5 ms·

I don't even know where to begin on differences. A big one is how much more orderly basically everything is, from government processes to condition of the stree

I don't even know where to begin on differences. A big one is how much more orderly basically everything is, from government processes to condition of the streets. Overt politeness is more common. People are generally more relaxed to the point that it annoyed me for years. I attribute this to the lack of any concept of 'hustle' and not being worried about dying in poverty. I think a huge amount of the American personality comes from a subconscious anxiety over how precarious we live. You're never more than 20 paces from a beer; I just had one at 11am at a fleamarket for kids clothes. It's the least business focused place I've ever been. Many large businesses lock their doors for 2 weeks in the summer. I've had other Americans tell me directly that I'm making that up it's so shocking to them. When I worked for a Dutch company, one of their visiting engineers couldn't believe that the office was nearly empty at 1pm on Friday. If you're the wild type, it's not the place for you. People are very mild mannered. It took a long time for me chill out, having come from a Texas party-loving town. I tell people it's a great place to be 35.

drstewart 5y ago
Yeah, I don't think the idea of not being within 20 steps of a beer makes a country 3rd world. Sorry, but that's pretty insulting to actual people living in poverty. Then again, all in all it's pretty privileged to be able to have such a sheltered view of the world, so good on ya.
- alangibson 5y ago
  Ha! What are you talking about? That comment was in response to a question about differences between the countries. The USA is a 3rd world country because we allow people to literally and figuratively rot on the street. There are many others of course... Can I assume from your aggrieved attitude and uncharitable reading that you're a fellow American?
  - drstewart 5y ago
    When the top thing you can think of as the main difference is that you can get blasted at 11am in a foreign country, the "uncharitable reading" is that you're an alcoholic, not that you're a sheltered emigrant that doesn't know what a real third world country is like.
    - alangibson 5y ago
      I'm feeling like you're trolling now, but I'll bite anyway: 1. The one line you are harping on is half way down a list of things, not at the top. 2. It's obviously just a literary indulgence to add some local color 3. I've spent 2.5 years traveling rough and solo through the Global South which I hope counts for something. I'm gonna guess you consider any kind of pleasure travel to be privilege though.
    - mdp2021 5y ago
      The parent comment asked «How would you describe the local population», to which it was replied «People are generally more relaxed to the point that it annoyed me for years», also instanced to the "anytime beer". The reasoning flows.
      - alangibson 5y ago
        Thanks for the backup, but they've already decided that they're willing to die on that hill. Better to get back to the original point of the thread.
    - bovermyer 5y ago
      Wow. Um, maybe step away from the computer and go for a walk or something.
- LilBytes 5y ago
  From the father comment, that was what you took away from his message? > "People are generally more relaxed to the point that it annoyed me for years. I attribute this to the lack of any concept of 'hustle' and not being worried about dying in poverty. I think a huge amount of the American personality comes from a subconscious anxiety over how precarious we live." I think this was the bigger driver over his personal perspective of living in Europe vs the USA, though having beer readily accessible every where is certainly a boon but not the differentiator.
  - alangibson 5y ago
    You nailed it. The beer thing was just adding some local color. drstewart's comment is a great example of what I mean by the US not being a functioning society. What you have there now is a conglomeration of individuals all with their knives out waiting for anyone around then to trip up in the most trivial way. I believe this is caused by the anxiety I mentioned already, and it in turn causes anxiety in everyone else. Everyone becomes negatively charged and thus they repel each other.
    - drstewart 5y ago
      >drstewart's comment is a great example of what I mean by the US not being a functioning society. Talk about trolling - pretty convenient to just hand wave any criticism of your own talking points away as proof of them. No, there's no subconscious anxiety here. I'll remind you that you brought up all the negative stereotyping and accusations, so maybe there's an imminent failure of Austrian society at play?

drstewart 5y ago

Yeah, I don't think the idea of not being within 20 steps of a beer makes a country 3rd world. Sorry, but that's pretty insulting to actual people living in poverty. Then again, all in all it's pretty privileged to be able to have such a sheltered view of the world, so good on ya.

alangibson 5y ago
Ha! What are you talking about? That comment was in response to a question about differences between the countries. The USA is a 3rd world country because we allow people to literally and figuratively rot on the street. There are many others of course... Can I assume from your aggrieved attitude and uncharitable reading that you're a fellow American?
- drstewart 5y ago
  When the top thing you can think of as the main difference is that you can get blasted at 11am in a foreign country, the "uncharitable reading" is that you're an alcoholic, not that you're a sheltered emigrant that doesn't know what a real third world country is like.
  - alangibson 5y ago
    I'm feeling like you're trolling now, but I'll bite anyway: 1. The one line you are harping on is half way down a list of things, not at the top. 2. It's obviously just a literary indulgence to add some local color 3. I've spent 2.5 years traveling rough and solo through the Global South which I hope counts for something. I'm gonna guess you consider any kind of pleasure travel to be privilege though.
  - mdp2021 5y ago
    The parent comment asked «How would you describe the local population», to which it was replied «People are generally more relaxed to the point that it annoyed me for years», also instanced to the "anytime beer". The reasoning flows.
    - alangibson 5y ago
      Thanks for the backup, but they've already decided that they're willing to die on that hill. Better to get back to the original point of the thread.
  - bovermyer 5y ago
    Wow. Um, maybe step away from the computer and go for a walk or something.
LilBytes 5y ago
From the father comment, that was what you took away from his message? > "People are generally more relaxed to the point that it annoyed me for years. I attribute this to the lack of any concept of 'hustle' and not being worried about dying in poverty. I think a huge amount of the American personality comes from a subconscious anxiety over how precarious we live." I think this was the bigger driver over his personal perspective of living in Europe vs the USA, though having beer readily accessible every where is certainly a boon but not the differentiator.
- alangibson 5y ago
  You nailed it. The beer thing was just adding some local color. drstewart's comment is a great example of what I mean by the US not being a functioning society. What you have there now is a conglomeration of individuals all with their knives out waiting for anyone around then to trip up in the most trivial way. I believe this is caused by the anxiety I mentioned already, and it in turn causes anxiety in everyone else. Everyone becomes negatively charged and thus they repel each other.
  - drstewart 5y ago
    >drstewart's comment is a great example of what I mean by the US not being a functioning society. Talk about trolling - pretty convenient to just hand wave any criticism of your own talking points away as proof of them. No, there's no subconscious anxiety here. I'll remind you that you brought up all the negative stereotyping and accusations, so maybe there's an imminent failure of Austrian society at play?