Why do you think people are getting so delusional?
Posted by Bomboclaat_Babylon@reddit | expats | View on Reddit | 214 comments
I have been living overseas for 25 years, and until recently, few people from back home (Canada) have had any interest in seeing the world. I was just some oddity and viewed as such. But in recent years, I have family members reaching out, and even wanting to move to places like South-East Asia, seemingly because they think Canada is a dictatorship hellscape. Why?
I don't want to live in Canada, but it's not because I think it's a dictatorial hellscape, it's clearly not, it's a perfectly average country and things are fine. The people that want to move to SEA don't like foreigners, constantly complain about gun rights, taxes that do nothing, and the ills of multicultural society. Then they say they want to move to SEA and when I mention it'll be all non-whites, no guns at all, taxes that go nowhere, and an actual dictatorship, they don't seem to understand what I'm saying to them or why.
It seems like many people have lost their minds in the west, but I've been out of it so long, living with expats that dropped out of deep cultural involvement after the 90's that I wasn't paying attention so much. But the people seem to be getting wierd.
Does anyone else have this in their family? A growing bizarre mentality of running toward the exact thing you claim to be running from?
New_Criticism9389@reddit
You get these people on both sides of the political spectrum, from Germans who move to Paraguay because “Europe has fallen to gay migrant gangs” to Americans who move to Spain/NL (it is almost always these two countries with Americans) because “free healthcare” and “America is fascist”
highstreethellcat@reddit
I know someone who moved from usa to here, spain, about one year ago. Sold her house, got a nomad visa and moved, sight unseen, to spain. So far she likes it but man talk about balls.
Reason: trump is horrible
ProlapseMishap@reddit
Sounds like a pretty damn good reason
highstreethellcat@reddit
A good friend of mine has a wife who is a trump fan even before trump was a thing. When Obama was president she would say, he’s destroyed the country, but I couldn’t see any differences as a once every 2/3 years visitor. Now with trump making everything great, I still don’t see any difference.
Socal is worse now than when I lived there. Drug addicts (not the unhoused) everywhere, living on the streets. People selling food on the streets out of stolen target shopping trollies. The place is more like Mexico every year that goes by.
Rich-Banana9877@reddit
I live in the US, and the conversation about homelessness here is always about "how do we move them elsewhere" and not "how do we get these people housed." There is no political will to spend money on housing because of decades of antitax/anti-social services propaganda. It's obvious that our standard of living is falling, and the increase in homelessness is a giant red flag for that. Re: Trump, I don't know how we (or the world) can take 2 more years of the chaos.
highstreethellcat@reddit
Just to be clear, I like California and I used to surf in Mexico all the time, almost always alone. I don’t think anyone does that now in Mexico.
Bottom line is, I think most average person is worse off now than 20 years ago. When I visit, I stay in the nice part, that hasn’t changed but I quick trip to LA and you see 3^(rd) world stuff
CrazyQuiltCat@reddit
Umm. It is turning into a fascist country. That is not an exaggeration
ProlapseMishap@reddit
Honestly I'd say we're already there.
HappySwordfish_@reddit
Honestly, this is what happens when people don't know the true definition of fascism and think it's just "something I don't like"
ProlapseMishap@reddit
Please, tell me more Internet man.
fascism noun fas·cism ˈfa-ˌshi-zəm also ˈfa-ˌsi- pluralfascisms Synonyms of fascism
Simple Definition A Simple Definition is available from our Learner's Dictionary to help you understand the meaning faster. 1 often Fascism : a populist political philosophy, movement, or regime (such as that of the Fascisti) that exalts nation and often race above the individual, that is associated with a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, and that is characterized by severe economic and social regimentation and by forcible suppression of opposition At the core of fascism is loyalty to tribe, ethnic identity, religion, tradition, or, in a word, nation. —Jason Stanley There are differences between Italian Fascism, German Nazism, and their various nationalist descendants. —Josh Jones broadly : a philosophy or system with some combination of fascist values and governing structures Take away colonialism and you still have … Balkan fascism … —Umberto Eco 2 : a tendency toward or actual exercise of strong autocratic or dictatorial control The early instances of army fascism and brutality are typical … —Jason Watson Aldridge Call it "soft fascism": a political system that aims to stamp out dissent and seize control of every major aspect of a country's political and social life, without needing to resort to "hard" measures like banning elections … —Zach Beauchamp —often used informally in an exaggerated way Like the city's ban on the use of trans fats and draconian restrictions on smoking, the new soda regulations are … yet another installment of what Jonah Goldberg rightly termed "liberal fascism." —Jonathan S. Tobin
HappySwordfish_@reddit
Yikes
ProlapseMishap@reddit
You didn't seem to understand the definition of the word, so there's what Webster has to say.
Yikes indeed
HappySwordfish_@reddit
No, buddy. This whole thing went clearly right over your head and what you posted is exactly what I'm talking about.
Neo definitions that suit your needs. Yikes indeed x2
3xBork@reddit
Is the complaint here that they're mostly right?
Tardislass@reddit
No. America is not fascist and wanting free healthcare without paying into the system is so American. We never seem to want to work hard. Spain labored under a fascist for 40 years. Americans complain about fascism but never want to fight to defend it. All the protesters here are old.
Americans seem to want all the benefits and no hard work like strikes or protests.
ProlapseMishap@reddit
Well, no European is going to get executed on the street while protesting either. Also, I love how you just completely glossed over the years of record protests we've been having in the US.
prettyprincess91@reddit
Are you for real out of your mind? What all the miners who were striking and would get shot? It’s like you just pick and choose the history you like
FartTootman@reddit
No, it isn't, but it's obtuse to act like it isn't strongly trending that way at a rapid pace....
What does this even mean? What healthcare system allows you to take advantage of it without paying into it? You sound like you haven't the slightest clue what healthcare system people in America either want or are running from.
Yeah there aren't any protests happening here at all...... /s
I'm not stupid enough to act like Americans aren't the victims of their own complacency, but this ignorant, generic boiling-down of people's actual, reasonable fears that cause them to leave the country they grew up in just makes you sound bitter from atop your high-horse.
ProlapseMishap@reddit
People have moved the goal posts for the definition of fascism every time it got a little too close to their own personal beliefs.
Also, the world has become insanely nihilistic, so many people have made not caring about what's happening their whole ass personality.
Haunting-Buy887@reddit
Yep. Spain is also known to be one of the most LGBT friendly countries currently so this is a bit of an odd/delusional comment from this person in itself. Most of the people I see talking about moving here are LGBT or looking for good place to raise a family
BrandyGayle613@reddit
I'm American and would love to move to Europe. You're right, I like the "free healthcare", but not for the reasons you suggest. I want to move to a country who believes healthcare is a right and not a privilege. I'd gladly pay for the health insurance I would be required to have. I'd gladly pay out of pocket for medical care. It would still be cheaper and more reliable than healthcare in the U.S. Most importantly, I would live in a country that values its citizens, at least to some degree. I realize no country is perfect.
dermatofibrosarcoma@reddit
That is until you high quality level 5 care AKA triple bypass.
SunBelly@reddit
Well, in the US you just die if you don't have insurance and can't pay for it. Hospitals will stabilize you and send you home. So, I'd take my chances with whatever level of care a country with universal healthcare can provide. Lol
BrandyGayle613@reddit
I'm sorry to hear that. What was your experience?
Significant-Trash632@reddit
I would gladly pay more taxes so everyone could have access to healthcare.
And yeah, the US is becoming, if not already, a fascist hellhole that I want to escape.
Rich-Banana9877@reddit
It sounds like Fox News is seeping over the US-Canada border. The comments on this thread about people living in bubbles ring true as well.
taxnomad@reddit
Because too much information,instagram lifestyle (fake)..and you want everywhere every time always …this is game of mind…
Nightcrawler_2000@reddit
Feels like a mix of online echo chambers and people romanticizing places they haven’t lived in. It’s easy to idealize somewhere else when you’re frustrated at home, but reality usually hits once you’re actually there.
___itachi__uchiha___@reddit
Grass always looks greener until you’re actually dealing with day to day life there
Tango_D@reddit
Propaganda is telling them that the world they grew up in is gone, which is largely true, and places all the blame on people who are 'other' to how and what they are. I'm in SEA and have met some of these folks. In my experience most of them are white men who resent social and demographic changes especially in regards to male/female relationships and they come here looking for a woman who he can wave a little money in front of her and she won't "talk back" to him plus the lower cost of living stretches their money further. A whole lot of these guys are estranged from their families for being toxic assholes. Canadians, Brits, Americans, Aussies....the core mentality is the same.
lalalandestellla@reddit
Yeah this was going on in the early 2000s so I can only imagine how much worse it has gotten. I lived in SEA then and it was all the loser white guys from Canada, US, Ireland, UK, Oz and NZ who could y get girlfriends back home, making lives for themselves over there getting these gorgeous local women to basically be trad wifes for them. It was truly gross.
LawofRa@reddit
This trope that people can't get western women so move to SEA needs to die. I know many men who can get western women but don't like their bitter attitudes and selfish desires to get everything paid for them but then do nothing for the man. They see that individualized culture polarize along sex lines and that SEA women can be kinder. All you are doing is parroting platitudes.
Tango_D@reddit
Thanks for being a perfect example of my point.
LawofRa@reddit
Umm no clearly you didn't read what I wrote. I deny western women all the time from dating me.
throwRA_lbsign@reddit
🤣😂🤣😂 so... incel?
LawofRa@reddit
Incel means involuntarily celibate, did that comment look like celibacy to you?
lalalandestellla@reddit
And your horrible comment about Western women just proves my point.
LawofRa@reddit
Do you date western women? I do, I can speak on it.
here4theptotest2023@reddit
Which part do you find gross?
People finding love?
The mixing of cultures? Races?
exsnakecharmer@reddit
I think you need to log off and tend to your girlfriend’s sick water buffalo, farang
-PinkPowerPoodle-@reddit
Your reading comprehension?
Tango_D@reddit
Some things just don't change
LawofRa@reddit
This trope that people can't get western women so move to SEA needs to die. I know many men who can get western women but don't like their bitter attitudes and selfish desires to get everything paid for them but then do nothing for the man. Many hate our own culture and diversity and want to move where there is less diversity and homogeneity, even though they will be a foreigner
Better_Albatross6474@reddit
I’m Not a expat, born in Latvia 🇱🇻 and raised in USA so share certain feelings, understanding of things. It really is a the grass is greener elsewhere. People talk about wanting to leave 🇺🇸 constantly here and it makes me chuckle. You may trade in some of your problems but you’ll get whole new ones. I also swear people haven’t read history or lack a good grasp on what a dictatorship is. As a Balt I hear the “we need socialism” constantly in my area (more liberal leaning). Here in this part of West there’s a total disconnect for what certain words actually mean and the weight they carry.
AppleJoost@reddit
As someone from Western Europe, from a country which is among the happiest and wealthiest on the planet, I'm going to say that there is nothing wrong with socialism and being a social-democracy. The misconception that socialism as it is known in Northwestern Europe, equates to Soviet style Communism is just silly. Nobody needs Communism, but the rampant Capitalism that is prevalent in the US is certainly not the answer either.
The main thing I love about Northwestern Europe, is that as an employee, I've got rights. Nobody is going to tell me that I can't go on a three week holiday. Nobody is going to tell me that it shows a poor work ethic if I do so. Nobody is going to fire me for a mistake and if I get fired, I will have a safety net to look for another job. This safety net isn't permanent and abuse is difficult. I've got affordable healthcare and while tuition isn't free, but also not crazy expensive. A landlord who wants to raise rent, can't do so whenever he wants and he can't evict me if I complain about this.
Socialism just means that there are more safety nets for people who are more vulnerable, like employees or people who rent. That safety net is partially being paid for by people and companies who can afford it. And even after that, my country is still considered a tax haven by the US and houses companies like Starbucks.
HappySwordfish_@reddit
Finally, a sane comment.
nonedat@reddit
I will answer this as a white expat who moved from the UK recently.
Whites who move abroad are generally higher caliber than whites back at home. Now, in SEA's case this doesn't truly apply because it is one of the cheaper destinations that attract the digital-nomad and fake tan people - but moving abroad usually indicates an "above average" background in terms of upbringing and, yes, finances. Note that this applies to all other races as well - humans who travel rather than stay in their bubble have more experience. It is usually better to have a community of like-minded people than try to mix with the rest of the populace who are overwhelmingly left-wing liberals.
Countries that were previously said to be shitholes are removing laws, while countries that were previously said to be free, liberal and delightsome are adding new laws targeted at the domestic white population. 20 years ago nobody imagined Europe, the UK and even the US would bring in digital ID, age verification and a plethora of other stuff - and look what's happening now. When foreign countries make laws, they don't have the white expat population in mind, and they usually don't care about certain things unless it causes a bigger problem.
These countries do not glorify immigrants, and there is no discourse on immigration. The white expats you speak of want to move there, pay their taxes that actually go where they need to instead of on social and woke stuff back in the west, and mostly keep to their own while living free from a government that doesn't hate them.
georgegasstove@reddit
“I’m a higher caliber white person” says it all.
nonedat@reddit
Well the OP was talking about their white friends who were thinking of moving to SEA, so I was explaining the mindset that we have.
Of course, it's only a problem when whites do it and not any other group known for nepotism. If you know, you know.
Wonderful-Blueberry@reddit
I agree with your points. But I find it a bit funny that you said whites who move abroad are generally higher caliber than whites back at home. You moved from the UK but I know people who have moved from Canada to the UK. Are those people higher caliber?
JohnInBrazil@reddit
Not the original commenter, but yes people who go and live in another country, even canada-uk which aren't hugely different culture-wise, are in general going to be more open minded, more able to accept other cultures, more able to take risks, more able to navigate another set of rules and protocols, more able to to what should be basic stuff like getting a passport, booking a flight and understanding visa requirements, than people who never live outside of their home country/state/town.
Wonderful-Blueberry@reddit
Generally yes but this is also pretty dependent on where you're from though. If you're already from a major city you're navigating cultural diversity and complexity every day, moving to another Western country isn't really adding much. The selection effect argument makes more sense for someone from a small homogeneous town.
JohnInBrazil@reddit
Agreed to a large extent, if you're working in London then you're already dealing with multiple cultures and have a much wider understanding of different social norms than someone in a small village. However, you're still living in the regulatory environment into which you were born and raised and that simplifies a lot of day to day details: interactions with government agencies, simple things like knowing how the public transport infrastructure works, having a driving licence (although less required in a big city).
Another big one: how many languages do you speak if you never leave your home country? UK probably 1, Canada possibly 2, US possibly 2 if you're in a spanish speaking area, EU 2+, Switzerland 3 or 4 etc. I do believe that collecting additional languages that aren't closely related enriches how we think.
Wonderful-Blueberry@reddit
I agree with this too. Generally we can agree that moving abroad is enriching.
Don’t get me started on the languages. I will say I have not left my home country (Canada) but my parents are from elsewhere and I speak that language along with another one so in total I speak 3. But you’re right because most people I know around my age only speak English and even those whose parents are from elsewhere, they don’t speak the language of the country. I find it kind of insane.
nonedat@reddit
From one western country to another. Your point?
Bomboclaat_Babylon@reddit (OP)
Yes. Stuff like this. What is it that makes you delusional? Personal pride / ignorance? The government's in SEA don't spend money on "woke stuff"? In ladyboy land, you think there's no public funds for hormone treatments or equality campaigns? Where did you get that idea? Just made it up in your head? Like all the expats are better than the people in country? Where do you get these ideas?
jgolo@reddit
What about the laws “targeted at the white population”? 🤦🏻
MaybeNo8538@reddit
Canada fell off unfortunately, lots of antisocial behaviours since Covid and lots of isolation, especially in cities. If you look at the recent happiness charts, Canada fell to the 25th position in the world, when it used to be 5th place in the early 2000s, with that drop level being the equivalent of countries who get into a war from what I’ve heard.
So in some sense, sure, people are going insane but it’s nowhere near the same level of life as countries that are actually third world or corrupt as hell. People are just very soft since they never experienced war and famine and also don’t travel so they just don’t know how hard life can be.
It’s still a chill country with a decent economy but it’s honestly going REALLY bad compared to how it used to be ~20 years ago. My mother’s an immigrant and even she says that when she moved to Canada, things were way better than how it’s going currently. For the immigration case, lots of Canadians get fired or just can’t get hired cause Canada’s mass immigration policies are making companies hire immigrants for a very cheap wage, so many are unemployed and can’t find a job. The homelessness in my city (Montreal) is so bad now, you see hundreds of homeless camps downtown, when 10 years ago, they didn’t exist. It’s similar in other cities as well.
makebuleaf@reddit
Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not out to get you.
4mbitious@reddit
Depending on your social class, Canada is a tough place now. Between the inflation / high cost of living, lack of employment opportunities, low salaries compared to a few 100km south in the US and extremely high taxes... It's not easy to get ahead compared to 20-30 years ago. It's a very different country from back then.
That's why I left Canada to move to Panama 7-8 years ago. I wanted to be part of a community and economy that's growing and developing... lower taxes, more efficient government, and also easily accessible to some cities in the US to open business opportunities.
While I write this I'm sitting in Kelowna, BC, visiting some friends. Some parts of Canada are truly wonderful. But my view is that the country has lost its direction. I'm not sure exactly what's causing this, but it doesn't seem to have a coherent identity or vision anymore.
I see a bunch of rich retired Boomers who got wealthy on the real estate booms, alongside younger people, whether born and raised here, or immigrants who are new to the country - they're having a much harder time getting ahead. It's truly a strange place in some respects because of these factors.
I hope that Canada can find its feet again and start to build more opportunities for all Canadians, not just those who happen to have a bunch of real estate properties they paid $300K for that are now worth $1.5M+.
DebtLiber8or@reddit
I never imagined I'd leave Canada, the country of my birth, but I did. The cost of living was just too high.
Unless you have parents who can pay for your post-secondary schooling and give you a down payment on a house, you have two choices: live like a college student, or live as a slave to the banks.
There is no future for young and working-class people in the country, the delta between stagnant wages and extortionate housing costs is not sustainable, let alone the legal price gouging practiced by grocery and telecom oligopolies. It sounds hyberbolic, but it is true.
The salt in the wound is that there is an entire segment of the Canadian public and leadership class — generally boomers and those who inherited intergenerational wealth — who experience the country in an entirely different way and perpetually gaslight young and working class Canadians, claiming if they only worked harder we too could enjoy the wealth that they enjoy. But the math no longer works, and it doesn't matter how many times you try to explain this to them, they just don't get it. Instead they rebrand the GST rebate as grocery support and tell us to work even harder.
Anyone with options is leaving Canada today, creating a catastrophic brain drain that the goofballs in StatsCan will identify retroactively in a few decades. By that time, the Boomers will mostly be dead, having pillaged every social benefit and resource and left behind empty coffers and empty houses in their wake. We'll have a sprawling military and a multi-billion dollar fake island and conference center in Toronto, though, so there's that, I suppose.
The country is dying. As the granddaughter of proud Canadian immigrants and a Canadian studies grad who spent the better part of my life in public service, nothing makes me sadder.
Correct-Yak-1679@reddit
Surely they know better than you, since you haven't lived in there in a long while. This Youtube video explains why life in Canada has become a nightmare.
Bomboclaat_Babylon@reddit (OP)
I watched the video. You are not getting it. If a Canadian says "I'm ok with dictatorships, poorer living conditions, few safety standards, rules that swing wildly, etc., in return for lower living costs and warm weather." fine, no problem. What the video is saying that Canada isn't as good as it used to be, and I agree with that. What I'm saying though, is that most countries around the world are much worse off than Canada. Canada is a top 5 for living conditions. It can be getting worse while still being far better on average for QOL than the rest of the world.
The video says costs are increasing. Housing is going up and becoming unaffordable. You know what the per cap GDP is in Vietnam? About $5k USD per year. I just moved from a house that sold for $1.5 million USD. It was a 3 bedroom run down piece of shit by Canadian standards. Almost no one in Vietnam could ever hope to afford such a place. In Singapore people make more money than Canadians, per cap around $90k USD, but any condo, even a a 400sqft one bedder is at least $1m USD.
In most of SEA, Thailand, Vietnam, etc., if you want a quality built condo, you need to pay a monthly rent of about the same amount. Maybe a bit less, but your income will also come down, like a lot. And in most of them, you either can't own property legally as a foreigner, or your options are very limited into buying properties that are lease termed and stuff locals don't really want in order to bring in foreign currency, and it's nightmare process to buy, and very hard to get the money back out, and your money depreciates rapbidly. You can get lucky, but I know way more horror stories about people I know buying in to properties that never get finished, or fall apart, etc.
You don't understand what you're talking about. I don't understand why this is hard for a lot of Canadians to understand these days. The 3rd world / developing world is not as nice as the first world. Why is that hard to comprehend? I don't mind it. That's me. That's quite a few people. And it's probably ok for many more people that are able to adjust to it, but your video doesn't address anything in my post. Why? Housing prices are up in Canada. So? Canada is not a dictatorship hellhole because housing prices spiked and wages are stagnant. And SE Asia is actually dictatorial for the most part (and I won't say hellhole, but not very nice for a lot of people) even though wages are growing.
I really just don't understand the mentality, but I think (you tell me) that people are more than happy to throw away their freedoms and standards for a few extra dollars for themselves. That's what it is right? End of the day? Slightly cheaper lifestyle, slightly more money in my pocket and who cares how much worse it is for the average person?
Yes_Sunnyday@reddit
I live in America and right now many friends are leaving for other countries because of current regime.
Reasonable-Link2475@reddit
Its the media, if you grew up while it boomed and saw the difference you would understand. I remember when Youtube was entirely free speach, people were racist as shit, but began to get smarter and although people had their differences, they would come to an agreement the establishment is corrupted and we all stand against it. when they realized people were getting smarter, they banned racist and contiversial comments which simply drove those with other views to other sites that express their own views, echo chambers as they call it, so people got more radical and dumb. As someone said, every regime has a chance of being toppled, if you put people against eachother, it forms an arch which holds it steady in place. I took about a year off the internet and cant believe how much dumber people have gotten, at least it appears that way. With AI its not going to get better lol
betrayedandbeholden@reddit
Repeat Covid infections causing micro blood clots and brain damage.
Subject-Mine-4203@reddit
Yup. Fellow Canadian living in Brazil.
People are telling me Canada is filled with immigrant, that it's now dangerous, and that I'm lucky no to see the downfall of Canada and to live in such a peaceful place.
ponpiriri@reddit
Most people are moving because they can't comfortably afford their home countries and ironically enough, they prefer authoritarian governments as long as they don't have vote for it. You see this from people of all political beliefs.
Additional-Ask-5512@reddit
I have had people, Americans mainly, asking if everything is OK in the UK. What do you mean? I asked. There's some scourge of immigrants causing crime and it's chaos. London is out of control, they replied. London is actually pretty safe for a large city. Just social media bollocks
Character_Raisin574@reddit
Because they're white and they think nothing applies to them.
DontEatConcrete@reddit
YES. You are right. Many here have lost their damn minds.
TupeloTimes@reddit
That's quite the username. Did wherever you emigrated to from Canada include a stopover in Jamaica?
ana444@reddit
Hey, let me guess... You're from Alberta? 😉
napalmtree13@reddit
Social media and the ability to exist in a bubble. People are more isolated than ever and chronically online. If you had any conspiracy theory* leanings pre-social media, you probably weren't going to develop them further unless you were in a community of people who also leaned that way. Now that we can just find our niche bubbles online, those communities are easier than ever to connect to. Sure, there were online communities pre-social media, but you really had to go looking for them in the earlier Internet days.
So now you've got a community of like-minded people and your algorithms are also fine-tuned to show you what you already believe, because it keeps you on the app longer.
*I'm using this in a broad sense of the term, not just "the earth is flat" or "Bigfoot is real" types. I'm including people who think there's a vast government conspiracy to take their guns, that there's a war on Christmas, etc.
Zhigirl2022@reddit
True
InformationPlastic37@reddit
This ☝️
3dprintinted@reddit
Simple Google should tell those folks how moronically stupid they are. Dictatorships and authoritarian regimes dominate much of Southeast Asia, with Myanmar (military junta), Cambodia (one-party rule), Laos, Vietnam (communist states), and Brunei (absolute monarchy) operating with limited democratic freedoms. These governments have tightened control through restricting free speech, punishing opposition, and increasing surveillance, frequently aligning with China's political model
Alternative-Host-467@reddit
It's to the point where you and your next door neighbor could be living in two separate realities. And no doubt a lot of it is pushed by bots and state actors.
Ok_RubyGrapefruit@reddit
This. In my community it's like there are two populations - one that lives online and is miserable, and one that actually lives in the community, interacts with other humans and understands the complexity of reality.
Zhigirl2022@reddit
Society has collapsed but as you know, the polarization of people wanting to live in other countries is lacing reality. You are spot on.
WaveTop7900@reddit
The average person living outside of the West like SEA, China, Japan, has much more in common with right of centre than “progressive” lunatics in their own countries. I have no problem with strict gun control as long as the judiciary has high conviction rate for example.
Emerald_195@reddit
It’s basically a neo-colonial phenomenon based on privilege geo-arbitrage rooted in Orientalist romanticism justified by Western conspiracies.
Pillowful_Pete1641@reddit
Asia as a whole is better. There are people from Europe moving to Asia- the place that Americans either fantasize about or think is better- only to realize that Asia does it even better than Europe.
On the whole, it's more convenient, there'e more activity, it's cheaper, it's safer and the food, when considering how often you can eat out and the access- its better.
Now on top of that, take poverty wages in the US or Europe of 2000 a month and bring that to Asia.
Is it any wonder why it's an option that many ponder?
And now finally let's even take into consideration the things beyond money. Less homeless, less likely to get attacked by a random stranger, no need to take caution for a young girl in what she wears like in some cities in Europe, social cohesion, community and the fact that foreigners in Asia doon't need to folloow the same rules as locals and get special treatment. Now add in the incentives for peoople from Scandinavia, Canada and Northern Europe of better weather during the cold, grey winters and it's not hard to see the appeal.
Even taking into consideration of comparing Europe of the 1990s and todays Asia and there are still some advantages. Overall Europe- especially Northern Europe is a cold, individualistic society that focuses on work and privacy.
Emerald_195@reddit
Sounds like a new form of “colonialism” lol
ChessIsAwesome@reddit
Jeez. Alberta? Yeah they're different. Wouldn't say thing are fine here. Going backwards a little for sure. But so is the rest of the world.
binzoma@reddit
also a canadian expat
I had my dad visit a few months back. he marvelled at how safe and quiet it is here in New Zealand and how its a hellscape at home etc etc
finally after 2 weeks I pulled up the stats and showed him car theft, break and enter, violent crime and homicide rates are higher in NZ than they are in Toronto
he then started arguing that the police in toronto dont report stats properly lol
if people want to go down the rabbit hole and ignore what their brains, eyes and ears tell them, there isnt much you can do I dont think
Full-Decision-9029@reddit
sometimes the Ontario sub sounds like like some sort of cyberpunk dystopia.
"and only yesterday we were CARPET BOMBED by the enemy gangbangers!"
And they're talking about effing Oakville.
bbbberlin@reddit
In addition to social media bubbles, people increasingly hold feelings and also opinions from a relative/friend in higher regard than news/stats/institutional reports.
I am a Canadian living for a long time in Germany - I've also encountered several Germans living in Canada (long term immigrants) who ask crazy questions like if Berlin has "no-go zones" and basically describe the country through the lens of extremist media. These are people who can speak the language (and therefore read legitimate German news), and should know better because they are educated and successful in life – and yet also fall into that social media echo chamber, and parrot suspicions of family members who visited and confirmed that Germany is a "lost continent" or whatever nonsense.
But I guess this gap also exists within countries too - you tend to find more hardline views against immigration in rural places... which have objectively much fewer immigrants than the cities. This is the case in Canada and also Germany too.
3dprintinted@reddit
You know what he will say. “Lies Toronto just don’t report them stats broda”. It’s all the vibes and feelings with those folks
binzoma@reddit
'is that just toronto or the gta'
'dad the megacity has been a thing for almost 30 years now wtf are you talking about'
Bomboclaat_Babylon@reddit (OP)
Ya. Lol. Sounds like my dad...
Blackiee_Chan@reddit
Kids don't know how to spell without spell check anymore
Big_Sphere@reddit
It’s MAGA.
Wonderful-Blueberry@reddit
Born and raised in Canada and the issues Canada is facing are issues that many Western countries are facing. The difference is compared to most of those Western countries, Canada has very long winters and a very work driven lifestyle. People start to wonder what’s the point of living in a country like this when they can’t get ahead. My parents moved from a beautiful small country in Europe with lovely weather most of the year to come here because of the opportunities. If those opportunities are now very limited, taxes keep increasing and the level of services keep decreasing then what’s the point? People here have every right to be frustrated.
Thankfully my partner and I do well financially so we’re very comfortable but the average person is not. It’s hard to make real money in this country.
taterfiend@reddit
Yes. But to speak more sociologically about that desire to escape to a non-white place, given complaints about immigrants in one's home country ... I think it's specifically about retaining a sense of social status or distinction. The complaints about Canada/wherever you're from are partially about decreasing standards of living, decreasing sense of social status as the cost of living rises everywhere and wages remain depressed. Which are valid concerns, but this subset has intuited that they could retain their upper-class status by living in a 3rd world country. They're not entertaining fantasies about living in Thailand as a Thai or as an immigrant, but as a wealthy expat, socially superior to the locals.
Wonderful-Blueberry@reddit
I agree. To be honest I think people who move to a 3rd world country from a Western country are more often than not losers who couldn’t make it in their own country and are arbitraging their way out of having to compete - using a currency advantage as a substitute for actually building something where they’re from. It’s a cope.
GregMoller@reddit
Just wondering, is there anything in life that is not a cope?
ThisUsernameIsTook@reddit
What they don’t realize is that places like Thailand are almost as expensive and sometimes more expensive than “home” if you go there and try to live like you used to.
I just got back from Mexico City. Local restaurants are dirt cheap but if you want pizza or a burger or Italian food etc., you’ll be paying the same or more than in the US.
CanbegoneTo@reddit
Yea, no way in hell the average spot in Thailand or Mexico is as expensive as the average spot in Toronto.
Ofc there are expensive places in Thailand or Mexico. But on average, those countries will obviously be cheaper.
I just googled the local restaurant near me in Toronto. 23$ for a basic pizza. Ravioli, almost 30$. A basic pour of white is 50. Assuming it's a party of 2, you're looking at 150-200 CAD for 2 people. And that's before taxes and tip.
Add to that, in Canada we're paying over 50% marginal tax rate... Life is far cheaper in Thailand or Mexico.
LawofRa@reddit
It is because they don't like diversity and want to move to a homogeneous country that doesn't constantly socially police people for having different opinions even if that means being a foreigner.
Free_Cat8068@reddit
What do you and your partner do for work?
Wonderful-Blueberry@reddit
We both own our own businesses
Pillowful_Pete1641@reddit
I would say that more people have an interest in foreign travel than in the past. In the past, few places were "ruined" by tourists as they are today.
Travel influencers, Youtube channels, translator apps, Google maps, internet access, remote workers and social media have all conrtibuted to much higher rates of travel than before,
Long ago- almost everyone you met was super interesting because oonly the outliers actually had interest in travel.
Bomboclaat_Babylon@reddit (OP)
In 2000, I was in a hostel in Bangkok and one of the probably dreadlocked backpackers had left a long tirade scribbled in permanent ink on the wall about how Lonely Planet was killing Thailand, there's too many tourists, the new tourists don't "get it", and they're running everything etc. no concept of the irony of the graffiti he left behind. That's just people. There was definitely inns in ancient Greece and some Romans were arguing about too many Roman tourists running things since some tablet maps were invented. More just any Roman commoner is is stinking up Athens!
Pillowful_Pete1641@reddit
I mean yeah i guess that there were always hotspots even back then- like Thailand and Greece and Spain- places for mass tourism. Haha- great Lonely Planet reference- a place could be deserted but by visiting places mentioned in the Lonely Planet- you'd always find the other tourists in a place.
But there were tons of isolated parts of the world with few visitors, where locals were happy to meet foreigners. People all over Spain were happy to talk to you- none of the tourist protests or having foreigners buying up all the real estate in Madrid or Lisbon and making it unaffordable for locals.
sfantocanada@reddit
Fascinating as we are preparing to move TO Canada at almost retirement. We were already planning an early retirement to travel and talking about Canada; world events have solidified that
allglory2themosthigh@reddit
I think you might be the delusional one? When was the last time you were in Canada... a lot has changed in 25 years.
Accomplished_Rest785@reddit
A lot can change in the 25 years you've been gone.
Ok_Excuse_741@reddit
I have a young guy who works for me making more than 80% of the population and he still bitches constantly about wanting to move to the US so he wouldn't lose so much of his paycheck to taxes. The very taxes that gave him a fucking education, healthcare, community services, to get him where he is. And now he's perfectly good with lifting the ladder and not contributing to the pot.
It's all about greed.
Wonderful-Blueberry@reddit
Wanting to keep more of your own paycheque isn't greed, it’s a pretty natural instinct. Especially when the services that chunk is supposed to fund are genuinely getting worse.
And it’s not just income tax. HST, property tax, capital gains etc. You earn money, taxed. You spend it, taxed. You save and invest it, taxed on the gains. Leave it in cash, inflation quietly erodes it.
There’s a legitimate conversation to be had about where the line is between funding collective goods and the state taking too large a cut.
Ok_Excuse_741@reddit
Naa it's called getting subsidized by me and every other working citizen and then turning around and saying, Naa I don't want to contribute.
Wonderful-Blueberry@reddit
Subsidized by you? How much are you actually paying in that you think you're personally bankrolling anyone's education and healthcare?
Ok_Excuse_741@reddit
Me and every citizen who pays taxes? Basically their entire childhood from free healthcare, to education, to local community services.
Wonderful-Blueberry@reddit
lol If his parents were taxpayers they were already contributing to the system that covered him. It's not like he was some freeloader who snuck in. He was a kid in a system his family was paying into.
Ok_Excuse_741@reddit
Yea, and now he's leaving and contributing nothing i return
Wonderful-Blueberry@reddit
He doesn’t owe anything for existing as a child as again his parents already contributed to the system.
Ok_Excuse_741@reddit
His country doesn't owe him anything, yet that seems to be the mentality from these people. The country owes them everything. I think people who are wealthy and move to another country after everyone in that country subsidized their fucking livelihood, are scum. I'm not talking about someone who leaves a country in dire circumstances, or just wants to escape the cold , or just enjoy the lifestyle in another country.
But these western rich people that just go around the world perpetuating income inequality so they can just consume consume consume, makes me sick. if you're one of them, that's fine, you do you. I don't have to agree with it. It's why expats get a bad rep.
LizP1959@reddit
I live in the US so the delusional factors are, um, off the charts. Canada looks like an oasis of sanity from where I sit.
CanbegoneTo@reddit
Please put your money where your mouth is and move to Canada. We need investment and capital here.
As it stands far more Canadians move to USA than Americans to Canada because our salaries are a pittance, and cost of living is outrageous.
LizP1959@reddit
I live in the US so the delusional factors are, um, off the charts. Canada looks like an oasis of sanity from where I sit.
Character-File3221@reddit
It’s funny because I live on the border and a lot of the Canadians I know are super xenophobic and the Americans I know aren’t. But I think that’s small town/big city distinctions.
adevara@reddit
It is human nature to seek a purpose. If you aren’t able to find your via introspection, you adopt someone else’s.
zedzzzdead@reddit
This is the most sane and spot on comment I've seen on reddit in a real long time. Thanks for the sliver of hope.
adevara@reddit
Thank you, even though you are too kind. Look at how many grammatical errors I made in a couple of sentences. I turned off autocorrect a couple of days and here are the results.
zedzzzdead@reddit
I usually disregard comments that are grammatically trashy too... This one was just too good.
adevara@reddit
Thank you.
Pietes@reddit
language just isn't your purpose, that's ok.
Bomboclaat_Babylon@reddit (OP)
I personally have never understood the idea that you must find a purpose in life, but I do think that does weigh on many people, especially the ones that believe everything is terrible all the time (regardless of what politics they're in).
adevara@reddit
It’s an idea as old as time. It starts pretty early in childhood when adults ask children: what do you want to do when you go up. Example of introspection from ***”We are approaching the brink; already a universal spiritual demise is upon us; a physical one is about to flare up and engulf us and our children, while we continue to smile sheepishly and babble:
“But what can we do to stop it? We haven’t the strength.”
We have so hopelessly ceded our humanity that for the modest handouts of today we are ready to surrender up all principles, our soul, all the labors of our ancestors, all the prospects of our descendants—anything to avoid disrupting our meager existence. We have lost our strength, our pride, our passion. We do not even fear a common nuclear death, do not fear a third world war (perhaps we’ll hide away in some crevice), but fear only to take a civic stance! We hope only not to stray from the herd, not to set out on our own, and risk suddenly having to make do without the white bread, the hot water heater, a Moscow residency permit.
We have internalized well the lessons drummed into us by the state; we are forever content and comfortable with its premise: we cannot escape the environment, the social conditions; they shape us, “being determines consciousness.” What have we to do with this? We can do nothing.
But we can do—everything!—even if we comfort and lie to ourselves that this is not so. It is not “they” who are guilty of everything, but we ourselves, only we!
Some will counter: But really, there is nothing to be done! Our mouths are gagged, no one listens to us, no one asks us. How can we make them listen to us?
To make them reconsider—is impossible.
The natural thing would be simply not to reelect them, but there are no re-elections in our country.”
By Solzhenitsyn***
LawofRa@reddit
And what if through their own introspection they leave their home country because their values don't align with the country they grew up in?
adevara@reddit
In every case, regardless if I agree or not witty their stated purpose, I have to respect their judgement and their decisions. Healthy boundaries.
Tardislass@reddit
Propaganda. Many young Americans have no idea of the history of the world and what trials other countries had to go through. A young American woman wanted to move to Spain because they never had wars or dictatorship like America. Bless these millennials and Gen Z but they don’t have the slightest idea of life abroad. Two week holiday in Barcelona and they think they’ll get a flat in the middle of Barcelona, keep their remote job and get free healthcare. All with A2 Spanish because everyone speaks English.
prettyprincess91@reddit
How can someone never think Spain had a dictatorship? They eat dinner very late because of Franco.
bbbberlin@reddit
Most people have a very minimal grasp of the history of their home country, nevermind foreign countries.
To be fair, many immigrants (myself included in the past) don't do tons of research on where they are headed. For example, this is also how so many immigrants end up in bad universities/colleges abroad because they don't understand the training system in that country, and so they fail to avoid bad schools.
LawofRa@reddit
They do though, and are very happier, happier than the bitter people in this thread who have no idea what they are talking about.
frapawhack@reddit
the internet. it makes you think things are far worse than they actually are
jsmith61181@reddit
If we're talking about Canada specifically, this sounds like a lot of ex post rationalisation for "it's cold" and "it's expensive". Those are the two most obvious reasons why any Canadian would move almost anywhere else in the world, especially SEA.
Think_Monk_9879@reddit
Very smug atttude
LilithRising90@reddit
Getting? People thought Liberace was straight for decades. C'mon now.
cevapi-rakija-repeat@reddit
The crazy thing is how many MAGAs I met living in China (yes, communist China) with Chinese spouses during his first term. They thought he was doing such a great job that they were in it for the long haul in Xi’s China.
SnorkBorkGnork@reddit
I don't have this in my family (they have always been a mix of expats and refugees) but it has been in the news several times lately that Dutch people "flee" The Netherlands to live in some shitty right wing dictatorship like Belarus "where women still know their place" "you don't have lgbtq nonsense shoved in your face all day" and "the locals reject multicultural BS and illegal immigrants" (clearly not getting they'll be one of those foreigners there...).
One Dutch dude even tried to get into Belarus on his bicycle and got arrested for illegally entering the country... oh the sweet irony.
Level-Brain-4786@reddit
you completely messed up on which of those two countries is the shitty right wing dictatorship
cevapi-rakija-repeat@reddit
Enlighten us for entertainment purposes.
ResponsibleDirt7094@reddit
Your experience is interesting and so different from mine. I grew up travelling internationally as did my friends, so the idea that “very few” people in Canada are interested in overseas travel doesn’t seem true, at least in my social circles. I have very rarely met an adult in Canada that didn’t have a passport and that bad not travelled overseas. In fact, most of my friends all did a year of study abroad. I did a year in South Africa and then my masters in the US.
CanbegoneTo@reddit
Ye... You must have grown up rich. Traveling internationally has historically been restricted to the elite. I certainly traveled, but it was down south to the USA for road trips.
Taking a year off school is also for the privileged. I was in school and working a double shift.
Not to mention a master's in the USA? Lol.
prettyprincess91@reddit
I could say the same thing about the US since everyone growing up lived abroad (Italy, Greece, Germany, UK, Australia, Philippines, Japan were the common places). I lived by an army/air force base abs I grew up in the UK. I live in the UK now.
But most anyone would tell me that’s not all Americans but yet super common where I grew up. We didn’t know anyone who had never left the country unless they were under age 10.
ExpensiveDollarStore@reddit
We spend winters in Belize. We work seasonally and dont get to enjoy summer and hate winter.
We chose a remote village 20 years ago because we didnt want a tourist lifestyle. The gringos there were scrappy people with a DIY attitude. Some year round; some not. Some rich. Some not. Many reclusive. Warm friendly helpful locals proud of their nice calm village.
But, things have changed. The 40 miles from the highway is paved now. There are younger gringos struggling to make it self employed. And a lot of retirees who have ridiculous expectations of a developing country. It is beautiful but harder than home. It can be cheap if you live as the locals but these folks want all the amenities. Good luck. They want it to be the next Cancun but Belize is not Mexico. So much development but the locals are getting priced out. It is sad. I know we are part of the problem but honestly, the locals are also much better off. There are more jobs and they are clearly doing better than 20 years ago. But still. The charm is being lost.
Smart-Simple9938@reddit
They like hierarchy. They need hierarchy. And no matter where they might see themselves along it, they need to know that a lot of other people are below them on it.
It makes them scared and angry when people they think belong on a lower rung try to climb the ladder because it threatens their relative status.
If they think another place has a lot of peons/peasants, they think they will automatically arrive occupying a higher position in the hierarchy.
Prisma1986@reddit
High cost of living is the main problem plus less safe.
Hot_Dog_112@reddit
Yeah, the guy wrote this like Canadians lost their mind. I've lived in several countries and with the right job, your life quality is signifcantly higher elsewhere than in Canada. Things have gotten bad.
Emma_tweed797@reddit
It really seems like housing prices are fucking crazy there - like if you work within a given economy, you can’t really afford a house at all. I wonder how they’re going to solve that problem
ghstrprtn@reddit
We're not. It's a permanent feature of our society.
Emma_tweed797@reddit
It’s pretty unsustainable though
ghstrprtn@reddit
yep, but we're not going to fix it until the society explodes. I'm not sure what that will even mean.
Prisma1986@reddit
My friends in Canada stopped going to restaurants years ago something unthinkable 20-30 years back.
StrangeWar2530@reddit
Delusion is like being an alcoholic, you stay drunk so you don’t have to deal with the harsh reality of life and the ugly truth.
Sneakyjones@reddit
I feel weird for wanting to move from denmark to canada lol
oso_rosa@reddit
What are your reasons? (I’m American but see Denmark as more favorable than Canada for many reasons besides the time zone being close to family)
MeaninglessCollie@reddit
Covid brain damage
Miss_Might@reddit
Chronically online dumb people.
Geoarbitrage@reddit
Well the current administration is doing a lot to keep us delusional.
KostyaFedot@reddit
Depends how low your expectations are. Sorry.
I left dark side awhile ago and while in Canada I observed it getting closer and closer to the dark side since 2015.
You can't share local Canadian news on FB, it is not FB , it is current regime policy.
No transparency, no consequences.for criminal acts, even by PM.
I understand why some are ready to move to places where nobody make fake democracy gestures, but zero crime in return.
People are tired of Canadian judges serving criminals, not victims.
daniilkozin@reddit
Canada is one of the most expensive countries on the planet right now. Straight geo arbitrage: same money gets you way more house, food, help and lifestyle here (or lots of other places, not just Asia). Savings grow faster and life feels richer.
Problems exist everywhere though. Just figure out what actually matters to you. Every spot has its own tradeoffs depending on what you focus on. Worked great for me.
ConsequenceFew6931@reddit
For me it’s more of a protest. Keep sending our tax dollars to foreign countries? Cool. I told my country I’ll be moving in a few years to Panama. Once I do they can kiss my federal income tax, CPP, and EI contributions good bye
WhatsItToYou99@reddit
FYI that U.S. citizens living abroad still have to pay federal taxes on their worldwide income. So you pay taxes to two countries unless the new home country gives expats a tax break (and some do). To avoid paying the U.S. taxes, you'd have to formally renounce your U.S. citizenship. Moving, alone, doesn't end your tax obligations to the U.S.
Wonderful-Blueberry@reddit
They have to file taxes but they get foreign tax credits so they end up not owing anything. Double taxation is rare.
prettyprincess91@reddit
It’s not really - if you’re actually employed somewhere with high taxes as an American you are likely making much over the exclusion and still owe in the U.S.
Wonderful-Blueberry@reddit
That's only half the picture - FEIE isn't the only tool. The foreign tax credit gives you a dollar-for-dollar credit for taxes already paid to a foreign government. If you're earning $600k in a high-tax country like Canada or the UK, you're already paying 45-50%+ locally, which exceeds what the US would charge anyway. FEIE + FTC is how high-earning expats zero out their US bill.
prettyprincess91@reddit
You exceed it even making £150K - doesn’t take much
Wonderful-Blueberry@reddit
Yes but that's exactly the point, exceeding the FEIE doesn't mean you owe US taxes, it just means the FTC kicks in for the remainder. If you're making £150k in the UK, you're paying UK tax rates on all of it, which are already higher than US rates. The FTC credits that against your US bill and wipes it out.
prettyprincess91@reddit
I owed $5k last year and I definitely didn’t make $600K. So no
Wonderful-Blueberry@reddit
Okay well my husband is an accountant and does taxes for a US citizen (a lawyer living in Canada for 15+ years) so I don’t know what to tell you.
prettyprincess91@reddit
🤷🏽♀️
MostlyBrine@reddit
The person you are replying is obviously a Canadian.
ConsequenceFew6931@reddit
That’s an unfortunate part of the US tax system, but I am from Canada. We can break our residency for tax purposes and still retain citizenship
prettyprincess91@reddit
Become a U.S. citizen! Then your money always goes to the U.S.! Someone has to pay for this nuclear umbrella
JohnLothropMotley@reddit
Canada is one of the greatest places to live. If you complain about Canada you likely won’t do well elsewhere, although I recommend trying it for a while
faintly_nebulous@reddit
Tell them to move to America. That is obviously the best country match for them.
rarsamx@reddit
Left and right wingers are both delusional in their own ways (I'm a lefty and see it on my side).
In this case, right wingers are selfish freeloaders (what they accuse the left of). So moving to a country where they think they won't pay taxes and can freeload on the services sounds like heaven.
And the thing about living among a different culture: they tend to have their expat communities (think Puerto Vallarta or los Cabos) where the only locals they meet are those who work for them in an exploitative way.
Lucky-Cranberry-8005@reddit
people in the far right think canada’s liberalism is 1984 type communism.
No-Tomatillo3698@reddit
People are spoiled and complacent.
mogarottawa@reddit
watch people from the US and England move to Russia is all you need to know how out of touch people are.
Leobluetrailmap@reddit
Social media has ruined the reality of it. People see 30-second clips of someone drinking coffee by the Seine and think the administrative nightmare and high taxes don't exist. Moving is a massive grind, not just a change of scenery.
OutsideWishbone7@reddit
I’ve migrated several times and it is exhausting!
Tha_Sly_Fox@reddit
Some people seem to think they don’t have to deal with real life if they just move to another country.
Automatic_Antelope92@reddit
So true. People are unaware of what it takes to uproot and leave what they knew behind, the paring down of possessions, the shipping containers and dealing with customs, the visas, the differences at work, the decision to sell homes or rent them out, the challenge of finding a new place to live and figure out how the system works in different countries (oh, what, I have to supply my own kitchen in German apartments? Whaaaa?)… I could go on. The short clip of having coffee by the Seine shows none of that or what it takes to get to that point. And points moving forward.
OutsideWishbone7@reddit
Social media of grifters wanting views
mrbazo@reddit
What’s even funnier is that everyone thinks they can just move abroad and have no clue how Visa’s work. My wife and I are retiring to Japan soon (spouse visa, and spend almost a whole military career there) so I frequently am on the moving to Japan subs and it is astounding how many people think they can just move there.
Forest-Vixen@reddit
Canadian here.
Not at all a hellscape but like other western countries, it’s quite difficult to get by financially and has been increasingly so over the last decade or so.
When people start to feel insecure about basic needs, many will become desperate and unstable and far too easily manipulated looking for someone else to blame.
They were seemingly normal before because happy, secure people generally don’t walk around wanting to see everyone else around them suffering just as much or more so than themselves.
SunBelly@reddit
You should recommend they move to Russia, like that far right loonie that took his whole family over there because Texas was too liberal for them. Lol. I believe they live in a planned community for white conservatives. Your friend would probably get along great with the other racists, provided he's old enough not to get drafted and sent to the front lines in Ukraine.
spoonorfork1@reddit
Getting? I think it’s always been there it’s just more obvious now. Call it the swinging of the pendulum …or the fact that everything comes full circle as they say. My only hope is our deeply connected digital world is that we can continue to highlight the need for community and empathy.
RuinEnvironmental394@reddit
No. Lots of regular Canadians especially young with no interest in politics want to move out due to the astronomical prices and cost of living. I'm one of those.
Emma_tweed797@reddit
Canada? Dictatorship? Why do they think that I’m curious
Not_High_Maintenance@reddit
When MAGA owns most mainstream media, people get brainwashed.
Live_Ganache_3662@reddit
I’ve definitely noticed a rise in MAGA people moving to SEA.
Cojemos@reddit
The ignorance is beyond imagination. The best part is they think they can jsut show up and a red carpet is waiting for their arrival.
winery_bound_expat@reddit
as someone actively planning a move i think about this a lot. the people who do it well seem to be running toward something specific, like a language or a food culture or a community that genuinely excites them. the people who crash and burn are running from something and just picked the first pinterest-worthy country that popped up. the visa paperwork alone will filter out anyone who isn't actually committed tbh.
Vladimir_Putting@reddit
1- People don't want to be wrong. They hate it.
2- It's easy to find a perfect nest of voices that never tell you how wrong you are and instead amplify all of the things you believe.
3- You then have massive confidence that you are right, after all, how could you be wrong when all this "information" and all these different people agree with your ideas?
4- People then make dramatic decisions based on that void of actual information and glut of confidence.
Level-Brain-4786@reddit
everyone has to define their life values for themselves. For some of us it is deeply uncomfortable when the whole parliament gives standing ovation to a Nazi and SS veteran. And you literally get threats to be sent to a concentration camp.
lem0ngirl15@reddit
I totally get you. It happens on both sides of the political spectrum, they just romanticize different countries. People on the left will romanticize Europe and not even realize that it’s pretty hard economically for young people, and it’s not exactly racist free either.
Less_Barnacle_9456@reddit
You haven’t lived in Canada for 25 years?? You don’t know how shit it is now. 25 years ago Canada was a whole different universe.
Infamous-Libertine@reddit
I find it interesting that people who hate brown people want to live in a country full of brown people. The entitlement is wild.
--2021--@reddit
They were always delusional/bigoted/weird, it's a combination of social shifts + propaganda so they feel threatened, and your disconnect. You're not living with them day to day so their beliefs and behaviors are not normalized for you. They probably want to move to SEA because they believe their money will go further so they'll be part of a protected class above the rules, they'll get special treatment and be catered to.
chiefskingdom420@reddit
I’m from SEA. I spent the last five years in Canada, recently moved back. Yea SEA is much better. Canada might not be dictatorial, but it sure is a hellscape.
Sue-Jones-123456@reddit
Which country would you recommend in SEA that has good QOL and a LCL in which many of the people can understand English?
chiefskingdom420@reddit
Singapore is without a doubt the best for QOL, everyone speaks English there but it is not LCL. The two countries that fit your description to a tee are Thailand and Vietnam.
Thailand has better infrastructure, is more developed and has a bigger expat community which makes it easier for Westerners. The only complaints I’ve heard are mainly that it is overly touristic with too much partying going on.
Vietnam (where I am) is more grounded and lots of people prefer the gritty charm. However, Vietnam speaks more English and the country’s economy has been booming for years. My expat friends that are English teachers tells me that Vietnamese schools pay much more (double in some cases) and there are a lot more opportunities here compared to Thailand’s stagnating economy.
Anonymous30005000@reddit
Vietnam does not allow foreigners to own property and has no permanent residence options, which honestly, good on them. But complicated to make it a permanent home.
Northerner6@reddit
SEA is paradise when you show up with Canadian dollars, you’re literally a king. If you’re young and unburdened, it’s great for a while. Go out for dinner every night, rent a villa or a fancy apartment, massages every day.
People don’t realise that it’s super hard to continue making NA money in SA Asia. If you have or want kids, it’s going to be much harder to raise them in SEA. Sure you can burn money for a few years but unless you’re actually at retirement stage, then your retirement is fucked.
Life in Canada is pretty hard right now. But mostly people are just stupid and don’t understand the negatives
Ok-Patience5233@reddit
Social media has ruined the reality of it. People see 30-second clips of someone drinking coffee by the Seine and think the administrative nightmare and high taxes don't exist. Moving is a massive grind, not just a change of scenery.
Captlard@reddit
Because they choose not to accept their responsibility in the current political situation of their country and leaving is the easier option in their mind.
shitlord_god@reddit
Reality became optional.
BodyBy711@reddit
Are they from Alberta by chance?
glwillia@reddit
i’ve seen tone of these guys (both canadian and USian) in latin america. and it’s always the right wingers who immediately bring up politics and talk about nothing else.
garage_artists@reddit
I've lived and worked in multiple countries and it's always the left wingers who bring up politics and talk about nothing else.