Poll: living standard

[the_reda]

What do you think makes up a First World living standard? I am not talking about movie stars but what would you consider an average person to have access to/ own?

Feel free to add things in the comments, I only get 30 options per poll. There is no real order to the tickies.

By 'free' I mean paid for by taxes, not charity.

Feel free to repost/link

Comments

[dbaxdevilsfan]

Some expansions on my answers

[nesmith]

I would have said washer/dryer, but many people still go to laudromats without too much difficulty, so I figured bare minimum it's not mandatory--but it also depends where you live. I have some friends who live in a rural area and driving 30 minutes to the nearest laudromat isn't feasibl.e

[the_reda]

/I have some friends who live in a rural area and driving 30 minutes to the nearest laudromat isn't feasibl.e/

I am not sure that I would consider places like that to have FWLS.

Living in a country that is considered FW does not mean that all regions or people have access to a FWLS.

[dbaxdevilsfan]

I agree, and I don't agree. If you (not you personally) live in an area where (a) there are laundromats, and (b) you have transportation, then I agree. However, like where I live, the closest laundromat is a 20 minute drive. For someone with no car, or who lives where I do (out in the suburbs), with the lack of public transportation available, going to a laundromat isn't an option (unless they can bum a ride from someone).

[skjaere]

I don't know if I can speak to what is "usual", since I don't tend to meet that standard myself, but here I am living in a first world country and getting on fine without

[shaysdays]

Wait- isn't an apartment housing? Or was it strictly owning a house?

[the_reda]

I'd say house or equivalent apartment i.e. living in a one bedroom apartment with 4 people is not what I meant.
More like: 3 bedrooms, for mom&dad plus 2 kids.

[shaysdays]

Okay, that makes sense, I was a little taken aback that someone would discount an apartment as a house. No, it's not a HOUSE, it's part of a house, sorta, but it's a home.

And except for "going to the movies a couple times a month," I'm counting myself damn lucky right now, I.

[shaysdays]

I voted on like, the lowest 'norm' I would consider a first world household. Which doesn't mean everyone would meet those conditions, but on average what I would consider to be minimum living conditions. (Not an average of what people in FW countries have.)

Does that make sense?

[sookail]

What parts of world do you consider to be First World? Is it more a gegraphical location or, errr...a state of well-being? A state of mind?
(srs question b/c I strongly suspect none of the countries I have lived in are included :P Would like to know b/c the poll is v interesting.)

[the_reda]

I don't think you can limit it to only one region or even countries. More like there are countries where a higher percentage of the population can achieve said living standard and there are countries where that would be hard even for the wealthier. State of well being does sound pretty close to what I mean.

Basically what I am asking is what 'you' consider that standard to be, not what you have. Not having does also not necessarily mean not available. E.G. If not having a car/TV etc is a choice and not due to lack of finances that does not subtract from the living standard.

[sookail]

Thanks! V interesting!
Also, v interesting that things the most ppl have voted for are what could be considered public benefits.

[the_reda]

Me,too. The result is kinda what I expected but kinda not :P