We can learn from the French.

Europeans have a very high unemployment rate. How come they aren't churning out similar shows for the down-and-out masses?

Bet you'd be hard pressed to find a French talk show where the topic is "incest", too.





[edit on 7-10-2004 by bushblows]

I neither know nor care what the french watch.

Originally posted by mwm1331
As for the productivity of the german worker don't make me laugh.

They must be doing something right. If German engineering is renowned the world over, if their code of laws are the most strictly adhered to in the world, and if their work habits make them the most detailed and thorough around the globe, on what are you basing your arguement?

This is a typical American perspective for all to hold as an example. Many Americans forget where their grandfathers and greatgrandfathers came from. America is too young still to have a national identity. The relationships with the countries of the world where most of our families came from is still too fresh. It's just that some of us know, and still have relatives in the 'old countries'.

See it this way:

I am an American of Croatian descent. If I move to Canada, after a certain number of years, I can apply for Canadian citizenship. I will be no longer American, but I will always be Croatian. That's my heritage, my blood. Same goes for anyone in this country. America is still too fresh to the world stage to have 'bloodline'. The French, Germans, Japanese, Chinese, Iraninas, etc. have cultures that are thousands of years old. They have their bloodlines set.

For a person to say 'America this, and America that': well, that's all fair and good. But a few generations ago, your forefathers belonged to the same groups of people you are now ball-busting.

No my ancestors came from England, scotland, ireland, czechoslovakia, russia, the cherokee, and the seminole nations. None of my family is from germany. As for the productivity of the german worker yes the engineering is good I never said it wasn't. However worker for worker Americans are far more productive. We work harder, longer, and more efficently than Germans ever could. As for that crap you posted earlier about 25% of all americans being of german descent whatever it is you are smoking I want some. Can you support your theory that german was almost the national language of the US? Or that 25% of americans are of german descent? No you cant because its pure D Bull*hit.



P.S. America does have a national Identity, the one thing which all americans have in common is that either they themselves or thier ancestors all had the intelligence and courage to leave europe. Some of my ancestors may been born in Europe but they weren't dumb enough to stay there.

[edit on 7-10-2004 by mwm1331]

Originally posted by mwm1331
P.S. America does have a national Identity, the one thing which all americans have in common is that either they themselves or thier ancestors all had the intelligence and courage to leave europe. Some of my ancestors may been born in Europe but they weren't dumb enough to stay there.
[edit on 7-10-2004 by mwm1331]

A very well thought out reply, thank you.

*image removed for content*





[edit on 7-10-2004 by goregrinder]

Originally posted by mwm1331
No my ancestors came from England, scotland, ireland, czechoslovakia, russia, the cherokee, and the seminole nations. None of my family is from germany. As for the productivity of the german worker yes the engineering is good I never said it wasn't. However worker for worker Americans are far more productive. We work harder, longer, and more efficently than Germans ever could[edit on 7-10-2004 by mwm1331]

And here we have the American problem in a nutshell: we work "LONGER HOURS" then the Germans. Guess what? Americans prioritize making money over spending quality time with their children/spouses. The French and Germans have lives. They take time to socialize with friends and family, drink good beer/wine, unwind and *bond with relations.*

Many people abroad view the American "work ethic" as a mere excuse to shun family responsibilities. Given how messed up so many American kids are nowadays it's hard to argue their point.

[edit on 7-10-2004 by bushblows]

They can view the Amercan work ethic as anything they want but it is the reason that Americans are the most productive people in the world. Its the reason we have the strongest ecnomy and the reason that in less than 300 years we have gone from being a colony to being the strongest and most influential nation in the world.

Originally posted by bushblows
Guess what? Americans prioritize making money over spending quality time with their children/spouses. The French and Germans have lives.

Care to try to back up your sterotype with actual facts? Please show me the data on this?

Typically working in European countries (often for US businesses) you get 4/5 weeks vacation. In the US it is generally less.

Howeever, that is not necessarily welcomed by Americans - is it?

Yes the europeans get more vacation time but is it enough? Even though the germans get more days of paid vacations than any people on earth didn't many recently go on strike to make the work week shorter as well? And more importantly do they deserve more vacation time? Can you honestly say that the economic problems Germany has is not in any way related to the fact that germans get more for doing less than any other people? What happens to a company that constantly loses money because its lazy unproductive workers continually interrupt its business to get even more for dong less? Have you ever considered that maybe the reason germany is up sh*t creek is because the german companies are being raped by its workers?

I am sure that high levels of labor protection are associated with low productivity and a poor economy.

Spending time with the family is nice though....

Well look on the bright side once your company goes out of business due to insanely high labor costs you will have a lot more time to spend with your fanily.

Affirmative Reaction:

NEWSFLASH: Just how many of these 156 "other countries" do you think are ABLE to send troops to the battle field, eh? How about the Marianas Islands? Borneo? Most every country on the African continent? How about looking at those who would be able to support versus those that did. I think the numbers will be much closer than your attempt at showing such a huge gap in support given....

Most of the countries IN the Coalition are sending pathetic amounts of troops to Iraq anyway, most of this support was "political". Here's a breakdown of the troop contingents.

Troops in Iraq: Which countries have provided military support
(Sources: Reuters news reports/GlobalSecurity.org)

United States 130,000
Britain 12,000
Albania 70
Australia 1,000
Azerbaijan 150
Bulgaria 470
Czech Rep. 92
Denmark 496
Dominican Rep. 300
El Salvador 360
Estonia 55
Georgia 70
Honduras 370
Hungary 300
Italy 3,000
Japan 250 (750 on the way)
Kazakhstan 25
Latvia 120
Lithuania 105
Macedonia 28
Moldova 25
Mongolia 180
Netherlands 1,100
New Zealand 60
Nicaragua 230
Norway 150
Philippines 95 (175 on the way)
Poland 2,400
Portugal 130
Romania 400
Singapore 200
Slovakia 69 (120 on the way)
South Korea 675 (3,000 on the way)
Spain 1,300
Thailand 443 (30 on the way)
Ukraine 2,000

Some have already pulled out and others are expressing reservations as to staying. So I'm not sure exactly what point you're making. The Marshall Islands and Pulau are in the Coalition and I don't see any Pulaun troops.

mwm1331:

They can view the Amercan work ethic as anything they want but it is the reason that Americans are the most productive people in the world. Its the reason we have the strongest ecnomy and the reason that in less than 300 years we have gone from being a colony to being the strongest and most influential nation in the world.

Sorry, man, you're way off. Americans are probably among the LEAST productive people in the world. They are, though, the biggest, baddest CONSUMERS that the planet has ever seen. Look at every single electronic and mechanical item in your house and I think you'd be challenged to find 10% of them with the MADE IN THE USA sticker. America doesn't PRODUCE, they BUY. Just look at your national deficit and trade deficit with China to see what I mean.

The other reasons for your power is Manifest Destiny and the American War Machine. But none of it has to do with any silliness like Americans are the hardest working people in the world. To even say that is kind of ludicrous, unless you've never actually been anywhere else for any amount of time.

I'll say that America probably has the hardest working LAWYERS in the world, but that's it.

And you can spend lots of time robbing grocery stores to get the cash to take the kids out!

if you've ever been to germany or met germans you would know the vast majority of them a hard workers and hard players. They love vacations like the rest of us, why would you want to work longer when you could be on paid vacation??

thanks,
drfunk

Ok jakomo I'll bite. Yeah we are big consumers. But we are also the most productive workforce. Where is 90% of the worlds wealth created? Where do 95% of all capital gains come from? Which markets have created the most millionaires in history? When it comes to productivity no one beats the american worker. When it comes to profitibility no one beats the American corporation. When it comes to self-made millonairs no one is better equipped than the American citizen. I know because its my job to know. I find private companies and take them publc and you know what? I wont touch a german company with a ten foot pole. The reason is that the german worker expects to get paid for sitting on his *ss half the day.
You know why more europeans invest in the US stock market than any other market in the world? Do you know why 95% of all europeans who invest in any market have investments in the US markets? Because the fact is Americans are better at making money than anyone else in the world.

no one questions the US's ability to make its money its HOW it makes it money is the issue i believe. The US sells ideas, it sells stocks and it consumes. The majority of Americans I believe are in the goods and services industry, not in manufacturing. This is quite commonplace in the west. I don't really care what you say mwm1311, americans aren't the hardest workers in the world, its those guys in the 3rd world manufacturing plants working 16 hour days for less than $2 a day in sweatshop conditions who come home to a house that is just a shack with no running water or electricity. The truth is most of us in the west sit on our asses and use our brains to solve problems or peddle wares for the multi-nationals.

I rate China as the hardest working nation in the world because of its massive manufacturing labour force and it's huge industrial output.

thanks,
drfunk

Think you've got those stats a little out there buddy - US certainly does not account for 95% of world's wealth - nowhere near that

Europeans are investing in certain parts on the market. Currency trading is doing well for the Euro. The average German is not going to invest in a large cap American company, any more than I would invest in a German Company. OTC.bb and Pinks are being traded on the Berlin Exchange, and they even have their own versions of MM's. I try to get into a pink, penny or sub-penny, and sell for a quick 15-20% profit, and move on. That is why they are investing in our markets.

I understand the point you are making Drfunk but what you fail to realise is that muscle power is the cheapest commodity on earth. A guy who works in a factory 12-16 hours a day works hard physically but how much value does his labor have? The free market system works on supply and demand. How great is the supply of physical labor compared to the supply of mental labor, how great is the demand, and what is the S/D ratio for each? Anybody can work at a factory, or collect garbage, how many can successfully manage a company?
When I say Americans work harder than anyone on earth I mean in terms of mental labor. I work 24 hours a day. whether I am at work or at home or asleep my mind is on my work. Now I may not be devoting my entire mind to my job at all times but at least a small part of my brain is always on my job. Thats why Amercans are the most productive. Think of the root of the word productive, produce right? Being productive isn't about how much you put in, or how hard you work, its about how much you produce.