Quality vs. Price - Is the USA doing it correctly? (1 Viewer)

[Goldminer1]

I'm currently sitting in the Copenhagen airport waiting to fly to Amsterdam for the final leg of my European trip for the Summer. While I certainly don't match "power-travelers" or those who fly all over the world for work, I feel like I have a decent idea of what life is like in some of Europe's most popular, destination cities.

One thing that I have been most struck by on this trip, is the quality of products, services, food, clothing etc. that is simply the standard that is set and expected by people who live over here. The public transportation, is fast, reliable, clean & safe. The food is made of high quality ingredients and tastes great (even stuff you pick-up from 7/11 - seriously). The clothes that people wear aren't the Kohl's store brand (what I often wear), and you can tell that they are made with top-notch materials and made to last.

In the USA, I feel like we have created a society/economy/culture/system where the goal of nearly every endeavor, is - what is the absolute lowest cost we can do this for? How cheaply can we make a shirt? What are the cheapest possible ingredients we can put into this food? How can we ride the line of making this ''system" (waste collection, transportation etc.) the absolute cheapest we can make it for the end user? And now, after inflation & post-covid price gouging, we now are paying more for these same "cheap" products.

I realize this comes off as the girl that is doing her semester-abroad as a college sophomore, but like I said, this isn't my first rodeo to Europe, and this has just become something that has reached an "impossible to ignore" state.

So, what do you think? Is the - keep prices as low as possible, while sacrificing quality (USA) the best way of doing things, or - should we up the quality, but also pay more for stuff?

P.S. - I realize this could easily fall into a political discussion, that isn't my intention, and in-fact a lot of what I am seeing, doesn't really have much to do with taxes or political systems.

 

[ChiefD]

Sounds about right.

 

[AAABatteries]

I'm not sure which is the "right" way to do it, but I will say that what I've noticed is we accept cheaper goods and services and just plan to buy another widget when the one we have breaks or becomes obsolete. Personally, I've reached an age and financial situation where I'm willing to pay more for better quality that will last, and I like better.

 

[Ilov80s]

Except much of the quality things in Europe aren’t more expensive. I’ve been in Venice and Rome the past 10 days and pretty much everything is cheaper than I would pay in America.

 

[Joe Bryant]

I do think it's interesting. I was recently in Portugal for 10 days and saw similar things with fewer low quality / cheaper options.

 

[NutterButter]

For me its easier to manage expectations when you go with the cheap lower quality approach. And my happiness is typically based on my expectations. Few things upset me more than paying more for something and winding up feeling like I got ripped off.

 

[Gally]

It's kind of like the boiling a frog situation. Things started out as decent to good quality but at a cheaper price. Then the "cheaper" price items got less and less as far as quality to the point that we didn't realize it has gotten as bad as it has. Now it is too late and probably not gonna change.

 

[Gally]

For me its easier to manage expectations when you go with the cheap lower quality approach. And my happiness is typically based on my expectations. Few things upset me more than paying more for something and winding up feeling like I got ripped off.

Expectations play a huge role for sure. When you pay more expecting more and don't get it then it really is terrible.

 

[DA RAIDERS]

I'm currently sitting in the Copenhagen airport waiting to fly to Amsterdam for the final leg of my European trip for the Summer. While I certainly don't match "power-travelers" or those who fly all over the world for work, I feel like I have a decent idea of what life is like in some of Europe's most popular, destination cities.

One thing that I have been most struck by on this trip, is the quality of products, services, food, clothing etc. that is simply the standard that is set and expected by people who live over here. The public transportation, is fast, reliable, clean & safe. The food is made of high quality ingredients and tastes great (even stuff you pick-up from 7/11 - seriously). The clothes that people wear aren't the Kohl's store brand (what I often wear), and you can tell that they are made with top-notch materials and made to last.

In the USA, I feel like we have created a society/economy/culture/system where the goal of nearly every endeavor, is - what is the absolute lowest cost we can do this for? How cheaply can we make a shirt? What are the cheapest possible ingredients we can put into this food? How can we ride the line of making this ''system" (waste collection, transportation etc.) the absolute cheapest we can make it for the end user? And now, after inflation & post-covid price gouging, we now are paying more for these same "cheap" products.

I realize this comes off as the girl that is doing her semester-abroad as a college sophomore, but like I said, this isn't my first rodeo to Europe, and this has just become something that has reached an "impossible to ignore" state.

So, what do you think? Is the - keep prices as low as possible, while sacrificing quality (USA) the best way of doing things, or - should we up the quality, but also pay more for stuff?

P.S. - I realize this could easily fall into a political discussion, that isn't my intention, and in-fact a lot of what I am seeing, doesn't really have much to do with taxes or political systems.

It’s not done for us, the consumer. It’s done this was to maximize profits. It’s greed. Pure and simple. There are high quality things in the US. They just cost more.

 

[Scoresman]

I've been saying for years that Europe does many, many things better than we do, but no one ever seems to want to hear it.

One of the reasons my wife and I are on a path to becoming expats in the future.

 

[NutterButter]

For me its easier to manage expectations when you go with the cheap lower quality approach. And my happiness is typically based on my expectations. Few things upset me more than paying more for something and winding up feeling like I got ripped off.

Expectations play a huge role for sure. When you pay more expecting more and don't get it then it really is terrible.

And that's not even considering the human element. I'm not very good at taking care of things nor do I want to have to worry about taking care of things. So if I buy the more expensive version of something and I lose or break it, I'm gonna be A LOT harder on myself than if I bought the cheap version. Just the other day I was painting my living room and I broke my tv trying to put it back on the wall bracket. Now this was a $250 55" tv I bought like 5 years ago. Not a big deal. Walmart had another one at my doorstep later that day. I got a picture of the guy from walmart delivering it to my house in his totoya corrolla with the tv sticking out of his trunk.

 

[Gally]

So if I buy the more expensive version of something and I lose or break it, I'm gonna be A LOT harder on myself than if I bought the cheap version

This is the exact reason I buy cheap sunglasses.

 

[IvanKaramazov]

For me its easier to manage expectations when you go with the cheap lower quality approach. And my happiness is typically based on my expectations. Few things upset me more than paying more for something and winding up feeling like I got ripped off.

Expectations play a huge role for sure. When you pay more expecting more and don't get it then it really is terrible.

And that's not even considering the human element. I'm not very good at taking care of things nor do I want to have to worry about taking care of things. So if I buy the more expensive version of something and I lose or break it, I'm gonna be A LOT harder on myself than if I bought the cheap version. Just the other day I was painting my living room and I broke my tv trying to put it back on the wall bracket. Now this was a $250 55" tv I bought like 5 years ago. Not a big deal. Walmart had another one at my doorstep later that day. I got a picture of the guy from walmart delivering it to my house in his totoya corrolla with the tv sticking out of his trunk.

When I read the OP, TVs were exactly the item that sprung to mind. I understand that modern TVs are a lot different from the old CRT technology that we grew up with, and maybe it's just the normal, natural order of things that modern sets should be cheaply-made and get replaced every 4-5 years. But this does seem like a pretty good product that would illustrate the OP's point.

Not sure how I feel about that. I'm kind of tired of being in the market for a new TV every other black Friday. On the other hand, it's cool that people with incomes much lower than mine are able to afford a smart TV with a fairly large screen and decent soundbar.

Edit: On the other hand, I have no idea what the deal is with US clothing vs. European clothing. I have lots of sweaters, pullovers, shirts, etc. that I've worn for years, and they still look fine. I have running clothes that are over 10 years old and barely look like they've even been worn. Most of the clothing I own is borderline indestructible. Then again, none of my clothing is from Kohls.

 

[Payne]

We have become all about satisfying the shareholders.

No longer is it about taking care of your employees and your suppliers.
It's about making the board happy and doing whatever it takes to make that happen.

 

[JAA]

I am so in on paying more for quality. Yes, I am fortunate to have that luxury, but sometimes I choose the more expensive item just because it is more expensive and thus comes with an expectation of higher quality.

 

[NutterButter]

For me its easier to manage expectations when you go with the cheap lower quality approach. And my happiness is typically based on my expectations. Few things upset me more than paying more for something and winding up feeling like I got ripped off.

Expectations play a huge role for sure. When you pay more expecting more and don't get it then it really is terrible.

And that's not even considering the human element. I'm not very good at taking care of things nor do I want to have to worry about taking care of things. So if I buy the more expensive version of something and I lose or break it, I'm gonna be A LOT harder on myself than if I bought the cheap version. Just the other day I was painting my living room and I broke my tv trying to put it back on the wall bracket. Now this was a $250 55" tv I bought like 5 years ago. Not a big deal. Walmart had another one at my doorstep later that day. I got a picture of the guy from walmart delivering it to my house in his totoya corrolla with the tv sticking out of his trunk.

When I read the OP, TVs were exactly the item that sprung to mind. I understand that modern TVs are a lot different from the old CRT technology that we grew up with, and maybe it's just the normal, natural order of things that modern sets should be cheaply-made and get replaced every 4-5 years. But this does seem like a pretty good product that would illustrate the OP's point.

Not sure how I feel about that. I'm kind of tired of being in the market for a new TV every other black Friday. On the other hand, it's cool that people with incomes much lower than mine are able to afford a smart TV with a fairly large screen and decent soundbar.

Edit: On the other hand, I have no idea what the deal is with US clothing vs. European clothing. I have lots of sweaters, pullovers, shirts, etc. that I've worn for years, and they still look fine. I have running clothes that are over 10 years old and barely look like they've even been worn. Most of the clothing I own is borderline indestructible. Then again, none of my clothing is from Kohls.

The soundbar is key. Otherwise, I really can't tell much of a difference and I'm mostly watching pirated iptv where the picture source quality isn't the best nor do i need it to be. But I've had really good luck except when I decide to unintentionally change it.

 

[mr. furley]

Except much of the quality things in Europe aren’t more expensive. I’ve been in Venice and Rome the past 10 days and pretty much everything is cheaper than I would pay in America.

la mafia!

 

[Drunken knight]

We used to travel to Europe annually a while back. This was a motivating factor for me tor me to go it culinary (wanted to move to Austria or Switzerland)

 

[NutterButter]

We have become all about satisfying the shareholders.

No longer is it about taking care of your employees and your suppliers.
It's about making the board happy and doing whatever it takes to make that happen.

Hopefully we're at least benefiting monetarily as shareholders ourselves from that tradeoff.

 

[MAC_32]

I'm currently sitting in the Copenhagen airport waiting to fly to Amsterdam for the final leg of my European trip for the Summer. While I certainly don't match "power-travelers" or those who fly all over the world for work, I feel like I have a decent idea of what life is like in some of Europe's most popular, destination cities.

One thing that I have been most struck by on this trip, is the quality of products, services, food, clothing etc. that is simply the standard that is set and expected by people who live over here. The public transportation, is fast, reliable, clean & safe. The food is made of high quality ingredients and tastes great (even stuff you pick-up from 7/11 - seriously). The clothes that people wear aren't the Kohl's store brand (what I often wear), and you can tell that they are made with top-notch materials and made to last.

In the USA, I feel like we have created a society/economy/culture/system where the goal of nearly every endeavor, is - what is the absolute lowest cost we can do this for? How cheaply can we make a shirt? What are the cheapest possible ingredients we can put into this food? How can we ride the line of making this ''system" (waste collection, transportation etc.) the absolute cheapest we can make it for the end user? And now, after inflation & post-covid price gouging, we now are paying more for these same "cheap" products.

I realize this comes off as the girl that is doing her semester-abroad as a college sophomore, but like I said, this isn't my first rodeo to Europe, and this has just become something that has reached an "impossible to ignore" state.

So, what do you think? Is the - keep prices as low as possible, while sacrificing quality (USA) the best way of doing things, or - should we up the quality, but also pay more for stuff?

P.S. - I realize this could easily fall into a political discussion, that isn't my intention, and in-fact a lot of what I am seeing, doesn't really have much to do with taxes or political systems.

It’s not done for us, the consumer. It’s done this was to maximize profits. It’s greed. Pure and simple. There are high quality things in the US. They just cost more.

I might have laughed at the salesman when he suggested adding a warranty to our bundled kitchen appliances we purchased during covid. Thanks, but these things are designed to break immediately after it ends. How about you just get rid of the warranty and knock off $500?

 

[Gatorman]

For me its easier to manage expectations when you go with the cheap lower quality approach. And my happiness is typically based on my expectations. Few things upset me more than paying more for something and winding up feeling like I got ripped off.

Expectations play a huge role for sure. When you pay more expecting more and don't get it then it really is terrible.

And that's not even considering the human element. I'm not very good at taking care of things nor do I want to have to worry about taking care of things. So if I buy the more expensive version of something and I lose or break it, I'm gonna be A LOT harder on myself than if I bought the cheap version. Just the other day I was painting my living room and I broke my tv trying to put it back on the wall bracket. Now this was a $250 55" tv I bought like 5 years ago. Not a big deal. Walmart had another one at my doorstep later that day. I got a picture of the guy from walmart delivering it to my house in his totoya corrolla with the tv sticking out of his trunk.

When I read the OP, TVs were exactly the item that sprung to mind. I understand that modern TVs are a lot different from the old CRT technology that we grew up with, and maybe it's just the normal, natural order of things that modern sets should be cheaply-made and get replaced every 4-5 years. But this does seem like a pretty good product that would illustrate the OP's point.

Not sure how I feel about that. I'm kind of tired of being in the market for a new TV every other black Friday. On the other hand, it's cool that people with incomes much lower than mine are able to afford a smart TV with a fairly large screen and decent soundbar.

Edit: On the other hand, I have no idea what the deal is with US clothing vs. European clothing. I have lots of sweaters, pullovers, shirts, etc. that I've worn for years, and they still look fine. I have running clothes that are over 10 years old and barely look like they've even been worn. Most of the clothing I own is borderline indestructible. Then again, none of my clothing is from Kohls.

Are you really on the market for a new TV bc your old one craps out or becuase the features are getting better? Most of my TVs are on the "older" side, but outside of needing a "widget" to plug in for all teh newer streaming stuff, they all work just fine.

 

[Gatorman]

I'm currently sitting in the Copenhagen airport waiting to fly to Amsterdam for the final leg of my European trip for the Summer. While I certainly don't match "power-travelers" or those who fly all over the world for work, I feel like I have a decent idea of what life is like in some of Europe's most popular, destination cities.

One thing that I have been most struck by on this trip, is the quality of products, services, food, clothing etc. that is simply the standard that is set and expected by people who live over here. The public transportation, is fast, reliable, clean & safe. The food is made of high quality ingredients and tastes great (even stuff you pick-up from 7/11 - seriously). The clothes that people wear aren't the Kohl's store brand (what I often wear), and you can tell that they are made with top-notch materials and made to last.

In the USA, I feel like we have created a society/economy/culture/system where the goal of nearly every endeavor, is - what is the absolute lowest cost we can do this for? How cheaply can we make a shirt? What are the cheapest possible ingredients we can put into this food? How can we ride the line of making this ''system" (waste collection, transportation etc.) the absolute cheapest we can make it for the end user? And now, after inflation & post-covid price gouging, we now are paying more for these same "cheap" products.

I realize this comes off as the girl that is doing her semester-abroad as a college sophomore, but like I said, this isn't my first rodeo to Europe, and this has just become something that has reached an "impossible to ignore" state.

So, what do you think? Is the - keep prices as low as possible, while sacrificing quality (USA) the best way of doing things, or - should we up the quality, but also pay more for stuff?

P.S. - I realize this could easily fall into a political discussion, that isn't my intention, and in-fact a lot of what I am seeing, doesn't really have much to do with taxes or political systems.

It’s not done for us, the consumer. It’s done this was to maximize profits. It’s greed. Pure and simple. There are high quality things in the US. They just cost more.

I might have laughed at the salesman when he suggested adding a warranty to our bundled kitchen appliances we purchased during covid. Thanks, but these things are designed to break immediately after it ends. How about you just get rid of the warranty and knock off $500?

This is kind of how I am with many "basic" appliances. Washers, Dryers, Dishwashers. I but the "mid tier" product and no warranty knowing full well I may have to change a piece or two over time (YouTube is great for maintaining these things, and you can almost order any part from the manufacturer or aftermarket) but when it gets beyond a simple fix I just toss it and buy a new one.

I replaced my dishwasher last year after the other one had a solid 12 year run. Dryer made it about 14. My BIL bought those $1100 dryer that does everything and they made it about 2 years before he needed to get something "major" fixed on it.

 

[Yambag]

I've been saying for years that Europe does many, many things better than we do, but no one ever seems to want to hear it.

One of the reasons my wife and I are on a path to becoming expats in the future.

This. It really is eye opening in many ways. I'm in the process of obtaining Spanish citizenship through the grandchildren law with near future plans of moving abroad.

 

[nirad3]

For me its easier to manage expectations when you go with the cheap lower quality approach. And my happiness is typically based on my expectations. Few things upset me more than paying more for something and winding up feeling like I got ripped off.

Expectations play a huge role for sure. When you pay more expecting more and don't get it then it really is terrible.

And that's not even considering the human element. I'm not very good at taking care of things nor do I want to have to worry about taking care of things. So if I buy the more expensive version of something and I lose or break it, I'm gonna be A LOT harder on myself than if I bought the cheap version. Just the other day I was painting my living room and I broke my tv trying to put it back on the wall bracket. Now this was a $250 55" tv I bought like 5 years ago. Not a big deal. Walmart had another one at my doorstep later that day. I got a picture of the guy from walmart delivering it to my house in his totoya corrolla with the tv sticking out of his trunk.

When I read the OP, TVs were exactly the item that sprung to mind. I understand that modern TVs are a lot different from the old CRT technology that we grew up with, and maybe it's just the normal, natural order of things that modern sets should be cheaply-made and get replaced every 4-5 years. But this does seem like a pretty good product that would illustrate the OP's point.

Not sure how I feel about that. I'm kind of tired of being in the market for a new TV every other black Friday. On the other hand, it's cool that people with incomes much lower than mine are able to afford a smart TV with a fairly large screen and decent soundbar.

Edit: On the other hand, I have no idea what the deal is with US clothing vs. European clothing. I have lots of sweaters, pullovers, shirts, etc. that I've worn for years, and they still look fine. I have running clothes that are over 10 years old and barely look like they've even been worn. Most of the clothing I own is borderline indestructible. Then again, none of my clothing is from Kohls.

Are you really on the market for a new TV bc your old one craps out or becuase the features are getting better? Most of my TVs are on the "older" side, but outside of needing a "widget" to plug in for all teh newer streaming stuff, they all work just fine.

I can't believe my living room HDTV is approaching 12 years old and looks/sounds just fine. We have a Fire Stick to get all the streaming stuff. I have a fairly new "smart" TV in my room and that thing has more glitches than the older one.

 

[Desert_Power]

I've been saying for years that Europe does many, many things better than we do, but no one ever seems to want to hear it.

One of the reasons my wife and I are on a path to becoming expats in the future.

This. It really is eye opening in many ways. I'm in the process of obtaining Spanish citizenship through the grandchildren law with near future plans of moving abroad.

Spain would be great, but their wealth tax would be a pain to operate around.

 

[Desert_Power]

I think it's really the transportation options that stick out when making the comparison. Feels like it is much easier to find cheaper electronics/clothing/etc in Europe than it used to be.

 

[-OZ-]

age and financial situation where I'm willing to pay more for better quality that will last, and I like better.

Yep. Buying better quality costs more up front but costs less over the long term.
It’s expensive to be poor - or to have short term thinking.

It’s not done for us, the consumer. It’s done this was to maximize profits. It’s greed. Pure and simple. There are high quality things in the US. They just cost more.

Many of us are also shareholders so it comes back around. But if the consumer only bought better quality, more higher quality products would be made.

There’s a reason Toyota and Honda vehicles retain value better than most other companies.

“fashion” changes so quickly that most people that are interested in the latest trends don’t consider whether that item will last.

Ultimately, spend for the quality items you want to keep. We tend to keep things until they break down, so we pay more upfront for many things.

 

[Acrobat7]

I've been saying for years that Europe does many, many things better than we do, but no one ever seems to want to hear it.

One of the reasons my wife and I are on a path to becoming expats in the future.

This. It really is eye opening in many ways. I'm in the process of obtaining Spanish citizenship through the grandchildren law with near future plans of moving abroad.

Spain would be great, but their wealth tax would be a pain to operate around.

I believe there is a 4m threshold in Andalusia... (from where I am currently typing this as a resident of Spain.)

 

[-OZ-]

modern sets should be cheaply-made and get replaced every 4-5 years.

our newest TV is 5 years old. The one upstairs is slightly older than my 13yo son.

 

[Gally]

modern sets should be cheaply-made and get replaced every 4-5 years.

our newest TV is 5 years old. The one upstairs is slightly older than my 13yo son.

TV's seem to fair well for longevity. Fridge's on the other hand seem to be a lot less reliable than they used to be. I had my garage fridge for 25 years and really only got rid of it because it was sucking power to run. My current fridge I have had to replace the ice maker already and it was about 5 yrs old when it went out.

 

[nirad3]

modern sets should be cheaply-made and get replaced every 4-5 years.

our newest TV is 5 years old. The one upstairs is slightly older than my 13yo son.

TV's seem to fair well for longevity. Fridge's on the other hand seem to be a lot less reliable than they used to be. I had my garage fridge for 25 years and really only got rid of it because it was sucking power to run. My current fridge I have had to replace the ice maker already and it was about 5 yrs old when it went out.

We had to buy a new fridge about a year ago. Stupid thing makes a TON of noise (which is "normal" for these newer fridges, or so was told by the repairman). Yes, repairman on a 1-year old fridge. That was fun.

 

[Scoresman]

Something I learned today when researching Real Madrid tickets for a trip we have in the fall is that they wont accept US credit cards because we apparently are one of the last countries on the planet to adopt 3D Secure security features on our credit cards.

 

[Joe Bryant]

I've been saying for years that Europe does many, many things better than we do, but no one ever seems to want to hear it.

I feel like that's the majority opinion.

 

[Scoresman]

I've been saying for years that Europe does many, many things better than we do, but no one ever seems to want to hear it.

I feel like that's the majority opinion.

It didnt used to be. Also, depends who you ask. There's still a prevalent attitude that USA is the best in all things, which couldnt be further from the truth.

 

[Joe Bryant]

I've been saying for years that Europe does many, many things better than we do, but no one ever seems to want to hear it.

I feel like that's the majority opinion.

It didnt used to be. Also, depends who you ask. There's still a prevalent attitude that USA is the best in all things, which couldnt be further from the truth.

Of course it depends on who you ask. Not every single person has that opinion.

But "Europe does many, many things better than we do" is hardly some sort of hot take. Tons of people think that. And of course, no country is the best at all things.

 

[Desert_Power]

I've been saying for years that Europe does many, many things better than we do, but no one ever seems to want to hear it.

One of the reasons my wife and I are on a path to becoming expats in the future.

This. It really is eye opening in many ways. I'm in the process of obtaining Spanish citizenship through the grandchildren law with near future plans of moving abroad.

Spain would be great, but their wealth tax would be a pain to operate around.

I believe there is a 4m threshold in Andalusia... (from where I am currently typing this as a resident of Spain.)

Andalusia actually effectively got rid of their wealth tax, but residents would be subject to the (allegedly for 2 years) national level wealth tax that kicks in at 3 million Euros. It seems like the national government is imposing this because of Andalusia and Madrid getting rid of theirs. My sights were more set on the Barcelona/Costa Brava region anyways...

 

[Scoresman]

I've been saying for years that Europe does many, many things better than we do, but no one ever seems to want to hear it.

I feel like that's the majority opinion.

It didnt used to be. Also, depends who you ask. There's still a prevalent attitude that USA is the best in all things, which couldnt be further from the truth.

Of course it depends on who you ask. Not every single person has that opinion.

But "Europe does many, many things better than we do" is hardly some sort of hot take. Tons of people think that. And of course, no country is the best at all things.

I didn't suggest it was a hot take, just that it's still a sensitive topic for many people that somebody does something better than we do.

I actually made a thread about this years ago.

Why cant we be more like Europe in these Categories?

Friday Soapbox 1. Attitudes towards sex - Here in the US we're taught by the Christian Right that abstinence and social conservatism is best. Compare this to European countries, with much more liberal attitudes towards sex, who also have lower rates of teen pregnancies and STDs. Sex isn't and...

forums.footballguys.com

Kind of tongue in cheek in my delivery, but had about a 50/50 rate of agreement at the time.

 

[Joe Bryant]

I've been saying for years that Europe does many, many things better than we do, but no one ever seems to want to hear it.

I feel like that's the majority opinion.

It didnt used to be. Also, depends who you ask. There's still a prevalent attitude that USA is the best in all things, which couldnt be further from the truth.

Of course it depends on who you ask. Not every single person has that opinion.

But "Europe does many, many things better than we do" is hardly some sort of hot take. Tons of people think that. And of course, no country is the best at all things.

I didn't suggest it was a hot take, just that it's still a sensitive topic for many people that somebody does something better than we do.

I actually made a thread about this years ago.

Why cant we be more like Europe in these Categories?

Friday Soapbox 1. Attitudes towards sex - Here in the US we're taught by the Christian Right that abstinence and social conservatism is best. Compare this to European countries, with much more liberal attitudes towards sex, who also have lower rates of teen pregnancies and STDs. Sex isn't and...

forums.footballguys.com

Kind of tongue in cheek in my delivery, but had about a 50/50 rate of agreement at the time.

Thanks. When you said " but no one ever seems to want to hear it." I thought you meant it was a minority opinion.

 

[DA RAIDERS]

I've been saying for years that Europe does many, many things better than we do, but no one ever seems to want to hear it.

I feel like that's the majority opinion.

Because it’s mostly true.

On the food weight ozempic front, when my wife and I last went to Italy we both ate and drank like royalty. I gained zero weight, my wife lost weight. We’re both very active. My wife is a yoga stud. Other than walking about we didn’t exercise at all. 2 week trip. The main reason, better quality food with No additives.

 

[McBokonon]

I've been saying for years that Europe does many, many things better than we do, but no one ever seems to want to hear it.

I feel like that's the majority opinion.

It didnt used to be. Also, depends who you ask. There's still a prevalent attitude that USA is the best in all things, which couldnt be further from the truth.

Of course it depends on who you ask. Not every single person has that opinion.

But "Europe does many, many things better than we do" is hardly some sort of hot take. Tons of people think that. And of course, no country is the best at all things.

I didn't suggest it was a hot take, just that it's still a sensitive topic for many people that somebody does something better than we do.

I actually made a thread about this years ago.

Why cant we be more like Europe in these Categories?

Friday Soapbox 1. Attitudes towards sex - Here in the US we're taught by the Christian Right that abstinence and social conservatism is best. Compare this to European countries, with much more liberal attitudes towards sex, who also have lower rates of teen pregnancies and STDs. Sex isn't and...

forums.footballguys.com

Kind of tongue in cheek in my delivery, but had about a 50/50 rate of agreement at the time.

Thanks. When you said " but no one ever seems to want to hear it." I thought you meant it was a minority opinion.

I think it's not a hot take when you're talking about cheese or wine or clothes or whatever, but it definitely gets a little testy if you talk about social programs.

 

[-OZ-]

modern sets should be cheaply-made and get replaced every 4-5 years.

our newest TV is 5 years old. The one upstairs is slightly older than my 13yo son.

TV's seem to fair well for longevity. Fridge's on the other hand seem to be a lot less reliable than they used to be. I had my garage fridge for 25 years and really only got rid of it because it was sucking power to run. My current fridge I have had to replace the ice maker already and it was about 5 yrs old when it went out.

When our fridge’s water and ice maker stopped working we decided we didn’t need that function. Now the sliding drawer freezer keeps getting stuck but we deal with it. I don’t know how old it is, it was in the house when we moved in 9 years ago. It works well enough but we’ll probably buy a new one in the next year or two and make this a beer fridge in the garage.
Our deep freezer is going on 22 years. That thing is basic but works. If it went out we’d be SOL as we keep 1/4 and half a in it.

 

[-OZ-]

better quality food

That’s it right there. Better quality good usually means you’re satisfied instead of gorging on bad food.

 

[Bossman]

Food wise ... the quality of the food in Europe is better because most of Europe does not allow for the chemicals, colorings, and preservatives that USA has in their food.
Our bread is made different .. .so it will last 2 weeks on the shelf. They buy fresh bread every day.
Stuff we consume on the regular, Skittles, Ritz Crackers, and Twinkies, are not legal to sell over there because of the ingredients.
USA government doesn't give much of a carp about what we ingest.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

I've been saying for years that Europe does many, many things better than we do, but no one ever seems to want to hear it.

I feel like that's the majority opinion.

It didnt used to be. Also, depends who you ask. There's still a prevalent attitude that USA is the best in all things, which couldnt be further from the truth.

Of course it depends on who you ask. Not every single person has that opinion.

But "Europe does many, many things better than we do" is hardly some sort of hot take. Tons of people think that. And of course, no country is the best at all things.

I didn't suggest it was a hot take, just that it's still a sensitive topic for many people that somebody does something better than we do.

I actually made a thread about this years ago.

Why cant we be more like Europe in these Categories?

Friday Soapbox 1. Attitudes towards sex - Here in the US we're taught by the Christian Right that abstinence and social conservatism is best. Compare this to European countries, with much more liberal attitudes towards sex, who also have lower rates of teen pregnancies and STDs. Sex isn't and...

forums.footballguys.com

Kind of tongue in cheek in my delivery, but had about a 50/50 rate of agreement at the time.

Thanks. When you said " but no one ever seems to want to hear it." I thought you meant it was a minority opinion.

Time for another poll! I’d say it’s a minority opinion. Lotta ignorant folk in the US

You don't love 'Murica enough. I love it so much I'm willing to secede from it!!!

 

[Keerock]

Just like anything else, we deserve what we tolerate. If there were no market for cheap goods, companies would be forced to not offer them.

I know it's not that simple, but I think it's safe to say Americans want a lot of "stuff", Europeans (as an example) would prefer a few quality items to a bunch of crap.

 

[Brony]

Just like anything else, we deserve what we tolerate. If there were no market for cheap goods, companies would be forced to not offer them.

I know it's not that simple, but I think it's safe to say Americans want a lot of "stuff", Europeans (as an example) would prefer a few quality items to a bunch of crap.

Agreed. There's nothing stopping a high quality offering in most markets. We do tend to overspend on tech products from Apple, oversized water bottles and big trucks.

 

[DA RAIDERS]

I've been saying for years that Europe does many, many things better than we do, but no one ever seems to want to hear it.

I feel like that's the majority opinion.

It didnt used to be. Also, depends who you ask. There's still a prevalent attitude that USA is the best in all things, which couldnt be further from the truth.

Of course it depends on who you ask. Not every single person has that opinion.

But "Europe does many, many things better than we do" is hardly some sort of hot take. Tons of people think that. And of course, no country is the best at all things.

I didn't suggest it was a hot take, just that it's still a sensitive topic for many people that somebody does something better than we do.

I actually made a thread about this years ago.

Why cant we be more like Europe in these Categories?

Friday Soapbox 1. Attitudes towards sex - Here in the US we're taught by the Christian Right that abstinence and social conservatism is best. Compare this to European countries, with much more liberal attitudes towards sex, who also have lower rates of teen pregnancies and STDs. Sex isn't and...

forums.footballguys.com

Kind of tongue in cheek in my delivery, but had about a 50/50 rate of agreement at the time.

Thanks. When you said " but no one ever seems to want to hear it." I thought you meant it was a minority opinion.

Time for another poll! I’d say it’s a minority opinion. Lotta ignorant folk in the US

You don't love 'Murica enough. I love it so much I'm willing to secede from it!!!

And there it is…..

 

[NutterButter]

Just like anything else, we deserve what we tolerate. If there were no market for cheap goods, companies would be forced to not offer them.

I know it's not that simple, but I think it's safe to say Americans want a lot of "stuff", Europeans (as an example) would prefer a few quality items to a bunch of crap.

Agreed. There's nothing stopping a high quality offering in most markets. We do tend to overspend on tech products from Apple, oversized water bottles and big trucks.

I would think there is a high quality offering in most markets. I do a lot of hiking and biking and its just bonkers how much people spend for items to do both. There's a fish market down the road from me in suburbia that's charging $45/lb for certain fish. I guess someone is buying it. I just go there for the salmon (still $25/lb) b/c i use it for sushi and its a lot cheaper to do that than to get it from the sushi place.

 

[Joe Bryant]

Just like anything else, we deserve what we tolerate. If there were no market for cheap goods, companies would be forced to not offer them.

I know it's not that simple, but I think it's safe to say Americans want a lot of "stuff", Europeans (as an example) would prefer a few quality items to a bunch of crap.

Agreed. There's nothing stopping a high quality offering in most markets. We do tend to overspend on tech products from Apple, oversized water bottles and big trucks.

I would think there is a high quality offering in most markets. I do a lot of hiking and biking and its just bonkers how much people spend for items to do both. There's a fish market down the road from me in suburbia that's charging $45/lb for certain fish. I guess someone is buying it. I just go there for the salmon (still $25/lb) b/c i use it for sushi and its a lot cheaper to do that than to get it from the sushi place.

Agreed. It's certainly true there are a lot of lower quality / cheaper products available.

But I see a ton of high-quality more expensive products that people seem to love.

If anything, it seems the high end / high quality products are more popular than I've ever seen them with U.S. buyers.

 

[urbanhack]

Just like anything else, we deserve what we tolerate. If there were no market for cheap goods, companies would be forced to not offer them.

I know it's not that simple, but I think it's safe to say Americans want a lot of "stuff", Europeans (as an example) would prefer a few quality items to a bunch of crap.

Agreed. There's nothing stopping a high quality offering in most markets. We do tend to overspend on tech products from Apple, oversized water bottles and big trucks.

Typically it will just be consumed by a larger company, consolidated and rolled in to then make it cheaper and more scalable.

Our current version of capitalism has reduced our choice and variety over the past few decades instead of expanding it.