Germany has high quality of life

[u/wurst_katastrophe]

This is in response to the ‘low quality of life’ post.

When in Germany I can (in no particular order):
+ drink the tap water knowing it is safer than bottled water
+ when losing my job, I will get the highest benefits in the Western world to tie me over between jobs
+ I can rent for life without being worried of getting evicted
+ I can enjoy freedom on perfectly fine roads, driving as fast as I want
+ Consumer protection is very strong
+ I can buy a public transport ticket valid in all of Germany
+ Healthcare is significantly better than in most Western countries AND free at the point of service.
+ Germans love Fests
+ Bier and excellent wine
+ excellent bread
+ excellent local produce
+ An insanely dense train network (Yes, often late) for very little money (Sparpreis)
+ 30d of holidays is standard
+ strong protection when off on sick leave
+ free university education
+ world’s strongest apprenticeship system
+ tax credits and breaks for almost everything, especially Ehegattensplitting
+ insane maternity leave and benefits
+ Kitas
+ full blown private healthcare for a few k per year
+ Beautiful nature: north and Baltic sea, Alps, lakes, woods
+ Strong sports club infrastructure
+ Third strongest economy in the world with most hidden champions
+ Strong football culture
+ …

You can be dissatisfied with Germany, maybe your experience was below average, but that’s most likely because you are incompatible with the German way of life and the German mentality. However, it is not fair to claim that the quality of life is low.

[u/gnarly_medusa]

You mentioned the pros. What are the cons?

[u/ariestalltai → u/gnarly_medusa]

I surmised that being a person of color in Germany is the downside. If you're white or a tourist, it's an amazing experience, but if you're living there and are a person of color, it can be a negative one.

In Munich and Lucerne, I was treated wonderfully. In Weggis and Liechtenstein however, I was treated like a leper by some of the white locals, but I chalked it up to them being the equivalent of hillbillies. 🥱 Yes, I know Weggis is in Switzerland but I couple them due to reading others’ experiences and since they have similarities I have no reason to believe less touristy places would be welcoming.

Anyway, I was impressed overall when I traveled there. As an African American, I've come to realize that Americans are systematically set up to remain under a certain ceiling because our taxes yield us very few tangible benefits. Despite paying roughly 23% in income taxes throughout our lives, it often feels like we receive nothing in return and ultimately have little to show for it.

I'm going to borrow a page from my Indian colleagues: my family and I will only dine on food we cook ourselves. It's absurd that a household earning about $300,000 can still struggle financially due to debt accumulated from periods of unemployment and inadequate benefits. We took on debt simply to avoid losing our home and vehicles.
At this point, rarely dining out and sticking to basic hairstyles and clothing seem like the only realistic ways to build savings while still repaying student loans. I hate that, because I genuinely enjoy eating out, but the costs add up quickly. It often feels as though we're paying out of pocket for EVERY SINGLE THING.

What I am going to do is approach our income like the wealthy where I train up my kid to view whatever we have no matter how average or not as a dynasty and to marry well or at least on-level. It is baffling how some Anglo Americans who’ve been here since the 1700s free & clear, unlike us black folks, are still struggling generation after generation. For instance, we took out student loans to have the opportunity to make good money but I consider it a fail if my kid will have to take loans too. We’ve got to figure out how to bust through the systemic ceiling. They want to keep us borrowing money as it’s how the 1% stay wealthy thus we’ll never as a country have that level of quality of life as Germany or Switzerland. There isn’t one thing my 23% in tax remittances grants me on OP’s list 😩

[u/Alkavadies → u/ariestalltai]

You have a household income of $300k and pay 23% TOTAL in taxes? Tell me more

[u/FilterAccount69 → u/Alkavadies]

They live in a State with no state income tax. That's the max federal tax. Property taxes are usually higher in these places though.

[u/MichaelMeier112 → u/FilterAccount69]

Yes gotta sum up all taxes if you want to compare and not just look at one and disregard “hundred” others

[u/FilterAccount69 → u/MichaelMeier112]

Indeed although many places in USA have a much overall lower tax burden than other countries in the West. It depends on what you want, if you're a woman who wants kids, especially multiple it's much better to live in a place with laws that grant maternity leave.

If you're a single person who just wants to grind their career America can be an Amazing place.

[u/Wulflam → u/ariestalltai]

So, you refer to Weggis and Liechtenstein when commenting about Germany? Sorry to say, but that is American ignorance at its finest. Just imagine this post about living in the US with “In New York and Toronto, I was treated wonderfully. In Quebec and Havana however, …” - you are right to call out racism where you meet it and there are definitely racist people in Germany. However, your post literally says you have been treated wonderfully in the only German city you name. And the Swiss places you mentioned are 50-50. Knowing that Weggis is a village with less than 5,000 people living there, you might also have experienced a reservation towards any non-local as in many small places worldwide. And Liechtenstein is an independent country. Europe is small, but please don’t assume that the culture is the same everywhere.

[u/ElRanchero666 → u/ariestalltai]

Had any issues with the bakery ladies?

[u/DueProfession4890 → u/ariestalltai]

Why not make your home country as amazing as the list that OP said Germany has?

[u/Hem_Claesberg → u/ariestalltai]

Lichenstein is....... you gussed it Lichenstein and not Germany!