Ask HN: America turns 250 today. What does it mean to you?

10 points by abixb 7 hours ago | 2 comments

Figured I'd post this Ask HN given the semiquincentennial celebration since the Declaration of Independence.

A surprising amount of what this site cares about grew up here in the US: the transistor, the internet, the idea (or the trope) that two people in a garage can take on corporate behemoths, the venture-backed startup model, etc. And a lot of HN has a personal stake in the place -- immigrants (me included) who bet their careers on a US grad degree and a visa lottery, citizens who built companies here, people abroad who work for (or compete with) American firms every day.

So on the 250th, I'm curious what America means to you, personally. Some prompts:

If you immigrated: what pulled you here, and has it held up? If you were born here: what do you hope the country looks like at 300? If you left, or chose never to come: what did you see that the rest of us might be missing?

Finally, what the most romantic ideal you have of America that you think would be worth sharing?

Happy 4th of July, HN!

scrubs 1 hour ago |

It means we the USA have to grow up.

- Congress is a failed institution

- must get money out of politics including inside trading. I'm will to pay congress more salary for that. Offenses thereafter are criminal offenses

- the days of pretty boys talking atomically small wedge points on complex issues on tv is over. The shadow boxing over cultural issues to get re-elected by constantly winding up dumb voters is over

- attenuation to the center. Corporations and rich individuals have gotten entitled and too safe which by overshooting will create a far stronger far left, which I do not want either

- do what we say we do instead of just talk lovingly about it: justice to treat all equally under the law.

- stop scapegoating foreigners and immigrants: the failed US congress which is us has been the single most damaging thing to this country. They're weakness has let trump run amuck in addition.

andyjohnson0 2 hours ago |

> What does it mean to you?

For this European: that Independence is increasingly illusory and maladaptive on our crowded, overheating planet - and that we all need to be thinking more about our mutual Interdependence and shared humanity.

> Finally, what the most romantic ideal you have of America that you think would be worth sharing?

The nation that went to the moon, and showed us all what we're capable of.