3 ms·

This is an interesting article from the point of view of someone living in Europe. She moves away from the US because she wants out of the rat race: > "I grew

by Aaargh20318 9y ago

This is an interesting article from the point of view of someone living in Europe. She moves away from the US because she wants out of the rat race: > "I grew up believing that having money was an objective to strive for and that life was a ruthless competition. I worked hard in school and got a good job because that was what was expected of me. That was the path that was supposed to bring me happiness, except I followed that path, and I wasn’t happy." Finally, she ends up living in Europe: > "I certainly could say more about the work-life balance provided by the 35-hour workweek, the five weeks of paid vacation I enjoy each year, the two years paid unemployment benefits I would receive should I lose my job, my access to free health care, paid maternity leave, affordable child care, free education from age 3 through to university or the state-provided retirement pension I will receive at age 65." The funny thing is, that as someone who grew up in Europe, with all those things she raves about, I feel exactly like she did in the beginning of the story. I feel like being in the rat race just like she did. Those 5 weeks of paid vacation feel more like an insult than a benefit. You get to taste a little bit of freedom for a short while and then it's back to dayprison. Retirement at 65 is a pipe dream, the boomers spent all the retirement money already and retirement age is slowly rising (currently at 67), by the time I turn 67 in 30 years I'm sure it has been raised even further or more likely there won't be any kind of state pension anymore. Not that I expect to ever get that old. 8 hour workdays are insane, it's an arbitrary number and yet the whole of society is based around it. It leaves people too exhausted to enjoy life and causes so much stress I'm actually surprised anyone makes it to pension age. I fully expect to die of a stress-related heart attack or similar way before I get to enjoy any kind of pension.

fwdpropaganda 9y ago
> The funny thing is, that as someone who grew up in Europe, with all those things she raves about, I feel exactly like she did in the beginning of the story. We always want more and better, right? We might be different from the Americans in the details (albeit important ones), but we aren't that different in the big picture worldview.
candiodari 9y ago
Ever notice how retirement age is rising at roughly 0.5/years/year ? That means, of course, that by the time someone in their 30s retires it will have moved again. So if politicians want to keep spending like they do now (assuming deficits do not matter and do not raise spending further due to interest), a 30 year old person will retire at age 104 at this rate.
- Aaargh20318 9y ago
  When they raised the retirement age in my country to 67 they also snuck in a provision linking it to the average life expectancy. So as life expectancy goes up, so does the retirement age. As I expect a cure for ageing to be available within the next couple of decades, this basically means no more pensions.
marak830 9y ago
> Those 5 weeks of paid vacation feel more like an insult than a benefit. Now imagine not having them. I moved from Australia where (due to my contract) I had 6 weeks per year, now in Japan I have two. Feels a lot worse than having them. > 8 hour workdays are insane 8 hour work days are a breeze, I've regularly done 12-14, and not unknown to have done a few 20hours (sleep at work, I'll be doing this next week a few times due to staff shortages). I do agree with you about retirement though, kinda worrying that all that money I paid into my Australian superannuation is locked up and will probably not be there when I eventually retire.
belltown98121 9y ago
Im 27/female. My annual comp this year is north of $220k. I have about $12k left in student debt, which at this point I am making smaller payments towards because paying it off will drop my credit score and I really want to get a good rate on a mortgage soon. On paper, things look great. I save about $2500 a month after my own bills and helping siblings (parents cannot work). I have a good deal of investments already built up and max out my 401k. However, I really can't afford to buy more than a dumpster. Its going to be several years until I can purchase a home but at the current housing spikes, it's going to be out of reach even then. I could just move, but the job prospects aren't amazing in cheaper parts of the country. My management just does not care about me. Its about their goals. I'm just a tool or a service to help them achieve those goals. Services get sunset. Services get deprecated. Again, my compensation is amazing on paper considering my age, but I am over worked and under constant stress and anxiety. I don't take many vacations because the anxiety of my work is overpowering. I have two weeks of vacation banked, but even if I took off, I can never deflate and distress. I don't know how at this point. My work is pretty much all my life... oh and commuting. I know there are people with alot less than me, far more student debt, etc. I am grateful for what I do have and cannot begin to imagine what it's like for the folks living paycheck to paycheck, although I am terrified that my career stands at the whims of egotistical men, and I could easily end up in that paycheck to paycheck situation. I occasionally see headlines on news sites while reading on my phone during commutes... "x analyst predicts y company to hit trillion dollar by z date." Nobody stops to ask who is reaping the majority of that and at what cost?

fwdpropaganda 9y ago

> The funny thing is, that as someone who grew up in Europe, with all those things she raves about, I feel exactly like she did in the beginning of the story. We always want more and better, right? We might be different from the Americans in the details (albeit important ones), but we aren't that different in the big picture worldview.

candiodari 9y ago

Ever notice how retirement age is rising at roughly 0.5/years/year ? That means, of course, that by the time someone in their 30s retires it will have moved again. So if politicians want to keep spending like they do now (assuming deficits do not matter and do not raise spending further due to interest), a 30 year old person will retire at age 104 at this rate.

Aaargh20318 9y ago
When they raised the retirement age in my country to 67 they also snuck in a provision linking it to the average life expectancy. So as life expectancy goes up, so does the retirement age. As I expect a cure for ageing to be available within the next couple of decades, this basically means no more pensions.

marak830 9y ago

> Those 5 weeks of paid vacation feel more like an insult than a benefit. Now imagine not having them. I moved from Australia where (due to my contract) I had 6 weeks per year, now in Japan I have two. Feels a lot worse than having them. > 8 hour workdays are insane 8 hour work days are a breeze, I've regularly done 12-14, and not unknown to have done a few 20hours (sleep at work, I'll be doing this next week a few times due to staff shortages). I do agree with you about retirement though, kinda worrying that all that money I paid into my Australian superannuation is locked up and will probably not be there when I eventually retire.

belltown98121 9y ago

Im 27/female. My annual comp this year is north of $220k. I have about $12k left in student debt, which at this point I am making smaller payments towards because paying it off will drop my credit score and I really want to get a good rate on a mortgage soon. On paper, things look great. I save about $2500 a month after my own bills and helping siblings (parents cannot work). I have a good deal of investments already built up and max out my 401k. However, I really can't afford to buy more than a dumpster. Its going to be several years until I can purchase a home but at the current housing spikes, it's going to be out of reach even then. I could just move, but the job prospects aren't amazing in cheaper parts of the country. My management just does not care about me. Its about their goals. I'm just a tool or a service to help them achieve those goals. Services get sunset. Services get deprecated. Again, my compensation is amazing on paper considering my age, but I am over worked and under constant stress and anxiety. I don't take many vacations because the anxiety of my work is overpowering. I have two weeks of vacation banked, but even if I took off, I can never deflate and distress. I don't know how at this point. My work is pretty much all my life... oh and commuting. I know there are people with alot less than me, far more student debt, etc. I am grateful for what I do have and cannot begin to imagine what it's like for the folks living paycheck to paycheck, although I am terrified that my career stands at the whims of egotistical men, and I could easily end up in that paycheck to paycheck situation. I occasionally see headlines on news sites while reading on my phone during commutes... "x analyst predicts y company to hit trillion dollar by z date." Nobody stops to ask who is reaping the majority of that and at what cost?