The American Dream was always a lie. At least, that’s how it feels when you’ve spent years grinding away, barely making ends meet, only to look up one day and realize you’ve got nothing to show for it. Sure I had some nice tools, a decent truck, a nice motorbike. But what is that other than more tools for work? Getting to and from work? I was working to live, and living to work in the USA. The work-life balance is a joke. It doesn’t exist. There is no balance. The system isn’t designed for it. Instead, people are pushed to work longer hours, accept stagnant wages, and sacrifice their mental and physical health just to survive. Part of why I became so addicted to pills while I was there is because there was no other way I could work 60 hours a week.
The Work-Life Imbalance: A Designed Struggle
The 40-hour workweek is a relic of the past. It’s an outdated, arbitrary structure that barely kept people afloat decades ago, and today, it’s completely unsustainable. I worked many more hours than that and still found myself struggling. Many other Americans also work well over 40 hours just to afford basic necessities, often juggling multiple jobs or side hustles because one paycheck isn’t enough.
Americans work more hours than nearly every other developed country. According to the OECD, the average American works hundreds of hours more per year than workers in countries like Germany, France, and the Netherlands—yet somehow, we’re still told we’re lazy if we complain about burnout. I was still conditioned to believe I was not enough. If you are in a similar position, this might be difficult to fathom, but maybe the problem isn’t you, its USA.
The Cost of Capitalism: Your Health, Your Happiness
When people are overworked, they get sick—both physically and mentally. Chronic stress, anxiety, depression, heart disease, and burnout are all symptoms of a system that demands too much and gives too little in return. I was working myself to death. There was no joy in my life or in my eyes. I was a shell, and thought I always would be—until I decided to leave the USA for good.
The United States is one of the only developed countries that doesn’t guarantee paid sick leave, parental leave, or even vacation time. Meanwhile, European countries like Spain and Italy offer a legal right to mid-day naps, because they understand that well-rested workers are productive workers. And maybe, just maybe, they actually care about human beings. America, on the other hand, seems to think that grinding people into the ground is the best way forward.
Late Stage Capitalism Isn’t Sustainable
We’re told that if we just work hard enough, we’ll achieve success. But in reality, the system is designed to keep us running in place. The cost of living skyrockets, wages stay the same, and people are left scrambling to afford food, rent, and basic healthcare. Now more than ever, and even the right is realizing this truth. Daddy Trump isn’t saving you. Surprised? I’m not. It’s much of why I left. I saw this coming.
At some point, we have to acknowledge that this isn’t just unfair—it’s slavery by another name. Modern capitalism thrives on the exploitation of workers while funneling all the wealth to the top. The richest 1% continue hoarding obscene amounts of money, while the rest of society fights over scraps.
And if you don’t comply? If you dare to take a break, slow down, or demand more? You’re labeled lazy. Entitled. Unworthy. Fall too far beyond, and you’ll be left unable to catch up. Stuck between the gears of the machine. A perpetual loser in the eyes of America.
The Alternative: A Life Beyond Capitalist Chains
But here’s the truth: it doesn’t have to be this way. Other countries have figured it out. Universal healthcare exists. Affordable housing exists. Work-life balance exists. In places like Denmark and Finland, people aren’t expected to sacrifice their entire existence for a paycheck. They actually get to live their lives.
Alternatively, for the braver among us, I’ve compiled this website about lesser known and more affordable countries where one can live a safe, wonderful life with affordable medical care and other such things. It’s not the same as Denmark or Finland. Think of it more like moving back in time. To a time where your money and work were actually worth something, and one could afford to support themselves and build a decent life. With a reasonable mount of work. Most of my focus is on countries in Asia and Africa, with large English-Speaking populations, safety, and affordability. Mostly lesser known countries, but all worth checking out. I will be adding more countries throughout the world as I am able to afford to visit them myself.
And if you think escaping the grind is impossible, think again. People are leaving the U.S. in record numbers. Finding communities abroad where they can breathe, relax, and enjoy life without constant financial anxiety.
Time to Break Free
The system isn’t going to change on its own. Capitalism only works when people buy into the illusion that there’s no alternative. But there is. Whether it’s demanding better conditions, finding ways to exit the rat race, or simply acknowledging that grinding yourself into an early grave isn’t the answer, it’s time to rethink what life is really about.
Because if working yourself to death for the profits of billionaires isn’t slavery, then what is?
Here, I work for myself, and I lead a very laid back life. I meditate often. I go to the movies sometimes. Would you like to see what a regular day looks like for me?