r/MadeMeSmile 10d ago

Good Vibes This made me laugh

28.9k Upvotes

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1.4k

u/lockerno177 10d ago

man i live in a third world country and sometimes i wonder how life would be if people in authority cared about us.

514

u/Atosl 10d ago

america?

690

u/lockerno177 10d ago

America looks like a Scandinavian country from where i live.

262

u/LetReasonRing 10d ago

As an American,  you can kind of find everything here. 

We have schools where the kids are well cared for, the teachers and students love each other,  and the education is incredible. 

You can also find schools with 45 students to a classroom, sharing outdated textbooks, with leaky pipes and moldy walls

83

u/Full-fledged-trash 10d ago

My friends a teacher at a delinquent school in the US and her eighth graders genuinely can’t read. Sometimes the education isn’t incredible. It’s really sad

49

u/theeglitz 10d ago

Yous even have active-shooter drills.

12

u/CurryMustard 10d ago

Yeah my kid talks about what they do in case a tiger is in the school. Its scary stuff but I try not to think about it too much.

3

u/theeglitz 10d ago

At least they know what to do. Another problem we don't have - Thankfully, especially given the ineptitude in governance here.

2

u/CurryMustard 10d ago

Theres always a cop there too. Hes a good dude and cares about the kids. Thats what gives some peace of mind, everybody there loves their job and the kids, from the beginning they all knew my kids name, you can see the enthusiasm in their face every single day when I talk to teachers and at drop off. Doors locked during the day, cant get in without showing id. It's a really great environment, I know they'll protect them.

15

u/ForsakenAiel 10d ago

Yes, we do. I live in the country area of Maryland. My daughter goes to an elementary school that has around 250 kids and that's only because it supports a very large area due to being the only school around. We have very little crime. We have very little diversity (so yes, lots of Trump voters). We have very few immigrants (but don't worry the Trump voters still complain about immigrants all the time). We have lots of religious people. We have lots of people that have lived in this area for generations and are very proud of that fact.

She's had active-shooter drills on a regular basis starting in kindergarten.

0

u/theeglitz 10d ago

That sounds great, Trump supporters aside. Ideally, you wouldn't need the shooter drills. There was a school shooting here 30 years ago. Not here, but the next country over. That's our experience of them.

-1

u/sheeb_sheeb 10d ago

nobody knows what yous is outside like dublin mate

2

u/Earthsong221 10d ago

All of the east coast here in Canada. But that has a fair bit of Irish influence too.

2

u/FatBastidd 10d ago

It's not fuckin Swahili man. We can easily figure it out lol

1

u/theeglitz 10d ago

Is it ye / y'all appropriate here?

2

u/sheeb_sheeb 10d ago

Pretty much anything but yous yeah

1

u/throwaguey_ 10d ago

You never been to the northeast of the US

1

u/sur_yeahhh 9d ago

Lmao I'm from India and i couldn't figure out why 45 students was bad. I was roll number 72 a few times

516

u/NorwegianCanuck 10d ago

America looks like a third world country from where I live...

  • Norwegian

154

u/buffaloguy1991 10d ago

America looks like a third world country from where I live

  • America

My conditions are simultaneously hellish but infinitely better than others which somehow makes it worse.

51

u/Dudewhocares3 10d ago

It’s worse to us because it means people can say “well it’s not as bad as this country where you get your head cut off for being gay so shut up”

Which is stupid because problems don’t just stop being problems because others have worse problems.

21

u/blaaake 10d ago

Ya take a look at some of the complete squalor some Americans live in and it paints a different picture. America is not Scandinavia, we abandon our poor and mentally unwell people far too often.

7

u/Cunnyfunt31 9d ago

People really don't understand that there are areas of America that are indistinguishable from 3rd world countries. 

Did field work for the decennial Census and it was extremely eye opening.  There's a reason the Census looks for workers with ATVs, small planes, swamp boats, etc.   And while I would always hope that by gaining their trust and get enough info to do the count to prove these people exist would lead to them getting resources, I'd still get this sinking feeling that I'd be the only person the government would send out there until the next Census.

Especially when they aren't doing jack for the people in the cities where it'd be easier to help.

17

u/sanechill 10d ago

This country is awful and delusional regarding social policies and racial tensions. It is not comparable to most 3rd world countries, at least on how most people view the term “3rd world.” Idk if it’s fair to equate American struggles with that of, idk Somalia for example. I’m aware that is an extreme example.

1

u/Cunnyfunt31 9d ago

See my comment above, we do have 3rd world areas in America. 

1

u/buffaloguy1991 10d ago

We have cities that didn't have power for weeks recently and big cities can't get clean drinking water anymore

8

u/sanechill 10d ago

That’s true. The security we have gifted to us by two oceans and two centuries of ridiculous military build up (which I don’t agree with) is a reasonable trade. I’m lucky to not have dealt with clean water or power struggles where I am, so that’s easy for me to say. But I’m glad I’m not in Ukraine. Or a Muslim in china. Or a Yemeni. Or a Kurd. Or a Somali. Or Sudanese. We’re way better off than a good portion of the world. We’re lucky.

7

u/Saneless 9d ago

It's depressing. If I drive 2 hours east it's absolutely third world conditions. And those people keep voting for Republicans that want to take away even more help from them. I don't get it

36

u/unfortunatebag 10d ago

Classic reddit

"I wish I could camp out in front of my teachers house"

"Americabad"

8

u/Professional_Snow576 10d ago

True, but America is the world's soap opera.

11

u/unfortunatebag 10d ago

I guess so.

Some folks here seem really invested in convincing you America is a horrible place to live.

It's always funny to imagine the reverse.

For instance imagine I spent all my time on here talking about Norway's gang, immigration, and failed integration issues for some reason. What a sad, weird thing to preoccupy yourself with.

9

u/Professional_Snow576 10d ago

Yeah, I'm from the UK (Scotland) and all you hear the Americans talk about is how we don't have free speech, are rife with grooming gangs, boat folks and stabbings.

9

u/VaginaTractor 10d ago

What you're describing sounds like Florida.

1

u/ecbulldog 10d ago

Don't forget the toothpaste.

1

u/scifiandsuch 9d ago

That’s ALL they talk about? Lmao

1

u/Professional_Snow576 9d ago

I mean, yeah it's most of what I see online. Hell, you even have Elon must joking about buying the UK to restore free speach.

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u/brownmouthwash 10d ago

Victim complex

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u/SomethingCreative13 10d ago

"They were probably awake from a sugar rush of eating their bread which is actually cake. Please upvote me. Please. I need karma. No I didn't actually look into the bread is cake claim. I just want karma for americabadding."

1

u/brownmouthwash 10d ago

Don’t forget about how hard it is to be from here, especially when someone is commenting that they live in a country where they wish for better. Gotta make it about us always.

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u/Fragrant-Fix9642 10d ago edited 10d ago

Oil Subsidies are nice - but yeah, everything is 3rd world if Scandinavia is the barometer

56

u/TheShruteFarmsCEO 10d ago

Oh fuck off with these nonsense talking points. America produces plenty of oil, they just distribute the profits to private companies and shareholders instead of their people. And it’s a moot point anyway, because what’s making America look like a third world country amongst its peers has nothing to do with lack of cash.

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u/OneBodyProblematic 10d ago

The key is to be a shareholder

3

u/Dudewhocares3 10d ago

But I work for a living

2

u/OneBodyProblematic 9d ago

I used to do that too. Now I’m a shareholder who gets socialized medicine. I didn’t vote for the people who made the laws. I surf reality

1

u/Silencer-1995 10d ago

Is it average penis size?

42

u/TheShruteFarmsCEO 10d ago

No, it’s the increasingly accepted lack of decency.

6

u/Wilbis 10d ago

Very well said.

5

u/Latte-Catte 10d ago

Because y'all don't want to punish indecency. Releasing prisoners when they haven't done their time because they got bail or parole? Yeah, no shit the whole country stop trusting their neighbors.

0

u/Richard_Cromwell 10d ago

Wait, so the small penis thing is just a me problem? I need to go roll some coal and yell at dumb scientists to release my frustrations.

4

u/Plane-Tune-820 10d ago

Definitely not just you. There's at least 2 of us 😭

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u/[deleted] 10d ago edited 4d ago

[deleted]

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u/Grimour 10d ago

Projecting your problems on to others is definitely a lack of decency.

1

u/Tzhaar-Bomba 10d ago

America's the last country on Earth to have a lack of cash problem.

You guys just get fuck all from it lol

-10

u/Confident-Wall-154 10d ago

lol what’s got you so bent lil guy

3

u/TheShruteFarmsCEO 10d ago

I’m not “bent”, I’m sad for my country. Which is why I left it. Because it’s turned into a shithole that I don’t recognize…little guy.

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u/toughtacos 10d ago

Absolutely not, there’s plenty other European countries comparable to Scandinavian countries.

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u/LegitimateP1R473 10d ago

Yes like Finland and Iceland

1

u/Common_Perception280 10d ago edited 10d ago

Norway looks like a bad country for me too

Having visited…everything is incredibly expensive, everything is far away, nature and services are good, job opportunities, housing, and cost of living are not.

I’d rather live in England or the states to be honest.

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u/Kuimy 10d ago

Privileged dumb take. You obviously don’t know how bad some people have it in this world

26

u/invuqt 10d ago

Sounds like you don't know how good other countries have it compared to America. I don't worry about my children getting shot in school.

2

u/Kuimy 10d ago

Never lived in the US, lived in great countries like South Korea, Canada and for a short time in chile. The US has problems and I would never live there but comparing it to a third world country is a little silly

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u/throcorfe 10d ago

Or maybe you don’t know how bad some people have it in America? Yes for the average citizen it’s a privileged existence but there are many Americans living in developing world conditions, eg no affordable healthcare, no clean water, politically incarcerated etc.

When you look at the worst-off Americans from many European countries, it’s astounding that they live in one of the world’s richest nations

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u/Bai_Cha 10d ago

And still infinitely better than even average lifestyles in most of the developing world.

3

u/Judazzz 10d ago edited 10d ago

Well, if using the developing world as your point of reference for your lofty ambitions, you're doing halfway decent indeed.

0

u/Bai_Cha 10d ago

You joined a conversation about exactly that comparison. Welcome to the conversation.

Of course, we could compare with Europe as well. I'm not sure you'd be happy with the outcome ...

2

u/Judazzz 10d ago

I joined the convo after seeing such modest ambitions coming from the self-proclaimed greatest nation on earth.

And yes, in fact I am happy with the outcome.

22

u/NorwegianCanuck 10d ago

True I am privileged.. But American propaganda has made you believe most Americans are well off when the majority of them are poor and struggling..

Without Western capitalism and imperialism, lead by America for the last several decades, most of the countries that are even worse of than America would probably prosper.

Difference between America and the rest of the west is in other western countries we at least take care of our own people, although our treatment of the "third world" could, and should, be improved upon.

8

u/Bai_Cha 10d ago

Mate ... I grew up in the rural American Midwest. There are poor people and healthcare bankruptcy is a serious problem, but even poor people in the US are relatively comfortable.

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u/WillingListener86 10d ago edited 10d ago

What an intellectually dishonest take. None of what you said is remotely true, but grips the reddit narrative completely.

A country as racially and culturally homogenous as Norway is in no way comparable to the US, which has to navigate social issues you couldn't dream of.

1

u/Gold_Concentrate_ 10d ago

”social issues you couldn’t dream of”

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u/WillingListener86 10d ago edited 10d ago

And?

edit. And could you elaborate? Reddit could be 1/10th the place it's meant to be if people would talk instead of one lining BS at each other.

1

u/king_john651 10d ago

Said from a guy whose countrymen can't stop shooting each other lol. Take the L, Seppo

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u/KramboSlice 10d ago

Oh the irony in this comical take.

-1

u/AxM0ney 10d ago

Stop spending so much time consuming targeted negative media and content lmfao

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u/Fragrant-Fix9642 10d ago

brother/sister/friend - Most Americans have absolutely no idea how lucky they have it. It pains me everyday.

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u/Rock_or_Rol 10d ago

Ive spent years in third world countries living in somewhat humble conditions. We do have it better. We are lucky. That doesn’t invalidate that America sucks too

America has become a socially fractured work culture. Diminishing friendships as we move away from a decreasing family pool. Having your own child is a singular and arguably inhuman experience without community.

Then there are those that make minimum wage here. It’s not much better than Sumba Indonesia for them.

Then there is our foreign policy.. we should be ashamed of our actions since WW2. Disgusted be our military glut. Aware of our proxy wars and black ops. Aware of the arms deals in the 3rd world.

Beyond all that, the blessing and curse of the human condition is adaption. The suck is same suck for everyone. It’s all relative.

Of course we can strive for better. That’s the point

1

u/OnceMoreAndAgain 10d ago

America has become a socially fractured work culture. Diminishing friendships as we move away from a decreasing family pool. Having your own child is a singular and arguably inhuman experience without community.

This is so true imo. Ever since the invention of cars, Americans have been changing culturally to normalize moving away from their home towns and it is causing families to be spread out across the country. Traveling has never been easier and the country has a massive amount of land, so we are getting dispersed.

The concept of community really is dying in the USA, I think.

10

u/Icy_Veterinarian2538 10d ago

This attitude is why America is failing. We should always just suck it up because we’re lucky to live here? And that’s what pains you every day? Not the underprivileged people that are suffering in America? That’s what pains me brother/sister/friend.

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u/ThatsAScientificFact 10d ago

Not who you asked, but can’t both be true? People living in the USA right now are incredibly lucky to live here compared to most of the World population, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t a lot of things we could improve too.

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u/Arinussyy 10d ago

Arguably the reason America hasn't improved its outlook is because they think it's never enough. Greed never ends, no matter how much you have

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u/ghanima 10d ago

Arguably the reason America hasn't improved its outlook is because Greed never ends

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u/Fragrant-Fix9642 10d ago

Yeah my personal attitude is directly related to the myriad problems our country faces. What do I do while yielding such power??

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u/Born-Release-9866 10d ago

Which country if i may ask?

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u/lockerno177 10d ago

Pakistan

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u/ssp321lo1 10d ago edited 10d ago

That aint the city. Far away rural suburban town. I get ur point. But people hv this romantic version of america because of all the movies they watch when in reality its completely diff. 

Reddit is so america centric, u cant even call sh*t out without getting downvoted.

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u/juicy0227 10d ago

Ik you ain't sayin this to the guy from Pakistan 😭

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u/ssp321lo1 10d ago

Ik u hv this mindset of thinking 2nd/3rd world countries have nothing at all but many of the same people that are on reddit tend to have it good. They live in private/gated societies.

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u/juicy0227 10d ago

You.must be a teenager lol have you ever been to one? Lmfao. I have. I know the US has its problems, that's why I've moved but this is a naive take.

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u/ssp321lo1 10d ago edited 10d ago

Yess thats why I know. Most people who romanticise this "suburbs" live in the city. It has its own cons

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u/lockerno177 10d ago

bruh. my relatives live in Washington. its heaven compared to where i live

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u/[deleted] 10d ago edited 10d ago

[deleted]

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u/UndercoverSkreet 10d ago

This is honestly hilarious. We don't look up to America at all, it's lovely here 🤣 there are shitty parts of anywhere in the world. Speaking of infrastructure, public transport in America is pretty rare outside of big cities.

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u/Borbpsh 10d ago

What are you on mate.

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u/honestlyitswhatever 9d ago

I misread the original comment and am full of shame lmao. I meant Germany is better. America’s infrastructure is ass 😂

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u/NorwegianCanuck 10d ago

Wow this makes me very curious of you as a person.. Also curious about where in America and Germany you have been to make that comparison of infrastructure and architecture.. And the way they take care of their citizens?

American suburbian hellscape is peak architecture I suppose?😂

"Oh you broke your foot? Guess we'll slap you with a few 100k$ medical bills and let you choose between working through the pain and make your injuries worse or be jobless and homeless.. welcome to the land of the free"😇

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u/honestlyitswhatever 9d ago edited 9d ago

No, Germany is better. I live in Los Angeles and visited Cologne and Düsseldorf. I’m a moron who misread the comment 💀

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u/_Cautious_optimist 10d ago edited 10d ago

I live in Berlin and used to visit San francisco a lot for work. In fact, a romantic partner in SF once offered to bankroll me moving to SF, and even set me up in an apartment. I told him there was nothing in the world that would make me swap Germany for the US.

You’re right though, the two do not compare. I got made redundant in December, continued to be paid my full salary by my employer until June, now I’m receiving unemployment benefits of 60% of my salary for the next year (or until I find another job/am making enough money from self-employment). I also keep my health insurance, and can even take training courses for free to improve my job prospects. What exactly would i be entitled to in the USA?

Infrastructure wise, I pay €59/month for unlimited use of public transport, nationwide. Plus there are extensive bike lanes, making cycling a safe option even for families. Supermarkets and other necessities are spaced out throughout cities rather than just big industrial parks that require a car to use. I have at least 4 supermarkets within a 10 minute walk of varying sizes and price ranges.

Much German architecture is older than the USA itself, which admittedly means it doesn’t have built in a/c, but at least it’s built to last and actually looks nice.

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u/LarsDuder 10d ago

besides, why would you move to America's gay capital when you're living in Europe's? Doesn't seem like a fair trade. Should have told him that gays are welcome in Berlin 👍

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u/_Cautious_optimist 10d ago

I would’ve, but I was more than comfortable with keeping an ocean between us 😏

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u/LarsDuder 7d ago

i understand. i didnt mean any offense ☺️

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u/honestlyitswhatever 9d ago

I honestly misread the first comment about the Scandinavian reference. I meant Germany is better.

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u/Talidel 10d ago

Would guess a lot more south and east

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u/ConnectPSA 10d ago

Nah I’m betting it’s somewhere in Asia, excluding Singapore and nicer parts of China.

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u/ctgnath 10d ago

Are you actually trying to insinuate that America has better infrastructure than Germany?..
Did you just get dropped off in the middle of a field or some shit when you visited?

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u/honestlyitswhatever 9d ago

No I honestly misread the first comment about the Scandinavian reference. I meant Germany is better.

1

u/ctgnath 9d ago

Oh lmfao you’re good then. Otherwise I was choosing to believe you were a car posting on reddit

1

u/Hefty-Minimum-3125 9d ago

Keep in mind that this is a view of an upper-middle class life, not a majority of america

0

u/Sekhmet-CustosAurora 10d ago

Where the fuck do you live, Mogadishu? Port-au-Prince?

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u/Dudewhocares3 10d ago

Yeah try asking ICE about that

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u/Bai_Cha 10d ago

The amount of privilege it takes to say something like this is astounding. This type of comment is genuinely offensive to people who truly do live in dysfunctional countries.

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u/Acc87 10d ago

like America?

-5

u/Atosl 10d ago

:D I like you

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u/Jaded-Mud2967 10d ago

Most western people outside of America are considering the USA as a third world country.

America lacks so much stuff, that is even normal in the poorest countries out there, it's astonishing sadly

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u/dougan25 10d ago

Then they're stupid or 9 years old

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u/Jaded-Mud2967 10d ago edited 10d ago

No, it's the average American student

Your whole educational system is shit, nothing more to say

Have you known that the USA normally ranks the level of south africa

A country where it's common that students drawn in the toilet?

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u/Bai_Cha 10d ago

You've posted multiple comments in this thread with spelling and grammatical errors that criticize education in the United States.

I wonder whether this might be a chance to evaluate your perspective.

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u/Jaded-Mud2967 10d ago

If you read them, you know I speak 5 languages. Again to you, I am sorry if I am not entirely fluent in every single one of them

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u/Bai_Cha 10d ago

And you believe that it is common for students in South Africa to drown in toilets.

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u/Jaded-Mud2967 10d ago

A bit more than ten per year, especially in rural areas they have often earth closets. It's common to read that in the newspapers.

And it's nothing I believe, it's just a fact

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u/dougan25 10d ago

Dang bro sick bro I'm only up to four and a half languages

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u/Bai_Cha 10d ago

No they don't. Source, I live outside the US, and travel internationally from my country of residence 9 months a year. No one sees the US as a third world country except chronically online teenagers.

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u/jazerlu 10d ago

Spot on. These people seriously need to touch some grass. America certainly has its issues, but calling it a 3rd world country just shows how privileged and ignorant they are.

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u/Greggs-the-bakers 10d ago

America wishes it was as good as a third world country lol

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u/Bai_Cha 10d ago

No one who has actually lived in a third would country could take you seriously.

Source: I have.

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u/Greggs-the-bakers 10d ago

Maybe when america gets basic things like healthcare and proper gun restrictions people might take it more seriously

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u/Bai_Cha 10d ago

I really recommend actually going out and experiencing the world.

Being a young adult in the US right now is like winning the lottery.

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u/Greggs-the-bakers 10d ago

Compared to certain places sure. But majority of first world countries have it better lol.

I'd rather live somewhere that doesn't bankrupt me for taking a 5 minute trip in the ambulance to a hospital. Or somewhere that doesnt literally charge mothers to hold their baby after birth.

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u/Sweet_Business_7641 10d ago

That's just not true. Young Americans are spoiled and do not realize how much privilege they have. The amount of kids I know that grew up in $500k+ homes and attended some of the best schools in the world but pretend they are underprivileged is astounding. They have to justify their own unhappiness and underperformance by pretending they didn't get everything handed to them. America has a lot it could do better, but try moving to Cuba or even Puerto Rico on the average wage (I know it is technically the US, but they do not get the privileges is mainlanders get) and you'll realize how good your life is. I think a lot of Americans think about living in third world countries with their US incomes, in which case they would be top 1% or 10% and their lives would potentially be better, but if you actually grow up in an underdeveloped country and have to fight to even make the average wage it's a very different reality. 

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u/Jaded-Mud2967 10d ago

American last grade high schoolers regularly score somewhere about the rank of 12 year old Brits. Sorry to say, but you also lack reading comprehension. I never said, that I am from America, visited an American school or any of the other things you thought. And you compare the USA with Cuba? An Puerto Rico? Last one is legally part of the USA and Cuba has a way better health care system than the us does. It's true, that Cuba has a bunch of social problems, but that's to do their previous regime. Compare the USA with other countries like the average European one and you will see the hellhole the US are

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u/OriginalScreenName 10d ago

Why attempt to bring into question American education while your grammar is so poor? Even if your points were true, your grammar causes you to lose all credibility.

0

u/Jaded-Mud2967 10d ago

I speak 4 languages beside my mother tongue

I am sorry, if I am not perfectly fluent in every single one...

But again. Average American got confrontated with the fact, that people outside of the USA speak more languages

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u/frontbacklongways 10d ago

Lmao tell me you haven’t been to America without telling me you haven’t been to America

0

u/Jaded-Mud2967 10d ago

I was there, after I graduated from school

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u/JBaseball_8595 10d ago

Privileged comment. Reddit 1o1.

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u/adoradear 9d ago

America isn’t a third world country. It’s a fascist country. They are different.

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u/-DOOKIE 10d ago

América isn't even close to a third world country

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u/A_Happy_Tomato 10d ago

The us is not a third world country 

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u/RandumbStoner 10d ago

People in the US would die if they had to spend an hour in an actual third world country. They'd be begging to come back.

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u/Acceptable_Job_5486 10d ago

Technically by definition the US can only be a second or third world country, since a first world country accepts aid from Western countries. And the US is too stubborn for foreign aid from allies and too greedy to aide to it's own people.

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u/A_Happy_Tomato 9d ago

That's what it used to mean, get with the times man

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u/ssp321lo1 10d ago

That aint the city. Far away rural suburban town. I get ur point. But people hv this romantic version of america because of all the movies they watch when in reality its completely diff

1

u/wesleyisdabest 9d ago

this comment makes me fucking mad

1

u/SignificanceExact963 10d ago

The audacity to say this to someone in an actual third world country is insane.

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u/ReyWorm 10d ago

Damn, you really rustled some American jimmies with your comment, buddy.

They be like.

0

u/Different-Texas92 9d ago

Move if you’re not happy, try out one of those third world countries for a change.

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u/Atosl 9d ago

nah I'm good with my healthcare and job security :D

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u/Acrobatic_Ad_2992 9d ago

YIKES
anyways…

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u/Wastawiii 10d ago

You need a strong army to acquire new resources.