Originally Posted by
NotMrNiceGuy
10X? Wow. That sounds like a lot.
The only people that think that superficial view of Europe vs. the US are doing so through their convenient political lens. Look, I love Europe. Fantastic locations, history, and scenery. There may even be a case that QOL there if you make less than $45K/€/£. But above that threshold, it’s not even close.
Tech:
US - Google, Facebook, Twitter, Uber, Netflix, Amazon, Apple, etc.
Europe - Nokia?
Education:
US - 7 out of top 10 universities in the world. Other three in the UK.
Transportation:
I’m guessing you like the train system? It’s true, many major EURO cities have great subway systems and city infrastructure. But beyond that, the trains were unreliable and not punctual. Plan an extra 45 minutes for everything (German/Italy) experience.
Welfare/Social Programs:
This is where it’s political. If that’s what you like, then it’s probably some kind of Utopia to you. But in Germany, those folks pay between 7-8% of gross for that healthcare. The UK is no different. Denmark is off the charts. Not to mention employer contribution of the same percentage. That’s more than three times what comes out of my paycheck. And the actual care? My wife had a baby here and abroad. The level of care is not the same. She said she felt like she was at a five star resort having the baby here in the US. No sharing rooms with other patients. Own bathroom. Meals that consisted of more than just bread and cheese.
Europe is definitely first world and is really nice. But nowadays, Americans tend to forget why their ancestors came here. Until you actually experience it, I think that European mystique is more hype than substance. It’s just annoying to hear over and over how incredible Europe is by those that just repeat talking points and have never spent any meaningful time there.
I disagree (also on the 10x statement). I have made the jump from the US to Europe and have not regretted the move so far. Before this thread drift turns into “dick bank“ level, like six year olds in the locker room stating that theirs is bigger than anyone else's, here are a my two cents and personal experiences:
Who really cares if big tech or any tech comes from the US right now? If you wanna buy a fancy iphone, you still have to fork over a grand. Patriotic or nationalistic pride is not gonna get you any discount. Do Bavarians get a discount if they buy a Beamer? If I had time, I could list all those items where Europe is in the lead. Then again, dick bank level.
Education: Your university comparison only reflects to a tiny percentage of people in the US. And what is the “top“ based on? Who made those comparisons and based on what? The US universities are quite arrogant in rejecting any foreign university degrees and brag about being top in the world. The broad picture is different, ask people who went to school or university in Europe and the US.
Transportation: Have you had the opportunity to be stuck on I-95 or I-10 for several hours or any other major road? It sucks! At least there's an alternative in Europe by using rail. If you complain about the German railway, that's because the government has privatized the rail system. Service went south, prices up and yet over 65% of infrastructure funds went to highways. The result is a constant mess, late trains, parking lots on many Autobahns, especially in the Rhein-Ruhr/NRW area.
Healthcare: Incomplete picture of what you described. In Germany, there's a difference between Kassenpatient or Privatpatient, roughly translated as standard vs private. Many middle class citizens are privately insured and they do get their own bed in the hospital if they are “fortunate“ enough to having to go there. In the US I had to pay over $5000 for the birth of my son (with our AA health insurance), another $1500 when he had a mosquito bite close to his eye and he was sent to the ER. A friend of mine who wasn't feeling well, was told he had the flu while he visited us in Texas. We went to several docs and were prescribed crap. He returned to evil Europe and was sent straight to the ER – Guillain – Barre syndrome. Docs were scratching their heads how this was missed.
Why did Europeans come here? Wars, famine, religious prosecutions etc.
I could continue on and on. One thing to note is that regional differences play an important role.
A Brit that spent 25+ years in SoCal told me that living in the US with the same quality from Western Europe with regards to education, healthcare etc. has a very high price tag.
I spent time in both continents, well over a decade in each. There are two sides or more to every story or comparison. I love the US and Europe for many reasons and I dislike the US and Europe for many reasons. The good news is the my dislike applies mostly to people and I found plenty of anti-social things to do.