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> It always struck me as weird that the American Dream can best be lived in Scandinavia It should strike you as weird, because that's false. The American Drea
by adventured 5y ago
> It always struck me as weird that the American Dream can best be lived in Scandinavia
It should strike you as weird, because that's false.
The American Dream can be best lived by Scandinavians in the US. Scandinavians do better in the US than they do in Scandinavia and that has been true for the past century. Among the US population, people from Scandinavia and or of Scandinavian descent produce exceptional outcomes.
Comparing primary demographics to primary demographics, white Americans are richer than white Scandinavians at both the median and average. They have higher incomes and greater wealth. And Scandinavians in the US are far richer than Scandinavians in Scandinavia, at both the median and average.
If Scandinavia is so great, how come their people do so much better here and always have? Scandinavian culture + the US system = vastly superior outcome.
- tyingq 5y agoIt is hard to compare the two, since a Scandinavian emigrating to the US is an outlier in that they have the resources to do so.
- ch4s3 5y agoThe same is true if you look at Somali refugee families which spilt up and go to both Sweden and the US. The US branch of the families integrate faster, earn more, attain higher levels of education, and have fewer encounters with law enforcement. The last point should really surprise many Americans. Interestingly, Minneapolis, where virtually all Somali-Americans live has strong Scandinavian roots.
- acchow 5y ago> And Scandinavians in the US are far richer than Scandinavians in Scandinavia, at both the median and average. The Scandinavians immigrating to the US are not a random sampling of Scandinavians. Getting a visa to live in the US usually requires a high-paying job. Usually of high skill or of exceptional talent. Basically the US work visa system selects for the cream of the crop.
- FredPret 5y agoYes but OP also says that the average white American (vast majority born in-country) does better than the average white Scandinavian.
- jazzyjackson 5y agoAside from the sampling bias of "Scandinavians who chose to emigrate to America", I'm unconvinced that "greater wealth" is the only metric for "american dream"