5 ms·

Can you elaborate? The sibling comment called this situation dystopian, wondering how you cope.

IAmBroom 1y ago
What sibling comment? I couldn't find any such. I'd like to point out that any country providing universal healthcare is going to be a big improvement in standard of living for many of my friends. The sometimes hellish nature of the USA's for-profit healthcare system is very real. Then there's crippling student debt following you nearly to the grave, gun violence, etc. We grew up being told we had more freedom than anybody else, only to learn as adults that not only does freedom carry a heavy price, but so does every flu and broken bone.
- dustbunny 1y ago
  Freedom is ridiculous. It's not what Americans have nor want. It's free in a warzone. True freedom is total chaos. Americans do not have nor want real freedom.
  - refurb 1y ago
    That's a bit of a navel gazing perspective, no? I mean, if you value other things, that fine, but to claim something doesn't exist when it clearly does is rather narrow in vision. It doesn't take much googling to find examples of speech laws in Europe (for one example) that would have Americans gasping.
    - dustbunny 1y ago
      As an immigrant to America, I do not feel like I have free speech. I think I would have more free speech in Europe. Even writing this comment is scary. What if a border patrol agent finds this? Will I be refused entry? The fact that this is now possible is abhorrent.
- nradov 1y ago
  Concerns over gun violence (or violence in general) are largely misplaced. Almost all of the violent crime happens in a handful of cities such as Baltimore, Chicago, and Washington DC that have been wrecked by decades of failed progressive policies. And even in those cities the violence is concentrated in few bad neighborhoods. We need to fix those places: the residents shouldn't have to live in gang war zones. But at the same time those aren't the same neighborhoods that HN users would live anyway. The rest of the USA is no more violent than most other developed countries.
  - qwytw 1y ago
    > decades of failed progressive policies Birmingham, St. Louis & Memphis have the highest levels of gun violence, though? Not sure if those are the most "progressive" places. Also Mississippi (more than 10x worse than e.g. Massachusetts), Louisiana, Alabama are the top 3 states by gun homicide rate. If Mississippi was a country it would be in the top 10 (between Mexico and Columbia) by gun related murder rate which is quite an achievement.. Massachusetts
    - nradov 1y ago
      The state statistics are meaningless. As I already explained above, almost all of the murders in every state are concentrated in a handful of neighborhoods. It's a very localized problem. As for the specific cities you mentioned, policies enacted by local governments over decades generally fall into the progressive category. State and federal governments certainly share some blame for the problem but because the causes are mostly local any solutions will also have to be local.
      - nielsbot 1y ago
        If gun violence is concentrated in a few neighborhoods and all states contain such neighborhoods, then state statistics do matter, don't they? We can all agree that taking away peoples' guns would lead to less gun violence. (This is the part where you say "but that's impossible anyway" or "but the 2nd amendment" which doesn't really refute my point)
- fellowmartian 1y ago
  Free Trade is the only freedom you should want or need. /s obviously.
gregorygoc 1y ago
It’s not cope. You can compete for the same “quality of life” resources being in the median vs top 5-percentile. It’s not possible in the U.S. or UK.
ksimukka 1y ago
From my experience, living in the US was dystopian compared to what I have experienced in Oslo. I have only been here for 6 years, so given a long enough timeframe that could change. I think it comes down to mindset. For example You have what you need to live, but the things you want are expensive. Housing is a problem, but it seems that is a problem almost everywhere. That said, it is not always “easy” to obtain what you want, but I think that is good for society. For example the second hand market is strong. I’m not sure if that answers your question.

What sibling comment? I couldn't find any such. I'd like to point out that any country providing universal healthcare is going to be a big improvement in standard of living for many of my friends. The sometimes hellish nature of the USA's for-profit healthcare system is very real. Then there's crippling student debt following you nearly to the grave, gun violence, etc. We grew up being told we had more freedom than anybody else, only to learn as adults that not only does freedom carry a heavy price, but so does every flu and broken bone.

dustbunny 1y ago
Freedom is ridiculous. It's not what Americans have nor want. It's free in a warzone. True freedom is total chaos. Americans do not have nor want real freedom.
- refurb 1y ago
  That's a bit of a navel gazing perspective, no? I mean, if you value other things, that fine, but to claim something doesn't exist when it clearly does is rather narrow in vision. It doesn't take much googling to find examples of speech laws in Europe (for one example) that would have Americans gasping.
  - dustbunny 1y ago
    As an immigrant to America, I do not feel like I have free speech. I think I would have more free speech in Europe. Even writing this comment is scary. What if a border patrol agent finds this? Will I be refused entry? The fact that this is now possible is abhorrent.
nradov 1y ago
Concerns over gun violence (or violence in general) are largely misplaced. Almost all of the violent crime happens in a handful of cities such as Baltimore, Chicago, and Washington DC that have been wrecked by decades of failed progressive policies. And even in those cities the violence is concentrated in few bad neighborhoods. We need to fix those places: the residents shouldn't have to live in gang war zones. But at the same time those aren't the same neighborhoods that HN users would live anyway. The rest of the USA is no more violent than most other developed countries.
- qwytw 1y ago
  > decades of failed progressive policies Birmingham, St. Louis & Memphis have the highest levels of gun violence, though? Not sure if those are the most "progressive" places. Also Mississippi (more than 10x worse than e.g. Massachusetts), Louisiana, Alabama are the top 3 states by gun homicide rate. If Mississippi was a country it would be in the top 10 (between Mexico and Columbia) by gun related murder rate which is quite an achievement.. Massachusetts
  - nradov 1y ago
    The state statistics are meaningless. As I already explained above, almost all of the murders in every state are concentrated in a handful of neighborhoods. It's a very localized problem. As for the specific cities you mentioned, policies enacted by local governments over decades generally fall into the progressive category. State and federal governments certainly share some blame for the problem but because the causes are mostly local any solutions will also have to be local.
    - nielsbot 1y ago
      If gun violence is concentrated in a few neighborhoods and all states contain such neighborhoods, then state statistics do matter, don't they? We can all agree that taking away peoples' guns would lead to less gun violence. (This is the part where you say "but that's impossible anyway" or "but the 2nd amendment" which doesn't really refute my point)
fellowmartian 1y ago
Free Trade is the only freedom you should want or need. /s obviously.

gregorygoc 1y ago

It’s not cope. You can compete for the same “quality of life” resources being in the median vs top 5-percentile. It’s not possible in the U.S. or UK.

ksimukka 1y ago

From my experience, living in the US was dystopian compared to what I have experienced in Oslo. I have only been here for 6 years, so given a long enough timeframe that could change. I think it comes down to mindset. For example You have what you need to live, but the things you want are expensive. Housing is a problem, but it seems that is a problem almost everywhere. That said, it is not always “easy” to obtain what you want, but I think that is good for society. For example the second hand market is strong. I’m not sure if that answers your question.