Do you think America is on a downhill path?

[CaliGuy]

Just curious what everyone thinks about this nation of ours, and more importantly, the future of this country.

It seems to be that in recent years we have become one of the most, if not the most, hated nation on the planet (and it's no secret why). All great empires have come to an end one way or another.

It seems to me that our culture here has become so decadent and close minded (or maybe just blind) to the rest of the world...it really saddens me

For the above reasons I'm currently saving my money in order to move permanently to Europe...I can no longer sit by and watch our culture and nation continue to crumble...Yes, I could just stop reading the news and thinking (like many Americans), but I just can't do that...

The above has really been eating at me for some time. I suppose I will be taking the wise advice of "love it or leave it"...

What do you think good people of the Ocho?

[MyFirstCivic@35]

Millions of new illegals every year... they can't be hating us that bad.

[striker_1818]

Europe will be the first to go down
then the US will follow those steps. People often realize things when it's already too late.
BTW, Didn't many people before the Iraq war started that we were gonna invade Iraq then Iran...
Iraq we have invaded for no reason at all. Now, we're really close to invade Iran...
One more question to you guys:
Who has actually watched the video where Bin Laden is incriminating himself by saying he was the mastermind of 9/11? lol

[Special Ringpop]

I have a feeling you're going to piss off the blind Patriots here, but I'll voice my opinion as well.

I have long been fascinated with Japanese culture, primarily due to their focus on manners. I grow sickened daily here seeing how awful people treat each other, even complete strangers. Is it so hard to answer a "yes or no" to "Are you in line?" without giving me a dirty look?

I have long thought America was on a downward teeter, personally. There are a great many reasons why I feel this way, but I'm far too tired to type them out right now.

But I'll say it before someone else does, even though I don't believe it, "If you don't like it here, fine, get out."

^ I hate that statement. Whats wrong with wanting something better?

[vicSi]

its going straight down to my own believe just like rome and other great civilizations, "everything that goes up has to come down" i would like to move to china as that nation is growing but unfortunatly chinese would be way to difficult for me to learn as a 20 year old now. english and spanish are my main languages but another wouldnt hurt though chinese MAN! idk. i would love to go back to my parent's country but corruption and crime over rule. my Si wouldn't last a month over there

[solo]

its cuz bush is a dumb f*ck. cant believe a dipshit like him is running our country. biggest mistake ever.

[Special Ringpop]

Originally Posted by MyFirstCivic@35

Millions of new illegals every year... they can't be hating us that bad.

That's because those wealthy people who are lining their pockets with gold get amazingly cheap labor from these illegals.

Trust me, if that single factor didn't exist, we'd have the Great Wall of China build on the Mexican border already.

[CaliGuy]

Originally Posted by striker_1818

Europe will be the first to go down
then the US will follow those steps. People often realize things when it's already too late.
BTW, Didn't many people before the Iraq war started that we were gonna invade Iraq then Iran...
Iraq we have invaded for no reason at all. Now, we're really close to invade Iran...
One more question to you guys:
Who has actually watched the video where Bin Laden is incriminating himself by saying he was the mastermind of 9/11? lol

How is that?

I'm not just talking Iraq either. I'm talking about our culture in general. Of course our foreign policy is about as good as diahrea too...

[Special Ringpop]

Originally Posted by vicSi

its going straight down to my own believe just like rome and other great civilizations, "everything that goes up has to come down" i would like to move to china as that nation is growing but unfortunatly chinese would be way to difficult for me to learn as a 20 year old now. english and spanish are my main languages but another wouldnt hurt though chinese MAN! idk. i would love to go back to my parent's country but corruption and crime over rule. my Si wouldn't last a month over there

I'm twenty and I've been learning Japanese, because I am convinced that they will someday rule the world, if not the universe

[CaliGuy]

Originally Posted by Special Ringpop

I'm twenty and I've been learning Japanese, because I am convinced that they will someday rule the world, if not the universe

Reall though!!! This is the kind of crap I'm talking about..."oh, I can't do this or that". That is called LAZY! I'm currently learning Dutch. How? I went out and bought a Dutch language program. I pop it in for 30 minutes every day...would I be out of line saying "***** please"

[striker_1818]

China is growing pretty fast and there's nothing to stop it. The only countries that can compete with them are the US and Russia. Europe is just blah. The reason why they "look powerful" is due to the EU. That's why the Euro was created and is in circulation as we speak but their economy is going straight down hill. Oil wise Europe is paying more than we are and that's due to China and the US competing for oil marketing. The US is not a "Great Empire". It never was. It is a small civilization that's still growing but with the politicians and corruption within our anti-corruption system created aka FBI, CIA, we're growing like a sickbaby being raised at a dumpster.

[Special Ringpop]

Learning a foreign language isn't easy unless you're are literally immersed in it. It helps that all of my Japanese teachers are from Japan, and they have never spoken English for more than one sentence in class, even in day one of 1001.

It's a way of learning, and while it's frustrating and I have to spend a ton of time studying, I know a great deal more than I probably should for having studied as long as I have.

In other countries, foreign languages are required. They're "optional" here.

[si_civic]

Why do people hate George Bush? YOU (majority) VOTED FOR HIM!!

I'm Canadian, however, you're my neighbour. :)

[CaliGuy]

Originally Posted by striker_1818

China is growing pretty fast and there's nothing to stop it. The only countries that can compete with them are the US and Russia. Europe is just blah. The reason why they "look powerful" is due to the EU. That's why the Euro was created and is in circulation as we speak but their economy is going straight down hill. Oil wise Europe is paying more than we are and that's due to China and the US competing for oil marketing. The US is not a "Great Empire". It never was. It is a small civilization that's still growing but with the politicians and corruption within our anti-corruption system created aka FBI, CIA, we're growing like a sickbaby being raised at a dumpster.

I ask again, respectfully: Why is Europe going down before the US?

[CaliGuy]

Originally Posted by Special Ringpop

Learning a foreign language isn't easy unless you're are literally immersed in it. It helps that all of my Japanese teachers are from Japan, and they have never spoken English for more than one sentence in class, even in day one of 1001.

It's a way of learning, and while it's frustrating and I have to spend a ton of time studying, I know a great deal more than I probably should for having studied as long as I have.

In other countries, foreign languages are required. They're "optional" here.

Another good point of how our culture is turning to poo-poo...

Oh, and I thank you for your correct use of the word "They're"

[Special Ringpop]

Before this thread hits daylight for most members, I think it would be a good time to place a disclaimer.

DISCLAIMER: This thread is NOT an Anti-American or Anti-Anything rant. It is an opinion based, open ended question, in which your opinion is welcome. Just don't act like a three year old .

[CaliGuy]

Originally Posted by si_civic

Why do people hate George Bush? YOU (majority) VOTED FOR HIM!!

I'm Canadian, however, you're my neighbour. :)

Learn how to spell goddamn Canadian!!!!

Oh, wait, that's how the rest of the English speaking world spells it...and screw your stupid ass metric system too.

[striker_1818]

Originally Posted by CaliGuy

I ask again, respectfully: Why is Europe going down before the US?

Because their economy isn't growing, it's shrinking. The reason why they look powerful is because they help each other while not worrying about foreign attacks aka Europe United(EU). Europe has isolated from the rest of the world. Look at how much the euro is worth and compare it to how much it was worth when they first came out. Once the value of your money starts decreasing, your economy is steadily on a downhill. Without monetary value Europe is nothing. Unlike the US, we try to alienate ourselves with the rest of the world but we can't and we won't... we have these things such as free-trade agreement with many nations starting from our enemies russia and china, then goes india, pakistan and europe; then we have south america and central america australia and africa. We have what you would call "a backup plan". Europe is basically another state of ours since they depend on our economy to become "big". However, with what's going on right now, Europe is staying away from us avoiding any agreement: France, Italy, Germany, Spain, etc. and THAT is their mistake and reason for their downhill...Without the US, Europe is nothing whether they like to admit it or not. It may seem as Europe is getting a kick out of everything but they are hated as much as we do. They hate us as much as the middle east hates us. Yet they don't seem to realize they are the main target when it comes to economy.

[Skylinegtr06]

china will rule world it is sad to say but it has begun

[striker_1818]

Originally Posted by si_civic

Why do people hate George Bush? YOU (majority) VOTED FOR HIM!!

I'm Canadian, however, you're my neighbour. :)

lol Bush was the tip of the iceberg here. Without him, we would be having talks with North Korea and Iran. The two main countries the bush administration bashes on an everyday basis.