BEST NATION

[The Brain]

OK who's the retard??!?

Wait, which one's the retard option? Sweden?

Our school system is horrible.

[Zoupa]

And get a very a lax police response for all the trouble they make, unlike yellow vests.

That part of the problem, isn't it? Trying to be an upstanding, upwardly-mobile citizen will get you mugged and assaulted.

It will? Damn. I guess they forgot to inform us when we lived there.

[Duque de Bragança]

And get a very a lax police response for all the trouble they make, unlike yellow vests.

That part of the problem, isn't it? Trying to be an upstanding, upwardly-mobile citizen will get you mugged and assaulted.

This can get also get you in the beginning some not so nice epithets (French, white, bourgeois, bobo, hipster(!)) which cause the French and/or assimilated ones to move out of such neighborhoods, specially if mugging becomes part of the routine.
Moving if they can afford it, that is.

[merithyn]

Iceland!

[Grinning_Colossus]

It sounds like you and Zoupa had very different experiences living in your respective banlieues. Honestly, nearly everything I know about them comes from BBC articles and a Tamil-language film about a guy who moved from Sri Lanka to one (incorrectly believing that he'd escaped ethno-religious violence).

[Duque de Bragança]

It sounds like you and Zoupa had very different experiences living in your respective banlieues. Honestly, nearly everything I know about them comes from BBC articles and a Tamil-language film about a guy who moved from Sri Lanka to one (incorrectly believing that he'd escaped ethno-religious violence).

Not the same generation I'd say, plus the situation has been worsening for a while now plus the so-called banlieue-behaviour spreads to other areas, since in Paris/Île-de-France area at least, the public transportation system means the banlieues are from being isolated areas.
If you want a movie about how problematic the banlieue was, before the current troubles, or the "americanisation" of it (as in hip-hop gangsta sub-culture), coupled with the French touch i.e islamisation, there is this one, subjective, but still a pretty good time capsule, as in very different from now:

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094959/
Might be hard to find for you though. It was recently restored I believe, but the director was a victim of the #metoo movement, before any real judgement was passed, and died recently.

[Admiral Yi]

Canada might be a good choice after a decade or so more of global warming.  Though Canada does have plenty of shithole to it.

[mongers]

Canada might be a good choice after a decade or so more of global warming.  Though Canada does have plenty of shithole to it.

I went with the Netherlands because of the Dutch people I've know, but that certainly would be a long term problem.   

[Admiral Yi]

I went with the Netherlands because of the Dutch people I've know, but that certainly would be a long term problem.   

That lisp coming from a smiley, goofy Dutch chick gives me serious wood, but I wonder if living there a long time would give one a feeling of claustrophobia.  Though I suppose that wouldn't be an issue for someone born there.

[mongers]

I went with the Netherlands because of the Dutch people I've know, but that certainly would be a long term problem.   

That lisp coming from a smiley, goofy Dutch chick gives me serious wood, but I wonder if living there a long time would give one a feeling of claustrophobia.  Though I suppose that wouldn't be an issue for someone born there.

Friend of mine, somewhat buttoned up/conventional guy, move there in his 20s, made the rest of his life there and is now a thoroughly chilled* out family man.

* finance job and no drugs involved.

[Monoriu]

I think my choice would be between Hong Kong and Liechtenstein/Nordic countries.

Hong Kong would be the high risk, high return choice.  A bit like playing a game on very hard difficulty.  Everybody knows the way to beat the game; there is no secret.  Dedicate the first 18 years of your life to show that you are the best 1-2% of the students.  Be accepted into medical school.  Game, set, match.  You have to be willing to give up everything else and you just have to go through hell to beat everybody else.  But it can be done.  The flip side is if you don't make it, life can be truly miserable, e.g. 100 square feet flat, US$5 an hour, no advancement, etc. 

Nordic countries and Liechtenstein would be more like normal difficulty.  If you end up as a restaurant waiter, you probably won't be as miserable as you are in Hong Kong. 

Given that I failed to become a good student in Hong Kong, my chances may not be that great.  But part of me wants to redeem myself and try once more unto the breach if I ever get a second chance.  I was lazy this time.  Maybe if I work harder next time, I may pass.  So I tend to try Hong Kong once more. 

[Camerus]

Liechtenstein gives the best odds of a good life.

If thst seems too gamey and I needed to pick a larger country, I might go with Norway or even Germany.

If it were a guarantee to be born into at least the upper middle class, I'd probably go with the US.

[Grinning_Colossus]

I was lazy this time.  Maybe if I work harder next time, I may pass.  So I tend to try Hong Kong once more. 

Forsake Calvinist Buddhism. Join me in Norway with our hygge and our blondes and our oil checks.

[Maladict]

That lisp coming from a smiley, goofy Dutch chick gives me serious wood, but I wonder if living there a long time would give one a feeling of claustrophobia.  Though I suppose that wouldn't be an issue for someone born there.

Claustrophobia? Because of the population density?

[Monoriu]

I was lazy this time.  Maybe if I work harder next time, I may pass.  So I tend to try Hong Kong once more. 

Forsake Calvinist Buddhism. Join me in Norway with our hygge and our blondes and our oil checks.

We must resist the lure of the dark side and focus on higher GDP.