This is just something I thought of, that we all in Britain take for granted as part of life (perks and bads) but would seem absurd to other cultures. Lets see how you feel about some of these, and how you would react if they implemented them in your country.
1) TV License: You have to have a TV license if you own a TV. It is a fixed £145.50 cost for a colour TV and a £49 charge for a black and white. This is a yearly charge. Failure to pay results in a £1000 fine.
If you buy a TV from any retailer in the UK, the retailer must pass on your details to the licensor. You'll get a letter pretty soon afterwards if you dont have a license attached to your address. If you dont pay, they will send someone around who will claim to come in and look at your TV connection. Legally they are not allowed entry into your house (unless you invite them in). They advertise detection vans (which is bullshit scaremongering - the concept is laughable), which can detect if you have a TV that isn't licensed.
Even if you don't watch TV or want to, you must pay for a license. The ONLY way out of it is if you do not even have a TV connection (a standard installation in every home in Britain).
2) The anti liberals will love this one. The NHS is the 7th largest employer on the planet. 1st Place is the American department of defense (national population - 300million), 2nd place is the Red Army (Chinese National Army) (national population 2 billion), 3rd Walmart (global multinational), 4th Mcdonalds (global mulitnational), 5th Chinese Petroleum, 6th Chinese State Power Grid, 7th the NHS. So what? 7th isn't that high? We have 60 million people in this country, and all of the NHS is on the taxpayer. Hoorah.
3) Price of petrol: This won't be news to many of you, but the reason for it might be.
Price of a gallon of petrol: Averages around to about $3.50 per gallon (3.79 litres). This works out, very crudely to £0.66 per litre. £1.34 for the same in the UK (filled up yesterday). Ironically, without fuel duty taxation, our prices would be about the same (if US fuel duty was removed as well). Gotta love government intervention.
4) Anyone from the European union cannot be denied entry into the UK (open borders agreement). Additionally, not being able to speak the local language is an illegal reason to reject someone working here.
5) The UK pays £17bn per year to the EU CAP (Common Agricultural Policy). This is basically a subsidisation to farmers in the EU to preserve way of life etc. yada yada bullshit. The total value of the UK's agricultural sector was £15.5bn. Incidentally, the total budget for the CAP is around the £50bn mark. There are 27 countries in the EU. Go figure.
The only reason I'm still holding GBP at all is that other major currencies are equally fucked.
Any brits can add to this? Surprises to anyone?
Your reasoning for petrol prices is not 100% accurate. And a tax to own a tv what kind of fucking shit is that?
Points 1-3 and 5 are as bad in Germany too! We're burning money like hell to support others and get screwed by the gov in terms of taxes. But funny to know that you're funding BBC. We over here ar paying for our German "BBC" also €200 per year. For your interest: gas is at around €1.55/l, so the same as in the UK and the NHS is a total mess. Wait some more months and your people will also become such mega pussies like here.
Damn, and people really wonder why you have to work finance to make a living or think about going to Zurich/Singapore. To answer your questions, yes it's absurd but I'm used to it.
I was wondering why every brit I know has moved out of that country and to HK/NYC.
1 is prevalent across all of europe.
let me add a few
6) Infrastructure is worse than Zimbabwe, nothing works, houses are lower quality than in Somalia
7) If it ever snows the entire country shuts down, LHR closes for 12 months
You know I have met so many liberal idiots in America who dream about how wonderful it would be to live in a European country with socialized healthcare, and then I've met so many ambitious Europeans who are being held back by Europe.
We need a "Citizen-exchange program" where lazy American socialists can be exchanged with hard working Europeans.
The us healthcare system is incredibly ineffective fwiw.
Also why the fuck would anyone sane European go to the US? Just go to Switzerland if u dont like govt/taxes...
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