“We rank 27th in the world in childhood education and last in the world for pre-school education. We also rank 27th in the world in healthcare and lack of access to it. We spend more per person on healthcare than any other industrialized country on earth and still millions do not have access to affordable healthcare. We have the most expensive and lowest quality daycare/pre-school system in the world. Americans can pay up to 67 more times for a drug than the next closest country. On average America pays four times more for prescription drugs than the rest of the world. Over the last eight years the combined profit of pharmaceutical companies was $744 billion….”
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“This question alone is a very ‘American’ question and game to play. Yes, China, Russia, India… all these countries are also playing a similar game, but it is one we have started. Though a young country, we set the precedent for most of the rest of the world. The more we play a game of ‘America first’ and ‘we’re the best’, the more other countries play similar games. Imagine if we asked a different question instead. Something like, ‘Is the USA the country doing the most for the planet?’ This question inspires altruistic, connective, futuristic, and contemplative thought. This question re-directs the game and rating system towards our highest potential, sparking growth and maturity as a nation and as a species. Until then, we will continue playing a game of scarcity and hyper-competitiveness, decimating the earth, our relationships, our own internal wellbeing, and that of future generations….”
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“The notion of the US being the greatest country in the world has become a centerpiece in the curriculum of all ‘Americans’. Whether it is through school – the pledge of allegiance, the study of US and world history, the choice of mandatory reading material, etc. Or whether it is through the media – intentionally censoring and prioritizing certain stories over others… Or whether it is through politics – the ‘right’ interweaving its identity with true ‘patriotism’. Patriotism and a sense of subtle superiority is engrained in the blood of anyone socialized in this country. It has been for as long as our nation has existed – and even longer, in fact. …”
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