I haven’t really had the chance to travel to Europe and I keep hearing stuff about hordes of refugees attacking women in broad daylight over there in the countrys that let in a high percentage of muslims.
Someone told me that sexual assaults and terrorist acts have not actually increased in frequency over the last 10 years, and his rationale as to why we hold onto that misonception now is that the media has just covered it more aggressively. I don’t know if he was trying to say
“technology has enabled us to share information more efficiently”
“the media sensationalizes violence and conflict so this all part of a fearmongering campaign”
Sounds like you’ve been reading too much Breitbart. The idea that hordes of refugees are attacking women is ludicrous.
Your friend is partially correct I would say. His argument is correct except that not all media sensationalizes in that way. There are still some decent sources of information out there!
Europe is very safe by the way. Germany and Sweden have taken in the most immigrants I think and both would be as safe as any state in the US. Safer probably.
There have been higher levels of sexual assault related crimes tied to the certain Muslim refugee populations and some pretty egregious cases around public holidays. There are notable statistical differences so it’s not simply because of media coverage. But its not a major pandemic like you’re describing. Do some research, there are level headed articles on the topic.
It’s the disinformation age—all media is corrupt, and even basic statistics are now suspect (governments are just altering them to fit their national narrative). It’s headed to 1984, where the “Ministry of Truth” just constantly rewrites reality and all supporting facts, and silences anyone speaking counter-narrative.
id rather live in an EU country than most places in the US. people always just seem happier to me - likely due to not having to constantly stress you are a few paychecks away from homelessness due in part to strong regulations on companies (not regulations written by companies), living wages, & social services that seem to be run better.
Lol wha? Have you seen periphery unemployment? Or the difficulties they experienced for the past 10 years? Why do you think they’re electing nationalist governments? That’s like visiting an all inclusive resort in the Haiti and basing your review of local living conditions on how big the bellman’s smile was.
certainly there are areas & regions that have a lot of trouble no doubt about that but im speaking on the whole in urban areas since thats really the only place id be living working anyway (essentially urban financial centers)
have certain countries gone belly up & are there issues to work through? of course, but its not like the US is a shining example of how a capitalist society should allocate resources. the rise of nationalism in those countries is no different than its rise in the us, and its funded by the same groups as well.
Periphery EU unemployment ranges from 16% in Spain to 21% in Greece versus 3.9% in the US and we have much higher median and household incomes but sure if you say so. Grass is always greener to tourists.
So you met a bunch of people at bars and social settings in metro centers and based your review on that? I’m sure someone visiting NYC has never thought wow, this place is so exciting and everyone’s psyched!
Small details like “certain countries [going] belly up” haha. I’m pretty sure in comparison the US is a shining example. Yes, nationalism is on the rise in those countries and yes it is no different than the rise in the US, because just like the US, they’ve got their fair share of discontents and economically displaced. Which is my point. Your view was based on a rose tinted outlook without a grounding in reality.
Youth in Italy, Greece or Spain are extremely unhappy to the point of regular protests in the streets. These are protests of poor economic prospects, 20% unemployment, and no future, not social issues like Morgan Freeman being a creep. This is more representative of the European situation than what you are thinking.
You could say well, some countries like the Nordic ones are happy. This is true, but I’m sure people in select US areas like Beverley Hills or Tiburon, CA love their lives too.
My family is from Greece and that is one country you do not want ot live in right now. Things are only getting worse despite what’s getting reported in the news. The government is cutting pensions, again, and unemployment is higher than reported. You get taxed on everything, so people avoid taxes by asking you to pay in cash. The most you can make a month there is 500 euros without a degree. My girlfriend’s uncle is an orthopedic surgeon and can barely afford to live in his 2 bedroom apartment… He makes about 900 euros a month. Food and clothing prices are sky high. Many people work several weeks/months without getting paid and are told, “if you want to keep your job then you’ll continue to work unpaid until I have the money to pay you.”
Refugees are a bigger problem in Germany than in Greece at the moment but it’s about to be a huge problem. Merkel is trying to force Greece to accept more refugees. My friend’s sister (in Germany) was stabbed by a refugee because she wouldn’t give the guy a cigarette. She later died from her wound…
BS - pretty sure when i use words like “seem” happier its almost certainly denotes that its my personal experience & not objective fact but you take it upon yourself to get your panties in a bunch stomp around insisting you are “right” on what is essentially a personal judgement call anyway.
im also not entirely sure how you conveniently missed the part where i said i would be interested moving to urban financial centers , not greece or spain & not trying to do manual labor in some small town doing some task that isnt economically efficient to do in those countries. if you pick and choose what you feel like replying to of course everything i said looks crazy.
now does that mean everyone in those areas is doing fine & happy? certainly not… but if you want to huff & puff go elsewhere i dont really care to entertain your smug responses anymore.
I addressed that by pointing out that to a tourist NYC must seem like the happiest place on earth. Your review of the financial centers is just as warped. London’s got a softening housing market that is completely unaffordable and rising unemployment and weakening wages owing to Brexit… also launched by I’m sure completely cheery nationalists. In Germany, their flagship bank Deutsche Bank just announced 10,000 layoffs because things are so much better there. Your idea of what it’s like living in a European city is just inaccurate.
It’s actually a great comparison. Comparable populations, GDP and median wage numbers as well as number of large financial hubs. In addition, the cultural variances are at least as large between someone living in Louisiana and Silicon Valley or Montana vs Massachusetts for instance. I love it when Europeans talk about the US like its California and New York.