www.citizensugar.com/1805531
But the people still have their concerns, most notably, worries about inflation, rising prices, and environmental degradation burden the Chinese. To see how other countries compare to China, and who makes the list of the top-10 most optimistic countries read more. Who is happy with the direction their country is headed? Germany -- 34 percent content And some other favorites: * France -- 29 percent content * United States -- 23 percent content * Lebanon -- 6 percent content With China and Russia on top and the US and France decidedly not -- do any of the placements surprise you?
zeze 7 I noticed that about the US listening to sports on the radio - it seems like no matter how many local teams do well, people will only call in and talk about the ones not doing well. Even if a really bad team rises from the ashes - we talk about them for a while and then revert back to complaining about the bad teams. I chalk it up to us Americans having higher expectations of life then most people. It's half "spoiled brat" and half "won't settle for less" syndrome.
zeze 10 I think your husband has a point Sy - we buy and sell everything that we are always trying to get the better deal or make the better sale, and in that type of mentality it seems like you never get your money's worth or you undersold. I love sports talk radio, drunk, angry men after losses are hilarious.
CaterpillarGirl 11 "More than 175,000 interviews in 54 countries have been conducted as part of the project's work" That is there basis for these percentages? "The project is co-chaired by former US Secretary of State Madeleine K Albright" they had to put the old gal somewhere didnt they?
Oh, here in Baton Rouge during LSU football it gets nasty! Sticking out tongue You also have the element of "keeping up with the joneses" which if your neighbor gets a swimming pool, well then darnit it's time for you to get one too.
hellokitty87 14 I am a Russian immigrant living in the United States, and I can honestly say that Russia is more prosperous and heading in a much more positive direction that it has in the past 100+ years. I visited with my family there this past summer and their optimism and prosperity are a sure sign that the country should be happy as a whole, with the economy, and what they have accomplished as a people and have overcome. It is no longer a goal of Russian people to get up and leave to live somewhere else in Europe or the United States, instead people are proud of their country and where they live, and who they are. Russia has come a long way and I am happy with the direction it's heading.
zeze 16 "Keeping up with the Joneses" has hit big in our circle of family and friends - one person bought a new car (everyone else had modest, decent cars at the time) within months everyone had leased a limited edition SUV (leather, DVD players, 6 CD changer, heated seats, OnStar, sun roofs) it is even more shocking when you remember these are middle aged people who don't even own CDs or like having a sun roof! The next step, someone built an addition to their house - everyone else followed with additions getting bigger and bigger, the latest being built is an entire house - they just floored the house and rebuilt it!
Brendelwoman 20 Yeah, I noticed earlier this summer that every time I noticed a new deck being built I would sort of wonder what I should be doing to "keep up." Now that I know I am susceptible to that kind of thinking I think it will be easier to squash it.
geebers 23 Not surprised the US is only 23%- the countries that are prosperous already tend to be less satisfied because they want more. I mean logically the worse shape your nation is in - minor improvements can drastically affect the satisfaction rate no? But I have to agree- the we Americans do tend to complain about everything haha.
gbn07 28 wow, after reading what everyone had to say, you guys all epitomize why we are the way we are. If you focus on your own happiness and those who mean the world to you then maybe our country can be optimistic again like those commies over in china.
lovelie 29 That would also explain the US having such high consumer debt. all my friends had to go hit up the lines to go get one. I am guilty of plummeting my credit card with crap I don't need just to feel like I fit in.
whollycowbatman2 30 it doesn't matter where the united states ends up on this list. were always going to be the number 1 place in the world where everyone wants to live.
wolfman 33 I just wonder what all the other countries that, we have either protected at one time or other or we give a large amount of aid to, would be like today. We could have just ran the course and kept taking care of the people in our own country, but as we in the USA know we are always there with a helping hand.
dbomb 37 Zukunft wrote Of COURSE the Chinese say they are happy. If you speak out in negative ways about China, 'bad things' happen to you. Speech is not free in China, and you cannot speak discontent against China. I agree 100%, if you took this poll in North korea or Zimbabwe the results would be the same or better.
I think most Americans need to be a little bit more optimistic about our future. America has many strengths that will serve us well in the future. Overall, I would take our diversity over any of these countries. Our university and research institutions are still second to none and we still lead the world in technological innovation. China has made significant strides toward a free market system, but they are still a communist country. America's challenge going forward will be to come together as a country to improve primary education and infrastructure, encourage personal savings, pay down government debt, and have the courage to reform health care and social security. It may mean higher taxes or some other form of personal sacrifice. We can do it if we let go of some of our traditional "rugged individualism" for the betterment of the country. I would still rather live here than anywhere else in the world.
willfs 40 I think there is something to our discontent being routed in our consumerism/materialism. But the sad news may be that China's contentment is probably routed in the same. Isn't there country now growing economically like they never have been before?
alexvolpe 47 you cant speak out about america its well known that our phones are bugged and that the CIA used to assassinate presidents they found to be inadequate and they still do except secretly.
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