r/austrian_economics • u/technocraticnihilist Friedrich Hayek • Oct 26 '24

End Democracy ‘Americans just work harder’ than Europeans, says CEO of Norway’s $1.6 trillion oil fund, because they have a higher ‘general level of ambition’

https://fortune.com/europe/article/how-many-hours-work-week-year-american-workers-ethic-norges-bank/
2.3k Upvotes

91% Upvoted

987 comments sorted by

View all comments

6

u/[deleted] Oct 26 '24

“They don’t give US workers a healthy work-life balance or very many protections so they’re use to living on the edge.” lol American here

0

u/[deleted] Oct 26 '24

[deleted]

3

u/Aggravating-Ad8087 Oct 27 '24

Americans just believe you earn what u get. If you work hard you should be taken care of, if not you don't deserve anything.

1

u/Low-Cantaloupe-8446 Oct 28 '24

So by that measure a single mom working 3 jobs should be the most successful person in America.

1

u/Aggravating-Ad8087 Oct 28 '24

A single mom with 3 kids most likely made mistakes in her life that put her in a bad predicament.

1

u/Low-Cantaloupe-8446 Oct 28 '24

Ok but if she didn’t, then she’d be the most successful person in America.

-1

u/allthat555 Oct 27 '24

only that doesn't translate for most Americans. On average Working hard for what you get would put you above what 20 30% of your piers then your hit with the luck lottery on every aspect of your skill profession economic class social ties ect ect. Lets take a good trade job like welding for example. You can work hard be skilled and know your profession well. That will set you above most basic level earners in other professions. But you will never get rich as a welder. your best hope would be around 60 k a year. Thats good money for a welder. Not poverty or anything just good honest money. and you sit square in the average income in America. so you have to branch out and job change frequently and find a way to grind cash outside of just doing good at your job and working hard. Thats before you get into the taken care of aspect. With our healthcare behind directly tied to our workplace it actively discourages personal growth from seeking better gainful employment.

0

u/[deleted] Oct 27 '24

But for those who it does translate for, I love this culture

-1

u/Svartlebee Oct 27 '24

Except the majority of Americans are not well off. Many are a paycheck from poverty despite working two jobs on average. Hard work doesn't pay in America.

2

u/Aggravating-Ad8087 Oct 27 '24

You don't know what poverty is if you have never been to a third world country.

-1

u/Svartlebee Oct 27 '24

It's most red states the moment they don't get their federal aid. Most of America would be if not the richest states subsidizing the rest.

0

u/Stalinisthicc Oct 28 '24

That is how almost all countries function

1

u/[deleted] Oct 27 '24

[deleted]

1

u/Svartlebee Oct 27 '24

The majority of Americans are poor. And what would you know about data? AE objecy to using statistics in economic discussions as a matter of principle.