Reflections on the U.S. This July 4th

Since it's that American staple known as Independence Day, I thought I'd do some societal introspection and reflections with today's post on this July 4th.

Everyone loves the fireworks staple on July 4th - Independence Day, right?

A lot of guys in this neck of the woods are rather down on the U.S. There are of course good reasons for this. The cultural decline we live in is real. You can't tell me that a culture that produces things like this isn't in decline. The forces of political correctness - its inquisition, its fierce mob of defenders, its marginalizing and ostracizing of dissenters, grow more powerful every day. A culture of enforced uniformity that resembles the religious persecutions in Europe that the Founding Fathers sought to break from is rapidly developing. Obesity is a huge problem, and the relations between the sexes continues to be strained.

Landwhale attempting to redefine beauty through Fat Acceptance - a clear sign of cultural decline.

Meanwhile the government grows ever more intrusive. NSA spying will continue on as normal and the implementation of Obamacare continues to be a mess.

The prospect of finding meaningful employment for the nation's young people continues to be questioned, despite reports and brouhaha about job growth speeding up. This is a personal matter to me as well, because I've been affected by it just as much as anyone else in my generation. Finding a better job and moving up the ranks continues to be a struggle (even when I have all the prerequisites asked for), and you really do need to figure out a way to make money on your own, or you're going to be in trouble.

I wonder how much my generation really knows they've been duped? NSA spying continues.

Given all these factors it is understandable that a lot of guys would be down on the U.S. Many times I think I do not belong here. This is a country that all too often coddles and gives in to weakness, encourages narcissism, and all too often punishes daring and innovation, whether that be through government reprisals or something else.

However I think there are still many positive attributes about the U.S.

Firstly, while the complaints about the lack of femininity in American women are things that I generally find valid, this doesn't mean that those women don't exist. One thing I really love about this neck of the woods is that it emphasizes that you are the largest determiner as to your outcome in life. So I'll ask: do you want a feminine woman? If so, you should probably go to places where those sorts of women tend to congregate, rather than go out "sarging" to random clubs or approaching random girls on the street. To clarify, I am by no means saying those two things are wastes of time as they have many uses, but they are simply less likely to net you the kind of woman you really want.

Elegant and feminine women are still around. Go to places where they will likely congregate.

Now I realize that living in NYC, I'm in a bit of a privileged position to be saying this. Girls from all over the country and world come here, and it tends to select for the best. I fully realize that in other places it could be a very different story, that there is a real lack of "talent." Well, then the onus is probably on you to go to areas where that talent is, if you really want it. It could take years, but if you really want it, you need to work for it.

Simply put if you're having problems with all the women you approach and interact with, you are the problem. We should want a society that encourages against the trends we currently see, but this is something that you need to keep in mind. There are a lot of great women out there (and at an added benefit, women from your own culture), and you need to find them.

The next, and most important thing you need to realize about living in the U.S., is that your political freedom is generally higher than anywhere else. We have a robust doctrine of rights stemming from our Constitution, even now. This is made obvious by the fact that while free speech rights are being curtailed in many Western countries that proclaim allegiance to them (under the guise of "hate speech" and other laws), they are still on a very solid foundation in the United States. The thought of sending someone to prison for things like racial insensitivity or Holocaust denial for example, is not only ridiculous, but inconceivable in the minds of most Americans (at least as things currently stand). These are things we ought to cherish, and they are displays that the ghosts of the Founding Fathers still linger.

Be grateful for these dead white men. They left us a legacy of robust political freedom that continues onward.

And finally, while other countries retain higher positions on the scale of economic freedom, and the tax laws of the U.S. are extremely onerous and counterproductive, there is still a wide abundance of economic opportunity. It is still easy to start a business, and many fields do not have the ridiculous regulations that plague others. There is such a strong market here, with an amazing infrastructure, that you can succeed if you continuously move forward.

So there is a sense a contradiction. While there is quite an abundance of problems in the United States that need immediate addressing (and ones in which only this corner of society seems to have the balls to truly call out in all their ramifications), I'm inclined to say that if you spend too much time complaining about the problems in the U.S., you aren't moving forward in life. You're not becoming a winner. In truth you're just the opposite side of the coin to the social justice losers.

Do not be a perpetually whining loser (AKA, a social justice warrior) like this by spending all your time complaining.

Recognize the problems, attempt to fix them, and also move forward with your destiny. That is the thought I wish to convey this Independence Day.