People who are old seem to feel very strongly that America really is special. That it stands for the right things, that it is in fact exceptional, that it makes the world a much better place and is without question the best place to live on earth. Sort of makes sense, because **** was really ****ed up around WWII and whatever shortcomings we've had are outweighed by saving the world, literally.

The next generation, baby boomers, seems to kind of sometimes think that, but less so. They abhorred Vietnam and are a bit more critical.

My generation, the baby boomers' kids, seem to have little to no nationalism at all, at least among the well-educated. I think this is a good thing, because nationalism sucks and it makes people defend and/or support things that are horrible such as the erosion of civil rights in the aftermath of 9/11. Also it creates an us vs. them mentality even where the supposed foe has much in common with us.

Are we actually getting less nationalistic? Is it because leaders suck even more than they did in the past? Does it even matter since the most any of us are willing to do about it is read Glenn Greenwald and type WAAF on the internet?

America. **** Yeah!

This is the greatest nation in the world.

Freedom!


Plus marijuana legalization is on the uptick.

I'm considering a move to CO, which seems to be the greatest state in the US.

Nationalism is a negative term. I prefer American exceptionalism. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_exceptionalism

NY is 'may' for ownership, not carry.

as you were.

You are incorrect.

In practice, you are right. However, in theory, you "may" be issued a carry permit (you won't be though).

I've bitched about this before, that map is drawn based on what the law says, not what they actually do.

For all practical purposes, CA/NY/HI should be red.

I think the USA is probably still one of of best countries, if not the best. That does not mean that we are immune to becoming worse, as seems to be the attitude of the older generation. I think that we're much "less better" than the rest of the world than we were 10 years ago.

America is def #1 at getting the haters furious.

I think most of Europe is better for now, but their fiscal mess is probably going to lead to some really ugly **** in the next decade. Lots of places with economic freedom have basically no social freedom and vice versa.

Grunch: **** yeah.

Surely America is getting more nationalistic. From what little I know it seems like soldiers returning from Vietnam were getting a very hard time. These days, your troops seem to be more or less demigods. Dixie chicks etc.

Obeying authority/rich ppl has more or less replaced rule of law. If you don't support whatever ******* is in charge, be it a president, banker, police, means you are un-American which seems to be even worse than being a communist. Anybody with a job seems to be untouchable. I don't really know how bad this has been historically (say 1900-) though, perhaps it was even worse. How many % of the population wants Obama to ***** just (ok, it's because he's black) because they think he was born outside of the USA?

American journalism seems like an enormous joke these days. MSM media mostly relays whatever the US gov wants. The whole Iraq thing was crazy and now watching it all over again w/ Iran is insane. Perhaps things have changed for the better now that cable news is here.

Let's hear a few reasons for USA #1 please.

One of the reasons seems to be the right to carry a gun. Even if I concede that point, I am more likely to die a violent death in USA than in other wealthy countries (correct me if I'm wrong).

IMO, gun ownership seems to be a red herring. You see ppl cheering their state on while it imposes incredibly crazy things like the War on Drugs, for-profit prisons and good old assassination. But as long as you have guns, you're free!


That award goes to brown ppl or maybe, maybe poor ppl.

JMa,

Your post is terrible and we need you to gtfo so America can stay #1.

There's a Wal-Mart in Denver CO that I can walk into, buy a Mossberg shotgun, 100 shotgun shells, a bottle of Jack Daniels, go out in the parking lot, fire out some insurance paid $1k/oz street value Dro, fire up a podcast of anti govt speeches, listen to it loudly while smoking out my truck, go home, drink some JD, and shoot at some squirrels in a residential area. GOD BLESS AMERICA!! AMERICA, **** YEA!!!!

As a euro I can say that USA is a great country, used to be #1 and it probably still is in the top 5 in the world. The American people are getting dumbed down in an alarming rate by mass media and public schools, so you will probably drop down in the list as the american dream get's blurrier and the federal government starts running your lives more.

Their teams pretty much always win the World Series .. so that just about proves it .. amirite?

Other than an occasional win by some whiny Canadians, we certainly do.

^^This is the problem. Too much freedom. They r slowly taking these things from us anyway though

Patriotism is your conviction that this country is superior to all other countries because you were born in it.
G.B. Shaw

I don't think our level of Nationalism has really changed much. Many people realize all the terrible things that we do, but they justify it by saying "yeah, but you get to live in America" or something similar. It is almost like an apathetic nationalism in that they trust the government 100%.

We have guns and Jimmy Johns.

Agree with Klinzmann though.

I was born in UK and i think, sorry i know the usa is the best.

Difference is, Americans are actually correct in this thinking.

Don't know. Of all countries with >80M peeps (top 16) I gotta think USA#1 is probably right. Germany & Japan could be but I'm willing to risk it. I don't think you can compare places with less than 10M to places with 300M+ (for no real reason just a hunch). I assume living in Monaco or some **** is the nuts but that hardly counts.