Krugman: new study shows Americans think income is much more equal here than in Europe. The opposite

[thucythucy]

1. I'm often astounded at how ignorant

so many Americans are about Europe, not to mention the rest of the world. But I've heard not unintelligent people say the most ridiculous things about Europe, and it's way worse on-line. People saying that Germany, for instance, is "a socialist hell hole" where no one has any rights (what? they think it's 1934?) or that millions are "starving" in France. And then there's the delusion that all Swedes are terminally depressed alcoholics, etc.

Granted, Europe has problems, some of them quite serious, but I always feel safer, healthier, happier when I'm in Scandinavia or western Europe. Not to mention, European rail makes Amtrak look downright pathetic. I tell American friends about European rail, or the German health care system, and they downright refuse to believe it. These are folks, of course, who never actually travel to the places they like to diss.

It's a shame, really. Sad, how the American middle class is getting screwed by its own delusions.