The American dream is over: Why some first-generation Gen Zers are moving abroad
The American dream is over: Why some first-generation Gen Zers are moving abroad
The cost of health care and rent, as well as a chaotic political system, has these children of immigrants leaving the American dream behind to live elsewhere.
“That being said, I am happy to give up my right to vote as a trade for a significantly better quality of life. It’s cleaner, it’s safer. There’s more opportunity in mobility,” she said.
“There’s no one on this planet who could be that bad of a person that we need to assassinate just to keep them out of the presidency,” Christian said. “How radical the American culture and society is getting in its entirety is making me go, ‘I really need to get out of here.’”
Christian and Salah said they won’t be voting, and Do said she is still learning about the process for voting abroad right now.
“I think American politics is a joke,” Salah said. “I think we’re seeing that no matter which party is in power, no matter which face it is, it’s kind of the same system.”
Jesus fucking Christ.
Ya, that's rough. That feels like a very immature take. The two parties are not the same, voting does matter, and I'd even argue that there are people so awful that assassination does make sense but I'm happy Trump survived because I think the Republican party would have been stronger without him.
I left the US, I'm between a millennial and gen z, and I left explicitly because I was worried about the future of the US and because moving abroad is akin to time traveling 20 years into the future. I have healthcare now, I live in a walkable city with great public transit, the crime rates are lower (although most places in the US aren't super violent, the probability of getting murdered goes way down when you leave), I have 6 weeks vacation, essentially unlimited sick time, and I'm not allowed to work overtime.
Both parties are not the same but if Democrats won in a landslide in every single election both state and federal in every chamber and every seat, how many years would it take to achieve all of those same things. I have no doubt these policies would happen with the right people in office, with radical change to the party they could even happen quickly and I believe it's what half the people want. But the two other outcomes are 50/50 with the parties and little gets done in a timely manner and worse the corrupt judges continue to error the system, or the Republicans win one big election just one more time and project 2025 starts getting a percent complete tracker and we slide back into the dark ages.
So I left. I believe if things go bad in the US historians will look at Trump's first victory as a period of brain drain from the country. But that's my two cents to go with this article.
“I think American politics is a joke,” Salah said. “I think we’re seeing that no matter which party is in power, no matter which face it is, it’s kind of the same system.”
Anyone who thinks only American politics are a joke is naive af, and needs to read more non-American news or history
As someone who personally knows someone like this, these people are the least knowledgeable about the outside world. They barely consume U.S. news, let alone international news. They don't know the politics of the green grass they're dreaming of, they don't want to learn another language, they don't even really want foreign jobs. They want a remote job in the U.S. so they can abuse the weaker economies abroad.
It's just such an incredible amount of ignorance and cowardice to me. As if the U.S. falling completely to fascism wouldn't impact them at all if they can simply walk away.
American bourgeois democracy is not only a sham; it is rotten to its core. All that is missing is a force strong enough to kick it and watch it come collapsing down.
The belief in that guy may indeed be partially to blame :D
Come to Finland, we are the happiest country, and we need more people.
Summer is full of mosquitoes and in winter you don't see sun at all.
Language is hard but English is well spoken. This adds complexity to getting citizenship, but you can get permanent residency by working here for five years, unless our xenophobic party doesn't increase that to eight years.
We are quiet people unless we are drunk.
Password in the border is pronouncing Sauna correctly (sau - na, not like soona, unless you are from Savo, where it is pronounced saana).
Edit: Here is a government site that lists jobs that you can apply as foreigners and move here with visa: https://www.workinfinland.com/en/
Y'all don't want us. Hard as f to move there unless you have specialized experience
Our population is at aging point were the large age groups are going to retire. If you can hold a wrench or use a computer, there is a work for you here.
Pay is of course 1/2 or 1/3 what it is in US, but because healthcare and education is totally free, it is pretty much the same.
Easiest way is to find a company that hires you first, because they can apply you for a working visa.
Here is a government site that list available jobs for foreigners: https://www.workinfinland.com/en/
There are open jobs like for chefs, electricians, nurses, coders, Santa's Elf (really, look it up) etc
Got problem with your link:
Apparently there no jobs available.
You might need to wait for a second it to load, seems that they have coded it bit poorly that it shows that while it loads the results.
Quick question! I live in a town in the US that was heavily settled by Finnish people. Meaning saunas are kinda normal for the area and you see Finnish flags flying alongside the US ones.
Point is that I was told it's pronounced SOW-na. Sow pronounced like "OW." Is that true or are the Finnish-Americans fucking with me?
It is correct, sow-na might be hard because not sure do people know how to pronounce sow (female pig) correctly :). Other maybe better example is of "sour" without the r, and adding "na" on the end.
Finnish spelling is very consistent with its phonology. "a" and "u" are pronounced kind of similar to as they are in Italian or Spanish or something, except further back in the mouth. So yes
Finland sounds exactly like Minnesota! I'mn
Can confirm, used to take the hydrofoil from Tallinn many times while living in Estonia.
Nooooo please stay working two jobs to afford to live while also being a medical emergency away from being homeless
medical emergency away from being
homelesscriminal
60% of people under 30 didn't vote during the last election, the majority of them support the Democrats.
"We can't do anything to improve things at home, let's move somewhere else."
Fuck off, other countries aren't your consolation prize, fix your own shit.
Do you have a source that those people leaving are the ones that didn't vote? I would guess that people who consider a measure as drastic as leaving your home country, would vote above average.
Furthermore, I would expect that mainly well-educated people are leaving the US, simply because it's much easier to get a work permit elsewhere. And high education typically also correlates with higher participation in elections.
I didn't have much time right now to a deeper research on these stand points. So if I'm wrong, I'd highly appreciate any sources.
lol source is the OP’s article.
Direct quote from the article:
“That being said, I am happy to give up my right to vote as a trade for a significantly better quality of life. It’s cleaner, it’s safer. There’s more opportunity in mobility,” she said.
“There’s no one on this planet who could be that bad of a person that we need to assassinate just to keep them out of the presidency,” Christian said. “How radical the American culture and society is getting in its entirety is making me go, ‘I really need to get out of here.’”
Christian and Salah said they won’t be voting, and Do said she is still learning about the process for voting abroad right now.
“I think American politics is a joke,” Salah said. “I think we’re seeing that no matter which party is in power, no matter which face it is, it’s kind of the same system.”
I left the US, and I vote. (Though voting absentee is super annoying)
I never said they are (in general, in the article they actually are), but they sure as hell have the power to push people their age to vote!
Yes, fix the shit by kicking out the triumvirate of policians, corporations and military altogether, not by voting for lesser evil and dealing with shame after legitizming brazen, out of touch geriatric fucks; hoping that just one more legal act will prevent business from torching the planet, manipulating prices, avoiding taxation, eliminating competition, trampling down consumer rights and exploiting workers; or that there might ever be a good war and a bad peace and gaslighting yourself that it's for a just cause and not spheres of influence and profits off the backs of countries treated like the disputed territories of 'Nineteen Eighty-Four'.
Nooo please stay we want to profit from you
This is America, we will profit from them over there too.
Wait till they find out which 2 countries tax expats (Russia and US).... Leaving is still gonna cost ya.
Doesn't it cost to renounce your citizenship too?
Yup, a boatload of money if you want to do it the official and proper way.
What are they gonna do, send a debt collector to the consulate?
It's moreso, unless that tax debt is paid, you're never coming back to the US. Of course, some will say they never will.
How can they move to another country? Countries aren't just taking whoever shows up. Even Americans have to bring something to the table. Doctor? Engineer? Ok. Barista? HVAC guy? LOL good luck. Gen Z hasn't figured out they're stuck here. Time to start fixing shit.
Some countries like Geemany or Italy (some towns) will actually pay you a living wage if you are moving and are a professional, not much mind you, but enough to support you until you can up on your feet. There are other countries with similar programs but I don't remember right now.
EDIT: I forgot the thing with Spain. If you have citizenship with any latin american countries, they will give you a work visa there super easy and cheap. So if you are an American GenZ who's parents are Mexican, then you just got your Mexican citizenship thanks to a recent change in Mexico and can also apply to move to Spain.
For your skilled and educated workers, its very easy. Not to mention your neighbouring countries have experienced brain drain for an entire generation because of higher American salaries.
Prepare to experience brain drain as your best doctors, scientists and engineers easily move to other countries leaving you grasping to have enough people in critical areas.
This is one of the reasons the US excelled as a super power. Getting a constant import of the best and the brightest from around the world makes all your companies more successful and your army stronger and better equipped.
Time to start fixing it? These people are leaving because it's painfully obvious that this shit is on the brink of getting much worse.
You missed the point.
WHO is leaving?
HOW are they becoming citizens of another country?
I'm not saying we should or should not leave. I'm saying most of us don't have the option to leave.
And your response is "can you blame them"? LOL no I can't blame them. I also can't be them, and neither can you unless you have an amazing career or the right family member in another country.
So time to start fixing shit. Because there is nowhere else to go.
Millennials figured out it's cheaper to send kids to college in Europe.
Gen Z graduates college in the EU, compares the living standards, and stays there.
This is brain drain, not American Asylees. Although that's coming if we stay on this path.
Speaking for almost every other country, please stay in the US. We don't want you.
Asshole.
Ok, enjoy your 3rd world education, failing infrastructure and crumbling social programs. Oh, do you have clean water where you are?
But at least you could call someone on the internet an asshole. Did you write that in your F150 while cruising down a 6 lane highway passing the signs of your corporate rulers?
Smh, Americans...
once all the smart and hard working people are gone i will finally be able to get a job!
They should pay us to leave!
That’s a great idea. I’m going to float that to see if it will get any traction where I’m at.
IDK, every generation has had challenges to face. If this generation thinks the answer is to move away and everything will be fine and dandy, I'm afraid they're mistaken. You're going to have to earn it and put in hard work, no matter where you go. And while the US has some issues that get magnified, the grass is rarely greener on the other side.
Moving away does make everything better depending on where you move of course. The thing that's difficult about it is the move itself, you need money at the very least and many countries have strict requirements for allowing folks to move there.
I imagine that means moving abroad is going to get even more expensive. Great
I immigrated to the us as a child, now as an adult I'm considering a move to Europe for the quality of life. Immigration is not easy though but if the US becomes the hell hole the gop wants, I'm out dawg.