[Westy]

Your subjective opinions are not facts and far from being fun.

The typical Japanese school year is 240 days long, giving the student about three years more years of instruction over the typical American.

 

[Toshi]

Your subjective opinions are not facts and far from being fun.

The typical Japanese school year is 240 days long, giving the student about three years more years of instruction over the typical American.

Not to mention that most kids will do "cram school" after regular school is out to get an extra edge on entrance exams.

 

[DaveW]

So the Japanese cram while the Sepo's scram?

 

[Westy]

Not to mention that most kids will do "cram school" after regular school is out to get an extra edge on entrance exams.

American cram schools will most likely include either assholes or food, or both.

Sad fact: Japanese suicide rates are about 60% higher than the rest of the world.

Subjective personal anecdote: Part of me respects the Japanese way of life. But from the 20 years I have worked with Japanese companies along with the few months I have spent there, I am pretty sure had I led the life of an equivalent engineer in Japan, I would have sought treatment from a high velocity lead pill dispenser long ago.

 

[Toshi]

Yeah, that system has no sympathy for those who fall by the wayside, and the suicide rate reflects that. Death by overwork once one "wins the game", as it were, too. Japan has some issues. On the other hand, they also have a super clean country, public transit that works, polite (if xenophobic) people, and a general culture of competency at all levels from the janitor through the C suite that we lack here.

 

[Westy]

Yeah, that system has no sympathy for those who fall by the wayside, and the suicide rate reflects that. Death by overwork once one "wins the game", as it were, too. Japan has some issues. On the other hand, they also have a super clean country, public transit that works, polite (if xenophobic) people, and a general culture of competency at all levels from the janitor through the C suite that we lack here.

I enjoyed the clean and safe environment during my time there. I can even say I enjoyed the xenophobic aspect, it was always nice having the extra personal space on a packed and stifling subway car because I was the sweaty white guy. The "conform or else" attitude in the professional world I couldn't deal with. Not that I am some rebel, but I have made a career ignoring what I am told to do and doing what is right instead. I've left two good jobs because obedience was given priority over performance. Still adjusting to my new gig but I am pretty getting paid to show folks how to get shit done instead of just following procedure.

 

[Toshi]

new gig

Related fact to Westy's new gig: Seattle housing runs about twice per square foot as compared to Denver. Stoney would faint and Brian HCM #1 would scoff.

 

[JohnE]

Your subjective opinions are not facts and far from being fun.

Thats just like, your opinion man...

 

[Pesqueeb]

obedience was given priority over performance

Fun fact: I'm saving this quote for review time!

 

[Westy]

US shoe sizing is based on the size of a barleycorn.

 

[ALEXIS_DH]

facts and logic are way overrated.
the world just doesnt care about them. the average human operates by "feels".
irrefutable evidence presented by a dubious or arrogant man fall in a void for most humans.

I consider accepting that "reality" of the wisest things i learned in my 30s.

 

[rideit]

We just argue facts here, like if a tire is drifty or not, and is that actually a good thing, or a bad thing?

 

[Westy]

facts and logic are way overrated.
the world just doesnt care about them. the average human operates by "feels".
irrefutable evidence presented by a dubious or arrogant man fall in a void for most humans.

I consider accepting that "reality" of the wisest things i learned in my 30s.

Suspected fact: Societies that repress feelings are more successful at the cost of quality of life.

 

[jdcamb]

When I was in the Hospital in Pittsburgh I went for for a walk. They had a Burn Treatment Center. It was a big huge building. I was bewildered to think that Pittsburgh has so many fires they had to build a section of the Hospital for Burns.

 

[Changleen]

Suspected fact: Societies that repress feelings are more successful at the cost of quality of life.

The Japanese? America? Two fairly different situations.. Which were you thinking of?

 

[Westy]

The Japanese? America? Two fairly different situations.. Which were you thinking of?

Japan, England, Northern Europe. Countries that punch well above their weight class.

 

[Toshi]

Apfelmännchen

Little Apple Man indeed

 

[Changleen]

Japan, England, Northern Europe. Countries that punch well above their weight class.

Who represses their feelings in Northern Europe? England yes, but that part of the continent is one of the most liberated, emotionally liberal and self-aware places on the planet IMO. For more a generation most countries have self-understanding as part of regular school life, psychological therapy is totally normal and taking a mental health day has zero stigma. People will send a group email saying they’re taking one.

 

[Changleen]

Also Northern Europe has one of the highest quality of lives in the world, by most measures.

 

[rideit]

How can any country that doesn’t have a Waffle House be truly happy?

 

[iRider]

Also Northern Europe has one of the highest quality of lives in the world, by most measures.

If you are drugged up then you will of course think that you have a high quality of life.

 

[Changleen]

That list goes someway to dis-proving your point IMO...

 

[Changleen]

Quality of Life Index by Country 2021

www.numbeo.com

 

[Westy]

If you are drugged up then you will of course think that you have a high quality of life.

View attachment 152725

Worth pointing out the US for profit health system. A large number of Americans are on antidepressants moreso to make boat payments than to cure depression.

 

[Changleen]

Some thoughts about the antidepressant list above: I recon the middle of that list represents ‘good normal’ — functional healthcare systems where people who need it get access to high quality healthcare. The top of the list has reasons like: Far northern countries are slightly over-represented but they have 9+ months a year where they would be naturally highly vitamin D deficient, which is a solid way to feel shit and get sick real fast. Straya and Merica are up there because their health systems are incentivised to medicate rather than cure.

 

[iRider]

Some thoughts about the antidepressant list above: I recon the middle of that list represents ‘good normal’ — functional healthcare systems where people who need it get access to high quality healthcare. The top of the list has reasons like: Far northern countries are slightly over-represented but they have 9+ months a year where they would be naturally highly vitamin D deficient, which is a solid way to feel shit and get sick real fast. Straya and Merica are up there because their health systems are incentivised to medicate rather than cure.

I would say a solid '0' represents a 'good normal', everything else is too high!
Living in the country that has apparently the highest quality of life, I just can't see it. There are so many things that speak against it. Alcohol use is seriously high, there is a long waiting list for therapy if you have depressions (had friends and colleagues try to get help, all they got were drugs, which just cover the symptoms), a health care system that is under-treating, high cost of living, ...

 

[jdcamb]

I may have confused Brazil with Portugal. Sorry Canadians.

 

[Changleen]

I would say a solid '0' represents a 'good normal', everything else is too high!
Living in the country that has apparently the highest quality of life, I just can't see it. There are so many things that speak against it. Alcohol use is seriously high, there is a long waiting list for therapy if you have depressions (had friends and colleagues try to get help, all they got were drugs, which just cover the symptoms), a health care system that is under-treating, high cost of living, ...

If you look for perfection, you might go blind...

 

[iRider]

If you look for perfection, you might go blind...

Aim low so you never fail to meet your expectations instead?

 

[eric strt6]

Ian Fleming who wrote James Bond also wrote Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Actor Gert Frobe played Goldfinger and in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang played Baron Bomburst in the film versions

 

[Jm_]

Ian Fleming who wrote James Bond also wrote Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Actor Gert Frobe played Goldfinger and in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang played Baron Bomburst in the film versions

I don't even have to look this part up: Actor Gerb Frobe didn't speak a lick of English in Goldfinger. All of his "talking" was dubbed, provided by another actor. I think he was Hungarian?

 

[buckoW]

I would say a solid '0' represents a 'good normal', everything else is too high!
Living in the country that has apparently the highest quality of life, I just can't see it. There are so many things that speak against it. Alcohol use is seriously high, there is a long waiting list for therapy if you have depressions (had friends and colleagues try to get help, all they got were drugs, which just cover the symptoms), a health care system that is under-treating, high cost of living, ...

I´ve lived 21 years in the US and 21 years in Switzerland. I definitely feel like the quality of life is incredibly high here in Switzerland compared to anywhere else but sadly most people here don’t have that perception.

 

[kidwoo]

I´ve lived 21 years in the US and 21 years in Switzerland. I definitely feel like the quality of life is incredibly high here in Switzerland compared to anywhere else but sadly most people here don’t have that perception.

Find me someone to trade with.


Like soon.

 

[AngryMetalsmith]

In the State of North Carolina it is illegal to allow your dog to harass a squirrel on state owned property.

 

[kidwoo]

In the State of North Carolina it is illegal to allow your dog to harass a squirrel on state owned property.

I'm on the squirrels' side. Big dumbass labs thinking this is fun. Lives are at stake here.

 

[iRider]

I´ve lived 21 years in the US and 21 years in Switzerland. I definitely feel like the quality of life is incredibly high here in Switzerland compared to anywhere else but sadly most people here don’t have that perception.

I know, the grass is always greener...thing. One thing to keep in mind though is that most of us are privileged, so quality of life is different for us than the average Joe. I have quite fond memories of the US and think my quality of life there was better or equal to here (for sure better mountain biking, which is part of quality of life, right?), but I appreciate that overall the population is probably better off here. However, there are also quite a few indicators that show that these surveys that come up with the rankings might miss some crucial points. If quality of life is so high, why do so many people have depressions, is alcohol consumption so high, etc.?

 

[Jm_]

Fucking Alps. I would kill for those. And you got trains running everywhere, through the mountains, on top of the mountains, under the mountains.

We have nothing like that.

 

[StiHacka]

Fucking Alps. I would kill for those. And you got trains running everywhere, through the mountains, on top of the mountains, under the mountains.

We have nothing like that.

We don't have fucking train services from suburbs to city centers. 3rd world countries have better infrastructure than the mighty US.

 

[SkaredShtles]

We don't have fucking train services from suburbs to city centers. 3rd world countries have better infrastructure than the mighty US.

Seriously - our "infrastructure" peaked in the 50's.

 

[Toshi]

Seriously - our "infrastructure" peaked in the 50's.

I follow an American train photo twitter account, and so many of the photos have captions saying that the line is now abandoned or that the bridge is no longer present.