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PaperclipPerfector  7mo ago (text post)   25760 thread views

Culture War Roundup for the week of April 1, 2024

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Is the average white American actually much better off than the average west European?

Just going off household incomes, yes- the average white American is about 10% wealthier than the average dutchman, and most Western European countries are a bit poorer than the Netherlands. Obviously there’s intangibles but white Americans have a higher standard of living than any major country in Western Europe.

The average American is more affluent than the average west European but how much depends on how you define both affluence and western Europe.

The more striking difference is the level of UMC pay, where Americans really and unequivocally are much better off than their European counterparts.

UMC?

Upper middle class. 95-99.5th percentile.

I was too poor to know what that meant. :(

Upper middle class

By leaps and bounds. At least in my travels. It also depends on the criteria. If you don't like being fat then being born in Europe is much better, if you like having 50%-100% more disposable income, America is better. London was dirt cheap to me when I was there recently, and I don't come from a wealthy state. France and Portugal, even more affordable. I loved Germany, also affordable (bring cash), Prague was not as cheap as expected.

But yeah, generally prices were half or less what I would pay where I live, and salaries were also half, so in the states you make twice as much for the same job and you pay twice as much for food and lodging, hard goods are cheaper in the USA regardless. Best deal is earn in the USA and spend it elsewhere.

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