Comment by opportune | Hacker News Reader

Comment by opportune | Hacker News Reader

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It’s hard mode if you’re poor and easy mode if you’re rich. For the top 1-2 deciles I think most of these things are much better in the US than other countries. I’m a long time proponent of universal healthcare, but I’ve heard terrible experiences in Canada and the UK in getting relatively basic treatment in a timely manner.

I think a lot of HN doesn’t understand that all the shitty things about the US that people from other countries love to rag on basically don’t apply to many people in the US. If you have a job that is in demand you will not need to worry any more about these things than if you live in another developed country. Especially in American corporate culture, sure people are worried about their mortgage and some do live paycheck to paycheck, but the culture of excessive work in places like tech or finance is not generally about getting thrown out to the streets with cancer.

You're right and wrong. You are right that it is hard if you are poor and easy if you are rich. But you are wrong that HN or people outside of the US do not understand that it is only hard for poor people. It's just that external to the US, people care about the welfare of poor people more. The fact that you felt it necessary to state that caveat illustrates how systemic problems which victimize poor people can be excused and remain unchanged in the US.

For context I've lived for decades in both Australia and the US. Pros and cons in both cultures, and I love both.

I brought it up more to illustrate that the work culture of the US is not just a result of precarious financial situations due to lack of a safety net.

I would agree that it's not entirely the result of precarious financial situations. But even in tech and other high paying sectors, I would argue it still plays a factor, even if it is unconscious. Golden handcuffs are in part evident of this. Everyone in America wants to make enough money they can retire comfortably. Which is an entirely rational thing to want to do. But other countries do have higher paying pensions, so the fear of retiring destitute is less.

Also keep in mind employer expectations are a market just like any other. You as an employee compete against others willing to go lower. If you have a portion of the population in precarious financial situations, that will still impact you somewhat as they compete for jobs indirectly with you.

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