• solsangraal@lemmy.zip
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    2 days ago

    it’s like every southern state is in a furious competition to be the worst place on the planet

    • BetaBlake@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      It’s not just the south, to use Idaho as an example of another state that is in a race to the bottom.

    • blaue_Fledermaus@mstdn.io
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      2 days ago

      Please…

      No matter how much US Republicans and trump mess things up, the USA will still be a better place to live than 90% of the planet, even for the persecuted minorities.

      • Empricorn@feddit.nl
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        10 hours ago

        “My red state is better than 90% of the world!”

        –people that have never left their small town

        • Qwazpoi@lemmy.world
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          2 days ago

          Maybe they were referring to the ocean and the poles, like 90% by surface area? Maybe even by volume, as the US is better than living at the Earth’s core?

          • michaelmrose@lemmy.world
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            2 days ago

            How? We can’t afford healthcare or to own a home. After paying for rent and healthcare most of us make less. The inequality is heading for Saudi Arabia levels.

            Upward mobility is a joke. Education requires a 20 year debt which is required for no reason even for jobs that are now educated poverty.

            We are about to be led by idiots who are going to put our economy back in the toilet again. I’m only 44 and I’ve seen 3 major crashes and that was all in the last 25 years.

            We are the worst developed nation in the world.

          • LePoisson@lemmy.world
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            2 days ago

            Really depends on your values and desired lifestyle. I think you’d be very surprised how the rest of the world lives. It’s not all terrible out there. Also very dependent on socio-economic status, there are some truly terrible living conditions in the USA for way more people than there should be.

            Stroll through your nearest city “ghetto” and see first hand how some live. Or take your pick of squalor. It’s not pretty and I’m not talking out my ass. I’ve slept in some questionable places in my life. Nothing that ever felt truly dangerous but very bad living situations.

            Anyways, I’m just saying we have a lot of room for improvement.

            • blaue_Fledermaus@mstdn.io
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              2 days ago

              I don’t mean to minimize the problems of the US, and I’m sure there are plenty examples of squalor, and they should be treated seriously.

              But proportionally and relatively speaking, most ghetto people in the US live like kings compared to most of the planet.

              • piccolo@sh.itjust.works
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                2 days ago

                Like kings?.. so they have sheverants and no issues with food security and live in castles?

                Just because they have electricity hardly makes them kings…

                • blaue_Fledermaus@mstdn.io
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                  2 days ago

                  I mean relatively.

                  Search for images of “favela”. Tens of millions of Brazilians live in those. The better ones are built with brick, many are just scrap wood and cardboard.

                  And Brazil is one of the “developing” countries.

              • LePoisson@lemmy.world
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                2 days ago

                Then I guess we should start figuring out why the rest of the planet is being exploited for our gain and maybe cut that shit out. Capital gonna capital though.

      • Strawberry@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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        2 days ago

        I think people tend to vastly underestimate the extreme poverty that is widespread in southern states especially. Very high homeless population with barely any services for them, people living in dilapidated buildings with slumlord landlords, no grocery stores, very high unemployment and wages well below the poverty level being the only jobs around. This is the case in parts of every inner city and many rural towns in the south.

      • Cephalotrocity@biglemmowski.win
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        2 days ago

        L.O.L.

        You need to actually take a look at all the QOL statistics available out there. The US is better than, say, Mexico or most 3rd world countries but almost every other Western nation is kicking their ass when it comes to most living metrics.

        In this summary it gives inordinate value to purchasing power without consideration for things like needing to pay for healthcare and even still gets ranked 12th overall, and that is almost certain to change if your felon leader starts implementing tariffs for everything.

        Personally I was shocked to see Canada below the US because as a Canadian I can say without a doubt that every other Canadian I’ve ever met would absolutely prefer to live in Canada given the choice. Housing crisis be damned.

        The irony of ya’ll needing a ‘come to jesus’ moment to realize how much of a shithole the country has become is real.

        • dukeofdummies@lemmy.world
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          2 days ago

          Indeed the amount of streamers and conservatives gushing about Japan right now is kinda surreal.

          Like they genuinely thought the US has a monopoly on freedom -_- name a western country that ain’t.

        • blaue_Fledermaus@mstdn.io
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          2 days ago

          And isn’t the 3rd world most of the planet? The western developed countries are a small minority.

          I have the perspective of not being USian and living in the 3rd world.

          • Cephalotrocity@biglemmowski.win
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            2 days ago

            Most maybe, but not 90%. Even so, chances are depending on where you live you have a greater average lifespan and access to healthcare, your diet isn’t killing you slowly, attending school doesn’t put your life in jeopardy, you have more free time, and closer ties to family and community.

            The US is not a leader, nor even a good representative of a ‘better place to live’. Even if you are thinking about applying for asylum I strongly recommend you put the US at the bottom of your list if that is an option.

      • IphtashuFitz@lemmy.world
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        2 days ago

        Tell that to all the minorities that Trump has rounded up and deported without even the most basic attempts at due process.

        • blaue_Fledermaus@mstdn.io
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          2 days ago

          I agree that that’s terrible and USians should be furious with it.

          But living a little bit in the US, even if getting deported/killed later is still a better situation than most of the planet.

          • splinter@lemm.ee
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            2 days ago

            How is it better? Several people have pointed out that standards of living in the United States are well below most developed nations. There US ranks 48th in the world in life expectancy, and 66th in the world in maternal mortality, behind Egypt, Ukraine, Lebanon, Romania, and… the Gaza Strip.

            • blaue_Fledermaus@mstdn.io
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              2 days ago

              “Developed Nations” is a small minority of the world.

              Maternal mortality, yes, you are right, but that’s just one metric.

              • splinter@lemm.ee
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                2 days ago

                The US ranks below many nations not considered developed as well. I’m not sure what point you’re trying to make.

                I cited two metrics, not one: maternal mortality and life expectancy. The US is also in the bottom 60 for income inequality.

          • Tanis Nikana@lemmy.world
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            2 days ago

            Mm, yes. I should stay here for a bit before I get sent to prison for being trans.

            You’re absolutely correct and are probably very sane with no secret agenda or propaganda guidelines whatsoever.

            I will follow your advice and stay here before going to prison for being a crime.

            Thank you, random man on the internet. I have no reason to believe you don’t use toilet paper.

            • blaue_Fledermaus@mstdn.io
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              2 days ago

              I may be a cringy idiot, but I’m an ally.
              I genuinely hope you stay safe and if we ever crossed paths I would shelter you from the government without hesitation.

              I’m just pointing out that most likely you will still be better in the US than in most of the planet.

              I do have toilet paper and live in one of the most developed regions of my country. Even then my city only has 40% of sewage coverage.

              • zabadoh@ani.social
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                2 days ago

                Only 40% sewers in your city?!?

                What state is that in, may I ask, so I can never go there.

                • blaue_Fledermaus@mstdn.io
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                  2 days ago

                  40% of centrally treated sewage. The rest goes into domestic septic tanks.
                  It’s not ideal, but we don’t have sewage running on open air if that’s what you imagined, and if you visited you wouldn’t notice.

                  The state is Santa Catarina. As I said, it’s one the most developed in the country, the living quality is similar to some European countries.

        • blaue_Fledermaus@mstdn.io
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          2 days ago

          I may live in a worse country, but at least we don’t have that silliness of people drinking raw milk.

      • queermunist she/her@lemmy.ml
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        2 days ago

        Yeah, because it feasts on the superprofits of the South through systematic underdevelopment and periodic warfare whenever they get to uppity with nationalization or promotion of domestic industry.

      • stembolts@programming.dev
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        2 days ago

        And is that a good standard, a bad standard, or neutral?

        Like, no one in a great situation goes, “Well at least I’m not…” That’s the type of thing one says when they are trying to cope with a poor situation.

        And I’d also argue that the dead minorities would disagree with your assessment, give that they are… dead.

        • blaue_Fledermaus@mstdn.io
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          2 days ago

          Yes, it’s terrible.

          But living even a little bit in the USA and dying is still a better situation than most of the planet.

          • stembolts@programming.dev
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            2 days ago

            I don’t disagree, my only addition is that we should set our standards higher than that. We went from generations of “We’re the best!” (whether true or not) to “Well we aren’t the worst…”

            I just wish more people could notice the slow changes like that which I think are indicative of a need for systemic change.

            But yeah, while I don’t endorse your message, you aren’t wrong.

            • blaue_Fledermaus@mstdn.io
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              2 days ago

              Yes. I also don’t want to say that because there’s worse in other places that the US problems aren’t legitimate.

  • Nougat@fedia.io
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    2 days ago

    If you do not live in Louisiana, you should be asking your state to require anyone from Louisiana, or who has visited Louisiana in the last four months, to pass a rapid flu test and rapid covid test before being allowed to enter your state.

    Your state should not be made to bear the consequences of idiotic public health decisions made in other states.

    • Gerudo@lemm.ee
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      2 days ago

      Yeah, but I’m in Texas so…

      Our gvt is probably giving them free rides into the state.

    • GaMEChld@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      It’s not like we have border checkpoints between states. Maybe you can do something at the airport level, but roads no chance.

        • MonkeyDatabase@lemmy.world
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          2 days ago

          Border Checkpoints. Bold.

          Let’s set that precedent. I don’t see any issues that could arise going forward.

          Rich people are less likely to get sick as well. Why even bother checking? Waste of time. We can set up a fast pass for them. It’s the poors we gotta worry about. Well, specifically, the [Redacted] the [Redacted] and of course the [Redacted]. Degenerates… We need a way to separate them in line… Hmmm. I’m thinking barbed…chain link? Thoughts?

      • Nougat@fedia.io
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        2 days ago

        Traditionally, you are correct. But nothing matters anymore, so

        The doctrine of the right to travel actually encompasses three separate rights, of which two have been notable for the uncertainty of their textual support. The first is the right of a citizen to move freely between states, a right venerable for its longevity, but still lacking a clear doctrinal basis.

        https://constitution.findlaw.com/amendment14/annotation11.html

  • 9point6@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    I really don’t understand the actual party pushing these conspiracies

    Surely they’re just gonna disproportionately kill off their voters?

    • FenrirIII@lemmy.world
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      8 hours ago

      If the poors are sick and in medical debt, they’re easier to exploit. People who are hungry will accept whatever job provides for them. People who are afraid will let you take away their liberties in exchange for a (false) feeling of security.

    • catloaf@lemm.ee
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      2 days ago

      Yes, but not immediately, and before then there’s profit to be extracted!

      • Eldritch@lemmy.world
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        2 days ago

        Yes, we all do better when we all do better in the long run. But they want to do even more better for themselves now. Because they know how delayed the find out part of them fucking around can be. They’ll likely be dead. And it might be their children’s problem. But it certainly won’t be theirs.

      • TheDoozer@lemmy.world
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        2 days ago

        But that’s even more confusing. What profit is to be made from a bunch of people getting the flu? It makes people miss work and it kills people. Who is pushing this? Big Nyquil?

        • catloaf@lemm.ee
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          No, your healthcare is tied to your job, so you can’t miss work. If you’re sick, you can’t risk losing your job.

          But yeah, on a smaller scale, disease is profitable. I’m not saying “they don’t cure cancer because it’s more profitable to treat” (cancer is a group of diseases with no magic bullet), but it’s significantly less effort to sell nyquil than to produce an actual pharmaceutical cure for the common cold.

    • dukeofdummies@lemmy.world
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      I honestly think southern states haven’t shaken off the notion of mudsill theory.

      They might not call it that anymore, but god damn does their entire platform seem to push it.

    • affiliate@lemmy.world
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      i’m getting increasingly convinced by the argument that goes as follows. for the past several decades, the republican party was composed of people who gave tax breaks to all their wealthy friends and fucked over the working class, but those people knew those positions would be wildly unpopular so they used the culture war bullshit as a distraction. and it worked. the culture war bullshit ended up being super popular with their base. but now, their previously young base that bought into that nonsense has grown up, and they have internalized all of it. this generation of republicans fully believes all the nonsense they’ve been fed for the past 40 years. or at the very least, they are competing with people who legitimately believe it, so they need to put on a convincing performance.

  • bleistift2@sopuli.xyz
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    2 days ago

    It feels more and more like the US is a problem that will solve itself in the near future.

    • Catoblepas@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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      2 days ago

      Everyone knows the flu only targets republicans and there aren’t massive health disparities among people of color in the south as a whole, but especially among black people, who are nearly 1/3rd of the population of Louisiana. Guess they should have had the good sense to be born somewhere else.

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      There are plenty of innocent people who will be hurt by this. Yeah, thoughts and prayers for the immuno-compromised who willed be murdered by these fucks. The south isn’t fucking a monolith and you treating it like one helps them get away with shit like this

      • BetaBlake@lemmy.world
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        2 days ago

        Thank you! As a southerner who is very progressive, comments like this really piss me off.

        You can’t lower yourself to their level of ignorance, you makes you no better than the people you’re deriding.

        • Catoblepas@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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          2 days ago

          I’m sure you think you’re cute but 1) phrasing it this was isn’t actually legally protecting you and 2) “commit murder or you deserve to die” is a deranged response to seeing people living in disease-ridden places because the medical professionals they interact with literally aren’t allowed to encourage them to get the flu shot.

          • ramsorge@discuss.online
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            2 days ago

            We both know nothing is going to happen, at least I am presenting options. What are your options? Hopes and prayers? Protest? Those things haveclearly worked in the past. You can take it to arranged, but I know which way to direct the out of control trolley car while you sit backand do absolutely nothing.

            • Catoblepas@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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              2 days ago

              My option is direct mutual aid. Your option is masturbating furiously online about who you want to see get killed. We are not the same.

              • mercphilby@discuss.online
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                2 days ago

                I don’t think being like you is something a person should aspire to be. And therefore, they are better than you.

                • Catoblepas@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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                  2 days ago

                  If you think nobody should give mutual aid to struggling people instead of shitting down their throat about how they deserve it because of where they live, then I doubt you have anything productive to say ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

      • BetaBlake@lemmy.world
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        2 days ago

        Yep, lots of the south will show similar demographics because of a high black population, unfortunately not enough of them vote.