4 ms·

Maybe there is something missing from your analysis? By most metrics the US compares quite favorably to Europe. When you see something that seems like an outl

Maybe there is something missing from your analysis? By most metrics the US compares quite favorably to Europe. When you see something that seems like an outlier, perhaps turn down the arrogance and try to understand what you might be overlooking.

LeroyRaz 2y ago
I don't know what your source for "by most metrics" is? As I understand it, the US is abysmal by many metrics (and also exceptional by others). E.g., murder rated and prison rates are exceptionally high in the US compared to Europe. Homelessness rates are exceptionally high in the US compared to Europe. Startup rates are (I believe) exceptionally high in the US compared to Europe.
- rootusrootus 2y ago
  There's a huge problem trying to do cross-jurisdiction statistical comparisons even in the best case. Taking literacy as the current example, what does it mean to be literate, and how do you ensure that the definition in the US is the same as the definition in the UK is the same as the definition in Germany? And that's before you get to confounding factors like migration and related non-English proficiency. It's fun to poke at the US, I get it, but the numbers people love to quote online to win some kind of rhetorical battle frequently have little relationship to reality on the ground. I've done a lot of travel around the US and western Europe, and I see a lot of ups and downs everywhere. I don't see a lot of obvious wins, either, mostly just choices and trade-offs. The things I see in Europe that are obviously better almost 100% of the time are a byproduct of more efficient funding due to higher density. All kinds of things are doable in the UK, for example, which couldn't really happen in (for example) Oregon, even though they have roughly the same land area. Having 15x as many taxpayers helps.

4 ms·

Maybe there is something missing from your analysis? By most metrics the US compares quite favorably to Europe. When you see something that seems like an outl

by rootusrootus 2y ago

LeroyRaz 2y ago
I don't know what your source for "by most metrics" is? As I understand it, the US is abysmal by many metrics (and also exceptional by others). E.g., murder rated and prison rates are exceptionally high in the US compared to Europe. Homelessness rates are exceptionally high in the US compared to Europe. Startup rates are (I believe) exceptionally high in the US compared to Europe.
- rootusrootus 2y ago
  There's a huge problem trying to do cross-jurisdiction statistical comparisons even in the best case. Taking literacy as the current example, what does it mean to be literate, and how do you ensure that the definition in the US is the same as the definition in the UK is the same as the definition in Germany? And that's before you get to confounding factors like migration and related non-English proficiency. It's fun to poke at the US, I get it, but the numbers people love to quote online to win some kind of rhetorical battle frequently have little relationship to reality on the ground. I've done a lot of travel around the US and western Europe, and I see a lot of ups and downs everywhere. I don't see a lot of obvious wins, either, mostly just choices and trade-offs. The things I see in Europe that are obviously better almost 100% of the time are a byproduct of more efficient funding due to higher density. All kinds of things are doable in the UK, for example, which couldn't really happen in (for example) Oregon, even though they have roughly the same land area. Having 15x as many taxpayers helps.