this post was submitted on 22 Nov 2023
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Europe

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Apologies for the meme. Just felt like so god damn European today.

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[–] [email protected] 92 points 9 months ago (1 children)

I know this isn't a popular opinion, but I love what all the EU bureaucracy does for us.

Ofc it can't be 100.0% efficient, but why would anyone expect that, or fault it entirely for it. We should be glad we can spend like 1% of our time filling in various reports or talking with regulators or whatever - that indirectly gets us a society not run by corporations, an economy where demand is more of a driver than supply, etc.

[–] [email protected] 75 points 9 months ago (3 children)

It really shouldn't be unpopular. EU bureaucracy might be slow, but it really does make a difference. Remember how you had to pay ridiculous roaming mobile charges if you crossed into another country? Or how you has to pay ridiculous money to transfer money between countries ridiculously slowly? Or how you had to charge that iphone with a ridiculous connector? Or how EU employment contacts stack up against US ones? Regulation works. The EU works.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

Or how you had to go around with different currencies, stop at all borders with your passport etc

[–] [email protected] 9 points 9 months ago

Exactly!

And regarding 'slow', while I agree, I also might not want them to act any quicker in a lot of situations because some systems are just really big & complex (even w/o counting lobbying from corps & foreign politics). And some systems even need to develop a best practice approach (with help/push of regulation ofc) because some bureaucrats just can't know or predict everything. Multi-tier (eg every couple of years an upgrade to a directive) and decade-long legislation development whilst gathering data to see effects & what makes most sense to develop further ... is actually efficient.

But climate change & other ESG stuff? I would gladly have a faulty over-reaching system sooner (what, worst case some rich ppl will get less rich?) than a mildly better system later. They could easily mandate for like every company over 100 employees to employ a person/department that can perform one job only - to follow & report companies effect on environment, socials, and governance (along with future plans on the subject, owner effects, etc). And by report I mean to the regulators and general public. Would "people" complain about how regulation is only costs? Ofc, ppl like to complain (or just repeat the complains their bosses said). But I'm sure the net benefit for Europe would still be positive because ppl that have a job usually tend to get good at it. And even if not, ppl get jobs, we get statistics, and all for extremely negligible or no effect on economy (one salary lower profits for the owners on one hand, but a development of a whole new industry sector on the other).

[–] [email protected] 6 points 9 months ago

And it does not only work against cooperations, but against things like surveillance laws as well. Those have been fought successfully on an European level.

[–] [email protected] 56 points 9 months ago (6 children)

As an Americam, I approve of this satire!

Wait a minute.

It... it is satire, right?

As an American, I am also now confused.

What if... what if this isn't satire and someone REALLY thinks that being European is better than being American? No... surely it can't be!

America is the greatest!

...RIGHT?!

Hello?...

(O_O)

[–] [email protected] 28 points 9 months ago (1 children)

America #1

(In military spending and gun deaths!)

[–] [email protected] 18 points 9 months ago (1 children)

And maternal mortality in the developed world!

[–] [email protected] 11 points 9 months ago

And incarcerated population

[–] [email protected] 13 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Yeah definitely satire, mate. Just stay there in cowboy land. Ignorance is bliss.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 9 months ago

Phew, for a minute there I was worried you were going to take aim* at my bud lite, guns, and flag

*pun intended

[–] [email protected] 11 points 9 months ago (3 children)

Murica? Pass me a hot dog and the lack of healthcare.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 9 months ago (1 children)

hey! The Hot Dog was invented in Germany and brought to the US by a German immigrant. Don't give them our sausages!

[–] [email protected] 6 points 9 months ago

I am a german currently in the US for work. They can have all the hotdogs for themselves. We don't want that stuff, this has nothing in common with proper sausages. Not even the shape.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 9 months ago

I'll give you a hospital bill to use as a napkin with that that hot dog!

[–] [email protected] 0 points 9 months ago

Also, school shootings

[–] [email protected] 6 points 9 months ago

Thanks but no thanks!

[–] [email protected] 3 points 9 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago

Pew pew pew

[–] [email protected] 46 points 9 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 4 points 9 months ago (1 children)

The UK didn't leave Europe lol

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Yeah we did, we cut the anchor and everything :(

[–] [email protected] 3 points 9 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago

Here is an alternative Piped link(s):

Good winds to you

Piped is a privacy-respecting open-source alternative frontend to YouTube.

I'm open-source; check me out at GitHub.

[–] [email protected] 29 points 9 months ago

Europa is the best. Many countries, languages and cultures and you can live, work and travel where you want. Also, the EU is doing good things for its citizens.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Let's see how long we can laugh about America before everything is privatised to fuck because "iT wOrKs So WeLl In AmErIcA."

[–] [email protected] 11 points 9 months ago

Remember that the people who sell you that had to sell it to us too. They sold it over a long period but by bit, tax cut by tax cut. All in the name of small businesses and jobs. And eventually our food and drug administration couldn’t keep us safe and our infrastructure was crumbling and America didn’t work so well. Cutting costs in maintenance and investment in the future are free money until the bill comes due.

And if we can’t convince you, look at the UK, our sibling in stupidity

[–] [email protected] 16 points 9 months ago (2 children)

Not with that American style cup in your hand, traitor

[–] [email protected] 6 points 9 months ago (1 children)

If your coffee is so great why do you drink it out of such tiny cups? -- Jon Stewart

[–] [email protected] 8 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago

Spoken like someone who hasn't had enough coffee :/

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago

American style cup

I don't know where the style came from but one huge manufacturer of those cups is Finnish HuhtamΓ€ki

[–] [email protected] 10 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

Is this before or after yet another populist right wing party wins elections?

[–] [email protected] 10 points 9 months ago

Before 😞

[–] [email protected] 8 points 9 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

93A1A71EABD6B6CD658458CC1F4

[–] [email protected] 7 points 9 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago (1 children)

We need those sub here! The 2 I can find is not very active...

[email protected] [email protected]

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago

I don't necessarily think we need yet another, I think we need content in one of the existing ones.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

Now, if only the same regulatory mindset was applied to industries which are strong inside the EU (like Communications, Finance and Auto) as applied to other industries.

Notice how you can't simply buy your car anywhere in the EU and be able to use it in any other EU country when you live there (so, no single market) as you're forced to register it locally and pay full tax (again, since it was already paid elsewhere), or how for many things still now in the XXI century you can't just use a bank account from anywhere in the EU locally (mainly taxes/social-security requiring local accounts, as well as local payment systems which are not open to non-local banks) or the non-existent single market in mobile comms due to government granted mobile comms monopolies or ready-made cartel situations due to per-nation "radio spectrum" licensing and no regulation forcing open-access or a similar mechanism.

And don't get me started on the complete total joke which was the handling of the Diesel Emissions Scandal, itself a product of a weak regulatory situation that had been put in place due to lobbying of countries like France, Germany and the UK (back when it was still a member).

The push for a pro-consumer single market is most welcome were it happens, shame that it mainly doesn't happen in domains were there are dominant companies based in the EU.

The EU looks good in comparison with the US in large extent due to the latter's disgraceful political and hence regulatory environment, but we're nowhere near the point of deserving a pat on the back.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 9 months ago (1 children)

There does seem to be a lot to love... As an American I certainly envy your business hours and vacation policies.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago

Business hours as in rural California where restaurants close at 7 pm? But you are right, vacation is pretty great here...

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago

Garden vs jungle!