People Are Revealing The Dark Side Of American Life, And Here Are 40 Honest Stories Interview
The American dream is an idea that with enough hard work, courage, and sacrifice, anyone can lead a happy life. It’s an aspirational belief that all individuals, regardless of where they come from or what family they were born into, can reach success if they just put their mind to it.
Sure, the United States has plenty to be proud of—it’s the most powerful country in the world that has a well-deserved reputation in culture, innovation, and democracy. However, it also has its flaws, showing that the American way of life is not always exactly a dream.
Sometimes, when you’re scrolling through social media, you come across posts where many discuss the unhealthy work-life balance, complicated housing crisis, flawed healthcare system, overwhelming debt—you name it. Take a look at what people have shared on the internet, and let us know what you think of it in the comment section below.
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Injustice In USA
You don't want abortions ?? Start with sex education maybe !? In the US in 2011 : 98 pregnancies for every 1,000 women aged 15–44 (6.1 million pregnancies) ... Almost half of them were unintended (45%, or 2.8 million) !! Nearly 1,700 teens ages 15 to 17 years give birth every week. About 8 in 10 (83%) teens did not receive sex education before they first had sex. The US ranks first among developed nations in rates of teenage pregnancy and abortion (and sexually transmitted diseases too btw !!) Yet only 24 states require sex education in schools. Nationwide, only 14% of middle schools and 38% of high schools teach all the topics required in sex education nationwide ... Since 1996, over $1 billion in state and federal funding has been allocated for abstinence-only education, despite evidence showing this approach is ineffective.
We reached out to one of the users who shared a post about the difficulties of living in the US with fellow r/AntiWork community members. The author preferred to stay anonymous but was kind enough to share their thoughts with us. “The reason why I posted this on r/AntiWork was mainly to show people the ridiculous situation happening in the United States,” the user told Bored Panda.
They mentioned an example that a few weeks ago, several states passed laws that allowed 14-year-olds to work until 11 PM: “Many people were outraged because these companies would rather use ‘child labor’ instead of providing adults a ’living wage.’”
The author said that they can see the US as perhaps a great country to live in if you are a business owner: “Low regulations compared to other first-world nations—no required maternity/paternity leave, most states don’t mandate breaks/lunches for adults, low minimum wage, most states being at-will employment (so you can fire employees at will with little repercussions).”
Uteruses Are Weapons Of Mass Destruction In The USA
And That's Why USA Is Not Gonna Get Better. Americans Think That They Are Better Than Anybody In This World
The aholes in the government want you to believe nothing you do will make a difference. They are wrong, it’s all propaganda. They want you uneducated, poor and too busy to care or pay attention, it’s evil, it makes the USA weak and vulnerable. It’s why the illicit drug scene is thriving. Watch some Robert Reich YouTube videos and hold onto whatever hope you can. Vote, write letters..do what you can to be a part of the solution not a part of the problem
They want to clarify that they disagree with all these regulations being acceptable in this country and feel all of them need to be addressed. However, “from a selfish standpoint, if you are rich, this really is probably a great place to live.”
“Your assets are basically stable, strong military prevents instability in the country financially, most of the politicians willingly support your causes and the public will even blindly support your causes even when it goes against their interest, etc.,” they mentioned.
“From what I can gather is that certain jobs in the USA pay much more than in other countries, like in the tech sector,” the user mentioned. “So unless you get a job in the tech sector here then maybe it is better than in other developed countries.”
Let’s Face It USA
So true. All these bastards should be in jail, including the orange stain!
According to Zippia, with around 12.2M tech industry workers, net tech employment accounts for 7.9% of the total U.S. workforce. However, they have a huge impact on the U.S. economy since tech employees make up to 85% more than those in other industries: “And this number becomes even more inflated in certain areas. For example, tech workers in San Jose, California, earn up to 507% more than the average area salary.”
Yet, those who are not employed in this sector are much more vulnerable: “Should something truly catastrophic happen, your ability to pay for healthcare, housing, food evaporates, and the public options in most of this country with their onerous red tape are designed to facilitate your death while you wait for them to kick in,” the author said.
Wow, USA
Had a huge debate with a nurse back in the 1980’s when the medical system changed from being compassionate snd having the patient be the main focus to having the guy who writes the checks be in charge of care. I said this is going to flat out till people, she disagreed. Sure enough within a year young poverty stricken kids with serious multiple medical problems began dying. Within another year free clinics were popping up to care for rural patients. One of the suits at Aetna insurance went to visit his father in rural Maine, read the paper advertising the free clinics, got up at 7am convincing himself nobody would show. The line had started forming at 5am and was a quarter mile long by 7am. Dude stayed all day, learning about how bad things are. He quit his job the next day, could not stand the contradictions of the opulence his company afforded him and those turned away from care fir “previously existing” issues or who lost everything due to outrageous billing practices.
God Bless The USA
Don't forget the ultimate 'feat' of the 21 century - the Great Wall of Trumpia.
“Factor in cheaper rent [in other countries], cheaper transit, twice as much vacation time, etc., and the US advantages fade away real quick,” they continued. “No big difference in grocery costs, and other day-to-day expenses, much faster internet speeds, affordable and usable phone plans.”
The user added: “The only advantages in America for an employee are cheaper single-family homes if you live in such an area, cheaper gas prices (but CA gas prices are about halfway between the UK and the rest of US), and cheaper cars (new & used).”
They think that if you’re not employed in the tech sector, “aren’t born rich, and just want to live as an employee, EU countries give you a much better bang for buck.”
What Passes For Christianity In The USA Is Anything But The Teachings Of Jesus
This Is USA
So, these are apples that grow on peoples trees. Extra apples, you give them to your neighbours (or people walking past)
“Overall though, for the average person, I just don’t see the benefits,” the author said. “If one has any illness or health issues (chronic or otherwise), you are basically not guaranteed healthcare and could simply just go bankrupt with no assistance. The culture here is people worrying about petty things (religion and other things) over helping their fellow citizens get proper healthcare, etc.”
On a final note, having to deal with such issues daily puts a toll on people’s emotional well-being: “This is anecdotal but one of the worst things I have done for my mental health was learning how the USA truly operates. I’m sure that some people feel the same way.”
The USA Is Proof Propaganda Works
Some Americans. Please don’t disregard those of us fighting every single dah to change things (it’s what many of us boomers are use to doing, and instead of acting like a Chandler Halderson by calling us names and acting like spoiled brats you millennials might want to pay more attention, many of us have been doing this for decades and know one thing is true about persistent common sense ideas and policies and getting things done, but we will keep that tidbit close to the vest until you learn to play nice together).
Disabled People In The USA With Medicaid Are Not Allowed To Have More Than 2000 Dollars
And yet people in America constantly trash struggling fellow Americans…the disabled, the poor, the mentally ill, homeless vets, as if those people wanted to be in those positions. Then they are victimized again for self medicating because in reality there is no access to effective affordable long term mental health professionals. Yet few complain about the BILLIONS of dollars going to Wall Street welfare or to the losses the 1% cost everyone in loss of taxes due to the hoarding of billions in off shore accounts
A Human With More Power Had To Put Them There
The 3 richest men in the US own more than the bottom 50% of the population, making the country the worst worldwide considering wealth inequality ... According to a study by Chuck Collins and Josh Hoxie : The three dynastic wealthiest families (the Waltons, the Kochs, and the Mars) have seen their wealth increase nearly 6,000 percent since 1982. Meanwhile, median household wealth over the same period went down by 3 percent ... The federal minimum wage nowadays is worth $2 less today than it was in 1968 when adjusted for inflation.
“I Pledge Allegiance To The Flag Of The USA… With Liberty For… Only The 1%, Apparently”
I remember hearing about this years ago and was appalled at the injustice. I understand that the homeless man got more of a sentence because he was armed with some sort of weapon but he was desperate and needed the money to survive. Maybe if there were better services he wouldn't have had to make that choice. He even felt remorse and handed himself in. The CEO did it out of greed, tried covering it up and showed no remorse.
Now That America Has Lost Yet A Nother Senseless War They Started Maybe It's Time To Learn A Lesson From This And Defund The Military And Instead Spend That Money Actually Taking Care Of The Needs Of The People Of The USA
Republicans are warmongers. Bush should be in jail for his WMD lie. Trump should be in jail for treason. It's bullshit.
Every Other Developed Nation: Sick. Help! / USA: How We Gonna Pay For It?
I feel this. My husband had cancer. He was only 60 and it took him fast. Here I sit, still devastated, knowing I used all his life insurance to pay medical bills, and now I lose my house in June because I can't pay $4600 in property taxes. Is this the American dream? We both worked and paid taxes for over 30 years!
The USA Spends 2 Trillion For Wars And Not Enough Money For Health Insurance
Stay Strong USA
As a European we will take your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
USA #1 Again
Hungary should not be on this list either. We don't get automatic (mostly) free healthcare like in the UK. (Well children do.) If you're an adult, you have it as long as you're employed and the insurance pay is deducted from your salary, or you're self employed and you pay for it. When you lose your job you can still have it for a little while if you're a registered job seeker, but after a few months that's gone too. From that point when you have zero income you can only keep your access to healthcare if you pay the insurance rates. You know, out of your zero income. If you don't, you're not insured and you'll only be treated if it's a life threatening emergency. The pandemic took away lots of people's jobs and I'm sure not all of them had enough savings (Hungary is one of the worst when it comes to people having savings) to pay for a continued insurance, therefore saying 0 lost their coverage is just not true.
What Has USA Become?
If I recall correctly, weren't there several tweets and similar wondering why Obama didn't do more to prevent 9/11? That man hold so much real estate in their heads - amazing how threatened they feel by someone with more intelligence in his left foot than in their entire bodies. (And I'm not saying he was perfect, not by any stretch - he was just a well educated man sandwiched between an idiot and a moron)
Fun Fact About The USA!
I never understood why they just don't cut out the interest. Apparently it pays more to service these loans every year than it is worth keeping them.
America Must Liberate The American People And End The Tyranny Of USA
A One Month Supply Of My Son's New Cystic Fibrosis Medicine. At $24,000, It's The Most Expensive Thing I've Ever Held In One Hand
My cancer medicin is US$7.000 a month but I am a lucky to live in Denmark so I get it for free
USA! USA! USA!
In a November 2005 speech at the National Institutes of Health, US President George W. Bush: 'If we wait for a pandemic to appear, it will be too late to prepare' ... According to the Coronavirus Resource Center by John Hopkins University of Medicine ... US : 865,968 deaths, more than World war I, World war II, Vietnam war, and 9/11 combined. Most affected country worldwide ...
This Is A Real Text My Wife Received Yesterday In The USA. It Looks Like Cheap Electronics Aren’t The Only Thing To Save Up For On Black Friday!!
50 Shades Of Rubber Bullets Used In USA Protests
I sooooo wish there were more police officer supervisors like Sheriff Grady Judd in Florida. He advises his newly hired officers upon that he expects the citizens and visitors to his county to be treated well, that officers will be held to a higher standard and anyone unwilling to get on his program or is foolish enough to test his authority are immediate dealt with and they are publicly shamed.
Note: this post originally had 86 images. It’s been shortened to the top 40 images based on user votes.
I'm not going to "attack" America each country has its pros and cons, I can give you a list of Spains' problems, but my heart just breaks for all the families that dread going to the hospital and receiving that bill at the end of it
I'm a lawyer and my wife is a doctor and we have what is considered to be excellent insurance. We are both frightened what will happen to us if we end up with a serious illness, especially when we retire. Unless you have at least $10 million squirrelled away, a serious illness will drive you into extreme poverty in the USA.
OR if you had a 'government' job. Thankfully my father is retired Navy and Police (Florida) and my mom worked for Central Florida University so they both have really great health care. My dad has on going heart issues since 1992 and my mom is extremely overweight with spine issues and diabetes. If they didn't have retired government health care they would be so f*cked. That being said, I moved to Canada 16 years ago and I will never move back to the states. I live in Toronto and coverage here is AWESOME (a lot of hospitals) and nothing like I was told growing up in the states.
I don’t see this as an attack on America or Americans. These are very real problems negative impacting millions unnecessarily. These things need to be called out
And somehow US citizens are still so brainwashed that they believe that USA is the best country ever
SO TRUE, I had no idea until I moved to Ontario 16 years ago how bad it really was there ( from Florida). It is so much better up here. Canada has a lot of issues as well but the states is a dumpster fire I never saw until I removed myself from it.
Lived in Santa Barbara, CA for about 14 years, working with Res. Alien, paid taxes. Could not afford medical care. Insurance was offered or a small raise. Without the raise I would have had to move to a one bedroom apt, if I could find one. With my wife and cats. So I took care of the emergencies over that period with cash. Damage over time to my joints in feet and knees crippled me and made it impossible to work. Moved back to Canada 18 years ago. I can walk again. Have a decent home. No wife or cats (not related to most of this.) Yes, every country has problems, and Canada has a bunch. But we get a lot more for our taxes than the US does. And that includes healthcare.
All this posts makes me sick and even having inherent n legal heir of my grand uncle property, loyality in Chicago. I don't want to come even for valuation and selling off everything... It's just a pain
Except this is not true. Many of us are disgusted and embarrassed by our country.
I know it's not the best country ever. I've lived and worked in my neighborhood for twenty years - everyone I know ALSO knows it's not the best country. Unfortunately, we can't leave. The general population is just trying to survive and dreaming of being somewhere else and praying to a higher power that we don't get sick. The lower class stuck here, the poverty ridden who will never pay off their student debt? We know - please don't make it hurt worse by insulting us.
Have you actually read any of the comments above? Made by angry, frustrated, and AWARE citizens of the US?
Well, this was very depressing.
Yes. Very.
Tell me about it.
I have lived in many different countries on three different continents. I have seen the best and the worst in different places. I am a US citizen, having lived there for over 20 years. What galls me the most, and why I am so vocal against so many US policies is because America is one of the richest countries in the world. The government *could* do SO many things to improve the lives of its citizens, to improve health, education, freedoms, but they choose not to because it's more profitable not to.
*More profitable to some people.
Amen. We have the money ----- but it's wrapped up in the Dept of Defense (Their research budget alone would pay for so much social safety net/education/healthcare!)
It's neoliberal austerity.
Hmm... it's like... if working-class Republicans and working-class Democrats realized our common enemy is the rich.......... but no... one side's working class has been brainwashed, and the other side's working class is just voting for the less evil option.
They are both claiming that the other side has all "the elites".
BP are you gonna send some lifeboats from Lithuania for us, or just make us miserable with these posts?
As an American, who is fixing to lose her home because of this, I just can't read anymore.
I don't know if you like hugs, but I'm sending you a virtual hug anyways.
I did the math. Actually sat down and worked it out. Twenty-five years ago. Again this past weekend. IF we paid more in taxes on our gross income, and took into account that we'd no longer need to pay out of our earnings for healthcare? We end up not only with national healthcare for all, but with a bit more take-home pay. Now, take out of that for education, and people might grasp the math of how this is a really stupid system where they whinge that nationalized healthcare is "taking gtheir money" but they aren't considering that they'd not have to pay for health insurance....
We are not all evil and wasteful and stupid. The local stores and orchards give their surplus to the elderly and those in shelters or on assistance. The fruit and vegetables are still fresh, btw, and the bread is only a day old. We work in a pandemic for nothing. (Literally zero in my case.) We reduce, re-use, recycle, and protest. The problem is, we're up against tens of millions who think greed is good. :-(
The underlying problems are just incredibly complex. Of course, it's easy to point the finger at the U.S., and as an outsider, some things are downright staggering. But the problems and solutions are simply very complex. Many of the "problems" have grown over decades and have taken on a life of their own, have become institutionalized. What many people sometimes forget is how incredibly big the USA is. Most individual states are larger than individual countries in Europe, for example. It is unbelievably difficult to bring about change or to organize in this mixed situation. In addition, those who really have the power to change it are the ones who participate the most. They are like parasites, while the majority of the population stands powerless in front of it and is additionally influenced by propaganda, already in schools.
The whole problem is extremely complex and multicausal. The USA is like a self-eating monster that just can't stop devouring itself. Unfortunately, this will not go on forever. But the ones who suffer most are the ordinary citizens, who simply don't have the power to change anything, certainly not through their voting behavior. That is illusory. For that, you would have to have influence on the selection of candidates. But they are determined by money.
A much less virulent rant on the topic than I could have made, @Marc, I salute you. Being over 50, I remember pre-Reagan America, and the changes were freaking me out 30 years ago. Now? Oof, I'm just exhausted... *sigh*
Well spoken, Marc. Certainly more calm and cogent than I am right now.
Every time someone says that a problem is "complex," I know that they're apologizing for the people who benefit from it. No, it's not "complex," it's simple: some people are getting richer on other people's suffering.
I really hate these. I'm not saying America doesn't have issues. It does. Definitely. But so does every other country. There is no such thing as a perfect country. I have been to around 27 countries. I've lived in 9. I have yet to be in a country that is perfect.
Well, that's a nice wishy-washy response, Heather. Who's mentioning perfection, other than you? So, let me see if I understand your point... nowhere is perfect, so the U.S is just fine as it is and doesn't have to do anything, right? No need for improvement? You acknowledge that America has issues, but you're avoiding the point that it has some really awful ones that no other country on the planet does.
Thank you!
I've been to over 100 countries and I've lived in at least a dozen. This has nothing to do with perfection. This is to do with the difference between governments that actively seek to serve its people, mistakes or otherwise, and a government that is completely invested in denying basic human rights to its own people because profit is valued more than human life.
No one has claimed that other countries don't have problems, but it seems that the USA has a much higher proportion of the problems what are usually brought up.
I'm not saying that there shouldn't be fixes. I'm openly acknowledging that there are a lot of changes that need to be made. But why is the US the only country bashed in board panda? I'm not saying we should bash other countries, but if we don't point out the wrongs of other countries why are we so quick to point out the wrong of the US? For example: Tons of people are starving in N Korea because their govt is lead by a despot. Or the concentration camps in northern china. Or the massacres in Myanmar. All of these things are happening at the hands of their govt. THEY are voices that need to be heard. But no we have to complain about the US for the umpteenth time.
Things don't have to be perfect in order to bring about a good quality of life.
Here. Instead of bombing countries, how about redirecting that 700 bn USD towards (a) housing for the homeless (15m empty homes, 0.5m homeless); (b) free healthcare (c) free education - you know - like almost every other country? PS if you think yall don't bomb a lot of countries, I have saved you the bother by getting a list: China 1945-46 Korea 1950-53 China 1950-53 Guatemala 1954 Indonesia 1958 Cuba 1959-60 Guatemala 1960 Belgian Congo 1964 Guatemala 1964 Dominican Republic 1965-66 Peru 1965 Laos 1964-73 Vietnam 1961-73 Cambodia 1969-70 Guatemala 1967-69 Lebanon 1982-84 Grenada 1983-84 Libya 1986 El Salvador 1981-92 Nicaragua 1981-90 Iran 1987-88 Libya 1989 Panama 1989-90 Iraq 1991 Kuwait 1991 Somalia 1992-94 Bosnia 1995 Iran 1998 Sudan 1998 Afghanistan 1998 Yugoslavia – Serbia 1999 Afghanistan 2001-2021 Libya 2011 Iraq and Syria 2014 – Somalia 2011 – Iran 2020 –
DOn't forget all the bombing the SOviets did. THe US wasn't the only one playing explosive chess with the world. Alas.
As has been mentioned, it is pretty bad here. From someone who lives here and is growing up here, the political climate, the poverty, the racism, the horrible healthcare, the covid policys and the recent rollbacks of women’s rights all affect my life, and they suck. We may have been a great country once, I know my parents think that we were. But I am not old enough to remember that. I became aware of politics when Trump was elected. My only experience with the “American Dream” has been that it doesn’t exist. I live in a red state. I do not feel safe at school. Only a couple hours away was a shooting last month. Our Covid protocol is atrocious. 15% of students out and 20% of teachers, and my school is actually on the good end of this. I have friends in other states who have classes being subbed by the janitors and even older students. I do not like it here. I want to move out as soon as I can. And this is coming from someone who is very privileged. Attack America as much as you want.
I hope that most people reading this don't believe that most of us think our country is the best. Many of us are frustrated and embarrassed. We do our best to promote caring for others and vote for the people that we hope will enact laws to benefit everyone but at a grassroots level, it is hard to fight the large PACs that finance the crazies in government. Many of us would love to see universal medicine, free or reduced higher education, free or subsidized daycare, and a living wage for everyone. (And that's just to name a few things.) I would love to see stricter gun laws, for example, but that has become a huge hot-button political issue. No one needs an assault rifle for personal use.
so excited to be growing up in this country!!! i cant wait to be an adult!!! pls help lmao
Take German classes! Germany has a lot of free higher education and Berlin is a great place to live. https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/studium/studienangebot/english/index.html
All hail the America dream
I hope some of my comments are not offensive to any of you guys. I hope that my account will not be deleted or demonetized because of my comments. I just want to share that these are so true and sad. Why can't the USA help the people who are in need and why charge them a fortune just to get their help? It's unbelivable! Instead of spending lots of money on weapons and wars, just at least use the money of healthcare and education!
OK, so for decades, people are taught that things are Truth! Then someone else says, "Oh, but it isn't!" and people will change it all overnight? No. The UK still has monarchs. Why? Just why? And that's about as much answer as the US can give about why this stuff.
This is why I'm hovering on the edge of anarcy. The U.S government is rigged. It only benefits the rich.
The more i live in America the more i want to move away
These are all a reasons why I declined a job in the US and stayed in Europe
I'm tired of posts of Americans with always the same story.
then don't read them? just a suggestion.
I am so sick of seeing my fellow people in America struggling. I am sick of gun violence and racial injustice. Everyone should be able to afford their necessary medicine and have somewhere safe to sleep, food to eat. There are thousands of empty buildings that can be converted for those on the streets. There is food thrown out every day, food that is edible and safe. Pharmaceutical companies make billions, why can’t they help? It disgusts me.
🙄
This thread has made me realise I can never go back to America. I should have gone whilst Obama was still in power. Now I will not recognise the place I visited 40 years ago, it has gone.
After reading this I feel somehow sick. I know every country has its problems. I feel that everyone, especially the poor sick and crazy should have at least a minimum of help for free. (Basic health care, somewhere decent & safe to stay at night and some food). I hope this will get better.
Some one please help me and my family move from here......
Look up "Residence based on the Dutch American Friendship Treaty".
I've seen one of my friends have to pay $800 for a dr to tell them they aren't sick
All Americans seem to due is tweet about how bad things are. Get organised and effect change.
Absolutely. But if you are voting for the devil or beelzebub, which choice do you think will actually cause a change? IMHO USA needs at least two or three new political parties, e.g. a green party, a fascist party, a socialist party. That way, the fascists can leave and join their own crowd (and stop pushing the republicans even further right), and the socialists (Bernie and others) can get a shot at controlling the country.
Easier said than done. Been trying sine I turned 18. I'm over 50. The narrative paid for by big business is the one that makes them money, and that's what the media portrays. (Rupert Murdoch, anyone?) After all, tell poeople it's XYZ often enough, they thin kit must be. FOr example, that black people should be kept down by apartheid. I have met South Africans raised under it ----- white ones, I add ----- and the idea of equality simply blew their minds. I still remember one girl in uni saying, "YOu don'[t understand what they (Africans) are like!" ....
We are, but the the people with the deepest pockets are winning.
I'm not going to "attack" America each country has its pros and cons, I can give you a list of Spains' problems, but my heart just breaks for all the families that dread going to the hospital and receiving that bill at the end of it
I'm a lawyer and my wife is a doctor and we have what is considered to be excellent insurance. We are both frightened what will happen to us if we end up with a serious illness, especially when we retire. Unless you have at least $10 million squirrelled away, a serious illness will drive you into extreme poverty in the USA.
OR if you had a 'government' job. Thankfully my father is retired Navy and Police (Florida) and my mom worked for Central Florida University so they both have really great health care. My dad has on going heart issues since 1992 and my mom is extremely overweight with spine issues and diabetes. If they didn't have retired government health care they would be so f*cked. That being said, I moved to Canada 16 years ago and I will never move back to the states. I live in Toronto and coverage here is AWESOME (a lot of hospitals) and nothing like I was told growing up in the states.
I don’t see this as an attack on America or Americans. These are very real problems negative impacting millions unnecessarily. These things need to be called out
And somehow US citizens are still so brainwashed that they believe that USA is the best country ever
SO TRUE, I had no idea until I moved to Ontario 16 years ago how bad it really was there ( from Florida). It is so much better up here. Canada has a lot of issues as well but the states is a dumpster fire I never saw until I removed myself from it.
Lived in Santa Barbara, CA for about 14 years, working with Res. Alien, paid taxes. Could not afford medical care. Insurance was offered or a small raise. Without the raise I would have had to move to a one bedroom apt, if I could find one. With my wife and cats. So I took care of the emergencies over that period with cash. Damage over time to my joints in feet and knees crippled me and made it impossible to work. Moved back to Canada 18 years ago. I can walk again. Have a decent home. No wife or cats (not related to most of this.) Yes, every country has problems, and Canada has a bunch. But we get a lot more for our taxes than the US does. And that includes healthcare.
All this posts makes me sick and even having inherent n legal heir of my grand uncle property, loyality in Chicago. I don't want to come even for valuation and selling off everything... It's just a pain
Except this is not true. Many of us are disgusted and embarrassed by our country.
I know it's not the best country ever. I've lived and worked in my neighborhood for twenty years - everyone I know ALSO knows it's not the best country. Unfortunately, we can't leave. The general population is just trying to survive and dreaming of being somewhere else and praying to a higher power that we don't get sick. The lower class stuck here, the poverty ridden who will never pay off their student debt? We know - please don't make it hurt worse by insulting us.
Have you actually read any of the comments above? Made by angry, frustrated, and AWARE citizens of the US?
Well, this was very depressing.
Yes. Very.
Tell me about it.
I have lived in many different countries on three different continents. I have seen the best and the worst in different places. I am a US citizen, having lived there for over 20 years. What galls me the most, and why I am so vocal against so many US policies is because America is one of the richest countries in the world. The government *could* do SO many things to improve the lives of its citizens, to improve health, education, freedoms, but they choose not to because it's more profitable not to.
*More profitable to some people.
Amen. We have the money ----- but it's wrapped up in the Dept of Defense (Their research budget alone would pay for so much social safety net/education/healthcare!)
It's neoliberal austerity.
Hmm... it's like... if working-class Republicans and working-class Democrats realized our common enemy is the rich.......... but no... one side's working class has been brainwashed, and the other side's working class is just voting for the less evil option.
They are both claiming that the other side has all "the elites".
BP are you gonna send some lifeboats from Lithuania for us, or just make us miserable with these posts?
As an American, who is fixing to lose her home because of this, I just can't read anymore.
I don't know if you like hugs, but I'm sending you a virtual hug anyways.
I did the math. Actually sat down and worked it out. Twenty-five years ago. Again this past weekend. IF we paid more in taxes on our gross income, and took into account that we'd no longer need to pay out of our earnings for healthcare? We end up not only with national healthcare for all, but with a bit more take-home pay. Now, take out of that for education, and people might grasp the math of how this is a really stupid system where they whinge that nationalized healthcare is "taking gtheir money" but they aren't considering that they'd not have to pay for health insurance....
We are not all evil and wasteful and stupid. The local stores and orchards give their surplus to the elderly and those in shelters or on assistance. The fruit and vegetables are still fresh, btw, and the bread is only a day old. We work in a pandemic for nothing. (Literally zero in my case.) We reduce, re-use, recycle, and protest. The problem is, we're up against tens of millions who think greed is good. :-(
The underlying problems are just incredibly complex. Of course, it's easy to point the finger at the U.S., and as an outsider, some things are downright staggering. But the problems and solutions are simply very complex. Many of the "problems" have grown over decades and have taken on a life of their own, have become institutionalized. What many people sometimes forget is how incredibly big the USA is. Most individual states are larger than individual countries in Europe, for example. It is unbelievably difficult to bring about change or to organize in this mixed situation. In addition, those who really have the power to change it are the ones who participate the most. They are like parasites, while the majority of the population stands powerless in front of it and is additionally influenced by propaganda, already in schools.
The whole problem is extremely complex and multicausal. The USA is like a self-eating monster that just can't stop devouring itself. Unfortunately, this will not go on forever. But the ones who suffer most are the ordinary citizens, who simply don't have the power to change anything, certainly not through their voting behavior. That is illusory. For that, you would have to have influence on the selection of candidates. But they are determined by money.
A much less virulent rant on the topic than I could have made, @Marc, I salute you. Being over 50, I remember pre-Reagan America, and the changes were freaking me out 30 years ago. Now? Oof, I'm just exhausted... *sigh*
Well spoken, Marc. Certainly more calm and cogent than I am right now.
Every time someone says that a problem is "complex," I know that they're apologizing for the people who benefit from it. No, it's not "complex," it's simple: some people are getting richer on other people's suffering.
I really hate these. I'm not saying America doesn't have issues. It does. Definitely. But so does every other country. There is no such thing as a perfect country. I have been to around 27 countries. I've lived in 9. I have yet to be in a country that is perfect.
Well, that's a nice wishy-washy response, Heather. Who's mentioning perfection, other than you? So, let me see if I understand your point... nowhere is perfect, so the U.S is just fine as it is and doesn't have to do anything, right? No need for improvement? You acknowledge that America has issues, but you're avoiding the point that it has some really awful ones that no other country on the planet does.
Thank you!
I've been to over 100 countries and I've lived in at least a dozen. This has nothing to do with perfection. This is to do with the difference between governments that actively seek to serve its people, mistakes or otherwise, and a government that is completely invested in denying basic human rights to its own people because profit is valued more than human life.
No one has claimed that other countries don't have problems, but it seems that the USA has a much higher proportion of the problems what are usually brought up.
I'm not saying that there shouldn't be fixes. I'm openly acknowledging that there are a lot of changes that need to be made. But why is the US the only country bashed in board panda? I'm not saying we should bash other countries, but if we don't point out the wrongs of other countries why are we so quick to point out the wrong of the US? For example: Tons of people are starving in N Korea because their govt is lead by a despot. Or the concentration camps in northern china. Or the massacres in Myanmar. All of these things are happening at the hands of their govt. THEY are voices that need to be heard. But no we have to complain about the US for the umpteenth time.
Things don't have to be perfect in order to bring about a good quality of life.
Here. Instead of bombing countries, how about redirecting that 700 bn USD towards (a) housing for the homeless (15m empty homes, 0.5m homeless); (b) free healthcare (c) free education - you know - like almost every other country? PS if you think yall don't bomb a lot of countries, I have saved you the bother by getting a list: China 1945-46 Korea 1950-53 China 1950-53 Guatemala 1954 Indonesia 1958 Cuba 1959-60 Guatemala 1960 Belgian Congo 1964 Guatemala 1964 Dominican Republic 1965-66 Peru 1965 Laos 1964-73 Vietnam 1961-73 Cambodia 1969-70 Guatemala 1967-69 Lebanon 1982-84 Grenada 1983-84 Libya 1986 El Salvador 1981-92 Nicaragua 1981-90 Iran 1987-88 Libya 1989 Panama 1989-90 Iraq 1991 Kuwait 1991 Somalia 1992-94 Bosnia 1995 Iran 1998 Sudan 1998 Afghanistan 1998 Yugoslavia – Serbia 1999 Afghanistan 2001-2021 Libya 2011 Iraq and Syria 2014 – Somalia 2011 – Iran 2020 –
DOn't forget all the bombing the SOviets did. THe US wasn't the only one playing explosive chess with the world. Alas.
As has been mentioned, it is pretty bad here. From someone who lives here and is growing up here, the political climate, the poverty, the racism, the horrible healthcare, the covid policys and the recent rollbacks of women’s rights all affect my life, and they suck. We may have been a great country once, I know my parents think that we were. But I am not old enough to remember that. I became aware of politics when Trump was elected. My only experience with the “American Dream” has been that it doesn’t exist. I live in a red state. I do not feel safe at school. Only a couple hours away was a shooting last month. Our Covid protocol is atrocious. 15% of students out and 20% of teachers, and my school is actually on the good end of this. I have friends in other states who have classes being subbed by the janitors and even older students. I do not like it here. I want to move out as soon as I can. And this is coming from someone who is very privileged. Attack America as much as you want.
I hope that most people reading this don't believe that most of us think our country is the best. Many of us are frustrated and embarrassed. We do our best to promote caring for others and vote for the people that we hope will enact laws to benefit everyone but at a grassroots level, it is hard to fight the large PACs that finance the crazies in government. Many of us would love to see universal medicine, free or reduced higher education, free or subsidized daycare, and a living wage for everyone. (And that's just to name a few things.) I would love to see stricter gun laws, for example, but that has become a huge hot-button political issue. No one needs an assault rifle for personal use.
so excited to be growing up in this country!!! i cant wait to be an adult!!! pls help lmao
Take German classes! Germany has a lot of free higher education and Berlin is a great place to live. https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/studium/studienangebot/english/index.html
All hail the America dream
I hope some of my comments are not offensive to any of you guys. I hope that my account will not be deleted or demonetized because of my comments. I just want to share that these are so true and sad. Why can't the USA help the people who are in need and why charge them a fortune just to get their help? It's unbelivable! Instead of spending lots of money on weapons and wars, just at least use the money of healthcare and education!
OK, so for decades, people are taught that things are Truth! Then someone else says, "Oh, but it isn't!" and people will change it all overnight? No. The UK still has monarchs. Why? Just why? And that's about as much answer as the US can give about why this stuff.
This is why I'm hovering on the edge of anarcy. The U.S government is rigged. It only benefits the rich.
The more i live in America the more i want to move away
These are all a reasons why I declined a job in the US and stayed in Europe
I'm tired of posts of Americans with always the same story.
then don't read them? just a suggestion.
I am so sick of seeing my fellow people in America struggling. I am sick of gun violence and racial injustice. Everyone should be able to afford their necessary medicine and have somewhere safe to sleep, food to eat. There are thousands of empty buildings that can be converted for those on the streets. There is food thrown out every day, food that is edible and safe. Pharmaceutical companies make billions, why can’t they help? It disgusts me.
🙄
This thread has made me realise I can never go back to America. I should have gone whilst Obama was still in power. Now I will not recognise the place I visited 40 years ago, it has gone.
After reading this I feel somehow sick. I know every country has its problems. I feel that everyone, especially the poor sick and crazy should have at least a minimum of help for free. (Basic health care, somewhere decent & safe to stay at night and some food). I hope this will get better.