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maybe it’s not *really* a problem

i thimk the exemple of your American friends
is such a good think , i learn that withuot money u can’t have no children , thats our problem today as a national americans.

i thimk the exemple of your American friends
is such a good think , i learn that withuot money u can’t have no children , thats our problem today as a national americans.

I live in Brazil, which can’t be too unlike Panama, and believe the servants versus goods issue is based not so much on choices in lifestyle, but on affordability.

I work in the IT industry, and am quite well paid in my profession given the local rates. My salary is around US$35,000 per year with zero benefits, placing me in the upper middle class. My wife and I have a full-time maid; she costs me around 10% of my salary, of which she only actually receives a little over half, the rest go to mandatory health and transportation benefits. Her job sucks; she works all day, with few breaks, mostly standing up. Yet what I pay her is high compared to what other maids get. She was unemployed for quite a while before working for us and so is quite unwilling to leave, despite the low pay. Such are conditions here: hordes of poor people desperate for any job, no matter how low the pay.

In contrast, goods are expensive. If I saved what I pay her to buy a car, it would take me four (4!) years to buy a small, compact car – not an SUV, that would take over ten years. The same applies to electronics, clothing, and most other goods.

Services are cheap, goods are expensive. You get more value for your money here, and contribute more to the economy, by hiring people than you do by buying stuff. In North America, there’s a complete inversion: services are expensive, goods are cheap. Thus, lots of SUVs, few maids.

Bryan: I’m sure that every hour you spend with your children is contributing to their perfect adjustment and happiness. But sadly it seems that other Americans are not up to your high standards. The 8- and 9-year-old girls I met in Panama seemed much happier, less bratty, and had better manners than typical American kids of the same age. Apparently though work-obsessed American yuppies consider themselves better care-givers than a $300/month Central American the kids haven’t gotten the message …. (could also be that the Panamanians spend nearly as much time with their kids but the time is spent playing or talking rather than doing chores that the parents dislike and resent)

While I could certainly do with less clutter, shouldn’t I raise my own children and spend time with them? Or should I shunt that responsibility onto the hired help so I can socialize? I guess a nice dinner and a clean, toy-free floor is more important than well-reared children and good family relations.

I live in Panama and can comment on how things work here with regards to economy. It is very easy for people from US and Europe to get the wrong stick of things when they read something like what Philip is talking about.

Panama has on paper a more inequal society. However there is a very large middle class, in particular in Panama City. If you live in a two family income earning each $500pm you are middle class in Panama. With that you can easily afford to pay the $80pm it costs to have a live in nanny or maid. You are likely to own a house, a car, PC, broadband etc. You eat out several times a week. My wife studies at the University of Panama. Tuition $26 per semester including everything.

Lower middle class areas have houses (tiny sure) available for sale for $80pm mortgage payments with $200 down payment.

Supermarkets are a lot cheaper here than in the US or Europe. You just can not compare it directly. Rich vs poor? Sure there are many mega rich people here, but that is good isnt it?

And as Rod says the point of the article is about people leaving less stressed lifestyles.

Pelle