Newsweek's top 10

[Stratofortress]

How can you Americans tolerate such blatant left-wing bias in your media!?!?

Just listen to this -
"While big countries like the United States like to tout their achievements, it is the smaller nations of northern Europe that can boast the greatest success in solving the problems of balancing competition and cooperation, capitalism and social security."
"Balancing"? Clearly socialist nonsense - Sweden is probably the farthest to the left in the entire developed world.

You seriously need to question what your media tells you - is equality really more important than absolute wealth?

"Nothing can now be believed which is seen in a newspaper. Truth itself becomes suspicious by being put into that polluted vehicle." --Thomas Jefferson

 

[The Last Conformist]

You seriously need to question what your media tells you - is equality really more important than absolute wealth?

That's a question of values, which cannot be objectively answered. (One of the similarities 'tween Libertarians and Socialists is, for some reason, a strong tendency to refuse to accept this. I'd had a pseudo-psychological theory about it, if I could be bothered.)

Fact is, a considerable proportion of modern Westerners believe it is. About 2/3 of Germans according to a recent FAZ article; I wouldn't be surprised if the figure is similar in Sweden or Finland.

As for the listing, I can't imagine why anyone'd take it seriously.

 

[Japher]

(I am consistent at best...)

Besides, how much equality is needed if you have everything you need anyway? Communism seemed to try abuse that notion that equality out weighs absolute wealth, and, well it failed.

 

[Immortal]

10) Canada - Quiet, but a model for the open, well-rounded society

great, I live in the land of perpetual also-rans.

Time to pack my bags and move to Ireland.

 

[Japher]

I was really disappointed to see Finland slip under the radar.

They are plotting to take over the world you know.

 

[crystal]

How did sweden top the list? What a load of barnacles.

Because Newsweek is an American newspaper, they didn't have the balls to put themselves at the top.

It's utter nonsense to try to put countries in order of quality; it's like comparing Mars to Uranus.

 

[Adebisi]

That's a question of values, which cannot be objectively answered.

I have not read the entire article, but my guess is that there is no disclaimer about the listing being the subjective opinion of the author.

In fact, from what I read, he does his best to sound objective -
"Consider just about any social indicator—income per capita, health, democracy, economic competitiveness, environmental consciousness, honesty—and the Nordic world of Iceland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland is sure to shine."

As for the listing, I can't imagine why anyone'd take it seriously.

Well there you see, you realised that it was a question of values. So did I. Both what about the majority of those who read it?

Fact is, a considerable proportion of modern Westerners believe it is. About 2/3 of Germans according to a recent FAZ article; I wouldn't be surprised if the figure is similar in Sweden or Finland.

I do not care how many people support it, it is still not rational. I do not care how many Nigerians believe they will loose their genitals if they shake hands with the wrong person either, a society where one cannot shake hands is still not a better society.

I do not think however that such a large part of any Western nation would choose equality over absolute wealth if they could objectivly investigate both options.

 

[Adebisi]

Besides, how much equality is needed if you have everything you need anyway? Communism seemed to try abuse that notion that equality out weighs absolute wealth, and, well it failed.

We also need to realise that the Swedish model has failed as well, for the same reasons.

 

[The Last Conformist]

I have not read the entire article, but my guess is that there is no disclaimer about the listing being the subjective opinion of the author.

I wasn't refering to any of the author's opinions, but to your implicit claim that absolute wealth was more imporant than equality

Well there you see, you realised that it was a question of values. So did I. Both what about the majority of those who read it?

People frequently do and believe things I cannot imagine why anyone would do or believe.

I do not care how many people support it, it is still not rational.

Here we go again. Rationality pertains to means, not ends.

I do not think however that such a large part of any Western nation would choose equality over absolute wealth if they could objectivly investigate both options.

I'm inclined to agree, but that's of little importance.

 

[Marla_Singer]

There is something weird in this ranking. There is France but not Britain.

If you look at any kind of international comparison, Britain and France area always following each other. Brits always make fun of France, however our countries are a lot more similar than they can imagine.

So here's my final question : WHY BRITAIN IS NOT HERE ?!!!

 

[Adebisi]

TLC: I do not disagree entirely, but "means" and "ends" are not really the issues here. You claim yourself that you agree with the last part of my post, so I guess we can agree that very few people actually have a strong belief in egalitarianism. It is more of an irrational belief in what kind of society is best for them.

 

[Cheetah]

Yet another "study" which gives Sweden ridiculously high scores. What are the criteria this time?

Sweden is a failed collectivist economy with low wages, high prices and the highest taxes in the world, which will not survive in the long run.

If it doesn't get any better than that, I propose a worldwide suicide.

How can you Americans tolerate such blatant left-wing bias in your media!?!?

Just listen to this -
"While big countries like the United States like to tout their achievements, it is the smaller nations of northern Europe that can boast the greatest success in solving the problems of balancing competition and cooperation, capitalism and social security."
"Balancing"? Clearly socialist nonsense - Sweden is probably the farthest to the left in the entire developed world.

You seriously need to question what your media tells you - is equality really more important than absolute wealth?

I beg to disagree. Even though I didn't like Sweden on the top (Norwegians are better than the Swedes! ), they are not a failure of any kind. Equality leads to a more stable country, less crime and more friendlyness among people.
You are correct that communism was a failure. I predict extreme capitalism to be a failure in the end as well. I'll even bet that Sweden will be around long after the USA has gone into the history books.

I regard Norway, Sweden and the rest of the Nordic countries as better coutries to live in than big, powerfull, extremely captialistic countries like the USA.

How can you Americans tolerate such blatant left-wing bias in your media!?!?
You seriously need to question what your media tells you - is equality really more important than absolute wealth?

I guess you would have liked being a rich landlord in a feudal age...

 

[Azadre]

How can you Americans tolerate such blatant left-wing bias in your media!?!?

Just listen to this -
"While big countries like the United States like to tout their achievements, it is the smaller nations of northern Europe that can boast the greatest success in solving the problems of balancing competition and cooperation, capitalism and social security."
"Balancing"? Clearly socialist nonsense - Sweden is probably the farthest to the left in the entire developed world.

You seriously need to question what your media tells you - is equality really more important than absolute wealth?

Equality is the greatest thing for humanity. So yes, Equality is really more important than absolute wealth.

 

[samildanach]

So here's my final question : WHY BRITAIN IS NOT HERE ?!!!

How many French people retire to Britain? How many British people retire to France?

My impression is that it is sort quality of living table. I wouldn't expect Britain to be in the top ten and I wouldn't have expected the U.S to be in the top 10 either. Seems odd.

 

[Stratofortress]

Equality is the greatest thing for humanity. So yes, Equality is really more important than absolute wealth.

We are only equal before the law. To extend equality to outcome is repression.

Alexis de Tocqueville: "Equality is a slogan based on envy. It signifies: "Nobody is going to occupy a place higher than I.' "

Calvin Coolidge: "Don't expect to build up the weak by pulling down the strong."

 

[Cheetah]

samildanach: I don't think this top 10 list only looks at quality of living, as the USA got #2 by being a powerhouse, and Singapore for being clean.

 

[Stratofortress]

I regard Norway, Sweden and the rest of the Nordic countries as better coutries to live in than big, powerfull, captialistic countries like the USA.

Every western country is capitalistic. Difference beign, is the big social security programs.

I predict extreme capitalism to be a failure in the end as well.

"Extreme capitalism" is corporatism and that has more common with socialism than it has with laissez-faire capitalism. Corporatism is simply dishonest socialism.

 

[Stratofortress]

Equality leads to a more stable country, less crime and more friendlyness among people.

It seems that wherever the Welfare State is involved, the moral precept, "Thou shalt not steal," becomes altered to say: "Thou shalt not steal, except for what thou deemest to be a worthy cause, where thou thinkest that thou canst use the loot for a better purpose than wouldst the victim of the theft."

 

[Stratofortress]

Equality is the greatest thing for humanity. So yes, Equality is really more important than absolute wealth.

Any idea of government-forced equality in Man's private life, social or otherwise whether the forcing be done by "police state" methods or by any other type or degree of pressure by government or by others (threatened or applied, including "moral" pressure) is bankrupt spiritually and morally. It is on a par with "forced brotherly love," a monstrous concept which is the product of "confusing the vocabulary." It violates the right to be let alone, the right to freedom of choice, of the other Individuals involved, whose right to this aspect of Liberty cannot justly be thus sacrificed in the name of Equality; which would thereby be perverted into inequality as to Liberty.

 

[Cheetah]

A simple look at the statistics concerning poverty and theft, violence, murder and other crimes, between the USA and a "welfare state", even when looking at percentages of the population, shows that the "welfare state" is doing much better than the USA.

Every western country is capitalistic. Difference beign, is the big social security programs.

You're right about that one. I'll edit my other post a bit.