Reply #187: Well, I wish you luck but I think you're mistaken about Americans. [View All]

It's easy to imagine that we're mostly loud and angry and shallow because that's what gets the attention in the media, which is designed to arouse exactly the anxiety you're feeling so you'll be afraid to stop paying attention. We're in the crowded theater (country) and they're screaming "Fire".

I'm a therapist. It's my job to talk to many, many people about their lives and how they feel and what they think, and, with other therapists, to talk together aobut what we see going on in the world. Your assessment is, in my opinion, incorrect. People don't have "mental issues" in the quantity you believe. There is a lot of stress and fear in the country and in the world, but it's been my experience that most people are doing the best they can and most of them, given the chance, believe in equal opportunity and an even break, even thought their definition of it varies. If you actually count the people whose voices you hear raised in the kind of vitriol that the Tea Party espouses, it's very much in the minority. Is there racism and sexism and homophobia and a host of ignorance and fear borne attitudes? Sure. But it's better than it was, and the people I and my fellow shrinks see and the trends we observe in the up and coming generation are hopeful, if stressed and probably limited by economic issues. But in the global scheme of things, the ability you have to save money and make the decision to leave speaks volumes about the relative prosperity and freedom you have.

I hope that you find a wonderful place to live in Europe and report back here; it would be a valuable contribution to DU. But I'll hang around and keep in mind, as per your advice, that it's important to get to know more people. Be well.