It's hard to say what has caused America to become this way.
I'm American, used to live and work in Germany, then moved back to NYC about six years ago because of my career.
I can tell you that I miss Europe all the time and travel to Germany every year for work and vacation. I miss it more than ever and wish I could move there, but I'm in an LTR, and the girl (actually from the Baltics but has been in the States since she was 10) doesn't want to move there. Primarily the language issue, which I get.
Some of the things that annoy me the most about America:
- How most American cities were demolished in the 1950-60s in the name of progress. I'm talking about a Robert Moses type of guy who decides to lay down an interstate in the middle of the city. Thankfully Greenwich Village in New York was spared thanks to Jane Jacobs et. al. But most American cities are fugly. At least we have our national parks.
- There is some regionalism in the states, but it's not deep. I can fly from New York to Los Angeles, and people generally talk the same, eat at the same chains, have the same-looking houses, and dress the same. For a country that prides itself on individualism, most of the country looks uniform and cookie-cutter.
- The control Hollywood has on people's mindthink. Not only do I believe that most Americans talk the same because they're constantly listening to actors on TV and in the movies with virtually the same accent, but many think the same too. Tolerance of feminism, ridiculous gay behaviour, Al Goreism, and acting like everyone's equal, is highly influenced by Hollywood, make no bones about it.
- The ridiculousness of college credentialism. Whereas before college was reserved for the few who wanted deeper knowledge, it's now basically necessary to even get a non-wage internship. Since firms cannot judge someone based on their IQ, they have to indirectly judge by seeing a person's college credentials. The game has progressed now that you likely need a Masters just to progress in your career, and in many fields, a PhD is required. The collegiate system is devolving into Mandarinism. This, however, is happening in France too with the Ecoles.
- Conservatives, with whom I most identify, are completely retarded when they support the current collegiate system with Stafford loans, etc. Tuition at my old college now runs over $50K/annum, which requires most families to shoulder a huge burden, or kids need to take out significant loans. If a kid leaves college with over $50K in debt and little career prospects, he or she has a greater chance of becoming a ward of the state, and thus lean more left. This nonsense of throwing taxpayers' dollars towards higher education, but the university staff has a different political agenda than yours and will thus try to spread their message, should be stopped. Either no more federal support of higher education, or nationalize the universities.
- Racial tension. Liberals want to make you think that everyone's equal and we can live in harmony, but frankly, most people naturally segregate along racial, religious and status lines. I have no beef with people of other race or creed, but stop telling me, SJW, that we should all live together in harmony, otherwise I'm a racist or bigot. This is not how the world works, and you saying otherwise is like nails across a chalkboard.
- Political correctness has reached almost Orwellian levels. Unless I'm alone with buddies, out on a boat and out of earshot of anyone else, I can't really speak my mind. While I wouldn't be thrown into jail (huge positive of the U.S. by the way), my career or my relationships could be seriously jeopardized. I look forward to becoming independently wealthy (or retired) so that I can speak my mind and not give a shit.
- Americans seek relaxation in the form of entertainment. They always have to be entertained. There always has to be music blaring in the background. There has to be two dozen TVs in a bar. They needs 100+ cable channels. They have to have their iPads, iPhones, laptops, iPods, etc., along with them at all times less they be bored! This immediate gratification in entertainment forms has caused Americans, especially younger ones, to have very short attention spans. Drives me nuts.
- Since Americans want to be stupidly entertained, they generally don't seek to enrich their minds. Roosh is a huge exception for reading the classics. Trying to sit down with my friends and just have a conversation about anything not revolving around sports is a challenge. And the lack of developing their intellect leads to:
- Ridiculous political arena, where one politician tries to tell even more absurd lies than the other one because the average Joe lacks critical thinking. The Republicans are just as guilty as Democrats, hence the reason why I've become apolitical. The cold war between these two parties makes talking about politics with your friends, especially those who may not share your views, almost impossible, because one person tries to trump the other person's views with these lies spewed by politicians.
- Americans have no food culture like the French or Italians, and thus latch on to any diet fad. They also will just eat about anything salty, sweet or greasy, as long as it's cheap! Use GMO crops and channel subsidies towards corn and soybean farmers, so long as I get my cheap soda, chips, Taco Bell, etc. With the myriad of processed and fatty food available to all Americans, it's no surprise that 2/3 of the population is rotund.
I could go on, but that's enough for today. In essence, I believe that in 50 years max America will look similar to Brazil present-day. Rich people tucked away in gated communities, poor people in favelas, not much middle class in between. Either get rich, or get poor. The middle-class dream of America is eroding fast.
I'm probably going to start a family in a few years, and looking at the state of the family-raising in America, I want out bad. Got to pay a mortgage and real estate taxes out of the nose to afford to move to a town with a good school district. Got to have play dates set up all the time because god forbid you let your kid (obviously 6+) play outside w/o supervision. Got to have a scheduled agenda at all times lest the kids get bored. Got to play multiple sports and push that as a way to get your kid in college. Got to save all your free cashflow for the ass-raping that you'll get when your kids' tuition needs to be paid.
My salary and career prospects are better in New York. My single life was (much better) in the States (thanks feminism). But I think that once I have a family, I'd like to take my savings and live a really nice life in Europe.
I'm American, used to live and work in Germany, then moved back to NYC about six years ago because of my career.
I can tell you that I miss Europe all the time and travel to Germany every year for work and vacation. I miss it more than ever and wish I could move there, but I'm in an LTR, and the girl (actually from the Baltics but has been in the States since she was 10) doesn't want to move there. Primarily the language issue, which I get.
Some of the things that annoy me the most about America:
- How most American cities were demolished in the 1950-60s in the name of progress. I'm talking about a Robert Moses type of guy who decides to lay down an interstate in the middle of the city. Thankfully Greenwich Village in New York was spared thanks to Jane Jacobs et. al. But most American cities are fugly. At least we have our national parks.
- There is some regionalism in the states, but it's not deep. I can fly from New York to Los Angeles, and people generally talk the same, eat at the same chains, have the same-looking houses, and dress the same. For a country that prides itself on individualism, most of the country looks uniform and cookie-cutter.
- The control Hollywood has on people's mindthink. Not only do I believe that most Americans talk the same because they're constantly listening to actors on TV and in the movies with virtually the same accent, but many think the same too. Tolerance of feminism, ridiculous gay behaviour, Al Goreism, and acting like everyone's equal, is highly influenced by Hollywood, make no bones about it.
- The ridiculousness of college credentialism. Whereas before college was reserved for the few who wanted deeper knowledge, it's now basically necessary to even get a non-wage internship. Since firms cannot judge someone based on their IQ, they have to indirectly judge by seeing a person's college credentials. The game has progressed now that you likely need a Masters just to progress in your career, and in many fields, a PhD is required. The collegiate system is devolving into Mandarinism. This, however, is happening in France too with the Ecoles.
- Conservatives, with whom I most identify, are completely retarded when they support the current collegiate system with Stafford loans, etc. Tuition at my old college now runs over $50K/annum, which requires most families to shoulder a huge burden, or kids need to take out significant loans. If a kid leaves college with over $50K in debt and little career prospects, he or she has a greater chance of becoming a ward of the state, and thus lean more left. This nonsense of throwing taxpayers' dollars towards higher education, but the university staff has a different political agenda than yours and will thus try to spread their message, should be stopped. Either no more federal support of higher education, or nationalize the universities.
- Racial tension. Liberals want to make you think that everyone's equal and we can live in harmony, but frankly, most people naturally segregate along racial, religious and status lines. I have no beef with people of other race or creed, but stop telling me, SJW, that we should all live together in harmony, otherwise I'm a racist or bigot. This is not how the world works, and you saying otherwise is like nails across a chalkboard.
- Political correctness has reached almost Orwellian levels. Unless I'm alone with buddies, out on a boat and out of earshot of anyone else, I can't really speak my mind. While I wouldn't be thrown into jail (huge positive of the U.S. by the way), my career or my relationships could be seriously jeopardized. I look forward to becoming independently wealthy (or retired) so that I can speak my mind and not give a shit.
- Americans seek relaxation in the form of entertainment. They always have to be entertained. There always has to be music blaring in the background. There has to be two dozen TVs in a bar. They needs 100+ cable channels. They have to have their iPads, iPhones, laptops, iPods, etc., along with them at all times less they be bored! This immediate gratification in entertainment forms has caused Americans, especially younger ones, to have very short attention spans. Drives me nuts.
- Since Americans want to be stupidly entertained, they generally don't seek to enrich their minds. Roosh is a huge exception for reading the classics. Trying to sit down with my friends and just have a conversation about anything not revolving around sports is a challenge. And the lack of developing their intellect leads to:
- Ridiculous political arena, where one politician tries to tell even more absurd lies than the other one because the average Joe lacks critical thinking. The Republicans are just as guilty as Democrats, hence the reason why I've become apolitical. The cold war between these two parties makes talking about politics with your friends, especially those who may not share your views, almost impossible, because one person tries to trump the other person's views with these lies spewed by politicians.
- Americans have no food culture like the French or Italians, and thus latch on to any diet fad. They also will just eat about anything salty, sweet or greasy, as long as it's cheap! Use GMO crops and channel subsidies towards corn and soybean farmers, so long as I get my cheap soda, chips, Taco Bell, etc. With the myriad of processed and fatty food available to all Americans, it's no surprise that 2/3 of the population is rotund.
I could go on, but that's enough for today. In essence, I believe that in 50 years max America will look similar to Brazil present-day. Rich people tucked away in gated communities, poor people in favelas, not much middle class in between. Either get rich, or get poor. The middle-class dream of America is eroding fast.
I'm probably going to start a family in a few years, and looking at the state of the family-raising in America, I want out bad. Got to pay a mortgage and real estate taxes out of the nose to afford to move to a town with a good school district. Got to have play dates set up all the time because god forbid you let your kid (obviously 6+) play outside w/o supervision. Got to have a scheduled agenda at all times lest the kids get bored. Got to play multiple sports and push that as a way to get your kid in college. Got to save all your free cashflow for the ass-raping that you'll get when your kids' tuition needs to be paid.
My salary and career prospects are better in New York. My single life was (much better) in the States (thanks feminism). But I think that once I have a family, I'd like to take my savings and live a really nice life in Europe.