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Why Don’t Americans Understand How Poor Their Lives Are?

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Re: Why Don’t Americans Understand How Poor Their Lives Are?

#51

Post by skybrian »

franciscop wrote: post #25
skybrian wrote: post #6

Maybe it's because personal experience is usually not enough to make such sweeping generalizations? All we know is this person liked the places they lived in Europe better than the places they lived in the US. But what about the places they haven't lived yet? European cities are not all the same. Similarly for US cities.

I have been in most capitals in Europe, and in quite a few cities of USA, and totally agree with the story. Of course there are some individual exceptions, but he is talking about the feeling from different cities, the state of public transportation or healthcare, which IMHO is fairly generalizable.

You are doing it too.

Our lives are not random samples.

Re: Why Don’t Americans Understand How Poor Their Lives Are?

#52

Post by johndevor »

notfromhere wrote: post #42
johndevor wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Try tyranny of socialism is far, far worse. Nothing is perfect and imagining it can be will get people killed (Russia, Venezuela, China, Cuba, etc.). Individual rights are what makes the West successful compared to the rest of the world.

Why are we pretending its a binary choice?

What socialist government has ever reduced in size? They grow and grow to become fully socialist ala Cuba.

Re: Why Don’t Americans Understand How Poor Their Lives Are?

#53

Post by notliketherest »

_m8fo wrote: post #7

This is the ultimate question -- which is superior: individualism or collectivism? Personally I think collectivism is far superior -- however the forces that be want people to believe individualism is superior, especially in America. This results in people, individuals, denying their fellow peers access to things. As for the question the title poses, there's no answer, because it depends on who you ask. I don't think…

America has always been a country of self reliant individuals. What you're forgetting (and what todays "progressivists" want to erase from history) is that America was (and still is somewhat) a country with convictions, particularly because of the Christian religion which a majority of Americans in the 19th and 20th century identified with. Charities, church hospitals, philanthropic efforts by the wealthy, and a sense of taken care of your local community knitted our country together far better than government mandated collectivsm ever could have.

Re: Why Don’t Americans Understand How Poor Their Lives Are?

#54

Post by rusk »

adamnemecek wrote: post #19
_m8fo wrote: post #7

This is the ultimate question -- which is superior: individualism or collectivism? Personally I think collectivism is far superior -- however the forces that be want people to believe individualism is superior, especially in America. This results in people, individuals, denying their fellow peers access to things. As for the question the title poses, there's no answer, because it depends on who you ask. I don't think…

Calling EU collectivist is a stretch.

Who mentioned EU? There's a broad mixture of different political approaches right across the EU. Some of the wealthier states do appear to have a strong social-democratic leaning but maybe that's just 'cause they can afford it?

A comprehensive socioeconomic fabric costs a lot to maintain. You have to have a base of taxpayers who are willing to pay it and who feel they get the value for their money.

Re: Why Don’t Americans Understand How Poor Their Lives Are?

#56

Post by ckinnan »

_m8fo wrote: post #7

This is the ultimate question -- which is superior: individualism or collectivism? Personally I think collectivism is far superior -- however the forces that be want people to believe individualism is superior, especially in America. This results in people, individuals, denying their fellow peers access to things. As for the question the title poses, there's no answer, because it depends on who you ask. I don't think…

In the 20th century, the political implementation of collectivism involved the deliberate murder-- often through starvation-- of at least 100 million people.

Re: Why Don’t Americans Understand How Poor Their Lives Are?

#57

Post by swarnie_ »

fatwa wrote: post #31
snarfy wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The most common belief is that universal health care is a 'hand out' to others taken from their own pockets.

Well, it is.

I'm happy paying for schools despite having no children because it benefit society as a whole.

Can we not apply the same thinking here?

Re: Why Don’t Americans Understand How Poor Their Lives Are?

#58

Post by 1_2__4 »

padseeker wrote: post #34

This article starts off terribly. It does not get contain enough real substance till it gets to the point about the differential in life expectancy and discusses the point about 'the myth of exceptionalism in America'. The whole line about the difference in entertainment is utter drivel. Big Brother started in the UK, there is plenty of garbage culture coming from Europe. For the record I've met quite a few Europeans…

Do they ever qualify or quantify what is meant by “more opportunity”?

Re: Why Don’t Americans Understand How Poor Their Lives Are?

#59

Post by adamnemecek »

_m8fo wrote: post #49
adamnemecek wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Calling EU collectivist is a stretch.

I didn't mention the EU once in my comment, so I'm a bit confused.

It's a comment in response to an article comparing Europe and US?

Re: Why Don’t Americans Understand How Poor Their Lives Are?

#60

Post by ceejayoz »

fatwa wrote: post #31
snarfy wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The most common belief is that universal health care is a 'hand out' to others taken from their own pockets.

Well, it is.

It's not.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:OECD_health_expenditure_p...

We spend about the same as other OECD countries in public healthcare funding, plus we spend a bunch more privately, for an overall healthcare spend that's the highest per-capita in the world, and outcomes that aren't as good.

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