Question

In 2-3 paragraphs, respond to the following. Your initial post should be substantive and be supported by course concepts. Your initial post is due by Wednesday to allow other students to respond.

Should we, as Americans, be concerned with the economies and standard of living of other countries? Explain your reasoning using course concepts.

Answer 1

The standard of living is a comparative method used to characterize two separate geographic areas. Metrics that include issues such as income, comfort, products and needs that are accessible to people of different socio-economic groups in these areas. Living standards are calculated by factors that are easily quantified, such as wages , job opportunities, the cost of goods and services and deprivation. Factors such as life expectancy, inflation levels or the number of paid holiday days that people earn each year are also considered.

The standard of living in the United States can be compared to that of Canada. It can also draw parallels between smaller metropolitan areas such as New York City and Detroit. It can also be used to compare various points in time. For example, the standard of living in the U.S. is perceived to have increased considerably compared to a century ago. Today, the same amount of labor buys a greater quantity of products and items that were once expensive products, such as refrigerators and cars. Leisure time and life expectancy have also increased, while average working hours have reduced.

The quality of living is a very unreliable measure. Although the United States ranks high as a country in many ways, the standard of living for certain parts of the population is very small. For example, some of the country's poor urban areas are struggling with a shortage of quality job prospects, short-lived aspirations and higher levels of disease and illness. Likewise, the quality of life will differ between individuals, making it a faulty predictor as well. There are specific parts of the American population that may have a poorer standard of life than others. We can face prejudice in society and in the workplace or have no access to clean drinking water, adequate health care, education, etc.