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Yep! As someone from a former socialist country, I can confirm. Situation has got a lot better in the last ~30 years, people have alot more, but since a few
by ajsnigrutin 6y ago
Yep!
As someone from a former socialist country, I can confirm.
Situation has got a lot better in the last ~30 years, people have alot more, but since a few people got even more than that, some complain a lot. Average worker family has gone from bicicyles and maybe one yugo (or a "fico" - even smaller/cheaper) to two, maybe three european-mid-range cars + all the modern extras, but are not happy, because their neighbor has as 100k€ mercedes.
- tonyedgecombe 6y agoComparison is the thief of joy. Theodore Roosevelt
- deepstack 6y agoIndeed. Comparison is not bad as that is what current academia is based on. However also be aware comparison is NOT the ONLY way to experience life. One of the effect of comparison is that it diminishes one thing over another. I often find new the thing when I just experience one thing for itself without comparing against a pre-existing experience and thing.
- chii 6y agoit makes some evolutionary sense tho - because objective wellbeing is only part of the competition. Relative wellbeing is what "counts" for real, esp. when competing for scarce resources.
- ajsnigrutin 6y agoWell, this is ok when you work more, to get more for yourself... ...out here, people want their neighbours to have less.
- fogihujy 6y agoThere's a local saying that in Finland, people would prefer paying €100 to the neighbour getting paid €50. I take it that's true elsewhere too? :)
- ajsnigrutin 6y agoHere it's "let my cow die, just if two of neighbours' die" But yeah... we earn relatively little (compared to you), and have better cars than most of the northern europe... most of them on long year loans... It's not rare to see an (eg.) BMW X7 owner at a gas station pump 9.85eur of gas, than slowly fondle the pump handle, because he only has 10eur for gas. The neighbors see the car, not the amount of gas inside :) Also a lot of "not in my back yard" behaviour.
- fogihujy 6y agoIt sounds like the basic idea is the same; perceived relative status is more important than actual status, though the details obviously differ.