I’m an expat from Portland, Oregon, USA, and living in Slovenia since 2014. After my first five years here, I considered moving back to the USA. So I packed up my belongings and put them in storage and went back to America. I bicycled down the Oregon & California coasts giving me an up-close view of America. After that, I couldn’t envision living back in America, especially after living in Slovenia. I decided to move back to Slovenia and make a life for myself.
Why is Finland the happiest country? Why America is 23 on the happiest list & falling. Slovenia comes in at number 9.
People always ask me why I live here? I tell them “I don’t live here because housing, healthcare or food are cheaper.” “I live here because my neighbors can go to the doctor, their kids can attend higher education for free and houses are built with an extra apartment “for the kids”,” Some say Europeans pay high taxes. When I add up all the taxes, higher education costs, and medical insurance I paid in America it’s substantially more than what I’m paying here in Slovenia. Slovenia’s material and social deprivation rate lowest in the EU.
I’ve had an assortment of businesses since I was 16. I know how capitalism works. It’s a solution for cheaper widgets, but not for life’s necessities: housing, education, & healthcare. America monetizes and uses capitalism as a means to acquire & achieve nearly everything you need in life. America’s $36 trillion debt is proof it’s a failing system. If your family has money, it’s a great system, but 1/2 of Americans are poor. So the basics for a secure future, are out of reach. One advantage for some is 30-40% of Americans have generational wealth, they have inherited some money. So the basics aren’t so far out of reach.
The recently published LIST of the “Happiest Countries”: Finland, Denmark, and Sweden are the top 3. America is at 23 & Slovenia is 21. The USA continually brags that everyone wants to move to America, but if you want to be happy, you should check the list first. There’s also the LIST of the highest-taxed countries. When you look at the map you can see Europe with Finland, Denmark & Sweden making the top 5. The USA is 49 and Slovenia is at 9. As you can see, tax rates and happiness are directly correlated.
MAP OF HAPPIEST COUNTRIES
MAP OF HIGHEST TAXED COUNTRIES
America’s recent elections mantra “Make America Great Again” wasn’t about lifting up your neighbor, it’s “ME FIRST.” When you look at the poll below, you can see the first 12 are more me first than the next 10.
Trump’s focus is on cutting taxes, resulting in a further decline on the happiness list. Trump who paid no taxes in 10 of the past 15 years. And when he did pay, it would be as low as only $750 (the year he became president). I’ve paid that much for just 3 months. Yet people voted for him because of his “self-proclaimed” I’m a successful businessman. Taxes are derived from profits, if you pay nothing, it’s hard to claim you’re successful. He should say thank you by helping support the system that has given him so much, by paying some taxes. Trump isn’t promising to raise the federal minimum wage, which hasn’t been raised since 2009. He’s promising to cut taxes, AGAIN, for the rich. Trump’s MAGA ME, is all about himself and his rich friends, who don’t need any more money.
CLIMATE CHANGE
Trump’s climate change denial-ism is a crime against all humanity. Do what you think is right for your people within your borders & only affects you, fine. Except Climate Change affects the entire planet & the southern hemisphere even more. America’s claimed envious economy is a GIANT carbon emitter and killer of the planet. The USA is the number ONE oil-producing country in the world. They’re not leaving it in the ground, as highly recommended by Climate Scientists. If oil is so important, why can’t they leave some in the ground for future generations? This is the practice of the “ME FIRST” MAGA cult. My lower gas prices today mean more to me than the livability & survivability of the planet for tomorrow’s generations.
Taxation is used to influence behavior. Experts say a carbon tax is the least costly and best way to cut fossil fuel use. Tobacco is taxed to discourage use & reduce preventable healthcare costs. Taxing fossil fuels will reduce oil use and the costs associated with Climate Change. In 2024 Oil was subsidized with $754 billion in the USA, worldwide it was subsidized at $7 trillion in 2022. Before taxing carbon, let’s stop the subsidies. America has a $36 trillion “subsidized” economy of giant houses, cheap flights, giant SUVs, and unsustainable food selections. The world has $7 trillion worth of critical needs, right now. The money saved can refill government coffers and be used instead for green energy projects.
MY EXPERIENCE
Having lived in the USA and Europe, I wanted to share my experience of the differences. Europe has an opportunity economy that gives people that leg up in life. Access to healthcare, housing and education are basic safety nets that offer everyone the opportunity to get ahead. America’s monetization of every aspect of life is great, especially if you have generational wealth. But if your family doesn’t have the funds, the basics of: healthcare, housing and education are “out of reach.”
I choose the WE ECONOMY over the ME ECONOMY every day and I hope you will too after reading this. You will be A LOT happier, just saying.
Thanks for reading.
Jeff
UPDATE MARCH 20, 2025
The new “HAPPINESS” index came out: HERE. As predicted America continues to fall down the list.
Exactly this. Nicely done Jeff. Thank you.
Thanks, your 👍 means a lot