Why is the quality of life in the U. S. much better than in Europe?

[Anonymous]

I'm Vietnamese-American with relatives in Europe, who fled there after the Communists took over Vietnam. I visited my aunt and uncle in Germany and was surprised that they live in a townhome, sharing half a house with other people. Yes, townhomes exist in America, but my uncle is a high-position employee at a German tech company. In America, he could buy a $400,000+ house, not living in a townhome. Their house has no A/C, and they open windows to keep cool. And I thought my bedroom in the U. S. was small; my cousin's bedroom is only big enough for a bed, closet, and desk. Can't even fit a TV.

They also hang-dry clothes outside in the yard. I'm sure he makes more money than my parents over here in America do, and yet it seems his quality of life isn't on par. Same for my other aunt and uncle in france.

[Anonymous]

The problem you are having is garbage in, garbage out.

You have incorrectly presupposed that your uncle has no choice but to be in that situation which is clearly absurd if you are truly comparing like with like.

Regarding AC, people could have it if they wanted it, its just not that popular in Europe.

Regarding hanging clothes outside, this is nothing to do with money, it is a preference and in fact having your own space in which to air dry your clothes has more prestige than owning a tumbler drier. This is not why it is done however, those people air drying their clothes also have a tumble drier which they could use if they wanted to.

[vald9inches]

Trust me living in the US is worse than living Vietnam and worse than living in any 3rd world country! The reason why people live like that in Europe is because of culture! Its considered bad manners and rude to show off wealth and have more than what you need! They are very humble and humane unlike the brainwashed capitalist slave sheep in the US where their only purpose in life is to be consumer and cogs in a machine. Trust me people are way happier and have more dignity and leisure time in Europe than retarded americans

[Asker]

Europe is where you want to vacation, not live. Europe is full of beautiful scenery and history that America doesn't have. But it's not where I would want to live. My uncle and his household of 4 live in a townhome, where they share half a house. In the U. S., he can easily buy a big house with the money he makes.

[DryGermanGuy]

So he could buy a big house in New York or San Francisco? Because Frankfurt is one of the most expensive cities in Germany. Location, location, location!

[DryGermanGuy]

From these small observations you deduced the quality of life would be better in the U. S. than in Europe? You must be joking, kiddo. Food and drink quality, public transportation, public healthcare, public education, work/life balance, no gun violence, no opioid crisis, no aggressive police force, no insane legal system, developed cities with culture and a soul...

Europe is not a paradise, many countries have their unique set of problems, but you couldn't pay me to live in the United States.

[Asker]

I literally saw a group of drug junkies sharing needles in downtown frankfurt in front of the police, who stood there and did nothing. Those types of problems exist everywhere.

And yeah, that's what my uncle in Germany would say. He's never been to the U. S. before and said he doesn't plan to. People just get used to where they live. Like in Vietnam, little kids have to sell lottery tickets to support their families. They're just used to it. I guess my uncle is just used to paying 6 euros or more for water at every restaurant, hang-drying his clothes outside, and living in a crammed house with a small kitchen and utensils everywhere.

[DryGermanGuy]

Yes, the open drug scene is a problem specific to downtown Frankfurt (these laissez-faire mistakes were made some ~30 years ago). They need to address it rather sooner than later. In Munich, for example, nobody would dare to behave that way.
Regarding the house, as I mentioned already, location is the key, worldwide. Your uncle could easily buy a bigger house in one of the suburbs if he wanted to. So, I am assuming he likes the pure city life more, including driving to his job site on a bicycle, or being able to shop everywhere on foot. It comes down to personal preference.

[Asker]

I had to check but he lives in Burgholzhausen vor der Hohe, which is 20 km from Frankfurt. So I guess it is the suburbs. And yet he still lives in a townhouse.

[DryGermanGuy]

That is a suburb, yes, and a very old one. Nice! Building estate in these sort of villages is rather limited and the councils do not sell land for huge detached houses. Also there is a lot of pressure on the market from commuting people drawn to the metro area (~5,7 million people currently).

[Anonymous]

I was in Nam last year. You know, there's lots of things you expect in war... Carnage, the sleepless nights... But what they don't prepare you for is the incessant use of "Fortunate Son." I'd hear that song any time I was in a helicopter. Or taking a swift boat deep into the jungle, that song again.

My pen¡s would even play "Fortunate Son" while I was visiting a whorehouse.

[Guy13]

Americans do not realize how good they have it until travel to SE and Central Asia. India, Africa, Middle East, and Europe now apparently. I have never been to Europe 🤷🏻‍♂️

[vald9inches]

If they do travel there they realize its better and don't come back lmfao

[Guy13]

@vald9inches This is an accurate statement as it relates to Thailand. Paradise in the Land of Smiles (Developing World).

[WonderBell99]

I respectfully disagree with your opinion. USA is far worse than the so called third world countries.

[WonderBell99]

And it certainly looks like you have never visited central and South Asia. Not everyone in those countries are poor. There are also homeless people in USA.

[Asker]

@WonderBell99 There are homeless people everywhere. In Germany, which is one of the richest countries in Europe, I saw a group of dirty homeless drug addicts sharing needles in downtown frankfurt. This question is not about homeless people. I'm saying in America, you have more opportunities to improve your life if you work hard than in Europe. A man working in a tech company like my uncle would be living in a spacious house if he were in America.

[Guy13]

@WonderBell99 Fool, you apparently can not read… I lived there. I own and/or operate either residential or commercial or manufacturing property in some of those places itemized

[vald9inches]

The only opportunity you have in America is to be enslaved and in debt!! Lmfao 😂 i mean you seriously think there is opportunity in the US when HOUSING, HEALTHCARE, AND EDUCATION are the most expensive in the world? AND ITS NOT EVEN THE BEST! The US constantly ranks one of the worst in all of those things globally across all developed nations! You sound like you come from a rich family so your views and beliefs are highly warped and biased but if you ever become a normal or poor individual you will see that the US is actually one of the worst places to live and the average life expectancy is actually going down! Lmfao 😂

[vald9inches]

@Guy13 she said it seems you haven't because you said you have never been to Europe she never claimed for certain you have never traveled to anywhere in Asia

[WonderBell99]

@guy13 and you have lived in all of the south Asian and central Asian countries? That’s debatable

[WonderBell99]

Besides, you have never once mentioned that you have lived in at least one of the above countries. My grammar and language is quite good, thank you very much. USA is developing, but backwards. I can certainly say that in many central and south Asian countries, women still have plenty rights.. I cannot say the same about America.

[vald9inches]

@WonderBell99 Especially after the embarrassment of the overturn of Roe v Wade and abortion rights! I mean even in one of the most backward islamic country in the world women still have the right to an abortion! What the hell does that say about the US supposedly "greatest #1 country in the world" lmfao 😂

[Astarlessnightsky]

Drying clothes in the yard is energy efficient amd saves money, also the clothes smell nice. And only a handfull of homes in germany got an AC, its really rare.

[exitseven]

It is a country where people are free to pursue their dreams. Most have started small businesses and were free to follow their destiny. There is a lot of upward mobility.

[OddBeMe]

1) europeans are much happier based on stats.
2) AC is an issue for Americans when we go over there. I think its more culture. We run our ACs like crazy

[Asker]

Europeans are probably "happier" because they're used to having less than us Americans. In America, when you're rich, you want to buy a new bigger house, get a new bigger car, etc. Meanwhile, my uncle's been working at his company for 10+ years and yet he still shares half a house with random strangers. Less upward mobility in Europe.

[FilmGuy93]

It’s just a slower pace of living. Also, the US takes care of a considerable amount of Europe’s defense costs.

[driven159]

That's why most foreigners are jealous of Americans

[Avicenna]

Is he in Munich, by any chance?

[Avicenna]

Most buildings don't have AC there because it usually doesn't get as hot in the summer as it does in the US.

[Asker]

Frankfurt

[Avicenna]

That's also an expensive area and Germany is more densely populated than the US. It's also a thriftier culture where savings rates are somewhat higher.

[Avicenna]

Now, the lack of dryer puzzles me- a lot of places have a dryer above a washer, but you also have to buy both on your own- they and a kitchen rarely come with a home and usually have to be purchased separately, as do wardrobes.

[Avicenna]

IMHO, there are tradeoffs. He gets more vacation than he probably would in the US.

[Asker]

I agree with the vacation part. Before I traveled to Germany, my dad called him to let him know that we'd be visiting, and so my uncle got a week off of work to take us to various places near frankfurt. In the U. S., asking for a week off of work isn't easy.

On the other hand, I don't know how I would feel living in a crammed half-house, where I have no A/C and have to open windows to keep cool. :/

[Avicenna]

You get used to it. The hanging out the clothes to dry bit is something I found more onerous.

[In_Trance]

I don't think either is better

[Anonymous]

Why don't they buy a dryer?

[Asker]

It uses a lot of power and is costly. Most people in Europe hang-dry their clothes in the balcony or yard. I've seen the same done in Italy and England.