this post was submitted on 16 Jul 2025
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Out of all the many negative cultural affectations of Americans, trying to pin the extremely common across cultures of "It could be worse" as uniquely or exceptionally American is fucking bizarre.
It is not scientific proof, but i used an LLM to make an overview of where negative social comparison is most common
"It could be worse" in this sense is not a downward comparison with relevance to individualism, personal success, or meritocracy. What's being said is not "We're SUPERIOR INDIVIDUALS unlike those NASTY POORS from the PAST", it's "Fuck, things might be bad, but it's good to keep our own circumstances in perspective."
Also, mandatory fuck LLMs as a replacement for thought.
You obviously shouldn't use LLMs to think, but they are essentially machines that parrot the average Internet user (or in Grok's case, the average Internet Nazi). Using them to get a tentative guess at what Internet users say isn't the worst idea.
I don't see a difference between the two, besides the attitude and the capitalization. Being an asshole or being compassionate while comparing to people who are less fortunate, to affirm or confirm that you are better off, is imo the same.
In which case no comparisons are acceptable, and no relative estimations can ever be made.
Oh they can! It's just not good to do. The question is not if it can be done or not. It's more if it is a good thing and if it is culturally acceptable
... you say as you make relative estimations about Americans.
I am not perfect. But i dont compare myself to Americans to prove that i am better. I just state what is commonly perceived as a practice in America.
That said, i live in a country that is placed at the opposite side of the range set by that LLM and maybe because of that we may see at it as a negative practice.
Maybe not trying to solve a problem is the better way to live. What do i know. It's just not the way I would like to live
I asked dogGPT about your hot take and he barked that you should just stop already.