From your description alone, knowing only the US and not Japan, it sounds like Europe is the middle ground. Not as free, but less socially oppressive. I mean, in Japan it's mean to walk while you eat.... how deep is the interference running?
Edit: Am from Europe, sorry should have added this.
Europe's pretty free mate. Especially when you get cancer. You get to keep your house!
I know lots of people who have had cancer and no ones lost their house.
There are two kinds of freedom, negative and positive liberty. US has a lot of negative liberties, they dictate little in what you can or cannot do, but is lacking in positive liberty, they don't support you very well to do what you want to do.
While Europe might have less negative liberty, their generally better social welfare system grants people more positive freedom.
Yes the Bill of Rights are specifically what the government can not do to / take away from you. They are individual rights and liberties.
From your description alone, knowing only the US and not Japan, it sounds like Europe is the middle ground. Not as free, but less socially oppressive. I mean, in Japan it's mean to walk while you eat.... how deep is the interference running?
Edit: Am from Europe, sorry should have added this.
Europe's pretty free mate. Especially when you get cancer. You get to keep your house!
I know lots of people who have had cancer and no ones lost their house.
There are two kinds of freedom, negative and positive liberty. US has a lot of negative liberties, they dictate little in what you can or cannot do, but is lacking in positive liberty, they don't support you very well to do what you want to do.
While Europe might have less negative liberty, their generally better social welfare system grants people more positive freedom.
Yes the Bill of Rights are specifically what the government can not do to / take away from you. They are individual rights and liberties.