I believe that commute and the livability of cities is a big one. Most EU people I know find their commutes either pleasant or if they complain, it’s about 45 m

I believe that commute and the livability of cities is a big one. Most EU people I know find their commutes either pleasant or if they complain, it’s about 45 minutes. They don’t know what far even means. The city centers are fun, safe and vibrant. Also, most EU residences are comparatively tiny, usually flats. It’s just not that fun to stay home all the time in 60 sq meters with a tiny balcony and no central hvac. Then I think there is a big work culture angle. Europeans are low on bullshit and hustle culture. American workplaces are like worksona performance art, probably not too far off from the performative productivity of Japanese workplaces.