American myth: why the USA is not the “best country in the world”

This is the “perfect country” fallacy. It’s almost automatic: just mention the United States, which many evoke the myth of a global paradise. Country of infinite opportunities, absolute freedom and superior quality of life.

But this idealized portrait — repeated over and over again on digital networks, in pop culture and in the discourse of those aspiring to the “American dream” — rarely resists confrontation with data and concrete realities.

Contrary to the narrative of excellence, the USA faces serious structural problems that disqualify the idea that it would be “the best country in the world”.

Health, poverty, education and rights: failures that say more

• Inefficient and unequal healthcare system – despite spending much more per capita than other rich nations, the US has one of the worst performances among developed countries. Many live without health insurance, have limited access to treatments and health insecurity especially penalizes poor people and minorities.
• Social inequality and persistent poverty – millions of Americans live in precarious situations, with limited access to basic rights, while the elite disproportionately accumulate wealth.
• Weakened human rights – the country refuses to ratify basic conventions, such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and lives with high rates of incarceration, police violence and deeply rooted racial inequalities.
• Social indices worse than those of several nations considered “less developed” – infant mortality, maternal mortality and social well-being indicators often place the US behind many countries in Europe, Asia and even Latin America.

Why this myth persists

The myth of the United States as a “paradise country” survives despite — and often because of — deep internal inequalities and structural problems. This is supported by the strength of media discourses, Hollywood glamour, cultural propaganda and individual idealization.

For those seeking social mobility, it is more comfortable to believe that America represents the “valley of opportunities” than to face the harsh reality that many face when they get there.

Furthermore, American exceptionalism itself — the historical idea that the USA would be a civilizational model — feeds this vision of moral and institutional superiority. This is performed in one of the American doctrines: “Manifest Destiny”¹.

But this idealization tends to close its eyes to the human cost of a country that uses inequality as an economic engine, that pays for healthcare at an exclusion rate, and that masks misery with military and soft power² cultural.

Invitation to realistic reflection

Nothing here is intended to deny that the USA has notable achievements: scientific innovations, economic power and still relevant geopolitical role. But the glamorized version of the “best country in the world” ignores — deliberately or out of self-indulgence — the profound deficiencies that affect millions of people every day.

More than perpetuating the myth, we must see the country with a critical and informed eye, evaluate contradictions and avoid idealizations that naturalize growing inequalities and injustices.

The search for a better world does not involve adoring incomplete models. But for building fairer realities, here and abroad.

Watch the video on Instagram that inspired this very brief excerpt:

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¹ He justified the territorial expansion of the United States across the North American continent, believing that Americans had or have a divine duty to spread their ideal of “civilization” and progress. It emerged in the mid-19th century, driven by the desire of settlers to expand westward. It was a key factor in the acquisition of territories — such as the Louisiana Purchase and the annexation of Texas — and in the imposition of American culture on native peoples and other populations.

² A country’s ability to influence others through attraction and persuasion, rather than coercion or payment, using elements such as culture, political values ​​and foreign policies. This is a foreign policy strategy that is based on “attracting” others instead of “forcing” or “paying”. The concept was developed by political scientist Joseph Nye and ranges from cultural influence and diplomacy to the projection of a positive and inspiring image.