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Post by Crunchy Col on Sept 6, 2020 23:39:03 GMT
They were talking about some kind of tax which is added on when you pay.
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god
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Post by ~ / % ? * on Sept 6, 2020 23:41:22 GMT
They were talking about some kind of tax which is added on when you pay. Got it, that varies across the nation: there can be city, county, and state point of purchase taxes applied. Some states like Delaware are famous for not having any sales tax, whereas NYC and NY can be quite onerous.
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Post by Crunchy Col on Sept 7, 2020 0:00:57 GMT
The only major US/UK difference I can talk about with any degree of confidence is the work ethic. It's vastly different in the US. The whole idea of holidays, breaks, the idea of work - expectations, responsibilities, hours - is just alien to us in so many ways. Yes, the US benefits you if you have hustle, thus the amount of small businesses/sole proprietors. It can get a little dicier if you work for an employer, many of the monetary vehicles used for a small business owner can have a harmful effect when applied by a corporation to its employees. Americans just seem to be more dedicated workers. They put in the hours without complaint. Whereas we're reluctant to even show up. I know I'm simplifying, but I've often noticed this distinction. It puzzles me.
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Post by Charlie O. on Sept 7, 2020 0:13:36 GMT
Americans just seem to be more dedicated workers. They put in the hours without complaint. Don't know about the "without complaint" part. I hear plenty of complaining. Not sure the generalization about our work ethic holds water either.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 7, 2020 6:17:22 GMT
And they have very long roads!
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Post by cousinlou on Sept 7, 2020 9:10:18 GMT
Yes, the US benefits you if you have hustle, thus the amount of small businesses/sole proprietors. It can get a little dicier if you work for an employer, many of the monetary vehicles used for a small business owner can have a harmful effect when applied by a corporation to its employees. Americans just seem to be more dedicated workers. They put in the hours without complaint. Whereas we're reluctant to even show up. I know I'm simplifying, but I've often noticed this distinction. It puzzles me. Putting in the extra hours is a matter of culture. One may wonder if it makes any real sense as the USA ranks below Belgium in terms of GDP per hour worked. Belgium has an average working week of 29.8 hours and the US 33.6
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Post by Crunchy Col on Sept 7, 2020 9:19:28 GMT
Nobody wants to be the first to leave the office 'cos it means you can't stand the pace!
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Post by tory on Sept 7, 2020 9:25:38 GMT
It's a very simplified distinction.
Just because they have far less holiday than Europeans doesn't correlate to working harder.
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Post by tory on Sept 7, 2020 9:26:21 GMT
Nobody wants to be the first to leave the office 'cos it means you can't stand the pace! Presenteeism I believe it's called. This is very much in evidence in the UK too. I dislike it intensely.
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Post by cousinlou on Sept 7, 2020 9:33:36 GMT
Nobody wants to be the first to leave the office 'cos it means you can't stand the pace! That's it. And competitiveness. I briefly worked for a trading a company in the 80's where people would work untill 10 or 11 in the evening. If you weren't doing that, you'd run the risk other traders robbing your drawers for potential business opportunities.
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Post by Crunchy Col on Sept 7, 2020 9:59:23 GMT
It's a very simplified distinction. Just because they have far less holiday than Europeans doesn't correlate to working harder. No, of course not. They're two different things. The idea that the average working American is sleeves-rolled-up-get-stuck-in, and the average working Brit is 15-minute-tea-break-every-hour is pretty pervasive across popular cultural media.
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god
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Post by ~ / % ? * on Sept 7, 2020 16:20:15 GMT
It's a very simplified distinction. Just because they have far less holiday than Europeans doesn't correlate to working harder. Than Europeans, yes it does, I'd put money on it.
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Post by Reactionary Rage on Sept 7, 2020 16:27:47 GMT
I was surprised by the number of Americans I came across who worked up to three jobs. A couple on the way over - 30s - had 6 jobs between them. The fella was a teacher, a stuntman and also worked down a bar. They wanted a house in Brooklyn and were saving up but still, it didn't appear that uncommon based on my (limited) experience. Economic problems have bitten some hard but there is a willingness to work longer and harder too I think, maybe rooted in the immigrant factor perhaps but also a competitive "American" can-do attitude and belief that effort will be rewarded (there is also a calvinist element in there too).
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god
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Post by ~ / % ? * on Sept 7, 2020 16:34:10 GMT
In many ways, officially and unofficially it is easier to make money in the US, than in our European counterparts, however, the opportunities presented to make said money may not be equal for all Americans.
The crux of Trump's aggrieved base is that they are willing to work hard, but feel aggrieved by greater education and sophistication being needed and not just drive, brawn, and sweat. But the opportunities they had, they closed off to anyone else that wasn't white and male. It was exclusive, the good ole days were pretty restrictive.
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Post by Reactionary Rage on Sept 7, 2020 16:37:20 GMT
When American is rough it's really fucking rough. There is so much less of a safety net. I used to refer to the tramps in Las Vegas as "proper tramps", in the sense that they looked really down and out. It's extreme in a way the UK just isn't.
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