Standard of living is based on consumption of goods and services TO A POINT. Excessive consumption (say, an iPhone, iPad, and two laptops per person) is just inefficiency, not to mention rape/pillage of Gaia. What’s the fucking point of more toys if you have no time to enjoy them?
If you look at many of the wealthier European countries, their standard of living is DIFFERENT, not necessarily lower. Smaller homes, less likely to own a home, maybe only one car on average.
But the cars on the road are newer and cleaner than the US, health-care spending is lower, people have much more time and ability to travel (only 30% of Americans have passports, and fewer than that ever travel outside of North America). Savings rates and the social safety net are better, so there’s less constant fear of financial ruination. (Less fear, period — did you know that kids are encouraged to walk to school … alone … in Germany starting at age 8 or so?)
Australia and Canada are much more similar to the US, BTW, largely due to lower population density than Europe.
See also — social mobility rankings. It doesn’t look good for the US, and perpetuating the same situation won’t solve anything:
