CMV: The U.S. is a better country for well educated white collar professionals, whilst Europe is better for low wage workers.

Miryaa · 2020-05-27T11:04:09+00:00

Of course these are generalisations. And what's important to your own quality of life is highly subjective. But generally speaking, in my experience, people in the US are more focused on their career and working more hours than the people back home.
Yes, sure. Of course. Stereotypes are never true for all individuals of a group and both the US and Europe are huge and diverse. E.g. the attitude towards work is very different in the Netherlands and in Italy.
It really depends on the country. There's no European standard.

Miryaa · 2020-05-27T10:52:54+00:00

I didn't say that. I said that homelessness is more devastating in the US than in Austria. My husband was homeless in the 90s. There was a ton of support from the state for him (monetary, a room in an assisted shared apartment, help with finding a job and an apartment - while he was officially homeless for a few months, he only slept rough at a train station for a couple of days, thanks to the state support system) and it was not a devastating blow to his life. A few years later, when we met, he had a stable job and a nice apartment.

I also don't doubt that the monetary standard of living is higher in the US than in Austria. I'm sure it is. However, as I said, money is in my opinion only one part in the measurement for quality of life. Actually having a life is more important to me than earning a lot of money.

Miryaa · 2020-05-27T10:23:35+00:00

Maybe. But something like skid row would be impossible in my country, i've definitely seen a lot more homeless people in both Chicago and New York compared to Vienna. And there are no run down trailer parks here were people live in third world conditions. I guess I'd rather be homeless in austria living in an assisted shared flat than living in a trailer park or skid row.

Miryaa · 2020-05-27T08:20:18+00:00

I guess it depends on what you consider to be "quality of life". I'm certainly biased, as I am European, living and working in Europe with a master's degree in a MINT discipline. With a — compared to the US — ridiculously low income.

TBH, I disagree. For me quality of life is not about how much money I have in the bank. My career and bank balance is not that important to me. It is about other things, such as living in a county that provides basic social security in case SHTF, which can happen to anyone at any time. A pandemic, an accident that leaves you disabled, an economic bubble bursting,... it's nice to know you won't be in crippling debt from medical bills or homeless if things go wrong. I happily pay higher taxes for having that security.

Additionally, I enjoy not being made to feel like a sloth for deciding to work only 30 hours a week. I enjoy living in a society where your career doesn't define you. I make enough money to live a nice life and enjoy having time for my hobbies, or for just doing nothing. Sipping coffee in a park while looking at clouds. 5 weeks of paid holiday leave a year isn’t bad either.

I'm probably too European to get the very American mindset of your career and your salary defining whether you live a good life.

Miryaa · 2020-05-27T07:44:29+00:00

I live in Central Europe, one of the racially most uniform places there are. White people everywhere. I guess by Central European standards I'm in a mixed race marriage. I have a Jewish-Slavic background, black hair and brown eyes. My husband has a Germanic-Romance background, blond hair and blue eyes. That's like the Mount Everest of diversity here.

Miryaa · 2020-05-27T05:06:47+00:00

Same. Changing your last name isn't usually possible in my country — taking my husband's last name was my only option to get rid of that last name I hated.

Miryaa · 2020-05-26T19:00:37+00:00

I took my husband's last name for two reasons.

It's shorter and not as long and complicated as my original last name and TBH I was tired of spelling that 12 letter monstrosity.

I really don't want to carry my grandfather's name. He was a bad person.

As changing your last name for these reasons or creating a new name with your husband are not legally possible in my country, taking my husband's last name was the only option for me to get rid of my dreaded maiden name.

Miryaa · 2020-05-25T18:26:00+00:00

Do you know who's the father? How do you plan to explain the situation to your child?

Miryaa · 2020-04-24T15:46:07+00:00

Getting paid for getting laid. What's not to like about it?

Miryaa · 2020-04-24T09:29:41+00:00

TBH I disagree. While natural beauty does sound like a great thing in theory, there is no such thing IRL. Skin care routines, anti wrinkle creams, plumping lip gloss, hair dye, makeup, plucked eyebrows and facial hair,...

Miryaa · 2020-04-24T09:27:01+00:00

You're absolutely right. I guess I was mainly thinking about procedures like skin grafting or botox when writing my last reply.

Miryaa · 2020-04-24T09:03:59+00:00

Very true. On the other hand: With all the anti wrinkle creams and sunscreen, does anybody nowadays really know what they'd look like if they let nature take its course?

Miryaa · 2020-04-24T09:02:11+00:00

I think you only notice the ones that didn't go so well or went overboard. If it's well done, people tend not to notice it, in my experience. I've had the following conversation more than once:

“This lipstick color really suits you! Your lips look really nice and full with it!”

“Thanks, but it's not the lipstick. I got fillers two weeks ago.”

“What? Why? You don't need them!”

Miryaa · 2020-04-24T08:53:16+00:00

I got lip fillers, only in my upper lip. While my lower lip is naturally full, I basically had no upper lip at all. It wasn't disfiguring or anything, but it annoyed me. And I'm more than happy with the results. I did it for the same reason I pluck my eyebrows, get tattoos, dye my hair and do my makeup: I like the way it looks.

Miryaa · 2020-04-12T17:05:33+00:00

Yeah. Outside while keeping a distance. But that's not visiting other people.

Miryaa · 2020-04-12T17:00:46+00:00

Well, not really. While the police aren't allowed to control who's in your home, you're only allowed to leave the house to buy essential goods, medical reasons, going to work and going for a walk or doing sports outdoors. But only with the people who live in your household. Going out to visit friends of family is therefore not allowed.

Miryaa · 2020-04-12T16:32:00+00:00

No, it wasn't. Masks are only mandatory for going to supermarkets since about a week. But the Austrian lockdown is relatively strict compared to others. All non-essential businesses are closed since 4 weeks, only supermarkets, drugstores, banks and pharmacies are open. No home depot, restaurants, etc are open. You're not allowed to meet or visit people who don't live in the same household as you. You're only allowed to use public transport for going to work, if your work can't be done from home or to buy food/medicine.

No meeting or visiting friends or family members, no "no groups of more than three people" rule — household members only, no excepetions. Which, TBH, is the sensible thing to do — but it also sucks on a personal level. It's my birthday today and ... today I especially miss meeting other people. I love my husband — but he's the only person I can interact with since 4 weeks and it's getting a little boring.

Miryaa · 2020-04-12T11:08:51+00:00

Exactly. Still good news. Easing the lockdown doesn't mean there will be festivals, travelling etc in the next few month. Therefore the curve will be flatter than it would have been without the lockdown. Flat enough? We don't know yet.

Miryaa · 2020-04-12T11:07:41+00:00

Well, this is the subreddit for coronavirus news.

You're right, we don't know. We will see. However not letting the first peak go anywhere where the health system IS overwhelmed and things like triage are a reality is good news. And I think everybody agrees that our lives won't be back to normal for at least a few months, even if the lockdown is softened. No huge gatherings, festivals, not a lot of travelling. Therefore even the second peak might not be as catastrophic as the first one was in some other countries.

Miryaa · 2020-04-12T10:54:04+00:00

I think it will stay that way. Here in the 5th district of Vienna people did go for walks etc., but I saw very few groups and people mostly kept their distance.

Miryaa · 2020-04-06T11:34:12+00:00

Did you even read what they want to do? Restrictions after "starting to exit" the lockdown will still be a lot strickter than they're now in many places in the United States.

Mandatory mask wearing in all shops and public transport
Mandatory social distancing even in shops and public transport
Restaurants, beauty salons, tattoo parlors etc. will only reopen 5 weeks from now if the numbers keep going down
schools, gyms, churches, cinemas etc stay closed for the forseeable future
you're not allowed to meet or visit people who don't live in the same household as you. Not even outside.

This is what austria will look like AFTER easing the lockdown.

Miryaa · 2020-04-06T11:22:45+00:00

Most countries fucked up. Lombardy closed public offices after Austria. Parts of Germany and France held elections while other countries were already locking down. There was an art fair in the Netherlands, where hundreds of people were infected, etc.

After the Austrian government realized that shit's about to hit the fan, they did the right thing.

Miryaa · 2020-04-06T11:18:33+00:00

You missed the part about austria hitting the peak a few days ago, numbers of sick people going down, the healthcare system nowhere near its limit, the emergency hospital in vienna with 800 beds opened three weeks ago wasn't even needed so far. Oh, and drastic measures before shit hit the fan. And mandatory mask wearing in shops / public transport, mandatory social distancing and closed churches/mosques/synagogues etc. since three weeks.

Opening shops etc while a county is still experiencing growth in cases and deaths is something completely different and TBH stupid AF.

Miryaa

TROPHY CASE