For better countries, try most European and Scandinavian countries, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, possibly Uruguay and Chile too.
Sorry, but the US is WAY down the list. Maybe not even in the top 40.
The US has huge negatives like no UHC, Civil Asset Forfeiture, and the whole political divisiveness. And most people’s first impressions of America - their airports - is not the best. The best American airport is apparently Denver, a lowly 31st in the top 100. And who travels direct to Denver?
LOL so no facts, just your opinion. Ok.
Not Switzerland, unless you’re going to count “soldiers and LEOs in active duty” as being un-licensed.
That’s a curious “and”. The Alice in Wonderland kind of curious.
I could see that if he said ‘or’, but as he said it…well, ok. It’s kind of weird, but makes more sense than if he’d used an ‘or’. But perhaps he wants something in Europe that is also in Scandinavia, but not in, say, France or Eastern Europe or something? Or maybe he’s not using Boolean logic. I think that the poster in question is from the UK, so I’m fairly sure he’s well aware that the Scandinavian countries are, in fact, in Europe, so I don’t think it’s that.
Thanks for proving my point.
FWIW I’m cool with the USA–it’s got the apparatus in place to be The Best in the world, and will be once we get the thin-skinned “vocal minorities” from both ends of the political spectrum to either grow up or get out. There’s weird shit going down here for sure: we shoot each other more than most countries, but given the number of actual firearms in circulation it’s probably not so bad (anyone got international stats for fatal shootings per firearm?); our infrastructure ain’t in good shape, but can be made the envy of the world should we decide that’s what we want; we have our share of warts, yeah, but we have the resources to address them in a way other countries just don’t. The USA isn’t like other countries because we’re not other countries.
That’s true of every single country on Earth, you know. Off-Earth too, if there is such a thing as countries off-Earth.
Israeli gun laws are much stricter than anywhere in the United States. Unless you’re serving in some sort of official government capacity, there’s virtually no chance you’ll ever touch a long arm - and pistol licensing is fairly draconian, too.
I’ve got to say Norway. Not only have I heard excellent things about their healthcare and social things, what I hear says the people are friendly and the social environment is great, and perhaps most of all, I would very much want to live in some of those towns I see pictures of with magnificent views of those beautiful, beautiful fjords.
Pluses: Safer. Cleaner. Less expensive than where I live now (San Francisco). Dynamite public transportation, you really don’t need (or want) a car, plus everyone also walks a lot. Did I mention cleaner? Times 1,000. Plenty of water, from rain and snow melt. Aware of problems looming due to aging population and committed to solutions (except for having more babies of course). People are polite, at least until they know you well. Climate runs the gamut from nearly Alaska-like to sub-tropical, whatever you want. Delicious healthy food readily available everywhere.
Minuses: I can’t become a citizen, and I can’t own property. Language can be an issue, although English speakers can usually get by, and anyway, one can learn. Country imports many necessary substances like oil. History of earthquakes. Annual typhoons may be getting worse. Almost all furnishings are too small for me.
Location: Japan.
Truly, it’s the last minus that keeps me from wanting to actually move there. Every time I go, I can’t wait to leave so that I can stretch out and be comfortable. But if I had my own (rented) place that I could furnish myself, I think it would be much easier.
Astute and correct as always. But I suppose that was obliquely my point, perhaps made in the wrong thread. Everyplace is better than everyplace else, depending on what you’re after.
Slartibartfast would be proud.
See, you’re pining already! 
(And yes, I know, but how can I pass up such an excuse to reference both Python and Adams?)
Scribble, I’m on my phone and can’t easily cut and paste from your long post, but I think your political consideration of absolutely equally weighted votes and government elections decided exactly by the popular vote is a very difficult one to meet.
The only country that I can think of that meets that requirement is Israel, with a purely proportional vote. That may work in such a small country, but it’s difficult to see it working in a larger country or a federation.
Does it work in Israel? Seems like no.
I feel like the places I once wanted to live (not a long list) are becoming untenable. Britain is falling apart, and France looks like sliding into political paralysis at best.
Who said you can’t own property or become a citizen in Japan? You most certainly can do both. In most (all?) other asian countries foriegners cannot own property without limitations, but you can in Japan. Come to Japan - in fact, come to Kansai, I’ll show you around! I’ve always said I’ll leave when it gets boring for me, like Australia did when I was 26. It hasn’t got boring yet - every day I see beautiful scenery and magnificent temples, each with their own rich history. There is a lot of shit xenophobia and small mindedness, but also a lot of nice people and rich history everywhere you go. Just learn how to shop for shoes online.
No rabies in Aus dude
Australian Bat Lyssavirus…
Don’t write us all off just yet. The politicians may be doing their best to make us look tragic, but the rest of the population in both countries are going about living normal first world lives as ever.
Here is, I believe, the best way to answer this thread question.
Pretend that you lived in an imaginary world much like earth, in an era where countries still sometimes went to war with each other to conquer valuable land, that had hundreds of countries that all differed in size and resources and population and everything else. You have the god-like power to design your own country and live in it.
I suspect that the highest priority of design choice, for most people, would be something like this:
Firstly,
A big country with many different kinds of beautiful and comfortable climates and a lot of natural resources including energy and arable land.
Few borders with other countries.
That’s the start. After that you want to design the society.
A population big enough to form a massive defense force but not so big that resources become uncomfortably scarce.
A booming economy that can pay for that defense force and more.
A developed legal system based on a notion of fairness, that is independent of wealth and class.
You might prioritize other designs choices, that’s fine. What would you chose and why? And what would be the closest approximation of that as a country in today’s real world?
I vaguely remember something called “Behind the veil” or something as a test. Basically you get born into a country with absolutely no control over the circumstances. Parents, ethnic group, gender, social class.
Which country would you pick?
Everyone, in every country has a different measure of greatness of course. And my country always ranks pretty high in these things. I find I agree, but not for much of what’s most often mentioned, but for our values. We have great healthcare because we highly value everyone being covered. I’m more about our values than about their manifestations, I guess.