USA Greatest Nation!?! More like UK!

[BillBryson]

Hi, just an interesting thread on hearing people's views as to why USA is the greatest nation in the world, I personally think it could be after Britain. Considering our proud history of glory & innovation, industrial revolution, British Empire, & numerous inventions. While USA with slavery, great depression while they were vital to both world wars they did enter a bit late so the UK was at the fore front of defending western freedoms. So while now America is the more powerful & wealthier nation today in context the UK has made an excellent impact with so much power & achievement by a tiny little island.
The other thing I don't understand is this "greatest democracy" after 2000, Florida it seems quite clear to nearly all Europeans that America' is ruled by rich select sponsored by massive business (both parties). I'm not anti American & I'm sure there are exceptions to all of my statements but generally I think I have been neutral & look forward to your replies.



Thanks
Mike


God Bless... The Queen

 

[Merlin1047]

Hi, just an interesting thread on hearing people's views as to why USA is the greatest nation in the world, I personally think it could be after Britain.

I really don't mean this the way it's going to sound, but - who the hell cares? I didn't realize we were competing for the title. If it is so important to you that Britain be viewed as the greatest nation in all creation, then by all means, make yourself happy.

I personally don't give a rat's ass whether the USA is the best thing which ever came down the pike. We are who and what we are. Hopefully we have not lost the zeal to be the best we can be and whatever that is will be good enough.

 

[Patriot]

Hi, just an interesting thread on hearing people's views as to why USA is the greatest nation in the world, I personally think it could be after Britain. Considering our proud history of glory & innovation, industrial revolution, British Empire, & numerous inventions. While USA with slavery, great depression while they were vital to both world wars they did enter a bit late so the UK was at the fore front of defending western freedoms. So while now America is the more powerful & wealthier nation today in context the UK has made an excellent impact with so much power & achievement by a tiny little island.
The other thing I don't understand is this "greatest democracy" after 2000, Florida it seems quite clear to nearly all Europeans that America' is ruled by rich select sponsored by massive business (both parties). I'm not anti American & I'm sure there are exceptions to all of my statements but generally I think I have been neutral & look forward to your replies.



Thanks
Mike


God Bless... The Queen

You are kidding right? I mean the only country to kick your ass AND save your ass from destruction and you want to say that bullshit?

 

[Mariner]

have done remarkable things, and have much to be proud of, but both also have much to answer for in their treatment of different peoples (before moral relativism and secular humanism helped Christian Westerners see that other cultures and religions were of value equal to their own). When England took over India, for example, the GDP of India was 17% of the entire world's, while England's was 3%. Generations of removing wealth from India and transferring it to the U.K. (at one point the British amputated silk-weavers' hands, so that their profits could move to British textile firms) left India with vast poverty and overpopulation. I don't deny that the British also left great institutions, from the railroads to the law, but the U.K. would be hard-pressed to call the sum total of its colonial involvement in India--and many other countries--"great." Similarly for the U.S. and its sickening treatment of the American Indians, its history of slavery, etc. etc.

Every country has a tendency to tout its virtues and downplay its flaws. Very powerful countries probably should be most careful to see things in balance. In the ancient Greek tragedies, hubris always risks downfall.

Mariner.

 

[Zhukov]

Hi, just an interesting thread on hearing people's views as to why USA is the greatest nation in the world, I personally think it could be after Britain.

The greatest thing the British Emnpire ever did was have children, wonderfulll children: Canada, Australia, and her heir and greatest son, the United States of America.

 

[manu1959]

Hi, just an interesting thread on hearing people's views as to why USA is the greatest nation in the world, I personally think it could be after Britain.

i agree if you don't include the quality of your food, dental care and women and only include beer and soccer

 

[Avatar4321]

Hi, just an interesting thread on hearing people's views as to why USA is the greatest nation in the world, I personally think it could be after Britain. Considering our proud history of glory & innovation, industrial revolution, British Empire, & numerous inventions. While USA with slavery, great depression while they were vital to both world wars they did enter a bit late so the UK was at the fore front of defending western freedoms.

I think you hit the key point. US was vital to winning both world wars. Without the Americans the Brits would have fallen.

Also which is more glorious: building an empire by enslaving all those you conquor or liberating other nations because of the ideals of Freedom?

What have you guys invented recently?

So while now America is the more powerful & wealthier nation today in context the UK has made an excellent impact with so much power & achievement by a tiny little island.

There is no doubt that UK has done alot. more so than most other nations in the world. However, America has done alot more. in our mere 200+ years of existance we have done more for the world than the UK did in the past 1000 years.

The other thing I don't understand is this "greatest democracy" after 2000, Florida it seems quite clear to nearly all Europeans that America' is ruled by rich select sponsored by massive business (both parties).

Well im sorry we arent a socialist nation and really have no problems with citizens forming groups and donating money to the campaigns they support in exercise of their free speech...oh wait no im not. That one of the beauties of the American dream. We aren't penalized from being industrious and earning money. We arent penalized from supporting the candidates we would like to support and giving our money to the cadidates we support.

Ive never understood this aversion Europeans and the left have with businesses. i mean yeah its totally contrary to their government controled economy theories but where are people going to get what they want and where are they going to earn the money they need without businesses?

I'm not anti American & I'm sure there are exceptions to all of my statements but generally I think I have been neutral & look forward to your replies.

Doesn't sound very neutral to me. You seem very pro British. Which is fine cause you should love your country. I dont think your analysis is very justified or even very logical. But this is a free country...oh wait you dont live here..sorry.

God Bless... The Queen

I hope God does bless the Queen. She needs all the help she can get if her children are any indication.

 

[no1tovote4]

i agree if you don't include the quality of your food, dental care and women and only include beer and soccer

You are not kidding! If their culinary experts lived in Iraq they would be arrested for making WMD!

Their beer is some of the best, right up there with German bier. Soccer is just the most boring sport in the world after cricket. We can also blame the most irritating sport everybody loves on the Northern part of the UK, don't we all just love golf?

 

[BillBryson]

Hi again, Just clear up some points I'm sure my message may not of come across very neutral to some however there are hundreds of problems with the UK & plenty of positive things about the USA & visa versa. However if I were to weigh them all up it would take ages so instead I chose some of the more definitive points. I also recognise the amputatation of silk-weaver's thumbs (not hands) in modern day Bangladesh & the UK does unfortunately does have it rogues of history & just like any other nation is unable to claim a perfect history. The USA for instance has killed millions in interevening in other nations (Communist) since WW2 including Veitnam amongst others.
WHile to the Patriot guy just because you "saved" or more appropiately help a nation doesn't mean that all your failures are eliminated or that, that nation's successes are discreidited. Its no different from saying the Roman Empire was inferior to the barbarians because they fell after thousands of years. Is it not?
The UK had invented the world's first ever computer Colossus http://www.acsa.net/a_computer_saved_the_world.htm pretty impressive. While the man who invented the WWW was British also http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/3357073.stm There are many other recent acheivements which can be found at http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/bl_british_inventors.htm Same the older ones include Radar & the TV.
Avatar 4321 is kidding no one if he's trying to suggest the UK is socialist "socialist nation" with it being one of the founders of the free market & having built a massive built on none other than trade!!! So I thnk that's a stupid comment personally.
While for the slurs agaisnt British culture, Football or soccer "most boring sport in the world" hey? Outside of the USA its undeniably the world's favourite with the 2010 world cup expectiong 3 billion viewers. So I don't beleive world opinion to think it to be boring for 1 minute.
As for food if you want to reduce it to stereotypes common thinking is that most Americans are fat obese gun toting idiots not forgetting Hill billies, anti semites, racists & those paranoid about Communism & the government. While US food is mainly thought to be coca cola & fast food on top of bland food & bread with SUGAR!?!
However, I have only made reference to the negative points & have taken on board some of the more inlightening points, bearing in mind I am asking why the USA is so great not why the UK is crap. One question I do have is this constitution where it saids "all men are created equal" (unless you're black) sounds rather Communist to me is it not?




Thanks
Mike

 

[BillBryson]

i agree if you don't include the quality of your food, dental care and women and only include beer and soccer

Women hey? There are millions of obese women in the USA that could crush you in bed. More fat people in the US as well compared to UK or any other nation on earth, its no wonder Africa starving you're eating all their food!!

 

[NightTrain]

Women hey? There are millions of obese women in the USA that could crush you in bed. More fat people in the US as well compared to UK or any other nation on earth, its no wonder Africa starving you're eating all their food!!

That's got to be the most dumbass thing I've ever seen a Brit post. Usually the Brits demonstrate cleverness when trading barbs. How old are you?

 

[NightTrain]

One question I do have is this constitution where it saids "all men are created equal" (unless you're black) sounds rather Communist to me is it not?

Uh, how exactly does does "All men are created equal" equate with communism?

Do you have any idea what Communism means?

 

[freeandfun1]

it is quite obvious he is either very young, or from the DU and just trying to raise our ire.....

 

[BillBryson]

That's got to be the most dumbass thing I've ever seen a Brit post. Usually the Brits demonstrate cleverness when trading barbs. How old are you?

Hey it was other posters who reduced it to stereotypes by going on about dentures, British food etc. Don't see why I can't beat them at their own game or is it double standards?

 

[BillBryson]

Uh, how exactly does does "All men are created equal" equate with communism?

Do you have any idea what Communism means?

Well the idealism behiend communism is essentially that the wealth & resources of a society should be shared amongst all men why? Beacuse Communists believe all men are equal even though Communist countries are commonly corrupt. Do you see how this part of the constitution ties in now to my question.

 

[NightTrain]

While the man who invented the WWW was British also http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/3357073.stm

Clarification : Berners-Lee invented the hypertext code used to enhance the internet.

The Internet was created by the U.S. Military. The purpose was to provide data and communication between military installations that were not all dependent on a hub, thereby allowing the rest of the internet continue to function even after several parts were missing (say, with nuclear war).

 

[NightTrain]

Well the idealism behiend communism is essentially that the wealth & resources of a society should be shared amongst all men why? Beacuse Communists believe all men are equal even though Communist countries are commonly corrupt. Do you see how this part of the constitution ties in now to my question.

You're wrong about Commies believing all men are equal.

Human rights & equal rights have absolutely nothing to do with Communism.

I see the stretch you're trying to make, but you're completely off base.

 

[BillBryson]

Clarification : Berners-Lee invented the hypertext code used to enhance the internet.

The Internet was created by the U.S. Military. The purpose was to provide data and communication between military installations that were not all dependent on a hub, thereby allowing the rest of the internet continue to function even after several parts were missing (say, with nuclear war).

Yep this much is true & I was careful to put WWW & not internet with much of the technology having being created by the US military, but it is thanks to Berners-Lee that HTML became the universal standard. Had it not, it could be that each browser had its own source code! So you would only view sections of the net.

 

[BillBryson]

You're wrong about Commies believing all men are equal.

Human rights & equal rights have absolutely nothing to do with Communism.

I see the stretch you're trying to make, but you're completely off base.

What would you of said was the intended purpose of Communism was then?

 

[NightTrain]

As far as your original topic goes... I'm not sure what your goal is, other than to debate which country is Number One.

If you use a Military benchmark, that would be the USA.

If you use a Human Rights benchmark, that would be the USA.

If you use an Economic benchmark, that would be the USA.

If you use a Humanitarian benchmark, that would be the USA.

If you use a Political Influence benchmark, that would be the USA.

Who saved Europe from themselves several times? The USA.

Who does the vast majority of the fighting in a UN conflict? The USA.

Who pays the lion's share of such conflicts? The USA.

Shall I go on? What exactly do you wish to discuss here?