3 ms·

Yes, you are right about most things. I live in NL and just started as a software engineer this year. I make 45k. Probably a lot less than someone in the US wit

Yes, you are right about most things. I live in NL and just started as a software engineer this year. I make 45k. Probably a lot less than someone in the US with a similar position. The story has 2 sides though: you have to pay a lot of things we in Europe take for granted. And you should include those payments in you calculations. And most of the things like healthcare, depend on you having a job. I will never be without healthcare. Education costs are €2000 a year for uni, free for anything below. Unemployment benefits for up to 3 years after losing my job. State pension when I retire. More personal freedoms. 30 vacations days + 10 national holidays. Etc... Money isn't everything.

msmm 9y ago
You pay for all of this in taxes and sometimes you pay for nothing. For example you can either wait couple of months to see a specialist or go privately. If you go privately then you essentially pay twice for healthcare. On top of that your taxes pay for all the red tape. You are being brainwashed by socialist media that it is for your good.
meddlepal 9y ago
I would argue the American attitude is: Money is everything because with enough money you can have anything. It's just a different perspective on life.
- dogma1138 9y ago
  It's not about money it's about self reliance (responsibility) and agency. I'm not an American I live and work in Europe. Yes there are a lot of services but it's not a clear cut case for the upper middle class. "Working rich" is a concept that isn't possible in Europe outside of upper management or self employed. Yes we get healthcare albit everyone in their right mind who can afford it still gets private insurance. Yes we get cheap education but then we also don't get to decide where to send our children to school and private schools in countries that still have them cost a nice sum. Luxury is much harde to attain working in the Tech sector nice cars, houses taking a good vacation etc. Take the example above 45K Euros with a tax rate of about 40% and 20% VAT. Your purchasing power at that point is lower than someone in the US who makes about 35-38K a year and gets medical coverage from their employer.

msmm 9y ago

You pay for all of this in taxes and sometimes you pay for nothing. For example you can either wait couple of months to see a specialist or go privately. If you go privately then you essentially pay twice for healthcare. On top of that your taxes pay for all the red tape. You are being brainwashed by socialist media that it is for your good.

meddlepal 9y ago

I would argue the American attitude is: Money is everything because with enough money you can have anything. It's just a different perspective on life.

dogma1138 9y ago
It's not about money it's about self reliance (responsibility) and agency. I'm not an American I live and work in Europe. Yes there are a lot of services but it's not a clear cut case for the upper middle class. "Working rich" is a concept that isn't possible in Europe outside of upper management or self employed. Yes we get healthcare albit everyone in their right mind who can afford it still gets private insurance. Yes we get cheap education but then we also don't get to decide where to send our children to school and private schools in countries that still have them cost a nice sum. Luxury is much harde to attain working in the Tech sector nice cars, houses taking a good vacation etc. Take the example above 45K Euros with a tax rate of about 40% and 20% VAT. Your purchasing power at that point is lower than someone in the US who makes about 35-38K a year and gets medical coverage from their employer.