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I disagree with this statement :"Americans have developed this compulsion to work long hours

No such thing exists. At least not enough to make it a rule.

America is about 15yrs ahead of Europe on the road of uncontrolled capitalism and counsumerism. The save very little IIRC <1% of GDP. The borrow excessively and have no job security ever since they decided that unions are BAD. They live in a credit-card bubble, constantly being afraid that it will burst.

Now. An average middle-class American family that has no savings, is in deep debt and buys junk on credit using their 20% (or more) interest rate credit cards, has no choice but to work, and work, and work.
This is a society that cannot afford to try living on less. A day missed needs five to make up for it.

by Euroliberal on Tue Jul 5th, 2005 at 08:45:00 PM EST

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