Being sick and staying home isn't about 'toughing it out', it's about being effective at your job, not making other people sick and doing the best thing for the company, your colleagues/customers and yourself. Everyone is worse off when you try to 'tough it out'.
Not all 'sickness' is contagious. There's no excuse for staying at home just because you've got a slight headache, are a bit stressed or felt a twinge in your little finger. Not if you're expecting sick pay for it.
@@pam164 Most employees are entitled to sick pay by law. That’s why it’s called statutory sick pay. HMRC have a statutory payment dispute team. They will contact your employer and ask why they think you’re not entitled to SSP.
@@citizenpb I know, I’m self employed. That’s why I said most employees are entitled to SSP and not everyone. Pam said she was off for a couple of weeks before Christmas and didn’t get paid. She also mentioned in another post that she works for a company. If that’s the case the company she works for might be breaking the law. You aren’t paid for the first 3 days for the very reason you mentioned in your first comment. You can’t have people being paid SSP because they have a slight headache, twinge or hangover.
I've watched several of the 'Americans living or working abroad, what made you realise America really messed you up?' - three recurrent themes, no paid vacation, no universal healthcare, gun violence.
It is MUCH more than that, terrible employment law, no maternity leave, shit public transport, pervasion of religion into everything, awful education, obesity rates, lower life expectancy etc
@@sandersson2813 Yes, I realise that, I was just saying that they were the three commonly recurring themes. What is perplexing to those of us in countries with universal health care, paid holidays etc (which I think is most developed countries) is how often we see Americans declaring America as "the greatest country on Earth" and calling it "the land of the free". As a Brit, what is really weird is how gun control is a Democrat v Republican issue - here, after the Dunblane massacre in 1996 - the people opposing the tightening of our already tight gun laws barely ran into three figures and politics didn't come into it at all. The religious obsession perplexes us here too, especially considering the gun violence e.g. I recently saw a YT member whose home page picture was a sign that read 'Faith, Family, Freedom, Firearms' 🙄
I really felt for that young woman who was on the second day of an unrelenting cluster headache, just wanted some relief from the pain and ended up with a $28,000 bill. Who, in that kind of pain, has clear enough thoughts to wonder if the ER in the same building as their doctor might not accept their insurance. It’s bad enough that you don’t have affordable health care for all but even when insured to have to shop around to ensure you have the right doctor and hospital that are covered by your particular insurance company when you’re in the throes of illness is cruel.
@@Michael_from_EU_Germany do not besmirch her with lying. i doubt she could risk the bill for a definitive diagnosis; she was desperate for pain relief. what a country !
@@Michael_from_EU_Germany to be fair, until brexit and the border problem, i don't think most british people knew that. they thought uk/gb were co-terminous
It must be tough for Americans not to get annoyed at all the mickey-taking by others, particularly Europeans, but, In Europe, the Brits make fun of the French and the Irish, the Dutch make fun of the Belgians and so do the French etc and most of the jokes are the same too but in different languages. Anyway, I think the main reason the Europeans make fun of Americans is that they seem so uncultured and uneducated in so many ways (academic education, linguistics, limited notion of democracy, limited availability of affordable health care, lack of independence of the judiciary from politics, free access to lethal weapons etc etc) and yet Americans claim the US is a good place to live? Whaaaaat? I think the only way to get to that conclusion is to remain as ignorant as possible of what other countries are like and that is something Americans do excel at. Sorry JPS but it's true.
You miss the point that outside the US people consume a lot of their media. Europeans ego's get hurt when they realise they know more about the US than they do about them. Simple.
@@aldozilli1293 you’re just making the point that Europeans are more educated in international affairs than Americans are. Yes… we know. In fact, we're more educated in most things.
At the end of the day, there is no greatest country in the world....what annoys people is the insistence American's have, in claiming that their country is and voicing it frequently and loudly. I think the problem is the US is very insular. When in the US, I've always been surprised that the news is very locally based and even national news channels under report world news. PS. If you think you get a lot of hate, you should try coming from England!
It's their education system mainly. I mean have you ever seen a class in the USA where they didn't hang their FLag on a wall? I mean being proud of their country is one thing but spamming the US Flag to non US citizens and bragging about how free they are constantly is caused by the education system teaching them like this. I also would never say I'm proud to be xy country name. I always say I'm glad to be living in germany.
As a walking Tour Guide in York England I have many interesting conversations with Americans. My overall impression is more than just ignorance, it’s dealing with people who have been brainwashed and fed propaganda, rather than history or knowledge of real politics. Hopefully access to the internet and videos like this, will change things. One day the USA will become a free democracy.
Buzzfeed often does roundups of the dumbest Tweets. Once recent list included one from an American that asked, “Why do people in Britain speak English rather than a European language?”. I also recall that when John Stewart used to present The Daily Show he quipped that the main benefit of America being involved in wars was that it taught people geography.
I am reminded by the last one of an American lady on a coach tour of the UK standing in the hotel foyer shouting at the receptionists "Why don't you all learn to speak English."
You know what, you should judge all of America for these 2 people. No Mercy for God's sake. Good Christian people in Europe...... You realize there's 331 million Americans.. You see the reason Americans don't know much about England, Is that we weren't taught to worship a king.. You say when the people left England to come here, They left because your country was shit then, and not much has changed.. It's awful convenient for you to talk shit when there isn't A war going on.. But I'll bet when somebody is kicking the shit out of you . You wouldn't say all that NONSENSE...... Hell I Don't even understand why the hell they're going there.. All there is there is a huge clock, and some shitty Old castles... Why don't you confront these Americans. Are you some kind of a Candy ass.. But you know what, If you come here and ask a dumb question, I wouldn't get on the Internet and tell everybody how dumb you were. I would handle my business right then and there... So one of us is going to pack an ass whooping. And I'm willing to bet my bottom dollar it won't be me.. Now you can take that corn farving and stick it up your ass.. So fuck you and the horse you road in on.....Stop talking trash about people that ain't there to defend themselves Douche...Oh BTW, Joel is kissing your asses for some reason, I don't know. He's so young he wouldn't know his ass from a hole in the ground.. Any American that condones the way you fuckwads talk about us, is a Pussy anyways..... So when you wanna talk about people you dipshit, think twice and stuff some of that spotted dick in your mouth.
@@southernshawn77 I worked for 8 years in both large city centre hotels and country house hotels for the same company and we could have anything up 8 tour coaches of US tourists in on a day, every day you would hear a comment "Why don't they learn to speak English," "Why don't they speak English properly," and variations of that theme, the vast majority of Americans think the UK is the USA with History rather than a foreign country with its own customs and culture, some like Joel have a much better understanding and are prepared for the experience.
@@RushfanUK A friend who worked for an American Insurance company ,with offices worldwide ,said that the most difficult place to be posted for American colleagues was the UK . They prepared themselves and family for different languages and cultures everywhere else but assumed that the UK would be just like the States.
I once heard an American woman describe the U.S. as a third world country dressed in Gucci. From what I've seen of the place I'd be hard pressed to disagree.
The best one I heard was when discussing with an American colleague whether the company we worked for needed a multilingual web site and they said: "If they don't speak English, do they even have the internet?". I looked at them hoping to find some sign of irony or humour, then realised they were actually serious. Where do you even begin ... ? (In fairness, I also know some very intelligent and informed Americans).
i saw one of these youtubes where a woman in brazil had an internet friend in america. the american asked her if they had the internet in brazil. they were talking and messaging via internet. the brazilian said yes but it's not digital, it's powered by monkeys running on a wheel. the american was duly impressed
With the going to work sick....speaking as a former senior nurse [UK] it does not make sense, as [especially the last 3 years] you could be infecting the whole workforce in a short period of time [depending wehat it is of course] which could then affect the performance of the office/factory/site and could be dangerous. It would be a lot easier to have the one person go off sick. If necessary, make them go to a doctor and get a note for proof if you really have to! lol
I know how you feel mate I’m from the uk and it’s a hard pill to swallow that other countries do it better. I’d like to say move over here buddy we do it the best…. But as you’ve seen it’s dam good loads better than American standards but Sweden Norway Spain do it better I feel like you when watching them do health care or prison systems shouting at the screen why aren’t we doing it that way 😡🤬. We should always strive to do better.
To be honest they don't have to look that far, Canada does it pretty well. As a British person that would probably be my choice to emigrate (because I am hopeless at learning languages) otherwise I'd love to teach in Norway they certainly do education best.
America is great if you’re just looking to just make money without any limits… and nothing else… the school system isn’t great, the food is full of bad chemicals and fried, the sports teams are only cared about within the US, the politics are divided, and the health care system and the colleges will take all the extra money you made anyway
I Had some experiences with Americans lack of understanding of the rest of the world. The first experience was a American couple was hiring car and wanted to know where was the exit after crossing the Sydney Harbour Bridge, so they could drive to New Zealand. The other experience was a group of Americans hiring a minibus want to know the frequencies and the travel time to go by ferry from Sydney to Auckland so they could spend a couple of days in Auckland and tour the North Island before returning to Sydney. I said, there are no ferry services as it takes to 3 days/2 nights be sea to travel from Sydney to Auckland one way and Auckland is not the North Island.
In USA you have to go to school even if you are sick? that is not right at all like seriously I live in UK and when I had chicken pox in 1998 there is no way I would even be allowed in school or even be focused enough with all the itchy sores or that time I had a 24 hour bug where I was bed ridding and puking every 20 minutes so do US schools allow you to stay off school for things like that?
Waterford Good questions re those health questions you mentioned. Here in Australia no way you’d go to school with those conditions, and if u did, school would ring the parents and tell them to pick the child up straight away.
I felt for you Joel and think you took all that negativity on your country very well. I was shocked on several comments made. I feel for you all on your health system. Wow! And having to go to the schools even when your ill...😲
There is no 'greatest country in the world'. All countries have their good points and not so good points. Some countries just need to change their attitudes and educate themselves.
Placing almost everything this video talks about aside, in the broader scheme of more spiritual things, the greatest haven a person can call their home is their heart; the most humane of all cultures a country can embrace as their own, is simply the one that cares. Joel, yours is a heart that cares, and that is no small thing. In fact, it is everything and so, keep being you! You shine! Blessings!
Those comments were not only extremely rude but not typical at all , as an83 year old Englishman the number of Americans that I have met have been very polite and intelligent, ( you Joel are a good example )every country has different types of people in it.
@@southernshawn77 No one is saying that ALL Americans are like this, only that it appears we get a spectacular amount of stupid comments and questions from America. Have you ever heard this degree of stupidity from an Australian or Canadian? No. They'd never ask if you've ever met the Queen or if you have iPhones.
10:45 We have some haters...? What is hating about girl from United kindoms who says idiot american asked her where did she learned her english ? You just wont get away with that ... :D
I showed pictures of Toronto Canada to an American girl. She was stunned Canada had skyscrapers and big cities, she thought it was just maple syrup, literally 🤦🏻♂️
My first visit to America was back in 1988, and since then I have travelled thousands of miles across America with my family. I am a British national. In particular, I loved the country and its people, especially those in the deep south where the hospitality was fantastic. I did find though that when you get away from all the bright lights there seems to be a huge amount of less well off people in the United States. Working hard and grinding out a living, not to bothered about what's going on in the world.
I admire you for doing this video. I'm English and even though I completely understand and agree with criticism of certain aspects of my country and the people in it, it still grates when you listen to others mocking it and putting it down. No matter how much we may agree, there's that patriotism inside us to defend what we actually love about where we come from. All countries have good aspects and bad. Simple as that.
Here's a recommendation: "America is not the greatest country in the world anymore". It's a short clip from the series 'The Newsroom'. It's quite moving and it would be interesting to hear your thoughts on it.
I know this isn't so much what was said to me, but I went into a 7-Eleven in Buffalo two months ago and had to show my I.D. which was my British passport right, the guy looked at me like I'd just slapped him in the face, he didn't even know how to open it and called the manager xD xD xD
There’s no such thing as “Greatest country in the world” That’s the point. It’s all about opinion and priorities, but many Americans state it like it’s a fact. There aren’t many metrics where America has a clear claim to being the best, aside from military.
I think ONE of the biggest drawbacks for America these days is the manner in which children are taught in schools. It would seem obvious that there's an enormous bias - anything that shows America in a less than brilliant light is either not spoken about or merely skimmed over very quickly. Every day the children are taught that America is the best at everything, every day they have to pay homage almost to their country and flag (further inculcating the idea that America is best). These children grow up "knowing" they're the best (at practically everything), everything is bigger, better and louder. But now a light at the end of the tunnel - many are waking up to the fact there's a lot wrong with their country that they'd been indoctrinated all their lives with a lot of lies. Don't get me wrong, there's a lot wrong in many countries, including my own, the UK. But remember too, you're a very young country compared to most around the world; sometimes it's as though America is at the toddler stage of growth (nothing to be ashamed of, it's the way of things). As a country, many of you are experiencing "growing pains". Your channel JP, and others like yours, help pave the way to those Americans waking up and who feel that there must be more in the world than they've been led to believe. PS: I found some of those TikToks very sad.
I would say that the United States is at a teenage stage ,rather than toddler . Look at the loudness ,the boasting, the guns, the emphasis on the trivial especially their love of `celebrity`.
I would love to see the results of asking "Is America the greatest country" but ONLY from people that have actually lived in America AND another country for, say, over a year. No good asking this question of people who have no experience of the rest of the world.
I think it was the philosopher Plato who advised 'gnothi seauton' (know thyself). Probably the best way for any country to become truly great is to know itself. And the best way for this to happen is to know what's happening in other countries, so you can make comparisons. After seeing your reactions and the reactions of other TH-camrs, I suspect something sinister is going on; very powerful people in the US are deliberately trying to keep Americans ignorant. Part and parcel of this is giving you so little time off that you can't go and find out about other countries; when you Americans visit the UK, I am struck by your rushed itineraries, because you are not allowed to "escape" for long. So TH-camrs like yourself are doing a good and essential thing, which will only make the USA greater.
I was on a fishing boat in Alaska when a coworker (who had never been outside of Montana before), asked if we were going to cross the International Dateline, and if so “would we be able to see it?”
True story , my neighbor is a surgeon in a big hospital , there was a young American surgeon the guy asked how many firearm injury they had in the emergency ward , the friend told him one or two a months , the American was surprised there was so many "we have about that much in New York !" it turned out that there was a misunderstanding , he was asking how many time someone pulled a gun in the emergency ward and started to shoot people , this NEVER happen in Australia
Just because yu do not like something does not mean yu are a "hater". I do not like many aspects of amerikan non-culture, but no, I do not hate the u.s. I could, but I dont. I grew up in Canada, on the border with the u.s. along the Niagara River. Believe me, I know it very well. God bless its pointed little head.
To me the problem with not having sick days is that the hole place could get ill as germs like to spread themselves about so that's why you are entitled to sick days until you are well again just makes sense to me.
I wouldn't sweat it mate - I've been to the US half a dozen times & found the vast majority of Americans open, welcoming, eternally curious & ferociously up-beat - & I always tried to get off the beaten track & away from where the tourists go & talk & drink with real Americans. I will say however that Americans are very uninformed about anything that happens outside their border - but most of the blame for that can be levelled at your media & education system. Love your content, keep learning, keep an open mind. Cheers from the UK.
I live in the USA for a while now, and someone once asked me: "Do they have freeways in the Netherlands too?" My answer was, no they only have dirt roads.....🤓
@@Michael_from_EU_Germany Yes, I drove on the Autobahn several times in the eighties and nineties. My car was limited to 200 km/h. My answer about "only dirt roads" was sarcasm of course.
Joel, please don’t be saddened by what you saw in the videos. Not everyone in a country of more than 250 million fits the stereotypes and you are a shining example of that. From my personal experience of 4 years in the States, most people were welcoming and kind, and those who didn’t know where eager to learn about other cultures and countries. The health system and ruthless capitalist economy is a fact as is the whole gun situation. And the way current internal U.S. politics has been going since you know who was President hasn’t helped one bit.
I'm sure that America is full of wonderful people however there seems to be a certain type of American that wallows in ignorance and has no desire to educate themselves on anything outside their country of birth, is this a new phenomenon or is this something that has been part of the culture for a long time. ? This isn't something that is unique to Americans as I see it in the UK however you do seem to take it to another level entirely in certain circles.
A person is VERY unlikely to form an opinion re 'Greatest Country' if they have never been to other countries, talked to the people there, experienced the life and culture there.
As a brit, I've been to America on a few occasions and every time, without fail i get asked: "what part of Australia are you from?"..... my girlfriend, who is Italian, was asked if she was from London. I never felt so insulted in my life 🤣
Hello Joel. As I commented before, on arrival in Texas on Greyhound and saying we were from England, my friend was asked if we came all the way on the bus.
One of my workplaces in Australia, one of the most incredible countries to work in, gave me two months of personal and annual leave for a family situation in my home country. And I'd only been with them for two years.
It all depends on your definition of "greatest." What context? If it comes to law and order, probably not so good. If it comes to health insurance, definitely not good. If it is about freedom from gun violence, bad. When it comes to freedom, we have it pretty good. Freedom to create is high in the US. There is nothing wrong with national pride, as long as it doesn't blind you to real problems.
I rarely get the 'you probably don't have that in the Netherlands'. The Americans I speak to usually assume that the brands they know are global. Sometimes they are sure, but not always. I have found that it's a very American thing to refer to something by the brand and not what it is. I think that Europeans are much more used to doing this because of the smaller nations.
Hello Joel there are problems in most countries in the world, I remember making a comment about Harry & Meghan , then someone blamed me , a British person for all the bad things that were said about them by people in the public eye , I don’t say nasty things about anyone but it was still my fault because of where I live , please stop carrying a burden for something that’s not of your making you will go crazy , just carry on being you , that’s all you can do warmest wishes to you from Wales 🏴
As an Englishman who has been to the states 3 times and loved it,especially the Motown tour,there would be no reason for me to live there. The day to day for the vast majority of Americans seems to be fear-orientated. Fear of losing your job. Fear of getting ill. Fear of getting shot. Fear of the government. The UK has massive problems right now admittedly,like most of the world at the moment,the US is in a much worse condition though,where you have a government who doesn’t care about its people at all. Richest country in the world but with the worst poverty in the western world. America is for the 1% who get the 99% to do everything for them and get paid a pittance for the privilege. Awful.
You'd debate why America is the best country in the world? Really, after all the evidence you've seen to the contrary? We all love our own countries, its natural, but to think we're the absolute best, without being to provide any kind of evidence to that effect?
Is America the greatest country in the world? No. Neither is any other country. I've heard various prime ministers of Britain saying we are the greatest country in the world. I've heard the same from many leaders about their own country. It is just silly. While there are a number of countries in the world that leave a great deal to be desired, there are good and bad points about most of the countries on the globe. All have their strengths and their weaknesses. One can be proud, (or not), of one's country, but that does not make it the 'greatest in the world'. We have done good things, we have done bad things. I am proud of some things, I am ashamed of others. I do not adhere to 'my country right or wrong". One can love one's country without believing, or having to believe it is the greatest, or the best or whatever in the world.
The dumbest thing I ever heard from an American was when someone from Texas asked if Australia was 'one of those other states' in the USA and how far it would take to driver there. 🤣
Is america the greatest country in the world? No. It comes well down the list on many things, and only places high, or first in bad things. I have American friends and even family living there, but I honestly can't think of one thing that's better there for me.
"Is America the greatest country in the world" would be a great topic for a 'tea time' video with you and Will, and Mack if he has been outside of the US. Meanwhile your eloquence and intelligence firmly dispel the American stereotypes shown in some of these clips :)
When in America I was advised to take travellers cheques, but when trying to use them I was asked for my drivers license, at the time United Kingdom licences were made of paper, with no photograph on them, “What is this?”, to which I responded, “ My drivers licence, see the signature on it is the same as the one on the cheque, and the same as the one I have done witnessed by you.” To which the response was, “Do you have a passport.” Of course I had, how else would I have got into America, with a valid visitor’s visa, so I handed that over, but still not good enough, “What age are you?” To which I responded, “I’m 18”. The next thing said was, “You are a minor, you cannot cash cheque unless with an adult! Back home I was legal age to hold a bank account and cash cheques, visit a bar and buy alcoholic drinks, vote in elections, drive a car, get married, (the legal age here is 16). Now I know laws in different countries are different, but come on, here was I on holiday, with most of my cash in travels cheques un able to pay for things, even if I showed my passport! Really?
I can't imagine not having universal health care, my daughter has complex health conditions and is on several medications which often change, she seemed to have a reaction to a med she takes occasionally and as her other meds had changed and she was struggling to catch her breath she called an ambulance, a paramedic car was here in 4 minutes. She had an ECG plus blood sugar tested and blood pressure checked etc and her breathing got back to normal. They wanted her to have blood tests and we're going to book a taxi for her to A&E as she didn't require transport in an ambulance ( the NHS pay for the taxi) but I took her instead. It is true we then waited six hours to see a doctor ( nasty motorway accident around the time we arrived didn't help wait times) but we left only having to pay for the parking. She is currently seeing a cardiologist neurologist and has physiotherapy. Nothing to pay. I will never understand why Americans are so against universal healthcare. The NHS is critically underfunded but still saves lives and treats people every day.
Joel, I take my hat off to you. You are going to the trouble to look at the rest of the world and comparing the US to the rest of the world. The US is not very wonderful at all. I wouldn't begin to contemplate leaving Australia for over there. Before I retired nobody could have offered me enough money to go over there to work and live. Keep up the great work and thank you for your presentations.
“Is America the greatest country in the world?” I mean, isn’t the whole premise a little absurd? By what metric is any country the “greatest”? Even with quantifiable things that you can compare (like life expectancy, or literacy rates, or media freedom) no country is going to be at the top of every one of those measures. The USA and UK certainly aren’t going to be. But even on more subjective measures, most countries are going to have a mix of good and bad. Isn’t the whole idea of exceptionalism - “our country is the best because…” - a little silly? Why can’t we just say “there’s some good stuff about our country, but you know there’s a lot we could do better, too.” 🤷♂️
Although I have had a lifelong interest in the Civil War, the Old West and US geography, there is no way I would ever set foot in such a country. I have even left the UK to live in the Netherlands, as the UK appears to be trying to turn itself into a mini-US.
Mate, great channel and love your work. It's tough for anyone to hear and to take criticism of their own country from other people (I'm English, so we're used to people hating us!! 🤣) People always point out the bad, but never the good - be it about their friends, neighbours or sports teams etc. National pride is no exception and kudos to you for taking it on the chin and at least watching it. Everyone will whine and whinge about the US, until the S hits the F and the Russian or Chinese tanks start their engines, then all of a sudden, America is the arsenal of freedom and the greatest country in the world...!! There's a HELL of a lot you do so much better than everywhere else. Maybe tweak healthcare a little. Nowhere is perfect, but as you spend more per capita on public healthcare than anyone else in the world and still (mostly) have private, that's not other people ripping off America, that's (bad) Americans ripping off other Americans when they're vulnerable. Also, your chocolate sucks compared to Cadbury's ;) !!! Keep up the great work!!
By the way that whole insurance thing it isn't the whole private insurance/capitalism thing, there's plenty of countries in the world with private health insurance as the primary mode of healthcare: it's that the system seems to be set up in a way that makes having insurance basically pointless, insurance is supposed to make you not end up with a massive bill, having to pay out for being ill when you're fully and adequately insured beyond maybe some sort of small excess is objectively nuts: what it means is they're running a scam so that your insurance is cheap on paper but you're not really getting adequate cover. The whole "in network" thing is crazy too, particularly for emergency healthcare, you're dying or in extreme pain and you're supposed to figure out if your insurance is going to cover you before being treated? What?
But what does "the greatest country in the world" mean? What criteria are we, or should we be employing to assess why or whether ANY country would deserve to describe itself in such a cocksure way?
We can all be dumb sometimes. My son in law has to go to India alone for business, it was his birthday and I didn't know what to get him then I thought I found the perfect thing a Wind up torch, my daughter was laughing said he stays in a hotel with electricity.
What you never bunk off school? ..oh you probably don't know the term bunked.. it's that alien too you.. it means you get up dress in your school uniform so you mum thinks your going to school as you should but your really spending the day with your mates just chilling
They don't have school uniforms (except in some private schools), they just wear regular clothes. It's called playing truant over there, here in Wales we called it mitching off school.
America is not thee greatest country on earth, but ‘one of the greatest countries’ on earth. But the average American thinks different, and is brainwashed from an early age, when they stand to attention in their schools, with their hands placed on their hearts, that, ‘the land of the free and the home of the brave' is the only nation like that on earth. Which explains why so many Americans can’t be bothered to learn about other cultures, their geography and economic prowess, because their ignorance prevents them from doing that, which is a real shame. But Joel, you’re not the average American, and I have a lot of respect, and admiration that you don’t think ignorantly as well. That said, I love America and it’s people, and it’s culture that has given Britain so many things, and look upon Americans now as a Brit, like family, and not just allies of Britain. 🇺🇸🤝🇬🇧
It's an endless source of amazement to me, that universal free healthcare is seen by many Americans as being a "Communist" ideology? To discuss whether or not the US (or any other country) is the "greatest" in the world, one first has to agree on what the appropriate and measurable definition of "greatest" might be, in that context? You'll take so long debating that, you'll never get round to debating which country is actually "the greatest"?
I must admit when it comes to American education am beginning to wonder do they teach anything that happens outside of the US having experienced time over there in my military days but on the whole Americans are very friendly to us Brits although very gullible not getting the British weird sense of black humour
America would be a fantastic place, if only corporate greed was not put before the people. When it comes to health care, and things like workers rights - no paid holidays or sick leave, America is way behind most other developed 1st world countries. If businesses in so many other countries around the world can thrive, whilst still allowing paid annual holidays, I cannot see why American businesses can not do the same. I have a feeling it must be something to do with these big businesses having far too much influence on the politicians. Thus any laws to mandate companies to pay annual leave would simply not make it through the political process. And sadly I think the same can be said for health care. It is sad that in a country the size of the US so many people cannot afford health care insurance, what happens to them if they become ill? If America could just sort out the basics, it would indeed be a great place to live. These type of things must cause so many people so much stress and worry, maybe even leading to despair. And then you have to wonder if it all contributes to the amount of gun crime.
Fairdos to you for doing this video Joel. Very brave. You don’t shy away from stuff do you? 😂 All respect to you, but the things I find utterly insane are your gun laws and healthcare system. Especially the healthcare system. Okay, and the annual leave policy for most / if not all employees. Okay, one last thing, but also amusing, there are a fair few of your countrymen and women who have no clue about the world outside the states. Anyway, big love ❤️ from Wales 🏴
It's sad that someone, who went on to have a heart attack, contemplated cycling to hospital before realising he was covered by insurance. Saying that, an ambulance wouldn't have arrived in time in the UK these days.
I don't understand the deal with certain doctors. In EU you can choose whatever doctor you want. I live in Germany atm and I changed 5 GPs, because their office was either too full or they were not paying attention to you. Same with specialists. If one treats you like crap, you can change it. The insurance will pay for your treatment no matter the doctor or the city as long as it is in the same country. Plus, my insurance card covers medical emergencies that happen during travels in EU outside of Germany.
I unfortunately had some really bad medical issues in Australia, like Blood cancer and a bone marrow transplant In Australia luckily and thankfully we have a Medicare system where it was all paid for. In America I would have been billed for hundreds of thousands.
No your not the greatest, your country is too insular. Your health system,the cost of prescription medicines, your employment rights, your gun laws, your benefits system , your food standards are all lower standards than Europe, you do however live in a beautiful country and on the plus side every American I've met have been polite and friendly.
recommending: 999 rescue squad motorway cops | catching britain's speeders inside the force 24/7 police hour of duty police shift 999 police interceptors crimefighters | real responders send in the dogs [uk/aus] special elite operation team raids
![American reacts to How Stupid are Americans? [part 3]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/zFuXJUJXD3s/mqdefault.jpg)
![American reacts to How Stupid are Americans? [part 1]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/-PA34wSTf44/mqdefault.jpg)
Being sick and staying home isn't about 'toughing it out', it's about being effective at your job, not making other people sick and doing the best thing for the company, your colleagues/customers and yourself. Everyone is worse off when you try to 'tough it out'.
Not all 'sickness' is contagious. There's no excuse for staying at home just because you've got a slight headache, are a bit stressed or felt a twinge in your little finger. Not if you're expecting sick pay for it.
Not everyone gets paid when off, I was really bad couple weeks before Xmas but I had to go to work as I would not have got paid.
@@pam164 Most employees are entitled to sick pay by law. That’s why it’s called statutory sick pay. HMRC have a statutory payment dispute team. They will contact your employer and ask why they think you’re not entitled to SSP.
@@ashmituk SSP is only £100 per week and doesn't cover the first 3 days. Also, not everyone who works is an employee.
@@citizenpb I know, I’m self employed. That’s why I said most employees are entitled to SSP and not everyone. Pam said she was off for a couple of weeks before Christmas and didn’t get paid. She also mentioned in another post that she works for a company. If that’s the case the company she works for might be breaking the law.
You aren’t paid for the first 3 days for the very reason you mentioned in your first comment. You can’t have people being paid SSP because they have a slight headache, twinge or hangover.
I really don't care how bad America is; just stop pretending it's so effing GREAT!
I’m actually impressed at how Joel defeats the stereotype and is interested to learn. I love that.
He does! After his UK trip I thought "I hope he comes to the Netherlands some time".
I've watched several of the 'Americans living or working abroad, what made you realise America really messed you up?' - three recurrent themes, no paid vacation, no universal healthcare, gun violence.
It is MUCH more than that, terrible employment law, no maternity leave, shit public transport, pervasion of religion into everything, awful education, obesity rates, lower life expectancy etc
@@sandersson2813 Yes, I realise that, I was just saying that they were the three commonly recurring themes. What is perplexing to those of us in countries with universal health care, paid holidays etc (which I think is most developed countries) is how often we see Americans declaring America as "the greatest country on Earth" and calling it "the land of the free". As a Brit, what is really weird is how gun control is a Democrat v Republican issue - here, after the Dunblane massacre in 1996 - the people opposing the tightening of our already tight gun laws barely ran into three figures and politics didn't come into it at all. The religious obsession perplexes us here too, especially considering the gun violence e.g. I recently saw a YT member whose home page picture was a sign that read 'Faith, Family, Freedom, Firearms' 🙄
I really felt for that young woman who was on the second day of an unrelenting cluster headache, just wanted some relief from the pain and ended up with a $28,000 bill. Who, in that kind of pain, has clear enough thoughts to wonder if the ER in the same building as their doctor might not accept their insurance. It’s bad enough that you don’t have affordable health care for all but even when insured to have to shop around to ensure you have the right doctor and hospital that are covered by your particular insurance company when you’re in the throes of illness is cruel.
Yes, I did too - my heart goes out to all those in need of medical assistance but are unable to finance it. Very sad.
It is really cruel 😢
@@Michael_from_EU_Germany do not besmirch her with lying. i doubt she could risk the bill for a definitive diagnosis; she was desperate for pain relief. what a country !
Like most of Europe, this situation wouldn't and couldn't happen here. John in Canada
I know it’s just crazy !! 😵
Fair play to yourself Joel you are looking outside the US and absorbing those influences and experiences.
this was said to my ex who's from Scotland: "Scotland? is that in Ireland?" - the look on her face was a picture
Lols
I’m Scottish
The worst one I’ve seen on these videos onYT
American asking if Northern Ireland was in Scotland 🏴 😂
@@bobbyscott2123 it's the whole Picts/Scots thing, so confusing ;)
I think all countries have good and bad points about them 🇦🇺
well, scots originally meant people from ireland. but that was about the 5th century
@@Michael_from_EU_Germany to be fair, until brexit and the border problem, i don't think most british people knew that. they thought uk/gb were co-terminous
You're so eloquent and polite. I tip my cap to you; You're beginning to experience Britishness. Well done for smashing the American stereotypes
It must be tough for Americans not to get annoyed at all the mickey-taking by others, particularly Europeans, but, In Europe, the Brits make fun of the French and the Irish, the Dutch make fun of the Belgians and so do the French etc and most of the jokes are the same too but in different languages. Anyway, I think the main reason the Europeans make fun of Americans is that they seem so uncultured and uneducated in so many ways (academic education, linguistics, limited notion of democracy, limited availability of affordable health care, lack of independence of the judiciary from politics, free access to lethal weapons etc etc) and yet Americans claim the US is a good place to live? Whaaaaat? I think the only way to get to that conclusion is to remain as ignorant as possible of what other countries are like and that is something Americans do excel at. Sorry JPS but it's true.
You miss the point that outside the US people consume a lot of their media. Europeans ego's get hurt when they realise they know more about the US than they do about them. Simple.
@@aldozilli1293 you’re just making the point that Europeans are more educated in international affairs than Americans are. Yes… we know. In fact, we're more educated in most things.
It's not capitalism, it's the American version of capitalism. ✌️
At the end of the day, there is no greatest country in the world....what annoys people is the insistence American's have, in claiming that their country is and voicing it frequently and loudly. I think the problem is the US is very insular. When in the US, I've always been surprised that the news is very locally based and even national news channels under report world news. PS. If you think you get a lot of hate, you should try coming from England!
It's their education system mainly. I mean have you ever seen a class in the USA where they didn't hang their FLag on a wall?
I mean being proud of their country is one thing but spamming the US Flag to non US citizens and bragging about how free they are constantly is caused by the education system teaching them like this.
I also would never say I'm proud to be xy country name. I always say I'm glad to be living in germany.
Just wow! Americans pay $34,000 per headache??!!! 😆 Then next day will probably rant about how they're against "socialized medicine". 🤨
Wow it looks like America and the rest of the world have different ideas if what freedom really means!
I'm craving a lesson about it. Don't use the N world when you frie a black with mental issue on elecric chair. 😢😂
As a walking Tour Guide in York England I have many interesting conversations with Americans. My overall impression is more than just ignorance, it’s dealing with people who have been brainwashed and fed propaganda, rather than history or knowledge of real politics. Hopefully access to the internet and videos like this, will change things. One day the USA will become a free democracy.
do some ask you if your city was named in honour of new york..only kidding ! ??
America still not got rid of slavery.
Buzzfeed often does roundups of the dumbest Tweets. Once recent list included one from an American that asked, “Why do people in Britain speak English rather than a European language?”. I also recall that when John Stewart used to present The Daily Show he quipped that the main benefit of America being involved in wars was that it taught people geography.
Evan Edinger also has a couple of great videos called the crazy shit Americans say on Reddit
I am reminded by the last one of an American lady on a coach tour of the UK standing in the hotel foyer shouting at the receptionists "Why don't you all learn to speak English."
🙄
You know what, you should judge all of America for these 2 people. No Mercy for God's sake. Good Christian people in Europe...... You realize there's 331 million Americans.. You see the reason Americans don't know much about England, Is that we weren't taught to worship a king.. You say when the people left England to come here, They left because your country was shit then, and not much has changed.. It's awful convenient for you to talk shit when there isn't A war going on.. But I'll bet when somebody is kicking the shit out of you . You wouldn't say all that NONSENSE...... Hell I Don't even understand why the hell they're going there.. All there is there is a huge clock, and some shitty Old castles... Why don't you confront these Americans. Are you some kind of a Candy ass.. But you know what, If you come here and ask a dumb question, I wouldn't get on the Internet and tell everybody how dumb you were. I would handle my business right then and there... So one of us is going to pack an ass whooping. And I'm willing to bet my bottom dollar it won't be me.. Now you can take that corn farving and stick it up your ass.. So fuck you and the horse you road in on.....Stop talking trash about people that ain't there to defend themselves Douche...Oh BTW, Joel is kissing your asses for some reason, I don't know. He's so young he wouldn't know his ass from a hole in the ground.. Any American that condones the way you fuckwads talk about us, is a Pussy anyways..... So when you wanna talk about people you dipshit, think twice and stuff some of that spotted dick in your mouth.
@@southernshawn77 What is good about being Christian?
They didn't judge all of America on these two people at all.
@@southernshawn77 I worked for 8 years in both large city centre hotels and country house hotels for the same company and we could have anything up 8 tour coaches of US tourists in on a day, every day you would hear a comment "Why don't they learn to speak English," "Why don't they speak English properly," and variations of that theme, the vast majority of Americans think the UK is the USA with History rather than a foreign country with its own customs and culture, some like Joel have a much better understanding and are prepared for the experience.
@@RushfanUK A friend who worked for an American Insurance company ,with offices worldwide ,said that the most difficult place to be posted for American colleagues was the UK .
They prepared themselves and family for different languages and cultures everywhere else but assumed that the UK would be just like the States.
I once heard an American woman describe the U.S. as a third world country dressed in Gucci. From what I've seen of the place I'd be hard pressed to disagree.
Also "A country which as gone from barbarism to decadence without an intervening period of civilisation".
The best one I heard was when discussing with an American colleague whether the company we worked for needed a multilingual web site and they said: "If they don't speak English, do they even have the internet?". I looked at them hoping to find some sign of irony or humour, then realised they were actually serious. Where do you even begin ... ? (In fairness, I also know some very intelligent and informed Americans).
i saw one of these youtubes where a woman in brazil had an internet friend in america. the american asked her if they had the internet in brazil. they were talking and messaging via internet. the brazilian said yes but it's not digital, it's powered by monkeys running on a wheel. the american was duly impressed
With the going to work sick....speaking as a former senior nurse [UK] it does not make sense, as [especially the last 3 years] you could be infecting the whole workforce in a short period of time [depending wehat it is of course] which could then affect the performance of the office/factory/site and could be dangerous.
It would be a lot easier to have the one person go off sick. If necessary, make them go to a doctor and get a note for proof if you really have to! lol
That price for the 'ER' is WAY over what it should be. A TOTAL rip off!
I know how you feel mate I’m from the uk and it’s a hard pill to swallow that other countries do it better. I’d like to say move over here buddy we do it the best…. But as you’ve seen it’s dam good loads better than American standards but Sweden Norway Spain do it better I feel like you when watching them do health care or prison systems shouting at the screen why aren’t we doing it that way 😡🤬. We should always strive to do better.
To be honest they don't have to look that far, Canada does it pretty well. As a British person that would probably be my choice to emigrate (because I am hopeless at learning languages) otherwise I'd love to teach in Norway they certainly do education best.
America is great if you’re just looking to just make money without any limits… and nothing else… the school system isn’t great, the food is full of bad chemicals and fried, the sports teams are only cared about within the US, the politics are divided, and the health care system and the colleges will take all the extra money you made anyway
I Had some experiences with Americans lack of understanding of the rest of the world. The first experience was a American couple was hiring car and wanted to know where was the exit after crossing the Sydney Harbour Bridge, so they could drive to New Zealand. The other experience was a group of Americans hiring a minibus want to know the frequencies and the travel time to go by ferry from Sydney to Auckland so they could spend a couple of days in Auckland and tour the North Island before returning to Sydney. I said, there are no ferry services as it takes to 3 days/2 nights be sea to travel from Sydney to Auckland one way and Auckland is not the North Island.
In USA you have to go to school even if you are sick? that is not right at all like seriously I live in UK and when I had chicken pox in 1998 there is no way I would even be allowed in school or even be focused enough with all the itchy sores or that time I had a 24 hour bug where I was bed ridding and puking every 20 minutes so do US schools allow you to stay off school for things like that?
Waterford
Good questions re those health questions you mentioned. Here in Australia no way you’d go to school with those conditions, and if u did, school would ring the parents and tell them to pick the child up straight away.
I felt for you Joel and think you took all that negativity on your country very well. I was shocked on several comments made. I feel for you all on your health system. Wow! And having to go to the schools even when your ill...😲
surely that is against public health ordinances; could spread infectious diseases
There is no 'greatest country in the world'. All countries have their good points and not so good points. Some countries just need to change their attitudes and educate themselves.
Very well written
Imagine being Turkish and being told you probably don't have stray cats in Turkey. Bruh, they run the country.
Don't you think the US education system could be greatly improved? Some of this ignorance is appalling.
Placing almost everything this video talks about aside, in the broader scheme of more spiritual things, the greatest haven a person can call their home is their heart; the most humane of all cultures a country can embrace as their own, is simply the one that cares. Joel, yours is a heart that cares, and that is no small thing. In fact, it is everything and so, keep being you! You shine! Blessings!
Those comments were not only extremely rude but not typical at all , as an83 year old Englishman the number of Americans that I have met have been very polite and intelligent, ( you Joel are a good example )every country has different types of people in it.
Thank you sir, you are a credit to Society... Exactly the point I was just making, you can't judge an apple by the tree...
@@southernshawn77 No one is saying that ALL Americans are like this, only that it appears we get a spectacular amount of stupid comments and questions from America.
Have you ever heard this degree of stupidity from an Australian or Canadian? No. They'd never ask if you've ever met the Queen or if you have iPhones.
Glad someone has pointed out the distortion that the internet tends to impose on these sorts of things
10:45 We have some haters...? What is hating about girl from United kindoms who says idiot american asked her where did she learned her english ? You just wont get away with that ... :D
I showed pictures of Toronto Canada to an American girl. She was stunned Canada had skyscrapers and big cities, she thought it was just maple syrup, literally 🤦🏻♂️
My first visit to America was back in 1988, and since then I have travelled thousands of miles across America with my family. I am a British national. In particular, I loved the country and its people, especially those in the deep south where the hospitality was fantastic. I did find though that when you get away from all the bright lights there seems to be a huge amount of less well off people in the United States. Working hard and grinding out a living, not to bothered about what's going on in the world.
I admire you for doing this video. I'm English and even though I completely understand and agree with criticism of certain aspects of my country and the people in it, it still grates when you listen to others mocking it and putting it down. No matter how much we may agree, there's that patriotism inside us to defend what we actually love about where we come from. All countries have good aspects and bad. Simple as that.
I know multiple people who have been told their English is great for someone who isn't American, lol.
Here's a recommendation: "America is not the greatest country in the world anymore". It's a short clip from the series 'The Newsroom'. It's quite moving and it would be interesting to hear your thoughts on it.
I know this isn't so much what was said to me, but I went into a 7-Eleven in Buffalo two months ago and had to show my I.D. which was my British passport right, the guy looked at me like I'd just slapped him in the face, he didn't even know how to open it and called the manager xD xD xD
There’s no such thing as “Greatest country in the world” That’s the point. It’s all about opinion and priorities, but many Americans state it like it’s a fact. There aren’t many metrics where America has a clear claim to being the best, aside from military.
Americans are so exploited. It's just so sad.
Why don't you humor me and tell me how shitbird....
Not knowing is not the problem , just ask if you don't know. The problem is ignorance.
I think ONE of the biggest drawbacks for America these days is the manner in which children are taught in schools. It would seem obvious that there's an enormous bias - anything that shows America in a less than brilliant light is either not spoken about or merely skimmed over very quickly. Every day the children are taught that America is the best at everything, every day they have to pay homage almost to their country and flag (further inculcating the idea that America is best). These children grow up "knowing" they're the best (at practically everything), everything is bigger, better and louder. But now a light at the end of the tunnel - many are waking up to the fact there's a lot wrong with their country that they'd been indoctrinated all their lives with a lot of lies.
Don't get me wrong, there's a lot wrong in many countries, including my own, the UK.
But remember too, you're a very young country compared to most around the world; sometimes it's as though America is at the toddler stage of growth (nothing to be ashamed of, it's the way of things). As a country, many of you are experiencing "growing pains". Your channel JP, and others like yours, help pave the way to those Americans waking up and who feel that there must be more in the world than they've been led to believe.
PS: I found some of those TikToks very sad.
I would say that the United States is at a teenage stage ,rather than toddler .
Look at the loudness ,the boasting, the guns, the emphasis on the trivial especially their love of `celebrity`.
I would love to see the results of asking "Is America the greatest country" but ONLY from people that have actually lived in America AND another country for, say, over a year. No good asking this question of people who have no experience of the rest of the world.
Your health care system is just cruel and inhumane
"Don't call an ambulance!
I can't afford it!"
I think it was the philosopher Plato who advised 'gnothi seauton' (know thyself). Probably the best way for any country to become truly great is to know itself.
And the best way for this to happen is to know what's happening in other countries, so you can make comparisons. After seeing your reactions and the reactions of other TH-camrs, I suspect something sinister is going on; very powerful people in the US are deliberately trying to keep Americans ignorant. Part and parcel of this is giving you so little time off that you can't go and find out about other countries; when you Americans visit the UK, I am struck by your rushed itineraries, because you are not allowed to "escape" for long.
So TH-camrs like yourself are doing a good and essential thing, which will only make the USA greater.
I was on a fishing boat in Alaska when a coworker (who had never been outside of Montana before), asked if we were going to cross the International Dateline, and if so “would we be able to see it?”
I’m surprised that he even knew the the IDL was a thing, given how some Americans (not all) are shown to not understand timezones
True story , my neighbor is a surgeon in a big hospital , there was a young American surgeon
the guy asked how many firearm injury they had in the emergency ward , the friend told him one or two a months , the American was surprised there was so many
"we have about that much in New York !" it turned out that there was a misunderstanding ,
he was asking how many time someone pulled a gun in the emergency ward and started to shoot people , this NEVER happen in Australia
Just because yu do not like something does not mean yu are a "hater". I do not like many aspects of amerikan non-culture, but no, I do not hate the u.s. I could, but I dont. I grew up in Canada, on the border with the u.s. along the Niagara River. Believe me, I know it very well. God bless its pointed little head.
To me the problem with not having sick days is that the hole place could get ill as germs like to spread themselves about so that's why you are entitled to sick days until you are well again just makes sense to me.
I wouldn't sweat it mate - I've been to the US half a dozen times & found the vast majority of Americans open, welcoming, eternally curious & ferociously up-beat - & I always tried to get off the beaten track & away from where the tourists go & talk & drink with real Americans. I will say however that Americans are very uninformed about anything that happens outside their border - but most of the blame for that can be levelled at your media & education system.
Love your content, keep learning, keep an open mind. Cheers from the UK.
I live in the USA for a while now, and someone once asked me: "Do they have freeways in the Netherlands too?" My answer was, no they only have dirt roads.....🤓
@@Michael_from_EU_Germany Yes, I drove on the Autobahn several times in the eighties and nineties. My car was limited to 200 km/h. My answer about "only dirt roads" was sarcasm of course.
I really enjoyed your videos and comments plus learning more about the world around us.
There's a half dozen other videos in this type of series. This one actually took snipits from several different ones.
Joel, please don’t be saddened by what you saw in the videos. Not everyone in a country of more than 250 million fits the stereotypes and you are a shining example of that.
From my personal experience of 4 years in the States, most people were welcoming and kind, and those who didn’t know where eager to learn about other cultures and countries.
The health system and ruthless capitalist economy is a fact as is the whole gun situation. And the way current internal U.S. politics has been going since you know who was President hasn’t helped one bit.
I'm sure that America is full of wonderful people however there seems to be a certain type of American that wallows in ignorance and has no desire to educate themselves on anything outside their country of birth, is this a new phenomenon or is this something that has been part of the culture for a long time. ? This isn't something that is unique to Americans as I see it in the UK however you do seem to take it to another level entirely in certain circles.
I often wonder what kids get taught in America??
A person is VERY unlikely to form an opinion re 'Greatest Country' if they have never been to other countries, talked to the people there, experienced the life and culture there.
As a brit, I've been to America on a few occasions and every time, without fail i get asked: "what part of Australia are you from?"..... my girlfriend, who is Italian, was asked if she was from London. I never felt so insulted in my life 🤣
Hello Joel. As I commented before, on arrival in Texas on Greyhound and saying we were from England, my friend was asked if we came all the way on the bus.
One of my workplaces in Australia, one of the most incredible countries to work in, gave me two months of personal and annual leave for a family situation in my home country. And I'd only been with them for two years.
A $28,000 bill for treating a headache? When you actually have medical insurance? That poor girl!
@@Michael_from_EU_GermanySo, why should she pay if it's a tumour problem?
It all depends on your definition of "greatest." What context? If it comes to law and order, probably not so good. If it comes to health insurance, definitely not good. If it is about freedom from gun violence, bad. When it comes to freedom, we have it pretty good. Freedom to create is high in the US. There is nothing wrong with national pride, as long as it doesn't blind you to real problems.
I rarely get the 'you probably don't have that in the Netherlands'. The Americans I speak to usually assume that the brands they know are global. Sometimes they are sure, but not always. I have found that it's a very American thing to refer to something by the brand and not what it is. I think that Europeans are much more used to doing this because of the smaller nations.
yes, they do. eg, kleenex rather than tissue. bandaid rather than sticking plaster
If i got really sick i would get 6 months on full pay and 6 months on half pay
Hello Joel there are problems in most countries in the world, I remember making a comment about Harry & Meghan , then someone blamed me , a British person for all the bad things that were said about them by people in the public eye , I don’t say nasty things about anyone but it was still my fault because of where I live , please stop carrying a burden for something that’s not of your making you will go crazy , just carry on being you , that’s all you can do warmest wishes to you from Wales 🏴
As an Englishman who has been to the states 3 times and loved it,especially the Motown tour,there would be no reason for me to live there.
The day to day for the vast majority of Americans seems to be fear-orientated.
Fear of losing your job.
Fear of getting ill.
Fear of getting shot.
Fear of the government.
The UK has massive problems right now admittedly,like most of the world at the moment,the US is in a much worse condition though,where you have a government who doesn’t care about its people at all.
Richest country in the world but with the worst poverty in the western world.
America is for the 1% who get the 99% to do everything for them and get paid a pittance for the privilege.
Awful.
You'd debate why America is the best country in the world? Really, after all the evidence you've seen to the contrary? We all love our own countries, its natural, but to think we're the absolute best, without being to provide any kind of evidence to that effect?
Is America the greatest country in the world? No. Neither is any other country. I've heard various prime ministers of Britain saying we are the greatest country in the world. I've heard the same from many leaders about their own country. It is just silly. While there are a number of countries in the world that leave a great deal to be desired, there are good and bad points about most of the countries on the globe. All have their strengths and their weaknesses.
One can be proud, (or not), of one's country, but that does not make it the 'greatest in the world'. We have done good things, we have done bad things. I am proud of some things, I am ashamed of others. I do not adhere to 'my country right or wrong". One can love one's country without believing, or having to believe it is the greatest, or the best or whatever in the world.
The dumbest thing I ever heard from an American was when someone from Texas asked if Australia was 'one of those other states' in the USA and how far it would take to driver there. 🤣
i sometimes wonder if they are having us on,like the brazilian girl, see above
Is america the greatest country in the world?
No.
It comes well down the list on many things, and only places high, or first in bad things.
I have American friends and even family living there, but I honestly can't think of one thing that's better there for me.
"Is America the greatest country in the world" would be a great topic for a 'tea time' video with you and Will, and Mack if he has been outside of the US.
Meanwhile your eloquence and intelligence firmly dispel the American stereotypes shown in some of these clips :)
Metal absorbs heat, who would have known.
Most people don't know that there's a difference between the English and American languages.
The Americans certainly dont! Lol!
When in America I was advised to take travellers cheques, but when trying to use them I was asked for my drivers license, at the time United Kingdom licences were made of paper, with no photograph on them, “What is this?”, to which I responded, “ My drivers licence, see the signature on it is the same as the one on the cheque, and the same as the one I have done witnessed by you.” To which the response was, “Do you have a passport.” Of course I had, how else would I have got into America, with a valid visitor’s visa, so I handed that over, but still not good enough, “What age are you?” To which I responded, “I’m 18”. The next thing said was, “You are a minor, you cannot cash cheque unless with an adult! Back home I was legal age to hold a bank account and cash cheques, visit a bar and buy alcoholic drinks, vote in elections, drive a car, get married, (the legal age here is 16). Now I know laws in different countries are different, but come on, here was I on holiday, with most of my cash in travels cheques un able to pay for things, even if I showed my passport! Really?
I've seen these before, and think that it's terribly sad.
I can't imagine not having universal health care, my daughter has complex health conditions and is on several medications which often change, she seemed to have a reaction to a med she takes occasionally and as her other meds had changed and she was struggling to catch her breath she called an ambulance, a paramedic car was here in 4 minutes. She had an ECG plus blood sugar tested and blood pressure checked etc and her breathing got back to normal. They wanted her to have blood tests and we're going to book a taxi for her to A&E as she didn't require transport in an ambulance ( the NHS pay for the taxi) but I took her instead. It is true we then waited six hours to see a doctor ( nasty motorway accident around the time we arrived didn't help wait times) but we left only having to pay for the parking. She is currently seeing a cardiologist neurologist and has physiotherapy. Nothing to pay. I will never understand why Americans are so against universal healthcare. The NHS is critically underfunded but still saves lives and treats people every day.
America is a continent. But if what you're saying is if USA is the greatest country in the world the answer is NO.
YOU ARE NOT A TYPICAL AMERICAN ! yOU COMPENSATE FOR SO MANY OF YOUR COUNTRY FOLK!
Joel, I take my hat off to you. You are going to the trouble to look at the rest of the world and comparing the US to the rest of the world. The US is not very wonderful at all. I wouldn't begin to contemplate leaving Australia for over there. Before I retired nobody could have offered me enough money to go over there to work and live. Keep up the great work and thank you for your presentations.
“Is America the greatest country in the world?” I mean, isn’t the whole premise a little absurd? By what metric is any country the “greatest”? Even with quantifiable things that you can compare (like life expectancy, or literacy rates, or media freedom) no country is going to be at the top of every one of those measures. The USA and UK certainly aren’t going to be. But even on more subjective measures, most countries are going to have a mix of good and bad. Isn’t the whole idea of exceptionalism - “our country is the best because…” - a little silly? Why can’t we just say “there’s some good stuff about our country, but you know there’s a lot we could do better, too.” 🤷♂️
I entirely agree but those ideas are a little too grown up for the average American.
33k for a headache wtf
Although I have had a lifelong interest in the Civil War, the Old West and US geography, there is no way I would ever set foot in such a country. I have even left the UK to live in the Netherlands, as the UK appears to be trying to turn itself into a mini-US.
Mate, great channel and love your work. It's tough for anyone to hear and to take criticism of their own country from other people (I'm English, so we're used to people hating us!! 🤣)
People always point out the bad, but never the good - be it about their friends, neighbours or sports teams etc. National pride is no exception and kudos to you for taking it on the chin and at least watching it. Everyone will whine and whinge about the US, until the S hits the F and the Russian or Chinese tanks start their engines, then all of a sudden, America is the arsenal of freedom and the greatest country in the world...!! There's a HELL of a lot you do so much better than everywhere else. Maybe tweak healthcare a little. Nowhere is perfect, but as you spend more per capita on public healthcare than anyone else in the world and still (mostly) have private, that's not other people ripping off America, that's (bad) Americans ripping off other Americans when they're vulnerable. Also, your chocolate sucks compared to Cadbury's ;) !!! Keep up the great work!!
Had guy tell me you're welsh English. Wales is England. He really believed he still in England.
By the way that whole insurance thing it isn't the whole private insurance/capitalism thing, there's plenty of countries in the world with private health insurance as the primary mode of healthcare: it's that the system seems to be set up in a way that makes having insurance basically pointless, insurance is supposed to make you not end up with a massive bill, having to pay out for being ill when you're fully and adequately insured beyond maybe some sort of small excess is objectively nuts: what it means is they're running a scam so that your insurance is cheap on paper but you're not really getting adequate cover. The whole "in network" thing is crazy too, particularly for emergency healthcare, you're dying or in extreme pain and you're supposed to figure out if your insurance is going to cover you before being treated? What?
But what does "the greatest country in the world" mean? What criteria are we, or should we be employing to assess why or whether ANY country would deserve to describe itself in such a cocksure way?
Hi Joel, just seeing your new beard has reminded me that I need a new 4” paintbrush 😛
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
We can all be dumb sometimes. My son in law has to go to India alone for business, it was his birthday and I didn't know what to get him then I thought I found the perfect thing a Wind up torch, my daughter was laughing said he stays in a hotel with electricity.
that is v useful. there can be power cuts anywhere, anytime. keep under pillow.
What you never bunk off school? ..oh you probably don't know the term bunked.. it's that alien too you.. it means you get up dress in your school uniform so you mum thinks your going to school as you should but your really spending the day with your mates just chilling
They don't have school uniforms (except in some private schools), they just wear regular clothes.
It's called playing truant over there, here in Wales we called it mitching off school.
America is not thee greatest country on earth, but ‘one of the greatest countries’ on earth. But the average American thinks different, and is brainwashed from an early age, when they stand to attention in their schools, with their hands placed on their hearts, that, ‘the land of the free and the home of the brave' is the only nation like that on earth. Which explains why so many Americans can’t be bothered to learn about other cultures, their geography and economic prowess, because their ignorance prevents them from doing that, which is a real shame. But Joel, you’re not the average American, and I have a lot of respect, and admiration that you don’t think ignorantly as well. That said, I love America and it’s people, and it’s culture that has given Britain so many things, and look upon Americans now as a Brit, like family, and not just allies of Britain. 🇺🇸🤝🇬🇧
There was one other country that had school children reciting an oath of allegiance way back in the 1930's - guess which one?
It's an endless source of amazement to me, that universal free healthcare is seen by many Americans as being a "Communist" ideology?
To discuss whether or not the US (or any other country) is the "greatest" in the world, one first has to agree on what the appropriate and measurable definition of "greatest" might be, in that context?
You'll take so long debating that, you'll never get round to debating which country is actually "the greatest"?
I must admit when it comes to American education am beginning to wonder do they teach anything that happens outside of the US having experienced time over there in my military days but on the whole Americans are very friendly to us Brits although very gullible not getting the British weird sense of black humour
America would be a fantastic place, if only corporate greed was not put before the people. When it comes to health care, and things like workers rights - no paid holidays or sick leave, America is way behind most other developed 1st world countries. If businesses in so many other countries around the world can thrive, whilst still allowing paid annual holidays, I cannot see why American businesses can not do the same. I have a feeling it must be something to do with these big businesses having far too much influence on the politicians. Thus any laws to mandate companies to pay annual leave would simply not make it through the political process. And sadly I think the same can be said for health care. It is sad that in a country the size of the US so many people cannot afford health care insurance, what happens to them if they become ill? If America could just sort out the basics, it would indeed be a great place to live. These type of things must cause so many people so much stress and worry, maybe even leading to despair. And then you have to wonder if it all contributes to the amount of gun crime.
There are some 3rd world countries that offer more paid holidays, maternity leave & sick days than the US.
Fairdos to you for doing this video Joel. Very brave. You don’t shy away from stuff do you? 😂
All respect to you, but the things I find utterly insane are your gun laws and healthcare system. Especially the healthcare system. Okay, and the annual leave policy for most / if not all employees. Okay, one last thing, but also amusing, there are a fair few of your countrymen and women who have no clue about the world outside the states. Anyway, big love ❤️ from Wales 🏴
It's sad that someone, who went on to have a heart attack, contemplated cycling to hospital before realising he was covered by insurance. Saying that, an ambulance wouldn't have arrived in time in the UK these days.
Im in uk, been off work for four years!!
Spinal issues all my life!
I don't understand the deal with certain doctors. In EU you can choose whatever doctor you want. I live in Germany atm and I changed 5 GPs, because their office was either too full or they were not paying attention to you. Same with specialists. If one treats you like crap, you can change it. The insurance will pay for your treatment no matter the doctor or the city as long as it is in the same country. Plus, my insurance card covers medical emergencies that happen during travels in EU outside of Germany.
I unfortunately had some really bad medical issues in Australia, like Blood cancer and a bone marrow transplant In Australia luckily and thankfully we have a Medicare system where it was all paid for.
In America I would have been billed for hundreds of thousands.
No your not the greatest, your country is too insular. Your health system,the cost of prescription medicines, your employment rights, your gun laws, your benefits system , your food standards are all lower standards than Europe, you do however live in a beautiful country and on the plus side every American I've met have been polite and friendly.
Another outstanding documentary Joel!! John in Canada 😜
canada, that must in europe, cos they speak french
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