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You need a stronger correlation between cars and loneliness for your poll to be valid.
Alas ...
Agreed. I very much wish we had better public transit in this country, but it's for reasons other than loneliness. By the same token, I think loneliness, or perhaps more accurately, alienation, is a huge problem, but cars are not the first thing that comes to mind as a probable cause. It is just as possible to be lonely in "walkable" location.
I wish we had even close to the public transportation system available in much of Europe, including Denmark. If we did, then I would not really care about a car tax, because I don't like driving and would take public transport everywhere, like I do/did in London, Washington DC, Boston, etc.
From what I have seen many Americans have to work so hard, worry so much (Danes don't have to worry about bankruptcy for a Medical Bill or from losing their job).....that they have nothing left for community. They are lucky if they can even deal with family after giving everything they got to the Boss Man.
Also, remember, it's their experience of diversity that makes Danes - Danes. For example, a young sales manager at the company I worked with had already lived for years in Asia...both trading and working in an embassy. That's quite typical for Danes. Unlike Americans of the same caliber, you would never hear them talking about foreigners being "bad people".
They aren't angry. That's a big thing. The reason the USA makes such good music and cinema, etc. is that these undercurrents constantly run through our society. Suffering and loneliness make for much better drama and music than happiness.
BTW, 5 weeks paid vacation (besides the short work weeks and high pay) are LAW. Of course, that doesn't include many other weeks off.
When people have time for themselves and their families...THEN, they can have time for friends and others also.
I think you are absolutely onto something, and there is evidence to back up what you've said:
I also like what you said about diversity and working in foreign countries. I'm considering living in Tijuana and working in San Diego. Unfortunately, the reaction I get to this proposal from most Americans is negative, so I feel like I have to be careful about who I talk to about it.
I also like what you said about diversity and working in foreign countries. I'm considering living in Tijuana and working in San Diego. Unfortunately, the reaction I get to this proposal from most Americans is negative, so I feel like I have to be careful about who I talk to about it.
Those Americans sound like the Misery Loves Company types. My kids have been everywhere from Italy to India to Peru....and lived in Mexico while learning Spanish, etc.
They are very normal and have varied social lives and little loneliness. One has a 3 month old and was at the Theater last week and the cinema this week. They are going to Barcelona for 3 weeks in Jan....
How? Well, in the enlightened state where they live Mom gets up to 6 months (sometimes more) off for Maternity leave...and Dad does too.
I guess that illustrates the point to some degree. Time. The Golden Years are not Golden so if people don't live when they are young they often grow angrier and angrier when they realize that they were fooled out of much of their life.
Also, remember, it's their experience of diversity that makes Danes - Danes. For example, a young sales manager at the company I worked with had already lived for years in Asia...both trading and working in an embassy. That's quite typical for Danes. Unlike Americans of the same caliber, you would never hear them talking about foreigners being "bad people".
You seem to have missed the point. The Danes went to other countries. They didn't have a vast influx of foreigners most likely because they, like most countries have strict immigration laws. I guess you've never tried to work overseas. Just living there legally without working requires a large income because they don't want you going on welfare.
Plenty of Americans would like to work and live in foreign countries but they don't because they can't qualify under the immigration laws. Nothing to do with hating foreigners.
In the US we are currently experiencing a 'loneliness crisis' that has been widely reported. https://www.ajc.com/news/health-med-...3qZI8WlukHfpK/
It may be partially responsible for our increasing suicides and drug deaths, and in turn our declining lifespans.
We Americans spend much time in the sealed metal and glass boxes that we call automobiles. No wonder we are bereft of human contact!
The Danes have a convivial and cohesive society; this has even been proven by OECD studies. Denmark taxes the bejesus out of privately owned automobiles. Until just recently the Danes taxed economy cars at 105%, and higher-priced at 180%. There is also a VAT tax slapped on, and annual environment fees. As in most European nations, fuel is heavily taxed. The result is that Danes tend to get out of their steel and glass boxes, and onto bicycles and public transit. No wonder they don't have our loneliness crisis!
Do you agree that we should increase car taxes as a way to fight loneliness?
I don't know how convivial Danes are, or if gasoline taxes have anything to do with it at all, but they do have a cohesive, high-trust society. Why? Because they're relatively homogenous. In other words, a lack of diversity may be Denmark's greatest strength.
I The result is that Danes tend to get out of their steel and glass boxes, and onto bicycles
Riding a bicycle in a typical Danish winter. What could go wrong?
Winter in Denmark is cold, with an average temperature of January and February just above freezing (zero degrees Celsius or 32 degrees Fahrenheit) in Copenhagen. The days are very short (in December the sun sets at three in the afternoon), and temperature fluctuations between day and night are little...
During winter, the amount of sunshine is poor, in fact the sky is often overcast; wind can be intense, and precipitation is quite frequent
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