The arguments are poorly constructed, even when there is a point to be made. The sentence "Americans haven't always acted like this. We've entered an age of overabundance." is followed by a a graph showing that Americans consumed more than major European countries at least since 1990. (And I don't think that graph is purchasing power parity adjusted)
Apart from the confusing graph, most of the numbers in the article don't have a corresponding European version for comparison.
What has happened to the Manhattan Institute? I kinda thought their senior fellows were better than this.
I would have loved to live European-ish but I wish it was more practical than it seems.
Modern neighborhoods went a long way to rob youth of most opportunities to learn self-sufficiency and interpersonal skills.
Whatever heavy traffic and no trespassing signs didn't take away - that gets ruined by the endless and pervasive lies about stranger kidnapping risk.
This is not to say that there isn't an underlying problem.
[1] - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_average_w...
In this regard, US citizens are less free than citizens of most other countries in terms of leaving.
Oh sure. People living paycheck to paycheck are just one decision away from moving to the EU.
The ones who spend all their energy babbling away at me about how much better it is in Europe generally did their absolute best to leave there and come here (to the US). And I generally consume less than they do.
