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I’ve spent time a lot of people that live much better than me in what are considered third world countries, including overall quality of life, who make far less
by borkt 6y ago
I’ve spent time a lot of people that live much better than me in what are considered third world countries, including overall quality of life, who make far less than I do. There are countries where money goes much further and family holds much greater value when compared to work than US culture (and laws) generally produces. They see friends and family for meals many times a week, their health care is affordable, and their jobs are more secure. It would be thought of as a cultural taboo to value work over family, whereas the majority of US employers see placing family over work as a fireable offense. Yes we have more paper wealth, but if we have to work longer hours and are spending it all on utilities, healthcare, and vastly overpriced housing, does it really matter?
Edit: This applies to countries with relatively reasonable populations with respect to their resources. This does not apply to places like China and India where there is a huge population to support.
- borkt 6y agoThis recent post covers what I am describing here far more in depth and relate to Europe. My experiences have been in South America https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22777745 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22777745
- anoraca 6y agoYou're spending time with the wealthy people of those countries. Half of the world does not have a flush toilet at home.
- CalRobert 6y agoSeriously. I sometimes cringe when I think what I could be making if I moved back to California (I'm even _from_ norcal...) but I just can't handle US workaholism (most of it performative) and the idea that even if I manage to pull off 5+ weeks of PTO a year, my spouse certainly won't, and I like living somewhere everyone gets a month off a year and even people under the median wage can afford a decent holiday.
- BoiledCabbage 6y ago> They see friends and family for meals many times a week, their health care is affordable, and their jobs are more secure. This is all true - and all of those are possible while still being wealthy. The peculiarities of US culture are different from being wealthy. As another example you don't need to have an obsession with guns to be a wealthy country, but the US does.