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We are usually compared economically with the Scandanavian nations and Germany, cherry picked white nations. Liberals favor open immigration here but fantasize living in nations where everyone is white. A strange lot.
Not a racist, myself. May retire in Cebu.
Why Cebu and not Central America? Plenty of North American expat enclaves from Honduras to Panama now. Much closer to home when you need first class medical care.
This reminds me of an aquaintance I made online. A nice enough guy named Marcin. One day while waiting for some compiling stuff to finish, our chat got to "life". He lived in Norway. He didn't have a job. He had welfare. He was paid to stay home with his pregnant girlfriend.
Eventually, after much discussion, he said he could not imagine having to be responsible for his own well-being. The idea that if he didn't earn a living, he'd lose his home and all his "stuff" he said would have been so stressful and panic-inducing he'd not even be able to think to work.
I kinda liked him before then.
After that, I could not get past him being a wimp of the highest order. Afraid of being on his own. A child, at nearly 30.
No wonder Europe is dying.
I am not sure Marcin is a Norwegian name, actually I think it isn't. He probably is an immigrant who has trouble finding a job because of language or qualification issues. Migrants often make the mistake to think they move to a popular place such as Scandinavia and get a job just like that. Often their degrees and diplomas are not even accepted.
Nor is Norway typical of Europe. In most of Europe unemployed people get less hand-outs than in the US. Unemployment benefits run out pretty fast. Same goes for general assistance. We don't even have food stamps here.
Anyway, regarding the topic, I think Europe is neither superior nor inferior, just different. Depending on which priorities you have you will like either one better.
Since I like density and flair as well as dislike cars and business, I am quite happy in Europe, even in this poor little country where I live. We don't have that much money, but what we do have is priceless.
Europe is the cradle of Western civilization, and one can still feel that. Someone said it is dying, well, that is utter nonsense. It is evolving and changing, like it has been doing for thousands of years.
I'm an American who recently moved to Brussels. The quality of life here is so much better. Nice, dense neighborhoods, good public transit, very little signs of poverty, well paid workers, polite manners, sensible laws about guns, much lower rate of violent crime - the list goes on. If only America wasn't infested with ignorant republican yahoos, it too could enjoy the full benefits of being a western democracy. It's such a shame the non Yankee element keeps America from reaching it's potential.
In all fairness, Brussels is one of the dirtiest, traffic clogged, and least interesting European capitals. If I had to live in Belgium I'd pick Antwerp or Ghent over Brussels any day of the week.
Anyway, There is a lot of poverty in Europe. There are dilapidated neighborhoods and poor housing projects a plenty in Brussels and other European cities, especially in France, UK and Italy. They just have the social services that prevents many of these poor from turning to crime, and greater social mobility for those who try to get out of it.
Uh; there are 6 anglo white people to every "Hispanic" or Black person. So the 4 to 1 thing is still LESS white people out of 100 using those benefits. Too; us whites are usually older out of 100 and many employers WON'T hire people much above 55 or so.
When someone spews that "but more whites use benefits" they just show their ignorance and agenda. Sheer stupidity.
In all fairness, Brussels is one of the dirtiest, traffic clogged, and least interesting European capitals. If I had to live in Belgium I'd pick Antwerp or Ghent over Brussels any day of the week.
Anyway, There is a lot of poverty in Europe. There are dilapidated neighborhoods and poor housing projects a plenty in Brussels and other European cities, especially in France, UK and Italy. They just have the social services that prevents many of these poor from turning to crime, and greater social mobility for those who try to get out of it.
If Brussels is one the shoddier European cities, and I've heard it is, then Europe is definitely leaps and bounds beyond the US. This city is better than all but a handful of those in the US.
If Brussels is one the shoddier European cities, and I've heard it is, then Europe is definitely leaps and bounds beyond the US. This city is better than all but a handful of those in the US.
Urban life for your average Joe, Jose, or Jacque is better in most European cities than in the US. They unquestionably put more emphasis on quality of life issues and tend to subsidize sprawl a little less than we do in the US. That said I would never say that a European country is "better" than the US. Each country has it's own quirks, and once you leave the historic centers most European cities are characterless and UGLY. You just don't always need a car to experience it firsthand.
Its okay we are fine, no need to worry about us... considering you live across the ocean now..
Very easy to find good coffee, bread and beer...
On Urban planning - most people don't care about walkable and bikable communities.... considring they choose to buy single family homes in sprawled out suburbs... (not that its a bad thing, i don't worry or care about other peoples choices).
My hunch is that people buy homes in sprawled out suburbs because that's what's available. If there we're walkable communities with good houses, good public transportation, low crime and high performing public schools in the US they'd be extremely popular with buyers.
I'm an American who recently moved to Brussels. The quality of life here is so much better. Nice, dense neighborhoods, good public transit, very little signs of poverty, well paid workers, polite manners, sensible laws about guns, much lower rate of violent crime - the list goes on. If only America wasn't infested with ignorant republican yahoos, it too could enjoy the full benefits of being a western democracy. It's such a shame the non Yankee element keeps America from reaching it's potential.
Yes, because comparing a nation of 11 million to a nation of 315 million always gives one an accurate measure of superiority.
I'm an American who recently moved to Brussels. The quality of life here is so much better. Nice, dense neighborhoods, good public transit, very little signs of poverty, well paid workers, polite manners, sensible laws about guns, much lower rate of violent crime - the list goes on. If only America wasn't infested with ignorant republican yahoos, it too could enjoy the full benefits of being a western democracy. It's such a shame the non Yankee element keeps America from reaching it's potential.
Glad you moved. Hope you enjoy dense neighborhoods. Most of us choose the opposite. If the future of America looked like Brussels I think I would cut my wrists.
My hunch is that people buy homes in sprawled out suburbs because that's what's available. If there we're walkable communities with good houses, good public transportation, low crime and high performing public schools in the US they'd be extremely popular with buyers.
Millions of us buy homes in the suburbs because we like them. We like our space and don't like high crime dense neighborhoods.
Suburban homes are available because most people like them. Suburbs are market driven.
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