The American Dream
I can't count how often I've heard that America, by and large, works more hours than any other industrial nation yet somehow is nigh the least productive of them all. Years I've been hearing that with belief and acceptance of its truth, often bemoaning how I wished we could be more European with holiday and time off and any other numerous beliefs that I had that in many ways "they" were better off than were we in the U.S. Years I believed this, without questioning, a belief unproven by anything I'd ever read, only shown through my own (and a number of my mates') experiences of working America.
Until now...I decided today to check it out. Are American workers putting in more hours and getting less result? Are Europeans or other nations better off than we are? Well, according to this, the answer is "Yes".
Now, before you click and guffaw a "yeah right!" keep this in mind: The comparison is based on early 1990's statistics coming out of the Reagan years in a time when the nation seemingly began some the most prosperous years in recent history. Note also, though, that not long after, we as a nation, began an nearly inexorable spiral into devastating economic woe and even now are still flirting with recession.
While I'm no economist, I can read statistics and understand them, as well as understand that any statistic can be twisted to serve the presenter's needs. But the above link makes a pretty strong case, even if it is 16 years old.
Trickle down? I'm still waiting for the first drop to hit my lips...
Until now...I decided today to check it out. Are American workers putting in more hours and getting less result? Are Europeans or other nations better off than we are? Well, according to this, the answer is "Yes".
Now, before you click and guffaw a "yeah right!" keep this in mind: The comparison is based on early 1990's statistics coming out of the Reagan years in a time when the nation seemingly began some the most prosperous years in recent history. Note also, though, that not long after, we as a nation, began an nearly inexorable spiral into devastating economic woe and even now are still flirting with recession.
While I'm no economist, I can read statistics and understand them, as well as understand that any statistic can be twisted to serve the presenter's needs. But the above link makes a pretty strong case, even if it is 16 years old.
Trickle down? I'm still waiting for the first drop to hit my lips...