ways it really isn't. It isn't at all, far behind actually. In England, there's pretty much the same thing, without the constant individualism. I could picture just the happy old England way of life, cheering with me mates at the pub then going in a pack to do something. That's real friendship, it's hard to explain but that just doesn't exist here. It doesn't. I always feel as if I'm striving, achieving. It never feels good here. It's always an unpleasant type of feeling.
I want to go to England or Mexico or somewhere, for the warmer climate, the culture, the deeper connections and the nice girls who'd be all over me in the city or elsewhere at the beaches. There's just someTHING missing in America, and I think that's connection.
Kind of a huge fricken thing isn't it? You'd think it was important, isn't it. Apparently not to Americans, they don't care and are the weirdest country on the planet, hands down we are. I don't know how I feel about that, when I compare my way of life to others and it's SO so different in every imaginable way. Is that good? Is it bad. Part of me is afraid to answer that because I know what it is, that it is bad. I'm tired of being here. I want to leave here. I want to get enough resources to move out. I feel very lonely and unhappy here, unfulfilled. I also feel any mental emotional issues you have are buffered by a social environment, it's very easy. It's like the best thing I need...
I feel all your pain. This place is a very difficult place to live in, for so many reasons.



Yohan wrote:
Contrarian Expatriate wrote: From the standpoint of practical, day to day freedom, the USA is one of the least "free" countries in the world.
.....
Sure, there is theoretical freedom in the USA, but how free is it if....
.....
America simply MARKETS itself as free given its story of origin, but it has devolved into one of the most passively totalitarian countries in the world.
Very much is true with what you say.
USA is very restrictive.

Of course some have a nice life in USA missing nothing, but many fail, and sometimes you cannot even blame them for it, it's often about good or bad luck.

USA has severe problems, legally seen this entire country is a total mess with confusing laws different from state to state.
It is also well-known for its huge prison population, race discrimination where nobody trust anybody anymore outside of the own race creating ghettos,
a lot of crazy religious bigots are also around, USA has very mistrusting immigration and visa formalities even if you are visiting it only for a short time.

The entire country does not even provide minimum health insurance for all its citizens. - USA is often acting almost like a 3rd world country without any social consideration for others.

Any personal relationship is risky now in USA. Be single as a man makes a lot of sense.

Personally I found labour rights ridiculous, considering that the income of a huge number of people doing simple work in hotels, restaurants and delivery etc. is merely based on tips. This aggressive tipping requests are annoying for any foreign visitor.

USA is one of the few countries I know which follows US-citizens - even those with dual citizenship - around the globe demanding them aggressively to pay taxes directly back to the US-taxman.

For sure USA is not the paradise, but if you compare it to many 3rd class countries it is also not the worst, quite far away from it.
America is not free but you will never understand that until you live abroad and feel the difference.
Many US citizens visiting foreign countries feel the difference, but do not act as you might expect them to act. Many of them are instantly starting to complain about all and everything and telling locals, how much better everything is in USA, and they do this often in a very rude way.
Misery and happiness are only states of mind.
Eric
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Re: Countries that are less free than America.

Post by Eric »

I feel like America is the loneliest place I've ever been that I could ever even imagine. This place is so goddamn lonely, it's like loneliness is the standard par and it is (individualism). It really sucks in a sense. If you think of other countries, almost any other ones there's more of a cultural sense, less restrictions, you take away the individualism of America and you'd had normal countries, that's the thing like in Mexico or England...people are warmer to each other, more connected and there's a deeper sense of, something..I dunno what, but something. That's what I can't get around and explain to Americans when they look at me with a cockeyed expression as I talk about these things. Americans get mad when you say their country isn't the greatest, but in a lot of ways it really isn't. It isn't at all, far behind actually. In England, there's pretty much the same thing, without the constant individualism. I could picture just the happy old England way of life, cheering with me mates at the pub then going in a pack to do something. That's real friendship, it's hard to explain but that just doesn't exist here. It doesn't. I always feel as if I'm striving, achieving. It never feels good here. It's always an unpleasant type of feeling.
I want to go to England or Mexico or somewhere, for the warmer climate, the culture, the deeper connections and the nice girls who'd be all over me in the city or elsewhere at the beaches. There's just someTHING missing in America, and I think that's connection.
Kind of a huge fricken thing isn't it? You'd think it was important, isn't it. Apparently not to Americans, they don't care and are the weirdest country on the planet, hands down we are. I don't know how I feel about that, when I compare my way of life to others and it's SO so different in every imaginable way. Is that good? Is it bad. Part of me is afraid to answer that because I know what it is, that it is bad. I'm tired of being here. I want to leave here. I want to get enough resources to move out. I feel very lonely and unhappy here, unfulfilled. I also feel any mental emotional issues you have are buffered by a social environment, it's very easy. It's like the best thing I need...
I feel all your pain. This place is a very difficult place to live in, for so many reasons.



Yohan wrote:
Contrarian Expatriate wrote: From the standpoint of practical, day to day freedom, the USA is one of the least "free" countries in the world.
.....
Sure, there is theoretical freedom in the USA, but how free is it if....
.....
America simply MARKETS itself as free given its story of origin, but it has devolved into one of the most passively totalitarian countries in the world.
Very much is true with what you say.
USA is very restrictive.

Of course some have a nice life in USA missing nothing, but many fail, and sometimes you cannot even blame them for it, it's often about good or bad luck.

USA has severe problems, legally seen this entire country is a total mess with confusing laws different from state to state.
It is also well-known for its huge prison population, race discrimination where nobody trust anybody anymore outside of the own race creating ghettos,
a lot of crazy religious bigots are also around, USA has very mistrusting immigration and visa formalities even if you are visiting it only for a short time.

The entire country does not even provide minimum health insurance for all its citizens. - USA is often acting almost like a 3rd world country without any social consideration for others.

Any personal relationship is risky now in USA. Be single as a man makes a lot of sense.

Personally I found labour rights ridiculous, considering that the income of a huge number of people doing simple work in hotels, restaurants and delivery etc. is merely based on tips. This aggressive tipping requests are annoying for any foreign visitor.

USA is one of the few countries I know which follows US-citizens - even those with dual citizenship - around the globe demanding them aggressively to pay taxes directly back to the US-taxman.

For sure USA is not the paradise, but if you compare it to many 3rd class countries it is also not the worst, quite far away from it.
America is not free but you will never understand that until you live abroad and feel the difference.
Many US citizens visiting foreign countries feel the difference, but do not act as you might expect them to act. Many of them are instantly starting to complain about all and everything and telling locals, how much better everything is in USA, and they do this often in a very rude way.
Misery and happiness are only states of mind.
Eric
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Re: Countries that are less free than America.

Post by Eric »

Winston wrote:My Singaporean friend Ethan_sg put it best and spot on when he said:

"In a socially inclusive environment like China, I feel like I can simply relax and be myself to fit in to a group. In a socially exclusive environment like Singapore or the US, when I'm in a group I feel like I constantly have to prove myself and force myself to create a persona that's not really me in order to fit in. You have to act fake and phony and say the right things in order to be accepted. You constantly feel like you have to prove yourself. Conversation can feel more like a competition than communication. In China I feel like I can fit in by default just by relaxing and being myself. I don't have to prove anything. Ironically individualistic cultures do not enable individuals to be themselves. In fact the opposite is true."
When you're here, you have to play or are forced to play by the rules. You basically can't want what you want while you're here. You'll just end up making yourself miserable and driving yourself crazy. You have to do as Romans do in Rome, as they say, that's the only real thing that you can do anyway. I hear you and I try to refrain from thinking about those things too, as it just drives me crazy. If you want to leave....save enough money up, make a plan and then get out. I want a socially inclusive culture too...I really want that. Of course Americans see that as 'losing freedom'. It's like we are enslaved by "freedom". We can't say anything bad about it, it must be good. I'd like to go to Mexico or somewhere like that, Spain maybe or England. I'm just tired of being alone. The best years of my life are spent miserable and unhappy, I'll never get them back.
I hear and agree with everything everyone is saying, it gets exhausting..I'm so tired I can't even write, now. You have to live a different life here. I went to China and the east and, it wasn't for me. I didn't feel any better - actually worse over there, if you can believe that. It was awful...
Anyways, feeling cared about is nice, having a down to earth normal culture with friends and family is even better. Feeling alive instead of constantly existing is nice always. That's what I feel like I'm doing here, is subsisting, eating, feeding and clothing myself. Acting perfectly, performing like you said or someone else said, "having to be a straight shooter" and posing in everything you say or think. Being individual puts a lot of responsibility on you to "act". It's a burden. It's not a freedom actually. I want to give that freedom back.
A lot of my own problems could be buffered simply & easily by having a good social environment that's healthy. That's a rarity here. I'm sad and I have a lot of problems I'm trying to sort out, I can't help but think like Winston does, one day that just by moving, I wouldn't even have to "solve" or work on anything, at all. That's a thought I keep having and it's intriguing. It makes you think about this place.
If I could, I'd just go to Mexico or some place... I'd just want to get out of here. Everything feels so fake and forced. Contrived. I feel like I'm existing in a plastic box. The things I value, Americans don't value them.... they don't even care. It's as if you are not allowed or supposed to feel these things in this way. America is supposed to be "it", and no one thinks outside the box. What if I do? What if you do and you can't get the thought out of your mind.
I just think a socially healthy environment is healthy. I go my whole day not talking to people or avoiding people because I don't want to have to "act" anymore. I just want to talk and be myself relaxed and happy. If you do that people get mad, you have to put on an act, to please them. You have to be careful of everything you say here. Someone will get offended. Now that I think about it, I really am "acting" everytime I talk to others, maybe that's why it feels so empty and unsatisfying. America feels like a 'nightmare' sometimes. Sometimes, I wonder what's my problems...or what's just my problems living here, if that makes sense. I'm working on so many things, but I think having a socially inclusive culture would fix everything. ...
Misery and happiness are only states of mind.
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Yohan
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Re: Countries that are less free than America.

Post by Yohan »

dragonsmack68 wrote: Now lets see how free Iranians are:
- Women who speak out about equality are thrown in jail.
- Christians or any other religion who speak out against Islam are either jailed or executed (not sure which is the better option)
- Those who oppose the government, well same thing as above
- Freedom of the press, well..ha...good luck with that
I mean the list goes on and on and on.....
I am not a fan of the United States, but come on, lets be realistic.
I think you write only what you get from the media in USA, but you have never been in Iran.
The only problem with Iran is that it is not 'bestfriend' of USA.

In Iran women have significantly more freedom than in many other Islamic countries.
For example driving a car (Saudi Arabia) - covering the face (Afghanistan) -higher education (more women in universities than men in Iran)

In Iran not everybody is a Shia Muslim, if you really think so, you are wrongly informed. - But can you tell me any story about Christian churches being destroyed like in Egypt, or Buddhist statues smashed to rubble like in Afghanistan?

Do you know about any foreigners being attacked/kidnapped in Iran because of their religion?

Is there any Taliban or Islamic State terror activity in Iran?

Do you not know that Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians, Sunni Muslim are officially recognized by the government and have reserved seats in the Iranian Parliament?

Also daily life is more comfortable than in any of these many impoverished Muslim countries in Asian and Africa.
It's not such a small country with over 75 million people.

About the Iranian government, they are not all relatives out of rich families or members of the military. Iran has elections where politicians are entering and others are removed.

Also let me add that Iran has a fairly good social system for Iranian citizen in case of accident, illness and old age, which is internationally rated higher than the social welfare system in USA.

About freedom of press, even the US president complains about the biased US media. LOL.
Write something on facebook your employer does not like - for example write something against feminism or similar taboo subject and you are fired...

Iran might be a strange country, but in general it is better functioning than you expect it to be. It's really a great impressive country for sightseeing, Iranian people are fairly welcoming to foreigners.
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Re: Countries that are less free than America.

Post by Jonny Law »

NEWSFLASH!
AMERICA IS NOT FREE!
CHILD SUPPORT SLAVERY IS ALIVE AND WELL :twisted:
https://www.avoiceformen.com/men/father ... d-support/
Mercury
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Re: Countries that are less free than America.

Post by Mercury »

Yohan wrote:
Mercury wrote: .....there are a few countries that are much less free than America. And they include

Iran
Iran? Less free than USA? In what sense?
For one thing, Iranian women are required to be covered from head to toe, they are never allowed to wear shorts and tank tops. Also, it is illegal in Iran to hug someone of the opposite gender. Also, Christianity is illegal in Iran; only Islam is tolerated, and they expect everyone to only worship "Allah."
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Yohan
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Re: Countries that are less free than America.

Post by Yohan »

Mercury wrote: For one thing, Iranian women are required to be covered from head to toe, they are never allowed to wear shorts and tank tops. Also, it is illegal in Iran to hug someone of the opposite gender. Also, Christianity is illegal in Iran; only Islam is tolerated, and they expect everyone to only worship "Allah."
Christianity is not illegal in Iran.
Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians, Sunni Muslim have reserved seats in the Iranian Parliament.
This is different with Buddhism, Bahai, Hindu and other religions, which are not officially recognized by the Iranian government.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_in_Iran
zboy1
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Re: Countries that are less free than America.

Post by zboy1 »

China definitely has less big freedoms than the U.S.A, and it's getting worse under President Xi. That guy is a terrible tyrant, to be honest. And if the possible VPN happens next year, mounds and mounds of foreigners will leave the country.

Interestingly enough, China still has a lot of 'little' freedoms, though. For example, you don't need all kinds of paperwork to open a stall here. People just naturally open their food stalls, wherever they like. (It's changing in some cities like Shanghai, though).

You can play music loudly without fear of getting your butt kicked-in by cops, and people naturally do what they like--without interference. Chatting with a girl in a public area will not result in you being accused of rape or whatever, like the feminist freaks in the U.S. often do.

It seems like the U.S. and China could learn from each other, haha.
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Yohan
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Re: Countries that are less free than America.

Post by Yohan »

The point is maybe that no country is perfect and all people are individuals and their needs are different. Also a single individual, over the time, has different needs.

For example it is a difference, if you have still have to work for a living or if you receive a retirement allowance.

For me personally, Japan was the best solution up to now as I still had to work - but I am now retired, life is much cheaper in Thailand for me and weather is also better...Working for a living in Thailand? No way. Income is rather low there.

However Thailand is more free than China, but more restricted than Japan, anyway as a non-Thai citizen, who brings his own money, why should I care about such political-related issues?

It is a difference if you are poor somewhere in Asia or Africa and want to move to the Western world for work - you will consider such an opportunity as the paradise, bur if you are living in the Western world all your life you are rather sceptical about such a statement. For example - Philippines vs. Japan.


USA vs. China, both have their advantages but also their problems.
About myself, I am neither interested in China nor in USA. Neither as a tourist, nor working there for a living.
Bao3niang
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Re: Countries that are less free than America.

Post by Bao3niang »

China's less free than America? Simply not true. There are so many everyday freedoms you get in China, but not in America. In America, pretty much everything has to be monitored, controlled, regulated, 'licensed.' Sure China's essentially a state where one political party dominates and no other party (yes, China technically isn't a one-party state, there are even those who believe themselves to be Nationalist remnants) really stands a chance, but you cannot judge a country's level of freedom based on its nominal political ideology. Fact is: Realpolitik has always been the name of the game, regardless of what country. It's the essence of having states. What really matters, what really reflects the quality of life are the aspects of daily living, and China comes out superior in this regard when compared to any Western country. I'm currently in Canada, which is basically the same as the US of Gay.

For example, in Canada and the US, you'd be told to go away if you bring food and drinks that you got somewhere else into a restaurant. Even if you don't go in, but you just sit outside at one of their tables and enjoy the food or drink you got elsewhere, you'd still be told to go away. If I really need to take a piss outside, people in China wouldn't be surprised at all (though I still have to be somewhat discreet). Public transit is so much better in China. Taxis, the subway, buses, and now there's Mobike. Walking to places is so much more convenient. Here in Vancouver's Chinese district, it takes me around 20-25 minutes to walk to the nearest shopping centre. In China, no more than five or six. And in China, an entire street can be lined up with shops, restaurants, cafes, massage parlours and so on. All within walking distance. I haven't ever come across such a luxury in the West, because everything is built around the automobile, and I'm an adamant non-driver.

It's much easier to befriend people of different ages and different life stages when I'm in China, because there's much less of a social stigma. For example, some of my friends (or at least acquaintances) are mums, and my former art teacher is now a grandmother. I feel absolutely relaxed around them, even more so than most peers. Imagine the same in the West. They'd likely be reluctant to befriend me because 'it's wrong.' Chinese society, despite changing for the worse, and I'm not 100% in agreement with the way it functions, is overall a much healthier one than Western societies. I feel more comfortable being around people who are older than me, and I have an easier time achieving this in China.

These are just some of the freedoms I've experienced in China that are essentially non-existent in the Anglosphere. However, you must remember that wherever you go, the majority of people will be too apathetic about the issues that many of us care about. I'm torn between seeing people for their stupidity and my pity towards their status as victims of the system. I feel both. It's grossly unfair for good, ordinary people to have to play by the rules determined by the few who care about nothing but their own greed, vanity, and lust for dominance. This applies across all of 'civilization', transcending national borders.

I think what we should remember as Happier Abroaders is that these issues are universal, intensifying by the day. Most of it is driven by the West, but we must also keep in mind the national elite in non-Western nations that have their agendas, and follow the Western way to serve their ends, with very much the same motives as Western elite. So, you have those who make the rules of the game and play it, and those who are more than willing to tag along. The ultimate problem is our socio-economic, capitalistic, state-based, growth-driven system that strives to be maintained and to expand at all costs. To end this would require a restructuring, or rather dismantling, of 'civilization.' 'Civilization' cannot exist without slavery and the exploiting of the masses. In the past, it was mostly physical slavery. Nowadays, there's still physical slavery, but with added physical, emotional, and psychological burdens. 'Civilization' requires control and dependence, feeding off of people's anxiety and insecurities. Consumerism has been enormously successful in using fear, anxiety, and insecurity as the tip of the spear.

There's no such thing as a government or corporation that truly believes in the good of the people. Machiavelli says this perfectly. Paraphrasing him, he says that a ruler (and in our case, corporations too) must maintain the appearance of virtue, but must not agree to anything that would not be of benefit to him. To maintain the appearance of good and benefit, but not actually giving in to virtue, is the way of those in power. To actually serve the common good would result in a loss of power and influence, because the decisions that actually make the people happy are not the most profitable or beneficial to the ruling elite. Of course, they must still throw a few scraps to the people in order to keep up the appearance of being good, but they are ultimately evil and self-serving.
CYKA BLYAT!!!!!!
Bao3niang
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Re: Countries that are less free than America.

Post by Bao3niang »

China's less free than America? Simply not true. There are so many everyday freedoms you get in China, but not in America. In America, pretty much everything has to be monitored, controlled, regulated, 'licensed.' Sure China's essentially a state where one political party dominates and no other party (yes, China technically isn't a one-party state, there are even those who believe themselves to be Nationalist remnants) really stands a chance, but you cannot judge a country's level of freedom based on its nominal political ideology. Fact is: Realpolitik has always been the name of the game, regardless of what country. It's the essence of having states. What really matters, what really reflects the quality of life are the aspects of daily living, and China comes out superior in this regard when compared to any Western country. I'm currently in Canada, which is basically the same as the US of Gay.

For example, in Canada and the US, you'd be told to go away if you bring food and drinks that you got somewhere else into a restaurant. Even if you don't go in, but you just sit outside at one of their tables and enjoy the food or drink you got elsewhere, you'd still be told to go away. If I really need to take a piss outside, people in China wouldn't be surprised at all (though I still have to be somewhat discreet). Public transit is so much better in China. Taxis, the subway, buses, and now there's Mobike. Walking to places is so much more convenient. Here in Vancouver's Chinese district, it takes me around 20-25 minutes to walk to the nearest shopping centre. In China, no more than five or six. And in China, an entire street can be lined up with shops, restaurants, cafes, massage parlours and so on. All within walking distance. I haven't ever come across such a luxury in the West, because everything is built around the automobile, and I'm an adamant non-driver.

It's much easier to befriend people of different ages and different life stages when I'm in China, because there's much less of a social stigma. For example, some of my friends (or at least acquaintances) are mums, and my former art teacher is now a grandmother. I feel absolutely relaxed around them, even more so than most peers. Imagine the same in the West. They'd likely be reluctant to befriend me because 'it's wrong.' Chinese society, despite changing for the worse, and I'm not 100% in agreement with the way it functions, is overall a much healthier one than Western societies. I feel more comfortable being around people who are older than me, and I have an easier time achieving this in China.

These are just some of the freedoms I've experienced in China that are essentially non-existent in the Anglosphere. However, you must remember that wherever you go, the majority of people will be too apathetic about the issues that many of us care about. I'm torn between seeing people for their stupidity and my pity towards their status as victims of the system. I feel both. It's grossly unfair for good, ordinary people to have to play by the rules determined by the few who care about nothing but their own greed, vanity, and lust for dominance. This applies across all of 'civilization', transcending national borders.

I think what we should remember as Happier Abroaders is that these issues are universal, intensifying by the day. Most of it is driven by the West, but we must also keep in mind the national elite in non-Western nations that have their agendas, and follow the Western way to serve their ends, with very much the same motives as Western elite. So, you have those who make the rules of the game and play it, and those who are more than willing to tag along. The ultimate problem is our socio-economic, capitalistic, state-based, growth-driven system that strives to be maintained and to expand at all costs. To end this would require a restructuring, or rather dismantling, of 'civilization.' 'Civilization' cannot exist without slavery and the exploiting of the masses. In the past, it was mostly physical slavery. Nowadays, there's still physical slavery, but with added physical, emotional, and psychological burdens. 'Civilization' requires control and dependence, feeding off of people's anxiety and insecurities. Consumerism has been enormously successful in using fear, anxiety, and insecurity as the tip of the spear.

There's no such thing as a government or corporation that truly believes in the good of the people. Machiavelli says this perfectly. Paraphrasing him, he says that a ruler (and in our case, corporations too) must maintain the appearance of virtue, but must not agree to anything that would not be of benefit to him. To maintain the appearance of good and benefit, but not actually giving in to virtue, is the way of those in power. To actually serve the common good would result in a loss of power and influence, because the decisions that actually make the people happy are not the most profitable or beneficial to the ruling elite. Of course, they must still throw a few scraps to the people in order to keep up the appearance of being good, but they are ultimately evil and self-serving.
CYKA BLYAT!!!!!!
Eric
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Re: Countries that are less free than America.

Post by Eric »

America enslaves you WITH "freedom". It's a burden, a great responsibility, that's a lot of responsibility to be completely responsible for everything in one individual. Jesus Christ. No wonder everyone has panic attacks here. In other countries - you, you know, rely on each other. Here, it's like if you don't have a job, you're nothing... you can't support yourself, you're nothing. There's no backup, that's why there's so much pressure on every individual person. It's not normal, I don't think. I mean just look how many Americans are failing at the Dream.
I'd say that they enslave us with freedom, this bizarre idea is why no one can say no to it, no one can say no to freedom, think about it!!! You're forced to be individual, forced to be this, forced to be that. You're forced into individualism, and if you don't like it, "you're a bad American" and attacked. Liberalism enacts more laws to make women free, minorities free, people free from families, free from tradition. What if we don't want to be free. What if we LIKE those things! Too bad - you must have freedom, and you know why, because it's actually a slavery, and that's why they must have it.
See, they manipulate you using the language. No one can say "no" to "FREEDOM." without being attacked as bad.
Man, there are plenty of countries more free than America... plenty of them.
Misery and happiness are only states of mind.
Wolfeye
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Re: Countries that are less free than America.

Post by Wolfeye »

Sounds like a case of "When I use a word, it means whatever I want it to mean." America has always been bad with accuracy for whatever reason(s).
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Re: Countries that are less free than America.

Post by Contrarian Expatriate »

Eric wrote:America enslaves you WITH "freedom". It's a burden, a great responsibility, that's a lot of responsibility to be completely responsible for everything in one individual. Jesus Christ. No wonder everyone has panic attacks here. In other countries - you, you know, rely on each other. Here, it's like if you don't have a job, you're nothing... you can't support yourself, you're nothing. There's no backup, that's why there's so much pressure on every individual person. It's not normal, I don't think. I mean just look how many Americans are failing at the Dream.
I'd say that they enslave us with freedom, this bizarre idea is why no one can say no to it, no one can say no to freedom, think about it!!! You're forced to be individual, forced to be this, forced to be that. You're forced into individualism, and if you don't like it, "you're a bad American" and attacked. Liberalism enacts more laws to make women free, minorities free, people free from families, free from tradition. What if we don't want to be free. What if we LIKE those things! Too bad - you must have freedom, and you know why, because it's actually a slavery, and that's why they must have it.
See, they manipulate you using the language. No one can say "no" to "FREEDOM." without being attacked as bad.
Man, there are plenty of countries more free than America... plenty of them.
As someone very bright previously pointed out, the American freedom FROM certain things is not nearly as good as freedom TO do certain things.

The Freedoms from tend to be many things that you don't actually feel in any pragmatic way, at least not often. You have freedom from warrantless intrusions in your home, but big deal because most people are not at risk of that happening.

On the flip side you do NOT have the freedom to fail to pay your taxes. You do not have freedom to carry firearms when and how you wish. You do not have freedom to build your house anywhere and anyhow you want. In other words, the "regulatory state" prevents innumerable freedoms to do certain things in the USA. But we are conditioned to only focus on the "freedoms from."

America really is not all that free. It was created at a time when freedom was hard fought for so the brand stuck. America is a quasi-police state now because the regulatory state renders local, state and the federal government the right to arrest anyone for crimes they did not know they were committing. Overstating your income on your mortgage application means Mortgage Fraud! Mailing that document in the mail means Mail Fraud! Not reporting your overseas bank accounts each year is Bank Fraud! Not paying taxes on the interest from overseas accounts is Tax Evasion. Failing to turn your coworker in to the IRS when he tells you to she cheated on her taxes is the crime Misprision of a Felony! You would be surprised if you only knew.

If they want you, they will get you in a police state.
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Cornfed
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Re: Countries that are less free than America.

Post by Cornfed »

In Amerika and the West you are free to be a degenerate POS. You are not free to lead a wholesome, normal life.
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