America is richest country in the world-but definitively not the happiest-Statistics

**snoop** · 09-09-2011 01:41 AM

Originally Posted by Atras

What country have you been too that doesn't have poor areas.

Straw man. He never said there weren't poor parts in other countries, just that the US has some parts that are more poor than the poor parts in other places.

**Atras** · 09-09-2011 01:41 AM

"Hey guys look at this statistic, now i have a question about the statistic"

"that statistic is boring and means nothing to me"

"Ok why did you even have to post that, it was just completely derragotory and causing conflict"

That is basically what I am trying to avoid by saying keep opinons that are irrelevant and derrogatory to yourself. Saying that the statistic is uninteresting is irrelevant and derrogatory.

**Atras** · 09-09-2011 01:43 AM

And I would love for people to discuss Snoop, discuss what is actually an answer to the question I asked. NOt telling me how My statistics are uninteresting or that I asked a question wrong when one minor difference in opinion about the question does not make it wrong.

**snoop** · 09-09-2011 01:43 AM

So did you completely ignore this post of mine?

Originally Posted by snoop

I'm going to attempt to explain (and answer your original question) one last time. I get that you are speaking in general here. You can state two different facts, that America is the richest country in general, and the fact that people here are unhappy in general. However, to understand why people are unhappy in general, you just have to think about it. Looking at the GDP per capita, it clearly shows that, in general, individual people in America are not very rich. So, when speaking in general, or more accurately averages (you would agree that it could be said that, on average, most people in America are unhappy), most of the people here aren't that wealthy. Most people here aren't that happy either. See a correlation? That is the answer to your question.

I feel like I answered the question in the OP well enough. What is your opinion on my answer? At least acknowledge I said something.

**Atras** · 09-09-2011 01:44 AM

Originally Posted by snoop

So did you completely ignore this post of mine?

I feel like I answered the question in the OP well enough. What is your opinion on my answer? At least acknowledge I said something.

I actually agree with you. Honestly most of my posts are not directed towards you but towards anyone who is saying that my question is wrong because of a slight differing in opinon.

**Ne-yo** · 09-09-2011 01:45 AM

Originally Posted by Xei

What is what what is? The US is not on top of the pile when it comes to how much money its citizens make. I don't want to get into nationalist mud slinging because that is totally facile, I just want to point out that saying 'nah nah Spart, my country is superior to yours' is factually incorrect on top of being immature.

Oh I see you don't like dealing with facts. Too bad.

**Atras** · 09-09-2011 01:47 AM

Originally Posted by Ne-yo

Oh I see you don't like dealing with facts. Too bad.

I agree that America is militarily superior and in many ways superior in wealth as well, but it's not right to think that those superiority's make America better than any other country, because honestly alot of countries are better than America. IMO

**snoop** · 09-09-2011 01:47 AM

Originally Posted by Atras

I actually agree with you. Honestly most of my posts are not directed towards you but towards anyone who is saying that my question is wrong because of a slight differing in opinon.

Well what I said in that post is basically what everyone else is saying, only they are saying it in a way that to you sounds more like they are ignoring your original question. That is why people are saying it's uninteresting (because it makes sense! it isn't surprising in the least) and that your statistics are irrelevant, because of the reasons I outlined in that post.

**Spartiate** · 09-09-2011 01:47 AM

Hey Ne-yo, how's your unemployment rate these days?

**Xei** · 09-09-2011 01:48 AM

Originally Posted by Ne-yo

Oh I see you don't like dealing with facts. Too bad bro, u mad bro?

**Atras** · 09-09-2011 01:48 AM

Originally Posted by snoop

Well what I said in that post is basically what everyone else is saying, only they are saying it in a way that to you sounds more like they are ignoring your original question. That is why people are saying it's uninteresting (because it makes sense! it isn't surprising in the least) and that your statistics are irrelevant, because of the reasons I outlined in that post.

Fair enough.

**snoop** · 09-09-2011 01:49 AM

Originally Posted by Ne-yo

Oh I see you don't like dealing with facts. Too bad.

Great argument.

Originally Posted by Atras

Fair enough.

Ah, thank you. All I wanted was that right there.

**Ne-yo** · 09-09-2011 01:52 AM

Originally Posted by Atras

I actually agree with you. Honestly most of my posts are not directed towards you but towards anyone who is saying that my question is wrong because of a slight differing in opinon.

I'm just stirring the pot because I know Spart and espeically Xei get's emotional off of every little thing I type here. In short I'm trolling them. Carry on.

**Solarflare** · 09-09-2011 01:56 AM

-sees title-

no shit

**ThePreserver** · 09-09-2011 02:09 AM

If people are employed, are financially "stable" (according to their own standards) and feel as though they can still improve... I believe they will be fairly happy.

**Darkmatters** · 09-09-2011 02:52 AM

America is one of the highest countries in terms of materialism and egoism. Most Americans don't know how to be happy - they think money will solve their problems.

**nina** · 09-09-2011 10:04 AM

Originally Posted by Ne-yo

I'm just stirring the pot because I know Spart and espeically Xei get's emotional off of every little thing I type here. In short I'm trolling them. Carry on.

I don't know what makes you think trolls are acceptable on DV.

The arguments brought up by xei and snoop are relevant because they point out critical flaws rendering the original argument untenable. How can one engender enlightened discussion with a premise built on logical fallacies?

**khh** · 09-09-2011 04:11 PM

I believe one possibly thing leading to unhappiness in the US is that if something goes wrong you're on your own. If for instance you've faithfully worked for twenty years and are suddenly down-sized during a recession, you're simply out of luck. The society does not recognizes the fact that it wasn't your fault and give you a helping hand while you look for a new job. "Though luck, kid." And this seems to be the prevalent attitude in a lot of areas.

Originally Posted by nina

The arguments brought up by xei and snoop are relevant because they point out critical flaws rendering the original argument untenable. How can one engender enlightened discussion with a premise built on logical fallacies?

Hey, I was first at pointing this out. I want my due credit!

**Zhaylin** · 09-09-2011 05:17 PM

Hate to bring religion into this thread, but it's only briefly.
There's a Scripture that says we should keep a "simple eye". The context it was used dealt with possessions.
In other words, having more things means more distractions plus more money to maintain (if not obtain MORE of) those possessions.
A lot of times, simple is better because it gives you time to reflect and to appreciate the more important things in life.

In my experience, that appears to be true. Before electronic gadgets came into my life, I was more spiritual and much more creative and therefore happier.
BUT, life is also what you make of it. An unhappy (or happy) person tends to be thus in good times or bad- with slight variations. I SAY I was happier back when, but I was also almost bipolar in extremes because I would stay up for days writing etc.
I think America cultivates and ingrains instant gratification mentality into its citizens. THAT, I believe, is what contributes to a lot of unhappiness more than anything.

**Atras** · 09-09-2011 05:50 PM

Now that I look back I do see the flaws in my original post. Yesterday I wasn't thinking logically because I was frustrated that I was imidiately called out on a flaw in my question, but now I do see why. I apologize.