What is the point of living in the US?

[Anonymous]

Europe is smaller than a lot of states. Rest of world is mostly crap

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am an immigrant, so the question is highly relevant to me. The real estate is so expensive that it entirely negates the point of earning high salaries. Schools are garbage, crime is rampant, nothing is walkable... once upon a time at least you could get a huge house to compensate for that. Not any more. I am now embarrassed to show tiny old houses with low ceilings and vinyl siding that go for million+.

It seems like your primary concern is having a big, fancy house. Why not just move to a cheaper part of the US? Not to say you shouldn't move back to your country, but I think most places with comparable living standards are equally or more expensive. You can still get a fancy new build McMansion in most parts of the country for under $1m.

[Anonymous]

Look, don't get me wrong - I love this country and everything it ostensibly stands for. This idea that your identity is tied to an idea vs a race, ethnicity, or place of origin really is a beautiful thing. But - we have massive problems. The gun violence is just insane and no developed country with the resources we have should tolerate it. I know almost everyone who posts here would probably support policy changes to help curb it, but that's not the country we live in.
The creeping autocracy is also quite concerning. I follow international politics pretty closely, and while you do see some of this in other western countries - we are much further along. Look at Canada - yes the Conservatives have a wide base of support. But the fascist-adjacent, "Trumpy" part of the Canadian right, the People's Party, still only gets like 5-10% of the vote.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm sorry you were such a fool, OP. Do you blame yourself or your parents, or do you just offload your angst onto the rest of us?

I was very ambitious and wanted to be among the best in the world - I was very focused on my academic interests and haven't considered the consequences that immigration would have on the rest of my life. My parents should have had provided a balancing perspective there but they failed to. To be honest, I probably wouldn't have listened to them anyway.

You seem to blame everyone else for your problems OP. Have you looked in the mirror yet?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Look, don't get me wrong - I love this country and everything it ostensibly stands for. This idea that your identity is tied to an idea vs a race, ethnicity, or place of origin really is a beautiful thing. But - we have massive problems. The gun violence is just insane and no developed country with the resources we have should tolerate it. I know almost everyone who posts here would probably support policy changes to help curb it, but that's not the country we live in.
The creeping autocracy is also quite concerning. I follow international politics pretty closely, and while you do see some of this in other western countries - we are much further along. Look at Canada - yes the Conservatives have a wide base of support. But the fascist-adjacent, "Trumpy" part of the Canadian right, the People's Party, still only gets like 5-10% of the vote.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am an immigrant, so the question is highly relevant to me. The real estate is so expensive that it entirely negates the point of earning high salaries. Schools are garbage, crime is rampant, nothing is walkable... once upon a time at least you could get a huge house to compensate for that. Not any more. I am now embarrassed to show tiny old houses with low ceilings and vinyl siding that go for million+.

It seems like your primary concern is having a big, fancy house. Why not just move to a cheaper part of the US? Not to say you shouldn't move back to your country, but I think most places with comparable living standards are equally or more expensive. You can still get a fancy new build McMansion in most parts of the country for under $1m.

Op probably doesn’t want to ‘a cheaper part of the US’ because he/ she would feel uncomfortable living in an area where they are an ethnic/ racial minority and they would miss their immigrant community that they have here. Some of these towns are not exactly welcoming to immigrants!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Look, don't get me wrong - I love this country and everything it ostensibly stands for. This idea that your identity is tied to an idea vs a race, ethnicity, or place of origin really is a beautiful thing. But - we have massive problems. The gun violence is just insane and no developed country with the resources we have should tolerate it. I know almost everyone who posts here would probably support policy changes to help curb it, but that's not the country we live in.
The creeping autocracy is also quite concerning. I follow international politics pretty closely, and while you do see some of this in other western countries - we are much further along. Look at Canada - yes the Conservatives have a wide base of support. But the fascist-adjacent, "Trumpy" part of the Canadian right, the People's Party, still only gets like 5-10% of the vote.

But some of this is also the case elsewhere, particularly the rise in populism.

Here's the reality - the US is a great place to be if you are very ambitious. It's unparalleled if you are smart, an entrepreneur, have a clear and focused goal, and are either already educated or can afford a U.S. college degree. But it is not a great place for everyone else. Content to be type B? Not for you. Want to work just to pay your bills and focus on enjoying your free time? Nope. Happen to get sick or disabled or have a financial crisis of any kind? Nada.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm sorry you were such a fool, OP. Do you blame yourself or your parents, or do you just offload your angst onto the rest of us?

I was very ambitious and wanted to be among the best in the world - I was very focused on my academic interests and haven't considered the consequences that immigration would have on the rest of my life. My parents should have had provided a balancing perspective there but they failed to. To be honest, I probably wouldn't have listened to them anyway.

You seem to blame everyone else for your problems OP. Have you looked in the mirror yet?

+1. OP -- you are responsible for your own happiness. Figure out what you need.

[Anonymous]

A landscaper worked on our street last week:
Has been living and working here for 20 years,
Has 4 sones now,
Having 4 landscape teams
Owning 4 trucks
Bought a large single family house with yard in Germantown
Enjoying his life, family, and success
Came to the US illegally without anything in his early 20s

This is the American dream.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread is so funny. We Americans truly are brainwashed into thinking that our country is soooo special. I think PP had a legitimate question.

I know America has problems and other countries do some things better than we do. However I know people that moved here from other countries, even Europe, and they want to stay here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look, don't get me wrong - I love this country and everything it ostensibly stands for. This idea that your identity is tied to an idea vs a race, ethnicity, or place of origin really is a beautiful thing. But - we have massive problems. The gun violence is just insane and no developed country with the resources we have should tolerate it. I know almost everyone who posts here would probably support policy changes to help curb it, but that's not the country we live in.
The creeping autocracy is also quite concerning. I follow international politics pretty closely, and while you do see some of this in other western countries - we are much further along. Look at Canada - yes the Conservatives have a wide base of support. But the fascist-adjacent, "Trumpy" part of the Canadian right, the People's Party, still only gets like 5-10% of the vote.

But some of this is also the case elsewhere, particularly the rise in populism.

Here's the reality - the US is a great place to be if you are very ambitious. It's unparalleled if you are smart, an entrepreneur, have a clear and focused goal, and are either already educated or can afford a U.S. college degree. But it is not a great place for everyone else. Content to be type B? Not for you. Want to work just to pay your bills and focus on enjoying your free time? Nope. Happen to get sick or disabled or have a financial crisis of any kind? Nada.

We currently live in the U.K. and planning a move back to the US in the next year and this resonates so much.

Many of our friends here come from smaller EU countries and have moved back for a simpler life whereas our move back doesn’t feel as “easy” …we have to think of our health insurance again, massive college expenses, gun violence, etc. Theyll still be long hours and commutes, etc. But we do have options, we will pick a lower cost city and enjoy a bigger house with AC and be able to drive thru Starbucks and stock up at Costco.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am an immigrant, so the question is highly relevant to me. The real estate is so expensive that it entirely negates the point of earning high salaries. Schools are garbage, crime is rampant, nothing is walkable... once upon a time at least you could get a huge house to compensate for that. Not any more. I am now embarrassed to show tiny old houses with low ceilings and vinyl siding that go for million+.

Anything in the US beats the mud home with no plumbing, sewer, electrical, hvac you grew up with. Oh...mud homes are well insulated at least.

[Anonymous]

I’m a first generation American, parents immigrated in 1960s from Eastern Europe, I’m born here. Back then, my dad saw no opportunities in his part of the world due to Soviet influences. America was the land of opportunity, the roads are paved with gold, and that was the mindset. He came with nothing, some formal education, but had ambition and the ability to recognize and seize opportunities. I don’t have to work (but do), thanks to this country and what he was able to accomplish by coming here. I think it’s just not the same anymore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am an immigrant, so the question is highly relevant to me. The real estate is so expensive that it entirely negates the point of earning high salaries. Schools are garbage, crime is rampant, nothing is walkable... once upon a time at least you could get a huge house to compensate for that. Not any more. I am now embarrassed to show tiny old houses with low ceilings and vinyl siding that go for million+.

Anything in the US beats the mud home with no plumbing, sewer, electrical, hvac you grew up with. Oh...mud homes are well insulated at least.

is that what you tell yourself during your 80 min commute as you pay 300k so that your kid can get a degree from loyola?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am an immigrant, so the question is highly relevant to me. The real estate is so expensive that it entirely negates the point of earning high salaries. Schools are garbage, crime is rampant, nothing is walkable... once upon a time at least you could get a huge house to compensate for that. Not any more. I am now embarrassed to show tiny old houses with low ceilings and vinyl siding that go for million+.

It seems like your primary concern is having a big, fancy house. Why not just move to a cheaper part of the US? Not to say you shouldn't move back to your country, but I think most places with comparable living standards are equally or more expensive. You can still get a fancy new build McMansion in most parts of the country for under $1m.

Op probably doesn’t want to ‘a cheaper part of the US’ because he/ she would feel uncomfortable living in an area where they are an ethnic/ racial minority and they would miss their immigrant community that they have here. Some of these towns are not exactly welcoming to immigrants!

As a brown, practicing Muslim (as in we dress modestly, don't drink alcohol, are quite obviously different) who was born and raised in DC, I take issue with this. The suburbs peopled with professionals in pretty much all areas of the country look much the same and have the same number of immigrants and services that cater to that class of immigrant. You could move to Carrol Gardens, Wawatosa, Shaker heights, Scarsdale, Redmond, Evanston, chino, etc. . your life will be pretty much the same cultural amenity wise as far as being an immigrant goes. I was slightly horrified to find there were no Korean stores when I moved away but then I found a huge Japanese store nearby that has location in 3 places, of course I still miss Lotte but I can get what I need. If you are living a nice large house in the suburbs life- that can be found most anywhere and you'll find a large community of professionals who have immigrated there. In many ways they have a better shot at living the American dream than people who live in the DC area b/c the housing stock here is expensive and not particularly innovative and people just don't have the money to spend. If you want to feel like you are getting a return on the sacrifice you made to move here- you should make a further move to one of the many upscale suburbs outside of the north east/washington area. that is where eh real return on investment is for first generation immigrants.