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I grew up in the US and Brazil, and over the past 20 years have lived in Minneapolis, Santa Fe, San Francisco, Brasilia and London. I know where you're coming

I grew up in the US and Brazil, and over the past 20 years have lived in Minneapolis, Santa Fe, San Francisco, Brasilia and London. I know where you're coming from, the US has by far the highest wage to cost of living ratio, and it seems to have the cheapest consumer and luxury goods by far. An aspirational materialistic lifestyle is far more accessible to the middle class in America than anywhere else. That said, does this equate to happiness? For instance when I lived in London, I was paid less and my money didn't go as far, but I was able to live without a car, enjoy tons of free museums and a lot more accessible culture in general, and as a family man had a lot less stress about health care with the NHS. I realize that if you have no economic opportunity that easily trumps lifestyle considerations, and Europe, especially southern Europe is facing some major challenges, but I still think Europe has a lot of qualities that the US could learn from.

jernfrost 10y ago
Money in the US only seems to go far when you look at consumer products. And of course housing is cheap as there is lots of cheap land. The problem for any highly automated society is that while consumer goods fall in price, services go the opposite direction. This is were the big problem is in the US. Lawyers, doctors, dentists, university, medical care, medication, child care etc all those things are typically a lot more expensive in the US. What does it matter if you can afford twice as many iPhones or flat screens in the US, if you are economically ruined once you get a serious disease like cancer or you can't afford to send your kids to a decent university? I've contemplated the wealth difference between the US and my home country Norway many times, and I've always found it very hard to compare because you don't live the same way. I could afford a bigger house and car in the US, given the price level of those things there. Yet concluding that I am richer is hard. American houses tend to be more cheaply built, with poorer insulation. So it is always an apple and pear comparison. I can buy more stuff in the US, but my money would not go as far when abroad. Stuff is more expensive in Norway, but salaries are also higher so you have more purchase power when you travel. And Norwegian spend more time enjoying vacations than Americans. So it depends on what you want. Do you want stuff or leisure? Also how do you put a price on the feeling of safety and and stress free environment. You got an extensive welfare system that will be there for you if anything should happen to you or your family. In the US you never know. You don't have to worry about crime. I noticed an American policeman visiting Scandinavia to learn about various Scandinavian policing methods. The first odd statement I noticed him say was "people don't look over their shoulders here. It looks like they don't worry anything bad is going to happen." If this is the way people live in the US, I got to say, thanks but no thanks.
otaviokz 10y ago
I just don't get what's the point of having people working 50-60 hours a week. The productivity level obviously doesn't improve once you get that much overworked. It starts to look like a control mechanism, by simply not allowing people the time to relax and think about what's going on.

jernfrost 10y ago

Money in the US only seems to go far when you look at consumer products. And of course housing is cheap as there is lots of cheap land. The problem for any highly automated society is that while consumer goods fall in price, services go the opposite direction. This is were the big problem is in the US. Lawyers, doctors, dentists, university, medical care, medication, child care etc all those things are typically a lot more expensive in the US. What does it matter if you can afford twice as many iPhones or flat screens in the US, if you are economically ruined once you get a serious disease like cancer or you can't afford to send your kids to a decent university? I've contemplated the wealth difference between the US and my home country Norway many times, and I've always found it very hard to compare because you don't live the same way. I could afford a bigger house and car in the US, given the price level of those things there. Yet concluding that I am richer is hard. American houses tend to be more cheaply built, with poorer insulation. So it is always an apple and pear comparison. I can buy more stuff in the US, but my money would not go as far when abroad. Stuff is more expensive in Norway, but salaries are also higher so you have more purchase power when you travel. And Norwegian spend more time enjoying vacations than Americans. So it depends on what you want. Do you want stuff or leisure? Also how do you put a price on the feeling of safety and and stress free environment. You got an extensive welfare system that will be there for you if anything should happen to you or your family. In the US you never know. You don't have to worry about crime. I noticed an American policeman visiting Scandinavia to learn about various Scandinavian policing methods. The first odd statement I noticed him say was "people don't look over their shoulders here. It looks like they don't worry anything bad is going to happen." If this is the way people live in the US, I got to say, thanks but no thanks.

otaviokz 10y ago

I just don't get what's the point of having people working 50-60 hours a week. The productivity level obviously doesn't improve once you get that much overworked. It starts to look like a control mechanism, by simply not allowing people the time to relax and think about what's going on.