The "America is the best country" cliché debunked

[MattHanson1990]

One of the cliches I have been told many times that "America is the best country". Many of us in this movement have very well likely been told this just to be kept in the box. Several times my dad told me this when I mentioned to him that I wanted to leave the United States after graduating college. I swear 100 percent that the U.S. is NOT the best country for many reasons. Having been abroad twice already, I can guarantee that things are better in most countries outside America, especially in terms of the social culture, the dating scene, economic benefits, and mental and physical health. Here are several points to why America is not the best country in the world.

First of all, the social scene in America is very isolating, and most Americans restrict socializing to their cliques. You'd have to act fake and phony in order to fit in; if you're authentic and down to earth, you're a misfit in America. Other reasons behind the ongoing social isolation are that Americans put working and making money before forming relationships with others, not to mention being constantly glued to their smartphones and tablets and most Amerians relying on cars for getting around. Additionally, no one knows their neighbors these days. And friendships in Ameica easily drift apart. One good example of this is whenever an American woman gets a boyfriend, she puts all her friends on the back burner; I've heard that guys in America also do this, but I don't know if they do it as much as girls do. I think the reason behind this is that Americans were raised to believe that all they need for a support system is a spouse and family.

Secondly, the dating scene in America is a nightmare for many men. You can't just go out and meet girls these days because it's considered creepy. Most young women in America are stuck-up, cold-hearted, unapproachable, and only go after either the top 10 percent of guys or guys who have a bad boy image, which leaves a large percentage of men out in the cold. Being nice is seen as being weak in America, hence the saying "nice guys finish last". Even if an average guy in America does get into a relationship, he'll still get treated like dirt due to the numerous options the woman has. Most guys in America are on a dry spell, being dateless for years. The obesity rate is really high in America, and fashion standards have dropped, making unattractive women outnumber attractive women. But even if you lower your standards to rock bottom, it's still a lose-lose situation. Most women, even undesirable ones, are taken; and the ones who are single are either super-picky, too young, or not looking. On top of all this, single men outnumber single women by a lot in America.

Thirdly, America has economic problems. The cost of living is too high for one thing, especially in coastal cities like New York and San Francisco. And to make ends meet, you have to work a lot. Healthcare costs are also too expensive, and America leads the world in medical bankruptcies. To make matters worse, the job market in America is just like the dating scene; both are a nightmare for many men. A lot of companies these days give job preference to women. And in some parts of the country, women are getting paid more than men; there's even a statistic that says women are the sole breadwinner in 40 percent of American families. Plus, nearly every job in America requires a ridiculous amount of previous experience, which leaves teenagers and 20-something's out in the cold. Baby boomers have been taking all the jobs since the recession. Lowering your standards to rock bottom still results in a losing game. You're either overqualified to work a low wage part time job or the simplest jobs require 3-5 years of previous experience, the latter probably due to baby boomers taking all the jobs. So if you're a recent college grad with student loan debt, you're basically screwed.

Fourth thing is that mental health is the worst in America. According to the World Health Organization, America leads the world in mental illnesses, and this says a lot about the society being toxic and dysfunctional and unnatural. Only in a dysfunctional society, you would have to pump yourself with confidence and positive thinking and fix your self-esteem. And only in America would one see a therapist or a psychiatrist. Prescription drugs really don't help with your depression in the long run. Simply going to a saner culture does. And in most other countries abroad, seeing a psychiatrist or therapist is simply unheard of, even in Western Europe and Australia.

Last but not least, the obesity rate in America is among the highest in the world. Most American food has artificial ingredients, GMOs, and is processed; and so many Americans have become overweight or obese. And part of this is also due to many Americans not exercising at all. I'm going on a bit of a tanget here, but I've seen more women than men in America who are overweight/obese mainly because of feminism; Mexico also has a high obesity rate, but I've seen a much higher number attractive women in Mexico than in the US. Even most of the food in Mexico is healthier than in the US because it's mostly natural and organic, and no wonder I lost so much weight this year. Heck the same can be said about most other countries abroad.

So there are my points explaining why America is not the best country in the world, but we are taught to believe that America is the best, which is just a crock of BS. To summarize, America is a hard place to meet people since most people are in their own bubble. The cost of living is expensive in most places. And it leads the world in mental illness.

[onethousandknives]

Told someone I wanna go to Poland. "It's dangerous over there!" I reply "The murder rate in USA is 5 per 100,000, in Poland it's 3." "Well, uh......."

(I am actually wrong, it is 4.7 in USA, and 1.2 in Poland...)

[IraqVet2003]

The "America is the best country" cliché is something that has been drilled into most of us since childhood. On the one hand, America is the best in certain categories such as:

1.) BUSINESS, INVESTMENT, SELF-EMPLOYMENT, AND MONEY-MAKING OPPORTUNITIES. (Attracts many immigrants leaving poor countries)

2.) CAREERISTS (especially if you are a COMFORMIST AND A WORKAHOLIC).

3.) WORLD-CLASS, IVY LEAGE UNIVERSITIES, PROFESSIONAL SCHOOLS for those who can afford it and meet the tough entrance requirements. (Attracts foreign students from around the world)

4.) RELIGIOUS FREEDOM (Although restricted, unlike in some other countries, the government or populace doesn't severely persecute or kill you in the U.S.)

5.) NO DEBTOR'S PRISON (Unless you don't child support or back taxes to the government).

6.) NO MILITARY CONSCRIPTION- Unlike many countries such as Israel, South Korea, and those in much of Europe, the U.S. does not have a mandatory military service requirement of it's youth. (But all males including those with green cards must register for the Selective Service System-SSS from ages 18-25) Also, many would say we do have a "POVERTY DRAFT" for the poor, working, and lower-middle classes who join the military because they can't find jobs, to fund higher education, gain access to housing and healthcare, or to get out of dead-end towns/neighborhoods.


However, America is among the worst in these areas:

1.)HIGH COST-OF-LIVING-Rent, Mortgages, Healthcare, Insurance, Taxes, Cars, Gas, Organic Food, Utilities, College Tuition, especially in the coastal cities and states such as Hawaii, Alaska, California, New York, Washington, D.C., and the New England region.

2.) PUBLIC EDUCATION -Schools are unequally funded and based on property values/taxes of housing areas, bullying, overcrowding, "dumbing down" of the curriculum, and the obsession with standardized testing. Many students in countries such as Finland, Japan, South Korea, Germany, and Singapore outperform their U.S. counterparts in many subjects, particularly in math and science.

3.)STUDENT LOAN DEBT-This is now the largest debt in the U.S. (which just surpassed credit-card debt). U.S. borrowers owe an estimated $1 TRILLION in student loans!!! Unfortunately it is also the only debt that CANNOT BE DISCHARGED THROUGH BANKRUPCTY. In addition, if these loans go into default, the lenders and/or the government can report this to credit bureaus, collection agencies, loss of professional license, loss of driver's license (in 22 states), garnish wages, seizure of tax refunds, seizure of social security checks, etc. In most other industrialized countries, a university/trade school education is paid for by the government or it is offered at low cost.

4.)ANTI-NTELLECTUAL CULTURE- America seems to have a "Ignorance is Bliss" philosophy. It is particularly bad in high school when most students care more about "fitting" in and being popular to be "cool". Also, most of the programming on American T.V., news, and movies are sensationalized and trashy in content. It is hard for deep thinkers, artists, writers, poets, intellectuals, or anyone with an above average intelligence who has a true "love of learning" will have a tough time socially. They will be seen as a "loser", "nerd" or "geek" and picked on. If not made a complete misfit or outcast. And if you are a racial minority, you will be accused by your some of your peers of "acting white"!!!

5.) CLIQUISH/CLOSED-MINDED SOCIAL ENIVORNMENT AND CULTURE

6.) DATING/MARRIAGE SCENE FOR MEN-Feminism, Misandry, "Nice guys finish last" mentality, Chasing bad-boys, No-fault divorce laws, the family court system, false rape/abuse/sexual harassment charges at college, the workplace, or in public make relations between the sexes a nightmare for many men if not lonely!!!

7.)RACISM/STEREOTYPING/PROFILING

[Yohan]

One of the cliches I have been told many times that "America is the best country"...

This was true only after WWII, but not anymore, during the last 50 years other countries improved seriously, some of them overtaking USA in many aspects.

Regarding income, the world bank is ranking USA as #17 out of 213 countries, regarding its purchasing parity even as #11, and this is not bad at all, but clearly USA is NOT the No. 1 in this world.

There are other facts which have to be considered, as said by the OP, like the frustrating dating scene, or my own experience in USA are seriously overpriced medical fees.

USA is also known as a unique country regarding its prison society - nowhere else in this world are so many people in jail, higher education is also clearly overpriced, same is true with legal fees. USA has also serious racial issues.

Jobs are not so easy to find and protection of employees is often not existent, they might be fired anytime, without any reason. USA is not really known as a country for social consideration.

Do not misunderstand me, of course MANY countries are much worse than USA, but to consider USA as the BEST country in this world is an exaggeration.

[Winston]

Dang Matt Hanson, you practically memorized everything I wrote in this article about the 5 ways that leaving America will transform your life. lol

http://blog.happierabroad.com/2014/12/5 ... broad.html

I even recognized my own words in your post. My words must be really ingrained into you. I guess you love the truth as much as I do. Most people hate the truth because it's not politically correct or popular. You are supposed to say that everywhere is wonderful and great and people are friendly everywhere. You're not supposed to be honest and tell it like it is. lol. We live in a bizarro world controlled by America and the West where truth and honesty are not allowed.

[MattHanson1990]

Dang Matt Hanson, you practically memorized everything I wrote in this article about the 5 ways that leaving America will transform your life. lol

http://blog.happierabroad.com/2014/12/5 ... broad.html

I even recognized my own words in your post. My words must be really ingrained into you. I guess you love the truth as much as I do. Most people hate the truth because it's not politically correct or popular. You are supposed to say that everywhere is wonderful and great and people are friendly everywhere. You're not supposed to be honest and tell it like it is. lol. We live in a bizarro world controlled by America and the West where truth and honesty are not allowed.

Also in America, you're also supposed to put on this mask that "everything is great" and "every day is a great day", even when it's not. Several times my dad told me to "only think positive", and it feels unnatural to pump myself with positive thinking in a dysfunctional society. Confidence simply came to me naturally when I met all those friendly women in Ciudad Juarez, and I'm talking about real confidence here; what Americans call confidence is acting fake, artificial, and arrogant.

Then, my sister, her boyfriend, and her good female friend said that people in this movement had mental problems, which is total BS. If you look at the big picture, those who are authentic, down-to-earth, and free thinkers, are seen as "lacking social skills"/"having mental problems" because they can't fit in with American culture. My entire family is politically correct and is trying to get me to conform to modern American society. My dad, for instance, says "don't be autistic, be normal" when I tell him I'm going MGTOW.

[Winston]

Dang Matt Hanson, you practically memorized everything I wrote in this article about the 5 ways that leaving America will transform your life. lol

http://blog.happierabroad.com/2014/12/5 ... broad.html

I even recognized my own words in your post. My words must be really ingrained into you. I guess you love the truth as much as I do. Most people hate the truth because it's not politically correct or popular. You are supposed to say that everywhere is wonderful and great and people are friendly everywhere. You're not supposed to be honest and tell it like it is. lol. We live in a bizarro world controlled by America and the West where truth and honesty are not allowed.

Also in America, you're also supposed to put on this mask that "everything is great" and "every day is a great day", even when it's not. Several times my dad told me to "only think positive", and it feels unnatural to pump myself with positive thinking in a dysfunctional society. Confidence simply came to me naturally when I met all those friendly women in Ciudad Juarez, and I'm talking about real confidence here; what Americans call confidence is acting fake, artificial, and arrogant.

Then, my sister, her boyfriend, and her good female friend said that people in this movement had mental problems, which is total BS. If you look at the big picture, those who are authentic, down-to-earth, and free thinkers, are seen as "lacking social skills"/"having mental problems" because they can't fit in with American culture. My entire family is politically correct and is trying to get me to conform to modern American society. My dad, for instance, says "don't be autistic, be normal" when I tell him I'm going MGTOW.

Yeah I was going to talk about that too. I hate how in America, you always have to say that everything is "great!" I hate that word. It's so fake and overused in America. Not because I hate the word itself, but because I hate how in America, you are FORCED to use it to refer to EVERYTHING! Everything always has to be going "great" even when it's not. You always have to be feeling "great" even when you're not. You have to pretend to be "great" all the time. Even if their business is failing, and someone asks them, "How's your business going?" they always say "Oh it's going great!" even though it's not. It's so stupid, fake and dishonest.

There's no honesty or authenticity in this stupid rule of having to always say that everything is "great". I'm surprised not many people are complaining about it. How is it that so few people in America complain about being forced to lie all the time? However, most Europeans I've met who have been to America do remark that they find this aspect of American culture to be very fake and forced.

Essentially, it comes down to this: In America, a positive lie is seen as better and more preferable to a negative truth. So in that sense, Americans love lies a lot more than they love truth. That's for sure. Therefore, America is definitely not a country for the philosopher or truth seeker.

You should tell your dad that lying to yourself that everything is great in America is unhealthy, because your soul and heart knows it's not true. It's not being true to yourself.

You should show your dad and sister this quote by Swiss psychologist Eric Fromm which explains why we are seen as having mental problem by mainstream people in America. It is so spot on.

"The sick individual finds himself at home with all other similarly sick individuals. The whole culture is geared to this kind of pathology. The result is that the average individual does not experience the separateness and isolation the fully schizophrenic person feels. He feels at ease among those who suffer from the same deformation; in fact, it is the fully sane person who feels isolated in the insane society - and he may suffer so much from the incapacity to communicate that it is he who may become psychotic." - Eric Fromm, Swiss Psychologist (The Anatomy of Human Destructiveness)

Also, show them more quotes from here:
http://www.happierabroad.com/Quotes_Insanity.htm

Here's a great parable that illustrates this same concept:

The Parable of the Poisoned Well:

“There was once a wise king who ruled over a vast city. He was feared for his might and loved for his wisdom. Now in the heart of the city, there was a well whose waters were pure and crystalline from which the king and all the inhabitants drank. When all were asleep, an enemy entered the city and poured seven drops of a strange liquid into the well. And he said that henceforth all who drink this water shall become mad.

All the people drank of the water, but not the king. And the people began to say, "The king is mad and has lost his reason. Look how strangely he behaves. We cannot be ruled by a madman, so he must be dethroned."

The king grew very fearful, for his subjects were preparing to rise against him. So one evening, he ordered a golden goblet to be filled from the well, and he drank deeply. The next day, there was great rejoicing among the people, for their beloved king had finally regained his reason."

[Wolfeye]

IrqVet2003; Since when does most of Europe have a madnatory military service requirement? I mean this somewhat literally, since last I heard, it wasn't like that in most of the countries there. I know Greece, Norway, and Switzerland all have mandatory military- but I was under the impression that that was pretty much it. I don't ENTIRELY argue with the concept of mandatory military service, but it depends on the conditions & effects.

I can think of a few more:

(1) Thinking by adjucation. The people here seem to functionally think of themselves as some kind of screenwriters for reality. Like the final piece of the puzzle for something to be real is for them to certify that it exists. This is crazy & not in a funny or approving way. They don't really think that what HAPPENS is what OCCURS. This makes itself plain in arguments, since those arguments would basically amount to the exact concept of reality taking a goddamn coffee break.

(2) Problems are disqualified, not dissolved. Kind of tied to #1. As a general rule, there frequently was the "if you don't like it, leave it" mentality. This made it a very alienating environment for anyone that would try to point out problems. It also tended to safeguard those problems, because the idea was to basically leave those problems alone so things get worse & worse. I wonder if they'd have said that if someone noticed that their kitchen was on fire & they referenced it in the negative?

(3) Men don't bother with personal abilities too much. Sure, there's some interest in prepping & such like that, but not much actual training & refining. Granted, that can be from not having the meas to do so- but it seems more like an unwillingness. Sometimes this even applies to self-defense, it's like an unwillingness to do something that would have been wrong in a different situation or to do something that they can't get the other side to approve of. I think it's got something to do with an anti-masculine prejudice.

(4) "Pindoism." A slur that literally means "penguin," but conveys a sense of someone being this hapless creature that's very dependant on all kinds of gadgets & gizmos. I figure this is based in a general urge to induce. Whether it's trying to operate equipment or operate people, they're typically trying to "run" something. I think that's part of why there's a general opponent-dependant mentality when it comes to any form of self-defense. It's like taking the idea of using your opponent's momentum against them to a level where you need the opponent's permission to counteract their actions. It's not a concept of "use your opponent's momentum against them, even if they don't want you to."

(5) Arrogance. To the level of an ego addiction. It's not always ostentatious, like someone blatantly saying "America is the best country in the world." Sometimes it's just a general inability for someone to see themselves as wrong or anything else unimpressive. It really like a general abstinence from self-recrimination.

(6) Deceptiveness. A constant thing & not always outside of casual situations. Not too much genuine sentiment, unless it's being nasty & acting like they "shoot from the hip." So much is "face image" & "just being nice." How nice is it when people get false impressions of friendship? How hard is it to just be socially casual, instead of having a false intensity that everyone's just supposed to know isn't real? It really is like the whole country lives with their fingers crossed. There's a general tendancy toward ironic behavior in the sense that they act like an asshole with a flippant attitude as it it's a magical cloak of invisibilty that they can safely flip someone off from behind.

[Speaking of which, I figure THAT also ties to #1. If a kid was lying to their parents & when caught, says "Well, I had my fingers crossed," wouldn't that be the concept of "it happened, but it didn't occur"? If the parent smacks them & says "I didn't hit you" with their fingers crossed, would that warp reality somehow?

(7) Women don't tend to worry much about their looks after 30 (or so). Not really as serious as the other ones, but a lot of women seem very eager to get fat & nasty- then, when the husband leaves or cheats, she figures she can sue him for at least half of what he's got. Yeah, you spent the best years of your life laying a trap for someone & you are owed some money.

[Contrarian Expatriate]

One other point to mention is that Americans are the most psychotropically medicated population in the world which indicates a huge downside to all this "doing just great!" malarkey. People are suffering hugely but they do not feel free to express their suffering because the culture discourages it.

I have only 4 more months in this country, then I will spend the greater portion of each year abroad.

[Winston]

Great points all. The deepest problems in America that aren't discussed publicly, I think, are these:

1. Lack of authenticity and genuineness. Too fake and artificial in every cultural aspect.

You have to act fake and artificial to fit in and be considered "cool". If you are deep and genuine, you will be a misfit and feel alienated. The women in particular, are the more inauthentic in the world. Even English women are more down to earth than American women are, relatively speaking. In fact, fakeness pervades all aspects of American life, not just people - from fake movies and CGI, to the fake fiat currency of the banking system, to fake GMO foods, fake news media, etc. America has without a doubt the most inauthentic culture and people, and its people are the LEAST down-to-earth. It is completely lacking in authenticity. Thus you cannot be yourself there, unless you are fake too. And if you can't be yourself, then you will likely develop mental problems and psychological complexes. In every other country, people are more down-to-earth, even in England. Needless to say, it is difficult to get along with inauthentic people because they are highly toxic.

2. No social or human connection. Too much isolation and loneliness.

There is no feeling of connection or bond with others. Everyone seems isolated and separated, psychologically and emotionally. There's this depressing feeling that no one cares for you. No one will let you cry on their shoulder. The motto is "you mind your own business and others will too". There is no talking to strangers except for business purposes. People are paranoid and dislike others inherently. They prefer dogs over other humans. You can sense this dislike for others in the vibe of Americans when you are out in public places. It's the most lonely culture. Dating and social life do not flow naturally or smoothly at all, like it does in most other countries. Making friends should not be that hard or unnatural, but in America it is unfortunately. Thus the social culture is very unnatural and abnormal, not like the rest of the world, or in past history.

3. The women have the worst attitude. No decent normal women available to men.

This wasn't always true though. Women in America had wholesome values and acted like normal women before the 1970's or 1980's. But starting in the 1990's until today, the women in America have changed vastly. They are not like real women nor are they lady like. Rather, they are like a hybrid between a woman, a man, and a twisted monster or creature, almost inhuman. Modern American girls and women are the most spoiled, egotistical, and narcissistic in the world. Many studies and research have confirmed this, even those by American female psychologists such as Dr. Laura Schlessinger and Professor Jean Twinge.

American women are the least down-to-earth in the world, and therefore very difficult if not impossible to get along with or connect with. They also are delusional and out of touch with reality in their assessment of themselves and what they want and deserve. In addition they have a toxic personality that is horrid and too hard to get along with. So if you like meeting or dating women, America is one of the worst countries for that, unless you are a bad boy or alpha male and fit in somehow. But not if you're a nice genuine guy.

The dating scene is highly fake, toxic, and does not flow naturally at all. Men are not allowed to signal interest or like in a woman, if he does, then he is a creep and vilified. The women inherently hate men and the patriarchy, so needless to say, you can't get along with women who hate men if you are a man.

So you see, in all these areas, America is severely lacking. We all know this, but everyone is afraid to talk about it openly. Yet this is never talked about by the stupid boring western media. All the mainstream media talk about is economic news, politics, disasters, and terrorism. This is because the media is not there to enlighten people with truth or wisdom. It is there to condition people to be PRODUCTIVE. People are essentially human livestock to them. The power elite are like farmers. A farmer's job is not to free his livestock or enlighten them with truth and wisdom. His job is to manage and condition the livestock to be productive.

That's why the news media never quote any great philosophers or thinkers. They do not even quote the teachings of great religious figures like Jesus or Buddha. They only talk about economic news, politics, disasters, and terrorism, ad nauseum, because their job is psychological conditioning, not in disseminating truth or wisdom or freedom.

[MattHanson1990]

Even worse, the mainstream media is now lying about the economy. Look at what is actually happening. The federal reserve is just printing more fiat currency to make it look like stocks are rising. And the government and media want you to believe that the economy is recovering when in fact it really isn't. The media also lied about job growth when it said that a quarter million jobs were created near the end of 2014. Many Anericans, especially men, are still getting shut out of the job market; and recruiters are advertising more fake jobs now than ever before. The online application process contributes to the problem, but even if you apply to a job in person, it still doesn't guarantee a callback from the hiring manager. More and more Americans are simply giving up looking for work because they're at a dead end; they know they can't get jobs, and it's a no-win situation all around.

[Wolfeye]

Contrarian Expatriate: Good point. There's also the potential for these people to go bat-shit crazy because of these pills. People laugh about that idea & say "that's probably why they were on pills- because they were like that before the pills." Thing is, though- what about the idea of someone going apeshit & then someone saying "What the hell were they on?!" It's like they only want to the shit that someone cooks up in a basement to be something that can cause problems, so they just start acting like anything with a whole shitload of science behind it is fine. I think it's also got to do with it being something that they don't quite understand, so they presume there's some "moreness" to it. Like if something is confusing, it must be advanced- not confusing because it doesn't make sense.

[Kublai Khan]

The funny thing is most of the idiots who advoate this nonsense probably never set foot outside the US let alone can point it on a map