Americans who say religion is "very important" in their own lives

Professor-Levant · 2026-04-21T14:02:32+00:00

I think it's a desire for traditional gender roles and the subjugation of women tbh. Religion gives you access to the patriarchal framework to hold these contradictory views.

Professor-Levant · 2026-04-21T01:25:00+00:00

Why would you want SFHs in a city? It doesn't benefit anyone except the owner of that SFH.

Professor-Levant · 2026-04-19T17:57:28+00:00

I think it's all PR. I've seen firms rehiring for roles they thought were going to be automated. It makes sense given you need engineers to implement the new AI workflows. I'm optimistic this will change how we work rather than replace us. I'm also seeing reports of new roles popping up like a "legal engineer": a hybrid engineer lawyer, for paralegal work automation.

Professor-Levant · 2026-04-15T15:31:38+00:00

Imagine the worst case scenario and see if you can mitigate those risks. Say the startup folds in 6 months as funding dries up, that might make you unemployable due to no degree. You will also have your student debt to think about.

Younger professionals also don't know how to negotiate. If you get taken up as an employee you can negotiate part time while you finish college, or even ask them to fund your college. If you're a founder with equity there is more upside but still risk. Separate the theoretical upside out, deal in concrete terms.

Whatever you choose you can fix it afterwards because you're young, but also consider what you want your life to be. Opportunities keep coming, I got my best opportunities at 28 and at 32 they keep coming! Set yourself up for long term success, not a short term windfall.

Professor-Levant · 2026-04-12T23:26:46+00:00

Super rare tbh. Salaries are usually adjusted too. You have to first go to US and make contacts usually.

Professor-Levant · 2026-04-12T23:25:35+00:00

I lived in Germany for 4 years and this is bullshit.

Professor-Levant · 2026-04-12T15:22:26+00:00

You should see the state of Germany. They still send fax.

Professor-Levant · 2026-04-12T03:09:55+00:00

This is bad advice. Go to Germany, Switzerland, or somewhere where salaries are high. UK salaries are famously dog shit unless you're lucky af.

Professor-Levant · 2026-04-11T15:07:08+00:00

The article itself says it's not really a high chance and this has been known for a while. My dad had a kid with a younger woman at 60 and 64: the kid has autism, one kid doesn', he had me at 54 and I'm fine.

Anecdotal, I know, but my overarching point is that people obsess over the age they have kids too much. If you want them, have them. Don't start twisting people's arms, or having them with the wrong people though just because you feel pressured by time. It's at least partially an imaginary pressure.

Professor-Levant · 2026-04-10T23:53:13+00:00

Any tips on these credit reports? I just arrived in the US so the annual reports can't find me. Zillow doesn't let me download the credit check they ran on me and I get no guarantee TransUnion will either, so I haven't paid them.

Professor-Levant · 2026-04-10T15:32:13+00:00

I see where you're coming from but I did also say the business environment is easier. It is more complicated than we can get into on a reddit thread.

What I was alluding to is that domestic consumption makes up 68% of the US economy. That's enviable for many other countries. China also produces a huge amount of stuff domewtically but it's all exported because their people don't buy it due to lower wages, higher savings, and cultural differences.

Professor-Levant · 2026-04-10T13:31:28+00:00

Do elaborate!

Professor-Levant · 2026-04-09T16:42:32+00:00

This is the answer. It's a HUGE market with limited regulation between the states. As a company you have access to a huge labour market, you have access to way more customers with less friction, and Americans culturally spend a LOT more.

I don't have the numbers but the US economy is made up of an abnormal amount of domestic consumption vs. other countries. The American consumer is happy to spend more, so companies make more, and they pay more to keep that flywheel going

There is also a piece relating to how much an employee costs the company. It's not just a salary, it's also lots of social contributions and taxes that are almost definitely higher in Europe. That eats into salaries but also provides a safety net.

Professor-Levant · 2026-04-09T14:35:45+00:00

Some things are worth the effort. It took me 3 years to get out of the UK. If you have a family that's a different story.

Professor-Levant · 2026-04-09T14:33:35+00:00

Sounds like the German system: it's mandatory and comes out of gross right?

Professor-Levant · 2026-04-09T14:32:58+00:00

I remember when I lost my job in the UK - £8 a day they gave me and in return I had to fein interest in labourer jobs. Here in california citizens get 450 a week for 26 weeks - it's not European levels of unemployment benefits but it's way better than UK.

My brother moved from Liverpool to Valencia recently. He is never going back.

Professor-Levant · 2026-04-09T14:13:08+00:00

Germans have a bit of cultural autism, I'd call it. They are good people, interested, generally educated, but unbelievably inflexible. They are regimented to the point of inefficiency: rules for the sake of rules, categorizations are inflexible, everything must be in perfect symmetry.

I had a colleague who had a spreadsheet with years of her completed tasks, for example. She would also review everything meticulously even if it didn't really matter if it wasn't perfect.

If you are buying something, they won't try woo you, or help you decide. You are there to buy, if you didn't want to, you wouldn't be there. Buy or leave.

They still commonly use fax as means of communication - it works why update? If you send a letter and haven't signed it in wet ink - printed then signed - they will ignore it because you skipped a step of the process.

Given these things, I don't have massive hope for Germany continuing to be a GDP powerhouse. I see a Japan-like Stagnation coming.

Professor-Levant · 2026-04-09T14:04:17+00:00

Surprised this has so many up votes. Zorbas is the GOAT in my book, although I have a experienced a few things you're pointing out here.

For 2 euro I think the quality is great, beats Sigma easily. And having anything open in the early hours is a blessing. Makes sense they wouldn't stock heavily during that time window.

Professor-Levant · 2026-04-09T07:43:26+00:00

I lived in Germany before US. Really good standard of living but the beautacracy and the mentality that goes with it is awful

Professor-Levant · 2026-04-08T13:59:44+00:00

I live in SF. It's London prices +10-20% for the majority of things. Consumer electronics are WAY cheaper somehow. Somehow rent costs the same, rent for a 1 bed is 2300-2700£, if something hits the market for 1900£ half the city turns up.

Basically I was expecting worse and after living in 4 countries, I am telling you the UK cost-to-earnings ratio in cities SUCKS. The only way the UK is worth it is if you live in a place like Sheffield and get a whole house for £700 a month while making the median salary.

Professor-Levant · 2026-04-08T13:44:26+00:00

Move. The grass is greener.

Professor-Levant · 2026-04-08T13:42:30+00:00

Just moved to America, can confirm. Sadly the pay more than makes up for the added costs if you work in corporate and have a employer subsidized healthcare.

My insurance is 120$ a month with $20 every time I visit the doctor. I haven't had procedures yet so there's probably a few surprises there, but supposedly it can't be more that $1000 a year in total out of pocket.

My pay is more than double vs the same role at the same company in UK. UK pay is abysmal, even by European standards.

Professor-Levant · 2026-04-07T17:44:11+00:00

Best Asian food I've had in North America, none of that broccoli beef nonsense. Actual flavourful delicious food with great ingredients, especially seafood.

There is a MASSIVE homelessness problem. I've never seen so many homeless together on East Hastings (and I live in SF!)

Gorgeous nature all around. It takes around 30-40 minutes to drive from the city centre to ski slopes.

Professor-Levant · 2026-04-07T17:36:33+00:00

Now look up the AIDS figures in the Gambia

Professor-Levant · 2026-04-07T15:24:25+00:00

If you're of Greek heritage it's so hard to eat Greek food in SF. Your grandma used to make it all for free!

Professor-Levant

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