4 ms·

Have you been to western/northern europe or Australia? I've visited Paris, Berlin and Zürich and haven't seen US levels of poverty in any of them. I've also vis

Have you been to western/northern europe or Australia? I've visited Paris, Berlin and Zürich and haven't seen US levels of poverty in any of them. I've also visited a kinda out of the way part of Russia and while average wealth seemed lower than in the US, the floor was higher.

drcode 9y ago
You must not have visited the same Berlin I visited...
- Veratyr 9y ago
  Can you elaborate? I certainly didn't see tent encampments or beggars like I've seen in every major US city I've visited so far but it's possible I missed something.
  - icebraining 9y ago
    Not Berlin, but one of the images that stuck with me when visiting Hamburg this year was this: https://thumbs.dreamstime.com/b/hamburg-germany-july-tramps-dwelling-under-bridge-helgolaender-street-st-pauli-homeless-people-96327849.jpg https://thumbs.dreamstime.com/b/hamburg-germany-july-tramps-... (Not my photo, but it's from the place I remember)
toomanybeersies 9y ago
You obviously haven't been to Northern Territory in Australia. The way that the Aboriginal people have been treated, and the conditions they live in are Australia's national shame. People getting hit by cars because they drank too much and fell asleep on the road are a legitimate issue. They even have PSAs to try and stop people from sleeping on the road [1]. [1] https://youtu.be/XA241Lg70fg https://youtu.be/XA241Lg70fg
- Veratyr 9y ago
  No, I grew up around rural Victoria and my family is from NSW. Why are things so bad for them in NT? I was under the impression they had much better access to welfare and education than the rest of us. Am I wrong? Are they not partaking of it? Are they discriminated against and unable to find housing/schooling?
armadsen 9y ago
The slums in the Paris suburbs are pretty well known.
GreaterFool 9y ago
I am from Europe. Some of the countries I suppose are nice. Switzerland <3
alexasmyths 9y ago
Uhhmm - you visited basically anywhere outside the periphique in Paris? I mean the entire ring around Paris is a ghetto - as grungy as any American city. Murder rates are not as bad - but petty crime and other forms of violence are just as bad. The level of social malaise due to lack of integration of newcomers from the Maghreb and M/E is growing quite quickly. And Marseille? Lyon? Even worse. So yes - the American 'hardcore ghettos' are the worst, but beyond that I don't think Europe is that higher. And the US has a considerably larger middle/middle-upper class of aspirants, which is a difficult proposition for most Europeans.

drcode 9y ago

You must not have visited the same Berlin I visited...

Veratyr 9y ago
Can you elaborate? I certainly didn't see tent encampments or beggars like I've seen in every major US city I've visited so far but it's possible I missed something.
- icebraining 9y ago
  Not Berlin, but one of the images that stuck with me when visiting Hamburg this year was this: https://thumbs.dreamstime.com/b/hamburg-germany-july-tramps-dwelling-under-bridge-helgolaender-street-st-pauli-homeless-people-96327849.jpg https://thumbs.dreamstime.com/b/hamburg-germany-july-tramps-... (Not my photo, but it's from the place I remember)

toomanybeersies 9y ago

You obviously haven't been to Northern Territory in Australia. The way that the Aboriginal people have been treated, and the conditions they live in are Australia's national shame. People getting hit by cars because they drank too much and fell asleep on the road are a legitimate issue. They even have PSAs to try and stop people from sleeping on the road [1]. [1] https://youtu.be/XA241Lg70fg https://youtu.be/XA241Lg70fg

Veratyr 9y ago
No, I grew up around rural Victoria and my family is from NSW. Why are things so bad for them in NT? I was under the impression they had much better access to welfare and education than the rest of us. Am I wrong? Are they not partaking of it? Are they discriminated against and unable to find housing/schooling?

armadsen 9y ago

The slums in the Paris suburbs are pretty well known.

GreaterFool 9y ago

I am from Europe. Some of the countries I suppose are nice. Switzerland <3

alexasmyths 9y ago

Uhhmm - you visited basically anywhere outside the periphique in Paris? I mean the entire ring around Paris is a ghetto - as grungy as any American city. Murder rates are not as bad - but petty crime and other forms of violence are just as bad. The level of social malaise due to lack of integration of newcomers from the Maghreb and M/E is growing quite quickly. And Marseille? Lyon? Even worse. So yes - the American 'hardcore ghettos' are the worst, but beyond that I don't think Europe is that higher. And the US has a considerably larger middle/middle-upper class of aspirants, which is a difficult proposition for most Europeans.