Is the world getting better?

[Big K]

worse than ever...

[Parihaka]

I've said it before and I'll say it again, there ain't no time in history that has so many happy feed housed long living positively pampered people as there are right now. How is that a bad thing?

[entropy]

Originally Posted by Parihaka

I've said it before and I'll say it again, there ain't no time in history that has so many happy feed housed long living positively pampered people as there are right now. How is that a bad thing?

Sir, it is not entirely true.
Problems are relative. A man who has to fight for his survival will not care that much about an issue that a wealthy man will commit suicide about. Both are equally happy/unhappy, because the wealthy man is much more hit by a small problem.

In Russia and the USSR, living was hard enough for people not to notice small problems. Depression wasn't an issue at all. Sure, people were glad and sad but I only first saw depression when I came to the West.
Depression (of all kind) is an issue that often happens to wealthy people, often those whose parents can provide them with everything they need, or who got everything they need by themselves. Small, often social problems like the lack of good friends in an increasingly apathic society take their toll.
Just look at the suicide rates.

I am not saying that people should become poor and that material sufficience is a bad thing, only that it does by no means make people happier. They find their problems to worry about, no matter what.

[entropy]

Originally Posted by Enzo Ferrari

You mean next Chinese will conquered the world(Billions of little educated poeple....)

Edit: Grammar.

Possible.

[braindead]

[quote=entropy;395772]Sir, it is not entirely true.
Problems are relative. A man who has to fight for his survival will not care that much about an issue that a wealthy man will commit suicide about. Both are equally happy/unhappy, because the wealthy man is much more hit by a small problem.

In Russia and the USSR, living was hard enough for people not to notice small problems. Depression wasn't an issue at all. Sure, people were glad and sad but I only first saw depression when I came to the West.
Depression (of all kind) is an issue that often happens to wealthy people, often those whose parents can provide them with everything they need, or who got everything they need by themselves. Small, often social problems like the lack of good friends in an increasingly apathic society take their toll.
Just look at the suicide rates.
QUOTE]

On one hand I still remember being flabbergasted when a swedish girl complained about not being able to wash dishes , because it causes allergic reaction to her . Or a Utah girl crying about the lack of hot water .

On the other hand - depression - take a look at Europes suicide rates . And not now , but 15-20 years ago . AFAIK Hungary was absolute top, Estonians close second , then came first wealthy country (Finland ?) .
(I could be wrong here little bit , I´m too tired to search for the correct data , but basic idea remains the same )

[glyn]

Originally Posted by Parihaka

I've said it before and I'll say it again, there ain't no time in history that has so many happy feed housed long living positively pampered people as there are right now. How is that a bad thing?

If I edit this to

there ain't no time in history that has so many people as there are right now.

then I could agree with you. In fact there are more people alive right now than all the people who have dwelt on this planet throughout history (or at least this has been claimed).

[gunnut]

Originally Posted by entropy

Sir, it is not entirely true.
Problems are relative. A man who has to fight for his survival will not care that much about an issue that a wealthy man will commit suicide about. Both are equally happy/unhappy, because the wealthy man is much more hit by a small problem.

In Russia and the USSR, living was hard enough for people not to notice small problems. Depression wasn't an issue at all. Sure, people were glad and sad but I only first saw depression when I came to the West.
Depression (of all kind) is an issue that often happens to wealthy people, often those whose parents can provide them with everything they need, or who got everything they need by themselves. Small, often social problems like the lack of good friends in an increasingly apathic society take their toll.
Just look at the suicide rates.

I am not saying that people should become poor and that material sufficience is a bad thing, only that it does by no means make people happier. They find their problems to worry about, no matter what.

I think that's a testament to how good the world is today. We have just as many miserable people who can think of nothing but survival. But now we have an entire group of people who have everything already and they are depressed about the little things.

That's progress.

[Zeng]

Originally Posted by JAD_333

You may be right. We'll see. Chinese have always been that way here. The Irish, Germans and Poles started out that way and slowly integrated. The Italians still have their little Italies.

Not sure what is wrong with respect each other. Not sure what special respect Chinese demanded in America.

If you do a little bit research on your country’s recent history, you will know that the China towns in US have their historical roots. They were built by the older Chinese immigrants. Until WWII, there were discrimination laws against Chinese people and it restricted Chinese people to live in certain areas. Buying a house outside China town was restricted by the laws for the average Chinese Americans. The law created those kinds of isolated environment for Chinese Americans.

The society also creates a barrier for the Asian people sometimes. A Chinese enlisted in USAF wrote about his experience. He always wears a USAF uniform. But he was still asked by many people whether he is a PLA official visiting US.

If you go to Chicago, you will find relatively concentrated communities of Chinese, Russian, Greek, Irish, Poles, Mexican, Africa American and so on. Similar people with similar economic status, culture background and life style live close to each other. They have special shops to sell products that only their people like to buy. As for the common culture of this country, if a person wants to live a better life, he will have to get familiar with it. Otherwise, it is him to suffer.

Very few new Chinese immigrants live in China town today. The largest crowds of new Chinese immigrants are engineers who work in all kind of companies. They mostly live in suburb resident areas. Most of them have higher education degrees and work hard to support their families. They may not like McDonald instead of loving Chinese food but they love this country and contribute to this country.

When I see people from different countries celebrate their traditional festivals and national days in America and by the July 4th, everyone celebrate America’s independent day. I really feel the greatness of America that can tolerate each other, respect each other and by the end of the day, live with each other peacefully to build this country. I admire that.

BTW, I am not an immigrant. I just have a visa to stay and visit America because of the nature of my job.

[Parihaka]

Originally Posted by glyn

If I edit this to

there ain't no time in history that has so many people as there are right now.

then I could agree with you. In fact there are more people alive right now than all the people who have dwelt on this planet throughout history (or at least this has been claimed).

You edited it but left ain't in there

Alright, who are you and what have you done with the real Glyn

[gunnut]

I don't mean multiculturalism is bad. I mean we should be very careful about how we implement multiculturalism.

It's good to have many different people bring their cultures to this wonderful land. But the new comers must also respect those who are already here.

All government documents and proceedings should be conducted in English only. All voting ballots should be printed in English only. Driving tests should be administered in English. All classes other than foreign language classes should be conducted in English in public schools.

As of right now, we have the so called bilingual education that educates immigrants, a vast majority of them Mexicans, in Spanish. This is done in our public schools. Our voting ballots are printed in other languages. All you have to do is ask and you can vote for government officials in the United States using Spanish/Vietnamese/Chinese or any number of popular languages. You can take our driver's test in a foreign language.

I don't mind immigrants celebrate their own culture on their own time. I have a problem with immigrants bringing their culture into the public using tax dollars.

Have you heard this new one? Some universities now have "footwash basin" for the muslim students. An elementary school in San Diego pauses class 15 min everyday so the muslim students can pray.

I have no problem with muslims in this country. I have a problem when they demand special treatment.

[Feanor]

Originally Posted by gunnut

I have no problem with muslims in this country. I have a problem when they demand special treatment.

Like Kosovo?

[JAD_333]

Originally Posted by Zeng_xinren

If you do a little bit research on your country’s recent history, you will know that the China towns in US have their historical roots. They were built by the older Chinese immigrants.

Correct, so far...

Until WWII, there were discrimination laws against Chinese people and it restricted Chinese people to live in certain areas. Buying a house outside China town was restricted by the laws for the average Chinese Americans. The law created those kinds of isolated environment for Chinese Americans.

This wasn't true nationwide.

As far as I know there have never been any Federal laws requiring Chinese Americans citizens to live in certain areas. There might have been some early territorial laws; perhaps in California. But generally, Chinese Americans could buy a house wherever they wanted to. Where discrimination existed it was subtle.

It was done by writing it into land deeds in the form of restrictive covenants. These covenants controlled what owners could do with their property, for example who they could sell it to. For example a covenant might say the owner could sell only to a Christian American caucasian. That eliminated hispanics, blacks, Jews, Chinese and Native americans, buddists, all immigrants, etc., etc. This kind of covenant was somewhat common in upscale neighborhoods.

My mother, now 97 and still giving me hell, was a real estate broker from the mid-1940s in Washington, DC., --and by the way, an immigrant to the US-- tried unsucessfully several times to get around restrictive covenants in the 1950s and finally succeeded in 1964 when the courts stopped honoring them.

[gunnut]

Originally Posted by Feanor

Like Kosovo?

Heh...like everywhere in the world.

[chankya]

Originally Posted by gunnut

I don't mind immigrants celebrate their own culture on their own time. I have a problem with immigrants bringing their culture into the public using tax dollars.

The problem is this. As long as the immigrant is a legal immigrant, then as a citizen he shares the same rights and responsibilities as you. As such then what he/she is asking for, say ballot papers in Chinese, is not so much special privilege as equal access.

Edit: And I have as usual started side-tracking the main thread.

[gunnut]

Originally Posted by chankya

The problem is this. As long as the immigrant is a legal immigrant, then as a citizen he shares the same rights and responsibilities as you. As such then what he/she is asking for, say ballot papers in Chinese, is not so much special privilege as equal access.

Edit: And I have as usual started side-tracking the main thread.

That is the argument for the Voting Rights Act.

However, to become a citizen of this nation, and every nation on this earth, I suspect, one has to be proficient in the main operation language of that nation.

I don't expect to become a French citizen while not being proficient in French, then demand to participate in local elections using my native tongue.

I know for a fact that one has to be proficient in Danish to become a citizen of Denmark. The Danes may go as far as demanding new immigrants be proficient in Danish even if they have no intention of becoming citizens.