Quality of Life - America Ranks only 7th in the World

JPPT1974 said:

The US, the world leading country in manafacturing, economy, health, and/or education seventh in the world?? This comes as a shock to the Americans.

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That's because so many of us are extraordinarily ignorant about the rest of the world.

Why would someone and/or anybody want to live in Norway for??

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Here's a few reasons:

It has a negligible crime rate. (Crime is virtually non-existent when compared to America!)

It's the most highly developed country in the world.

It's safe, clean and people don't have to work too hard.

It has strict labor laws and a strong emphasis on free time.

Lots of wide open spaces, with no traffic problems.

Excellent provision of essential services.

Healthcare is affordable (being run mainly by the state.)

Education is also affordable, with most people opting for state education (which is of a very high quality.) Hardly anyone uses private schools, because nobody really needs to.

Excellent social security provisions, with few people fall through the "cracks" of society (there is a safety net for everyone.)

Childcare is (provided by the state) and maternity leave are among the best in Europe.

Electricity is cheap because Norway uses a lot of clean, renewable energy.

The gap between the rich and poor is very small.

Norway has a very democratic society, with a free and well-read press and active citizens' action groups.

Basically, it's because Norway is superior to the USA in just about every possible way.

jameseb said:

Well, depending on how you define a nation, there are 189 to 266 countries. Taking 7th place in either number isn't too bad at all.

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No, it really is absurd. The USA should be number 1. No exceptions! Seventh? how can you find victory in that? Once again I see an example of religiousity courting the mediocre. Well at least we can say that the US has the best weapons and we can kill any country at will.. If I ran a marathon that had 200 runners and I came in seventh, I would consider that a failure. Thats just me I suppose, the evil atheist.

foolsparade said:

No, it really is absurd. The USA should be number 1. No exceptions! Seventh? how can you find victory in that? Once again I see an example of religiousity courting the mediocre. Well at least we can say that the US has the best weapons and we can kill any country at will.. If I ran a marathon that had 200 runners and I came in seventh, I would consider that a failure. Thats just me I suppose, the evil atheist.

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"Half-empty, half-full" I guess.

And why, considering your "love" of the US (as noted in your post), do you think the US should be number 1?

PatrickM said:

"Half-empty, half-full" I guess.

And why, considering your "love" of the US (as noted in your post), do you think the US should be number 1?

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Love is subjective. Don't get me wrong, I share a love hate relationship with America. In fact I am often disgusted at the fact of being an American. I am not into nationalism and prefer to be a citizen of the earth. Why should Amerika be first? Because we are hyperboreans of course.

foolsparade said:

Love is subjective. Don't get me wrong, I share a love hate relationship with America. In fact I am often disgusted at the fact of being an American. I am not into nationalism and prefer to be a citizen of the earth.

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Does that mean, if you need to call on law enforcement (God forbid!), you call some sort of blue-helmeted UN peace-keeper?

Why should Amerika be first? Because we are hyperboreans of course.

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Ah, thanx for this word! Having spent a few years as a boyo in Hibernia, I beg to differ. Now in SoCal, I'm far from being a hyperborean!

But, instead of begging the question, what is your factual answer as to why you think the US should be #1? Or was it sarcasm, and untruthful?

PatrickM said:

Does that mean, if you need to call on law enforcement (God forbid!), you call some sort of blue-helmeted UN peace-keeper?

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I have no experience in dealing with UN peacekeepers. What are they like?

PatrickM said:

Ah, thanx for this word! Having spent a few years as a boyo in Hibernia, I beg to differ. Now in SoCal, I'm far from being a hyperborean!

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Really? are you sure you know what a hyperborean is?

PatrickM said:

But, instead of begging the question, what is your factual answer as to why you think the US should be #1? Or was it sarcasm, and untruthful?

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Contrast my potencial answer with the statement I wrote earlier. "I prefer to consider myself a citizen of the earth".

foolsparade said:

PatrickM said:

Ah, thanx for this word! Having spent a few years as a boyo in Hibernia, I beg to differ. Now in SoCal, I'm far from being a hyperborean!

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Really? are you sure you know what a hyperborean is?

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A poor attempt at a play of words, Hibernia . . . oh forget it! Actually, my understanding is generally, a mythical region "beyond the North Wind", or the Northern regions, hence my mention of So. Calif.

If not, what is your interpretation, and how is it in context to the current discussion.

If the HDI doesn't have confidence in its own methodology, why does it publish this list on an annual basis in the first place?

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You have got me stumped there. All I did waste copy some question and answers from the FAQ.

One could also argue that they are incapable of distinguishing the quality of life between nation 1 to nation 100.

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LOL!

The list does give an approximate standing for the world. One would expect that America, as the only world's "superpower", to be "head and shoulders" above the rest "in a walk!" That the statistics don't make us superior in this category begs to question whether quality of life is even on our "radar screen."

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I don't really trust that document in the first place. They said they had to "adjust" national data. That to me throws some serious mud in the water. I want to know what they "adjusted".

jameseb said:

Well, depending on how you define a nation, there are 189 to 266 countries. Taking 7th place in either number isn't too bad at all.

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plus the ones that probably aren't included in the figures..

i say we're the few lucky ones.

Jeremiah the Bullfrog said:

I don't really trust that document in the first place. They said they had to "adjust" national data. That to me throws some serious mud in the water. I want to know what they "adjusted".

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Well some countries (which shall remain nameless) only consider those activly looking for work as unemployed. People who have given up are no longer included in the numbers, I don't think people who are forced to settle for part time employment instead of full time employment are included in those figures either. To be sure this nation is not the only nation to "cook the books" a little, so it would be irresponsible of them not to do a little "adjusting" here and there".

While 7th place indicates we still have some work too do, it is still a very respectable position. I think there are about 250 nations on earth, which means that were in the top 3%. Greater economic Justice, decent health care for all Americans and I think we'll be able to easily move up a few notches.

foolsparade said:

No, it really is absurd. The USA should be number 1. No exceptions! Seventh? how can you find victory in that? Once again I see an example of religiousity courting the mediocre. Well at least we can say that the US has the best weapons and we can kill any country at will.. If I ran a marathon that had 200 runners and I came in seventh, I would consider that a failure. Thats just me I suppose, the evil atheist.

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jgarden said:

In keeping with being the world's only "superpower," America has been the number 1 military power for a least the last 60+ years. One would also expect that to translate into also having the best quality of life on the planet. I'm not speaking of utopia, but a nation that invests in people, not just things.

If you look at the upcoming election, Christians seem more concerned about "homosexuals," abortions and voting in a "Christian" president. The first two will be settled by the Supreme Court and the last is anyone's guess. What's missing is a commitment to fundamental change to improve our quality of life for Christians and non Christians alike.

Do you think Norway and Iceland would send us some foreign aid and advisors?

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Military is our strengths. Christians are more concerned about homosexuals, abortions, and so-called Christian President. Hope we don't go into the November 2nd race with another Florida disaster.