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Message
The US is an incredible country despite what you hear from the haters
Posted on 4/23/25 at 2:26 am
Posted on 4/23/25 at 2:26 am
I'm going to list some stats that are going to blow you away at just how dominant the US really is.
1. US stock markets account for 67% of all global market cap. Meaning our stock markets are worth 200% what the entire rest of the world stock market combined are. NYSE and Nasdaq.
2. 55 of the world's top 100 universities are in the US. When you get granular and look at average salaries, test scores (for the international programs) even when you compare Rice and Vandy (not global top 100) to U Toronto (global top 20). Rice/Vandy graduates on average make 50% higher income. For the MBA program, the average GMAT was significantly higher for Rice/Vandy, and acceptance rates at Rice/Vandy are 4.5%. U Toronto is 40%. So literally 9x higher, yet they are somehow top 20? That's even 4x higher than Tulane's acceptance rate. Basically, they are severely underranking uni's like Rice/Vandy to "diversify" "include" other countries schools that fail metrics wise to non Top 100 global US colleges.
3. GDP/GDP per Capita. Amongst the top 10 largest countries by population. The range of GDP per Capita excluding US is at lowest $750 and at highest $14,000 (China). US is at $90,000. Even with 350 million people which typically drags down a country's GDP per Capita, they are still elite. GDP of $32 Trillion for US ranks 1st in world. Another example would be Canada. In 2011, Canada and the US had about the same GDP per Capita at $54,000. Today Canada is only at $57,000, and the US skyrocketed to $90,000.
Another example, Louisiana GDP per Capita is $72,000. UK and Germany are around $56,000. Louisiana being one of the poorest states still has a GDP per Capita that is around 30% higher than UK, Germany, France, etc.
4. Nobel Prize. US has 410 Nobel Prize Winners. 2nd place country, England, has 120 Nobel Prizes.
5. Olympics. US has finished 1st in total medals for every olympics for the last 32 years. They have finished 1st in total gold every time for last 32 years except 2008 at China olympics.
6. US had over 12 million people apply for a visa in 2024. 2nd place country had 2.5 million. Acceptance rate for applicants green card to be citizens into the US is 3%.
7. US Dollar. The US is the world currency reserve. Why? Every other country trusts our dollar more than their own. USD has slipped up recently, but when looking back in the last 15 years, I have not been able to find 1 single currency amongst the other 200+ countries that has gained on the US Dollar. For example, USD has 3x'd Japan Yen. The Euro was worth $1.38 in 2009. It's now $1.09, it was $1.04 a couple months ago.
8. TV, Media, Cinema, Music. This is the biggest one to me as it is the biggest thing we consume daily (not read top 100 global uni charts). Our news is basically every other country's backup news. They'll report their local news, then do a segment on US news in fricking Cambodia. Our Movies, TV Series are watched by all, and in most instances our movies, TV series are watched more than the movies/TV shows put out by the consumer's country. Our Music, which I don't really like today, is still the entire world's music. Go to East Russia, Australia, Egypt and turn on the local pop/modern radio station, I'd bet a lot you don't go more than 30 minutes without hearing an American artist like Taylor Swift song.
9. Tech. This is what makes me believe the US will continue to dominate for the rest of this century. There are only 7 companies in the world that have over $1 trillion market cap. 6 of these are American tech companies, and they aren't just worth $1 trillion, they shattered that long ago and are all now $3 trillion. Amazon, Nvidia, Microsoft, Apple, Google, Meta. Whether you like it or not, these companies are the future. I see no reason that any of these will fail and lose their spot at the top as they recruit the very best. Do you know what your average software engineer from India would do to get a software engineering role at Microsoft in the Bay Area? He'd literally give his left nut for that. These tech companies I think secure US dominance.
10. Military. US spends about $1 trillion on military. Relatively, Canada spend $27 billion. If the US spent just 5% or 1/20th of its budget on taking over Canada, we'd still outspend them 2:1. The US spends more on military than the 2nd place through 10th place countries ALL COMBINED. US military budget makes up 40% of global military spending. All other 200+ countries combined make up 60% of global military spending.
Lastly, I'll throw in what really makes America, America. College Football. 8 of the worlds 10 largest stadiums are college football stadiums. No one else has a Tailgate at Death Valley on a Fall night experience besides us. PS: I rounded on some of these stats, but they are in general very close on and can be verified.
If you have any other stats like this that you want to throw out, please do.
1. US stock markets account for 67% of all global market cap. Meaning our stock markets are worth 200% what the entire rest of the world stock market combined are. NYSE and Nasdaq.
2. 55 of the world's top 100 universities are in the US. When you get granular and look at average salaries, test scores (for the international programs) even when you compare Rice and Vandy (not global top 100) to U Toronto (global top 20). Rice/Vandy graduates on average make 50% higher income. For the MBA program, the average GMAT was significantly higher for Rice/Vandy, and acceptance rates at Rice/Vandy are 4.5%. U Toronto is 40%. So literally 9x higher, yet they are somehow top 20? That's even 4x higher than Tulane's acceptance rate. Basically, they are severely underranking uni's like Rice/Vandy to "diversify" "include" other countries schools that fail metrics wise to non Top 100 global US colleges.
3. GDP/GDP per Capita. Amongst the top 10 largest countries by population. The range of GDP per Capita excluding US is at lowest $750 and at highest $14,000 (China). US is at $90,000. Even with 350 million people which typically drags down a country's GDP per Capita, they are still elite. GDP of $32 Trillion for US ranks 1st in world. Another example would be Canada. In 2011, Canada and the US had about the same GDP per Capita at $54,000. Today Canada is only at $57,000, and the US skyrocketed to $90,000.
Another example, Louisiana GDP per Capita is $72,000. UK and Germany are around $56,000. Louisiana being one of the poorest states still has a GDP per Capita that is around 30% higher than UK, Germany, France, etc.
4. Nobel Prize. US has 410 Nobel Prize Winners. 2nd place country, England, has 120 Nobel Prizes.
5. Olympics. US has finished 1st in total medals for every olympics for the last 32 years. They have finished 1st in total gold every time for last 32 years except 2008 at China olympics.
6. US had over 12 million people apply for a visa in 2024. 2nd place country had 2.5 million. Acceptance rate for applicants green card to be citizens into the US is 3%.
7. US Dollar. The US is the world currency reserve. Why? Every other country trusts our dollar more than their own. USD has slipped up recently, but when looking back in the last 15 years, I have not been able to find 1 single currency amongst the other 200+ countries that has gained on the US Dollar. For example, USD has 3x'd Japan Yen. The Euro was worth $1.38 in 2009. It's now $1.09, it was $1.04 a couple months ago.
8. TV, Media, Cinema, Music. This is the biggest one to me as it is the biggest thing we consume daily (not read top 100 global uni charts). Our news is basically every other country's backup news. They'll report their local news, then do a segment on US news in fricking Cambodia. Our Movies, TV Series are watched by all, and in most instances our movies, TV series are watched more than the movies/TV shows put out by the consumer's country. Our Music, which I don't really like today, is still the entire world's music. Go to East Russia, Australia, Egypt and turn on the local pop/modern radio station, I'd bet a lot you don't go more than 30 minutes without hearing an American artist like Taylor Swift song.
9. Tech. This is what makes me believe the US will continue to dominate for the rest of this century. There are only 7 companies in the world that have over $1 trillion market cap. 6 of these are American tech companies, and they aren't just worth $1 trillion, they shattered that long ago and are all now $3 trillion. Amazon, Nvidia, Microsoft, Apple, Google, Meta. Whether you like it or not, these companies are the future. I see no reason that any of these will fail and lose their spot at the top as they recruit the very best. Do you know what your average software engineer from India would do to get a software engineering role at Microsoft in the Bay Area? He'd literally give his left nut for that. These tech companies I think secure US dominance.
10. Military. US spends about $1 trillion on military. Relatively, Canada spend $27 billion. If the US spent just 5% or 1/20th of its budget on taking over Canada, we'd still outspend them 2:1. The US spends more on military than the 2nd place through 10th place countries ALL COMBINED. US military budget makes up 40% of global military spending. All other 200+ countries combined make up 60% of global military spending.
Lastly, I'll throw in what really makes America, America. College Football. 8 of the worlds 10 largest stadiums are college football stadiums. No one else has a Tailgate at Death Valley on a Fall night experience besides us. PS: I rounded on some of these stats, but they are in general very close on and can be verified.
If you have any other stats like this that you want to throw out, please do.
This post was edited on 4/23/25 at 3:29 am
19
Posted on 4/23/25 at 3:15 am to Saunson69
As an American who lives in a developing country, the ease of opening an LLC/business is lowkey one of underrated benefits. Doing it in a developing country is like torture.
Posted on 4/23/25 at 3:27 am to Saunson69
So we're already great?
Posted on 4/23/25 at 3:54 am to Saunson69
My wife and I didn’t get an education from a super prestigious university. We have inherited nothing. We do not get money, businesses, or property from our parents like many of our peers.
Despite that we do extremely well financially with our careers and side hustles. We were able to afford a nice home in a great community. We have kids that will be better off than we were. Our kids will inherit some money, property and a business if we keep on this track.
Probably the only thing in our lives that isn’t going as well as we’d like is that we rarely have time for anything beyond being a parent or our work….and our tax burden is very heavy.
If I could change anything about this country it would be to invest in ways to help everyone be as successful and happy as me: by that I mean we should try to boost manufacturing domestically and improve our infrastructure (including education, transportation, and the soft aspects of our business development ecosystem). We need to cut waste in public spending and be more careful about managing fraud and abuse because taxes and inflation are a real threat for normal people trying to build wealth and gain financial independence.
I’m more optimistic about our country right now than I have been in years. We’ve been getting bogged down by burdensome regulations and taxes (especially in states like California) over the past few decades. At the moment we are at least delaying that inevitable march towards stagnation. So people can climb the socioeconomic ladder at least for a while longer.
Despite that we do extremely well financially with our careers and side hustles. We were able to afford a nice home in a great community. We have kids that will be better off than we were. Our kids will inherit some money, property and a business if we keep on this track.
Probably the only thing in our lives that isn’t going as well as we’d like is that we rarely have time for anything beyond being a parent or our work….and our tax burden is very heavy.
If I could change anything about this country it would be to invest in ways to help everyone be as successful and happy as me: by that I mean we should try to boost manufacturing domestically and improve our infrastructure (including education, transportation, and the soft aspects of our business development ecosystem). We need to cut waste in public spending and be more careful about managing fraud and abuse because taxes and inflation are a real threat for normal people trying to build wealth and gain financial independence.
I’m more optimistic about our country right now than I have been in years. We’ve been getting bogged down by burdensome regulations and taxes (especially in states like California) over the past few decades. At the moment we are at least delaying that inevitable march towards stagnation. So people can climb the socioeconomic ladder at least for a while longer.
This post was edited on 4/23/25 at 4:35 am
Posted on 4/23/25 at 4:38 am to Saunson69
The rest of the world is our bitch. The know it. They hate it. Instead of trying to keep up with us the just stomp their feet like the little bitches they are.
This post was edited on 4/23/25 at 4:41 am
Posted on 4/23/25 at 4:45 am to crewdepoo
quote:
So we're already great?
We still suck on a lot of things that can and should be fixed.
And even with all that, we are greater than everyone else.
This post was edited on 4/23/25 at 4:49 am
Posted on 4/23/25 at 4:59 am to Saunson69
Most people on the Low-T lounge have never been outside the US
Posted on 4/23/25 at 5:05 am to Burt Reynolds
Traveling really opens your eyes to the fact that even our poorest citizens would be considered wealthy in most other countries.
Hell, everybody has a car here, even if it is an Altima.
Hell, everybody has a car here, even if it is an Altima.
Posted on 4/23/25 at 5:08 am to crewdepoo
quote:
So we're already great?
Well, some of us are. You are not.
Posted on 4/23/25 at 5:33 am to Saunson69
I see my country similar to the way I view my family. Both are far from perfect but I will defend them to the death outside of them but have no problem pointing out and discussing the flaws within them.
One of the great things about the US is its incredible diversity. If you want to live on a tropical island you can. If you want to live near the Arctic Circle you can. Beaches, mountains, plains, cold, hot, temperate, big city, small town, 50 miles from the nearest grocery store. We have it all. The differences in culture and laws allow you to choose from effectively dozens of "countries" with the same basic ethos guiding them but with differing interpretations of said ethos.
One of the great things about the US is its incredible diversity. If you want to live on a tropical island you can. If you want to live near the Arctic Circle you can. Beaches, mountains, plains, cold, hot, temperate, big city, small town, 50 miles from the nearest grocery store. We have it all. The differences in culture and laws allow you to choose from effectively dozens of "countries" with the same basic ethos guiding them but with differing interpretations of said ethos.
Posted on 4/23/25 at 5:45 am to Saunson69
This needs a stickie
Posted on 4/23/25 at 5:47 am to Saunson69
quote:
10. Military. US spends about $1 trillion on military. Relatively, Canada spend $27 billion. If the US spent just 5% or 1/20th of its budget on taking over Canada, we'd still outspend them 2:1. The US spends more on military than the 2nd place through 10th place countries ALL COMBINED. US military budget makes up 40% of global military spending. All other 200+ countries combined make up 60% of global military spending.
In the case of the US, military spending does not equal military superiority. The waste, fraud, and inefficiency in our MIC is unimaginable.
Maybe not on paper, but functionally, Ill bet China is spending more on their military than we are.
Posted on 4/23/25 at 6:36 am to Saunson69
There ain't no period in the history of the United States when the nation was greater than it is today and today will look pretty rough a year from now based on history. This is why the extreme elements on both sides of the spectrum have a platform at all....because they have time to bitch and whine about stupid shite and we have time and resources to facilitate their stupidity.
When you can have 1/3 of the nation bent out of shape over where a man in a dress takes a dump and 1/3 of the nation worrying about pronouns and 2/3 of the nation trying to get through their day without choking the living shite out of the whining bitches on both sides its a sure sign that the nation in question is pretty damned great....otherwise all of those people would be too busy hunting something to eat and fighting with one another over scarce resources. Is the United States perfect? Of course not, but it is pretty damn close and it is great today and going to be greater in the future. There will be setbacks but we are far better off currently than we have been at any time in the past and as good as it is today we will be better in 10 years....and 50....
When you can have 1/3 of the nation bent out of shape over where a man in a dress takes a dump and 1/3 of the nation worrying about pronouns and 2/3 of the nation trying to get through their day without choking the living shite out of the whining bitches on both sides its a sure sign that the nation in question is pretty damned great....otherwise all of those people would be too busy hunting something to eat and fighting with one another over scarce resources. Is the United States perfect? Of course not, but it is pretty damn close and it is great today and going to be greater in the future. There will be setbacks but we are far better off currently than we have been at any time in the past and as good as it is today we will be better in 10 years....and 50....
Posted on 4/23/25 at 6:39 am to AwgustaDawg
quote:
When you can have 1/3 of the nation bent out of shape over where a man in a dress takes a dump and 1/3 of the nation worrying about pronouns and 2/3 of the nation trying to get through their day without choking the living shite out of the whining bitches on both sides its a sure sign that the nation in question is pretty damned great
*counts on fingers.....
Posted on 4/23/25 at 6:40 am to crewdepoo
quote:
So we're already great?
Yes. To the point that about 1/3 of the population on both sides of the political spectrum are as free to bitch and moan and whine about stupid. meaningless shite as a people have ever bitched and moaned about. As long as the 1/3 in the middle holds on to some semblance of sanity the US is great today and will be great tomorrow. However, if we do somehow lose our collective sanity and allow the extremists on the right and left to gain any more ground and they live out their fantasy of destroying one another we are going to have to put them down like rabid dawgs or get caught up their stupidity....we must remain vigilante.
Posted on 4/23/25 at 6:44 am to Saunson69
The US certainly was an incredible country…. but we are currently nowhere near our potential, especially compared to our past.
The growth of the federal government is out of control, as is their spending agenda.
We have endured a 40%+ increase in the number of fedgov employees since covid. It was and is unsustainable.
Nearly every government agency has undergone extensive mission creep and scope expansion … to the point where many are no longer focused on their core mission. They are further distracted by progressive policies like DEI which completely subvert (by design) leadership focus. The federal government completely abandoned efforts to be productive….. abandoning meritocracy and de-prioritizing productivity.
In its quest for unbridled power, the federal government is usurping traditional state government roles … states rights and functions need to be restored.
The growth of the federal government is out of control, as is their spending agenda.
We have endured a 40%+ increase in the number of fedgov employees since covid. It was and is unsustainable.
Nearly every government agency has undergone extensive mission creep and scope expansion … to the point where many are no longer focused on their core mission. They are further distracted by progressive policies like DEI which completely subvert (by design) leadership focus. The federal government completely abandoned efforts to be productive….. abandoning meritocracy and de-prioritizing productivity.
In its quest for unbridled power, the federal government is usurping traditional state government roles … states rights and functions need to be restored.
This post was edited on 4/23/25 at 6:49 am
Posted on 4/23/25 at 6:52 am to N2cars
quote:
Traveling really opens your eyes to the fact that even our poorest citizens would be considered wealthy in most other countries.
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.” - Mark Twain
Americans really do need to go somewhere outside the country other than a cruise to the Bahamas or a Cancun resort....but even that can be an eye opening experience as to the wonders that are the United States. The less educated and less income a person has the more likely they are to suffer from a lack of travel and experiences outside of their little corner of the world and the more likely they are to suffer from irrational fears of things that are different and people who are different. I know a couple of things I learned from living abroad which I would not know had I not had the opportunity.
The first is we have it pretty well made in the US. We ain't perfect but its pretty damn good.
The second is that people in other nations are not living in some kind of hellish nightmare. for the most part. Even in poor undeveloped countries the people live their lives....in industrialized nations they usually live pretty comfotably.
Another one is there are very few Americans who appreciate the US as much as many people, especially middle class people, from other countries do. This blows my mind...if you did not know better you would think that Americans are despised abroad and America is the worst thing on the planet....but even in the middle east there are a heaping pile of people who admire America and Americans....we are sometimes very confusing and even amusing to them but they do not despise us, they admire us. This is something that has to be experienced and you have to get through the human nature of strangers being guarded....it often comes off as being aloof or even disdain...it is usually neither, its being "shy" especially around someone who you kind of admire....get through that and you will find most people who aren't Americans kind of wish they were LOL....not they are planning on immigrating but do try to emulate a lot of what we do in their nation....
Posted on 4/23/25 at 7:01 am to member12
Well said
And congrats on the success and life well lived
And congrats on the success and life well lived
Posted on 4/23/25 at 7:07 am to AwgustaDawg
In America you're free to type out 40 paragraph diatribes on message boards, about every menial subject that comes along, and pretend that people are going to take the time out of their day to read that stupid shite.
Posted on 4/23/25 at 7:32 am to member12
quote:
Probably the only thing in our lives that isn’t going as well as we’d like is that we rarely have time for anything beyond being a parent or our work….and our tax burden is very heavy.
Don't let that get to you. Every benefit comes with a sacrifice. I have similar problems, and when I stop and think about it I would much rather have these problems now than trade it for when I was less fortunate.
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