Originally posted by vvv
japan, 2nd largest economy in the world, has the highest private savings of the industrialized world, money freely available to go on spending sprees with, an absolutely incredible infrastructure, health care fully comparable to what is available in the usa, and pension coverage, basically no crime or drugs, very little obesity because people there actually have enough money to buy proper food for themselves and their families, excellent education, and, despite the massive economic problems they've had the last 10 or so years, an incredibly high standard of living, with lower work hours per month / white collar worker than the us. walking through tokyo is an experience of sheer wealth not easily forgotten, but the same goes for kobe, kyoto, etc.
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Just as I thought. You still missed the goal. Japan is a homogenous society in so many respects it ain't funny. As a minority (and an American), I would not have the luxury of being able to do something as minor as opening a business and expecting the average Asian to openly partake of my services or goods. Not without consequences.
You see for your premise to be correct you have to try to find a society in which not only are the native peoples involved at all levels of business, community, and government, but also foreigners. It must be providing this same level of health care and government services to any and all who need them regardless of the ability to speak the language or, pay the bills. Just like we do here.
They also must allow dissension as well as alternative methods to disagree with the powerful without the consequences of death being an option. The populace must also have the ability to not want to be what the collective demands. You know like here in America. The populace needs to also have the freedom to excel to their own fruits and not the government's desires. All of these things have a bearing on the cultural and socio-economic postures of the peoples. The initial playing fields must be as similar as possible. In that light, Japan is no equal.
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very much most of the above would also apply to the 3rd largest economy in the world, germany, actually many of the arab oil sheiks go to germany for their annual health check up, germany also has more immigrants than any other european country per capita, also switzerland, every single country in scandinavia and several others more.
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Another homogenous group of domains. I am starting to detect a pattern here, are you? All of these are societies where the American influences can be seen for openly causing improvements for the peoples also. Germany? They just lost a major wall there because of us.
WE, WHO ONCE PURSUED HITLER THERE TO HIS DEATH!
This very influence is what the rest of the world has as a major problem with about America. You, as most people, do not appreciate our strength in the nuances of having a multi-racial, multi-cultural society.
In each of your examples you have put your finger on both a great strength of America, and the weakness of the many areas of the world. It is this country, and this country alone, where race is not only a problem, it is also an asset. A very unappreciated asset!
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as for saddam, we can very easily do what we've done with many others, contain them through deterrence. absolutely no need for a war that has us internationally isolated, and for which we don't have the money.
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No my friend, it is time to stop burying our heads (and hands) in the sand. As any good leader, you must take the initiative and stand up to what you have done. In the short term there might be pain, anger, hurt, and yes, even death. But the same compassion that you feel for the troops that we will send in to do the job. Those same tears that you will shed for those innocent and misled followers of the "Butcher of Baghdad" who WILL BE KILLED. Remember to share them openly with the pages of text that we will record and one day call history. It will be then that we can again show that America did grieve for this tragedy too!
You lost me Max. You think VVV is a communist, I guess. But what did he say to make you think that (if that is indeed what you are implying....I am definitely a bit confused).