I don't get it... How can Americans can be dissatisfied with their standard of living? (apartment, countertops)

[fashionguy]

Hey it is not like if people think somewhere is fabulous they just pack and move there. There are so many people not happy living in their places and they know there is somewhere better. But they just can't move like birds. They have responsibilities, family roots, job and language concerns, etc, etc.

Originally Posted by SeattleWA

What ever socialist.

Why don't you move to Scandinavia (where they are in desperate need of children)? If you think they enjoy such a superior life style.

[HighPlainsDrifter73]

Originally Posted by nature's message

Note, that I only said China could overthrow America economically. China is actually growing at a fast pace, while America's economy has contracted.

And that's because big business has sent our manufacturing over there. If we hadn't done that, china would still be a crap hole. It's basically our fault that we are in a slow growth economy and a major recession.

[sxrckr]

You make a lot of great points.
Forgot to mention that while our health care isn't cheap, it's high quality and you don't have to wait for the government to tell you yes or no or where you can or can't go.

You want your answer? The sense of entitlement that many Americans of today have. The founding fathers would be appalled.

Originally Posted by greyUK

Hello, this is my first post although I have been reading around for a while with a view to emigrating although this is looking very very unlikely.

One thing I can understand is how Americans can be dissatisfied with their standard of living.

Compared to the UK the advantages are many with few drawbacks. I know one big thing that is always brought up is the welfare system with free healthcare. Yes this is an advantage but the amount of taxation for this is unjustified IMO.

Some points I have realised:

practically any suburban house is a mansion compared to our surburbia.

Everything is A LOT cheaper in US espacially gas

Although taxes vary from state to state even california's taxes are not on par with ours and the 17.5% (reduced to 15% for a year) sales tax we have drastically increases the prices of all goods.

Also salaries in US dwarf UK ones in like-for-like jobs. (Just looking at the average expected earnings of class of 2009 on MSN made me feel a little light headed)

So with all this money, low taxes, very very cheap property in most states (as a multiple of income and deffinatly when compared to UK), whats the problem?

Maybe its a case taking all this for granted as that's just the standard there.

I dont want this to be seen as an attack on anyone or anything, its just something I wanted to get the opinion of real americans on. (As I intend to stay here a while maybe set up a camp-bed, please dont be offended by this, first impressions count!)

[Chicago60614]

One thing is that for the past 70 years the US really hasn't had any "grounding" experiences that have shaken the country to the core. Of course we had 9-11, but it personally affected a very small portion of the US, and while it brought us together at the time, it didn't really change any of our choices as far as lifestyle, etc.

The USA hasn't had anything that's shown its people that just because they want everything, doesn't actually mean they CAN have it. We came out of WWII the only even remotely powerful nation that wasn't bombed to hell or devasted in many ways.

The dust settled and when everyone looked around we were the only ones standing completely intact and holding all the guns and money. We capitalized on that and never looked back. Got so far ahead of the pack, especially after the false front of the USSR collapsed in chaos and bankruptcy, that we've never been contested until now.

We rode high through the 1990's, but it's finally gotten to the point where our thirst for "things" is FAR FAR above what we can rationally afford. That's why our trade balance is hundreds of billions of dollars in the red, and our personal, state and federal finances are tens of trillions of dollars in debt.

We just keep borrowing from other countries to feed our needs, but obviously at some point in the next 10 or 15 years I'd say the party will have to end, and it's going to end VERY bad for our standards of living compared to how we're doing at the moment.

We obviously need a wakeup call that our current standard of living is completely fabricated on many levels, and we're only funding it through needing constant growth that feeds off itself and mostly debt.

[John Shaft]

I can understand why there are some Scandanavian countries on that "top quality of life list," but...IRELAND? They have Guiness, but that's pretty much it. And it's nearly canceled out by Lord of the Dance.

[GermanCiticen]

all@

I´m sorry, you live in a great country with various people and many cultures within your borders, but many of you are Moderator removed - no need to generalize and name call.
The neoliberal ideology - private ownership/poession is all; poverty is your own fault - is poisening your society even more than mine

it´s not all about material wealth and size ... why so many americans don´t want to pay taxes for social aid programs? do you want to see the poor, the unskilled, the alcohol/drugaddict (it´s not easy to quit; you don´t know how he/she came in this situation), or the single mother starving?

Don´t you feel sad when you see the crappy homes of many of your citizens (trailers, substandard wooden houses, shack- like slumhouses, tent cities) or the living condition of the homeless - in a country with so many millionairs?

I didn´t visit america yet, buit i know from my american friends and many reports and internet- pages, that there is a huge income gap in america, even between the lower class/working poor class and the middle class, much substandard housing, homeless and bad public service (health care for low incomers, public transport, social aid/welfare, heating costs in rural homes),

also city- planning (buisy inner cities with public space, car- free shopping miles, nice bars/restaurants, bike ways ...), safety and freetime are important factors

If you don´t ignore these factors, america won´t be the only paradise on earth no more!

Not everyone is living in a safe suburb in his big house (payed by private loans/credits?) with a big yard (i don´t deny, it´s nice), big cars, big TVs, a big refrigator and other big things ...

i don´t want to say, that Germany is better ... no no freedom of speech is limited, unsatisfied people/pessimism everywhere, xenophobia is widespread, but the public services are better, allthough in decline because of the language removed privatisation!

[jacksonian]

Originally Posted by Hoarfrost

Americans have different priorities. America is the most consuming nation in the world. Sure we save a lot of money by having lower income tax, but that money is spent on things like large houses and fancy cars(in part because any non-car related transport in most cities is horridly under built and underfunded)and private education. And then you factor in the astronomical costs of health care and Higher Education... Meanwhile, Europeans pay higher taxes, have less discretionary income, but have safer cities to live in, better transportation so they are not car dependent, no cost or low cost high education and health benefits, and public schools they can trust their children in.

I think there is a great need for Americans to rethink where our priorities should be. Especially in light of the collapse of our economy due to the ever expanding need to borrow and deregulate to keep consumption up with production.

Very well said

[jacksonian]

Originally Posted by SeattleWA

Danes, Norwegians, and the Irish may think they are living the high life when responding to these studies. You know, living in a bathroom sized house, paying incredible taxes, eating bad food, being utterly irrelevant in world affairs but inferior nations have lower standards.

I just want to jump in real quick about the topic of "living in bathroom sized houses." For one, it is a shame that there are actual master bathrooms in US homes that are larger than entire homes in Europe. Second, the average European home is not that much smaller than our homes located in urban areas of the US. There are plenty of 300 s.f. apartments in Manhattan.

How much room do you really need to feel comfortable, provide food, shelter and clothes for you and your family, and entertain guests? Do we all "need" 2 car garages, 2 gas guzzling SUVs to go in the garage, 1/2 acre lots of grass, pools, hot tubs, home movie theaters, home gyms, gourmet kitchens, and sidewalks that lead to nowhere? Just a few reasons the quality of life is better there is:
1) smaller buildings create smaller pollution
2) smaller buildings are more sustainable, doing more with less while still providing needed services
3) dense development leads to more healthy lifestyles, ie less dependence on cars = more pedestrian friendly environment
4) pedestrian friendly environments strengthen community values, thus enhancing social impact

[GermanCiticen]

Just a few reasons the quality of life is better there is:
1) smaller buildings create smaller pollution
2) smaller buildings are more sustainable, doing more with less while still providing needed services
3) dense development leads to more healthy lifestyles, ie less dependence on cars = more pedestrian friendly environment
4) pedestrian friendly environments strengthen community values, thus enhancing social impact

well spoken

Also the housing quality is a factor. In america the houses in wealthy suburb areas are very big, but the building material is lower quality than here.

and many trailer residents (in rural regions one in six, on some back roads one in three) have health problems because of the chemistry in the building material!

Yes a big garden with grass and a swimming pool is a nice thing, but you also can live without it. In Germany there are public swimming pools in every town.

[city_data91]

Smaller buildings can actually lead to a larger population. They lead to a higher population density. The more people you have in one area, the higher the potential population is.