I was out lunching with a former teaching colleague today and ran into another teacher at the school who is currently on paternity leave. He and another guy, clearly on paternity leave as well, were sitting at the table across from us with their baby sons. Apart from thinking for the umpteenth time how enjoyable it is to observe young dads spending time with their kids, it occurred to me that this scene, while I’ve grown used to it since moving to Europe, would be such a rarity in the United States (outside of Williamsburg, Brooklyn at least). The supposedly ‘greatest country in the world’….
Please misunderstand me correctly: I love the United States. While I’m perfectly content with being an ex-pat, I still love visiting the land of toilet seat covers and Trader Joe’s and mint chocolate chip ice cream. But please hear me when I say this: America is not the greatest country in the world. Despite its plethora of options and opportunity, it is an acutely dysfunctional society on a number of levels. As someone who’s been living abroad for nine years, I feel I can say with some authority that there is no such thing as THE greatest country in the world. There are many great countries, as well as many rubbish ones, and each place insinuates itself into your heart and psyche, for better or worse.
For six years my paycheck has shown a 30% chunk of my salary going to the government. That’s a pretty big chunk. But I’ve also completed a Master’s degree without paying any tuition, I’ve received medical attention when I’ve needed it without having to sell my soul for cash to pay for it, and had I been born in Sweden, both my parents would’ve been able to spend a year at home with me without fear of losing their jobs.
I love that in Sweden parents gets a full year of parental leave, during which they still receive a portion of their salary and are guaranteed the same job upon returning to work. Yes, this requires higher taxes to keep such a generous system afloat, but this is something I’m happy to pay taxes for, even though I may never have children myself. Society as a whole benefits from parents (and especially fathers) spending time with their young children, and since we’re all in this together it seems a worthy investment. Of course there are aspects about work culture in Sweden that I don’t like, but the parental leave thing is a serious win in my book.
Selfishly, my biggest reason for not wanting to return to the States is the issue of vacation. Because I really love vacation, as does any well-adjusted human being. It is a European standard to provide employees with 30 days of paid holiday, because really, how much can you possibly get done in the relaxation department on only one week of vacation (or if you’re a really loyal employee maybe even two weeks)? It could take a person a full week to just stop thinking about work, let alone relax. I think this is nonsense.
A more controversial aspect is the question of state-provided healthcare. I’ve not enjoyed my experiences of waiting for hours to see a doctor the few times I’ve been to the emergency room, but I’ve certainly appreciated being able to afford to see the doctor when I don’t know what’s going on in my body. I cannot adequately put into words how angry I get over health insurance providers refusing to cover medical expenses when it’s the sole reason health insurance providers exist. Yes, such companies should be allowed to make a profit in order to pay their employees, but in no world should they be an outlet for big business.
Don’t even get me started on the right to bear arms. Most people outside of the United States think Americans are total fools with regards to this question, and I have a hard time defending my compatriots. If you want my opinion on guns, read previous blog post: http://annikagreco.blogspot.se/2016/01/am-i-my-brothers-keeper.html
Also, Trump.
Also, Trump.
America is a country in which veterans are not properly honored (oh yes, we copiously honor them with our lips, but when it comes to dishing out in order to properly take care of them, we contract attention deficit disorder). America is a country in which mothers have to return to work just three months after pushing a human being through their vaginas, regardless of whether or not they’ve been able to physically and emotionally recover. America is a country in which fathers only get two weeks to be at home with their newborns. Two weeks!!! America is a country that stubbornly insists on bearing arms even though we haven’t fought an actual war on our soil since the mid-1800s. America is a country in which people die unnecessarily from treatable illnesses despite us having some of the most advanced medical technology in the world because they can’t afford to pay a year’s salary for the privilege of living. America is a country in which young adults are digging their own financial graves because they're told that college education is necessary to get a decent job. America is a country in which irresponsible banks get bailed out by the government while families lose their homes and life savings, a country in which the most despicable financial crooks avoid jail while a potentially innocent man gets shot because he’s black.
The nation who values its privileges over its principles soon loses both (I believe that was Eisenhower?). Well America, that’s about to happen. If I have to listen to another politician wax poetic about American ‘freedom’ and ‘greatness’ I am going to seriously lose my sh*t. There are a lot of things that make our country great, ABSOLUTELY, but our self-congratulatory arrogance poorly masks our poverty of conviction and integrity, and it will soon be our downfall. Ironically we won’t be able to blame it on any terrorist organization or ISIS jihadist as it will be entirely of our own doing.
