Americana is so weird

[DarkRange55]

This. Even the same part of America can be so different. For example, compare the Bronx to the UES.


I guess for me, "normie" is the average Joe, like the people you pass on the street or see outside. They seem to carry on with their daily lives without a thought or care in the world about the meaning of life or if there's a purpose to our existence. They seem to be on autopilot aka NPC mode.

But that seems to be how most countries are like, northern Thailand with its isarn Islamic influence or west and east Germany, which are still different from each other or the East West Coast of Canada or northern Canada. Or northern Scotland versus southern Scotland.

This. Even the same part of America can be so different. For example, compare the Bronx to the UES.


I guess for me, "normie" is the average Joe, like the people you pass on the street or see outside. They seem to carry on with their daily lives without a thought or care in the world about the meaning of life or if there's a purpose to our existence. They seem to be on autopilot aka NPC mode.

I think that might be the outward appearance that a lot of people project and I'm sure you've seen my posts where I do openly say most people are drones, which I'm assuming partly is by design and also partly by circumstance, but I don't know if that's really just a surface level interpretation to say that most people go about life without a concern in the world or thinking about why we're here. I think that's one of the reasons and again I stress one of the reasons that religion is so popular because it fills in a lot of those questions.

 

[sserafim]

I think that might be the outward appearance that a lot of people project and I'm sure you've seen my posts where I do openly say most people are drones, which I'm assuming partly is by design and also partly by circumstance, but I don't know if that's really just a surface level interpretation to say that most people go about life without a concern in the world or thinking about why we're here. I think that's one of the reasons and again I stress one of the reasons that religion is so popular because it fills in a lot of those questions.

Because I have lost hope in society. At least in American society. And I can't see myself having the energy at this stage in my life to move to any other country. Americans are the dumbest, laziest, most useless, most selfish and most dishonest subhumans on the face of the planet. I am baffled as to how a country with the shittiest, most classless and most disgusting people has the more wealth and power than almost all other countries.

I was just at the store earlier. In the parking lot there were about 3 dozen shopping carts, halfway curbed, blocking just about every free parking space. The cart collection corral was no more than 30 feet away. Many may view this as a small annoyance. I view it as one of the many examples marking the downfall of human decency. And without social decency, life is shitty, pointless and not worth living.

Loose-cannon killers, shooters and weirdos virtually eveywhere here, and I haven't been lucky enough to cross paths with one that will end me.

 

[MyChoiceAlone]

used to think i was republican. but was never really political. until that clown took office. what a joke. did you know he paid 1 dollar in taxes one year? this is a name i used to see on buildings as i walked by going to work!

 

[DarkRange55]

@sserafim
I don't understand the point you're trying to make
And yes, that is one person's perspective. I do think we have seen a decline in culture in the US and if you look at the prevailing sociological model, it might just be a turning point since it does seem to be largely cyclical. Of course, I don't have a crystal ball.
The US has so much wealth, partly because of the large investment into the military, and also because of the ingenuity in this country. I'm not talking about the phenomenon of ultra billionaires because of tax laws or whatever I'm just saying the country's wealth.
I don't need to be dragged into a debate about how we should be taxing wealthy people. Because that's not the point that I am making at the moment and that's a completely separate issue.

used to think i was republican. but was never really political. until that clown took office. what a joke. did you know he paid 1 dollar in taxes one year? this is a name i used to see on buildings as i walked by going to work!

A lot of those buildings and companies are not owned by him and simply get the licensing rights to his name because even if he is a joke, it is still a large brand in franchise.

Mark Zuckerberg, and a lot of other high-level very wealthy CEOs also do the same tax avoidance strategy, because there are three different types of income classifications (per the IRS). Earned, passive, investment. Earned is taxed the highest.

The way rich people make money vs the way poor people make money is totally different. Rich people have investments. They have these passive income streams from stocks and other things they own. And that income is treated differently than if you just go out and get a job and fill out a W2.

But yes, he's a clown and a fraud and he has evaded taxes, certainly in many illegal ways, too.

 

[sserafim]

@sserafim
I don't understand the point you're trying to make
And yes, that is one person's perspective. I do think we have seen a decline in culture in the US and if you look at the prevailing sociological model, it might just be a turning point since it does seem to be largely cyclical. Of course, I don't have a crystal ball.
The US has so much wealth, partly because of the large investment into the military, and also because of the ingenuity in this country. I'm not talking about the phenomenon of ultra billionaires because of tax laws or whatever I'm just saying the country's wealth.
I don't need to be dragged into a debate about how we should be taxing wealthy people. Because that's not the point that I am making at the moment and that's a completely separate issue.

A lot of those buildings and companies are not owned by him and simply get the licensing rights to his name because even if he is a joke, it is still a large brand in franchise.

Mark Zuckerberg, and a lot of other high-level very wealthy CEOs also do the same tax avoidance strategy, because there are three different types of income classifications (per the IRS). Earned, passive, investment. Earned is taxed the highest.

The way rich people make money vs the way poor people make money is totally different. Rich people have investments. They have these passive income streams from stocks and other things they own. And that income is treated differently than if you just go out and get a job and fill out a W2.

But yes, he's a clown and a fraud and he has evaded taxes, certainly in many illegal ways, too.

I guess I'm just trying to say that America is a weird place. Even the same city can be so different, poor and rich living side by side (cough cough NYC). America seems to have no consistent culture or culture of its own, it has nothing like European high culture. The normies are classless and unsophisticated. They have no class and no culture. The normies I saw in Frederick further embodied this. They seemed to be run of the mill people.

 

[Dr Iron Arc]

I love the idea of American culture, just wish I actually had the financial freedom to indulge in it more. I wish I could be at an IHOP right now but maybe I'm just feeling homesick cause I'm in Taiwan right now.

 

[DarkRange55]

I guess I'm just trying to say that America is weird. Even the same city can be so different, poor and rich living side by side (cough cough NYC). America seems to have no consistent culture or culture of its own, it has nothing like European high culture. The normies are classless and unsophisticated. They have no class and no culture. The normies I saw in Frederick further embodied this. They seemed to be run of the mill people.

The wealth disparity in close proximity shows up in places like Ho Chi Min City in Vietnam and other SEA cities, too. So it's not an isolated phenomenon.
Thats most people around the world in my experience.
The culture here is always changing because it's a nation of immigrants. Culture depends on the people and place.

I love the idea of American culture, just wish I actually had the financial freedom to indulge in it more. I wish I could be at an IHOP right now but maybe I'm just feeling homesick cause I'm in Taiwan right now.

Taiwan is probably my favorite country, IMHO. But thats just me.

I guess I'm just trying to say that America is weird. Even the same city can be so different, poor and rich living side by side (cough cough NYC). America seems to have no consistent culture or culture of its own, it has nothing like European high culture. The normies are classless and unsophisticated. They have no class and no culture. The normies I saw in Frederick further embodied this. They seemed to be run of the mill people.

Every major American city has one (ghetto) these days.

 

[sserafim]

I love the idea of American culture, just wish I actually had the financial freedom to indulge in it more. I wish I could be at an IHOP right now but maybe I'm just feeling homesick cause I'm in Taiwan right now.

Why do you love the idea of American culture? What's appealing about it to you?

 

[Blurry_Buildings]

No offense, but the normies in Frederick seemed to be uncultured and have no class. They were just like average white people lol. The general American population is like that honestly, they seem to be dumb and stupid (like the rednecks who voted for Trump). Another user posted something a while back where he was astonished that the wealthiest and most powerful country in the world could have such dumb and classless people.

Hrmm I looked up Fredrick Maryland and realized it's next to west virgina and almost at the beginning of Apalachia. I've never actually been in that area so I forget that West Virginia's weird arm thing is actually right next to DC sometimes lol. The rural white demographic makes sense though.

It does kind of piss me off how many americans I find in my daily life who are clueless about foreign or domestic policy. I'd honestly rather everyone disagree with me if it meant they actually knew what was happening in the world and could acknowledge their role in it.

So many people just act confused or couldn't be bothered to care. Expecially Gen Z; the school system slacked off on teaching modern political history and now literally no one aged 16 - 26 can tell you what happened during the war on terror or why it happened, which I find both amusing and mildly disturbing.

 

[DarkRange55]

In Man in the High Castle, the Japanese are fascinated with collecting old Americana haha

Political views of Generation Z - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Gen Alpha kids are more informed about the news than you might think, Week Junior survey finds

America's youngest generation knows what is going on in the world, and they have something to say

theweek.com

 

[Dr Iron Arc]

Why do you love the idea of American culture? What's appealing about it to you?

Probably some latent nostalgia for the American Dream or some bs like that. The books I had to read for school like Little House on the Prairie I only remember the comfy atmosphere of or maybe it's something about the American spirit that just appeals to me. My favorite Marvel hero happens to be Captain America and my favorite Muppet is also the Uber-American Sam the Eagle. Perhaps I like the promise of freedom and independence even though I know those aren't attainable for everyone like we like to think.

Maybe I'm just an asshole.

 

[DarkRange55]

Probably some latent nostalgia for the American Dream or some bs like that. The books I had to read for school like Little House on the Prairie I only remember the comfy atmosphere of or maybe it's something about the American spirit that just appeals to me. My favorite Marvel hero happens to be Captain America and my favorite Muppet is also the Uber-American Sam the Eagle. Perhaps I like the promise of freedom and independence even though I know those aren't attainable for everyone like we like to think.

Maybe I'm just an asshole.

Just personal preference. It's definitely a lot better than a lot of less developed countries.
I think it's going to continue to be comfortable living **on an international scale in the US.** Many users on this forum have attested to that. Other currencies are also doubly affected by US inflation and dollar strength. "Imported inflation" due to exchange rates.
This does benefits people who hold dollars in a place like Mexico. More bang for your buck. Currencies purchasing power is relative to each others - exchange rates. Inflation in other countries has been far worse than the US.
A US passport will still be the most valuable for at least the next 100 years. The State Department is generally pretty good about helping stranded Americans. Yes, I know Singapore's has more "power" for travel but thats not what I'm referring to.

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