Ok, but I've gotten out of my state and met with lots of people on assistance, and that is rampant in the US in a way that's almost unheard of in other countrie

Ok, but I've gotten out of my state and met with lots of people on assistance, and that is rampant in the US in a way that's almost unheard of in other countries I've worked in. I've seen people coast off the system, but they still generally live somewhat minimalist lives. Having new flat screens and game consoles, cases of Mountain Dew and a pantry full of nothing but prepackaged junk food when you can't make rent? I know how that sounds like a judgmental stereotype, but that seems like a uniquely American epidemic to me.