Most of us have no idea what life is like in other developed countries. I’m extremely lucky to have grown up overseas but also extremely unlucky, because I know what I’m missing.
Americans are quite insulated. To a lot of Americans, America is the whole world. And I kind of understand why they think that, America is huge.
Some of it is just straight up brainwashing though, the founding mythology of America is “freedom”. Americans have been told they are the free-est of the free for centuries, even though that isn’t remotely true.
Insulation from the rest of the world + centuries of brainwashing isn’t a good combination.
I’ve worked overtime (over 40 hours) maybe a dozen times in my life.
I get 6 weeks of paid time off.
The average McDonald’s worker works 20 hours of “required” overtime per year, and overtime is discouraged company wide. Same with Walmart. They average 25 paid days off at McDonalds
The average Walmart worker gets 4 weeks of vacation per year.
I don’t know anyone that works 60 hours weekly aside from high level executives who make half a million dollars per year, or medical workers who get 40+ days off per year and have top salaries.
If there is one thing we can be thankful for given this current US administration it is that the whole “are Americans idiots?” debate has conclusively been put to bed.
If you work more than 40 hours a week, productivity goes down. Americans don’t seem to be unproductive people, so I think most work much less than 60 hours a week. It turns out “Freedom” is there.
I feel like this is a goddamn myth. I know one person who works 60 hours a week and everyone I know takes 2-3 weeks vacation. I’ve been in the workforce for 35 years. I’ve never seen this so called 60 hour work week and no vacations.
Because they’re too ignorant to know about how the rest of the world actually functions, and conditioned to believe that what they have is the gold-standard.
I was in the air force. Only really worked when I was deployed, otherwise I sat around and studied stuff for deployment. 40 hours a week, 30 days vacation, free healthcare, free housing, free food etc. And by my 7 year mark i was pulling 80k.
I couldn’t imagine working a regular job in America
Implicit in your question is that the two are incompatible. As if choosing to work 60 hours a week and not having paid vacation makes someone unfree. Freedom also means freedom to work hard and dedicate your life to work.
Freedom in terms of American culture means just free from British Loyalism. Think of the Republic of Ireland, for example, they have a mixed welfare system but lacks free at point of use healthcare. However, Irish people celebrate freedom from British Loyalism.
“How“? I assume they open their mouths and start chatting. Maybe over email, text or other form of non-verbal communication too if need be. Americans are pretty chatty I’ve found, so I don’t suppose it matters what hours they work or if they had no paid vacation…..they’ll still talk about it. You’re welcome.
They choose to work more hours because it’s a capitalistic country. No one is forced to work 60 hours but USA was formed by hard working immigrants and its a type of culture.
Try working overtime in Europe and you’ll notice it’s not worth the taxes.
to americans “freedom” is mainly about being allowed to do stuff, with little consideration about actually being capable of doing stuff and or that others might use the same freedom against you.
to non europeans “freedom” is mainly about not having to worry about stuff, especially not having to worry about things that might happen to you at the hands of others.
the gun ownership and healthcare discussions are exactly about that. to an american being allowed to own and carry a gun is freedom. to a non american guns being as good as banned is freedom, because they don’t have to worry about others carrying a gun and using it against them. to an american being allowed to have or not have health insurance freely chosing your insurer is freedom. to a non american not having to worry about healthcare, because no matter what happens, you will always have access to healthcare is freedom.
all this is to say that for americans freedom is the freedom to act/speak/do, while for non americans freedom is the freedom from fear/insecurity/danger.
Because that’s nowhere near as common as you think it is. According to google the average work week in the US is 34.5 hours. Just a little over half of 60. And the average amount of paid vacation days is 11.
But to answer your question: American freedom is about rights. We still have to pay for things. Paying for things requires money. Money requires work. Businesses have the freedom to charge whatever they want for their products. Consumers have the right to buy whatever they want.
Freedom is not the same as having everything handed to you without providing anything in return.
Freedom is defined as: the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint.
It’s largely an illusion built on the past and what could be if you are rich.
Similar reason to Americans thinking the USA is the “best country in the world” when in fact it is the fattest, education rankings are dropping, debt is crippling, health system is a disaster etc.
There’s loads of other countries with perhaps less opportunity for an idea to get financial backing by angel investors, I will at least admit that
Because I’m in a union and I work 40 hours a week and get a month and change off per year. Our freedom is buried under violent negotiation. Unions or death!
The difference between real life and the internet is pretty large.
There is an old saying “If you have good service you tell 1 person, if you have bed service you tell 10”. The internet has kind of blown this way our of proportion, it has given those that are dissatisfied the ability to express themselves to an even wider audience.
No all of us are like that. I’m always at 40 hours with 2 weeks of vacation along with some personal days and holidays. Next year I’ll get a 3rd week of vacation.
Which Americans are you referring to? I work 37.5 hours a week from home and have 4 weeks PTO. My husband works 40 hours and has 3 weeks PTO plus sick time.
Sure, some people have shitty jobs but I don’t know a single person who works 60 hours a week with no paid vacation so not really sure what you’re talking about.
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Most of us have no idea what life is like in other developed countries. I’m extremely lucky to have grown up overseas but also extremely unlucky, because I know what I’m missing.
You think we all work 60 hrs/week? LOL
the median american work week is under 40 hours, and the vast majority of full time workers have paid leave.
I have about a month of paid vacation and only work 40 hours, unless I sign up for overtime…
Americans are quite insulated. To a lot of Americans, America is the whole world. And I kind of understand why they think that, America is huge.
Some of it is just straight up brainwashing though, the founding mythology of America is “freedom”. Americans have been told they are the free-est of the free for centuries, even though that isn’t remotely true.
Insulation from the rest of the world + centuries of brainwashing isn’t a good combination.
Freedom to work more goddamit!
those that work 60 hours a week are not poor, and they likely to enjoy working that much.
Why do Americans never understand that they’re only as free as they’re allowed to be
I do very, very, very well for myself.
I’ve worked overtime (over 40 hours) maybe a dozen times in my life.
I get 6 weeks of paid time off.
The average McDonald’s worker works 20 hours of “required” overtime per year, and overtime is discouraged company wide. Same with Walmart. They average 25 paid days off at McDonalds
The average Walmart worker gets 4 weeks of vacation per year.
I don’t know anyone that works 60 hours weekly aside from high level executives who make half a million dollars per year, or medical workers who get 40+ days off per year and have top salaries.
If there is one thing we can be thankful for given this current US administration it is that the whole “are Americans idiots?” debate has conclusively been put to bed.
Democracy and freedom of speech
If you work more than 40 hours a week, productivity goes down. Americans don’t seem to be unproductive people, so I think most work much less than 60 hours a week. It turns out “Freedom” is there.
The only real freedom in the US is that afforded by money.
Most Americans are not working 60 hours a week and we do have paid vacations. Not like other countries, but we don’t live lives like you suggest.
Idk man
Some of us want to work 60 hours and I have the freedom to do it.
They use a variation of Soviet “decadence theory” which suggests while you technically don’t have to work 60 hours a week it’d be a moral failing.
Salty euro tard
I feel like this is a goddamn myth. I know one person who works 60 hours a week and everyone I know takes 2-3 weeks vacation. I’ve been in the workforce for 35 years. I’ve never seen this so called 60 hour work week and no vacations.
Because they’re too ignorant to know about how the rest of the world actually functions, and conditioned to believe that what they have is the gold-standard.
I was in the air force. Only really worked when I was deployed, otherwise I sat around and studied stuff for deployment. 40 hours a week, 30 days vacation, free healthcare, free housing, free food etc. And by my 7 year mark i was pulling 80k.
I couldn’t imagine working a regular job in America
Implicit in your question is that the two are incompatible. As if choosing to work 60 hours a week and not having paid vacation makes someone unfree. Freedom also means freedom to work hard and dedicate your life to work.
I work 36 hours a week. Currently have about 400 hours of vacation.
Just because Americans talk about it doesn’t mean they time to actually do it.
Freedom in terms of American culture means just free from British Loyalism. Think of the Republic of Ireland, for example, they have a mixed welfare system but lacks free at point of use healthcare. However, Irish people celebrate freedom from British Loyalism.
Very obviously you’ve spoken to one person who has that arrangement or read a clickbaity/bias confirming “news” article.
“How“? I assume they open their mouths and start chatting. Maybe over email, text or other form of non-verbal communication too if need be. Americans are pretty chatty I’ve found, so I don’t suppose it matters what hours they work or if they had no paid vacation…..they’ll still talk about it. You’re welcome.
They choose to work more hours because it’s a capitalistic country. No one is forced to work 60 hours but USA was formed by hard working immigrants and its a type of culture.
Try working overtime in Europe and you’ll notice it’s not worth the taxes.
Idk where you’re from but we probably beat you in a war
And retirement being optional
Before Trump 2, my family agreed on the argument “At least we’re not North Korea, Iran, China, Russia, etc.”
to americans “freedom” is mainly about being allowed to do stuff, with little consideration about actually being capable of doing stuff and or that others might use the same freedom against you.
to non europeans “freedom” is mainly about not having to worry about stuff, especially not having to worry about things that might happen to you at the hands of others.
the gun ownership and healthcare discussions are exactly about that. to an american being allowed to own and carry a gun is freedom. to a non american guns being as good as banned is freedom, because they don’t have to worry about others carrying a gun and using it against them. to an american being allowed to have or not have health insurance freely chosing your insurer is freedom. to a non american not having to worry about healthcare, because no matter what happens, you will always have access to healthcare is freedom.
all this is to say that for americans freedom is the freedom to act/speak/do, while for non americans freedom is the freedom from fear/insecurity/danger.
Because that’s nowhere near as common as you think it is. According to google the average work week in the US is 34.5 hours. Just a little over half of 60. And the average amount of paid vacation days is 11.
But to answer your question: American freedom is about rights. We still have to pay for things. Paying for things requires money. Money requires work. Businesses have the freedom to charge whatever they want for their products. Consumers have the right to buy whatever they want.
Freedom is not the same as having everything handed to you without providing anything in return.
Freedom is defined as: the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint.
Bad bot
It’s largely an illusion built on the past and what could be if you are rich.
Similar reason to Americans thinking the USA is the “best country in the world” when in fact it is the fattest, education rankings are dropping, debt is crippling, health system is a disaster etc.
There’s loads of other countries with perhaps less opportunity for an idea to get financial backing by angel investors, I will at least admit that
Because I’m in a union and I work 40 hours a week and get a month and change off per year. Our freedom is buried under violent negotiation. Unions or death!
I have paid vacations
The difference between real life and the internet is pretty large.
There is an old saying “If you have good service you tell 1 person, if you have bed service you tell 10”. The internet has kind of blown this way our of proportion, it has given those that are dissatisfied the ability to express themselves to an even wider audience.
Effective propaganda for decades
No all of us are like that. I’m always at 40 hours with 2 weeks of vacation along with some personal days and holidays. Next year I’ll get a 3rd week of vacation.
Because they can have guns and that makes up for the lack of everything else
Work will set you free.
Dazed and Confused for sure….Creech & Chong up in smoke
I don’t know anyone who works that much (except one dude, but he likes it). Don’t believe everything you read on the internet kids.
Propaganda, it’s that whole exceptionalism thing, some of them get so defensive about it, they’ve never questioned it.
I don’t know anyone who works 60 hrs week. Maybe doctors.
Youre free from war and tyranny … oh wait
I only work like 14 days a month and the most I work in a week is 48 hours. I’m enjoying life and get plenty of time off.
Why do Canadians and Europeans hate us but use our stuff
Which Americans are you referring to? I work 37.5 hours a week from home and have 4 weeks PTO. My husband works 40 hours and has 3 weeks PTO plus sick time.
Sure, some people have shitty jobs but I don’t know a single person who works 60 hours a week with no paid vacation so not really sure what you’re talking about.