Are we the greatest nation on the planet?

Wanderer78 · 20-03-2019 3:11pm

BorneTobyWilde wrote:

I do love how the French take no crap from their government. One fault of us, we get walked all over and just talk about it. French are people of action, they are willing to remind their government '' you work for us!! ''

I admire them greatly for this

gormdubhgorm · 20-03-2019 3:15pm

Cienciano wrote: »

I wouldn't like to live anywhere else as I like Ireland, we do well as a nation, but as soon as someone says something like "Are we the greatest nation on the planet?" I just think "wánker"

Not directed at you OP, anyone from any country that says that would get the same reaction.

I agree it is like calling yourself 'the chosen people', that never ends well!

Edgware · 20-03-2019 7:28pm

Cienciano wrote: »

I wouldn't like to live anywhere else as I like Ireland, we do well as a nation, but as soon as someone says something like "Are we the greatest nation on the planet?" I just think "wánker"

Not directed at you OP, anyone from any country that says that would get the same reaction.

Wánker

KevinCavan · 20-03-2019 7:36pm

We have an overly inflated view of ourselves as a nation. We also want to be constantly relevant and important on the world stage, for example if a train crashes in China we want to find an Irish link. In such a scenario we will say there was a man of Irish descent on the train who died and forget the 99 others who died, this is an Irish tragedy because of the one man of Irish extraction who died on the train.

Pherekydes · 20-03-2019 7:52pm

I wouldn't say greatest, but we have to be in the top 200, at least.

I'd certainly put us ahead of the Vatican, Saudi Arabia and any other religious sh1tholes.

janfebmar · 20-03-2019 8:57pm

Reati wrote: »

We're 14th.

Overall Rank Country
1 Finland
2 Norway
3 Denmark
4 Iceland
5 Switzerland
6 Netherlands
7 Canada
8 New Zealand
9 Sweden
10 Australia
11 Israel
12 Austria
13 Costa Rica
14 Ireland

Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Happiness_Report#2019_World_Happiness_Report

What do the top 10 countries have in common
- none of the top 10 are Catholic countries. Has to be a fault in that survey somewhere.

Edgware · 20-03-2019 9:23pm

KevinCavan wrote: »

We have an overly inflated view of ourselves as a nation. We also want to be constantly relevant and important on the world stage, for example if a train crashes in China we want to find an Irish link. In such a scenario we will say there was a man of Irish descent on the train who died and forget the 99 others who died, this is an Irish tragedy because of the one man of Irish extraction who died on the train.

"Local man dies at sea" headline when the Titanic went down

odyssey06 · 20-03-2019 9:35pm

KevinCavan wrote: »

We have an overly inflated view of ourselves as a nation. We also want to be constantly relevant and important on the world stage, for example if a train crashes in China we want to find an Irish link. In such a scenario we will say there was a man of Irish descent on the train who died and forget the 99 others who died, this is an Irish tragedy because of the one man of Irish extraction who died on the train.

What countries Tv news have you watched who dont do this?

Reati · 21-03-2019 1:57pm

janfebmar wrote: »

What do the top 10 countries have in common
- none of the top 10 are Catholic countries. Has to be a fault in that survey somewhere.

People who live in countries where the church has no impact are happier? Seems logical enough to me!

jimgoose · 21-03-2019 2:05pm

Edgware wrote: »

"Local man dies at sea" headline when the Titanic went down

We like to keep our eye on Russia, like the Skibbereen Eagle.

El_Bee · 21-03-2019 2:54pm

We're only as great as the least of us, and we've got some pretty least-y people.

Wheeliebin30 · 21-03-2019 3:00pm

BorneTobyWilde wrote: »

I do love how the French take no crap from their government. One fault of us, we get walked all over and just talk about it. French are people of action, they are willing to remind their government '' you work for us!! ''

Yeah let’s trash our country to the tune of millions of euros of losses to business etc.

That’ll show them.

gormdubhgorm · 21-03-2019 3:07pm

KevinCavan wrote: »

We have an overly inflated view of ourselves as a nation. We also want to be constantly relevant and important on the world stage, for example if a train crashes in China we want to find an Irish link. In such a scenario we will say there was a man of Irish descent on the train who died and forget the 99 others who died, this is an Irish tragedy because of the one man of Irish extraction who died on the train.

Every country does that it is not just an Irish phenomenon- See The Telegraph - in their headline below from the 25th July 2013:

Briton injured and at least 80 killed in Spanish rail crash
A British traveller was among more than 100 people injured in a horrific rail crash in northern Spain that left at least 80 dead.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/10201394/Briton-injured-and-at-least-80-killed-in-Spanish-rail-crash.html

Or the Germanwings plane crash of 2015 Israeli perspective:

An Israeli citizen among the dead in Germanwings crash flight

https://www.jerusalemonline.com/an-israeli-citizen-among-the-dead-in-germanwings-crash-flight-12458/

American perspective on the same crash:

Three US citizens among 150 killed in Germanwings crash

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/other/three-us-citizens-among-150-killed-in-germanwings-crash/vi-AAa002u

gormdubhgorm · 21-03-2019 3:10pm

Pherekydes wrote: »

I wouldn't say greatest, but we have to be in the top 200, at least.

I'd certainly put us ahead of the Vatican, Saudi Arabia and any other religious sh1tholes.

High praise indeed considering there is only 195 countries in the world!
http://www.worldometers.info/geography/how-many-countries-are-there-in-the-world/

Pronto63 · 21-03-2019 3:23pm

Cienciano wrote: »

I wouldn't like to live anywhere else as I like Ireland, we do well as a nation, but as soon as someone says something like "Are we the greatest nation on the planet?" I just think "wánker"

Not directed at you OP, anyone from any country that says that would get the same reaction.

I'm highly offended.

I'm heading to my snowflake shelter for a rest!:D

Pronto63 · 21-03-2019 3:25pm

KevinCavan wrote: »

We have an overly inflated view of ourselves as a nation. We also want to be constantly relevant and important on the world stage, for example if a train crashes in China we want to find an Irish link. In such a scenario we will say there was a man of Irish descent on the train who died and forget the 99 others who died, this is an Irish tragedy because of the one man of Irish extraction who died on the train.

I think every nation is guilty of this.

topper75 · 21-03-2019 3:45pm

barrier86 wrote: »

Tax haven.

Haven yeah? Where can I find a haven from the effective income tax rate of >50c on the € regime* currently employed in Ireland?

*rate you find yourself on if you dare become any more ambitious than stacking supermarket shelves.

gormdubhgorm · 21-03-2019 7:59pm

janfebmar wrote: »

What do the top 10 countries have in common
- none of the top 10 are Catholic countries. Has to be a fault in that survey somewhere.

The alternative view could be that Ireland is the one of the best Catholic countries in the world!?

KevinCavan · 21-03-2019 9:11pm

I’ve been to other countries in Europe where you don’t have scumbags and feral kids loitering and acting the maggot. I’ve also been on trams in Europe where you don’t see junkies/ scumbags. Ireland has gone to the dogs with beggars, junkies, alcoholics and feral kids roaming city streets. The Irish aren’t as polite as other nations, teenagers in particular seem to be a lot more dignified in other countries. Over here teenagers habitually scream, roar and cause mischief.

namloc1980 · 21-03-2019 9:32pm

KevinCavan wrote: »

I’ve been to other countries in Europe where you don’t have scumbags and feral kids loitering and acting the maggot. I’ve also been on trams in Europe where you don’t see junkies/ scumbags. Ireland has gone to the dogs with beggars, junkies, alcoholics and feral kids roaming city streets. The Irish aren’t as polite as other nations, teenagers in particular seem to be a lot more dignified in other countries. Over here teenagers habitually scream, roar and cause mischief.

Went to the Euros in Paris in 2016. Have never seen so many scumbags, junkies and absolutely poverty stricken areas in my life and certainly not to the same extent in Ireland.

janfebmar · 21-03-2019 9:42pm

KevinCavan wrote: »

I’ve been to other countries in Europe where you don’t have scumbags and feral kids loitering and acting the maggot. I’ve also been on trams in Europe where you don’t see junkies/ scumbags. Ireland has gone to the dogs with beggars, junkies, alcoholics and feral kids roaming city streets. The Irish aren’t as polite as other nations, teenagers in particular seem to be a lot more dignified in other countries. Over here teenagers habitually scream, roar and cause mischief.

Not to mention, Irelands biggest export, the people Peter Casey goes on about. I was talking to a businessman abroad and he said they had a break in from errr Irish people of the travelling type.

Pherekydes · 21-03-2019 10:34pm

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

High praise indeed considering there is only 195 countries in the world!
http://www.worldometers.info/geography/how-many-countries-are-there-in-the-world/

The IAAF has 214 members; FIFA has 211; the IOC has 206.

The UN recognises 197.

/shrug

Are we the greatest nation on the planet?

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