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Good point. But I wasn't responding to the GGP's central argument, only to the implication that it's bad when employees get too comfortable. In particular, I'm

Good point. But I wasn't responding to the GGP's central argument, only to the implication that it's bad when employees get too comfortable. In particular, I'm ranting against the use of the word "comfortable" for describing unmotivated/shitty employees. It's perfectly achievable to have a company that consists of people who are motivated, comfortable, and extremely productive. It's a ridiculous Americanism that the only way to motivate employees is by making them "uncomfortable" (eg through fear of losing their jobs, like your example, or through other means).

SamReidHughes 8y ago
Well, there's a reason America has a higher standard of living than Europe.
- pbhjpbhj 8y ago
  People in USA [I assume you mean] are happier and more fulfilled than those living in Europe?
  - SamReidHughes 8y ago
    The median American is richer than the median European (in basically any large country). The SpaceX employees that got laid off are going to get other jobs and continue making more money and having more money to spend than their European counterparts. Edit: A few reasons. One is that, since it's easier to switch jobs, good employees have more leverage. Another is that, since it's easier to fire bad employees, the expected value of a new employee is higher and you can afford to pay them more. I think a big part of American prosperity is a result of companies being able to fire people. It's probably the most important bit of employment non-regulation that this country has, and it's a big aspect in which America is more worker-friendly than European countries. Other missing regulations, like working hours limits, vacation time regulations, don't benefit workers as much (or at all).
- ben_w 8y ago
  Standards of living is complex, more of a vector field than a single scalar. “Western” Europe is on average rich, Eastern Europe is still recovering from Soviet control and brain-drain. But even Western Europe is spikey, old Welsh coal-mining towns are poor, the old universities are rich. Even apart from the location income variability, what money gets you varies; health costs much less in the UK than the USA, housing is cheaper in poor places than rich places — even PPP exchange rates aren’t perfect because the ratio of two different goods isn’t constant.
jononor 8y ago
What is the source for higher standard of living in US compared to Europe? In most of the indexes I have seen, some European countries are ahead of the US, and some are behind. Countries previously in the Soviet union are still lagging compared to western and northern europe.

SamReidHughes 8y ago

Well, there's a reason America has a higher standard of living than Europe.

pbhjpbhj 8y ago
People in USA [I assume you mean] are happier and more fulfilled than those living in Europe?
- SamReidHughes 8y ago
  The median American is richer than the median European (in basically any large country). The SpaceX employees that got laid off are going to get other jobs and continue making more money and having more money to spend than their European counterparts. Edit: A few reasons. One is that, since it's easier to switch jobs, good employees have more leverage. Another is that, since it's easier to fire bad employees, the expected value of a new employee is higher and you can afford to pay them more. I think a big part of American prosperity is a result of companies being able to fire people. It's probably the most important bit of employment non-regulation that this country has, and it's a big aspect in which America is more worker-friendly than European countries. Other missing regulations, like working hours limits, vacation time regulations, don't benefit workers as much (or at all).
ben_w 8y ago
Standards of living is complex, more of a vector field than a single scalar. “Western” Europe is on average rich, Eastern Europe is still recovering from Soviet control and brain-drain. But even Western Europe is spikey, old Welsh coal-mining towns are poor, the old universities are rich. Even apart from the location income variability, what money gets you varies; health costs much less in the UK than the USA, housing is cheaper in poor places than rich places — even PPP exchange rates aren’t perfect because the ratio of two different goods isn’t constant.

jononor 8y ago

What is the source for higher standard of living in US compared to Europe? In most of the indexes I have seen, some European countries are ahead of the US, and some are behind. Countries previously in the Soviet union are still lagging compared to western and northern europe.