European Lifestyle vs. American Lifestyle

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Ak5

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Two words: Holy honeysuckle.

The way of life here is completely different from the U.S.! Everywhere, people walking, bakeries selling amazing food, and the cold climate. :D

Now I understand why all the "Anti-obesity" campaigns are going on in the States! I see here people of all ages walking everywhere. It's such a difference.

Old people walking long distances in the cold, and of course in groups. Old ladies going to the cafe to share a cup of coffee and then continue cruising the cities. You see little of that in the States. I also see old people at 2:00 past midnight still walking the streets! No wonder the quality of life here is high and people live to be very old.

What do you think?
 
I think this might be better in the debate section. lol

Part of what you're talking about has to do with city design. In the US, we designed our cities in the age of vehicles. When most European cities were built, there WERE no fast-moving vehicles, and the clear majority of people walked everywhere. That's how they've done things for centuries in Europe... and it's stuck in the mindset.
 
Badjedidude said:
I think this might be better in the debate section. lol

Part of what you're talking about has to do with city design. In the US, we designed our cities in the age of vehicles. When most European cities were built, there WERE no fast-moving vehicles, and the clear majority of people walked everywhere. That's how they've done things for centuries in Europe... and it's stuck in the mindset.

I agree! you tell em like it is!! (:)

lol but yes if more of the 'older' folks would move about, there wouldn't be so many arthritic ridden seniors!
 
I hear a lot of people talking about how much better life is in Europe but we came over here to America for a reason, no?
Different yes. But better? I guess it depends on what your definition of better is and what aspects of life you're looking at.
There are wonderful things about both lifestyles.
For example, the average work week in France is about 40 hours (and with more vacation time) but in America it is often much longer than that (and less vacation time). So while Americans may overextend themselves, they also tend to have a higher income. But the French seem to be content with less "stuff" than Americans so a lower income (as long as quality of life is good) may not be so important.
This is just one example, but now that the Euro is where it is, economies worldwide are tanking and life everywhere is hard.
 
American's always say that, even when they come to Canada, unless you go to Toronto. :D LOL You guys have to drive down to the corner store that's only 2 blocks away.

Ppfffttt, cold, you don't know cold. Today it is -4C here, that's warm for this time of year. Last year it was well below that.

Anyway, now that I'm done making fun of out two countries, at least you are having a good time there and getting some culture. Sounds like it has been good for you.
 
Yeah when I went to Canada my sister and I went for walks and stuff and people would be staring at us like we were crazy.

I walk everywhere near enough and take the train for longer jorneys. I used to walk 5 miles a day when I was at school...
 
roguewave said:
I hear a lot of people talking about how much better life is in Europe but we came over here to America for a reason, no?
Different yes. But better? I guess it depends on what your definition of better is and what aspects of life you're looking at.
There are wonderful things about both lifestyles.
For example, the average work week in France is about 40 hours (and with more vacation time) but in America it is often much longer than that (and less vacation time). So while Americans may overextend themselves, they also tend to have a higher income. But the French seem to be content with less "stuff" than Americans so a lower income (as long as quality of life is good) may not be so important.
This is just one example, but now that the Euro is where it is, economies worldwide are tanking and life everywhere is hard.
we who?
LoL

 
Chasm said:
roguewave said:
I hear a lot of people talking about how much better life is in Europe but we came over here to America for a reason, no?
Different yes. But better? I guess it depends on what your definition of better is and what aspects of life you're looking at.
There are wonderful things about both lifestyles.
For example, the average work week in France is about 40 hours (and with more vacation time) but in America it is often much longer than that (and less vacation time). So while Americans may overextend themselves, they also tend to have a higher income. But the French seem to be content with less "stuff" than Americans so a lower income (as long as quality of life is good) may not be so important.
This is just one example, but now that the Euro is where it is, economies worldwide are tanking and life everywhere is hard.
we who?
LoL

All of the families who have ever immigrated to America.
 
Sci-Fi said:
American's always say that, even when they come to Canada, unless you go to Toronto. :D LOL You guys have to drive down to the corner store that's only 2 blocks away.

Ppfffttt, cold, you don't know cold. Today it is -4C here, that's warm for this time of year. Last year it was well below that.

Anyway, now that I'm done making fun of out two countries, at least you are having a good time there and getting some culture. Sounds like it has been good for you.
Yeah, we freeze our balls off up here. Wouldn't have it any other way.:D

 
Badjedidude said:
I think this might be better in the debate section. lol

Part of what you're talking about has to do with city design. In the US, we designed our cities in the age of vehicles. When most European cities were built, there WERE no fast-moving vehicles, and the clear majority of people walked everywhere. That's how they've done things for centuries in Europe... and it's stuck in the mindset.

I kinda disagree with this somehow. putting it in an asian context, the philippines is like the US in terms that it's not common for people to walk around and roam around the city. Conveniently enough, we have easy transportation for that at a very cheap cost. But it's different in Singapore and Hongkong, young countries that were generally built more on a european model than american. Same as Ak5's observation, old people there can walk at great distance that most 20-ish people here would complain about if forced to walk. But when you think about it, both countries too are among the nations with very modern systems of transportation and they also have cheap transportation. I think it's more on the culture.
 
roguewave said:
Chasm said:
roguewave said:
I hear a lot of people talking about how much better life is in Europe but we came over here to America for a reason, no?
Different yes. But better? I guess it depends on what your definition of better is and what aspects of life you're looking at.
There are wonderful things about both lifestyles.
For example, the average work week in France is about 40 hours (and with more vacation time) but in America it is often much longer than that (and less vacation time). So while Americans may overextend themselves, they also tend to have a higher income. But the French seem to be content with less "stuff" than Americans so a lower income (as long as quality of life is good) may not be so important.
This is just one example, but now that the Euro is where it is, economies worldwide are tanking and life everywhere is hard.
we who?
LoL

All of the families who have ever immigrated to America.

all?
hmmmmmm
many were sent 2 america as punishment
(prostitutes n thieves mostly)
so the reason was?>>
they had no choice
but then im still perplexd by ur use of "we"
if we = "all of the families who have evr immigr8d 2 america"
that means ur includng ur family as havng immigr8d?
does this mean ur referencng ur ancestors?
n if so y use the word "we" on a forum where nt every1 ancestors came fr sumwhere else?
just very confuzzld

 
It depends; I was in Europe for quite some time. In many ways, they really get a lot less productivity done, to be honest with some major exceptions such Germany. The relevant GDPs reflect this, as do the countries now causing the Eurozone crisis(including Spain, who had to declare austerity measures). I should note that "Europe" is a pretty large grouping for countries that often have vastly different resources, people, and attitudes. England, for example, is functionally a very different country with very different capacities from Italy.

But overall..

Walking can sometimes be a measure of that; being willing to spend more time in transportation and having a looser attitude toward people being late to work does permit people to wander around more. But yes, it is also culture; there's a larger orientation toward family/social welfare(some which may be cracking at the seams now in the economic crisis), and less toward individual excellence.

I did love Swizterland, so very very much. But I doubt they'll ever give us an IBM.
 
Lol, it has to do with distance as well.

The total distance of the "city" I'm staying in right now is about the same distance between my house (back in the U.S.) to the local High School! The U.S. is more "suburban" than Europe. Here, cities and towns are separated by lots of land, back in FL the only thing separating one part of the city to another town is a road!

Even though I'm liking Europe, I miss the United States. :shy:
 
Ak5 said:
Lol, it has to do with distance as well.

The total distance of the "city" I'm staying in right now is about the same distance between my house (back in the U.S.) to the local High School! The U.S. is more "suburban" than Europe. Here, cities and towns are separated by lots of land, back in FL the only thing separating one part of the city to another town is a road!

Even though I'm liking Europe, I miss the United States. :shy:

Oh yeah, we sprawl like a boss :D Urban planning, centralization, public transportation, what's that? Let's just make roads and have traffic engineers for whom planning consists of making zoom zoom zoom noises while waving toy cars about. There's no way this could fail, no siree.
 
Ak5 said:
Lol, it has to do with distance as well.

The total distance of the "city" I'm staying in right now is about the same distance between my house (back in the U.S.) to the local High School! The U.S. is more "suburban" than Europe. Here, cities and towns are separated by lots of land, back in FL the only thing separating one part of the city to another town is a road!

Even though I'm liking Europe, I miss the United States. :shy:
only natural 2 miss wut ur usd 2
nt necessarily GOOD >>
but only natural
:)

 
Chasm said:
roguewave said:
Chasm said:
roguewave said:
I hear a lot of people talking about how much better life is in Europe but we came over here to America for a reason, no?
Different yes. But better? I guess it depends on what your definition of better is and what aspects of life you're looking at.
There are wonderful things about both lifestyles.
For example, the average work week in France is about 40 hours (and with more vacation time) but in America it is often much longer than that (and less vacation time). So while Americans may overextend themselves, they also tend to have a higher income. But the French seem to be content with less "stuff" than Americans so a lower income (as long as quality of life is good) may not be so important.
This is just one example, but now that the Euro is where it is, economies worldwide are tanking and life everywhere is hard.
we who?
LoL

All of the families who have ever immigrated to America.

all?
hmmmmmm
many were sent 2 america as punishment
(prostitutes n thieves mostly)
so the reason was?>>
they had no choice
but then im still perplexd by ur use of "we"
if we = "all of the families who have evr immigr8d 2 america"
that means ur includng ur family as havng immigr8d?
does this mean ur referencng ur ancestors?
n if so y use the word "we" on a forum where nt every1 ancestors came fr sumwhere else?
just very confuzzld

It kind of seems like you are splitting hairs here. Usually the word "immigrate" has the connotation of moving to a new country on free will, in the hopes of making a better life. If you are not moving to a new country of your own accord then you are a slave. You usually don't hear that slaves immigrated somewhere, unless they were freed and then immigrated to another country. Usually, you hear that slaves were "brought" to a new country. But this is all very semanticy.

if we = "all of the families who have evr immigr8d 2 america"
that means ur includng ur family as havng immigr8d?
does this mean ur referencng ur ancestors?
n if so y use the word "we" on a forum where nt every1 ancestors came fr sumwhere else?

It sounds like you are asking me if I'm Native American, and I'm not. But if you are (and I am not making an assumption), I'm just saying that if you are, then you were not included when I used the word "we."

I was not trying to include everyone in my statement. I was only talking about people/families who have immigrated to America.
 
You can't compare the US to Europe because Europe knows differences in lifestyle much like day and night itself. Comparing GDP? Most of Western and Northern Europe have relative to its active population, comparable productivity to the US. Productivity per person does drop significantly as you go south.
This has to do with cultural differences and the southern people generally being more hedonistic and present oriented in nature. (You can be pro or contra such mentality. But while North Europe might be the famous king of living quality, it are actually the countries around the equator, most notably the Latino countries that exercise these present oriented cultures, who report the highest number of people being happy with their lives. That should say a thing or two about the relativity of GDP and wealth indexes).
Anyway, I'm going off topic. Eastern Europe is yet a whole different subject which due to its past has its own flavour. Europe is simply a barrel of cultural heterogeneity. The only thing we really have in common is our rich history which still affects our cultures today.

I can't talk for the rest of Europe because of this but there's some truth on your perception of more people commuting by foot here. Belgium, where I live - with its heigh population density and old infrastructure has a bad case of traffic indigestion. I have noticed the last decade or so the government (at least the times we had one anyway...) has actively been encouraging classic means of transportation to counter that. (walking/cycling/using public transportation). Especially on city level a lot is being done to keep cars away from the city centres and create a more gentle, human atmosphere. I think it is that what you are describing.

I've never lived in the US but sure wouldn't mind giving it a try for a few months/years. Mainly so I can see everything "big" for a change. Though I think in the end I prefer good old fashioned European modesty.
 
roguewave said:
Chasm said:
roguewave said:
Chasm said:
roguewave said:
I hear a lot of people talking about how much better life is in Europe but we came over here to America for a reason, no?
Different yes. But better? I guess it depends on what your definition of better is and what aspects of life you're looking at.
There are wonderful things about both lifestyles.
For example, the average work week in France is about 40 hours (and with more vacation time) but in America it is often much longer than that (and less vacation time). So while Americans may overextend themselves, they also tend to have a higher income. But the French seem to be content with less "stuff" than Americans so a lower income (as long as quality of life is good) may not be so important.
This is just one example, but now that the Euro is where it is, economies worldwide are tanking and life everywhere is hard.
we who?
LoL

All of the families who have ever immigrated to America.

all?
hmmmmmm
many were sent 2 america as punishment
(prostitutes n thieves mostly)
so the reason was?>>
they had no choice
but then im still perplexd by ur use of "we"
if we = "all of the families who have evr immigr8d 2 america"
that means ur includng ur family as havng immigr8d?
does this mean ur referencng ur ancestors?
n if so y use the word "we" on a forum where nt every1 ancestors came fr sumwhere else?
just very confuzzld

It kind of seems like you are splitting hairs here. Usually the word "immigrate" has the connotation of moving to a new country on free will, in the hopes of making a better life. If you are not moving to a new country of your own accord then you are a slave. You usually don't hear that slaves immigrated somewhere, unless they were freed and then immigrated to another country. Usually, you hear that slaves were "brought" to a new country. But this is all very semanticy.

if we = "all of the families who have evr immigr8d 2 america"
that means ur includng ur family as havng immigr8d?
does this mean ur referencng ur ancestors?
n if so y use the word "we" on a forum where nt every1 ancestors came fr sumwhere else?

It sounds like you are asking me if I'm Native American, and I'm not. But if you are (and I am not making an assumption), I'm just saying that if you are, then you were not included when I used the word "we."

I was not trying to include everyone in my statement. I was only talking about people/families who have immigrated to America.
nw this is clear
b4 it sounded as if u were usng the word "we"?
2 denote every1 that was readng this
ty 4 clearing this up
:)
 
Chasm said:
roguewave said:
Chasm said:
roguewave said:
Chasm said:
we who?
LoL

All of the families who have ever immigrated to America.

all?
hmmmmmm
many were sent 2 america as punishment
(prostitutes n thieves mostly)
so the reason was?>>
they had no choice
but then im still perplexd by ur use of "we"
if we = "all of the families who have evr immigr8d 2 america"
that means ur includng ur family as havng immigr8d?
does this mean ur referencng ur ancestors?
n if so y use the word "we" on a forum where nt every1 ancestors came fr sumwhere else?
just very confuzzld

It kind of seems like you are splitting hairs here. Usually the word "immigrate" has the connotation of moving to a new country on free will, in the hopes of making a better life. If you are not moving to a new country of your own accord then you are a slave. You usually don't hear that slaves immigrated somewhere, unless they were freed and then immigrated to another country. Usually, you hear that slaves were "brought" to a new country. But this is all very semanticy.

if we = "all of the families who have evr immigr8d 2 america"
that means ur includng ur family as havng immigr8d?
does this mean ur referencng ur ancestors?
n if so y use the word "we" on a forum where nt every1 ancestors came fr sumwhere else?

It sounds like you are asking me if I'm Native American, and I'm not. But if you are (and I am not making an assumption), I'm just saying that if you are, then you were not included when I used the word "we."

I was not trying to include everyone in my statement. I was only talking about people/families who have immigrated to America.
nw this is clear
b4 it sounded as if u were usng the word "we"?
2 denote every1 that was readng this
ty 4 clearing this up
:)

Sorry, I didn't understand what you were asking at first :)
 
Polar said:
You can't compare the US to Europe because Europe knows differences in lifestyle much like day and night itself.

^ This ^

Which part of Europe are you talking about Ak5?
 

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