While the overall message of the post rings true, I do think it deserves some criticism for the framing device of American vs. European. Let me explain. First,

While the overall message of the post rings true, I do think it deserves some criticism for the framing device of American vs. European. Let me explain. First, it has to be said, online cultural osmosis and working for an international American company are two very narrow experiences of American culture. The anecdote they use to demonstrate German 'European mindset' - their flatmate using used furniture - is not something that one would be exposed to online or through business connections. That they saw it as notable to have used furniture in the first place I find more telling, which brings me to my next point. This post is more a condemnation of middle-upper class consumerism and greed than American culture in particular. While it's fair to say the US spawned and championed the mindset, as noted in the post, it's spread far and wide in the decades since. Now, why does the distinction matter? Well, there are gazoodles of people in the US with the 'European mindset'. You don't see them through international business connections, you don't see them out and about in San Francisco, you don't see them making blog posts about it - not ones that would be shared on Hacker News, anyway. To those in the middle-upper-class tech sphere they don't exist. I'm happy for those who gain something from posts like these, who are inspired to adopt a more deliberate way of living. But furthering the perception that the 'European mindset' is tied to specific material things (in this case, living in Europe) only helps to perpetuate the 'American mindset', and further erase the existence of alternatives to it!