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[Taniec]

I'm kind of pissed off talking to friends and just other random people that think the end is near and the US will become the next USSR. Reading blogs and surfing message baords EVERYONE feels as if the US has already fallen apart to the point of no return. I try to rebuttal and remind people of all the good now and all of the good that is to come but then others tell me the bad and it just keeps going. I for one am disheartened by the attitude of my fellow Americans. Just google United States Economy and you'll see what I mean.

/shortrant

[LegoLord]

Ignore them:  They're idiots, and in a few years they'll all be wrong.  Then you can laugh at them.

[ToonyMan]

Remember the old slogan:

WE ARE AMERICA, IN YOUR FACE.

Without America there would be no countries to sell products to and the other countries would explode from poverty.  Everything fits together reallllly nicely.

[Puck]

Politics thread incoming *jumpforcover*

As an outsider I can only say... the image of the U.S. after WWII really went downhill.

I can remember the stories my grandmother told me... you know, how people were happy to accept every little bit of US culture, I even grew up experiencing how our language changed. Little example: our whole country had a slang word for newborn/little childs that got substituted by the word "baby". I'm serious, I watched words die  But it was cool back then, "americanization" was alright.

These days we kind of feel ashamed for identifying with the U.S., I kid you not. And that is kind of samey with the rest of the non-U.S. world.

The big brother that used to protect us from the bad neighbour kinds turned into a spoiled brat, that kind of boy the other parents forbid you to play with. And rightly so 

I mean... just watch the friggin educational movies from the fifties (alright. without them the fallout games would probably be a lot less cool)... it all went downhill from there.

But, in case obama wasnt a big PR stunt, we still have faith in you guys  Just try to build more efficient cars and pick leaders that are totally not like lil dubbayou and everything should be alright in a few decades 

[userpay]

Remember the old slogan:

WE ARE AMERICA, IN YOUR FACE.

Without America there would be no countries to sell products to and the other countries would explode from poverty.  Everything fits together reallllly nicely.

Hmm I wonder if we could get bailout money from other countries...

[ToonyMan]

...build more efficient cars...

That will never happen I'm afraid.  American car companies are IDIOTS.

[Puck]

On the other hand, a cultural environment that allows sport cars to STILL use leaf springs can't be all that bad, now, can it?

I say that's very dwarven style 

[Taniec]

I didn't inted for any hot debate or anything, but it is just frustrating to be constantly reminded from the media the state of the economy and everything wrong with it. How about reporting the new General Electric facility being built in Michigan to employ 1,100 workers in a state that desperately needs it?

Don't want to take away any spotlight away from other countries that are not doing too well right now, but I only have an American perspective. I studied Western Europe quite a bit this past school year and all I can say is that they have been a part of a lot of intresting events unprecedented in history.

[ToonyMan]

Media is the DEEEVVVIIIIILLLLLLLL.

[Puck]

I'm no expert, but personally I think our whole "economic system" has been a big scam and is flawed in itself for decades now, if not longer.

It might just be a good idea to come up with some new models.

For instance... there is no "real" work for anybody for a pretty long time now. That's the main reason why people are selling ringtones, imho. We need to stop to create artificial needs just so everybody has a job. 

I think this main setting we people got indoctrinated with, that everybody has to pull their weight in society else they are leeching is inherently wrong. IIRC its wrong since the late seventies. We crossed some point back then, as I said, I'm no expert, but I'm still convinced by my lack of knowledge.

[ToonyMan]

Oh, I really extremely dislike people that don't help their society.  *anger fist*

[Puck]

short version: as development progresses, the efficiency of workforce in all fields get increased. at some point you need less people than you have to cover the need of all people. The amount of people that is taken care for without themselves having to put in energy suddenly is labelled "useless" or "leeching" or whatever. Which would only be true if there was less workforce created than necessary.

Seriously... I mean look at all the products the world really doesnt need: like cosmetics products that just have ZERO effect. Those are artificially created needs and they are unhealthy for our resources, our environment, our mind and well, uh, our health.

[ToonyMan]

"Billy, get the shotgun!"

"Why red-neck brother?"

"There's leaches to be hunted!"

[Taniec]

I hear a lot about green technology and how that can employ a bunch of people. Maintaining those systems would also lead to some jobs there. I think there are two things the U.S can do to get on the right track.

1. Tackle illegal immigration. With roughly 12 million illegals it sure does put a damper on US growth and oversaturates the job market. Kick 'em out.

2. Grow manufacturing district. I would love to see more products with "Made in U.S.A" than "Made in China"

[Puck]

1. Tackle illegal immigration. With roughly 12 million illegals it sure does put a damper on US growth and oversaturates the job market. Kick 'em out.

IMHO that's another point that needs some major rethinking. We crossed another point of no return with the rapid increase in mobility and exchange of information. We're at the brink of understanding that we're all in the same boat on an ever "shrinking" planet.

We should come up with a lot of new approaches to a ton of ancient "problems".

A russian cosmonaut said something along the lines of "When you see the world from above you promptly understand that borders only exist in our minds, to relieve ourselves from the responsibilities we have for our neighbours".

And he's pretty damn right. The times in which a mountain or a river was a reason for a true border are LONG gone.

And no, I dont have any better ideas. If I had, I'd sell them for a shitload of money and milk the system as long as I could