Challenging the Narrative of European Decline(paulkrugman.substack.com) |
Challenging the Narrative of European Decline(paulkrugman.substack.com) |
Good timing given the Fable 5 story.
We will eventually start cottoning on to air conditioning as people realize it's a bidirectional solution that can warm you in the winter. The need is genuinely less than the US as Europe is both further north (New York is the same latitude as Lisbon) and currently benefiting from the Atlantic evening out the temperature.
Krugman presented arguments with data, it'd be nice to see your data that counters Krugman's argument, not a whole different set of measurements that you are defining as the basis of comparison. It's just a strawman with makeup.
https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/01-08-2024-statement--h...
Uhh... https://imgur.com/a/MTTMKDr
And if we're being entirely honest ... most large European cities I've seen certainly could benefit from having half thrown down and rebuilt. As well as essentially all of the smaller ones.
And as for one of Paul Krugman's comment "Americans, however, have more stuff, that is, material goods: Our houses and cars, in particular, are much bigger. Europeans, on the other hand, have more time ..."
That's not because Europeans don't want big houses, don't want infinite stuff. In very large parts of Europe they can't afford it. And they certainly want more and longer jobs. They just can't find jobs that pay enough to justify giving up free time. But would they work, say, 44 hours per week for a 15-20% raise? (because it's 15-20% more compared to a 38 hour week) I know people that wouldn't, but I also know people that would love such an opportunity.
> And the strategic issues of continued vast unskilled migration into Europe
If only there wasn't a global power invading countries for oil reserves over the years and causing mass migration and destabilising those places?
Also have you considered 100% of the EU doesn't NEED air conditioning?
Come back when you have a minimum wage and universal healthcare. Your IT comment forgets the fact that the US allows tech companies to do whatever they like all in the pursuit of "progress" when infact you're in a situation now that your personal privacy is a memory of a dream.
Do you think that's the only reason for 'mass migration'?
Consider that in the last 20 years internet access is *globally ubiquitous* because of cheap mobile phones.
That in turn means that people in the poorest parts of Africa that 20 years ago had no idea whatsoever about how 'rich' Europe is in comparison, in 2026 not only can see what they don't have, but can communicate with those than can help them make that journey by land and sea.
War and envy (for want of a better word) are the two reasons.
1. iOS asked me to select a default browser, but it wasn't working thus none of the links open for a while.
2. Cookie banners are holy-sheeet. I do see them while in NZ, but holy heck this is next level. They are huge and everywhere.
3. Gemini AI (and its cousin AI summaries in YouTube) is not available. Grok on my mates Tesla - not available (I think it's been out over a year on US).
4. It wasn't even a hot day, but no cooling in Amsterdam trams is insanity.
5. Some shops don't accept foreign cards. Also cards not accepted in red light district at all lol.
Bottle caps haven't bothered me, tiny housing is understandable and biking to places was nice. Workers everywhere seem unhappy and don't seem to be eager to work, but thats likely just local nuance.
Ah, the classic "don't ignore the data that confirms my worldview, ignore just the data that contradicts it".
Also known as "lies, damn lies and statistics".
Because oftentimes towns and cities were not build from the ground up in a completely new continent, and most of all, are made of bricks or cement, not wood.
> Just 20% of European homes even have air conditioning.
And half of the percentage of obese population so draw your conclusions.
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/paul-krugman-internets-eff...
For your information: Paul Krugman is a Nobel memorial prize winning economist. He used the publicity of his award to become, essentially, a political commentator, including an opinion column in the most important American newspaper of record, the New York Times. He's not a random commenter on a website, without any ambitions of relevance. He uses the aura of being an eminent scientist to give his personal opinions a veneer of respectability that they perhaps do not merit.
But this is true of the USA as well, large parts of it people cannot afford a big house, a bigger car, and they have fewer options of smaller dwellings, smaller cars to choose from when they cannot afford the biggest, most expensive options.
Wanting infinite stuff is definitely much less prevalent in Europe than in the USA, the materialistic culture is very different (and it differs even more between countries in Europe).
> I am unaware of the US situation, but there are vast differences in housing quality across Europe. Compare the Netherlands, even bad parts of the countryside, to the Greek or Romanian countryside. WTF!
Compare the housing quality in rich coastal cities of the USA vs the Appalachia, WTF!
Envy will bring more skilled workers and you'd be surprised how many people don't want to leave their homeland. Regardless of the grass being greener. Infact it's those specific reasons why there is an integration problem, because they moved without choice so fairly don't feel obligated to integrate.
Installing thousands to millions of AC compressors, piping, having the grid ready for the spike in consumption when all these ACs turn on, etc. is a necessity that needs to happen because The Hague is reaching 30C for 3 days in the next week?
People complain about the weather in England, but in fact there are palm and eucalyptus growing in Oxford, though it's bad taste and you might lose one in a bad winter. It never gets hot and never gets cold.
I realized after living in UK and Germany that the religious fanatics who founded USA must really have been oppressed to put up with it.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/u-s-deaths-from-h...
Where two sets of stats are concerned always make sure they actually are using the same criteria for reporting.
Southern Europe has experienced more scorching heat the past 1-2 decades and AC is going to become a necessity given the trend of climate warming but it's not Arizona.
Also I think people aren't aware that the USA doesn't use the same methodology to count heat-related deaths, a heart attack from someone working out in the fields on 35C+ weather is not counted as heat-related, Scientific American published an article about it back in 2024[0].
[0] https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/u-s-deaths-from-h...
Well I don't know , I lived 4 years in the Netherlands in one of those apartments that have huge windows on every room. During the summer some days got closed to 37-38c and the sun sets at what , 11PM ? I was pretty scared our newborn might die - I put a fan right on her of course but I'm not sure this setup is OK at all.
the sun sets at what , 11PM ?
Many things aren't needed, survival doesn't mean biological survival so you don't need to bring up "a smartphone isn't a need" since without one a life in modern society becomes quite insufferable (banking access, government access, etc.).
Is AC a need or a comfort to you given this?
I don't like the heat, so need for me - comfort is a need.