High standard of living versus high quality of life

Rationalist

Rationalist

Hail Voltaire
Interesting article...


An American’s take on living more simply in France

By ADRIAN LEEDS

When we moved to France, we gave up the big house, all the cars, things we no longer wore and opted instead for an apartment half the size, without conveniences like a sink disposal, elevators and Jacuzzi tubs. At first I wondered why the French hadn’t caught on to all these conveniences. Then we started to become accustomed to lights being on timers so as not to waste electricity, hanging the laundry instead of using a dryer and shopping daily so that we could buy fresh fruit ripe enough to eat the same day.

What we had before was not really quality of life, but something disguised as that—quantity of life. We were taught that through our hard work and knowledge, we would earn lots of money and live an easier, healthier, happier existence. The buzzword was “future”—to think that the reason you do something now is to achieve a better “future.”

But “future” never came. It never does.

The French have a “power of now” built into their society, which is one of the reasons quality of life is improved. Their social security system provides a huge safety net that removes stress and worry about one’s future. For example, unemployment and retirement benefits are substantial, along with job security and guaranteed vacation periods. With healthcare benefits and other given rights, including decent housing for all, one rarely has to worry about having a roof over his head at a healthy old age. With a lot less fear of the future, it’s a lot easier to live in the moment.

No, it’s not a perfect system—far from it. It can reduce the incentive to work hard, earn more money and improve one’s standard of living. At the height of vacation season, stores and restaurants all over Paris are shut tight with signs on their doors that read something like: “Réouverture 24 août” (”Re-opening August 24″), with no care that they are not earning money to pay their rent. Even my local post office is closed for vacation!

As an American with a capitalistic indoctrination living in a society that is strongly socialist, I’ve discovered that utopia is somewhere in the middle. It takes both political sides to tango well. One cannot provide employment benefits if there is no employer earning enough to pay for the benefits. Decent and inexpensive housing for the tenant requires a landlord who can pay his mortgage with adequate rents. Education cannot be free nor healthcare provided if the government doesn’t tax its people. But if the taxes are too high, the incentives to earn more, achieve more, are weakened.

While we had a very high standard of living in the states, we found a much higher quality of life in France. We discovered highways and tiny country roads in pristine condition, and a countryside that’s not littered with advertising signage. The tiniest of towns still offers cultural activities, fine dining and fresh foods. The sense of community is strong, and support for local producers is evident by virtue of the people who applaud them and make use of them.

Everywhere we went we found warm, friendly and generous people who were open to us as foreigners in their land and proud to show off their accomplishments. They took us by the hand and helped us every inch of the way.

In September, I celebrated my 16th year in Paris. I love living here. Life isn’t easy, but it’s rich and challenging. And the quality of life is about as high as it gets. Will I ever leave? Who knows. Never say never, and never say forever. Remember, life is in the present. As long as the moment is good, there’s no reason to change it.

Adrian Leeds is author and editor of The Parler Paris Nouvellettre, editor of The French Property Insider, producer and editor of Insider Paris Guides, electronic guides to Paris, and author of Insider Paris Guide for Good Value Restaurants. Learn more about her life and work at www.adrianleeds.com.

http://www.newsoutherner.com/2010/09/28/high-standard-of-living-versus-high-quality-of-life/
 
Volt said:
Interesting article...


An American’s take on living more simply in France

By ADRIAN LEEDS

When we moved to France, we gave up the big house, all the cars, things we no longer wore and opted instead for an apartment half the size, without conveniences like a sink disposal, elevators and Jacuzzi tubs. At first I wondered why the French hadn’t caught on to all these conveniences. Then we started to become accustomed to lights being on timers so as not to waste electricity, hanging the laundry instead of using a dryer and shopping daily so that we could buy fresh fruit ripe enough to eat the same day.

What we had before was not really quality of life, but something disguised as that—quantity of life. We were taught that through our hard work and knowledge, we would earn lots of money and live an easier, healthier, happier existence. The buzzword was “future”—to think that the reason you do something now is to achieve a better “future.”

But “future” never came. It never does.

The French have a “power of now” built into their society, which is one of the reasons quality of life is improved. Their social security system provides a huge safety net that removes stress and worry about one’s future. For example, unemployment and retirement benefits are substantial, along with job security and guaranteed vacation periods. With healthcare benefits and other given rights, including decent housing for all, one rarely has to worry about having a roof over his head at a healthy old age. With a lot less fear of the future, it’s a lot easier to live in the moment.

No, it’s not a perfect system—far from it. It can reduce the incentive to work hard, earn more money and improve one’s standard of living. At the height of vacation season, stores and restaurants all over Paris are shut tight with signs on their doors that read something like: “Réouverture 24 août” (”Re-opening August 24″), with no care that they are not earning money to pay their rent. Even my local post office is closed for vacation!

As an American with a capitalistic indoctrination living in a society that is strongly socialist, I’ve discovered that utopia is somewhere in the middle. It takes both political sides to tango well. One cannot provide employment benefits if there is no employer earning enough to pay for the benefits. Decent and inexpensive housing for the tenant requires a landlord who can pay his mortgage with adequate rents. Education cannot be free nor healthcare provided if the government doesn’t tax its people. But if the taxes are too high, the incentives to earn more, achieve more, are weakened.

While we had a very high standard of living in the states, we found a much higher quality of life in France. We discovered highways and tiny country roads in pristine condition, and a countryside that’s not littered with advertising signage. The tiniest of towns still offers cultural activities, fine dining and fresh foods. The sense of community is strong, and support for local producers is evident by virtue of the people who applaud them and make use of them.

Everywhere we went we found warm, friendly and generous people who were open to us as foreigners in their land and proud to show off their accomplishments. They took us by the hand and helped us every inch of the way.

In September, I celebrated my 16th year in Paris. I love living here. Life isn’t easy, but it’s rich and challenging. And the quality of life is about as high as it gets. Will I ever leave? Who knows. Never say never, and never say forever. Remember, life is in the present. As long as the moment is good, there’s no reason to change it.

Adrian Leeds is author and editor of The Parler Paris Nouvellettre, editor of The French Property Insider, producer and editor of Insider Paris Guides, electronic guides to Paris, and author of Insider Paris Guide for Good Value Restaurants. Learn more about her life and work at www.adrianleeds.com.

http://www.newsoutherner.com/2010/09/28/high-standard-of-living-versus-high-quality-of-life/
Click to expand...

"As an American with a capitalistic indoctrination living in a society that is strongly socialist, I’ve discovered that utopia is somewhere in the middle."

Exactly! When it comes to life's necessities such as food and shelter and medical care obtaining it should depend just as much on whether it's available as on whether one can afford it.

When I hear people talk about how it's impossible to provide medical care for everyone or ensure everyone has sufficient food and shelter.....everyone can't have a house. There just aren't enough houses!....all we have to do is look at the housing boom of the last decade.

How did so many residences get built? How can there be a glut of homes? How did we end up with the present situation where people are buying new homes as the ones built 5 years ago have been abandoned and have gone into disrepair, with wildlife and insects having taken over, while families are crowded into the homes of in-laws or living in motel rooms?

"What the hell is wrong with that picture", I ask the Conservative/Republican posters. "It is better to have houses deteriorate rather than allow people to use them?"

Reminds me of a fella I once knew. He had lived in his home for about 15 years and decided to do a big clean-up so he had a garage sale. If he didn't sell an item for the price he wanted rather than lower the price or simply give it away he kept it until garbage day and threw it out.

I asked him why. He said if someone wasn't going to give him a reasonable price for something they weren't going to get it. "To hell with them. I'll throw it in the garbage before they get it for next to nothing!"

Needless to say we drifted apart as I found his reasoning offensive.
 
apple0154 said:
How did we end up with the present situation where people are buying new homes as the ones built 5 years ago have been abandoned and have gone into disrepair, with wildlife and insects having taken over, while families are crowded into the homes of in-laws or living in motel rooms?
Click to expand...

I don't know how things are where you live, but around here if we're driving down the road and see a house under construction we point and say "Look!"........
 
I don't think its as much a matter of socialist v. captalist, as it is people learning to live their life. Some see life as an endless act of collecting more. I see that as a pity.


"The Paradox of Our Age

We have taller buildings but shorter tempers; wider freeways but narrower viewpoints; we spend more but have less; we buy more but enjoy it less; we have bigger houses and smaller families; more conveniences, yet less time; we have more degrees but less sense; more knowledge but less judgement; more experts, yet more problems; we have more gadgets but less satisfaction; more medicine, yet less wellness; we take more vitamins but see fewer results. We drink too much; smoke too much; spend too recklessly; laugh too little; drive too fast; get too angry quickly; stay up too late; get up too tired; read too seldom; watch TV too much and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values; we fly in faster planes to arrive there quicker, to do less and return sooner; we sign more contracts only to realize fewer profits; we talk too much; love too seldom and lie too often. We've learned how to make a living, but not a life; we've added years to life, not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbor. We've conquered outer space, but not inner space; we've done larger things, but not better things; we've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul; we've split the atom, but not our prejudice; we write more, but learn less; plan more, but accomplish less; we make faster planes, but longer lines; we learned to rush, but not to wait; we have more weapons, but less peace; higher incomes, but lower morals; more parties, but less fun; more food, but less appeasement; more acquaintances, but fewer friends; more effort, but less success. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but have less communication; drive smaller cars that have bigger problems; build larger factories that produce less. We've become long on quantity, but short on quality.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion; tall men, but short character; steep in profits, but shallow relationships. These are times of world peace, but domestic warfare; more leisure and less fun; higher postage, but slower mail; more kinds of food, but less nutrition. These are days of two incomes, but more divorces; these are times of fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, cartridge living, thow-away morality, one-night stands, overweight bodies and pills that do everything from cheer, to prevent, quiet or kill. It is a time when there is much in the show window and nothing in the stock room. Indeed, these are the times!"


from: Words Aptly Spoken, by Dr Bob Moorehead, pastor
 
Volt said:
...Their social security system provides a huge safety net that removes stress and worry about one’s future. For example, unemployment and retirement benefits are substantial, along with job security and guaranteed vacation periods. With healthcare benefits and other given rights, including decent housing for all, one rarely has to worry about having a roof over his head at a healthy old age. With a lot less fear of the future, it’s a lot easier to live in the moment....
Click to expand...

This is why the French are French; they hate personal responsibility. "Freedom" is defined as the lack of personal responsibility.
 
It seems the author is using highly emotion and subjective terms for his definition of 'quality of life'. By that assertion starving Africans have a good quality of life, as it's full of simplicity, lacks commercialism, and is VERY challenging.
 
This is why the Founders envisioned a weak federal government and strong states, so that folks who wanted to create a nanny state could do so without affecting neighboring states. Californica and Assachusetts can be socialist utopias while Texas and The South can enjoy true freedom.
 
PostmodernProphet said:
I don't know how things are where you live, but around here if we're driving down the road and see a house under construction we point and say "Look!"........
Click to expand...

There was a report on TV a while back that people who can afford homes want new ones due to the deterioration of ones recently built (5-6 years). Depending on the location they were either infested with insects/rodents or the freezing and thawing has split the walls.

My point was the homes, after evicting the people, were left to deteriorate. It's really a shame. No one benefits.
 
Damn Yankee said:
This is why the French are French; they hate personal responsibility. "Freedom" is defined as the lack of personal responsibility.
Click to expand...

Freedom is defined as a lack of worry. That's why it's almost universally felt that money is the cure-all.

As for lack of personal responsibility do you feel you lack personal responsibility when you pay someone to change the oil in your car or when you pay your hydro bill? Or when they patch a pothole in your street? Or fix the sidewalk? Or change a street light?
 
LOL Defending the austerity necessary to keep socialism working. Socialism works as long as everyone remains poor and are taught to not expect any better. I guess the referenced article, and others like it, should have been translated and published in Greece before the government started making their austerity cutbacks. Might have saved a few riots if they'd convinced the populace that the austere, simple lifestyle is the more preferable.

Certainly, there is a balance between quality of life and standard of living. The two are only semi-related. At first, increased standard of living will, quite naturally, result in increased quality of life. But like any other economic balance, the pursuit of "more stuff" has its limits before the law of diminished returns kicks in, where the gains needed to get "more stuff" are not worth the levels of effort (hardly ever seeing your wife or kids, no time to enjoy the stack of recreational toys accumulated, health effects of self-induced stress, etc.) it takes to gain that next level of "stuff".

If people want to take longer vacations, doing without the income they are forgoing by closing their business while away, that is their decision, and I do not denigrate such. I am one of those who, in retrospect, would have spent a little more time at home with the kids, were I given opportunity to do it over.

What I do denigrate is when such people expect the wealthy to support and subsidize their lifestyle choice. And that is the problem with the French, and other socialist systems. Bill Gates, nor Haliburton, nor Exxon, nor Ford Motor Company, nor even Teresa Heinz-Kerry owe anyone a living so they can choose to work less.

Safety nets are for people whose circumstances knock them down, and need a bit of TEMPORARY assistance to get back on their feet. Safety nets are NOT so people can take an extra month's worth of unpaid vacation while still receiving the full package of retirement and health benefits. The problem with socialism is the safety net BECOMES the life style. Such a system is NOT sustainable, as countries like Greece are finding out, with the rest of Europe - including France - to follow, likely within the next 2-3 decades, if not sooner.
 
Damn Yankee said:
For you on the left it is. For us red-blooded folk freedom means the opportunity to pursue happiness without having our money stolen and property plundered.
Click to expand...

At what point, dollar-wise, would you say one reaches the point where money is no longer a worry as far as obtaining the necessities of life?
 
apple0154 said:
At what point, dollar-wise, would you say one reaches the point where money is no longer a worry as far as obtaining the necessities of life?
Click to expand...
That's a question to be answered by each individual. Why do you feel the need to establish an upper limit for everyone else?
 
apple0154 said:
At what point, dollar-wise, would you say one reaches the point where money is no longer a worry as far as obtaining the necessities of life?
Click to expand...

Apple, a number of year ago someone asked J. Paul Getty how much money he thought the average man would be content with. His response? "Just a little bit more"
 
apple0154 said:
There was a report on TV a while back that people who can afford homes want new ones due to the deterioration of ones recently built (5-6 years). Depending on the location they were either infested with insects/rodents or the freezing and thawing has split the walls.

My point was the homes, after evicting the people, were left to deteriorate. It's really a shame. No one benefits.
Click to expand...

/shrugs.....my son bought a foreclosure home in March.....it's true that he had to spend money to get rid of some termites and he had to throw out the carpeting in the family room because mushrooms were growing in it.......but he still bought it for 34% of what it sold for nine years ago so he's not complaining......
 
I'm the last one to bash the French, love the tennis tourney.
but this is most certainly hillarious and amusing.
WTF, there are no quiet country towns in America?
Bullshit, what we have here is a couple that decided they failed in America.

What the article doesn't tell you, and Ive read up on it a lot.
they got rid of everyting and do with less, because the cost of living in France is way higher than the US.

Yes, shopping daily for fresh veggies is quant for a couple days.
How's the swealtering heat in the summer without AC?

Love the French, and I'd love to visit.

America with all it's problems is the best country by light years.
 
The Dude said:
I'm the last one to bash the French, love the tennis tourney.
but this is most certainly hillarious and amusing.
WTF, there are no quiet country towns in America?
Bullshit, what we have here is a couple that decided they failed in America.

What the article doesn't tell you, and Ive read up on it a lot.
they got rid of everyting and do with less, because the cost of living in France is way higher than the US.

Yes, shopping daily for fresh veggies is quant for a couple days.
How's the swealtering heat in the summer without AC?

Love the French, and I'd love to visit.

America with all it's problems is the best country by light years.
Click to expand...

For YOU, but not for them.

Selfishness is not living as one wishes to live; it is asking others to live as one wishes to live.
Oscar Wilde
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top