America leads the world when it comes to access to higher education. But when it comes to health, environmental protection, and fighting discrimination, it trails many other developed countries, according to the Social Progress Imperative, a U.S.-based nonprofit.
The results of the group's annual survey, which ranks nations based on 50 metrics, call to mind other reviews of national well-being, such as the World Happiness Report released in March, which was led by Norway, Denmark, and Iceland, or September's Lancet study on sustainable development. In that one, Iceland, Singapore, Sweden, and the U.S. took spots 1, 2, 3, and 28—respectively.
The Social Progress Index released this week is compiled from social and environmental data that come as close as possible to revealing how people live. "We want to measure a country's health and wellness achieved, not how much effort is expended, nor how much the country spends on healthcare," the report states. Scandinavia walked away with the top four of 128 slots. Denmark scored the highest. America came in at 18.
The Social Progress Index gives the US poor marks. America may, however, still lead the world in funny cat videos.
(Score: 0, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 23 2017, @02:15AM (14 children)
If America is second tier, why are there so many foreigners trying to get in despite not getting free socialist money like Europe? :)
(Score: 2) by takyon on Friday June 23 2017, @02:29AM
Third tier is just that bad.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 5, Informative) by MostCynical on Friday June 23 2017, @02:35AM (8 children)
2009 figures from the US State Department showing the top ten countries of family visa applicants:
Mexico 961,744
Philippines 401,849
Dominican Republic 136,070
China 132,325
India 115,394
Vietnam 109,910
Bangladesh 50,275
Haiti 50,029
El Salvador 48,776
Pakistan 45,905
Others 671,075
No Europeans in the top 10..
http://cis.org/Vaughan/FamilyImmigrantWaitingList [cis.org]
"I guess once you start doubting, there's no end to it." -Batou, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
(Score: 2) by kaszz on Friday June 23 2017, @02:44AM
They simply want a place where they can work and live without being f-cked by a extremely corrupt government? It looks that way considering the circumstances in those countries.
For Europeans it's likely more dependent on a great job offer. Some even commute across the Atlantic.
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 23 2017, @03:04AM (1 child)
Many Europeans wouldn't want to put up with the hassle of traveling to America.
Interesting how many more people from the DomRep are applying to enter, compared with Haitians.
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Friday June 23 2017, @04:38PM
IDK where you live, but from the perspective of Miami, you can't spit without hitting at least two Europeans.
Europeans do love to travel, and they do travel to the US, in Miami (and other places) they even go so far as to buy second homes, lots of them.
What Europeans do NOT do in droves is give up their citizenship for US citizenship.
🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 23 2017, @03:20AM (2 children)
Yes, as implied, why move to America, a 2nd tier country, when you can get free socialist money in Germany or Sweden?
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 23 2017, @07:52AM
That's not Socialism (which is actually a method of production via worker-owned workplaces).
It's Liberal Democracy. [google.com]
Northern Europe just happens to do that a bit better compared to other places (e.g. USA's Oligarchy).
-- OriginalOwner_ [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 23 2017, @04:52PM
There is no country where the welfare is a desirable way of life. Stop swallowing the propaganda, stop listening to talk radio, stop reading your conservative rags.
(Score: 2) by TheRaven on Friday June 23 2017, @08:49AM
sudo mod me up
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Friday June 23 2017, @04:35PM
Those figures need to be adjusted for: A) population of the country applying from, and B) cost of relocation from said country relative to wealth of applicants.
Haiti would give Mexico a run for their money, when adjusted to show how much the people want to come here.
🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 3, Informative) by Grishnakh on Friday June 23 2017, @03:46AM (2 children)
If America is second tier, why are there so many foreigners trying to get in despite not getting free socialist money like Europe? :)
Because they can't walk across an ocean.
(Score: 2) by kaszz on Friday June 23 2017, @05:24AM (1 child)
Jesus could!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 23 2017, @06:15AM
And look what happened to him, the sorry bugger.
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 23 2017, @06:47AM
...after USA.gov bombed, invaded, and occupied their country.
...after USA.gov replaced their democratically-elected leader with a dictator via a coup.
...after IMF, World Bank (USA.gov proxies), US Trade Representative destroyed their economy.
...after USA.gov's failed War on Drugs turned their country into a violent unstable hellhole.
It's amazing how many USAians don't know--or won't allow themselves to admit--just how much USA.gov damages living conditions around the globe.
-- OriginalOwner_ [soylentnews.org]