Have you been to parts of East Asia, or places in Western europe?

Quality of life isn't all based off of GDP. Italy is an amazing place despite not having a great economy. In Japan, you can live wondrously in the wild with fresh water literally potable from rivers and growing food where people believe in freshness of food and politeness despite being in the absolute boonys.

In Spain, people are so relaxed, ciesta is an actual part of culture.

I would rather kill myself than to, for example, be stuck in Illinois for the self of my life. I went there in the past and it was the saddest place I've been to. And I've been to Iraq via the Army too. Not that I want to be in Iraq. But at least in Iraq I won't be depressed and be surrounded by miserable people. I wish I could be stronger than that, but the hell hole that significant parts of the US (I will decline to list others for now) are just goes to show how a young, artificial nation thats interested in "progress" at the expense of soft-culture like culture and being chilled out.

I think the US has a lot of wonderful things and I served this country because I believe it has a lot of good. But good god, it has a lot of bad.

And one of the bad is that you think the islands were some hell hole until white people came and brought jobs. You know what, not everyone thinks that you need wooden tiled floors, a fancy dining room set with amazing dishes, a full sized garage and artistically illuminated lights to have a "quality" life.

Have you ever ate on the ground on a low table, saw the stars, talked with friends when the electricity went out, and listening to the waves going in and out on the beach and the wind? Being able to fish your dinner, and lime algae being the perfect thing to complement your dinner?

Yeah, sounds like some Pocahontas shit, doesn't it. Some people don't care. Granted I live in Hawaii Kai but only because I like water sports so much. I'd move to the Big island in a heart beat if it weren't for the rampant crime.

Lets see the mainland eat algae without complaining about it or how beneath it is to them to take up that kind of non-food.