Why do a lot of Americans think the USA is the only free country on earth?

Can you find me a top five most desirable countries to live that has the USA in that top five?

Propaganda.

Because of the low-brow quality of so many parts of US education, media and culture.

And the propaganda and denial involved.

I think somewhere around ½ of Americans* have never left the country.

There is also a common xenophobia and a desire for “normality” (meaning expected familiar American* norms, whatever people think that is).

Oh, there are also too many Americans* who have a strong association/equivalence in their thinking that Europe ~= Socialist ~= Communist ~= USSR ~= Dictatorship ~= no freedom ~= Evil.

Top five most desirable countries for rednecks to live:
1. U S A !!!!!!!
2. ‘Murica
3. America
4. LAND O THE FREE(tm)
5. YOU-nited States

(* Apologies for using label “Americans” and not meaning any other country in the Americas.)

The MAGA types right??^^^^

I think Americans (USAers) have been sold a bill of goods all their life about American democracy and exceptionalism (the shining City on the Hill). It’s obviously very distorted and is being exploited, and has been exploited by those in power.

Why do you think that ‘a lot’ of Americans think that? I don’t know anyone that thinks that, so I’d love to see your source.

I’ve never known anyone to think that, either.

“The Free World” used to be contrasted with the U.S.S.R. and sometimes Middle Eastern theocracies. I’ve never heard anyone say Europe was Socialist or not part of the “Free” world, though I DO hear many who advocate Socialism in recent years say that Canada, Europe and especially Scandinavia is Socialist. I do not hear that from other Americans.

Fox News, Donald Trump, lack of knowelege, thinking that the world revolves around white American Christians, having a fear of anything that is not a white American Christian, willful stupidity, belonging to a party that will fight hard to not have to know things.

The “Freedom” references in relation to Independence Day (For which “Freedom” is kind of a buzzword) and the American Bicentennial (Freedom. Liberty, etc etc) is in reference to America’s freedom and liberation from Great Britain, specifically King George.

This was the birth of America, not a claim that America is “Free” and England isn’t.

Americans also typically value rights we have that other nations do not, although now I think at least half the world follows the same example.

@Kardamom “Freedom” in reference to America actually involves liberalism, the idea that you are free to be who you are. It has to do with civil rights, the inclusion of all ethnic groups, sexual orientations, etc. In the American Bicentennial (1976) there was a song “Free to Be You and Me” that schoolchildren were singing everywhere. The cartoon that went along with it was that some boys liked to play with dolls, and that was acceptable in America. You cannot force someone yo be or conform to something they’re not.

Because a lot of eeh-merry-kans are bloody idiotic morons.

@ucme I’ve been meaning to ask. Where does “eeh-merry-kans” come from? Is that the dialect where you live because I’ve never heard anyone else use it?

Because we’re arrogant, narcissistic people who don’t know jack about the rest of the world.

^^^ Agreed. The recipe is: take a batch of ignorance, add a heaping portion of hubris, and season with xenophobia.

The same reason many North Koreans think their country is the only free country on earth. They aren’t very aware of the wider world.

@janbb Ooh look, seems others would like to know too.
It’s a hybrid of the scouse accent (Liverpool) & my own idea of how that would then be spelt/spelled.
You should try saying it in your best, broadest scouser voice…no really.

^^ I was married to a Scouser for 40 years and never heard that.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Ah so your initial query was a hostile one just as I suspected & my honest, light hearted response only fed your ire further, fair enough :D

@ucme I don’t do ire. I have staff for that.

@janbb My word you’re having fun, is that all you got :D
Oh & for someone who claims to be content you come across as petty & passive aggressive but hey…roll with it coz the loneliness must sting I guess, nothing better to do & all that.

@janbb looks like you hit a nerve, there. :-D

I think I shall hire staff to do ire.

They have staff for that??^

Well, ask @janbb where she got hers!

Now get back on topic, damn it!

^^^ Hey, you posted to Social. We have an unalienable right to meander!

LOL! OK! Lets hold hands and skip around the pool!

Don’t ya mean the swamp??^^