These numbers would be admirable if they had something to show for it, instead: illiteracy below level 1 28% [0]; life expectancy 79.5 years (as opposed to - for example Italy 83.9 [1]; rank 13 when it comes to cost of living [2]... I could go on with health etc. So, what exactly do you get out of all that additional labour?

[0] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Literacy_in_the_United_State... [1] https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/life-expe... [2]https://www.worlddata.info/cost-of-living.php

Life expectancy numbers are not reliable. Government welfare systems for the old are younger than the people who are in their 80s. When they were introduced, a lot of people lied about their age so that they could retire earlier and get more juicy benefit money.

I think you’re just reinforcing the point?

No, working 500 hours a week is unsustainable and likely doesn't lead to better overall outcomes, https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45149049#45151336

Are you for real/?

1) 500 hours a week isn’t just unsustainable, it’s impossible? There are only 168 hours in a week. I’m assuming you mean 50.

2) You’re just agreeing with the point again. Europe cares more about being comfortable. The US cares more about making money and being competitive (well, used to until recently anyway). People do all sorts of unsustainable things for money, all the time.

So what point do you think you’re making?

> Europe cares more about being comfortable. The US cares more about making money and being competitive

I think that you can't be competitive long-term without being comfortable.

If you think Asia is comfortable, I have news for you. But I guess it depends on ‘long term’.

By Asian standards, US working conditions are heaven.

EU isn’t particularly competitive even in the short term, but they are certainly comfortable. I guess we come back in a couple hundred years and see?

> I guess we come back in a couple hundred years and see?

No need to wait so long: The US is already failing.

And Asia?