As an immigrant myself, I constantly find many Americans who were born here MUCH MUCH lazier in general since they didn’t have a hard life growing up.
You see it all the time with privileged wealthier kids expecting fancier things just because they “deserve it”…or, I went to work so I need this bag…I really need the newest iphone (I only get free phones)…
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Maybe immigrants work harder – but the US has, on average, a higher GDP per capita than all but about 8 or 10 countries in the world. We rank even higher if you exclude the oil producing countries. How are we making so much more stuff than these other people if we’re so lazy? I think you are falling victim to the attitude being spoofed here: http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/arakawa-group/n10192
Overall, I think it’s a perception bias.[/quote]
Have you been in other countries? Some countries have massive amounts of poverty and pay for most other countries is lower so GDP is lower overall due to lower output and consumption.
I don’t think measuring GDP is not a good measure of how hard someone is willing to work.
A better measure is how badly someone needs the job (great depression anyone?) and are willing to put up with crap to do it.
Some American’s maybe willing to do anything to make a buck, but even in college and me included, a life of comfort and privilege compared to people who left war torn areas and know they have a great opportunity now or work sucks in their native country will work much harder than someone who simply is ignorant of those situations.
