What's great about America and what's great about other countries?

Here’s a list I compiled. You’d like to add or change anything? How would your list look like?

So what’s great about America and what can be learned from it? A lot in my opinion!

1) More than 200 years of democracy (checks and balances made sure it never turned to extreme totalitarianism. Believe me even 8 years of Bush is like a minor hiccup compared to the Third Reich, Stalin or the aftermath of the French Revolution)

2) Immigation: Drawing the best talents from all over the world

3) Ivy league universities and the ability to think big – highest per capita rate of Nobel Prize winners

4) Pioneering mentality, visionary, innovative and risk-taking entrepreneurship (meant in a positive way e.g. Sun or Google in the silicon valley, not the corporate crooks creating speculative bubbles)

5) Applying self-help / community organization (Obama is a great example for that) instead of always waiting for the state to fix everything

6) Friendliness, openness, welcoming visitors

7) Optimism (I think the recent 4 years are the exception if you look at time spans of 100 years or more)

And what could the US learn from other countries?

1) Taking more interest in what other countries do better

2) Modesty, temperance

3) Mandatory teaching of one foreign language starting at the age of 10

4) Health care (analyze how Germany does this)

5) Challenge your assumptions – don’t assume the world ends beyond the borders of your country. Finally get rid of this outdated exotic non-metric system

6) Save more when times are good – think twice before applying for loans or using your credit card

7) Don’t use excessive advertisement everywhere especially on TV, most of the ads are of trash quality numbing the minds of many kids