really jarring coming back to the US after traveling to Asia for the last three weeks

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had similar thoughts after spending time in Shanghai and Hong Kong in 2019. Felt light years ahead of us - and they've done it all in such a short amount of time. Really changes your perspective

I am Chinese. The thing is there's a LOT of labor. I mean everyone has a housekeeper. Everyone has a nanny. Labor can be found easily and thus, shit gets built in like a day literally I agree that it's impressive, I'm just saying from a practical perspective, it's not that hard to do when you have a zillion people working on a project anywhere, anytime Here in the US, labor is NOT easy. I am a professional corporate recruiter and yeah, it's not easy to hire for anything, from truck drivers to CPAs. People here have expectations.

That labor often doesn’t get paid well. And that ‘labor’ often gets treated very poorly. Same story in India.

Not a very robust OSHA to be found in China. Workers are seen as dispensable. As we saw what happened in Qatar.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve lived in multiple countries in West Africa, Europe and Asia. Sure each region has some specific advantages relative to the US, but as a package deal in term of overall quality of life I don’t think anywhere else compares. The good news is that if you do think life would be better in a foreign country, as a US citizen it’s relatively easy for you to apply for a visa to relocate compared to the vast majority of the world population.

Same here. Especially for women. And even more so for women of color.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think people are making good points on both sides of this debate. As a 50-year old, I am somewhat depressed at where our country has been headed with respect to national infrastructure and government services, however. I blame on part the Reagan revolution which started or accelerated the war on federal government (which Trump really super-charged by affirmatively trying to destroy basically all federal agencies), plus our American sense of independence which really seems to be spinning out of control. The 20th century had a couple major shocks that pulled people together in a common interest — the Great Depression led to much infrastructure through the WPA and TVA, for instance, and WW2 led to the development of the interstate highway system and many bridge improvements so we could move military equipment across the country. We just don’t seem to hand together like that anymore. There’s no sense of shared sacrifice to create something communal. If your schools stink, people want tax credits to send their kids to private. People throw trash on the ground and if you ask them not to do that, you’re derided as a busybody. People are impressed by a presidential candidate that pays no taxes and it is what every rich person and corporation aspires to.
Then you also have things like citizens United that have basically destroyed our system of government. Our Congress is barely functional — it takes years to get one piece of functional legislation like ACA or Infrastructure and everything grinds to a halt in the meantime.
I’m a born of the 4th of July patriotic American who really does think this is the best country in the world but it is all rather depressing. It’s like we’re actively sabotaging ourselves as a country.

Not a Reagan fan, but we’ve also had Clinton and Obama…infrastructure has not been a true priority for anyone. It doesn’t matter the political stripe (as much as people think it does). Congress has its constituents, presidents have their pet projects, and there is a lot of corruption all around.

Republicans controlled at least one house of Congress, if not both, during both administrations. For at least the least 30 years the Republican Party has campaigned on reducing domestic spending and taxes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here are some other points the haters forget to mention.

We welcome more immigrants than any other country and believe it or not and we do in fact make it easy for them to achieve freedom. All kinds of freedom.
We are not nearly as racist as some of those ‘perfect countries’ you all seem to love so much.
We spend more on military because we are defending the freaking world.
We put a man on the moon.

Yes, we are not perfect but it’s shameful for you to act like we are such losers when it’s this country that gives you the privilege to moan that you don’t have even more privilege.

NP. I agree on all your points except the part about “defending the freaking world”. Seriously? That’s what we were doing in Vietnam? Iraq? Afghanistan?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here are some other points the haters forget to mention.

We welcome more immigrants than any other country and believe it or not and we do in fact make it easy for them to achieve freedom. All kinds of freedom.
We are not nearly as racist as some of those ‘perfect countries’ you all seem to love so much.
We spend more on military because we are defending the freaking world.
We put a man on the moon.

Yes, we are not perfect but it’s shameful for you to act like we are such losers when it’s this country that gives you the privilege to moan that you don’t have even more privilege.

NP. I agree on all your points except the part about “defending the freaking world”. Seriously? That’s what we were doing in Vietnam? Iraq? Afghanistan?

The US might take more immigrants in absolute terms but not in % terms. And for a large country, you don't take many refugees.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve lived in multiple countries in West Africa, Europe and Asia. Sure each region has some specific advantages relative to the US, but as a package deal in term of overall quality of life I don’t think anywhere else compares. The good news is that if you do think life would be better in a foreign country, as a US citizen it’s relatively easy for you to apply for a visa to relocate compared to the vast majority of the world population.

Same here. Especially for women. And even more so for women of color.

Really? You don't think Canada, Australia or New Zealand might be better?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here are some other points the haters forget to mention.

We welcome more immigrants than any other country and believe it or not and we do in fact make it easy for them to achieve freedom. All kinds of freedom.
We are not nearly as racist as some of those ‘perfect countries’ you all seem to love so much.
We spend more on military because we are defending the freaking world.
We put a man on the moon.

Yes, we are not perfect but it’s shameful for you to act like we are such losers when it’s this country that gives you the privilege to moan that you don’t have even more privilege.

NP. I agree on all your points except the part about “defending the freaking world”. Seriously? That’s what we were doing in Vietnam? Iraq? Afghanistan?

The US might take more immigrants in absolute terms but not in % terms. And for a large country, you don't take many refugees.

It's not official but that's who most of the immigrants coming from the southern border are, legal or illegal, asylum seekers or "just" economic workers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve lived in multiple countries in West Africa, Europe and Asia. Sure each region has some specific advantages relative to the US, but as a package deal in term of overall quality of life I don’t think anywhere else compares. The good news is that if you do think life would be better in a foreign country, as a US citizen it’s relatively easy for you to apply for a visa to relocate compared to the vast majority of the world population.

NP here. It's a different point I agree with OP on - US infrastructure sucks. I mean it does. Unless you compare it to a 2nd/3rd world country. I don't understand how anyone justifies that it does not suck. Quality of life is a different subject altogether. Can you honestly tell me that you disagree PP that the US does not have a solid infrastructure system and by that I mean -
1. EVERYONE in this country has access to viable WIFI (cause rural areas sure don't)
2. Our rail system is convenient and connects major cities in an efficient and effective manner leveraging first world technology (ie Europe/Asia).
3. Our highways/roads are well constructed and long lasting (how much construction is always happening? How long does it take to redo a highway here?)

Ultimately, the US does not care about infrastructure. What we care about is money and "standard of living" ie the rich are able to get richer. I say this being among the "top 3%" with HHI at $400k. But I still feel very strongly that although not sexy, US infrastructure sucks here. Go to Hong Kong, Taiwan, even China has better train systems. Italy trains are great and cheap. Amtrak is not cheap nor is it great. Why we don't prioritize getting from SF to NYC or even Boston to DC quickly is beyond me, sigh.. We have planes but we don't seemingly believe in driving.

Honestly, European transportation infrastructure is nowhere near what it once was (at least in most cases- Italy’s never has been) and it is continuing to deteriorate. Growing numbers of Europeans are turning to buying cars because the train-bus systems are becoming increasingly unreliable. To do so many are paying nearly twice the cost that we do for gas, not to mention exorbitant rates and 1-2 year wait times just to purchase a vehicle. And transportation infrastructure is supposed to be Europe’s pinnacle- let’s not even talk about the service industry.

https://www.pwc.ro/en/press-room/press-release-2020/the-total-number-of-cars-in-use-in-europe-will-decline-by-2025--.html

[Anonymous]

Pork, the mob, Davis-Bacon. We get nothing but money for Dems out of our infrastructure spending.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And seeing how horrendous our infrastructure is. How does America have the largest GDP in the world, yet it seems like we.have given up on development of the country since the 70s? America's development post-WW2 seems to have stalled out a long time ago. As soon as I get back to the US, it took almost 75 miites to get through customs and to get our bags on a well outdated carousel at JFK. In Asia, they have the entire process already automated in many countries, where you are in and through customs in a matter of minutes. Bags are rapidly delivered to the carousel. As soon as we leave JFK via air tram, there were homeless people everywhere in the station, and the trains everywhere were late. Piles of trash were everywhere near the rail lines once we got on Amtrak, and there were shanty towns and boarded up buildings everywhere along the way going south from NY to DC. Contrast that to South Korea or Japan where trains are super clean, there are basically zero homeless people anywhere, and it truly feels like you're in a modern country with 21st century development and infrastructure. Hell, something as basic as cell phone service and wifi works anywhere you go on a train in South Korea and even if you're in a tunnel, because because of how well connected the country is. As soon as we left Penn Station, cell phone service stops working in multiple spots because of lack of reception in some tunnels. It is just super jarring to come back home and see just how horrendously behind we are with the rest of t developed world. America just seems to have given up on improving itself for a long time now. But at least we got a $1T fighter jet program I guess?

Huh. When I come back from a trip like that I thank whatever gods there are that I live here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You don’t understand the differences between the US and a culturally/racially homogenous country that is smaller than California and has more than twice the population?

That level of density is actually a major demographic challenge, not some sort of advantage. What are you even trying to say? Like brown people keep America from having clean trains? Maybe treating brown people like second class citizens for centuries on end is the actual problem, and a solveable one at that.

The US should actually be superior in all of these metrics. We are one of the largest, most resource rich nations in the world, and those natural resources are actually what is propping up our economy DESPITE our across the board stupid policies.

PP here. Funny how all of you who claim to value diversity immediately jump to assuming a reference to racial homogeneity is necessarily meant to be positive.

OP is the one claiming Japanese society is superior. I personally don’t homogeneity should be the goal and prefer the American approach. The Japanese pressure to conform, like the technology, is probably necessary for a society trying to cram that many people into such a small area, but I would find it stultifying and, in the long term, counterproductive. Japanese society is dying. Literally. If not for immigration, the US would be heading in the same direction.

https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/japan-births-new-low-population-shrinks-ages-94078296

And, duh, the challenge of density is the point. In the US, we have lots of space (even in our relatively dense areas) so we don’t have to redevelop the old. There’s plenty of space, so we spread out and build new. No one wants to live near the rail road tracks. In Japan real estate is too valuable to waste, so even the less desirable areas get rebuilt.

Not to mention that, in Japan, houses are effectively disposable. They don’t build a house expecting it to last for multiple owners over centuries. A house is considered to be worthless after 20-30 years. Think about what an incredible waste of resources that is. Those shiny new houses may look nice, but they’re the ultimate token of a disposable, consumerist society. Give me a slightly shabby, well-built 19th Century house any day.

https://www.archdaily.com/980830/built-to-not-last-the-japanese-trend-of-replacing-homes-every-30-years

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well that’s one narrow part of Asia. Visit Bangladesh and you’ll kiss the linoleum at JFK.

Bangladesh is a third world country.

US, S.Korea and Japan are first world countries.

You’re not supposed to say Third World Country anymore. Ridiculous but true. The liberal censors will take you down for that

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was just in Singapore for the first time and after hearing how incredibly clean and modern it is from many people I was really surprised by the amount of litter I saw all over as well as the strange dearth of garbage cans anywhere. I wasn’t nearly as impressed as I expected to be.

I wasn't impressed visiting the US, because they call themselves #1 for everything, yet all you need to do is drive through MLK Blvd. in Baltimore where it looks like a real life epsode of the Walking Dead with all of the homeless drug users everywhere. So many boarded up row homes in many US cities that make it look like Baghdad.

Singapore is incredibly clean compared to how much human dookie and pee is on the streets in many US cities from all of the homeless people everywhere. There's really no neighborhood in Singapore as filthy and disgusting as Skid Row in SF or Kensington in Philly, for example. I mean Kensington in Philly really makes you call into question whether the US is a first world country.

Well, the executions for drug use help Singapore maintain its streets unpopulated by the homeless. Ready for that?

I had to LOL at OP thinking that seeing zero homeless people is a good thing. Does OP think these societies don’t have mentally ill people or drug users? What does OP think these countries do with these people? I’m not a fan of the US approach that basically makes the commitment of mentally ill impossible, but liberals praising the end result of what are seriously oppressive societies with regard to mental health is always astounding. (See, also, immigration) Japan claims to have a very low rate of mental illness, but has the highest number of people hospitalized with mental illness in the world, and almost no diagnosed depression, but the highest suicide rate in the OECD. Japan is probably 75 years behind the US with regard to the societal understanding of, and compassion of, mental illness.

[Anonymous]

You people saying the US has given up on development and infrastructure need to get out more. You’re spending too much time in the Northeast. Head South and West, my friends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I mean Japan can afford all that because they aren’t really funding a military are they? We are their defense. Did they have that great infrastructure before the war? We didn’t destroy the entire country.

The US is by no means the perfect place but it really bothers me when people visit abroad and suddenly think they are so worldly to come home and trash their home country because they spent two weeks visiting tourist traps. The world is a bit more complicated than that and if you truly were well-traveled you would know this.

Agree. OP sounds naive.