Weaknesses and strengths of your own country

[Totenkopf]

So, given that this forum is fairly diverse in background, what do individual members think are the selling points and weaknesses of their own countries? Focus on your own country and not someone elses as this should cut down on flaming or cheapshots. Also, try to avoid comments like "B/c my country is better than yours, etc.."

[Mandalorian Knight]

Would this be an overall analysis? Or are we focusing on other ares like the military, economic performance, etc?

[Astor]

Good question! I can see it might be hard to stay objective, though. I’ll try not to gush too much.

Even though we didn’t rise out of the ocean at the will of a divine power, and leaving aside the old stereotypes of afternoon tea, stiff upper lip and all those other things, Britain still has quite a bit going for it.

Even though the Empire might be long gone, our past, and obviously strong ties and similar interests to the Anglosphere and the Commonwealth have afforded us a level of influence on the world stage that might otherwise be beyond our size as a country, and ensure that Britain can continue to protect her interests on the world stage through NATO, the UN, G20, G8 etc. And, of course, the ‘special relationship’, but I refuse to subscribe to the notion that we are somehow the US’ lapdog for sharing global interests.

And militarily, for good or ill, we’re normally ready and willing to help in a crisis (but if anyone needs us to provide any seaborne air support, you’ll have to wait till 2018).

There’s the Royal Family, of course – last week’s Royal Wedding, while not a particularly significant event to anyone outside of Britain, still managed to draw in hundreds of thousands tourists, and the world media. And that’s not even getting into the Queen’s nearly six decades of dedication to fostering good relations between Britain and the rest of the world. Like them or not, the Royals bring in far more money through tourism than the taxpayer could ever shell out. I'd definitely count the Royals as a strength of Britain, even though most of them (excluding the Queen) are total ****s.

And being at the forefront of the Industrial Revolution, Britain helped give the world a ton of helpful stuff too.

Britain does have weaknesses, though. But I like to pretend they don’t exist.

[mimartin]

I’m just going with what I consider the biggest strength and weakness of my country.

Strength: Freedom of speech, the ability to freely express ideas and grievances without fear of persecution.

Weakness: Freedom of speech, the ability of others to freely express ideas and grievances without fear of persecution. (Example: Westboro Baptist Church).

[adamqd]

I'm English, yet of minimal intelligence, so I'll just refer you to Astor for my opinion lol ^^^

[Totenkopf]

Originally Posted by Mandalorian Knight

Would this be an overall analysis? Or are we focusing on other ares like the military, economic performance, etc?

Fairly open ended. Only caveat was to stick to your own country. Fire away.

[Miltiades]

Strengths: Strong democracy; excellent healthcare; great food tradition (chocolate, fries, beer,...); long history; multilingual; strong, independent media; core of the EU; strong secular state.

Weaknesses: Political impasses (two regions who can't agree with each other anymore); a monarchy; strong Catholic/conservative tradition (wavering, though), institutional and legislative laws are often chaotic; boring landscape.

I could keep going, of course, but I'll quit there.

[Darth InSidious]

Let's see, the UK is an intellectually, economically and culturally crippled ****hole surrounded by the tattered remnants of its past and incapable of deciding whether it hates this or not. Schizophrenic, broken, and, increasingly, illiterate, the key thing to understand about the British is that our term for both intelligence and education is 'pretentious'.

[Mandalorian Knight]

Strengths: Besides free speech like mimartin already mentioned, the first one that springs to my mind would be military strength.

Weaknesses: A lack of political foresight in the deployment of that military would be one.
A radical minority also causes problems, the media gives far too much attention to people who have no idea what they're talking about, which just leaves a bad taste in my mouth on principle.

[The Doctor]

Problems with Canada?

• Our military's equipment is mostly outdated. On the flip side, the Conservative government is looking to spend billions of dollars on new equipment that's untested and incomplete - and has on many occasions mislead Parliament as to the trust cost of the purchase.
• Our policies - or lack of same - regarding climate change are laughable.
• Our healthcare system, while certainly superior to that of the US, is on very shaky ground. The provinces reached a funding agreement with Ottawa a few years ago, due to expire in 2014 - and the Conservatives seem to be uninterested in either extending or replacing the deal.
• We just elected a Conservative majority government, headed by Stephen Harper. If that isn't a problem, I don't know what is.

[Hallucination]

Originally Posted by The Doctor

Problems with Canada?

• We just elected a Conservative majority government, headed by Stephen Harper. If that isn't a problem, I don't know what is.

Isn't an unstable coalition of losing socialist traitor visitors worse?

[Totenkopf]

Originally Posted by The Doctor

Problems with Canada?
......[*]Our healthcare system, while certainly superior to that of the US......[/list]

Perhaps you missed this:

Also, try to avoid comments like "B/c my country is better than yours, etc.."

This thread isn't supposed to be about anything other than your views of your own country w/o knocking others to make your point. thanks.

[Mandalorian Knight]

@Totenkopf, I think that it was meant as a factual statement; I'm American and from what I know, Canada factually has more effective health care system than ours.

That being said, I agree that this thread shouldn't degrade to criticizing another's country. But what if it is a fact that isn't meant to degrade the other country? Like if I were to state that the US had "x" number more tanks than [insert country here]? Would that be acceptable, provided that we kept it mature and stuck with factual information and not opinions?

[The Doctor]

Originally Posted by Hallucination

Isn't an unstable coalition of losing socialist traitor visitors worse?

Nope.

Originally Posted by Totenkopf

This thread isn't supposed to be about anything other than your views of your own country w/o knocking others to make your point. thanks.

I wasn't knocking anyone else's country. It's not my opinion that the Canadian healthcare system is superior to that of the US, it's a fact. It's more accessible, efficient, and effective. It's also a fact that Canada's healthcare system is inferior in several ways to those of both France and Switzerland. As well as a few other places, I'm sure, that I'm not aware of. I can acknowledge that without taking it as an attack on my home country. Sorry if I was misunderstood.

[Sabretooth]

Strengths

• Lots of people + emerging economy = potential
• Lots of languages and cultures, some very ancient
• Freedom of speech and democracy (considering other countries made independent in the era, it could have been much worse)
• Independent in international politics
• Something for everyone, in a way
• Neat flag
• Great food

Weaknesses

• Corruption, corruption everywhere
• Lots of people
• Lots of empty jingoism
• Very uneven development, stark economic disparity
• Political parties that function more like the mafia
• The media (especially the Hindi media), straight from hell
• Complicated social problems
• Freedom of speech + democracy means that anyone can stop anything useful from taking place
• Some unlucky economic decisions taken post-independence mean you have police officers with sten guns and enfields standing next to Porsches and high-rises
• Slow law & order that can be easily sidelined/bought

[Ctrl Alt Del]

I guess I'm the only active member from Brazil here so that's quite the responsibility.

Minuses

• People have no faith on elected officials, with good reason (esp. corruption)
• Violence, although limited to a few urban pockets
• Mass poverty
• Educational system that gets 99% of kids in school but can't keep 30% on the following years
• Widespred rejection to what's public. People feel they have to right to misuse public places as they see fit
• Public healthcare has mile-lenght lines. Patience is a must if your appointment.

Pluses

• Cosmopolitan, the whole country is easily the melting pot of the world
• Snowy plains, beaches, deserts, lush green fields, savannas, rainforests, mountain ranges... every landscape you can think of is here
• Being friendly is not an innate characteristic, we're taught to be like that since kids
• XXI century: been great so far for us, the feeling things are getting better is dominant
• Our national anthem: La Marseillaise is right with us in a most beautiful national anthem contest
• The inhabitants may face the greatest tribulations but one thing for sure: they'll keep thinking positively
• Jobs: If you want one and have the right credentials, now is a great time

Originally Posted by Sabretooth

• Neat flag
• Great food

[Totenkopf]

Originally Posted by TD

I wasn't knocking anyone else's country. It's not my opinion that the Canadian healthcare system is superior to that of the US, it's a fact. It's more accessible, efficient, and effective. It's also a fact that Canada's healthcare system is inferior in several ways to those of both France and Switzerland. As well as a few other places, I'm sure, that I'm not aware of. I can acknowledge that without taking it as an attack on my home country. Sorry if I was misunderstood.

Not saying you're trying to flame anybody indirectly or otherwise. Point was to avoid comparison statements that could lead another to interpret it as offensive and keep thread free of potential flamebait. You also could easily have said your system was better than Japan's, India's or Russia's and used the same defense. Basically trying to avoid a series of "our ***** are bigger than yours" tangents.

Originally Posted by Mandalorian Knight

That being said, I agree that this thread shouldn't degrade to criticizing another's country. But what if it is a fact that isn't meant to degrade the other country? Like if I were to state that the US had "x" number more tanks than [insert country here]? Would that be acceptable, provided that we kept it mature and stuck with factual information and not opinions?

Why not just say that "the US has a powerful military with impressive capabilities" or something similiar. Afterall, Iraq under SH had an impressive array of armor.....till it was largely decimated in '91. But outside of someone calling you (mildy or otherwise) delusional for your beliefs about your own country, they'd have no reason to flame you or your pov since it's limited to your own country and not theirs.

[Working Class Hero]

It's not my opinion that the Canadian healthcare system is superior to that of the US, it's a fact.

Lol, yes this has been scientifically verified and has been proven to be true. Americans are in awe of our northern neighbors health care system, since we see its veracity whenever they come southwards for their expensive operations.

[Totenkopf]

@WCH--I understand the sentiment, but that's exactly what I set out to avoid w/OP.

[Working Class Hero]

I'm not trying to unilaterally say that america's health care is superior than canada's. (because I don't think that it is)
My intention was to say that it's a tad ridiculous to proclaim a "better or worse" statement as fact.

[Totenkopf]

I meant sentiment as in "responding to someone's subjective claim as fact". Hence

Originally Posted by me

Basically trying to avoid a series of "our ***** are bigger than yours" tangents.

[Sabretooth]

Originally Posted by Ctrl Alt Del

I guess I'm the only active member from Brazil here so that's quite the responsibility.

Minuses

• People have no faith on elected officials, with good reason (esp. corruption)
• Violence, although limited to a few urban pockets
• Mass poverty
• Educational system that gets 99% of kids in school but can't keep 30% on the following years
• Widespred rejection to what's public. People feel they have to right to misuse public places as they see fit
• Public healthcare has mile-lenght lines. Patience is a must if your appointment.

Pluses

• Cosmopolitan, the whole country is easily the melting pot of the world
• Snowy plains, beaches, deserts, lush green fields, savannas, rainforests, mountain ranges... every landscape you can think of is here
• Being friendly is not an innate characteristic, we're taught to be like that since kids
• XXI century: been great so far for us, the feeling things are getting better is dominant
• Our national anthem: La Marseillaise is right with us in a most beautiful national anthem contest
• The inhabitants may face the greatest tribulations but one thing for sure: they'll keep thinking positively
  

I swear we live on opposite sides of the same country and either half of the country is made to believe that they live in India/Brazil. It's a huge ****ing conspiracy, I'm telling you. Nothing is real.

[Tommycat]

Originally Posted by The Doctor

It's not my opinion that the Canadian healthcare system is superior to that of the US, it's a fact.

Nope, it's an opinion. An entirely subjective opinion. I could just as easily say that the US's private healthcare system is better than the Canadian system, but that too would be opinion. Terms like "better" or "worse" are dependent on personal preference. You could have avoided this tangent by saying that you like the Canadian health care system's ease of access. You didn't have to mention the US health care system at all.

As to the US, I think our greatest strength is our military. We are literally all over the world. And anywhere we are not, we can be in a very short time. We offer not only military aid, but also humanitarian aid.

Another strength is our diversity. We have mixtures of most cultures.

That's one of our minor weaknesses though. Because of our diversity, there is a bit of infighting...

The way we generally use our military. We do put them in places they had no business being. Not just Iraq, but quite a number of our armed conflicts we could have and should have avoided.

[mimartin]

Originally Posted by Totenkopf

Focus on your own country and not someone elses as this should cut down on flaming or cheapshots. Also, try to avoid comments like "B/c my country is better than yours, etc.."

Originally Posted by Totenkopf

This thread isn't supposed to be about anything other than your views of your own country w/o knocking others to make your point. thanks.

Originally Posted by Totenkopf

Point was to avoid comparison statements that could lead another to interpret it as offensive and keep thread free of potential flamebait. You also could easily have said your system was better than Japan's, India's or Russia's and used the same defense. Basically trying to avoid a series of "our ***** are bigger than yours" tangents.

Originally Posted by Totenkopf

I understand the sentiment, but that's exactly what I set out to avoid w/OP.

Please Totenkoph has respectfully asked we obey his request when commenting in this thread multiple times. Please show him a little respect and either do as he requested or find another thread to post in.
Thanks
mimartin

[Astor]

Originally Posted by Tommycat

As to the US, I think our greatest strength is our military. We are literally all over the world. And anywhere we are not, we can be in a very short time. We offer not only military aid, but also humanitarian aid.

I am always amazed and impressed that there always seems to be a US Aircraft Carrier within a day's travel of any military/humanitarian crisis.

[Sabretooth]

Originally Posted by Astor

I am always amazed and impressed that there always seems to be a US Aircraft Carrier within a day's travel of any military/humanitarian crisis.

Sure you didn't miss "suspicious"?

[Mandalorian Knight]

Originally Posted by Totenkopf

Why not just say that "the US has a powerful military with impressive capabilities" or something similiar. Afterall, Iraq under SH had an impressive array of armor.....till it was largely decimated in '91. But outside of someone calling you (mildy or otherwise) delusional for your beliefs about your own country, they'd have no reason to flame you or your pov since it's limited to your own country and not theirs.

Alright. I understand now.

And the US military has amazing capabilities. In addition to the ability to project power with aircraft carriers, we can deploy a battalion of Rangers anywhere in the world in around 18 hours.

The infighting, IMO, is less a diversity issue and more a political one. Neither side seems to agree on anything, but instead of reaching a consensus they continue to bicker.

And @Ctrl Alt Del, what do you mean by misuse of public places? Just curious.

[Pavlos]

Originally Posted by Ctrl Alt Del

[*]XXI century: been great so far for us, the feeling things are getting better is dominant

Hear ye the voice of grand old Europus.
He thunders through the shades in a rusting voice:
Learn that to all things there is an ending
And hear the howl that youth can be lost.
The trees of the field are green with the spring,
Yet that falls at first hail and frost. Man's glory
Dies as the blossom of the trees, before death takes their green.

So, yeah... in Britain it's pretty grim.

[Primogen]

Of course we've got a carrier within 24 hours of most crises - we've got -thirteen- of them, and they're pretty damn fast.

[Tommycat]

Originally Posted by Primogen

Of course we've got a carrier within 24 hours of most crises - we've got -thirteen- of them, and they're pretty damn fast.

Officially: US carriers can go in excess of 30 knots...

Unofficially: That number must have been gathered while dragging anchors...

I thought it was 11.. Am I missing a couple?

[Totenkopf]

Originally Posted by Tommycat

Officially: US carriers can go in excess of 30 knots...

Unofficially: That number must have been gathered while dragging anchors...

I thought it was 11.. Am I missing a couple?

According to this link, you're correct....w/another in the pipeline.
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/where.htm

[mimartin]

You two are not counting the 2 super secret submarine carriers. They include the flux capacitor at no extra charge.

[Blix]

Obesity...oh wait that isn't necessarily a weakness or a strength just a problem, let me get back to you.

[Tommycat]

Originally Posted by mimartin

You two are not counting the 2 super secret submarine carriers. They include the flux capacitor at no extra charge.

Technically, there could be two that are considered super secret submarine carriers.... though they are not necessarily in service(that we know of *puts on tinfoil hat*)

[Ctrl Alt Del]

Added something to my list:
Jobs: If you want one and have the right credentials, now is a great time

Originally Posted by Sabretooth

I swear we live on opposite sides of the same country and either half of the country is made to believe that they live in India/Brazil. It's a huge ****ing conspiracy, I'm telling you. Nothing is real.

Yeah, reading your post it seems like your description could easily be used in my country and vice versa. Sure we have a billion less people hanging around here but our analysis are... huh, qualitative, not quantitive.

Originally Posted by Mandalorian Knight

And @Ctrl Alt Del, what do you mean by misuse of public places? Just curious.

Well, people tend to think somewhere/something that was meant for public use/access belongs to them and act accordingly, doesn't matter if it gets in someone's way. For instance, it's not rare to see someone walking their dog on the beach even if that's not allowed, potentially ruining a random bather's day.

Originally Posted by Pavlos

So, yeah... in Britain it's pretty grim.

BRICS, G20... even it's just a false impression in some cases, the world is definetly changing.

[Mandalorian Knight]

Originally Posted by Tommycat

Technically, there could be two that are considered super secret submarine carriers.... though they are not necessarily in service(that we know of *puts on tinfoil hat*)

This reminds me of another strength: we clearly have a large amount of super intelligent people. I mean, there are so many who are clearly brilliant enough to see through the government conspiracies about 9/11, immunization programs, and the JFK assassination. Thankfully all these amazing minds are here in America.

Oh wait, I forgot. Those people are crazy

(Not implying that you're crazy, Tommycat; the tinfoil hat jab was too good to pass up )

[Sabretooth]

Originally Posted by Mandalorian Knight

This reminds me of another strength: we clearly have a large amount of super intelligent people. I mean, there are so many who are clearly brilliant enough to see through the government conspiracies about 9/11, immunization programs, and the JFK assassination. Thankfully all these amazing minds are here in America.

Oh wait, I forgot. Those people are crazy

To be honest, I'd be grateful for that. There are places in the world where you can't say "government" without "is great". Try spreading news that the Sichuan Earthquake was somehow engineered by the Chinese government in China and see how long you last.

[Miltiades]

Originally Posted by Sabretooth

To be honest, I'd be grateful for that. There are places in the world where you can't say "government" without "is great". Try spreading news that the Sichuan Earthquake was somehow engineered by the Chinese government in China and see how long you last.

Tsk. Tsk. The rules. They have been broken.

Anyway, speaking of governments: here, we could criticize the government IF WE HAD ONE. Seriously, for the moment, all we can criticize on is our lack of government. This gets me to one other strength, however: the impact of a lack of government is minimal, due to strong regional governments who have a lot of authority and an exiting federal government that still has some authority. Yeah, that's Belgium for you.

[Mandalorian Knight]

Originally Posted by Sabretooth

To be honest, I'd be grateful for that. There are places in the world where you can't say "government" without "is great". Try spreading news that the Sichuan Earthquake was somehow engineered by the Chinese government in China and see how long you last.

I agree wholeheartedly that free speech is vital. However, just because people have the right to talk about whatever they want to doesn't mean they are qualified to. I have no doubt that in the next few months we'll see a number of conspiracies involving Bin Laden.

The problem, IMO, is that the people think that because people have the ability to talk about whatever issue they wish they think they are qualified. One of the examples I used was 9/11. There are a multitude of theories that have been propagated by people who have no understanding of how buildings collapse, what is required to collapse a building, and what happens when airplanes hit the ground. This, coupled with the media giving their claims credibility is a major problem.

I intended it as a joke, but you raise a good point. I hope I've made my meaning clear.

[Pavlos]

Originally Posted by Miltiades

Anyway, speaking of governments: here, we could criticize the government IF WE HAD ONE. Seriously, for the moment, all we can criticize on is our lack of government. This gets me to one other strength, however: the impact of a lack of government is minimal, due to strong regional governments who have a lot of authority and an exiting federal government that still has some authority. Yeah, that's Belgium for you.

Whereas, if such a thing were to happen in Britain, the country would currently be experiencing its first civil war since 1651. The trouble with having the 'mother of all Parliaments' is that when your political system dates back at least to 1688 it tends to be a little rusty. Even more so if it really does date back to that contract Ethelred the Unready signed with his noblemen...

Tom Paine thought it was insufficient in the 18th century and, well, it probably still is today.