What Is Americas Biggest Problem?

[Pozessed]

In your opinion, what is Americas biggest problem?

I have been asking this question for a couple days. The answers are very diverse. I am curious on what everyone in this community may have to say.

I realize the question is broad, but I appreciate any thoughts you may have to offer.

[Delta1212]

That it is populated with and run by humans.

[dimreepr]

Allowing corporate greed be detrimental to good health and a good society.

The wisdom of the founding fathers laid the foundations of a very good society; unfortunately those foundations have been eroded by certain amendments and their wilful misinterpretation by interested parties.

[John Cuthber]

"What Is Americas Biggest Problem?"

A missing apostrophe.

[iNow]

Willful ignorance is worn with pride and anti-intellectualism rampant. We call ourselves a first-world country yet allow 1in 4 children to starve and live in abject poverty, we treat healthcare as a privilege, guns as a religion, faith as more important than fact, the environment as a slave, money as king, law as buyable, and immediate pleasures are prioritized over long-term needs. We are willing to spend money to send our troops to war, but are unwilling to spend money to take care of them when they return. We have people claiming loudly their love of freedom and in the next step insidiously trying to remove it for others. We spend more money on elections than we do on infrastructure, we are stuck in a dysfunctional system and doing nothing to change it, and we reinforce the notion that the biggest problem with democracy becomes clear after a 5-minute conversation with the average voter. Facts are treated as mere opinions to be dismissed and reason and rationality as something to be mocked. We then distract the public from all of this with backward looking wedge issues, irrelevant red herrings, and cynically calculated mindless chants of U.S.A! U.S.A! U.S.A!

Edited July 4, 2015 by iNow

[MigL]

Definitely a lot of things wrong with American society, iNow ( speaking as a close relative Canadian ).

 

But at least we can discuss these shortcomings on a public forum without secret police showing up at the door to take us away.

( never to be heard from again )

 

Our silence and co-operation is not gained with force, but is bought by the rich and powerful.

Our own greed allows them to do this.

[MonDie]

Worst:

No foresight or prudence. Take pride in pollution, wastefulness, and heart disease.

In some parts discrimination is a de facto recognized freedom.

 

Best:

We're highly individualistic. Empasis is placed on each person finding their own path in life.

[StringJunky]

...Best:

We're highly individualistic. Empasis is placed on each person finding their own path in life.

There is no 'I' in team. Selfishness is a the basic trait of all animals... how is individualism laudable? I would put co-operation on a higher pedestal.

Edited July 4, 2015 by StringJunky

[MonDie]

But people are happier when they follow their own dreams.

 

Another best:

Every year, on this date, we celebrate the invention of gunpowder by Chinese alchemists.

Edited July 4, 2015 by MonDie

[StringJunky]

But people are happier when they follow their own dreams.

 

Another best:

Every year, on this date, we celebrate the invention of gunpowder by Chinese alchemists.

I thought that got celebrated every day, by somebody getting killed with it.

[MonDie]

Off-topic... but not all fireworks. http://environment.about.com/od/healthenvironment/a/toxicfireworks.htm

[DimaMazin]

High incomes of useless people.

[Ten oz]

The U.S. has yet to be humbled. Two world wars that flattened even the winners in Europe had a big impact on the world view. Here in the States we don't know what it is like to see tanks roll down Main Street. To watch our capitals lit on fire. For most of us the impact of our decisions is all just theoretical. We can debate the merits of the Iraq war over a game of scramble while sipping wine. No one we know died. No one we know was hurt. We don't empathise because we have never been there. It is even reflective in our domestic policy with over policing. The majority on families living in sheltered suburbs and gated developments don't worry about their children losing freedom or future opportunities over marijuana use, loitering, and etc.

Edited July 5, 2015 by Ten oz

[DimaMazin]

What does the world think of it when 5% of the world's population (USA) controls a disproportionate amount of the world's resources?

Property is problem of time for studying science. 5% of the world's population have the problem.

Increase of population, which aren't interested by science, is bigger problem.

[Externet]

I take you mean the United States of America biggest problem.

----> Greed, greed, and greed.

 

And I believe more than 5% of wealth in the world is in hands of petroleum exporters.

[DimaMazin]

I take you mean the United States of America biggest problem.

----> Greed, greed, and greed.

 

And I believe more than 5% of wealth in the world is in hands of petroleum exporters.

Russian greed is when farmer demands honey/money for pollination of his fields from beekeeper.

What is American greed?

[Externet]

United States greed is the small and large companies and corporations sending production labor and sourcing materials to China to increase profits to extreme, leaving the US citizens with no employment.

 

Seems filling foreign pockets is more 'capitalistically patriotic'.

[DimaMazin]

United States greed is the small and large companies and corporations sending production labor and sourcing materials to China to increase profits to extreme, leaving the US citizens with no employment.

 

Seems filling foreign pockets is more 'capitalistically patriotic'.

I think that is military crime against USA because China isn't democratic country.

Edited July 10, 2015 by DimaMazin

[Harold Squared]

China cannot sell what USA will not buy.

China is not alone in this boat, either. Japan and Germany both got big economic benefits from exports to USA which continue, now Korea and China follow this example.

 

Wall Street has no allegiance to any country or any God but Mammon and Mammon is loving cheap wages.

[Sensei]

In your opinion, what is Americas biggest problem?

1. Constant running for money.

 

2. Lack/degeneracy of democracy. For fake reason "war with terrorists" there has been ripped off all citizen rights.

 

3. Lobbies from various industries bought your politicians and now they're telling what to do.

 

4. Corruption the next level, unprovable, not countable. f.e. instead of giving money straight away, hire child of some politician in company of friend of businessman. etc. sophisticated, complicated methods..

I would force them to sit on chair and connect lie detector to all of them, and ask right questions, and none would remain in office anymore..

Edited July 30, 2015 by Sensei

[Bill Angel]

 

United States greed is the small and large companies and corporations sending production labor and sourcing materials to China to increase profits to extreme, leaving the US citizens with no employment.

 

Seems filling foreign pockets is more 'capitalistically patriotic'.

I think that is military crime against USA because China isn't democratic country.

The average annual GDP growth of China 2010-2014 is 8.6%

The average annual GDP growth of Mexico 2010-2014 is 3.3%

If US companies relocated their offshore operations from China to Mexico, the increase in economic activity and hence GDP growth in Mexico would help to dampen the inflow of illegals from Mexico to the USA. Create jobs for them in Mexico and they won't come to the USA. And a lot of them would voluntarily return to Mexico from the USA to fill those jobs.

[waitforufo]

That it is populated with and run by humans.

Its not the humans per se. It's the humans that think they can create utopia through government.

 

The following posts are proof.

 

Willful ignorance is worn with pride and anti-intellectualism rampant. We call ourselves a first-world country yet allow 1in 4 children to starve and live in abject poverty, we treat healthcare as a privilege, guns as a religion, faith as more important than fact, the environment as a slave, money as king, law as buyable, and immediate pleasures are prioritized over long-term needs. We are willing to spend money to send our troops to war, but are unwilling to spend money to take care of them when they return. We have people claiming loudly their love of freedom and in the next step insidiously trying to remove it for others. We spend more money on elections than we do on infrastructure, we are stuck in a dysfunctional system and doing nothing to change it, and we reinforce the notion that the biggest problem with democracy becomes clear after a 5-minute conversation with the average voter. Facts are treated as mere opinions to be dismissed and reason and rationality as something to be mocked. We then distract the public from all of this with backward looking wedge issues, irrelevant red herrings, and cynically calculated mindless chants of U.S.A! U.S.A! U.S.A!

Red leader above would let government grow without bound, believing it would shower us all with a great bounty. Get the government out of the way and people will pursue and find their own happiness.

 

There is no 'I' in team. Selfishness is a the basic trait of all animals... how is individualism laudable? I would put co-operation on a higher pedestal.

Yeah "but their is an "i" in win," - Michael Jordan

Individualism is laudable because it allows everyone to pursue their own happiness. That can include choosing to cooperate with others or not. My guess is that you are uncomfortable with the "or not" option. I'm doing just fine pursuing my own happiness. That pursuit includes cooperating with many people when it is to my benefit. I have no interest in pursuing your happiness or anyone else's. I do however wish you good luck. You likely wouldn't like the happiness I found for you anyway. I doubt you will like the one the government forces you to live either.

 

United States greed is the small and large companies and corporations sending production labor and sourcing materials to China to increase profits to extreme, leaving the US citizens with no employment.

 

Seems filling foreign pockets is more 'capitalistically patriotic'.

It does leave us with lots and lots of affordable products and frees us to pursue other objectives.

Edited August 19, 2015 by waitforufo

[iNow]

Red leader above would let government grow without bound, believing it would shower us all with a great bounty.

You're pretty consistent when it comes to strawmanning me or completely failing to accurately comprehend my actual stance on topics. Please stop.

[waitforufo]

You're pretty consistent when it comes to strawmanning me or completely failing to accurately comprehend my actual stance on topics. Please stop.

 

So you don't want government to fix all the things you mention below?

 

Willful ignorance is worn with pride and anti-intellectualism rampant. We call ourselves a first-world country yet allow 1in 4 children to starve and live in abject poverty, we treat healthcare as a privilege, guns as a religion, faith as more important than fact, the environment as a slave, money as king, law as buyable, and immediate pleasures are prioritized over long-term needs. We are willing to spend money to send our troops to war, but are unwilling to spend money to take care of them when they return. We have people claiming loudly their love of freedom and in the next step insidiously trying to remove it for others. We spend more money on elections than we do on infrastructure, we are stuck in a dysfunctional system and doing nothing to change it, and we reinforce the notion that the biggest problem with democracy becomes clear after a 5-minute conversation with the average voter. Facts are treated as mere opinions to be dismissed and reason and rationality as something to be mocked. We then distract the public from all of this with backward looking wedge issues, irrelevant red herrings, and cynically calculated mindless chants of U.S.A! U.S.A! U.S.A!

[dimreepr]

 

 

So you don't want government to fix all the things you mention below?

 

 

 

 

Or is it you're guilty of those things?