What do you like and dislike with your country?

C Elegans · Post by **C Elegans** » Sun Jul 01, 2001 10:13 pm

Please post what you think is good and bad with your country. Your country could refer either to the place where you live, or the place you originally come from, or both.

Sweden, land of the middle road

On the good side:
1. haven't been involved in war since the 18th century
2. no natural disasters
3. little difference between socioeconomical classes compared to rest of the world
4. world's most equal society gender wise (in issues like equal pay for equal work, % women with higher education, %men taking paternety leave, %men living as lonely fathers)
5. all education is free
6. liberal views on sex, religion, etc
7. low degree of corruption in public institutes like government, law and police force
8. little problems with drugs and violence, compared to most other countries
9. secularised society, religion is a personal issue, not an official. State and church are separated

On the bad side:
1. childrens' rights are not well met in Swedish law (Amnesty actually complained about this in their 2000 evaluation of human rights world wide)
2. too restrictive immigrant politics, Sweden is a rich country with low unemployment and only 22 people/square km. (1 km = appr 6 miles)
3. immigration politics creates geographic segregation by placing immigrants in special areas where Swedes don't want to live
4. the few people outside society like homeless people, stays outside because of very complicated bureucracy
5. very high taxes (VAT 25%, lowest income tax 30%, highest 60% and you hit the roof around a monthly income of $4000) and still sinking on international assessments of well fare and social security network efficiancy
6. long tradition of socialistic goverment (73 years in a row!) has created a passive, initiative lacking herd mentality
7. famous Swedish envy: wealth, good looks, professional success etc is viewed as bad, since if you are successful that means you must have got your success at the cost of others
8. social suspisciousness towards strangers, in cities it's very difficult to make friends if you don't have friends already
9. generally anti intellectual climate

OK, that was my overgeneralised and a bit prejudiced view of my own country, what about yours?

[ 07-02-2001: Message edited by: C Elegans ]

Gwalchmai · Post by **Gwalchmai** » Sun Jul 01, 2001 10:45 pm

This weekend, I've been pretty pissed that my country isn't Sweden.

edit:
Sorry for the spam, here's a real answer:

The US is huge. There is always a place I could go to be happy. I would never want to live in the ugly big cities like NY or LA, but I don't have to. I love the wide open spaces of the western US, climbing peaks in Colorado or surveying the Sonoran Desert.

The bad is, society seems to be degenerating. Politically, I'm not sure either of the two major parties truely have the public's best interest at heart. Socially, there are militias, gangs, and a lack of a sense of community that helps to keep nuts from getting out of hand. Guns are too prevalent in the hands of those nuts. In addition, the cost of living is now such that both the husband and the wife have to work in order to bring in enough money to live a comfortable life. This means the kids have to be in day care or after-school programs, but even if they weren't, there aren't any kids around the neighborhood to play with - they are all in daycare.

Still, things change in this country all the time, sometimes for the better. There's always hope. There are a lot of countries where you can't say that.

Nevertheless, I do wish that more Swedish women had been going to my college when I was there....

[ 07-02-2001: Message edited by: Gwalchmai ]

dragon wench · Post by **dragon wench** » Sun Jul 01, 2001 10:56 pm

Likes:
- Canada still has a lot of wilderness areas.
- During the Trudeau era there was a strong emphasis on multiculturalism, there remains a strong legacy (not to say that we don't have rascism and intolerance though......)
- Relatively few people (around 30 million)
- Despite the attendant problems.....a policy of official bilingualism (French and English.....our son is in French Immersion school)
- a universal medicare system
- no capital punishment
- hand gun laws

Dislikes:
- The hypocrisy of people pretending to be superior to the U.S in terms of things like racial tolerance. Canadians can be every bit as racist, it's just a bit more subtle......

- A general lack of passion, repressed sexuality

- We still don't hav equal pay for equal work

In sum, Canada is big, beautiful and boring. Maybe later I'll be able to add more, I tend to think better in the morning, so the grey matter is not moving to quickly at the moment.

[ 07-06-2001: Message edited by: dragon wench ]

Xandax · Post by **Xandax** » Mon Jul 02, 2001 12:46 am

Well since Denmark is much like Sweden some of the things are the same with me as with C Elegans

Somewhat good things:
1) Stabile contry, no wars; natural disasters (of major influence - we had a storm that was wild last year, but not many fatalities)
2) Relativly rich country, the social-economic span is not that great (comepared to other countires)
3) Free education for all (well almost free education)
4) liberal views on sex, religion, etc

But but but, there are bad things:
1) There has in the lattere years been much more violence than any lawabiting Dane will accept. Much of this "new" violence is the result of failed integrationlaws.
2) The law is a failer - most people feel that the person breaking a law gets a too mildly punishment. For instance there is a standing joke in Denmark, that if you want to kill somebody - get drunk, steal a car and drive him down, you'll most likely get a 1 year - 2 years inprisoment, but likely on probation.
On the other hand, if you photocopy money - you can get upto 5 years in prision

3) The healtcare system is deterioration, so there is a long time waiting to get surgery, scannings etc. Of course you can pay a private hosbital to do it, but we've always in Denmark had a tradition of a great healtcare system.
4) The educational system is deteriorating.
Danish studentes in the early public schools a worse at reading, writing that what they have been in years. (also here there is problems with intergration)
5) The integration system is not working.
6) Taxes. These are acording to OECD the highest in the world. We have 25% VAT, incometax in the range of 40-60+ %, green taxes, tax on own property and I could keep going.
I would mind paying the taxes if our educational system; healt care system etc were good, but as it is now - everything needs more money, so they increase taxes every year.
7) Like in Sweden there is this envy in Denmark - that says that you must not think you are better than the rest. We actually have a name for it called "Jantes Law".

Okay now I've finished ranting on 'bout Denmark for now. (Just get thoese taxes down

)

Vehemence · Post by **Vehemence** » Mon Jul 02, 2001 1:06 am

Australia!!!

Likes: Everything except...

Dislikes: John Howard (our prime minister)

Mr Sleep · Post by **Mr Sleep** » Mon Jul 02, 2001 4:44 am

Likes
-The countryside and walking in the rain (which we get a lot of

)
-The hills and mountains
-Fresh air
-The music
-The Welsh people who are mostly really nice

Dislikes
-Current governments two faced attitude towards farming and general party policy
-The pressure to submit to the 'club culture' that is rife amongst the teenage population.
-Poor wages to important staff such as nurses and GP's and overblown salaries for people who do diddly squat
-The obsession with europe
-The multi racial problems, why can't people just get along
-Every City (apart from Cardiff) i have been to in the UK is horrible and degredated
-Everything costs too much

One might wonder how much longer i am going to stay in a country i hate this much

One has to bear in mind that the Welsh are a country ruled by another. We have not got our own identity we are in essence tacked onto England.

<spam>
I am considering - when i get rich enough - of moving Wales away from the UK, only things i need is lots of C4 and some willing people with oars......

</spam>

[ 07-02-2001: Message edited by: Mr Sleep ]

scully1 · Post by **scully1** » Mon Jul 02, 2001 5:53 am

The health care situation in the US. Do not even get me started

Mr Sleep · Post by **Mr Sleep** » Mon Jul 02, 2001 6:15 am

There are men in Guam whose full-time job is to travel the countryside and
deflower young virgins, who pay them for the privilege of having sex for the
first time...Reason: under Guam law, it is expressly forbidden for virgins
to marry. (Let's just think for a minute; is there any job anywhere else in
the world that even comes close to this?)

I want to move to Guam.

In Lebanon, men are legally allowed to have sex with animals, but the
animals must be female. Having sexual relations with a male animal is
punishable by death.

So this is where Ubik went

Vehemence · Post by **Vehemence** » Mon Jul 02, 2001 6:26 am

Originally posted by Mr Sleep:
In Lebanon, men are legally allowed to have sex with animals, but the
animals must be female. Having sexual relations with a male animal is
punishable by death.

So this is where Ubik went

May he rest in peace

Mr Sleep · Post by **Mr Sleep** » Mon Jul 02, 2001 6:29 am

ROFLMAO

Vehemence · Post by **Vehemence** » Mon Jul 02, 2001 6:31 am

*takes a small bow*

Mr Sleep · Post by **Mr Sleep** » Mon Jul 02, 2001 6:34 am

Inserts large poker just puloled out of the furnace....

Waverly · Post by **Waverly** » Mon Jul 02, 2001 6:53 am

Originally posted by Mr Sleep:
I want to move to Guam.

May you be assigned to a district where the woman can't be distinguished from the livestock, and the locals leave them virgins for very good reasons. Enjoy gigalo-boy

Mr Sleep · Post by **Mr Sleep** » Mon Jul 02, 2001 6:57 am

Originally posted by Waverly:
the woman

There is only one of them

[ 07-02-2001: Message edited by: Mr Sleep ]

Weasel · Post by **Weasel** » Mon Jul 02, 2001 7:06 am

Originally posted by Waverly:
 and the locals leave them virgins for very good reasons. Enjoy gigalo-boy

This is a scary thought.

Mr Sleep · Post by **Mr Sleep** » Mon Jul 02, 2001 7:08 am

Originally posted by Waverly:
May you be assigned to a district where the woman can't be distinguished from the livestock, and the locals leave them virgins for very good reasons. Enjoy gigalo-boy

i know of a place like this already it is called Bristol

Minerva · Post by **Minerva** » Mon Jul 02, 2001 7:12 am

Originally posted by Mr Sleep:
i know of a place like this already it is called Bristol

OMG

ROFLMAO

Weasel · Post by **Weasel** » Mon Jul 02, 2001 7:14 am

Originally posted by Mr Sleep:
i know of a place like this already it is called Bristol

LMFAO

I've never been there, but I will take your word for it.

[ 07-02-2001: Message edited by: Weasel ]

Mr Sleep · Post by **Mr Sleep** » Mon Jul 02, 2001 7:16 am

Avoid the place at all costs

[ 07-02-2001: Message edited by: Mr Sleep ]

Minerva · Post by **Minerva** » Mon Jul 02, 2001 7:17 am

@Weasel: So you should. He's telling the truth...

Ooops.