National Pride/Identity

[quote=The_Nameless_Bard]If I had grown up somewhere besides the US, I'd probably be a different person too (the exact difference would obviously depend on the hypothetical alternate place). Because I grew up in the Midwest, I was denied knowledge that would have helped me understand who I was and what I was going through emotionally. Instead I was left feeling completely lost for years, with no idea how to navigate any of the things I was feeling. And, given the way things seem to be heading, this is a trend that will continue. Most people who have pride in being American have it blindly, I can only hope moving here from somewhere else means you don't. I cannot say I have pride about living/growing up in a place that has only shown thus far that a rather large chunk of the population couldn't give two fucks what my rights are and whether or not I feel safe.[/quote]

[quote=Jovy][quote=The_Nameless_Bard] I cannot say I have pride about living/growing up in a place that has only shown thus far that a rather large chunk of the population couldn't give two fucks what my rights are and whether or not I feel safe.[/quote] You mean America? You should see the rest of the world...[/quote]

[quote=The_Nameless_Bard]Just because it's worse in other places doesn't change the fact that America isn't the perfect place so many people pretend it is.[/quote]

[quote=FatelBlade]@amanda not sure what it is exactly you're talking about but I'm trying to just promote deep discussion, not shit all over what people are proud of. @jovy yeah I have friends that complain for getting a speeding ticket here, while there are people I'm close to that have to mourn their families being killed because of where they were born. Everyone has their own problems, and it isn't fair to belittle anyone else's problems because to that person they're still significant, but sometimes a sense of scale is mandatory.[/quote]

[quote=The_Nameless_Bard]I'm just explaining why I am not proud to be from America. If other people can explain their reasoning for being proud, then I should be able to explain why I am not. Both things promote serious discussion.[/quote]

[quote=Jovy][quote=The_Nameless_Bard]Just because it's worse in other places doesn't change the fact that America isn't the perfect place so many people pretend it is.[/quote] My point was not that America is perfect, my point was that America is more developed compared to most other places in the world and ergo you'd have more problems were you not living there.[/quote]

[quote=GrandmasterD][quote=MissMaw][quote=The_Nameless_Bard] I cannot say I have pride about living/growing up in a place that has only shown thus far that a rather large chunk of the population couldn't give two fucks what my rights are and whether or not I feel safe.[/quote] You mean America? You should see the rest of the world...[/quote] Don't cry about that rusty nail sticking out of your foot, little Jimmy; out there is someone dying of cancer![/quote]

[quote=FatelBlade]There is explaining why you disagree, and there is simply using this as a platform to rant. If I have misinterpreted your post I apologize, but that is how it comes across.[/quote]

[quote=Jovy][quote=GrandmasterD][quote=MissMaw][quote=The_Nameless_Bard] I cannot say I have pride about living/growing up in a place that has only shown thus far that a rather large chunk of the population couldn't give two fucks what my rights are and whether or not I feel safe.[/quote] You mean America? You should see the rest of the world...[/quote] Don't cry about that rusty nail sticking out of your foot, little Jimmy; out there is someone dying of cancer![/quote] Again, that was not my point... you both seem to have read my original post as some sort of personal attack on Nameless. Seem to think that I am calling her a whiney little brat (Jimmy) and that I'm saying other people have actual valid issues (like smn with cancer), but that is not at all what I said. All I said was that the rest of the world, where it's less developed than in America, the quality of life/level of safety is a lot lower. I only said this because she implied that her growing up in the Midwest caused her a lot of issues, but growing up there is a lot better than most places in the world.[/quote]

[quote=GrandmasterD][quote=MissMaw][quote=GrandmasterD][quote=MissMaw][quote=The_Nameless_Bard] I cannot say I have pride about living/growing up in a place that has only shown thus far that a rather large chunk of the population couldn't give two fucks what my rights are and whether or not I feel safe.[/quote] You mean America? You should see the rest of the world...[/quote] Don't cry about that rusty nail sticking out of your foot, little Jimmy; out there is someone dying of cancer![/quote] Again, that was not my point... you both seem to have read my original post as some sort of personal attack on Nameless. Seem to think that I am calling her a whiney little brat (Jimmy) and that I'm saying other people have actual valid issues (like smn with cancer), but that is not at all what I said. All I said was that the rest of the world, where it's less developed than in America, the quality of life/level of safety is a lot lower. I only said this because she implied that her growing up in the Midwest caused her a lot of issues, but growing up there is a lot better than most places in the world.[/quote] No, but you are implying that all these complaints are invalid, or at the very least not worth mentioning just because somewhere else in the world you'd be off worse, which is pretty much irrelevant. The statement made is "I am not proud of my country because of x." and whether or not you'd be having it worse somewhere else does not contribute to that, nor does it invalidate it either. Hence I can either assume that it's a completely unrelated statement, or it's actually an attempt to invalidate it. I think both of us assumed the latter, because the former makes no sense, as it was a direct response to the original, aforementioned statement. Additionally, you keep saying "if this were true" but how is that relevant? It's not true, he isn't living in Russia, Iraq, or Bikini Atoll, and pretty sure he's aware of it too, so why bother mentioning that? If, if, if... If my grandmother had wheels, she would've been a cart.[/quote]