4 ms·

I feel like this might be a uniquely American mindset: what we have is terrible. There are better ideas, but they are not perfect, therefore we will stick with

I feel like this might be a uniquely American mindset: what we have is terrible. There are better ideas, but they are not perfect, therefore we will stick with the terrible status quo. See it in our healthcare system too.

kunagi7 4y ago
The clocks' problem is also replicated at the European side of the Atlantic. The current situation is terrible but opinions differ between locking the clock at standard time or daylight savings time. The EU tried to step in both 2019 and 2021 but the whole situation is quite stuck [0]. I prefer standard time since in winter using DST would mean dark skies until 9 am. But most people here seem to enjoy how in summer the sun doesn't set until 10 pm. So, whoever touches this topic will end up getting burned by either side and no one dares to change it or suggest it (for now). So the terrible status quo continues. [0] https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2022/10/28/when-will-the-eu-end-seasonal-clock-changes-only-time-will-tell https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2022/10/28/when-will-the-...
- s1artibartfast 4y ago
  Isn't your example of legitimate differences of opinion evidence that there is no clearly better option?
jmull 4y ago
> uniquely American mindset Doesn't the EU (and various other countries) still switch back and forth between standard and daylight savings time?
- pixelesque 4y ago
  Yes. Many European countries, Canada, some Australian states/territories and New Zealand.
- adhesive_wombat 4y ago
  The EU was supposed to end the system (countries would choose to keep either their summer or winter time zones) but it seems to have become blocked. Just the UK having left with no political desire to do anything that looks like an EU idea, combined with Irish opposition to different zones for the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland may stymy it indefinitely. In the meantime, all EU countries observe a summer time that starts and ends on the same day across the EU.
bee_rider 4y ago
I think “making perfect the enemy of good” is not a uniquely American thing. Something that does seem unusually American (although I’m sure not uniquely) is: We all agree this thing is bad, and something should be done. But the primary way to make big changes is to have one side push it and make concessions to the other side, to get it done. Nobody is willing to make concessions for something we all agree is good, so the good thing will never get done. And also, we all agree it is bad, but our solutions are different, maybe even just in name, so we can’t let it be solved because that would give the other team a W.
shrimp_emoji 4y ago
Or 12 hour time when everyone else is on 24 Or Imperial measurement when everyone else is on metric Or middle endian date when...

kunagi7 4y ago

The clocks' problem is also replicated at the European side of the Atlantic. The current situation is terrible but opinions differ between locking the clock at standard time or daylight savings time. The EU tried to step in both 2019 and 2021 but the whole situation is quite stuck [0]. I prefer standard time since in winter using DST would mean dark skies until 9 am. But most people here seem to enjoy how in summer the sun doesn't set until 10 pm. So, whoever touches this topic will end up getting burned by either side and no one dares to change it or suggest it (for now). So the terrible status quo continues. [0] https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2022/10/28/when-will-the-eu-end-seasonal-clock-changes-only-time-will-tell https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2022/10/28/when-will-the-...

s1artibartfast 4y ago
Isn't your example of legitimate differences of opinion evidence that there is no clearly better option?

jmull 4y ago

> uniquely American mindset Doesn't the EU (and various other countries) still switch back and forth between standard and daylight savings time?

pixelesque 4y ago
Yes. Many European countries, Canada, some Australian states/territories and New Zealand.
adhesive_wombat 4y ago
The EU was supposed to end the system (countries would choose to keep either their summer or winter time zones) but it seems to have become blocked. Just the UK having left with no political desire to do anything that looks like an EU idea, combined with Irish opposition to different zones for the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland may stymy it indefinitely. In the meantime, all EU countries observe a summer time that starts and ends on the same day across the EU.

bee_rider 4y ago

I think “making perfect the enemy of good” is not a uniquely American thing. Something that does seem unusually American (although I’m sure not uniquely) is: We all agree this thing is bad, and something should be done. But the primary way to make big changes is to have one side push it and make concessions to the other side, to get it done. Nobody is willing to make concessions for something we all agree is good, so the good thing will never get done. And also, we all agree it is bad, but our solutions are different, maybe even just in name, so we can’t let it be solved because that would give the other team a W.

shrimp_emoji 4y ago

Or 12 hour time when everyone else is on 24 Or Imperial measurement when everyone else is on metric Or middle endian date when...