If America's so rich, how'd it get so sad? • Hacker News Board

Re: If America's so rich, how'd it get so sad?

#221

Post by lotsofpulp » Thu, Apr 23, 2026, 5:25 PM UTC

wat10000 wrote: post #178

lotsofpulp wrote: post #113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Happiness = Reality minus Expectation (and sadness is the negative values). For example, if you expected your country to have checks and balances and not empower people who tried to damage the democracy, the reality would sadden you. If you expected to be able to have 2 kids, afford healthcare, not worry about loss of income, live near family in a 2k+ sq ft home, and fly to Disneyworld and Hawaii for vacation, then c…

I wonder how avocados became the poster child for unreasonably expensive food. They're not actually that costly.

I'm in Washington, and they're usually at least $1 each in season, and even close to $2 out of season at Costco. Factor in some amount not being good, 20% at least, and I probably spend at least $1,000 per year just on avocados for a family of 4.

I imagine they are just as, if not more expensive, in places further from Mexico.

Re: If America's so rich, how'd it get so sad?

#222

Post by ghaff » Thu, Apr 23, 2026, 5:25 PM UTC

eitally wrote: post #173

linkregister wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I totally agree with your analysis of suburban Americans' lifestyles! Social isolation is endemic in suburbs. > eating bad manufactured food Things have changed dramatically in the last two decades. Food quality has never been better in suburban areas. Every Publix and Kroger has oat milk (I'm using this as a proxy for variety). Produce is fresher and longer-lasting. Consolidation and urbanization has left many rural…

I would suggest that grocery quality is higher in the suburbs than in the city, but restaurant quality typically isn't.

That's probably true but a lot of people don't really eat out at restaurants regularly.

Re: If America's so rich, how'd it get so sad?

#223

Post by tock » Thu, Apr 23, 2026, 5:25 PM UTC

xyzelement wrote: post #75

I feel like this is an easily answerable question, but I can see this because I grew up an atheist (and travel in those typically atheist/educated/professional circles) and have become much more aware/educated in/embracing of religion later in life myself. If you compare apples to apples - say my average atheist friend who is a director in a FAANG and also my religious friend who is also a director in the same FAANG.…

Counterpoint: I know plenty of very religious families with multiple kids who are deeply unhappy.

In my experience friends and family are the primary contributor to happiness. Provided they are good people. Else its a train wreck. It doesn't matter if they are religious or not.

Re: If America's so rich, how'd it get so sad?

#224

Post by reducesuffering » Thu, Apr 23, 2026, 5:26 PM UTC

9rx wrote: post #213

reducesuffering wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Eh, the wealthiest in America mostly live in spacious suburbs. They aren't very city-like, but they're not the same suburbs as GP mentioned either. In every wealthy metro, there will be a couple areas that the wealthiest coalesce around. Think Hillsborough/Atherton/Palo Alto, Carmel IN, Newton/Brookline MA, Beverly Hills, Greenwich County CT, River Oaks in Houston, Boulder CO, Scottsdale AZ, etc

> the wealthiest in America mostly live in spacious suburbs. The wealthiest people I see don't live in any particular place. They have houses everywhere — inner city, the spacious suburbs you mention, rural, and everything in between. They don't limit themselves to living in just one country either. Having one home and seeing your entire life revolve around it is what poor people do.

Sure, they have their city pied-a-terre and rural chateau, but they spend most of their time in their suburban Beverly Hills-esque mansion

Re: If America's so rich, how'd it get so sad?

#225

Post by ecshafer » Thu, Apr 23, 2026, 5:26 PM UTC

bjourne wrote: post #148

At the US hotel I stayed at they had a waffle machine so that you could eat waffles for breakfast. To make waffles you took a plastic cup to the "faucet" of the waffle machine, filled it with paste and then poured it into the waffle frying pan. Then you threw the cup away. Apparently, there was no need for a more efficient way. Americans seem to be very, very good at working very, very hard but not so good at efficie…

It would probably be less efficient to have a more complicated waffle machine with a dispenser attached that costs more. Having a re-usable glass or metal cup, would require cleaning, and waffle batter is kind of annoying clean. Instead you buy a big ole sleeve of paper cups that are used one time and cost $.01 each. It is more efficient than paying someone making $20/hr to spend 5 minutes a day scrubbing it.

Re: If America's so rich, how'd it get so sad?

#226

Post by cucumber3732842 » Thu, Apr 23, 2026, 5:26 PM UTC

wat10000 wrote: post #178

lotsofpulp wrote: post #113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Happiness = Reality minus Expectation (and sadness is the negative values). For example, if you expected your country to have checks and balances and not empower people who tried to damage the democracy, the reality would sadden you. If you expected to be able to have 2 kids, afford healthcare, not worry about loss of income, live near family in a 2k+ sq ft home, and fly to Disneyworld and Hawaii for vacation, then c…

I wonder how avocados became the poster child for unreasonably expensive food. They're not actually that costly.

Because all the boomers and a lot of genX grew up with them being something that was ludicrously expensive due to rapid transit costs that now no longer exist now that we know how (other than sheer speed) to keep them from spoiling between tree and grocery store and around the same time that we got good at that we lifted a ban on mexican imports.

It used to be oranges that were the luxury fruit.

Re: If America's so rich, how'd it get so sad?

#227

Post by peacebeard » Thu, Apr 23, 2026, 5:26 PM UTC

thewebguyd wrote: post #28

rootusrootus wrote: post #3

When I see a sudden drop in 2020, my first reaction is "COVID." For a lot of people that was a pivotal moment with persistent consequences. My second guess would be politics. I have met few people in the last few years that do not seem unhappy as a direct result of our political battles. Families actually breaking up over it, etc. Now I will go read the article ;-)

I'm actually sure COVID is a big part of it. It causes neurological changes that affect behavior. Look at road safety data since 2020, it strongly supports that something is wrong. There's been a massive increase in high risk behaviors, an increase in road rage, and a spike in traffic fatalities since COVID. If COVID brain damage affects motor vehicle operation, it wouldn't be so far fetched to say it negatively effe…

COVID is highly correlated with many other things that would increase dangerous behavior. For example, COVID saw an increase in alcohol use, which in turn would result in increases in road rage and traffic fatalities. I think so much was going on at the time that it's hard to decide what is a first degree effect versus a downstream effect, or even unrelated to COVID and more related to, say, political turmoil of the time that was already ongoing.

Re: If America's so rich, how'd it get so sad?

#228

Post by linguae » Thu, Apr 23, 2026, 5:27 PM UTC

conductr wrote: post #38

comrade1234 wrote: post #6

I feel like wealthy americans live like poor Europeans - they live far outside the city in crowded suburbs, no amenities walking distance so they have to drive everywhere, having to commute an hour to their job, eating bad manufactured food... I'm American but moved to Europe years ago. It may be even better being poor here because at least you might live in a village and you'll have healthcare and your government wo…

As an American, I don’t think of the suburbs when I think of rich people. I think of what’s left of our middle class just trying to do their best. Many of them probably have negative net worth when debt is considered. But they need public schools, they need big (relatively) affordable housing, they need strip centers with the same 5 restaurants every exit of the highway. When I think of wealth, I think of mostly inne…

It’s even more extreme in the Bay Area. While San Francisco is a job center, there are also major suburban job centers such as Palo Alto, Cupertino, Mountain View, and Sunnyvale. The problem is living close to work is painfully expensive for all but the most well-off employees. A Google executive could comfortably afford a nice house in Los Altos or Palo Alto and have an easy commute. A Google engineer could commute from Fremont or Pleasanton, which would be grueling in a car, but is comfortable on a Google shuttle bus with leather seats and WiFi. But if you’re a teacher working for a school in Mountain View, my condolences. If you want to afford to buy, you’re looking at a grueling commute from either a middle-class exurb like Tracy or from a high-crime, impoverished area like East Oakland. Even renting an apartment closer to work would be daunting in terms of cost.

Re: If America's so rich, how'd it get so sad?

#229

Post by cmrdporcupine » Thu, Apr 23, 2026, 5:27 PM UTC

wat10000 wrote: post #192

FrustratedMonky wrote: post #128

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"America has undergone a VERY rapid secularization" And yet we elected Jesus.

A reaction to that very same secularization. Religious nutjobs feel threatened and this is their answer.

I think this is def part of it. Trump was not doing well in 2016 at all until the final debate when he cornered Clinton into a (legitimate) strong defense of her pro-choice position.

All the "moderate" Christians who couldn't stomach Trump before suddenly had no choice.

Essentially all Christian denominations + Mormons think abortion is murder. How can a candidate win a majority in a society where a plurality identifies as Christian and therefore probably takes that position?

Secularization of the majority, and the liberal culutral values that go with it just alienates these people more and more around abortion, gay rights, and most markedly, trans issues.

Although the devoutly religious are becoming more of a minority, they are far more homogeneously aligned on these core issues, and therefore easier to cohere around a "right wing" electoral block even when they do not think "right wing" around economic and political / international issues. They're willing to tolerate Trump on a whole pile of things as long as they feel he's accomplishing their "moral" goals -- and so far he mostly is.

Re: If America's so rich, how'd it get so sad?

#230

Post by reducesuffering » Thu, Apr 23, 2026, 5:28 PM UTC

conductr wrote: post #194

reducesuffering wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Eh, the wealthiest in America mostly live in spacious suburbs. They aren't very city-like, but they're not the same suburbs as GP mentioned either. In every wealthy metro, there will be a couple areas that the wealthiest coalesce around. Think Hillsborough/Atherton/Palo Alto, Carmel IN, Newton/Brookline MA, Beverly Hills, Greenwich County CT, River Oaks in Houston, Boulder CO, Scottsdale AZ, etc

I’m from Houston originally and tried to describe River Oaks exactly. It’s an old money suburb that is now “in the loop” before 40 miles of sprawl in every direction. This and a few other places like it are where most wealthy people in Houston live. A suburb like Katy is great for a “rich” petroleum engineer and what not. But wealth is something else.

Ah, when I reread it, your description is fairly aligned. I think it was the description of "inner-city" that threw me off. I don't think people think "inner-city" when thinking of these wealthy suburban enclaves. I thought you were implying a more dense and urban environment, when these suburban enclaves are barely walkable at all.