Reply to Do you believe the US is the best country in the world? If not, then which?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]The Netherlands is probably the best country when you add everything together that I care about: political and social freedom, a functional economy, excellent urban planning, health (not just access to affordable healthcare but an actually healthy population), moderately regulated capitalism, an educated and multilingual population, and at least the younger generation is less racist. [/quote]

I should also add - it is well known that Netherlands has a problem with very low incomes and high costs for housing/rent. If you don't make enough, you get govt subsidies to afford housing.  What do you think the net result is?  People just work part time or hardly at all, because there is zero motivation to work full time and be more productive since you'll be taxed more and lose subsidies for housing that results in no improvement in disposable income. When's the last time you've ever heard about any great new technological advances or business leadership come out of the Netherlands?  I mean I guess if you are fine with coasting through a mediocre life with low salaries and no chance of social mobility in exchange for the govt providing all basic necessities, ok.  [/quote]
At least 90% of people in the US live "mediocre" lifestyles.

When was the last time the US made top 10 most happiest countries?  Netherlands is always in the top 10.

Here are the top 10 countries and their score:

Finland- 7.821
    Denmark- 7.636
    Iceland- 7.557
    Switzerland- 7.512
    [b]Netherlands- 7.415[/b]
    Luxembourg- 7.404
    Sweden- 7.384
    Norway- 7.365
    Israel- 7.364
    New Zealand- 7.200

US #16 - behind Canada and the UK

What good is all the "advancements" when so many Americans are unhappy?[/quote]

So your measurement for best country to live in is based on some subjective measure like 'happiness', lol.   The US is far more innovative than the Netherlands and pretty much all of Europe.  Look, if you want a mediocre lifestyle with extremely low incomes, high levels of taxation, high costs of living, no chance of ever climbing the wealth ladder, and having the govt take care of all basic necessities in life for you, that's fine - go move to Europe and the Netherlands.  If you want much higher incomes, lower levels of taxation, lower costs of living and less safety nets from the govt in exchange for better opportunities to climb the wealth ladder, the stock with the US.  Believe it or not, many of US would rather control our wealth than want the govt to do it.  My wife makes $95k after her base salary her plus bonus for just being an administrative staff member. Tell me where in Europe she'd get that kind of salary.  It doesn't exist and she'd be lucky to make 30k euros before taxes.  I'm sure there are millions of Americans living medicore lives - the point is though that you are least have the opportunity to climb the ladder in the US while it is impossible to climb the ladder in a country like the Netherlands because there is zero innovation going on that builds wealth for the country.  My father immigrated here with virtually $0 and a high school education.  He started as a bus boy at a local restaurant. He eventually learned English, made it through community college and became a nurse.  It was enough to send his children both to university.  My brother started his own extremely successful business.  I earned my PhD in engineering.  My father's kids will likely retire with well over $1M in wealth, and our kids will be even better off than us.  We have climbed the wealth ladder because of opportunities in the US and because the US rewards education and drive.  I'm sorry there are unhappy Americans out there.m, but there are plenty of us out here in the US who have made it. [/quote]

This is all fair enough that’s why the question is worded as to whether YOU personally think the US is the best country according to what matters to you. If wealth and advancement are what matters to you, then living in the US makes sense. If you would rather stay out at a middle income, but in exchange for less stress and less hustle, then other countries are probably better. Not everyone values becoming a millionaire over everything. Maybe you value more time with family, more time outdoors and exercising, less material “stuff.” The American Dream is valid and a worthy pursuit but you can’t overlook that in that very same pursuit of the American Dream, people lose themselves with high stress jobs, failing physical health, obesity, opioid addiction, grinding away hours upon hours day in day out in their cars and in the office only for the slight chance that they may achieve the elusive “Dream.” [/quote]

Go move to Europe then in pursuit of your happiness.  [b]No one is stopping you.[/b] Go be content on your 40k euro household incomes that will be significantly taxed and don't whine about it later when you move there.  I will stick to the US and building my wealth that I hope to turn into several million dollars by the time I retire.  [/quote]

Actually most Americans cannot immigrate to Europe. They won't let anyone else in. [/quote]

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