• Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
    • Access to private conversations with other members.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!

Is America getting better?

Is the United States getting better?

  • Yes

    Votes: 10 35.7%
  • No

    Votes: 21 75.0%

  • Total voters
    28

Epic Beard Man

Bearded Philosopher
Video by Vice which is relatively short I thought offered some interesting points of views which had some culturally polar views on the U.S. as a whole


So, is the U.S. getting any better? If so why, and if not, why not?
 

PureX

Veteran Member
If a nation-sized shopping mall is what one thinks "getting better" looks like, then I guess it's getting better. But if, like me, you hoped for something more than this for humanity, or even just for your fellow citizens, then no, it's not getting better. It's just getting uglier, and more pointless, by the day.
 

Stevicus

Veteran Member
Staff member
Premium Member
Video by Vice which is relatively short I thought offered some interesting points of views which had some culturally polar views on the U.S. as a whole


So, is the U.S. getting any better? If so why, and if not, why not?

Well, since multiple votes are allowed, I voted both "yes" and "no."

Of course, the video is talking about whether America is better or worse in the past three years, which is too short a time frame to make any kind of meaningful judgment.

I might look at it from the standpoint of the past 20, 30, or perhaps even 50 years.

I would base the perception of "getting better" not just considering the state of things as they are now, but whether there's good reason to believe that things will be better in the future.

I remember as a kid growing up, there was a lot of talk about the future and where we were headed as a country - some filled with bright optimism of a glowing future, while others predicted the absolute end of civilization - such as a nuclear war or some great calamity. But there was also a sense of political activism and a strong belief among the people that the choice was theirs to make.

There was still a belief that people could make a difference and take a stand, but I think that that belief has diminished greatly in recent decades. I've noticed a certain attitude of complacency and/or defeatist coming from different quarters.

Even those who might be among the "optimists" tend to have this idea that America can't get any better, so there's no use in even trying. The "pessimists" think that the system is rigged and the Powers That Be are just sooooo powerful and diabolical that the people don't have a snowball's chance in hell...so there's no use in even trying.

I tend to reject both views. The people can make a difference and make America better, but too many are just passive and compliant, too willing to defer to others.
 

Thief

Rogue Theologian
I watch reports made by people who once held important office

Robert Reich …..labor dude
Greenspan......money dude
a bundle of farmers.....having lost to big corp
doctors exposing health scams and practices

so on and so on

and no
America is doomed to implode

have bullets?
 

Thief

Rogue Theologian
in the mean time.....
the national debt spirals upward
the next generation is doomed to permanent debt
and the labor market will drain to only the 'fortunate' who know somebody who knows somebody

the end is near
 

Nakosis

Non-Binary Physicalist
Premium Member
I see America as constantly changing. Good in some cases, bad in some cases.

What I see as most important is how I'm dealing with the changes.

Life is going to change without my permission. Life (me living here in America) in general gets better for me as I become more capable of dealing with whatever life throws at me. I don't know about the rest of you.
 

sun rise

The world is on fire
Premium Member
the video is talking about whether America is better or worse in the past three years, which is too short a time frame to make any kind of meaningful judgment.

I voted <yes>.
I can't make a strong argument for this.
I see the other side too.
But I'm an optimist, & inclined to be positive.

If we look at the long term trend I agree with @Revoltingest This country was born with wonderful ideals and ugly reality. Slowly, too slowly, we've been getting closer to have our actions reflect our ideals.

It took a horrible war to end slavery. It took years of struggle for women to get the vote and still that struggle for equality in action continues with women getting paid less than men on average.

The struggle against bigotry in all its forms continues. Sometimes the bigots are in ascendance and sometimes it's more subtle and underground. I had a black lady the other day say that in-your-face racism in the south was easier to take than polite, liberal racism. I saw her point. But at least institutional racism is not what it was during my youth.

Right now we see the polarity between those who want to turn the clock back and those who want to build a future. And of course the struggle is messy.

But I'm optimistic in the long term that we'll emerge from the current fight as a better nation. So my attitude is per aspera ad astra (through difficulties to the stars)
 

Twilight Hue

Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
Video by Vice which is relatively short I thought offered some interesting points of views which had some culturally polar views on the U.S. as a whole


So, is the U.S. getting any better? If so why, and if not, why not?
I think so. I would say we are far more progressive and comfortable than we used to be. That said, we also digressed in areas where the past was much better than now.

Especially in terms of collective freedoms and liberties for individuals. Slavery and racism notwithstanding.
 

PureX

Veteran Member
I see America as constantly changing. Good in some cases, bad in some cases.

What I see as most important is how I'm dealing with the changes.

Life is going to change without my permission. Life (me living here in America) in general gets better for me as I become more capable of dealing with whatever life throws at me. I don't know about the rest of you.
Surviving the endless thunderstorm isn't living, though. Not for humans. We need more then this to make living count for something. As greed has more and more become the primary motivation for all our actions in this country, we have less and less time or energy to seek out or create meaning for ourselves. And it all eventually just becomes meaningless, and exhausting. The endless "Battle for the Baubles". I think most of us are just getting sick to death of it.
 
Last edited:

Nakosis

Non-Binary Physicalist
Premium Member
Surviving the endless thunderstorm isn't living, though. Not for humans. We need more then this to make living count for something. As greed has more and more become the primary motivation for all our actions in this country, we have less and less time or energy to seek out or create meaning for ourselves. And it all eventually just becomes meaningless, and exhausting. The endless "Battle for the Baubles". I think most of us are just getting sick to death of it.

I don't need much myself to be happy. I don't see it as "surviving" as much as finding creative ways to be happy.

 

Evangelicalhumanist

"Truth" isn't a thing...
Premium Member
I voted "no," but as I'm an outsider looking in, I doubt y'all will care.

Overarching almost everything I see, from my standpoint way up north (where We the North keep the Raptors and Bianca Andreescu) is how incredibly divided Americans appear to be. I've lived a long time, and I don't believe I've ever seen a nation that sees "eye-to-throat" the way you are doing now. The lack of civility in political debate is something that's hard to watch, but then I'm from another era, anyway.

Comments about the economy always give me the willies, since these things can (and do) change on a dime. Nothing that government does can force a sustainable economic growth -- the piper always needs to be paid, or he'll take your kids.
 

Shad

Veteran Member
Surviving the endless thunderstorm isn't living, though. Not for humans. We need more then this to make living count for something. As greed has more and more become the primary motivation for all our actions in this country, we have less and less time or energy to seek out or create meaning for ourselves. And it all eventually just becomes meaningless, and exhausting. The endless "Battle for the Baubles". I think most of us are just getting sick to death of it.

Smacks of envy.
 

Epic Beard Man

Bearded Philosopher
Of course, the video is talking about whether America is better or worse in the past three years, which is too short a time frame to make any kind of meaningful judgment.

I think it was in relation to Trump’s presidency I thought that was pretty obvious.
 

gnomon

Well-Known Member
Video by Vice which is relatively short I thought offered some interesting points of views which had some culturally polar views on the U.S. as a whole


So, is the U.S. getting any better? If so why, and if not, why not?

Better from what?
 
Last edited:
Top