Monday, April 7, 2014

Not Number One

Should the United States Care That It’s Not No. 1?

APRIL 4, 2014, 5:00 AM

The United States has the most powerful military and the biggest economy in the world. Our movies and music are consumed across the globe. But at least according to one measure, the Social Progress Index, we come in 16th.

Should the United States care that it’s not No. 1 in social progress — based on measures like health, ecosystem sustainability, basic education and personal safety?

In this Opinion piece at the top of the Times most-emailed list, the columnist Nicholas Kristof writes:

We in the United States grow up celebrating ourselves as the world’s most powerful nation, the world’s richest nation, the world’s freest and most blessed nation.

Sure, technically Norwegians may be wealthier per capita, and the Japanese may live longer, but the world watches the N.B.A., melts at Katy Perry, uses iPhones to post on Facebook, trembles at our aircraft carriers, and blames the C.I.A. for everything. We’re No. 1!

In some ways we indisputably are, but a major new ranking of livability in 132 countries puts the United States in a sobering 16th place. We underperform because our economic and military strengths don’t translate into well-being for the average citizen.

In the Social Progress Index, the United States excels in access to advanced education but ranks 70th in health, 69th in ecosystem sustainability, 39th in basic education, 34th in access to water and sanitation and 31st in personal safety. Even in access to cellphones and the Internet, the United States ranks a disappointing 23rd, partly because one American in five lacks Internet access.

“It’s astonishing that for a country that has Silicon Valley, lack of access to information is a red flag,” notes Michael Green, executive director of the Social Progress Imperative, which oversees the index. The United States has done better at investing in drones than in children, and cuts in social services could fray the social fabric further.

This Social Progress Index ranks New Zealand No. 1, followed by Switzerland, Iceland and the Netherlands. All are somewhat poorer than America per capita, yet they appear to do a better job of meeting the needs of their people.

NOW YOU GO: Read the entire article, then tell us …

— Should the United States care that it’s not No. 1 in overall social progress — based on measures like health, basic education and personal safety?

— Do you think measures like the Social Progress Index have any validity? Do they say something accurate about quality of life in the United States and other nations? Or, are they not as useful as more traditional measures like gross domestic product?

— Do you think it’s fair to compare a country as large and diverse as the United States with much smaller countries like New Zealand and Switzerland?

— One of the things that the Social Progress Index emphasizes is access. So while the United States has some of the best schools and hospitals in the world, for example, not every American has access to these institutions. How important is access?

100 comments:

AnonymousApril 9, 2014 at 6:41 PM
Dear reader,

The United states should care if they are not number 1 because reputation and taking another person/country serious. If we want to be taken serious in this world, we must up our game in these rankings. If we don't, many countries will want to take advantage of it and not listen to demands or negotiations when meetings are held at G8. Then we won't be taken serious, therefore, making us and our reputation look bad. Reputation is essential to make us as a nation looking like we mean business!

I say we should be able to upgrade or bring up any possible low measurements we have as a country ranging from healthcare to general education. This would not only create stability and higher placement, but it would also build great reputation in our country to people who could possibly want to move here. With great reputation comes with respect from other countries, revenue generations from big foreign business owners, and an overall better life living conditions in America. So, the higher your stats then the more benefits you will gain.

I think that Social progress index is very correct and far better than gross domestic product because social progress index digs deeper than just salary or military power; they look at actual living conditions of people in counties. They have not only taken our strengths only, but have taken our weaknesses to average out the truth of our country in economy, health, education, and even population. I say population because population is a huge factor in the Social progress index because they say, the more the people then the less care there is. And the less the people, then the more the care.

I do not think it is fair due to the fact that those countries are smaller than the United states, thus making their living conditions better because of their population size, small. Lets imagine, What if America was a smaller country with less people and it kept its benefits and traits today; then i think it would outperform the small countries such as New Zealand and Switzerland. I say this because, like i said, the less the people, the more the care. With a small population like that, the government would be able to focus on its citizens without the overwhelming population size. A just manageable size will create less stress and a fairer chance of comparison to bigger countries and smaller countries.

I say that Access is the most important factor ever in success because without access to good schools, for example, then how will that individual make it in this world and create a positive multi generational change? If we only have a very limited amount of people in good schools, hospitals, or jobs, then how will the majority of the population live good lives or succeed? The access is essential for everyone because it creates open windows for a lot of people to succeed and make conditions in America sustainable. All of this can happen only and i mean only if access is widened up to the population. Only a couple steps to the top of the ranks.

Xe Cabrera-A5
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AnonymousApril 9, 2014 at 8:47 PM
MaryClaire Mangan
Honors English A/B5
9 April 2014

I think that the United States should be worried about not being number 1, because the U.S. has a lot money that could be put towards basic needs. There are other countries, like New Zealand or Iceland that have less money than the United States, and they are higher in Social Progress. Since the United States is only number 16, it means that we are using money on other things rather than the things essential.

I think that they do say something accurate about the quality of the life in the United States. I am not saying our Social Progress is bad, because it isn’t, but we should be using money towards other things. There are countries that are much worse, and can’t afford all of the things needed. If the United States is using money for things not required, then there should be a way to put it towards Social Progress.

I think that it is fair to compare the United States to New Zealand, because both countries make the right amount of money for their sizes, and they know how to spend it. They know that some money has to be spent on certain things.You can take any country for example, like Africa, it’s much bigger than the United States, but United States has better Social Progress. so, the size of the country doesn’t matter, it’s how the money is spent.

Access is very important, because according to the article, The United States has some of the best hospitals and schools. If United States has access to all of this, then they should probably be worried about not being number 1, or in a better position rather than 16. A country like New Zealand, that is number 1, might not have such good access, but is still managing to do well.
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AnonymousApril 10, 2014 at 9:02 AM
Ashley Gaston
Period 4

The U.S. should care that we are not No.1. They should care because everyone who is ahead of us in health and their economic status has a better chance at living. We might be the most wealthiest and have all the jobs but they have all the health that citizens need and all of the education. New Zealand is No.1 and is ahead of us in education. We need to be worrying about education because lots of kids need and education in order to be something in life. If we don’t have good educational systems then how will anyone get anywhere.
If we are No.16 that means we have poor everything. We have poor health and poor education and poor laws. And its true because we do have poor laws. Our country is not safe but we have money so everyone gets to do what they want. We need better laws in order to make this a No.1 country and better than other people. We need the best health in order to be no.1. we need the best educational system in order to be No.1. We have the money to pay for it so why not use it for our causes. We need to be the ones living longer lives.
Our country needs better health systems. Better hospitals and doctors in our country. Make our country better than New Zealand. We have the money to do it but we are not using it for the right things. We have the power to change how we represent ourselves but we choose not too. We need to work harder to become the best and help our country to be safe and have the best health.
I think that the quantity of life in the U.S. is less likely. Like the Social Progress said. New Zealand is not even close to being as wealthy as us but they still have a better chance at living longer than we do. That’s horrible. If they have no money but can live longer than us that’s not good for us at all. We claim we are the richest state and have more than any other state due to our economic status and it’s true, we do. We just have to work harder and better in order to get into that no.1 position again.
Now that our country is not claimed as no.1 we have no spot in living as long because we are no.16. That’s to far back for us. If we have the best army, health system, money, and jobs, why are we not no.1. We do we stand due to the fact we are the wealthiest country out of everyone. I think that we should care that we are not no.1 out of all the countries.
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AnonymousApril 10, 2014 at 9:08 AM
I believe that the U.S should care about being number one, especially because its based on measures like health, basic education, and personal safety. As the article mentioned, the iPhones, music, games, & entertainment from the U.S is used all over the world, but that’s not enough to be number one and that’s not all we want to be known for. We should want to be well known for having a healthy environment, intelligent people graduating from college, and our people feeling secure where they live. With a good reputation we’ll continue to get a lot of tourists, new people moving here, famous artists wanting to perform here, etc. And what that means is more money. Money to continue to make the place we live better. The U.S should worry because soon we’ll be at an even lower number than 16, we don’t want to end up a being at the bottom, because no one wants to live or visit a place that went down hill.
I do think it’s fair to compare a large country such as the U.S to a smaller place like New Zealand and Switzerland. The quality of a place isn’t determined by size. Just because the U.S is very diverse and big doesn’t mean it meets all the expectations of the people living there. New Zealand and Switzerland make sure that their peoples needs are met; being that they feel safe and secure, their main focus is education, and that they all maintain a healthy lifestyle.
I think that health, basic education, and personal safety is a accurate quality of life in the U.S and other nations. The main thing people look into when living somewhere is feeling safe and the sanitation. It’s not all about the new technologies and advances that the area has. I believe it’s more important to look at the lives of these people and make sure that they see the U.S as their home, not just some place their living.
Access is very important to look into. For example, the U.S has some of the best schools and hospitals, but what good are they if not everyone has access to them? It wouldn’t be fair to send the less fortunate somewhere bad. Everyone should have equal access to the best places. The U.S should consider this because not many people would want to live in a place where only some people get certain benefits, it’s not really fair.
When determining which place is “Number 1”, I think is is important to consider the education level, health, safety, and access. Those are the main factors of what make a place a home. The U.S can’t be number 1 because of the technology we have access to, it has to be based on how well the people are treated.
Dhalia Maldonado
Honors P.4
04/10/14
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AnonymousApril 10, 2014 at 9:10 AM
Jazmyne Palacios
Honors English, P:4.

The United States should definitely care that our country is in No. 1 overall based on health, basic education, and personal safety. It’s really ironic to know that New Zealand has a lower GDP Per Capita than United States, but yet New Zealand is No. 1. When it comes to important pieces that are part of our lives the United States should really focus on this a lot more than what we want. They key success is having a great education, being safe where you’re at, and also making sure you’re okay when it comes to health. So the U.S should care that it’s not “No.1” !!

Possibly the SPI have somewhat of validity, because if the United States are ranking poorly, for example, in health, they rank 70th in health, but appear to have a high GDP? While New Zealand doesn’t have a high GDP but still manages to provide and satisfy everyone in that country. So if the United States has a GDP why can’t they have high ranks like other countries who don’t have a higher GDP like others.

We’re all entitled to our opinions, so I don’t really have an opinion if it/isn’t fair to compare a country as large and diverse as the U.S to compare smaller countries like New Zealand and Switzerland that don’t have a large diverse country. I guess if it is necessary, then sure why not? In the end though New Zealand is the No.1 and not the United States, so that gives away something big in the comparison, I suppose.

This access is highly important, because if United States is known to have the best schools and hospitals in the world, but aren’t ranked No.1 or some people in the U.S don’t have access to necessities in life. So overall, I think it is important, because if more people have what many others already have, wouldn’t that make our country even more superior than what it already is?

To conclude, the United States should take more attention to something like this, and it is quite important to know that we are No.1 not No.16. The United States should take a stake on this and maybe we can push a little to become just a little more better than what the media says about us overall.
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AnonymousApril 10, 2014 at 9:16 AM
I absolutely think the US should care whether or not, it’s considered #1. I honestly believe that this should be a concern of all countries and not just USA. This is because , the goal of such a country is to make it’s way up in terms of relevance. Being known as the most smart, and has the best sanitation, brings nothing but honor; something all countries desire. Helping their nation be most provided for and comfortable is overall goal.

I think the Social Progress Index is reliable and useful to some extent. It’s a tool used to classify people when doing so was generally looked down upon to completely judge people in such a way; however, this isn’t always a bad thing. Seeing financial advances show the current situation of that area would easily show how to benefit that location. An indicator showing that that would be an area in dire need of care is something that is overall nothing but positive.

I personally don’t think it’s fair because that’s comparing two unlike things, but for the overall effort of using a system like this, it’s a compromise that must be made. Since USA has far more people and is in a much worser state financially than most “rich” countries, it’s obvious it’s a very clear differentiation between the two. In addition, it is also noteworthy that unlike places such as switzerland, places such as Japan or our example USA, are very large world hubs used to connect the world and be a new start for people who are currently poor, effecting the GDP of the nation.

I believe access to these benefits the nation provides is very essential. As I read that statement I immediately thought, “What good is having nice things if the average person can’t use it?”. Which in this context is completely true, while there should be “target audiences” they shouldn’t be the only audience. This isn’t meaning to imply that there shouldn’t be any restrictions, I think for a prestigious school, there should be restrictions on who can join and who can’t,but limiting the access to enroll to these schools should be an opportunity for everyone.

Overall, while I believe having rankings in a culture is important, it isn’t the most important thing. These rankings shouldn’t be used as a classifier of worth, instead as a way to display a need for improvement. When these new advancements are created, access to these benefits should also be made available. Therefor, ranks while they may be good, they should still be modified from it’s current form to be more helpful than rather something used to separate by “worth”.
~ Dawson McThay
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AnonymousApril 10, 2014 at 9:31 AM
Kiyara Johnson
Ms. Wright P4
The united states is an amazing place to live in. There is great music, food, And you meet new people everyday. We rank No.1 in GDP (gross domestic product), but rank No.16 when it comes to social progress. I think that this is something that they should try to improve because people’s health, education and personal safety is serious. If we can’t get these things under wraps then we as country will fall lower in the rank.

I think that the Social Progress is valid in many ways. It lets a certain area know what they do well in and also what they lack. It also make you be aware of some things that you have to change in your area. I believe that what the Social Progress says is somewhat accurate about the things that go on in the United States. There a lot of issues with how people will get to the doctor if they don’t have any health insurance or how there are plenty of schools that don’t give a good enough education to the students.

The Social Progress is great. It makes the different countries aware of some of the things that need to be changed or taken care of. Though it may seem like a bad thing to be No.16, it just means that there is some room for improvement in some of the place. Once we change what needs to be changed then we would be able to get to where we want to be. We shouldn’t focus on what rank we are in, but how we are doing as a country.

I don’t think that it is fair to compare the U.S, to some of the smaller countries. It doesn’t give good results about how when there are two big countries to see which one is do better than the other. But it does aware the U.S. about what they need to do if they want to be at No.1 for the Social Progress. It’s not about the competition, but about what we can do to make where we live better.

In the end, the United States is a great place to live. There are so many things that we are able to be exposed to. No matter what the Social Progress says we are still one of the best countries out there and there is no doubt about it. the country just has to fix up a little things so that we could one day be No.1.
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AnonymousApril 10, 2014 at 10:52 AM
Isabel Martinez
Ms.Wright
Honors English A5/B5
10 April 2014

Yes the united states should care if they are not number one. The US has to do whatever they can to be at the top. We need to show other countries that we are better than them. I think that more people would feel safe in living here because they will know they have the best quality. The united states needs to see what methods are other countries using to be at the top. I am not sure why we aren’t the best if it seems that we have the best materials. For example, I know that we have a strong army.

The Social Progress Index might have valid information but I don't think that determines the quality of living in the United States. People need to actually come and visit our country so that they see for themselves that it is a good place to live. Also that we deserve to be number one compared to other countries. Many people would probably like living here so they would want to stay. I myself believe that the united states is the best country. Theres many things to do here that I’m sure you can't do in other countries.

I don’t think that it is fair to compare a larger country to a smaller one. A smaller country has less people living in it so that means they have a better chance at becoming the number one. It would be easier for the people to help make their country better. Although if you think about it, it is like a game. Anyone can do whatever it takes to win and be the best. In this case it is to be the best country in the world. It should be a priority for the United states to work on becoming number one and winning “the game”. People living there would also need to contribute to this idea in order for it to happen.

Access is very important. The government should make sure that every citizen living in the country should have access. Having the best schools will help everyone become as successful as they can possibly be. For having the best hospitals it is good for peoples health. ALthough some people don’t have insurance so are unable to go to the hospital. It would cost a lot of money. That is just something the United states needs to focus on. It will increase the chance more of becoming the number one country.

Overall, the United states should work towards the goal of being in first place. People should know that it is a good place to live in and there are many things that you can do. There are also many attractions that people can visit. The government needs to make sure that everyone is getting the best materials that they can. This means that everyone should be able to go to the hospital and get the best service. Same goes with education that way students can become more successful.
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AnonymousApril 10, 2014 at 10:56 AM
United States should care that they are not NO.1. Not being No,1 means the United States is doing something wrong. They should improve their systems not only to be no.1 but to provide their citizens with better treatment. The people are the backbone of any country, and,like everything else, United States requires some sort of balance between military power, economy, and the happiness of the population.
The social progress index does have some sort of validity. They determine their rankings not through military power or economic power but through if the needs of the people are met. United States might dominate in economic and military strengths, but they fail to meet the citizens’ needs; therefore, they are ranked low. The social progress index probably base their rankings through facts. In the article, it states that United States is ranked 23rd for internet and cell phone access, mainly because one out of five Americans lack internet access which is a completely true statistic.
I think it’s a little bit unfair. United States, being a much bigger country, need more management than a small country like New Zealand. However, it could be said the other way around, New Zealand, being a smaller country, has a harder time managing, because they lack economic powers and require smart tactics to be successful. I believe it’s very just based on someone’s perspectives and views.
Access is very important. Access determines balance in a country. Countries, where everyone has access, will mean everybody’s needs are met. Countries with balance will attract more immigrants, increasing population, and other benefits. Overall, these countries will be more successful.
Andy Xu
Period 5
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AnonymousApril 10, 2014 at 11:01 AM
Destini Steward
Ms. Wright
Honors English Pd.5
9 April 2014

No, the united states should not care that it is not No. 1. I believe the United States should stop worrying about silly things like this, and actually start to worry more about its people. Being considered number one won’t win the US a prize, so I don’t see why it is so important to many. The US has many things to be proud of. After all, if it was for someone in the United States of America, people would not have iPhones, Instagram, Facebook etc. The list goes on for a long time.

I do not believe measures like this are valid at all. For all we know, the whole thing could be rigged by someone who prefers other countries. These measures do not mention all the hard work Americans actually do for the country. Lots of people go off to war, which could potentially kill them. People work hard all day to support their families, and so they can pay their taxes. Though I am not sure what the gross domestic product is, I’m sure it is more valid than the Social Progress Index.

I think it is moderately fair to compare the large and diverse countries to the smaller, local ones. The countries’ governments are primarily to blame for the reason some countries are poor. These countries, of course did not chose to be in poverty, or for them to be small. I believe they should possibly be put into their own ranking. It should go big countries against big countries, and smaller countries against smaller countries. If this was the set up for the comparisons, it would be much more fair.

Access is very important, but America is not to blame for every citizen using the access. There are several opportunities for citizens to receive this access. There are hundreds of free clinics in every state, and access to fresh water. For example, if one is dehydrated, all they have to do is walk into a fast food restaurant, and ask for a courtesy sup of water. I’ve seen people do this almost every time I’m in McDonald’s, and the servers will give it to them with no hesitation. People have access to everything they need in America, and the country as a whole is not to blame if those people do not take the opportunities.
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AnonymousApril 10, 2014 at 11:28 AM
Written by: Alicia I. Rodriguez
Period 5 - Honors English

Yes, I believe that the United States should care if it’s not No. 1 in overall social progress based on measures like health, basic education, and personal safety. I believe this because the United States, in my opinion, is looked at like a safe haven. A place everybody wants to be. The United States is a place where people migrate to for better lives and rights. The fact that the United States is not No. 1 in overall social progress based on measures like health, basic education, and personal safety defeats the purpose of even migrating there to have a better life. How can one have a better life if they are not guaranteed health, basic education, and personal safety?

I believe that measures like the Social Progress Index does have validity. I believe that they show how much progress society is making. It shows a lot about the quality of life in the United States and other nations. I personally don’t like GDP because all that is measuring is the money and money isn’t the main priority. Well, money SHOULDN”T be the top priority. We as people are so much more than just money, so we shouldn’t be measured by just GDP.

I think that it is fair to compare a country as large and diverse as the United States with much smaller countries like New Zealand and Switzerland. I believe this because New Zealand and Switzerland are still countries. Just because they are not as successful as the United States is, doesn’t mean that they should be held from being compared with the United States. It’s almost like not putting in the lowest test score into an average grade for a class because they have the lowest grade. That grade is still part of the class average. New Zealand and Switzerland are still part of the world. They should not be ignored or disregarded.

Access is extremely important when it comes to a country. It doesn’t matter if a country has some of the best schools and hospitals. If each citizen does not have access to those resources, then how does that even benefit the country as a whole? If anything, that’s false advertisement. On the outside, everything looks all fine and fair, but as you zoom in, it isn’t fair at all.

Overall, I believe that the United States should be concerned that it is not No. 1 in overall social progress. The fact that the United States is not No. 1 in social progress honestly does not surprise me. Social progress is basically the idea that societies can better themselves in social, political, and economic structures. The United States is nowhere near that. The people deserve better lives within a country. They shouldn’t be concerned about the ranking, but more about how they are treating their people.

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AnonymousApril 10, 2014 at 11:29 AM
Efrain Santacruz
Ms.Wright
Period 5 Honors English
4/9/14

Should the US care about not being number 1?

I don’t believe the US should really care about being number one because that makes them or us, the underdogs. If this is really something they are worried about, its better to gain the number 1 spot, then to be on it, and lose it because in reality you don’t deserve it. Trying to be number 1 is probably the reason why so much money is spent in the US that is really not necessary. From my point of view, the US should really worry about their obstacles such as paying back China the huge amount of money back, and then maybe, just maybe, try to be number 1.
Overall the US shouldn’t even try to be number 1. They should do good deeds because of pride and not because of competition. Success comes with meaningful work and dedication. Not be killing yourself and going out of your lane just to try to gain something that really isn’t meant at the particular set of time. The world will take notice of the good the US is doing for themselves and maybe allies, and would be considered number 1 or at least close to it. What’s the point of it anyway, it’s not like they win anything or given more respect.
Another thing the US should be more worried about is education and safety. The US does a pretty good job providing a strong education system but as mentioned before, they go a little more overboard. Safety is key in this situation with all the money owed to the Chinese government. You never know if they are plotting some type of terrorism on land or things such as 9/11 or something coming from masterminds.
Access is very important in terms of hospitals and schools. It’s also very unsafe as well because as mentioned before it could be used against us in terms of mass destruction or technological hacks. If it’s kept safe, then it’s most definitely important to have access. Benefitting us in things such a very useful and helpful data online related to either schools, hospitals, or a combination of both.
This is the reason why the US should really not take being number one so heavy chested. One because it’s not benefitting either the citizens or itself. What are they really getting out of this? Pride at most. In my point of view thats very low pride because they are only hurting the chance of themselves to develop the economy that they use to have and not supporting the citizens and or residents of the states.
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AnonymousApril 10, 2014 at 2:17 PM
Written by: Beverly Avila

Every day in our daily lives, whether it is in high school or at work, each and every one of us always want to be number one. We always want to be on top and succeed, and have the best opportunities than anyone else. We always have to compete with other people, and have to fight to the top. But, is all that fighting worth it? I believe that the U.S shouldn’t care if they are not number one.

One reason that the U.S. shouldn’t care if they are not number one is that they may grow to see more of a target. Other countries want to expand and earn lots of money to make a profit. How do they actually get this money? They have to take over land and its people and have them work for them. If the U.S. cares about being number one, the U.S. will go overseas because they want money, and take over land, thus may make war with other countries. Every country wants money, and you must take risks. But going into war and wasting all the money you could have used really worth spending?

Another reason that the U.S. shouldn’t care about being number one is that the U.S. would care more about reaching to the top instead of helping its people. The U.S. would probably end up having to spend lots of money on things that may not be necessary, and would care about wanting to go on top. The U.S. can use the money hard working people make and help those in need. Money can be wasted on war and other unnecessary things if the U.S. cared about being on top. I think in order to keep its people happy is to care about them, then being able to reach to the top.

My last reason that the U.S shouldn’t care about being number one is because the U.S could be that other countries will see that you have lots more money, so the U.S doesn’t need any more people working for them because they have so much money, thus less of a profit! Other countries will probably say,”Hey! We don’t have to work for you because you already have so much money, and we hardly get anything you have!” Maybe some countries wouldn’t say that because they needs jobs and such, but maybe others would back out. In order to make a profit, we need people to jobs that does not pay as much. But, people who want to take the job would say, “I want more money because you have lots of money! I think you are able to pay me!”

Overall, I believe that the U.S. should not care if they are number one. I think that if the U.S cares about being number one, they will seem more of a target, would care more about going on top instead of caring for their people, and would lose money. If the U.S just stays strong and help its people, the U.S would gradually grow over the years. The U.S would be stronger and have lots more money if they care more about themselves. I rather say that America should be number one for being the smartest and growing nation ever.
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AnonymousApril 10, 2014 at 5:57 PM
Carolina Barraza P5

I believe that being number one at everything is not necessary for a country to worry about. I do think that they should worry about their peoples health, education, and safety. If it comes down to worrying about their people’s health and overall life and not just about being number one, then they should worry that their country is lacking these resources that are essential for someone. If the country’s overall health is inadequate, then the government should do something about it so we no longer have this problem. I mean it is kinda sad to see that we are in first place in almost everything except health, education, and safety.
I personally think that that Social Progress Index has no validation. Now this is my opinion because the people who make this rankings might not even know what is really happening in our country. The person or group might not truly know if the U.S people have good education if they are not apart of it. But then again, why do many people from different parts of the world come to the U.S to study here? Because they feel that they could have a much more advanced career here and education.
To be frank I don’t think that it’s fair that we are being compared to smaller countries. These countries have less people than us and they are not as diverse as the United States. I believe that the U.S should be compared to bigger countries like itself. This would be a much fair judgement and ranking because you are dealing with a larger group of people and diversity. Maybe this Social Progress Index should be ranked to the same category according to the population of the country.
Having access to many things like sanitation and internet is a very important thing. If people don’t have access to these things how can we move forward. Having access to these resources is what can raise our ranking in health and personal safety. When people do not have access to internet, they are not able to get certain information needed for a student or even an adult. Therefore, having access to these types of institutions is extremely important for a country to have.
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AnonymousApril 10, 2014 at 6:16 PM
Written by: Andrea Aguilera
Honors English Pd. 4

Personally, I believe that the United States should not care that it is not No. 1. I think that there are a lot of things wrong in the country that I live in and that my country is aware of these things. The economy and education level of the United States is terrible and I think that our government officials are aware of this. The problem pertaining to our country is known by not only ourselves, but also our president and many other political leaders, so something should be done to try to fix these problems. Since the United States isn't doing much to fix their problems, they shouldn't care if they are No. 1 or not.
I think that the Social Progress Index does say many accurate things about the quality of life in the United States. It was stated that, “ We under perform because our economic and military strengths don’t translate into well-being for the average citizen,” which is saying that we the people do not live in a country in which we are safe. Safety and health are also big problems in the United States. Out of 132 countries, the United States is ranked 70th in health, 34th in water accessibility and sanitation, and 31st in personal safety. If any other country looks at these numbers, they will see what a horrible country we are.
I do not think it is fair to compare the United States, which is a very big and diverse country, to New Zealand. When you compare big things, like the United States, to small things, like New Zealand and Switzerland, there are obviously really big differences right from the start. I kind of think about it like this, by comparing a one scoop of ice cream ( New Zealand) to a sundae with three scoops of ice cream (United States). What I mean by this is that the United States might seem better because it has a strong military, popular famous people, and advanced technological advances, but are those things really good for us? As Nicholas Kristof wrote, “Our economic and military strengths don’t translate into well-being for the average citizen.” And this is where my example comes into place. Sure the three scoop sundae seems better because it has more things, but it’s those extra things that affect our well-being.
I think that access is pretty important because the accessibility is what is partially keeping the United States from being No. 1. If everyone has access to the best schools, jobs, and hospitals, than I do truly believe that the United States could be No. 1. When the entire country has a great education, than a lot of its citizens will have great jobs. If everyone has good jobs and there are plenty enough for everyone, than our economy will be better. As for access to good hospitals, I think everyone should have access to good medical care because than our people will be healthier and live longer lives in which they are able to work.
Overall, I believe that the United States shouldn't care if they are No. 1 or not until the government does something about our education, economy, and health care accessibility. After all, if the our country really wanted to be No. 1, than something would be done to fix all our problems.
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AnonymousApril 11, 2014 at 3:02 AM
Armando Quintana Period 4
Ms. Wright
I believe the United States should care about the social progress, and should care about not being number one. Yes, our country is independent and strong we have the strongest military, but can we say the same about our resources? By resources I mean the things that citizens have access to like education, medical care, and even safety. I believe if United States has the biggest and strongest economy and military. Why do other countries who don’t live up to our limits have better resources for their citizens. If the United States has the strongest and biggest economy and military then we should have greater resources available to citizens.
I believe the Social progress index isn’t all that accurate, it may give an overview of a country's success. However, I believe it doesn’t provide accurate data because personally I have access to the internet, education, water, and sanitation and I live in a community where society may expect to see poverty. I believe uses the index can provide some information about our countries place, but I believe the index isn’t true about ever case that is out there. Lastly I don’t think it describes a citizens life based on an index that may not be accurate.
I mean the United States isn’t really that big compared to others, so why do we compare ourselves to those countries who are bigger than us. If the United States compares itself to countries that are bigger relatively in size like China, Russia, and even Europe. Then why should there be a problem if countries smaller than us are compare with us. If the United States compares itself with other countries that are way bigger than us. Then why should there be a problem when a smaller country is compare with us.
I believe access to resources is really important for an American’s life. If American’s have no access to modern healthcare, technology, and even education. Then our society as a whole would suffer because many people would become uneducated, become ill, and have hard time living without technology. I believe is the United States offers it’s citizens good resources then all citizens should have access not just the ones who can afford it. Without resources I believe our society ill suffer because life will be harder for an average American citizen.
In conclusion I believe the United States should care about not being number one. Especially when it comes to providing the citizens of the United States with resources that make life easier. If the United States has a strong/big economy and military then the United States should have better resources rather than the countries who are relatively smaller than use have better resources for it’s citizens. Lastly it’s important for all citizens to have access to resources and not just the wealthy. If there weren’t any resources our society would suffer because we lack the resources to survive.
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AnonymousApril 11, 2014 at 8:18 AM
I somewhat agree with what you're saying. I do also think that the resources that we have today should be available to anyone and everyone who needs it. I also agree that if our economy was better, than we would be in a good position and possibly be No. 1. Overall, i think you made good points that everyone needs to able to obtain all resources.
Written by: Andrea Aguilera
Honors English Pd. 4
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AnonymousApril 11, 2014 at 8:23 AM
Tyra Harris
Wright
Honors English P4

The united states shouldn’t care if its not ranked No.1 of all of the other states because at the end of the day its not going to really matter what other states care about us because other states probably look at us as a threat because we have certain things that other counties don’t have like we have the most powerful military fighting for us and we also have the largest economy.. The United States is very wealthy and has a powerful connection with technology meaning that we have the power to have machines and build things that can help us out in the future and thats something that most states don’t have as well.

The social Progress index is not accurate to me because i feel as if they don't truly know as much about america and they don't rank the U.S No.1 because they think they we have lot more money than other states but one thing that they say we don't do is focus on the needs of our people and thats not entirely true because we have hospitals and clinics for people with medical conditions and we have lots of jobs available for people that don't have all of the necessary money needed for themselves..The social progress also mentions that we lack internet access which we all know is not true because we being one of the states that have a highly range of technology from Smartphones to Smart TVs.

No ,i don't think it is fair for a country as large as the U.S to be compared to a really small country because somE people might think of ways that the two countries are similar and different not saying that is a bad thing but people might think of it in a negative way that. The U.S.A is a country known for diversity and small countries like New Zealand and Switzerland might not have much of different cultures so its not entirely fair for a country with big differences with a country that might not have lots of resources. as others.

Access is very important because i think that if you are a U.S citizen it shouldn't matter if you are rich or poor black or white it really shouldn't matter everyone should have access to resources..especially in hot spots and schools because health is #1 priority and education is very important to have in ones life.

In conclusion the U.S shouldn't care if they are or arent number 1 because at the end of the day we know how we stand in a nation and it shouldn't matter what other people say about us.
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AnonymousApril 11, 2014 at 8:24 AM
In response to: Armando Quintana
I disagree with you that the U.S. shouldn't care if they are number one. Even though we don't have the best resources, we at least have them. Many people benefit with the resources they already have,so why waste money to change it? I think that the U.S should care about being able to survive, not being number one. Overall, I disagree with your statement.

In response to: Andrea Aguilera
I totally agree that the U.S shouldn't care about being on top! I totally agree on what you said that if the U.S wants to be number one, they have to fix all of their problems. We have lots of problems here, but is not impossible to fix them. The only problem I see is that people might not care and it will take years to change and be perfect. Overall I totally agree with your statement.
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AnonymousApril 11, 2014 at 8:24 AM
Victor Villanueva
Ms wright
English P4
4-10-14

Should the US worry about being #1

In the world there are many different nations divided into different countries , with people who carry on different values , with people who practice many different religions , sports , and speak different languages. This world is made up of people who grew up differently , receiving different forms of education and values , so with all the differences in the world why should the U.S be worried about being ranked #1 overall?, the truth is that they shouldn’t because the U.S is #1 in many things and that should satisfy.

The U.S has the strongest military , it has some of the best sport leagues like the N.F.L and the N.B.A , the U.S has to offer some of the best education to be obtain all over the world , they are in fact the number 1 nation in the world in many different things , the best TV show was produced here ( the walking dead) , the artist with the greatest fame sing here ( such as Bruno Mars and katy perry ) the best movies are made with American actors and productors overall we are number one in many things

Nicholas Kristof said “ We’re No. 1!
In some ways we indisputably are, but a major new ranking of livability in 132 countries puts the United States in a sobering 16th place. We underperform because our economic and military strengths don’t translate into well-being for the average citizen.” what i believe he meant when he said that was that every country has their strengths but also do to the fact of those strengths they all as well have their weaknesses and that people in the U.S should know that they are not going to be the best at everything all the time . When we were children our parents spoke to us about the importance of competition , they also however told us that winning everything was impossible , they told us to embrace a lost as it was , a loss is is a mistake , and we are supposed to learn from our mistakes , however , those same parents that talked to their children about losing are the ones that now complain about not being number one .
The U.S has never been the best nation in the world because it has flaws and any nation with flaws cannot outstand another , therefore, there is no such nation that exist as the best nation , every nation however has something to share to the world , something that makes them what they are and they are willing to be , every nation has their pride and their shame , The U,S could brag about their military , China could share their great wall of Beijing , Egypt could talk about their great pyramids , Dubai could let the world know that the tallest building in the world stands there , Argentina could show their pride of the Pope and Lionel Messi , brazil could show off their 5 world cups ,and Mexico could talk about having the best gastronomy in the world, but that is not the point , the point is we all are # 1 at something but we can't all be #1 at everything so the U.S shouldn’t worry about it .
in conclusion the united states should not worry about being the #1 country according to anyone else they have already shown that the U,S is #1 at some things ,therefore, they should be happy with who they are and not try to change it

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AnonymousApril 11, 2014 at 9:03 AM
Andres Davalos
Yes the USA should care that they are not number one. The USA has had their ups and downs, especially right now in our economy because we are in debt and we never did anything about it because of bush. With not having the cleanest sanitation and education that hurts a lot. People here have FREE public schools that no other country have to this day. People everywhere wants to get ahead of life so the come to America and to heard that they are not N.1 they have just thrown all of the years of hard work away like if it had never happened in the first place.
Well i do believe that they are a valid source of we are suppose to care what they are talking about because they reliable with evidence and the use .org that really means a lot to schools today. Even though i might be contradicting myself I can see how people were fooled by wikipedia but thats one website and now we are world wide website that gather social economy about countries. This is just another website that is like the snitch of the C.I.A and is trying to help people see whos number 1. I might the trust this site because the USA is in dear debt but they still open up opportunities. I can see this is very effective because they are still on the top and will always be on top to me for giving everybody a lot of opportunities.
They are not accurately rating the USA at all because yes they do give opportunities and the most thats why they are known for. These results might not show how much debt we are in but we can see that the USA is in 16th place because of the fact that they don’t have a steady economy. I could only see thi because as a theory we as a nation is ranked by how much money we get.I mean if they want to rank china ahead of us thats not correct in any circumstances because they are communist and don’t have any good education, but they have good money income either way. New Zealand ain’t even popular or a place that provides opportunities for the whole world and not many americans go over there as a destination because america gives them jobs and land to make businesses.
I mean if you want to look at number one you have to kick out all the small want to be countries because they are the ones that are trying to get bigger. So no it is not fair to come the USA to other small countries because other countries only provide to small people and they don't have to deal with wider problems. The USA has to be number because under no circumstances have they backed down from helping other countries in need and given them support. This makes a number one country not a country that is trying to seem good and hardly has land to be sanitary and I don't agree that especially that nobody knows about and is marked number because either this website is favoring them but they are valid but they don't base their data found on the rankings. I see small countries as unknown and hardly known because they hardly have resources and don't get me wrong once you are a country you are good and that's what stands out but if you really want to be number one you need to help others and make yourself known around the world.
Access is super important anywhere and for any country to focus on because that's what makes a country give people opportunities and that's what the USA is all about. With access to water you have access to sanitation and that brings people in to live a better life. With education and even good hospitals that are ACCESS free for anybody to go that's those people fault who don't go because the opportunities are there only you have to go get it. The access of jobs is huge because everybody wants to work and the USA have jobs openings it's just that people are too lazy or don't want to do other things in life and just want to do one specific job which takes them nowhere in life. I strongly have to disagree with the Social Progress index because they just made a huge mistake to rank even New Zealand ahead of the USA when they make access for everything possible.
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AnonymousApril 11, 2014 at 9:21 AM
Anthony Guerrero Pd 5

The United States should care that we’re not number one because we have the ability to be number one. We have the money to create better education for students all over America. We have the money to provide healthier food for families instead of wasting it on creating a new fast food restaurant. We also have the money to create safer jobs and a safer environment for every neighborhood. We’re just wasting it on all the wrong things that aren’t really needed for this country.
I think that the Social Progress Index does provide validity. The quality of life in America is important, but its not all we need to focus on. We need to also focus on the health of every individual in the U.S. and make sure they’re healthy. We need to provide accurate sanitation for the nation. And we should also be able to provide the people in our own country with food first instead of other countries first.
I do think that it is unfair to compare us with a country like New Zealand because we have way more people. A higher population means more bodies to take care of and more mouths to feed. If the population is really low than taking care of the people in the country will be really easy and successful. It takes more money to be able to provide for the citizens of the country and its really hard to get done. But i still believe that we are capable of being number one.
Access is really important in this country because its what you need to survive. In order to stay healthy you have to have access to the hospital. In order for kids to go to school and get an education requires access. All the important things in the U.S are only applicable if you have access for them. And not everyone in this country does have the access to hospitals or to send their kids to school.
The U.S should at least be in the top five countries of the Social Progress Index. We are able to provide the best sanitation for the country, but don’t. Everyone in the country should be healthy, but is not. No one should be living out on the streets, but there are hundreds of people who are homeless. Instead of wasting the money on thousands of things we don’t need, we should be using it for useful things.
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AnonymousApril 11, 2014 at 9:22 AM
The United States should definitely care about whether or not we are No. 1. In life, you should try to be the best at what you’re doing. At school, you should strive to be the best in your classes. The United States of America should strive to be the best in the world. If we are not number one, everyone will look at other nations as the world’s superpower. If does not excel in every the smallest possible things such as healthcare, education, and basic safety of the people, then the United States should definitely be worried.

By personal experiences, the Social Progress Index does have some validation to it’s grading of the USA. Here in Chicago, there are many bad schools with both teachers and students not interested in education. Gangs take over small neighborhoods and create more chaos and violence. The quality of life should be better.

The United States is a massive country, compared to New Zealand. New Zealand has a smaller population to provide for, making it easier for them to get to first place. This is where the validation of the SPI comes into place. Countries of different populations are inaccurately ranked, making the SPI rankings unfair to compare the US and New Zealand.

Access is very important to the people. Every one in America should receive the same amount of access. But the status of the rich and the poor should come into place. Anyone who can afford to receive these benefits should be allowed to be open to them. If you cannot afford it, you should not be accessible to them

// Joel M. Valdez, Period 5 //
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AnonymousApril 11, 2014 at 12:09 PM
Rolando Sifuentes
English 4
I don’t think United states should care that it’s not No.1 in overall social progress. We are one of the most powerful countries. Also, U.S. is the richest nation in the world. Then U.S. is the home of the free. So I don’t think that not getting first place in social progress is a big deal.
Also U.S. should atleast try harder in the social progress. Trying to at least get first is the best thing to do. At least work on social progress like health education and safety. This could at last benefit the people that use social network. Try to atleast get first place on the social progress.
I think that social progress does have some validity. There are some useful things that the social progress can give. They do say that it doesn’t benefit but we can change that. we could at least put in a spell check for things. The social progress does have some validity.
I don’t think it’s fair to compare countries. It might be disrespectful to compare each country. Each country is different in their own way. countries are different because some are greater than others. Each country is unique in their own way.
Access is the most important thing there is. Access anywhere is almost the best thing there is in the world. If you were denied then it wouldn’t be as cool as being accepted. access is a thing everyone should have in america. Being denied is the opposite feeling of being accepted.
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AnonymousApril 11, 2014 at 12:49 PM
Estrella Olivares Period 4

The United States shouldn't care that it’s not No.1 in overall social progress based on measures like health, basic education, and personal safety. As long as the United States knows that they are doing a good job, nothing else should matter. The United States shouldn’t worry too much about their ranks because they came in 16th, which isn’t so bad. The United States doesn’t lose anything by coming in 16th. We still have the biggest economy and the most powerful military in the world! The U.S is the best no matter what.
I think the Social Progress Index does say something accurate about quality life in the United States. There is a reason why their biggest economy and most powerful military didn’t help them rank No.1. I've lived in Chicago all my life and I can say the violence in the U.S is extreme! The United States falls short when it comes to tolerance and inclusion.
I think it’s not fair to compare a country as large and diverse as the United States with much smaller countries. It makes no sense to compare 2 different things because clearly you won’t be able to find anything in common. The United States is very populated, which means that its harder to control a country like the United States rather than any smaller country. In fact, the more people there is, the less resources there is for everybody. It’s not fair to compare 2 things that have different amount of control.
Access is very important. When it comes to the Social Progress Index, United States and other countries depend on access. If someone doesn't have access, it affects the county that the person is in. As a matter of fact, every thing and every person has a great impact on how their country is ranked. In sum, access is really important.
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AnonymousApril 11, 2014 at 1:14 PM
There are some things that the United States should be No.1 at but when it comes to being No.1 at something that will cost the U.S this shouldn’t be accomplished. For instance, the U.S should be number one in basic education, health, and personal safety because all of these things are needed to ever make the U.S livable. The U.S is a land of opportunity its a place where people find better a future for themselves and their family. Many of people come to the U.S for that specific reason and economy, that’s something the U.S has to be No.1.

The Social Progress Index does has some validity because it shows how much countries provide for their citizens. It shows where people can get the best for themselves and their family. The Social Progress Index lets the governments know where should they be spending most of their money. Since the United States ranks No.16 in the world they should be spending their money on things that are failing.

I don’t think it is compared for the big countries to be compared to the little countries because the smaller countries have an advantage over the big country. Countries like New Zealand have an advantage because of their small population. Having a small population makes the government of New Zealand spend less money and having less people to spend on means that they get better services. The government wouldn’t be in debt due to the overwhelming amount of people.

Access is very important in the United States when it comes to Schools and Hospitals because no access to hospitable means poor health and no access to school means bad future. If many people left without access to schools then there will be less people to aid on the economy. With less people working then the economy can’t better. If these are one of the things that are keeping the U.S from being No.1 then the government should start spending their money differently.

Just to sum things up, the government shouldn’t try to be No.1 on everything but when it comes to things like access then there should be some decision making on where the money should be spent on. The United States doesn’t need to be No.1 at everything. Once our basic needs are considered No.1 then The U.S could try to be No.1 at everything.

Felipe Islas P5
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AnonymousApril 11, 2014 at 2:01 PM
The United States should care a lot about not being number one in overall social progress. For being the richest country, the living conditions for a majority of the citizens are bad compared to higher ranked countries. The US shouldn’t care about it’s wealth, it should care about the well-being of the people in their countries. People are already aware that the US exploits their people for greed in exchange for living conditions that are worse. Education is becoming underfunded in many major locations like Chicago just for profit or wealth.

I believe the Social Progress Index is valid for the most part. It provides an account of social standing of the country and what they do. The accuracy of quality of life for places like the United States may apply for parts of the country, but doesn’t completely describe the conditions of a nation and the society. The SPI is accommodated for the social and living standards for each country, so it’s not solely fixated on just economy. The index gives comparable accounts for people who look into it, giving information about the countries and their social wellness. People like Nicholas Kristof said: “We in the United States grow up celebrating ourselves as the world’s most powerful nation,” showing how ignorant we can be with greed. Things like GDP only measure how much money the country can make, without account of what happens.

I believe it’s fair for a large country like the US to be compared to smaller, but equally prosperous countries. With the US not being #1 in social standards, that means there are other countries that are better suited for people to live in. If you take a country, regardless of size, and compare it to a country with better living standards, you can figure out what’s flawed about the United States. As people say, quality over quantity, this applies to the US. You can have a wealthy country with terrible living conditions, which may sound like the US.

Access is crucial for anyone living anywhere. It’s one thing having facilities to provide service for everyone, but what if some people don’t have any access at all? Free services are starting to change the world, like Obamacare. No matter who you are, you can have access to health and sanitation, making health better one factor at a time. If you aren’t educated, you can’t earn a job, which means you can’t earn money. Access to schooling is crucial for a more intelligent country.

All in all, the United States need to care about not being ranked number one of social standing for it’s people. The people determine how the world changes, but only if given the right environment. Access to facilities and education are what improve our nation, but even the country is being monopolized by money. The greed that surges through our government and top-class leaders of the US drives it’s social rank down, showing how bad our own society is. The country should care about changing it’s social standards for the better.

Written by Charles Chan, Period 5
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AnonymousApril 11, 2014 at 2:10 PM
Written by Jor-El Santos: Period 4 English

The United States should not care that it is not No. 1 in overall social progress. This ranking is just to show that there are other countries that take great care of their people. In reality, everybody knows what type of place the United States can be. It is a place of freedom and opportunity. The United States is the home to the most popular sports, celebrities, and foods. There are probably more people who dream of migrating to the United States rather than to Denmark. This shows that this ranking of overall social progress does not matter.

The Social Progress Index has validity. It accurately portrays the quality of life in the United States. The United States does not have the best economy, opportunities, or jobs. That is exactly why the United States was not ranked number one. That still does not change the fact that people would choose the United States as a great place to migrate. The countries that were ranked higher than the United States are clearly showing that they take care of their citizens really well. If the United States wants to get a higher rank then they should focus on making their people happy.

The size of the country does not matter. A small country can be wealthier than a bigger country. But when it comes to military power, the country that has more people will be more feared. When you compare the United States to a smaller country, the smaller country might be cleaner and the people might be healthier. That is because the government has less people to take care of, meaning, they can focus on the people more.

Smaller countries are not as scary as bigger countries. But smaller countries have the potential to become more powerful than anybody. They just need to be in a great location, have advanced technology, and have amazing people living in their location. A small country should not be underestimated. Although these countries are not very diverse, the people in smaller countries can be more dedicated to their country. The treatment of the people is what matters the most. Any country can become powerful if they have good resources.

Every country in the world should let their people have access to sanitation, education, medical facilities, and food. But some countries cannot help but be poor. Countries in Africa are located in hot, dry climates. This makes parts of Africa unable to have beautiful farmlands. Africa is full of desert and unable to prosper in their own land. Africa might be one of the poorest continents because of this. They do not have a choice. Their location is why they do not have access to things. Having access to institutions because it is what keeps society moving forward. Countries in Africa are not moving forward because of the lack of access.
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AnonymousApril 11, 2014 at 2:44 PM
Carlos Laureano
P4

I believe the United States should care that it is not number one. This polls tells us that the government is not meeting the people to the best of their abilities. If citizens are lacking basic necessities such as access to sanitation, basic education, and personal safety this should be concerning. This poll may push government officials to have more of an incentive to make this great country even better. I am not saying focusing on technology isn’t important, but if the citizens in your country are struggling the government should focus on that first.

Yes, I believe social progress index has a lot of validity. I say this because it doesn’t just take into account a nation’s military and economic strengths, but also takes into account the well being of the average person. If the well being of the average person is not met that does not translate to a strong nation. The United States needs to focus more on it’s citizens then the investment of economic growth. The cuts that they are doing in social services for it’s citizens are also affecting the social progress of it’s own people.

No it is not fair to compare the United States with New Zealand because the United is a much larger country which means it is a much larger responsibility to it’s citizens. A small country like New Zealand doesn’t have to deal with a large and diverse population like the United States so it’s much easier for it’s government to give basic needs to it’s citizens such as health care, a good education and economic growth.

Access is very important because without access the average citizen is not able to take advantage of these benefits such as a good education for economic growth. The United States under performs because the needs of the average person are not being met. If the united States would focus more on education, healthcare and the safety of it’s citizens instead of focusing everything on technology we would be ranked higher in social progress.
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AnonymousApril 11, 2014 at 3:01 PM
Jazmin Juarez A5

America should care that it is not number one because in health, basic education and personal safety because not everything is money. Sure they might have more money than New Zealand, Switzerland, Iceland and the Netherlands, but they have better treatment for the people. I think that the ranking is important and it’s almost a shame that we are not number one. The United States has the fame of being number one that is almost expected, but it’s a disappointment and a surprise that it is not because it is not holding on to expectations.

The United states is trying to make it’s way to number one. It is encouraging education and funding it, most of the country’s money goes to education. In terms of healthcare there have been a lot of changes, Obama care has been introduced and many young adults are being motivated to join. Although the people may say that they don’t care about being number one, they actually do because everyone wants to be number one.

I think that if measures like the Social Progress Index are being used it must obviously work. I feel like it replaced the old way to rank and that must mean that in some way it is better then. In addition, this might test different things and therefore give different results. There might be exceptions to the quality of life that is described in the results but it accounts for the average person. Gross domestic product works is also a good way to determine this, I don't really have a preference.

I think it’s fair because they are still countries. I feel like we are just looking for excuses instead of ways to solve the “problem”. Their populations are obviously smaller and that might have an effect on how they run the country. Smaller countries can be powerful, but so can big countries. However all countries being small or big have the same opportunities in becoming rich or number one in general.

Many of the people who don’t have access are people who don't have medical insurance, examples of insurance is Obama care, medicaid, and all kids. Normally the people who don't have access are poor or just have low resources. In addition, the communities that live in the rural areas of the country have less access. Access is important because it determined your possibilites. People with more access are able to do more things and succeed more. That is why the United States should find a way for all people (rich, poor, middle class) to have access so we can succeed as a country.
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AnonymousApril 11, 2014 at 3:06 PM
Moises Perez A5/B5

The United States should care somewhat about the ranking, but the U.S. shouldn't get really upset by it. If they are not ranked at number 1, it is because it’s health, basic education, and personal healthy are lacking. The U.S. should definitely investigate these claims in order to improve these services. However, the ranking is just a ranking; the opinion of a group of people. The U.S. should care to some extent, but should not make a big fuss about it.

I believe that the Social Progress Index do have some validity. If they are using facts to support their claims, then their is some truth to what they say. I don't really know much about the Social Progress Index, so these are just assumptions. Still, they are ranking countries based on a scale that they made. The Social Progress Index do have some validity, but they way they rank countries do not.

I really don't think it's fair that the U.S. gets compared with smaller countries like New Zealand. Since New Zealand is smaller, their government can control their country with more efficiency. As for the United States, the country is more large and diverse. And with the large amount of diversity in the United States, it's more difficult for the U.S to please all nations in the country. The U.S. should only get compared with countries that similar in size, power, and diversity.

Even though I have been sort of bashing the Social Progress Index, I do agree with some of it's claims. One of these claims is that the in the U.S, not everybody has access to school or hospitals. I think access to these institutions is very important since these two institutions contain services necessary to live in the real world. Hospitals have health services, and schools have education services. The U.S. should really work on having these services more available for everyone.

To wrap things up, the U.S. should care somewhat about the rating, but they shouldn’t get so worked up that it becomes a competition.The U.S. certainly has some flaws in it’s services and system, but they need to focus what’s good for their country. They shouldn’t just focus on getting the best ranking.
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AnonymousApril 11, 2014 at 3:30 PM
The Unite States should care that it’s not number one,because it is showing that we don’t care about our country’s health and that others are beating us when they don’t even have all the right materials. There are Countries with lower GDP’s such as New Zealand who is place at number one , while the U.S is ranked at number 16. other countries that don't have all the popular ranks in technology and other things are also beating us in ranking. we are known for technology,recourses and money which is another huge thing. I believe that we can do better!
I have notice that the U.S is one of the most popular countries but we are not ranked in the top ten or top five. New Zealand is ranked number one but is one of the countries with less popularity in technology and more. What I don't agree with is that countries who are smaller and don't have a lot of wealth and technology are being compared to bigger and better countries. In my opinion places like Africa are being compared to the U.S or Europe is unfair in many different ways. The U.S and Europe are very popular in resources, while the Africa is at the bottom with less technology,bad health and recourses. It isn't fair and shouldn't be counted for.
I believe that access if very important. The reason why I say this is because some places or countries have very poor or hard times just trying to go to the hospital to get a simple cold recovered. Places like Mexico might be one of the places where it is hard to get a job it just to get help from a hospital. The U.S on the other hand have more access to jobs and hospitals. These are two reason why people love to the U.S. But in the end I still believe that the United States should care about it's ranking in the GDP.
Jocelyn Garcia a/b 5
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AnonymousApril 11, 2014 at 3:41 PM
Gabriela Marin
English P.4

I believe in my own opinion that America shouldn’t care because in my own opinion I believe that America doesn’t really belong in 1st place because they don't really take good care of it's people and the economy isn't a real good state. Moreover, in many ways the US really doesn't help it's people because there's still many citizens that protest due to the government being unfair and not helping them healthy and financially. In other words, another way to think the US isn't really good place in economy and if it's having problems there's really not a chance that it can really please it's peoples needs. The US really doesn't deserve to be in 1st because there are many ways where the government sometimes doesn't help it's people and at times they don't help at all to people who really need it.
I do believe that they say something quality as ranking the countries and the way they please it's people. I say those because it's only a way to demonstrate how much help a country gives to it's people. The Social Progress Index is only showing the truth and there is a lot of validity because it's a fair game into it showing if the countries have done a good job in helping it's people. Moreover, the Social Progress Index is like a test for a country determining how good are they in helping out it's own country. I believe it's a fair game where each country is able to go to the highest rankings it's all just based on how good they are in treating it's people and it's power.
I do believe it's fair comparing a small country and a big one because it's doesn't really matter the size. In many small countries it's much harder to help out it's people because there is less money, jobs, people, etc. On the other hand, big countries like the United Stares have much more people, jobs, land and have a larger amount of money. I see it as a fair game and there isn't really a big difference between bother the countries because they both are equal in a way. Bigger countries have much more money meaning that they are able to help much more their people than smaller countries as New Zealand.
The important of access is a great one because if the United States has one of the best hospitals and education, why don't all people have it? That's the problem because in bigger countries they tend to give it people who are able to afford it and not people who really need it. That is not a really country supporting it's country because they are just crossing people who don't really need it instead of people who actually do. If America has a really big access to many resources than why don't they provide it to it's people? This is why America doesn't deserve to be first.
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AnonymousApril 11, 2014 at 3:45 PM
Adam De la Torre
Ms. Wright
Pd 4

No i believe not because they shouldn’t be aiming to be number one but to a more productive and better place. When people began to lose track by trying to be number one of something people began to do certain things that shouldn’t be done but all you care about is yourself. So If we want the United States to become a better place we have concentrate on the idea of that what we want to do that would make it a greater place and not what we have to do so we can be in first place of something. If the thing that we are trying to be 1st on becoming the best health is good, so things that are positive things not things that will affect anybody negatively.

I actually don’t think that the Social Progress Index have any validity because that is just a way that people could compete with one another and not actually doing the thing for just the best for the people. Its better to do things for the greater good and not doing things for simply getting a title for doing something that was what someone trying to do no matter the cost.It doesn’t actually mean anything because every person has their own way of thinking certain people may be clean freaks and others who may not be as much and the ranking don’t mean nothing.

No i believe its not fair because its not right that the bigger countries are being compared with small countries because there is pros and cons from these two things. I say there are pros and cons that are that its not reliable because small countries could be more santitanional because they have less people but bigger countries have much greater social progress because there may be greater amount of people. So there is a unfairness if the countries are being compared no matter the size of the country.

Access is way greater because then people have a greater way for people to get more advanced on things like technology and health advancements. So when people get more access of things that are good then there will be a greater advancements of things so we just have to have more access of variety of things. So yes i believe that having access is a great thing to have for the greater good of any type of area of society but if we have more access to bad things like drugs then it will only slow the advancements of ourselfs.
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AnonymousApril 11, 2014 at 4:05 PM
Written by: Remi Moy, P:5

No, the US should not care about not being number 1 in the Social Progress Index. I know they want to look good as country, but the facts are the facts and the US will just have to get over it and next time providing what’s best for the people. If they do only for the recognition, it would only that they do it to get recognized for it. I say become better and don’t become stingy with money and instead use that money to better the nation and the people that live in it to become a powerful and caring nation.

The Social Progress Index is useful when comparing different countries. What if a country and another country had both a good GDF because one country has a better SDI than the other country. Of course, the country with a good GDF and a good SDI would be seen as a more powerful nation and would be seen as a wealthy nation that care about their people. Yes, they make good points like access to education, health, and safety.

Yes, it is fair to compare big countries and small countries math can easily make that fair also some of these matter countries do have other things that makes them better than us like their social progress index. Also, I personally think that diversity is really the problem. The problem really is that money is centered around the world. How big a country is doesn’t determine success of that country. India, for example, is small, but is packed with many people in the small one area.

Yeah, I with that quotes of is really access that important. Any country can have numerous numbers of hospitals and schools, but what really matters is the people who utilize them and has access to them. Any country can have less hospitals and less school, but might be the most intelligent country or the healthiest country. Basically, I’m saying having hospitals and schools are good, but people have access to it really matters.
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AnonymousApril 11, 2014 at 4:14 PM
I disagree with you about it being unfair that smaller states being unfair to big states. I personally believe that smaller could lack what bigger states don't have. I think that it's unfair on other sides.

Remi Moy P:5
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AnonymousApril 11, 2014 at 5:37 PM
I disagree with you , the government should care about the citizens and do it for the nation not just for the placement.

Remi Moy P:5
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AnonymousApril 11, 2014 at 8:26 PM
Social progress is important. But, the united states isn't that far down the list. It is still in the top 20. We may not have the best education,health, or personal safety but its not terrible like some other countries is. I dont think it really matters and they shouldn't be worried about it. In the end the US is where everyone tries to come, so we must be doing something right.
I think that in order to get the true experience of anything it needs to be experienced by the person themselves. You can't just go off what people say because they may see things differently as you and have different views. Things that the people who did the rankings may see things that other people see good as bad. So i don't think it is really accurate. We have good healthcare and offer many jobs if you actually try. No place is really safe, you can get robbed or anything anywhere so the personal safety just depends on where you're at. So, i don't feel those rankings are very useful because everyone has different opinions.
I think it is fair to a certain extent. If they fall into the category of a country then they should be ranked with all the other countries. Just like if a girl wants to play with the boys she has to be willing to get dirty. But, i understand the fact the these countries are much smaller so its kind of unfair for these big countries to have a bigger advantage. They have more opportunities to do some things than smaller countries.
I agree that access to things are very important. I think everyone in the US has access to just about everything, you just have to be willing to pay for it. We arent one of the richest countries in the world for nothing. Everything costs money. In order to have access to the things they need, it may not be the fact that they don't have access to it, it may simply be because they don't have the money to pay for it to make it available to them.
In general, these rankings aren't important. Plenty of other people do rankings where they see the US as number one. Not only that, but the US has better and more serious things to worry about then some petty little rate. We are still in the top 20, so its not as bad. Plus, thousands of people still migrate from other countries to the US every year for a reason. So even though we arent number one in the social ladder, our population is still growing daily.

~Sharon Boyd P5
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AnonymousApril 12, 2014 at 5:35 PM
In my personal opinion I don’t believe that the United States of America should care if they are number one or not. It doesn’t really matter if you’re number one or the last one, as long as the United States feels like they’re doing as much as possible for the sake of the country. I believe that you shouldn’t be competing for ranks, the way you are seen shouldn’t affect what you do. The United States should not care what their ranking is, they should care about their people more. The things they should worry about are its people and if they are in any type of danger. The United States should prioritize more important things. If it weren’t for the people living in the United States of America then the U.S would be in an even worse ranking.

In my opinion I don’t believe that the Social Media Index isn't accurate at all. I believe that it's inaccurate because it doesn't take everything into consideration. The Social Media Index doesn't take into consideration in the neighborhoods the people live in. Everyone doesn't live in a neighborhood where everything is good. Many people live in poverty and neighborhoods that have violence happening 24/7. Where people grow up affects them as their life's go on. In elder to judge someone you need to live in their shoes. You can't just place people into certain groups based on everyone else, this is what the Social Media Index is doing.

I don't believe that it's fair to compare smaller countries to the United States which is very much larger and diverse. It isn't fair because their are many advantages and disadvantages on both sides. An advantage that the larger countries have over the smaller countries are that there is more people, so that means that there's more diversity which is good for the people in general. An advantage the smaller countries have is that they are more isolated from the world, so they don't have to worry about as much as problems.

Access is very important in someone's life. Access allows people to progress in life. Allowing people to progress in life is a big step in development. When I talk about development I'm talking about not only the development within the people, but the country as well. If their isn't any access to resources for the people then they won't be able to develop. If the people don't develop then the country itself can't develop into something better.

-Claudia Vega PD 5

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AnonymousApril 13, 2014 at 2:42 PM
John Capers
Period A/B5

The United States of America should be concerned with the fact that they are not number one in basic education, health and personal safety. Besides those three, which are the most important, there is a list of other thing that the United States can fix if this Social Progress Index is actually accurate as it seems. We as a country always say that we are the best of the best. So to keep that we should strive for that position for the right reasons. Not simply to take the spot, but to improve our own nation by improving the accessibility to education, the ability to protect themselves or feel safe, and by improving the health of the people.

Usually these types of measurements are somewhat accurate and somewhat not. I say somewhat because if you really put the action in researching a country as in recording about the people lives, always updating, never really stopping the changing of the rank system. I say somewhat not because then again this is by research standards and most of the time the sources that they get the information from may not be accurate or reliable. It depends on the overall work put into giving the rank system. IF you are like the census and have a set time to revaulate the data that you have then it will be something that I will go to frequently. If this is something where it is inaccurate then, obviously, I will not use this over other systems.

I can see the problems that can come if one might compare bigger countries who have to take care of more people with a smaller country with more control over it’s small population. Then there is a sense of unfairness. The fact in the matter is that if you try and compare a country, let’s say the United States, who has a very large population, a diverse culture, and many problems that are commonly mentioned in the news that may make it harder to do certain things and focus on certain things. Well, then it is unfair to compare it to smaller countries like New Zealand, who have a smaller population, an older and less changing government, and overall less problems to deal with, then it can be seen that the country would be doing better than a bigger country. If they want to do this the right way, then the best option is to separate into two groups, maybe for large countries can be considered with those over 100,000,000 people and for small countries with less than 100,000,000 people.

Access to something as important as education, it vital to a nation’s success because it is through education that new ideas are developed, that things that are meant to stay in a nation can stay in a nation as there is proof by educated people that it needs to stay there, a stronger government can come from education as old politicians start to retire, and so on are the benefits of access to education. We need it because if uneducated people start to take over then bad decisions will be made, people will suffer the consequences, and the country will spiral down into it’s own destruction. This is not only for educations, but for anything related to needing access to, whether it is hospitals, a school, water, food, if it requires mandatory access for the country to survive, then there must be immediate or quick access to such places or items.

In conclusion, this Social Progress Index can be a good force, but at it’s current state, offers no beneficial remarks than probably making a country want to to achieve that position of being number 1. I think a country should always go for that position for the right intentions as it can only lead to benefits all around for everyone, not only will the people be happier but so will the governments that rule over these people. The SPI just needs to be updated on timed basis, about a year or a decade each revaluation to be accurate, and to be label the countries differently as to not cause a sense of unfairness.
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AnonymousApril 15, 2014 at 11:18 AM
Isabella Velazquez
Ms. Wright P:5

I think that the United States should care about not being #1. The reason why I say this is because not only is it good for us to know how we are as a country but it lets the world know. I am not saying that we should brag about it either if we were ever to be #1 ,but I think that if you acknowledge the fact that you are #1 it can help push your country to do more. I think that it is good for us as a country to know where exactly we are at only to help us change the area that we lack assistance on. It can only benefit us to encourage ourselves as a country to strive to be #1. With this it helps us learn how to work together as a whole and make a change.

If we were to base it off of caring about health and personal safety I still think they should care. When you show that you care then you show us the people that you are trying to make us better and help us then not care and let us be how we are. I think that the U.S should focus mostly on the health aspect of these rankings because we are not very healthy as a whole. There are a good amount of people who are but a vast majority who are not. I think this should be our main focus for right now.

I do think that the Social Progress Index has plenty of validity. The reason why I say that they have plenty of validity is because they have viewed the U.S a lot and have seen how it has changed over the years. Whether this was in education, health, or just the social being of the people. With this information it can only make us want to further our opinion when trying to make the United States a better place to live.

I do think this is fair because if we want to be #1 we have to be it in everything and against everybody. This does make it a lot harder for us to fix us as a country but all the more reason to do that exactly. Yes, these smaller countries do have an advantage but in the long run we will benefit a lot more because we are showing that together we want to make a change.

Access is very important when trying to help everybody we possibly can in such a big country. If not everybody has the same opportunities offered then that gives them the will to say whatever they want about us. We do not want to lie about this but live up to it and perfect it. This might take time and effort but if we want to be #1 then we have to put in this time and effort.
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