'Murica! (133 Viewers)

Hust

Senior Member
Hustini
May 29, 2005
93,703
Since we're all about anecdotal evidence here, I know a devout Christian conservative who has a company, and is a pastor of a church. He donates every cent of income from his company to his own church, and pays a salary to himself and his children. On top of that, he collects a salary from UT Austin because he's a tenured professor.
His company conducts research projects for US Army and Navy, and whenever somebody from Navy shows up for a visit, he always dresses up in his pastoral robes. This devout Christian conservative probably games the system as much as thousands of "lazy" welfare collectors combined.
Your point?
 

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Maddy

Oracle of Copenhagen
Jul 10, 2009
16,545
:tup:

That's the difference between winners and losers no matter what country you're in.

You failed? Okay, adjust and try again.
But that's not the interesting discussion. Hard work have always been the road to succes. We are talking about what society/system that creates the most "winners" and is the most succesful in moving people from "loser"-stigma to "winner"-mark.

Empirical evidence points towards western european societies (especially scandinavia) as being the most succesful ie. the winners here, and that America since Reagan not only have been overtaken by many countries but is now moving fewer and fewer people from poverty to middle class ie. a dying american dream - this is getting worse for every generation born [so far].

Hustini's anecdotal nonsense+red herrings+ad hominem is just a simple mind that can't handle the reality (why his mind isn't able to have already been explained).
 

Hust

Senior Member
Hustini
May 29, 2005
93,703
:tup:

That's the difference between winners and losers no matter what country you're in.

You failed? Okay, adjust and try again.
My simple mind can’t handle evidence, apparently. Our population is 323,000,000 but let’s assume 4050 people surveyed accurately projects the feelings of the remaining 322,995,950 people that weren’t surveyed that live in 50 states all with different social structure, laws, regulations etc. in a politically charged study.
 

Hust

Senior Member
Hustini
May 29, 2005
93,703
Majority of Christian conservatives I've come across are just assholes who happen to go to church. They're nothing like what you described.
Different worlds I guess. I know my fair share of what you describe, sure. But I know more that do things locally like at schools, neighborhood level, etc.
 

Ronn

Senior Member
May 3, 2012
20,899
Different worlds I guess. I know my fair share of what you describe, sure. But I know more that do things locally like at schools, neighborhood level, etc.
Out of curiosity, how do you justify 70% of evangelical Christians voting for Trump despite him being nothing like a Christian man?
 

Hust

Senior Member
Hustini
May 29, 2005
93,703
Out of curiosity, how do you justify 70% of evangelical Christians voting for Trump despite him being nothing like a Christian man?
I don’t base my vote from religion. I keep that separate. You’d have to ask them what their justification is. I didn’t vote this election as you already know.

May as well ask why the 30% percent voted differently.
 

Ronn

Senior Member
May 3, 2012
20,899
I don’t base my vote from religion. I keep that separate. You’d have to ask them what their justification is. I didn’t vote this election as you already know.

May as well ask why the 30% percent voted differently.
I asked what YOUR opinion is, since you are defending conservative Christians here. I don't even know if you are Christian or not.
To me voting for someone who has no empathy for anybody except himself and his family is a big indicator that roughly 70% of them are hypocrites who are only Christian in name, hence my point.
 

Post Ironic

Senior Member
Feb 9, 2013
42,253
But that's not the interesting discussion. Hard work have always been the road to succes. We are talking about what society/system that creates the most "winners" and is the most succesful in moving people from "loser"-stigma to "winner"-mark.

Empirical evidence points towards western european societies (especially scandinavia) as being the most succesful ie. the winners here, and that America since Reagan not only have been overtaken by many countries but is now moving fewer and fewer people from poverty to middle class ie. a dying american dream - this is getting worse for every generation born [so far].

Hustini's anecdotal nonsense+red herrings+ad hominem is just a simple mind that can't handle the reality (why his mind isn't able to have already been explained).
:agree:

I'm not even sure what he's actually trying to argue. All actual evidence and studies show that upward social mobility in the US has become incredibly poor in relation to other first world countries, and is progressively getting worse. It also shows that the American public education system is going to absolute shit which quite obviously limits upward social mobility even further for Those that are raised in poverty.

Anecdotes about one's own success in climbing the ladder and a few examples here and there of others means absolutely nothing. Of course it's possible, the point is that it's far more unlikely in America post-Reagan.
 

Maddy

Oracle of Copenhagen
Jul 10, 2009
16,545
:agree:

I'm not even sure what he's actually trying to argue. All actual evidence and studies show that upward social mobility in the US has become incredibly poor in relation to other first world countries, and is progressively getting worse. It also shows that the American public education system is going to absolute shit which quite obviously limits upward social mobility even further for Those that are raised in poverty.

Anecdotes about one's own success in climbing the ladder and a few examples here and there of others means absolutely nothing. Of course it's possible, the point is that it's far more unlikely in America post-Reagan.
A Canadian agreeing with a European. What's new? That Climate Change is man made?? lel Don't you know we have other facts in 'Murica. Fox News told me :kellyanne:

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:agree:

I'm not even sure what he's actually trying to argue. All actual evidence and studies show that upward social mobility in the US has become incredibly poor in relation to other first world countries, and is progressively getting worse. It also shows that the American public education system is going to absolute shit which quite obviously limits upward social mobility even further for Those that are raised in poverty.

Anecdotes about one's own success in climbing the ladder and a few examples here and there of others means absolutely nothing. Of course it's possible, the point is that it's far more unlikely in America post-Reagan.
Ridicule aside. It's odd; if economic mobility and the middle class were decreasing in Denmark, I would be worried and looking for answers and solutions to this. I mean the greatest story of America is how it managed to create a large middle class with the best living conditions in the World, despite many of these folks coming from hardship (40s-70s). America without this mobility will create a profound basis for populism, racial and cultural clashes and segregation of groups.

Oh, wait.. Trump.
 

Hust

Senior Member
Hustini
May 29, 2005
93,703
:agree:

I'm not even sure what he's actually trying to argue. All actual evidence and studies show that upward social mobility in the US has become incredibly poor in relation to other first world countries, and is progressively getting worse. It also shows that the American public education system is going to absolute shit which quite obviously limits upward social mobility even further for Those that are raised in poverty.

Anecdotes about one's own success in climbing the ladder and a few examples here and there of others means absolutely nothing. Of course it's possible, the point is that it's far more unlikely in America post-Reagan.
I'm arguing that it isn't a lie. It's entirely possible.
 

Post Ironic

Senior Member
Feb 9, 2013
42,253
I'm arguing that it isn't a lie. It's entirely possible.
I think everyone here agrees with the fact it's entirely possible. It's also entirely possible in Liberia and Chechnya even if far more unlikely than in America. I'm sure I could find examples in third world civil war zones of people escaping circumstance and making something more of themselves. Does that mean I should label everyone who doesn't a failure in those countries too, or say they just didn't try hard enough or attempt enough different paths to success?

No one wants to discuss whether upward social mobility and the American dream are possible in the right circumstance or not. The relevant discussion is with regard to understanding why upward social mobility and the "American dream" have become so much more difficult to attain over the last 35 years.
 

king Ale

Senior Member
Oct 28, 2004
21,689
This picture's pretty much on point, when it comes to dumbass 'muricans such as Hustini's ignorance and naivety when it comes to 'the american dream'

DWWO1H6VoAAJlGO.jpg


But but but but it's MY american dream :baus:
The US is so big and diverse and different from one place to another that you should really take that data with a pinch of salt. You can of course interpret what you presented as Americans being dumb and naive, but I personally think being optimistic about one's ability to turn things around, even if exaggerated, is a positive trait, especially when compared to the sheer pessimism you see in Europeans as presented in the data.

Watch this:

 

Maddy

Oracle of Copenhagen
Jul 10, 2009
16,545
The US is so big and diverse and different from one place to another that you should really take that data with a pinch of salt. You can of course interpret what you presented as Americans being dumb and naive, but I personally think being optimistic about one's ability to turn things around, even if exaggerated, is a positive trait, especially when compared to the sheer pesimism you see in Europeans as presented in the data.
Liek wat? :lol:

Let's just say you didn't get it at all. And by it I mean the point of my post.
 

Maddy

Oracle of Copenhagen
Jul 10, 2009
16,545
Let's just say you didn't watch that Ted talk.
Never claimed I did.

- - - Updated - - -

No one wants to discuss whether upward social mobility and the American dream are possible in the right circumstance or not. The relevant discussion is with regard to understanding why upward social mobility and the "American dream" have become so much more difficult to attain over the last 35 years.
Thing is, we can write this over and over again, and we can deliver empirical evidence. It won't change a thing for Hustini. To him it's a fundamental question of belief. If he doesn't believe it, it doesn't exist. He isn't capable of removing himself from this, and with this stubborness begins a merry-go-round of derailing and fallacies.

He'll never admit to being wrong or just ignorant on the matter. Instead he'll either ignore or start the merry-go-round again.
 

king Ale

Senior Member
Oct 28, 2004
21,689
Liek wat? :lol:

Let's just say you didn't get it at all. And by it I mean the point of my post.
Really watch the video I posted. Americans are indeed optimistic about what they can achieve relative to what they actually end up achieving but upward mobility varies strikingly from one state to another, which is important when looking at such data that you posted. That aside, from a personal standpoint, I think it's better for a people to be optimistic than pessimistic about how much control they have over their life outcomes. I hope this teen aprropriate rephrasing of my post helped you understand what I said this time.
 

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