Living anywhere in this world is all about quality of life. Clearly there are many things that can factor into that and there’s also a fair degree of subjectivity as well (what makes one person happy doesn’t necessarily apply to another). Now as you look at such types of surveys America typically falls into the top ten or top 15. Clearly there are other quality places to live in various other countries.
That being said, I’ve grown to hate statements like “the land of opportunity” or “the American dream” as all they represent unrealistic idealism. Does not much of the political Left tell us repeatedly that there are millions of Americans who do not see much opportunity in this land, or that the American dream is in many ways a nightmare for many? Interestingly though the Left does believe that the US is indeed the land of opportunity for all those people showing up at the border! I guess there’s plenty of opportunity to get various free stuff from US taxpayers!
The reality though is that in any quality country like the US with a modern economy and high cost of living, opportunity is really limited to those few people with the right education, certifications, and skill set that pays well and these countries need. There’s no poor people with little education, no marketable skills, and who doesn’t speak the language that are immigrating to countries like Norway or Denmark! Sure as hell ain’t no opportunities in any countries like that! But even in America the idea that there’s all sorts of opportunity for everyone in the world who comes here is simply pure nonsense.
Norway has over the past few years had a massive crack down on businesses that use illegal immigrant labor. This has resulted in a much reduced illegal immigration rate than other countries in Europe.
I believe the US is the land of opportunity. What’s changed…IMO…is the quality of qualifications of the opportunist. “We the people” are not preparing our upcoming generations for the mental, financial and personal responsibilities of adulthood. The quality of our educational system has declined…largely due to the disruptive behavior of the few, that’s a direct result of the lack of quality parenting. Life is a bitch and it’s a long way to the top, if ya wanna rock and roll but the US is still…the land of opportunity.
My parents thought my dream should be working in the same auto plant my father worked in, I disagreed and am far wealthier then they ever dreamed of being.
Good point. What also has changed regarding this idea of the so-called American Dream is the Left has put into people’s heads. If you go to college you then should be entitled to a good job that’s going to make you happy! Then you get a generation of people who say, well I did what I was told and all my ■■■■■■■ dreams didn’t come true! So then they and the Left have to find someone to blame.
I strongly believe that life is what you make of it. Each of us is dealt a hand of cards. What we do with the cards we are dealt is all about individual choices.
You see consequences, both good and bad, every day. The student who studies hard, working two jobs to put themself through college and achieving great success. Contrasted with the party animal who lives in mom’s basement. When forced to contribute, chooses to flip burgers.
The opportunities are there. One only has to reach out and grab them.
In regard to the land of opportunity, I have lived and worked in different countries. In my eyes, there is nothing remotely like the good old US of A.
I don’t disagree with that to a certain extent, but the reality is that there are numerous factors that can help of hinder one’s ability to be successful. For example, some of the young millionaires today are these very attractive women with nice bodies and typically blondes who are not shy about showing some skin. There’s various platforms on social media in which they can make really good money. The women without such “qualifications” are completely left out of that career field.
America is still a land of opportunity and i am still living the American dream. My LEGAL immigrant family had the morals values and ethics to do well.
However, libs, RINOs fiscally unresponsible politicians are weakening America. The gradually decline of morals values, ethics, and responsibility may be the undoing of America.
Liberal woke-ism will be our undoing. Not there yet and we can turn the tide.
But that goes back to my point about playing the hand we are dealt. Some are born with physical handicaps. That is the hand they are dealt. What are they going to do with that hand? Some will succeed despite their physical handicaps; others will wallow in self-pity.
In a lot of ways I still see it as the land of opportunity. It’s not as awful as other countries regarding taxes and overbearing regulation, but politicians are working on it. Thank God for the 2nd Amendment.
What the left has done to the cities is criminal. I used to love visiting Cincy, Indy, St. Louis, DC, etc. Now I stay the hell away from all of them.
Well,
we definitely still have equal opportunity,
and
we definitely have the opportunity to rise as far as our talents will take us.
Those are still exceedingly rare on this planet,
and those are worth fighting for.
That said, America may have lost its place as the land that provides more opportunity than other countries do. We had that
when we had the finest education system in the world. We used to produce doctors and engineers and scientists and send them overseas to countries like China and India.
when we had free ability without a ton of regulations and approvals to use our own land and exploit our own resources. These days you can’t cut a tree on your own land or convert your own cow pasture to homes (despite a housing crisis) unless you first get the approval of people who say “But I drive by it every day and it is so pretty to look at the way it is for 2-and-a-half minutes on my morning drive,” and our people have been so mis-educated that anything which sounds dirty or sciency “must be bad for the environment.”
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Well that is what Reaganomics is. We used to have a huge middle class. However, that middle class is going away as we create a few more rich folks and a lot more poor middle class to poor people. Many of those still in the dwindling middle class vote for these policies because they believe one day, they will be the rich person and not the poor middle class to poor person.
