Global Prosperity Index 2012

[Banawani]

Cool I guess? Kind of meaningless.


All western countries have great cities, all countries have ghettos and murders.

Also they don't factor individual US states (even though they don't factor the EU as a whole). These studies don't really show anything, especially since the US has 350 of the top 400 colleges in the world.

[Tradewind]

Cool I guess? Kind of meaningless.


All western countries have great cities, all countries have ghettos and murders.

For Example, the US pays for wars to free other countries (Korea, Vietnam, WW1, WW2, etc.) but never get money in return and get backlash for saving hundreds of thousands of lives in exchange for thousands of lives of US soldiers.

These surveys and reviews don't factor history in which makes them utterly meaningless. Also they don't factor individual US states (even though they don't factor the EU as a whole).

Really? Two "boo-hoo we're not #1" posts in a row in this thread?

[Catta]

I think the USA should get bonus credit and rate number #1, since the USA has so many people from the poor performing regions of the world here, who we are trying to let be here and have a better life.

If that were factored in the USA would definitely be #1

Yea, its not like Western Europe experience an influx of immigrants from african, middle eastern and eastern european nations...

[Banawani]

Really? Two "boo-hoo we're not #1" posts in a row in this thread?

I didn't say the US shouldn't be number one, but if they were to do just NY for example, it would be leaps and bounds ahead of every country up there. Same thing with California (7th largest economy in the world) and many other states.

[Catta]

Cool I guess? Kind of meaningless.


All western countries have great cities, all countries have ghettos and murders.

Also they don't factor individual US states (even though they don't factor the EU as a whole). These studies don't really show anything, especially since the US has 350 of the top 400 colleges in the world.

Well from what i gathered the state of US mass education is atrocious. College, however, being insanely expensive and relatively exclusive is where the US have a rather good rating. But like with your healthcare those who can afford get great service but that leaves a lot of people without.

[Tradewind]

I didn't say the US shouldn't be number one, but if they were to do just NY for example, it would be leaps and bounds ahead of every country up there. Same thing with California (7th largest economy in the world) and many other states.

What does either one of those have to do with the ratings given in this Index? New York had more homicides last year than the top 5 countries on that list combined.

[GreatOak]

Here is the methodology, long ass read though, 76 pages.
http://webapi.prosperity.com/downloa...hodologyV4.pdf

Summery

I'll just take their word for it, not gonna read all that. I'm satisfied with being relatively high up, and with good education and healthcare.

[Spectral]

As I state in nearly every index ranking thread, I'm not fond of index rankings because I don't think they're particularly meaningful for individuals.

[GreatOak]

I think the USA should get bonus credit and rate number #1, since the USA has so many people from the poor performing regions of the world here, who we are trying to let be here and have a better life.

If that were factored in the USA would definitely be #1

u wot m8?

Sure, we do have a lot of isolated poor communities, but they are usually other Americans. This is the land of extremes, but luckily most people here live pretty well. It just sucks if you're poor.

---------- Post added 2012-12-14 at 12:42 AM ----------

I didn't say the US shouldn't be number one, but if they were to do just NY for example, it would be leaps and bounds ahead of every country up there. Same thing with California (7th largest economy in the world) and many other states.

If you cut out the south we would be top 5 (no, really), but they are Americans too just as we are so they count just as much. You can make a case for your state but it's cheating to cherry pick which ones if you're trying to get a measure of the country, even if it is important to realize the nature of the states.

[Spectral]

College, however, being insanely expensive and relatively exclusive is where the US have a rather good rating. But like with your healthcare those who can afford get great service but that leaves a lot of people without.

College is highly accessible in the US, I'm not sure where people get the idea that it's not. Private institutions are expensive, but state schools aren't terribly expensive; poor folks get significant government grants that mitigate costs further, and scholarships are available for good students. Student loans are available for pretty much anyone that wants them. The only countries in the world with higher percentages of college grads than the US are Canada, Japan, and Israel (source).

[GreatOak]

Well from what i gathered the state of US mass education is atrocious. College, however, being insanely expensive and relatively exclusive is where the US have a rather good rating. But like with your healthcare those who can afford get great service but that leaves a lot of people without.

Yeah, there are pretty black and white benefits and drawbacks here, but at least the majority of us have access to great schools and healthcare. I feel for poor people though as I come from a poor family and we eventually got out. College isn't exclusive here though, but I agree that our early education isn't the best (certainly far from atrocious though).

---------- Post added 2012-12-14 at 12:48 AM ----------

As I state in nearly every index ranking thread, I'm not fond of index rankings because I don't think they're particularly meaningful for individuals.

Compare someone living in New Hampshire to someone living in East St. Louis.

[Khoranth]

Well from what i gathered the state of US mass education is atrocious. College, however, being insanely expensive and relatively exclusive is where the US have a rather good rating. But like with your healthcare those who can afford get great service but that leaves a lot of people without.

Yeah that is because the USA is nice and we let millions of people from the bad regions of the world come here to let them have a better life, but of course it will drag our statistics down, especially education when the people barely know English, our native language, which is what is used to teach in schools.

This survey should not penalize the USA for being nice and letting people from the bad regions of the world come here. No other country in the world has the influx of immigrants from the bad regions on your list like the USA.

That survey is just being mean to the USA and penalizing us for being a immigrant friendly country.

I call shenanigans on that survey.

[Catta]

College is highly accessible in the US, I'm not sure where people get the idea that it's not. Private institutions are expensive, but state schools aren't terribly expensive; poor folks get significant government grants that mitigate costs further, and scholarships are available for good students. Student loans are available for pretty much anyone that wants them. The only countries in the world with higher percentages of college grads than the US are Canada, Japan, and Israel (source).

Im not entirely sure how to read the college grad thing. It is my understanding that you take classes in the US rather than pick a major right away?
Here you pick, say medicine, apply and then you have some specific classes that for 7 years.

---------- Post added 2012-12-14 at 01:54 AM ----------

Yeah that is because the USA is nice and we let millions of people from the bad regions of the world come here to let them have a better life, but of course it will drag our statistics down, especially education when the people barely know English, our native language, which is what is used to teach in schools.

This survey should not penalize the USA for being nice and letting people from the bad regions of the world come here. No other country in the world has the influx of immigrants from the bad regions on your list like the USA.

That survey is just being mean to the USA and penalizing us for being a immigrant friendly country.

I call shenanigans on that survey.

US economy gains a lot from immigrants.

[Jackmoves]

As I state in nearly every index ranking thread, I'm not fond of index rankings because I don't think they're particularly meaningful for individuals.

Yeah, I do enjoy reading them though!
I'm a total geek for this shit... and a lot of other stuff

[Kraenen]

What is this, I don't even.

This doesn't look good. Maybe we should go to my unibrow thread before this gets ugly.

[Khoranth]

Im not entirely sure how to read the college grad thing. It is my understanding that you take classes in the US rather than pick a major right away?
Here you pick, say medicine, apply and then you have some specific classes that for 7 years.

---------- Post added 2012-12-14 at 01:54 AM ----------



US economy gains a lot from immigrants.

Yeah the USA gains a ton of cheap labor from immigrants, that does not change my point, and I have already called shenanigans on the biased survey

[Jackmoves]

This survey should not penalize the USA for being nice and letting people from the bad regions of the world come here. No other country in the world has the influx of immigrants from the bad regions on your list like the USA.

That survey is just being mean to the USA and penalizing us for being a immigrant friendly country.

I call shenanigans on that survey.

One single municpility in my country took in more iraqi refugees then the entire USA at times during the worst period of violance down in Iraq. Not saying the US don't provide new homes to immigrants but so does Europe, heck it's one of the major political questions all over Euriope at the moment.

[Spectral]

Im not entirely sure how to read the college grad thing. It is my understanding that you take classes in the US rather than pick a major right away?
Here you pick, say medicine, apply and then you have some specific classes that for 7 years.

People can go to college without needing to pick a major immediately, as there's a fair number of classes that are required across the board. Most people (I don't know the numbers, this is from experience) pick a major in or before their first year. In my case, I chose Molecular Genetics and stuck with it; fairly general biology classes as well as writing classes and other general studies classes were the first couple years, with more advanced classes and lab work as an upper classman. After getting a B.S., I went to graduate school. That's not strictly necessary, but it's a pretty common approach for people in my field.

[Catta]

Yeah the USA gains a ton of cheap labor from immigrants, that does not change my point, and I have already called shenanigans on the biased survey

If you did not have immigrants you would be pulled down in the economic part. And most likely also the social capital.

[Spectral]

Yeah, I do enjoy reading them though!
I'm a total geek for this shit... and a lot of other stuff

Oh agreed, they're fun. I just never take it real serious when someone says, "hey look at this ranking showing Des Moines, Iowa as the best city in the US to live in!". Any sort of ranking is ultimately going to be the product of subjective weightings, shift them around a bit and you'll get a different result that's no more or less meaningful.