Why Don't Americans Understand How Poor Their Lives Are? • Hacker News Board

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

#161

Post by ekianjo » Thu, Apr 04, 2019, 1:11 PM UTC

rorykoehler wrote: post #140

ekianjo wrote: post #123

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Most Americans enjoy a level of live that Most Europeans can only dream of. Large cars, very large houses, every product they buy is at least 20 to 30% cheaper, they have access to the latest technologies... the list goes on and on. Hobbies do not make up for the lack of opportunities.

I never realised buying crap you don't need equated to a better life.

> you don't need

technically you don't need anything to live. Maybe a roof. A cover to sleep at night and keep you warm. Food to eat everyday, and that's about it. So where you draw the line as to "crap you don't need" is going to be an interesting question. Do you need a computer/phone to post comments on HN to live?

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

#162

Post by alexandercrohde » Thu, Apr 04, 2019, 1:11 PM UTC

JackFr wrote: post #117

exelius wrote: post #28

Americans don’t travel. If we did, we wouldn’t buy the myth of American exceptionalism. But then, we are largely becoming a country controlled by global financial interests rather than the population. Money is the deciding factor in our elections, and the most concentrated forms of wealth out there are sovereign wealth funds and large multinational corporations whose executives are largely above the law. Which means…

> Americans don’t travel. If we did, we wouldn’t buy the myth of American exceptionalism. That’s some serious middle school wisdom. I’ve travelled a fair amount, and I find the myth of American exceptionalism to be no more prevalent that the myths of French, Moroccan, Swiss and Japanese exceptionalism. The thing about the belief in American exceptionalism, is that it’s not exceptional at all. When you travel and you…

That's probably true, but it doesn't rebut the central thesis that travel makes one realize how not-exceptional their own country is and how people everywhere are the same.

In fact, you're kind of agreeing.

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

#163

Post by craigsmansion » Thu, Apr 04, 2019, 1:11 PM UTC

ekianjo wrote: post #123

0xDEFC0DE wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, we convince people if they kill themselves for corporate, they'll get a minuscule slice of money from the top. American dream and all that. At least people in Europe have hobbies.

Most Americans enjoy a level of live that Most Europeans can only dream of. Large cars, very large houses, every product they buy is at least 20 to 30% cheaper, they have access to the latest technologies... the list goes on and on. Hobbies do not make up for the lack of opportunities.

I'm unsure if you're being cheekily ironic about American stereotypes, but everything you mention as an example of "level of life" is stuff, and how stuff's bigger and better and cheaper.

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

#164

Post by AlexTWithBeard » Thu, Apr 04, 2019, 1:11 PM UTC

huffmsa wrote: post #42

robenkleene wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why do you think those people write poetry instead of creating side project businesses?

Regulations. Plain and simple. Your employees aren't allowed to work their asses off. They're going to expect to be able to get to work at 10, and be home by 5.

What if I personally prefer to work a bit longer every day, but retire a bit earlier?

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

#165

Post by aikinai » Thu, Apr 04, 2019, 1:11 PM UTC

ekianjo wrote: post #123

0xDEFC0DE wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, we convince people if they kill themselves for corporate, they'll get a minuscule slice of money from the top. American dream and all that. At least people in Europe have hobbies.

Most Americans enjoy a level of live that Most Europeans can only dream of. Large cars, very large houses, every product they buy is at least 20 to 30% cheaper, they have access to the latest technologies... the list goes on and on. Hobbies do not make up for the lack of opportunities.

I was about to comment on how ridiculous this statement is, but on second thought I’m not sure, is this a parody?

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

#166

Post by drcode » Thu, Apr 04, 2019, 1:12 PM UTC

The days when typical food and drink in Europe is better than in the US are also mostly gone. Whenever I go to a fancy restaurant in, say Frankfurt, it doesn't measure up to a comparable restaurant in my home town of Chicago (with the exception of ethnic German restaurants, which are often pretty good)

Same with coffee: Twenty years ago German coffee shops had superior coffee to American ones, but whereas American coffee has vastly improved, European shops have in general been content to remain static in quality.

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

#167

Post by ozzyman700 » Thu, Apr 04, 2019, 1:12 PM UTC

Improvotter wrote: post #80

TuringNYC wrote: post #15

A lot depends on your particulars. I'm a minority and the US is great because I can earn opportunities my relatives in some other countries would not be allowed. In some other countries, your ethnicity/background/religion would get in the way far more than in the US. This is not to say we don't have room for improvement, we do. Just that we're more meritocratic than certain other first world countries. I know this ju…

> In some other countries, your ethnicity/background/religion would get in the way far more than in the US. I completely disagree. I'm from Europe and applied to a few American-based companies and they all had these ridiculous forms related to anti-discrimination and the like. Is it that big of a problem in the US? That's whay I'm asking myself when I have to fill in those forms. Why do you have to know my ethnicity?…

Those forms are so companies can prove they do not have systemic racism in their hiring practices. afaik for some government contracts a higher % of minorities is a positive factor (as would lower bid price).

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

#168

Post by graphitezepp » Thu, Apr 04, 2019, 1:12 PM UTC

bepotts wrote: post #106

cribbles wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> One reason that Europe has very few innovative new companies created in the last 25 years is that everyone is at the coffee shop writing poetry. This does not dispute the central point of the quoted piece, which is that the quality of life of most Americans is very poor contrast to that of the average person in some subset of European countries. I would wager that most coffee shop employees are more concerned with…

Americans don't believe the onus is on the whole to make sure the individual lives a happy life. We just don't have the collectivist culture the Europeans have. I think this is a great thing, and is why America is where most of the innovation, cultural, and political power is. I personally have lower taxes, high quality healthcare, and live in an awesome location, and I got all of that through an education and traini…

Absolute fantasy.

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

#169

Post by Tor3 » Thu, Apr 04, 2019, 1:12 PM UTC

lumberjack wrote: post #79

I am European, but I understand why America is the way it is. America is a country of strangers trying to coexist. They cannot agree on what way of life is the best so they cannot have strong convictions, and thus they cannot have government programs as intrusive as countries in Europe. All the good things in our European countries come at the cost of choice. Yes, we have universal healthcare, but it is mandatory and…

In most European countries you also have access to private healthcare that you (or your employer) have to pay for.

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

#170

Post by jki275 » Thu, Apr 04, 2019, 1:12 PM UTC

UpperBodyEimi wrote: post #111

irrational wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you are seeing commercials, you are doing it wrong.

I'm confused by this, how do you avoid commercials. From watching the off NFL game there's even like pre-commercial commercials. "Brought to you by and the official drink of and McDonalds - I'm loving it".

tivo, netflix, amazon prime, hulu, etc.

I don't watch network tv anymore. Well, I don't actually watch TV at all, but you get the picture.