I’ve always thought “best country” was just another empty, meaningless slogan that doesn’t bear any analysis. What does it actually mean; best at what, for whom, compared with what etc, etc. etc . . . put it alongside ‘war on drugs’, ‘war on terrorism’ as comfort food and, to an extent, brainwashing, for the hard of thinking. IMHO.
One assumes whoever uses the term picks it up from their own media and/or fellow countrymen/women, and the US is big on slogans than anywhere else I’ve ever visited (though it’s interesting another ‘slogan’ country Singapore is also mentioned.
Perhaps it might be as pertinent to ask, why are slogans necessary and how come they work in some countries ?
You may be thinking of a few people jumping the wall at the height of the cold war… But really, since then few nations have had that problem.
And there is nothing wrong with thinking your nation is the “best”, although it can cause problems (The first world war comes to mind…)
Really, when you think about it, all you’re saying is “Hey, you! People on that side of an imaginary line! We’re better than you! Haha, look at me and my fellow people who happen to be on this side of this line. We do in fact rock. Yay.”
I remember wasting hours doing that shit when I was 8 or so, making snow forts. Childish, really.
Well, his inhabitions were more relaxed…so normally he’s not bragging about America being the best, but this time he was (due to alcohol), which suggests that he normally keeps that thought to himself. Like I said, I wasn’t defending drunken table declarations (though I still find it hilarious) I was defending the thought.
I don’t know if anyone has bgrought this up, but I think it has to do with America’s lone super power status. American’s claiming that America is the best (and maybe by extension that American ways, beliefs, or customs are the best) when combined with the lone super power aspect gives rise to the possibility that Americans are willing to use said status to shove those ways, beliefs, or customs down people’s throats.
Note, I’m not talking about a rational fear here. I’m not suggesting that very many people worry about being attacked. Just that it seems more rude for an American to boast than for an Englishman because of the super power thing.
And I agree with other who have suggested that Americans tend to be quite ignorant about international affairs. So brags seem like so much fart gas in many cases.
I suppose that depends where you are. An Englishman bragging about his country being the best wouldn’t go down too well here in Ireland, either, and I suspect the Scots might also have something to say about it.
Having traveled to some 50 countries while living in 3 of them, I don’t think any country is “best”. Some are nicer places to live than other for sure…
The UAE is a nicer place to live than the US in my opinion, although most places in the US have a better climate than the UAE. In Prague, it was very nice to be able to live well and not need a car to get around. On the other hand, I think Reno, Nevada (US) is a better place to live than Bucharest for a variety of reasons.
Believing your country is best just shows that the believer has little experience of other countries, or has some strange egotism, or some insecurity that they need to bolster against.
It is just one of a huge set of quotes made by foolish people who cannot distinguish between preference and fact. “UK is my favorite country” is sensible, “UK is the best country” is not.
Tryrve gives the view of someone who has traveled.
Oh goody, I’ve got a perfect example of this on another forum I read now. An American has just described America as “the greatest country in the world ever” … right after saying that the reason it’s so great is because it gives more benefits than any other country in the world to its poor citizens.
I’m sure the Scandinavians on the forum got a big kick out of that!
The United Nations ranked Canada third on its Human Development Index in 2002. Canada has established a reputation for outstanding living conditions, earning the UN’s top ranking for seven consecutive years, from 1994 to 2000. The country’s standard of living, health care system, educational attainment, housing, cultural and recreational facilities, level of public safety and tourist opportunities are all of an exceptionally high quality.
Rank Country
1 Norway
2 Sweden
3 Canada
4 Belgium
5 Australia
6 U.S.A.
7 Iceland
8 Netherlands
9 Japan
10 Finland
11 Switzerland
12 France
13 U.K.
14 Denmark
15 Austria
reads like the Eurovision Song Contest writ large, to me - L’Irlande, nil points ?
The “US is best” mentality reminds me of the rednecks in my hometown who go around with their flags hanging off the back of their pickup trucks and Toby Keith blaring from the stereo. It isn’t an attractive thought.
I enjoy living in the US, but I would never say that we’re the best. I haven’t travelled enough to know that. Plus, I think different countries all have something to offer that may or may not be as good as what we have here.
Hardly. Besides the economic factor (which is no small thing), there’s also such a thing as social inertia. The majority of people aren’t simply going abandon family, friends, and an established life for purely geographic or political preferences. Furthermore, for the most part in the West, government intrudes on a minimal portion of our lives–it demands taxes, sure, but usually asks us little else except a respect for the rights of others. Thus it’s difficult to see what political reason would reasonably drive one out of a relatively free and developed nation. Beyond a compilation of serious miscarriages of justice or a relatively small subset of issues vitally important to a certain minority, the majority will stay put. For most people, the trouble to make the move is more than the trouble of dealing with whatever annoys them.
Moreover, even between many Western countries, one can’t simply change sides like an ad hoc football game. If you wanted to move between the US and UK, which are on quite friendly terms, neither country necessarily has to allow you to come in. (And from what I’ve read, getting a permanent visa in either of those countries is no easy process.)
That’s a pretty interesting list and remarkable in that it isn’t just a list of the G8 countries in order. I find that surprising.
L-C, I am sure there are many many reasons why Ireland doesn’t feature on that list. I am hoping that it is not in the education index, but as I am not an economist, maybe one could pop along and tell us how that works.
In other words, we agree that there are no major differences in the overall “grade” we would award most “Western” countries. Not enough to merit too much agitation, anyway.
You have a point there. Then again, if the differences were meaningful, people would find ways of moving… and many people would risk living as illegal aliens in the “better” country (as witnessed daily at the Rio Grande, for example)
Still boils down to “If you really don’t like it here, try someplace else” (if you don’t live in a country that restricts your travel. If you do, I think we both agree that it is not “best”)