SPACE
Nicholas Kristof; January 14, 2026
Why does Kristoff talk about the social progress index?
In order to show readers that the U.S. is truly falling behind other countries. This is not a speculative issue.
Why does he ask the audience the rhetorical question "So what's the solution?"
Kristof probes readers to think about everything that he has written in order to
What rank is American Education in?
47th
"In safety, the United States ranks 99th, behind Pakistan and Nicaragua."
Explain the significance.
With the comparison with countries that Americans believe are underdeveloped, Kristof conveys that the US is not justified in thinking it is superior to other countries, especially in the safety that they boast about.
What is the national animal of Scotland?
Unicorn
An octopus has __ (#) hearts.
3
Why does Kristof mention the Cold War?
To show that the US has devolved since the Cold War, we were known as a superpower and considered a precedent for other countries, but now we have fallen in global ranks, and it just highlights the lack of progress the US has made in the past 30 years.
In terms of quality of life, what rank is the US?
32nd
The Economist Intelligence Unit's democracy index puts the U.S. at 24th. Explain the significance.
Americans believe that we are #1 in democracy. Kristof gets to the crux of our decline and highlights that a nation that once paved the way for democracy and fair systems now is behind. Citizens of the U.S. need to be aware about the fact that we aren't ranked first. Acceptance leads to progression.
What can we gather about this author from the article?
Writes for the NYT: a credible and known news outlet. We can also gather that Kristof is most likely to be liberal.
Why does Kristoff use the World Happiness Report to support his argument? (hint: title)
The United States is behind in a standard that we had set for the world. The U.S. should be making the most progress but we aren't. Ranking 24th in the report is not = being #1.
Why does Kristoff say "Our relentless decline in our international standing should be an alarm bell in the night."? What does this mean? Significance?
Our decline in global standing should be alarming and a warning for the future. We must combat our dwindling in social progress with active efforts to invest in initiatives like healthcare and education.
What place does the US rank in health?
And behind what countries?
45th
Argentina and Panama
How many folds are in a chef's hat? And what do they represent
100; all the ways to cook an egg.
Exigence
- Capture of Maduro
- US falling rank in Social Progress Index, World Happiness Report, andGDP
- Trump's policies
- American Entitlement
Why does Kristoff mention both Trump and Mamdani?
Kristof mentions leaders from both political sides in order to show that it is not just about political parties. In order to effectively address this crisis, Americans have to come together.
"We Americans like to boast, 'We're No. 1,' and we certainly are in our military capacity to invade other countries and abduct odious foreign leaders."
What current event is Kristoff hinting at? How might this convince people of his purpose?
Capture of Nicolás Maduro, Venezuelan leader.
Americans are told that we are No. 1; in reality, looking closer, our only accomplishment is military development and force to invade others, while causing harm. We need to focus on our own social and domestic progress as well.
51,000 annually
Why does Kristof compare the U.S. to Latvia at the bottom of pg. 1?
It has half the per capita G.D.P but has nearly the same Social Progress Index. With effort, the U.S. can achieve the same as Latvia.
Who was this intended for?
Americans, regardless of party, believe the US is still superior.
Why did Kristoff mention that "It's not about Trump?"
Kristoff writes that in reality, Trump is the result of years and years of US failure. It has been a "long, slow car crash". It has only now become clear how dire the situation has become, but this has been a culmination of years of ignorance.
Also wants to deal with Republicans by representing that it is not just a political thing, but a failure of everyone.
Why is the article titled "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Unhappiness"
This country was built on the fact that we allow people to pursue their own goals. Despite this, we've only managed to be mediocre and fallen behind in global rankings. By using the popular phrase that the founding fathers used in the Declaration of Independence, Kristof clearly shows the gap between what the founders intended and what actually happened.
How many components of the Social Progress Index are there? How many does the US fall behind in?
12; All of them
What evidence does Kristof use to support the fact that the issue he discusses is multi-presidential? Why does he address this point?
- Talks about Bushes, Trump, Obama, Clinton
Not just an issue under the current administration. Our systems are flawed, not just political party problems.