In Amsterdam, we rented bikes for the day. We hopped the free ferry from the train station across the IJ to North Amsterdam with about 30 other bike riders. With this simple act we felt we were part of a community. A community working to make life better for all the people. Perhaps we could take the Staten Island Ferry and get the same feeling at home, but that seems more a relic of past than the future of New York City.

In Berlin, we sat outside at a Beer Garden in a park (the Tiergarten) near our hotel. Reasonably priced beer, pizza, deserts were available to everyone. Families and friends gathered on the Easter Monday to enjoy the good weather and companionship. In New York City such places don’t seem possible as we convert more and more prime real estate to upscale establishments catering to the rich. The Boathouse in Central Park couldn’t be further from the relaxed feel at the Beer Garden. Here is an illustration using the two different websites.

The Boathouse:
The Boathouse guests – as ladies and gentleman – should be served by ladies and gentleman. … Expectations should be surpassed, be it a grand affair, a light meal or an elegant dinner. –

While the Café am Neuen See says:
Cool beers, selected wines, grilled and crispy pizzas are right in the Tiergarten, under tall trees, are served right next to the water. Regardless of weather and time of year you can eat in the restaurant or on nice days sit outside in the spacious beer garden and drink.

When we first traveled to Europe in the 1980s and 1990s, there was little doubt that the standard of living was better in the US. We had refrigerators, television, and phone service that was largely unavailable in many European cities. France and Italy had better food, wine and art, but life was not easy for those who weren’t rich. Now we can see that the standard of living in Europe is on par with the US.

In Australia, life for the average person is better than in the US. And in South Africa the standard of living is on par or better than the US for the rapidly growing middle class and the standard of living is rising rapidly for the black population of the former townships.
Our casual observations are borne out by a recent NY times article on income growth:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/23/upshot/the-american-middle-class-is-no-longer-the-worlds-richest.html?emc=eta1

The US is no longer the clear leader in income for the median family. The gap has narrowed so much that the dollars aren’t the determining factor in quality of life. Quality of life comes from community. In our travels we have seen it over and over again. A flat income structure makes life nicer. Countries where all people are viewed as equals creates a warmth that doesn’t exist in the “more is better” economies. Whether in New Zealand, Australia or the Netherlands, we found that people were happy and friendly.

On the other hand, we have China with its luxury stores, limos, and Maserati’s. Like the US, an economic and social hierarchy exists and there seems to be no end to the competition to prove you are better than everyone else.

In two countries, Australia and the Netherlands, something happened that really struck us. We sat down at a restaurant for dinner. The waiter brought our menus and then came back to see if we had questions. Seeing that we needed some help, the waiter sat down at our table to explain the menu. This would be unthinkable in the US – at least it hasn’t happened to us. While in Australia and the Netherlands it seemed completely natural. In these countries all people are treated as equals. There is no class distinction between the server and the customer. In the US, the only time you might see something like this if the celebrity chef sits with his celebrity guests while the servers circle around obsequiously.

While in the US we are celebrating VIP rooms with bottle service and exclusive restaurants, these countries are celebrating open air cafés serving beer and coffee in a come as you are atmosphere. In the US we believe that if you make more money, you are a better person. In other countries there is much more of a sense that all people are equal.

Maybe, inequality would be ok if rewarding the rich led to a better life for everyone. But, we have been taken down a false path. There is no trickle down. If you don’t focus on making life better for everyone then it will become worse for everyone. What The New York Times article shows is that the greatest growth in income has occurred in countries with strong social support and focus on making life good for everyone.

In Australia there is a focus on public transportation, high minimum wage, and national health care. The Netherlanders are so bicycle friendly that cars need to give the right of way to bicycles and bicycles have a special pathway through the middle of the newly renovated Rijksmuseum. In South Africa, the focus is on getting fresh water, toilets, electricity and education to every citizen.

A recent story in the NYT suggests you can’t get a two bedroom apartment in Manhattan (or even close by in Queens or Brooklyn) for under $1 million. Teachers, firefighters, police officers can’t afford to live in the neighborhoods that they support. (http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/20/realestate/the-million-dollar-manhattan-apartment.html)

At the same time, our Supreme Court says corporations are people entitled to make campaign contributions and that individual contributions cannot be capped. The Court is equating money with free speech. Given our competitive culture and the prevailing legal thinking, it is unlikely we will see any change in the trajectory of the US.

Maybe more Americans need to travel, not just as tourists visiting famous sights or on expense account business trips, but to see how the quality of life is rising in so much of the world, while the quality of life in the US has plateaued, or is perhaps even declining.