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As a Scandinavian, the US really seems like a supersad nation.

curtis 9y ago
It's important to understand that the US is a big complicated beast, it's not just one way or the other. Parts really are "supersad" and a lot of other parts aren't.
linuxps2 9y ago
If it is any consolation, this is neither the norm nor legal in the US and at least one of the companies in question claims they give 2 x 30 minute breaks per 8hr shift
navidfarhadi 9y ago
Dual US and Swedish citizen here. While this article is on the extreme end of things, the income inequality and lack of workers rights in the US is absolutely insane for a developed country, especially when looking at it from the Scandinavian point of view.
drb91 9y ago
Not saying I disagree with your emotional reaction, I think I have a pretty similar one, but the US is a huge place. Different parts of the country have different problems. This is what it looks like when all the available jobs suck in your area--you have little leverage to improve your situation. I think government has probably failed these people. However, even in rural areas, there may be enough money around to have a comfortable life in a supporting industry. So many people don't see what you see in this article regularly, I think, meaning self-awareness in the US may be low. It's hard to see the situation improving for anyone but land owners in the city and huge corporations, though.
dang 9y ago
Please don't take HN threads on generic ideological tangents. Such discussions are always the same, which defeats the purpose of this site. It's not ideological like "taxation is theft" and whatnot, but overweening national generalization works the same way for practical purposes. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
mlloyd 9y ago
It is, but most people will deny it. Like Morpheus said in the Matrix: 'You have to understand. Most people are not ready to be unplugged. And many of them are so inured and so hopelessly dependent on the system that they will fight to protect it.' It's what we're taught here. An absurd mixture of patriotism and narcissism so strong that it's practically synonymous with America now. Those two ideas intertwined support this entire nation and enable the sad places in this country that form your opinion. If we could tone them down, we could really see a revitalization in the American Dream. Not sure it'll happen absent being dethroned as a world power.

It's important to understand that the US is a big complicated beast, it's not just one way or the other. Parts really are "supersad" and a lot of other parts aren't.

linuxps2 9y ago

If it is any consolation, this is neither the norm nor legal in the US and at least one of the companies in question claims they give 2 x 30 minute breaks per 8hr shift

navidfarhadi 9y ago

Dual US and Swedish citizen here. While this article is on the extreme end of things, the income inequality and lack of workers rights in the US is absolutely insane for a developed country, especially when looking at it from the Scandinavian point of view.

drb91 9y ago

Not saying I disagree with your emotional reaction, I think I have a pretty similar one, but the US is a huge place. Different parts of the country have different problems. This is what it looks like when all the available jobs suck in your area--you have little leverage to improve your situation. I think government has probably failed these people. However, even in rural areas, there may be enough money around to have a comfortable life in a supporting industry. So many people don't see what you see in this article regularly, I think, meaning self-awareness in the US may be low. It's hard to see the situation improving for anyone but land owners in the city and huge corporations, though.

dang 9y ago

Please don't take HN threads on generic ideological tangents. Such discussions are always the same, which defeats the purpose of this site. It's not ideological like "taxation is theft" and whatnot, but overweening national generalization works the same way for practical purposes. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

mlloyd 9y ago

It is, but most people will deny it. Like Morpheus said in the Matrix: 'You have to understand. Most people are not ready to be unplugged. And many of them are so inured and so hopelessly dependent on the system that they will fight to protect it.' It's what we're taught here. An absurd mixture of patriotism and narcissism so strong that it's practically synonymous with America now. Those two ideas intertwined support this entire nation and enable the sad places in this country that form your opinion. If we could tone them down, we could really see a revitalization in the American Dream. Not sure it'll happen absent being dethroned as a world power.