Curse of the Superpower?
February 15th, 2007 by Vihar ShethPosted in Children, Government, Responsibility, Society
A former and current hegemony are under scrutiny for being the two worst places in the entirety of the industrialized world to raise children. According to the report, published by UNICEF, “Britain came in last, only slightly behind the U.S., across the six categories: material well-being, health and safety, education, peer and family relationships, behaviors and risks, and young people’s own subjective sense of well-being. ” Predictably, Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark and Finland placed one through four on the list of 21 countries.
For all of our greed and consumerism the U.S. still only placed 17 out of 21 in Material Well-Being. The country was dead last in Health and Safety, and 20th in both Family and Peer Relationships and Behaviours and Risks. Only in Educational Well-Being did the U.S. rank near the middle of the pack, coming in 12th. On average, the U.S. scored an 18, out of a statistically worst possible score of 21. Britian scored an 18.2.
The report demonstrates the disparity between industrialized nations in regards to these categories. The results wouldn’t be particularly newsworthy if the spread between the first and last countries were say 5 total points. But, first place scored a 4.2, never ranking below 10th in any category (compared to a high of 12 for the U.S.). Even more frightening is the fact that 19th place, Hungary, scored 14.5, a full 3.5 points better than 20th place, the U.S.
Granted, the U.S. is a much bigger and more diverse place than every one of the countries on this list. But, it’s also the richest, most powerful and most dynamic. Considering this, there’s no excuse for scoring how low we did. I live in the urban core of a metropolitan city in the U.S. My condo is across the street from a homeless shelter, one of the worst of its kind. I see kids every day on my walk to work who have virtually no chance at a better future than their parent(s). I have the same confidence in my success as I do in their inability to achieve the same. My pessimism isn’t a judgment on the children themselves but the system in which they’re maturing.
From the results of the report, powerful countries seem to be sacrificing their futures for maintenance of the status quo. The irony is that without investment in children the status quo will undeniably change. The U.S. is already on shaking ground regarding its reputation, manufacturing capabilities, foreign relations, math and science skills, etc . . . This report is proof that the country is sacrificing the common good for benefit of the few while creating more and more stress on a social infrastructure on the brink of crumbling. You and I, the people reading this article and the UNICEF report, will most likely have successful, healthy, happy lives. It’s the people who live across the street from me who need help.
This country has left them to fend for themselves in a game that’s far from fair.
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