Originally Posted by SeriouslyLost

The US system is designed to be safe with double insulation. Which is a great system, in theory. Except most times it isn't installed that way, thus rendering the entire circuit potentially unsafe. Contrast that with the UK/Oz/NZ Multiple Earth Neutral system that relies on a serial connection back to earth. The US system earths off any available earth potential, often copper plumbing mains or the external sheathing used to protect the wiring itself. That means that the potential for a reverse or cross phase situation that causes the entire plumbing system or conduits to become live can occur. Most civilized countries use a separate earth line to a dedicated earth rod (you can't, in theory, cause the plumbing to become live) and don't allow protective sheathing/conduit to be metal or earthed off for any reason. The US system has phase always live: switched outlets are uncommon in most of the US. US contractors tend to use single core copper or, even worse, aluminium wire. Such wire is harder to secure, more prone to breaking when being drawn at install and subsequent rewiring, and less capable of dealing with surges compared to the more common standard (in the EU and OZ/NZ/Jpn) multicore copper wire. US outlets consist of multiple parts, usually metal and seldom earthed. Contrast with the more common style in NZ & Oz where the outlet and external plate are one assembled piece and incapable of carrying current outside of the connectors themselves, usually attached to a single, non-conductive outlet box. Etc, Etc.

Or were you just being facetious?