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Yes, they grow up with far more direct exposure to alcohol but their drinking style is not a result of some nationwide depression. And they have EXCELLENT public transportation systems and a near zero (if not zero) tolerance for drink driving. I find it a better model than the binge style of drinking that a lot of American teens and young adults accustom themselves to. Unfortunately, many communities in America pretty much require having a car to get around and bar goers often forego the designated driver system, hence all the deaths due to drunk driving. Pretty sad and unnerving.
Exactly. Look at their drunk driving statistics and compare to ours: BIG DIFFERENCE. They drink because it's a social thing, not because they're miserable. They are also far more responsible that we are, knowing that if you get caught just ONCE over the limit in many EU nations, you can kiss your license goodbye and you may even face jail time, even for a first offense.
Spent a few days in Copenhagen and Arhus and I had the greatest experience. I had been doing some research about Denmark especially given the fact that they are overall the happiest people in the world and the most satisfied with their health care system.
Everytime I travel to a different country, I just get this feeling that the US is a very overrated country, it also makes me realize how many lies Americans are told on a daily basis, this whole, "We are the greatest, no one compares to us" is truly a bunch of BS. Beautiful country, very safe, no guns, no homeless people, a very happy bunch of people overall
High taxes, and some evil socialism does not seem to be all that bad after all.
Ok, living in and vacationing in are COMPLETELY different... Try living in a country like Denmark for a while AFTER living in the US. You'll quickly miss the wide open spaces and freedoms that most of the Europeans simply don't have.
I'll agree that on the surface Denmark may seem like paradise. Socialism has that effect. However, once you start working day to day and find out you have less money to spend (even the money you'd have to go out and enjoy the weekends, eat at restaurants etc) you'll quickly grow tired of it.
Maybe its a personal thing, but I would greatly miss the land/geography of the USA after a short while living in Europe... The deserts of Texas and Arizona, the gulf coast, northern california forests, hawaii, alaska... Denmark is completely flat, and in order to get a taste of something else you need to leave the country!
Ok, living in and vacationing in are COMPLETELY different... Try living in a country like Denmark for a while AFTER living in the US. You'll quickly miss the wide open spaces and freedoms that most of the Europeans simply don't have.
I'll agree that on the surface Denmark may seem like paradise. Socialism has that effect. However, once you start working day to day and find out you have less money to spend (even the money you'd have to go out and enjoy the weekends, eat at restaurants etc) you'll quickly grow tired of it.
Maybe its a personal thing, but I would greatly miss the land/geography of the USA after a short while living in Europe... The deserts of Texas and Arizona, the gulf coast, northern california forests, hawaii, alaska... Denmark is completely flat, and in order to get a taste of something else you need to leave the country!
Definitely not for me... thats for sure.
Florida is flat as a pancake too, so what? The US isn't the only place with amazing geography/land. Europe has the Alps, The Pyrenees, the mountains and fjords of Norway. It has vastly diverse coastlines, from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic coastlines. Europe has many different climates too and many variations in scenery, languages and cultures.
So what if your "disposable income" is less? Your healthcare is paid for, you don't need a car and your tuition is 1,000 times cheaper. You don't have religion shoved down your throat, same sex couples are free to enter into civil unions and as a consumer and as an employee, you are *far* more protected than here in the US.
Ok, living in and vacationing in are COMPLETELY different... Try living in a country like Denmark for a while AFTER living in the US. You'll quickly miss the wide open spaces and freedoms that most of the Europeans simply don't have.
I'll agree that on the surface Denmark may seem like paradise. Socialism has that effect. However, once you start working day to day and find out you have less money to spend (even the money you'd have to go out and enjoy the weekends, eat at restaurants etc) you'll quickly grow tired of it.
Maybe its a personal thing, but I would greatly miss the land/geography of the USA after a short while living in Europe... The deserts of Texas and Arizona, the gulf coast, northern california forests, hawaii, alaska... Denmark is completely flat, and in order to get a taste of something else you need to leave the country!
Definitely not for me... thats for sure.
I lived in several areas of Europe (including some in Scandinavia ) and I have also lived in many regions of the US, and enjoyed both. I never missed the "wide open spaces" of the US while I lived in Scandinavia. While "over there" I worked and went to school and was very busy and never grew tired of it. I was by no means wealthy, but I did not find the price of things appalling by any means.
The Scandinavians I seemed to know worked very hard and played hard as well.
In the USA I have lived in Alaska, Hawaii, upstate New York, Philly, southern FL and several more places. I love the diverse geography of the states but did not find myself abhorring the relatively flat landscape of southern Sweden while I lived there. Mountainous Norway is just a train ride or short flight away for Danes and Swedes.
It might not be for you, but you also may never know for certain if you can't/won't try it.
So what if your "disposable income" is less? Your healthcare is paid for, you don't need a car and your tuition is 1,000 times cheaper. You don't have religion shoved down your throat, same sex couples are free to enter into civil unions and as a consumer and as an employee, you are *far* more protected than here in the US.
True. University is basically free for all citizens unless you choose some extremely private and specialized institute. Getting an appt with the doctor does not take long and will also not have you worrying about whether you can afford to pay your bills that month because of some unforseen health predicament and a hefty doctors bill. Mothers have generous maternity leave and I believe fathers also get some paternity leave as well. Public transportation system is extremely dependable. Hmm, so much to complain about.
Maybe its a personal thing, but I would greatly miss the land/geography of the USA after a short while living in Europe... The deserts of Texas and Arizona, the gulf coast, northern california forests, hawaii, alaska... Denmark is completely flat, and in order to get a taste of something else you need to leave the country!
Can't argue with that - it's not a country with a great variety of countryside. (Actually there is, in my opinion, but it's subtle.) Of course, "leaving the country" is a trivial affair what with open borders etc.
Low corruption countries, they all seem to share being Democracies, and also have low populations.
Less troughing politicians for us to keep an eye on.
Strange though, the majority seem to be Limited Monarchies, a quaint system that somehow works for us.
Low corruption countries, they all seem to share being Democracies, and also have low populations.
Less troughing politicians for us to keep an eye on.
Strange though, the majority seem to be Limited Monarchies, a quaint system that somehow works for us.
The UK and Spain still have Monarchies. They're not exactly "low population" countries.
Nice oversimplification. If learning from the rest of the world were so easy, we'd already have done it if it worked for us. In fact, if learning from our own States were so simple, it would have already been done. Democrats have been slobbering over Massachusetts healthcare system. If it's so good, then why haven't other states started a similar program? Because it is wrought with problems and may not work for certain state bureacracies. The same can be said for other countries. What's good for the goose is not always good for the gander. You can chalk it up to arrogance if you want, but you're ignoring the two very different societies of Denmark and the United States. Not to mention a 325 million disparity in population. Scope and scale alone makes the comparison far from equitable.
I agree it's difficult to compare Denmark vs the USA but it's still worth noting. Our country is so large and our governments are to big and unwieldy, and it continually gets worse, that I don't believe we are able to improve. Yes, there's always room for improvement. It's happened to other great civilizations. The rigidity in our mindset caused by our pride, patriotism, and past victories blinds us from adapting to changing worldly situations. I say this with the best interests of this country in mind. Rome lasted a thousand years, we have but a couple hundred plus. Lessons from history to be taken to heart.
put the US population in Denmark, and you wouldn't like it anymore.
The reason why Denmark is successful is their homogeneity. They
better protect that or they will become New Jersey. DENMARK : general data
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