| Some highlights: 1. Suburbia is very distinct from European-style cities. It is monotonous, very sparse and requires a car to live there. Most of the people in the US live there! 2. The life there is very lonely for someone accustomed to less individualistic societies. And for Americans as well, so they heavily medicate their mental problems which would probably just not show up in more close-knit societies. 3. The legal system is obsessed with letter of the law and disregards its spirit. For-profit prisons lead to the highest incarceration rate in the world. Plea bargaining practice also contributes to codifying unreasonably harsh punishments. It can be traced back to the Bill of Rights that sets basic procedures and not basic principles. 4. Compared to Western Europe, the taxes are on average somewhat lower but the services provided by the state are much worse. 5. Healthcare is costlier than either a truly free market would provide or a socialized system. 6. The war on drugs is fought brutally from all sides, and you are very likely to suffer some damage from it. 7. It is a good place for you if you are young and entrepreneurial. It can provide you with great opportunities but it's hard to lead a stable and calm life there. |