After Living in Norway, America Feels Backward. Here’s Why.

Interesting little article for those of you who realize we need to start making a lot of changes to this country and the world in general.

billmoyers.com...

It’s true that they didn’t work much, not by American standards anyway. In the US, full-time salaried workers supposedly laboring 40 hours a week actually average 49, with almost 20 percent clocking more than 60. These people, on the other hand, worked only about 37 hours a week, when they weren’t away on long paid vacations. At the end of the work day, about four in the afternoon (perhaps three in the summer), they had time to enjoy a hike in the forest or a swim with the kids or a beer with friends — which helps explain why, unlike so many Americans, they are pleased with their jobs.

Considering that half or more of our work in population makes less than 30k a year I can see why so many people are willing to vote for Trump.

Where I live now, in the Homeland, there are not enough shelters for the homeless. Most people are either overworked or hurting for jobs; housing is overpriced; hospitals, crowded and understaffed; schools, largely segregated and not so good. Opioid or heroin overdose is a popular form of death; and men in the street threaten women wearing hijab. Did the American soldiers I covered in Afghanistan know they were fighting for this?

When you put it that way.... Well crap.

After reading the article I have to think, are we really here to just work hard for the man or are we meant for something more and how do we better align ourselves with those goals?

I mean what good is all of this technology if we're not going to use it with wisdom.

I heard someone say once that facts don't equal wisdom and I notice a lot of people with a lot of facts these days.

a reply to: onequestion

So find a job....or a country that suits your desires and needs.

a reply to: nwtrucker

I should've known that someone was going to make a comment like that.

I work over 60 hours a week and I want the American workforce to experience better conditions.

I won't be responding to anymore posts of similar content and I will not be responding to you unless your addressing anything in the OP other than me.

We can all do it your way or we can all do it our way. Strengths and weaknesses, money, vanity, charm, etc. dictates jobs. What makes a country better is it finds ways to build off of it's strengths and sell off it's weakness to a lesser country as some innovative gift of strength.

Hand-me-downs of philosophy and materials, which makes for better control in the future or at least an expectancy of how other countries will develop using the tools you've given them. This doesn't necessarily make for a better individual, but definitely a better (stronger) country.

originally posted by: onequestion


are we really here to just work hard for the man or are we meant for something more

I dont think its just about "Working for the man", its about keeping us occupied! For example, in the uk, to be able to get Job seekers allowance you must sit at your computer searching for a job for eight hours each day! And yet every job seeker will tell you they can click the link that shows NEW JOBS! it takes five minutes. I spoke to the peeps in the jobcenter about this and one young guy told me "Its to keep you busy"

People with time on their hands will chatter and start working out whats really going on in the world.

Increasingly the Service & Manufacturing needs no Humans at large scale.

Arts , Sports , Culture are the areas the humans will be needed .

100 years from today people will look back and pity us work slaves .

USA will probably catch up at some point in next 20 years .

a reply to: VoidHawk
Exactly it's all about control.

a reply to: 23432

I think it will be sooner as we see technology continuing to advance exponentially.

a reply to: onequestion

I think sums up the problem for US citizens. Our capitalists serve stockholders and debt holders, the Oligarchy.

"So here’s the big difference: in Norway, capitalism serves the people. The government, elected by the people, sees to that. All eight of the parties that won parliamentary seats in the last national election, including the conservative Høyre party now leading the government, are committed to maintaining the welfare state. In the US, however, neoliberal politics put the foxes in charge of the henhouse, and capitalists have used the wealth generated by their enterprises (as well as financial and political manipulations) to capture the state and pluck the chickens. They’ve done a masterful job of chewing up organized labor. Today, only 11 percent of American workers belong to a union. In Norway, that number is 52 percent; in Denmark, 67 percent; in Sweden, 70 percent."

a reply to: onequestion

It IS rather obvious what your intent is...LOL.


Your response isn't needed. What my intent is pointing out that intent. Painting a picture of some idyllic 37 hour work week elsewhere...when it actually exists here, albeit, it had better be better paying or with far, FAR lower expectations as far
wealth and future options are concerned.


The grass always looks greener...the reality is usually different. Your 60 hour work week is a bed you made, not the U.S. or it's culture or lack thereof.


I could go on, but it's not necessary.

I think America has turned in to an extremest country. Extremest in the sense of the quality of life. You're either a diehard tryhard, hellbent on the spotlight either financially or socially, most often both or you just don't try at all and in many cases make it a point not to. This leaves the in between to nothing but exhaustion and suffering. All cause and effect of income inequality.

a reply to: 23432

You could be right. I see a nation full of individuals without purpose. That once they do get their, 'jobs' their family, spouse, none seems to fulfill as one thought. Not all, of course, many more than in the past.


The "there has to be something better out there" mentality. The truth is it isn't "out there". It's inside, not 'out there'.


The grass isn't greener on the other side, at all.
Dissatisfaction carries with one.


My beef with the OP is his discontent becomes his purpose...to enlighten as many as he can that it IS the environment not something carried within.....


As far as the future goes, assuming this mess is still running in 20 years and we aren't pining for the 'old days' then perhaps if, and only if, we are find and develop our 'purpose' one and all, we will be bitching about something else....

a reply to: onequestion

Wait, after reading this article you came to conclusion people will vote for Trump? Really?

There is one presidential candidate that uses Norway as an example of what he'd like to see America follow in but it ain't Trump. Trump wants walls, banned Muslims, and to make America great again. What a visionary.

Norway.

5 million people

1 million in largest city

many small cities 50,000

poverty 9%

unemployment 5%

25% GDP fossil fuel

National Debt $55 billion (10,000 per citizen)

originally posted by: Swills
a reply to: onequestion

Wait, after reading this article you came to conclusion people will vote for Trump? Really?

There is one presidential candidate that uses Norway as an example of what he'd like to see America follow in but it ain't Trump. Trump wants walls, banned Muslims, and to make America great again. What a visionary.

I want to see trump win.

Because he is the only candidate promising to end these BS trade deals that sacked the middle class, and made America what it is today.

A oligarchy, where we are the indentured servants to the new royals.

I am tired of seeing my fellow Americans reduced to the socioeconomic status of feudal serfs.

Who despite how hard they work or what their work ethic cannot feed their families or own property or have a real future.

Most of the workforce is not lazy or stupid.

Yet most of the workforce is in poverty, while kings build more castles on the backs of their labors.

I say build a wall a throw every damned one of the illegals out.

Cancel all emigration, and I mean all, until every American has a decent job.

Reestablish trade tariffs that make Chinese goods cost the same as American made goods.

Bring prosperity back to our shores.

Then we can talk about " helping" others who aren't American!

a reply to: Sargeras

Only the blind think Trump isn't apart of the oligarchy and is out to help the middle class.

originally posted by: nwtrucker
a reply to: onequestion

So find a job....or a country that suits your desires and needs.

I cant think of a better comment to confirm the threads title

originally posted by: Swills
a reply to: Sargeras

Only the blind think Trump isn't apart of the oligarchy and is out to help the middle class.

Because you say so?

Name any other candidate that wants to do anything I just mentioned.

That is right, there aren't any.

And if the things I said we're done, America would be great again.

There wouldn't be a need for socialist welfare, wages would rise, the rich would be brought down to size, still very rich, but not kings compared to serfs rich, and the American dream would be possible again.

Let the Walmart's and billionaire elite leave with their money.

We will make it back and more easily in less than a decade.

a reply to: Sargeras

Because you say so? Because Trump says so?

A part of me wants Trump to be elected just so all of his supporters will see what damage and broken promises he brings.

a reply to: IkNOwSTuff

I'm sure you can't....