American economic dominance

[Jeff Lebowski]

This is how canadapoors and europoors cope.

[wuapinmon]

This is how canadapoors and europoors cope.

You used to be cool.

[Jeff Lebowski]

You used to be cool.

You used to have a sense of humor.

[Moliere]

A different metric just dropped and it not only shows America is richer than everyone else, it shows that every individual state is richer than everyone else.

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USA! USA! USA!

[Goatnapper'96]

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9118621/

"There is a positive relationship between tooth retention, overall health, and quality of life. Older adults retaining ≥ 20 teeth are less likely to experience poorer health. Having < 20 teeth increases the likelihood for functional dependence and onset of disability, and may affect successful ageing. This review supports the general finding that the more teeth older adults retain as they age, the less likely they are to have adverse health outcomes. However, significant knowledge gaps remain which can limit decision-making affecting successful ageing for many older adults. This review highlights the need to consider, as an important marker of oral health and function, the retention of a functional minimum of a natural dentition, rather than a simple numeric score of missing teeth."

That's just one research article. There are many, many more.

That is pretty amazing scholarship. Essentially, folks who take care of their teeth have better lives. I wonder what the data tells us for folks who go to bed on time, do their homework and eat vegetables as part of their dinner as well? The big problem will always be the inability to redistribute parenting skills. If that home didn't teach them while in their youth to go to bed on time, do their homework and have vegetables with their dinner their public provided pretty smile won't do all the gee whiz things the wankers tell us it did for folk who had pretty smiles in the past. There are likely a thousand things the data can focus in on without really figuring out why folks have good lives.

[Moliere]

That is pretty amazing scholarship. Essentially, folks who take care of their teeth have better lives. I wonder what the data tells us for folks who go to bed on time, do their homework and eat vegetables as part of their dinner as well? The big problem will always be the inability to redistribute parenting skills. If that home didn't teach them while in their youth to go to bed on time, do their homework and have vegetables with their dinner their public provided pretty smile won't do all the gee whiz things the wankers tell us it did for folk who had pretty smiles in the past. There are likely a thousand things the data can focus in on without really figuring out why folks have good lives.

Maybe the answer is to have the state parent the children. That way the parenting skills can all be the same and no one will have a disproportionate advantage over another

[chrisrenrut]

A different metric just dropped and it not only shows America is richer than everyone else, it shows that every individual state is richer than everyone else.

Embedded Tweet

USA! USA! USA!

Is consumption a great measurement of “richer”?

Maybe not when you consider that “55% of US consumers carry credit card balances to cover essential expenses.”
https://www.cnbc.com/2026/08/11/ny-f...-persists.html

[Moliere]

It’s probably not the best measure, but I’ve yet to see an economic measurement that doesn’t have the USA at or near the top.

[Northwestcoug]

It’s probably not the best measure, but I’ve yet to see an economic measurement that doesn’t have the USA at or near the top.

Upward social mobility studies has consistently shown that the US lags many developed countries in socio-economic mobility.

https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/social-mobility-by-country#top-10-countries-with-the-highest-social-mobility

Here is an updated 2026 list. The devil is in the details, of course. And since I'm no economist I can't vouch for the metrics. But then again, who currently among us is?

[Moliere]

But when your poor class is already considered middle class in other countries, I’m not sure the findings on social mobility debunk the title of this thread. The average Mississippian is better off financially than the average French person.

[Jeff Lebowski]

But when your poor class is already considered middle class in other countries, I’m not sure the findings on social mobility debunk the title of this thread. The average Mississippian is better off financially than the average French person.

Yeah, no kidding.

And look at this:

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[Northwestcoug]

But when your poor class is already considered middle class in other countries, I’m not sure the findings on social mobility debunk the title of this thread. The average Mississippian is better off financially than the average French person.

that doesn't debunk anything from those studies. It is talking about socio-economic mobility, the ability to improve or lower economic status.

I'd be a fool to argue that the US isn't in a class by itself wealth-wise. But there are other important economic indicators. You asked for one that the US isn't at or near the top; I gave you one.

[Moliere]

that doesn't debunk anything from those studies. It is talking about socio-economic mobility, the ability to improve or lower economic status.

I'd be a fool to argue that the US isn't in a class by itself wealth-wise. But there are other important economic indicators. You asked for one that the US isn't at or near the top; I gave you one.

I didn’t say it debunks the studies. I was saying it doesn’t prove or disprove the subject of this thread. Your argument is like saying Americans are worse off economically because the poor ones can only afford a Honda Accord and might never be able to buy a Mercedes. Meanwhile, the average europoor is barely being able to afford a Honda Accord.*

*this is a parabolic example and not intended to be taken literally since Accords aren’t really available in Europe.

[Northwestcoug]

I didn’t say it debunks the studies. I was saying it doesn’t prove or disprove the subject of this thread. Your argument is like saying Americans are worse off economically because the poor ones can only afford a Honda Accord and might never be able to buy a Mercedes. Meanwhile, the average europoor is barely being able to afford a Honda Accord.*

*this is a parabolic example and not intended to be taken literally since Accords aren’t really available in Europe.

Sure OK.

the American economy dominates the world. There really is no argument. But do we really need 20 pages in this thread to argue that? Surely we can provide context to the discussion that doesn't already prove what we know.

[Pelado]

Sure OK.

the American economy dominates the world. There really is no argument. But do we really need 20 pages in this thread to argue that? Surely we can provide context to the discussion that doesn't already prove what we know.

Don't argue about it, just nod your head in agreement.