Is Canada much better than the USA?

Q: Is Canada much better than the USA? Is being Canadian living in Canada much better than USA?

A:

Yes, statistically or on average.

Some Canadians have better lives than some Americans, and some Americans have better lives than Canadians.

If we measure lives by material terms, the USA has better lives, as the USA has a GDP per capita of about $83 K, while Canada has that of $53 K. The USA is richer than Canada. But the wealth is concentrated among a few rich, so most Americans are actually not richer than Canadians, not as rich as what the GDP per capita indicates.

Materials are necessary for a better life, but a life is not all about material things. In the US, citizens are more likely to be incarcerated and more likely to be killed by gun violence. As a result, life in the USA is more stressful than in Canada. The pace of life is faster than in Canada.

A person needs only limited material to sustain life, such as food, clothes, and a shelter. Increased materials have diminishing utility. When you are hungry, the first bit of food is vital for life-or-death. After eating a certain amount of food, the increased food has diminished urgency. After you are full, more food is more detrimental than beneficial. It is hard to tell if the $30 K more of the GDP per capita is good or bad. It may result in more obesity, more drug abuse, more guns, and more violent crimes.

Then how can we tell if the lives in Canada are better or worse than the USA?

One measure is the life expectancy. Canadians have a life expectancy about 5 years longer than the USA. Canadians can live 5 years longer than Americans. This is a good sign that Canadians have a better life than Americans.

Americans have a worse life because they crave too many materials. They have the strongest military force, but they live in fear. They perceive every other country as a threat to the USA. The USA is the wealthiest country in the world, yet it perceives the world as unfair to the USA. It views that every other country is taking advantage of the USA. The USA is sick because it is too powerful and greedy.