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I always find it amusing when Europeans are held up as some ideal for moral or ethical comparison.  I've found that the people who do that, generally haven't ever lived in Europe and have no idea what they're talking about.

I've only visited of course, probably half a year in total, mostly France, and I agree.  They are thinner.  One thing that amazed me is how openly racist educated people can be en famile.  Really hateful and racist, they - many of them - are quite open about it in ways you would never see in the US (at least not with folks I hang with).  It isn't PC here, it is there, apparently.

They also smoke a lot, especially young females, to control weight.  College there is viewed as being more of a privilege than some expectations, only the upper third of students go to college (a bit more) versus over 2/3rds here.  They stream their kids in K-12 hard and once you are not college track, you are almost done.

Americans are far more egalitarian in their attitudes.  The French, in my experience, are far more stratified and focus on social status and rank.  They really look down on the lower classes, even the French farmers and whatnot.

I've noted before that folks I know there don't report crimes to the police, they have an extremely negative view of the local police.  They think they are worthless and tell me that if you report a crime you are viewed as the problem by making them extra work, and they won't seek the perps anyway.

Of course there are a lot of things to like about France, I like their zoning laws better than ours, and their education system is nationalized, which has advantages.

I've only visited of course, probably half a year in total, mostly France, and I agree.  They are thinner.  One thing that amazed me is how openly racist educated people can be en famile.  Really hateful and racist, they - many of them - are quite open about it in ways you would never see in the US (at least not with folks I hang with).  It isn't PC here, it is there, apparently.

They also smoke a lot, especially young females, to control weight.  College there is viewed as being more of a privilege than some expectations, only the upper third of students go to college (a bit more) versus over 2/3rds here.  They stream their kids in K-12 hard and once you are not college track, you are almost done.

Americans are far more egalitarian in their attitudes.  The French, in my experience, are far more stratified and focus on social status and rank.  They really look down on the lower classes, even the French farmers and whatnot.

I've noted before that folks I know there don't report crimes to the police, they have an extremely negative view of the local police.  They think they are worthless and tell me that if you report a crime you are viewed as the problem by making them extra work, and they won't seek the perps anyway.

Of course there are a lot of things to like about France, I like their zoning laws better than ours, and their education system is nationalized, which has advantages.

Yup, all of the above.  I'm not saying I don't like Europe or Europeans-- I actually love France and Italy, especially. 

But holding them up as some higher standard, is typically something that only people who've never spent any time there, will do.

They're no better than us when it comes to bigotry, racism, intolerance, and hatred.  And as you point out, in some ways they're much worse.

You guys are spot on here. 

Oh, and I've never driven in Europe. When we were dotting around for a month or so, we trained it. The cities were all walkable, in general.

Driving in Europe is not that much different than here, outside the major cities.  France and Belgium have some rules about which car has right of way different from ours, and you can't  turn right on red at all.  The county roads in France are "entertaining", as are the large multilane traffic circles.

You like to drive though. I actually do not.

Thankfully she hasn't started growing any facial hair

She shames me. I couldn’t build a square box if my life depended on it.

For all the stereotypes about Asian drivers, it takes more skill to drive safely over there than I think I have in me. I'd have a nervous breakdown trying to drive in Taipei. I don't think I could make it through a day without running over a half-dozen scooters. Then some of the other places where lanes are more "suggestions" than actual traffic control markings? Yeah... I'd be a wreck mentally long before causing a wreck physically. 

I was nervous enough just riding in a taxi when I've been over there. 

For all the stereotypes about Asian drivers, it takes more skill to drive safely over there than I think I have in me. I'd have a nervous breakdown trying to drive in Taipei. I don't think I could make it through a day without running over a half-dozen scooters. Then some of the other places where lanes are more "suggestions" than actual traffic control markings? Yeah... I'd be a wreck mentally long before causing a wreck physically.

I was nervous enough just riding in a taxi when I've been over there.

Rome is a little like that. Signals and markings are optional.

It's amazing to me how much different the drivers are in Florence and in Rome. In the former, they stop for walkers. In the latter, it's the opposite, and they like their horns.