[querez]

You can make a very decent living on an SWE salary in Germany, and still get to live in a social democracy with a stronger emphasis on "social" than the US (i.e., very solid public services like transportation, education or health care) with a work/life balance that's more strongly tilted in favor of "life" than the US, from what I understand. It's a trade-off, but it's worth it for many.

[dsnr]

You’re saying it like everyone can’t wait to live in a welfare state and having to provide for the “welfare” of others. I for one am not looking for anything else than good healthcare.

There’s nothing “tilted” for life when you struggle to make ends meet while paying sky-high rent and having no prospects of ever owning your home.

[martin_a]

> having to provide for the “welfare” of others.

It's only fair. Once you get old, the young and healthy will pay for your hospital stay, too, through the insurance mix.

But we could also just let you die because you can't pay the treatment.

You'll have to decide, there's no free cake in the end.

[dsnr]

I pay for my own healthcare insurance, as healthcare is not free in Germany. So your points are invalid as far as I’m concerned.

[martin_a]

Ah, that's fine.

Everybody will also pay for all the infrastructure you might be using and the others not.

[dsnr]

Non-welfare states also have infrastructure, so no worry about that.

[martin_a]

You know that there's more to the German social insurance system than public health insurance that you profit from now or later.

So it's just lame to frame it like that's the only thing.

[Rompect]

Literally "Who would build the roads" lmao

[martin_a]

Nah, there's much more than roads in a welfare state.

There's a nationwide pension fund, unemployment "insurance", long-term care insurance and what not. All of this is cross-financed in a mix by everybody who's paying into it.

Also: Lots of people switch from private health insurance back to public health insurance once they get old, because then costs are rising. A welfare state also supports those who have "suddenly" become poor so they had to make that switch... ;-)

[sneak]

You'd have to tilt a lot more than what Germany does to make it worth it; equivalent healthcare in the US is only €15k in additional costs. (The messy healthcare situation the US is famous for only really affects the poor.)

[grw_]

It only _directly_ affects the poor- regardless of whether I as can afford these things, it benefits me to live in a society where everyone (including "the poor") is educated to a high standard, is not living in fear of financial distress due to minor illness, and is able to pursue their vocations out of choice rather than necessity

[frockington1]

Not too mention most US software engineers probably have healthcare provided by an employer