Agnostic.com

7 5

Are we like Denmark or Sweden? No, we have looong ways to go.

Wanting what Sweden or Denmark have is like wanting a a house like neighbor's with a 3 car garage. We don't realize that we are not like the neighbor, we don't have his education, skills, abilities, accomplishments, brain and profession. We have to learn to be like him first... before wanting things he has.

Translation.... First we have to try to...

  1. Become more liberal
  2. Become less religious
  3. Treat women better than we have been
  4. Improve civil rights
  5. Stop hatred of black Americans, and lynching black men in the South
  6. Stop racism
  7. Stop dropping out of school and having babies while in parents' homes
  8. Elect a woman president
  9. Loosen the corporate and lobbyists' grip over politics

Once we become as open minded as Denmark and Sweden are, we can campaign for a progressive president and bring free health care and free college like they have. Until that time, we must keep our feet on the ground and know where we are today.

St-Sinner 9 Mar 6
Share

Enjoy being online again!

Welcome to the community of good people who base their values on evidence and appreciate civil discourse - the social network you will enjoy.

Create your free account

7 comments

Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.

1

"Once we become as open minded"
I think that's backwards. Once you get health care and college without bankruptcy, the friction between the lower classes will recede since the right wing scum will find it harder to make the working class hate each other without the economic stressors.
Getting people more open-minded while they suffer and the tv tells them "it's the brown people's fault" is going to be hard, unless we ease the suffering.

Just my two cents.

1

The Scandinavian countries are certainly great places but I don’t think we should try to become like them. Sweden for example has a population of only 10 million, spread over a large area. All the Scandinavian countries have an official national religion—Evangelical Lutheranism. In Sweden 60% of citizens are members.

Hunting and fishing are VERY prominent in the Scandinavian countries. Those values seem to clash with current American suburban culture.

The Scandinavian countries have some excellent social programs, but they also embrace capitalism. Norway, i.e. is perhaps the country most heavily committed to capitalism in the world, with vast stock holdings.

So far as standard of living, Sweden and the US are very close according to this analysis:

[en.m.wikipedia.org]

"60% of citizens are members"
Members, but not really practicing. Religion in Sweden is what it should be; an old story with little practical applications in the modern world. When there, i have seen more Thor's hammers than crosses around people's necks.

2

Interesting post.
I don't think the USA can become like Denmark, Sweden, or New Zealand. The USA population is too large, too diverse, and has too many subcultures with conflicting cultural values.

I agree. I wish the election enthusiasts were more pragmatic like you.

We have a lot to do and I am just sad that Bernie's campaign and the way it is conducted has damaged the Democratic Party's cause to defeat Trump. It damaged our prospects in 2016 and they are doing it again.

1

And stop pissing away over $600B a year on being the world's police force that no one wants - because we are actually just in it mostly for the oil. Add invest in real education - not just testification and supplying bodies for the $2T education industry. Add stop locking up over 2 million of the population to provide bodies for the prison industrial complex - almost 7 million in jail or under supervision of the courts as of 2013.

Reforms of the system we have is the solution. Everybody is welcome. The water is warm. Come on in.

But you can not stay out and say give me what the neighbor has.

0

Don't forget the Vikings were arguably the most viscus, cruel, take no prisoners, rule by terror, scorched earth invaders the world has seen. They were so feared France paid tax money just to have the Vikings leave them alone and not destroy Paris.

The Vikings did what they they had to do in those dangerous times to win. Are they vicious, cruel, take no prisoners, rule by terror, scorched earth today?

Being vicious was a virtue in those cruel and violent times. It is not in these civilized times. Therefore they are civilized now, very civilized, in fact, they have proven to be better at it than the rest.

0

That sounds classist af. "Youre born into your lot. Doing struggle, accept your fate". How the Catholic church has kept a third of the world in chains.

Not really. I always punch above my weight but at the same time I will not act foolish to swing a sword against a gunslinger. There is a difference.

Wanting what others have is an easy emotion. But accepting that we have long ways to go to deserve and get it is hard.

Once in a while someone will come by like Bernie who will try to sell cat's pee as a magic potion but we have to know the difference a medicine man and medical doctor.

2

I agree that the US has a very long ways to go. And we have the Republican party opposing us every step of the way. And they have a Republican majority on the Supreme Court too and if Trump wins again they will be 2 more Republican appointments. Republicans represent the mentality and the prejudices of right wing Christians and they are opposed to positive change and instead want to prepare for the end of the world with no thought to negative consequences in our present world.

That is correct. As long as we know where we are, realize our abilities and strengths, we can accomplish things within our reach. Being pragmatic and accomplishing what is within reach is very important before we start wanting what others have.

Currently, we cannot have the health care, pension, retirement that Denmark and Sweden have. We have to improve ourselves first before deserving what they have. We are still lynching black men in the South.

Write Comment
You can include a link to this post in your posts and comments by including the text q:467412
Agnostic does not evaluate or guarantee the accuracy of any content. Read full disclaimer.