Will my life be better if I move to USA?

[Yatre]

I truly hate the UK class system.

I hate the whole private school vs grammar school vs state school elitism.

I hate the Oxbridge elitism and how Oxbridge-educated people dominate public life and the arrogance many of them have.

I hate the posh Etonians and Harrovians.

I hate the elitism of the Royal Family, the British aristocracy, all those titles and landed estates, the House of Lords etc.

Just the existence of certain British politicans (regardless of their politics - because this isn’t necessarily about their political beliefs) really irks me. Think David Cameron or Boris Johnson. Both upper-class, privately-educated, Oxford/Bullingdon Club, which have given them a great sense of arrogance about their position in life.

I hate the Oxford Union and the way they all dress up in posh attire, acting all special, and thinking their oratory skills will materialise into anything of worth.

This arrogance has been talked about before with many Brits believing that these Oxbridge, privately-educated, middle and upper-class people have the arrogance to think they have the right to run the country.

They’re present everywhere. Edward Davey, Keir Starmer, Suella Braverman, Tony Blair etc. it’s not just a right-wing thing. In fat, you could argue, these days, it’s more so left-wing.

Even successful British actors like Emma Thompson, Tom Hiddleston, Eddie Redmayne etc exhibit these attributes. They

I just don’t want to have to live in the same country as these types of people or listen to their antics.

Luckily, I’m a dual UK-US citizen since I was born in the US while my parents were living there for a while, but I have never been there since my parents returned and I don’t know anyone there.

I really want to move to the US.

If you know what it’s like to live in the USA, can you just tell me whether if I moved to the USA, I wouldn’t have to come across any of those posh, aristocratic, upper/middle-class, privately-educated, titled, Oxbridge graduate snobs that I mentioned.

I would live in a much more meritocratic country where nobody would tolerate Oxford Union debaters thinking their opinion matters or privately-educated people thinking they have a right to run the country.

At least Trump’s wealth or that of the Kardashian’s isn’t offensive to me because it just feels different - it doesn’t feel as layered and it doesn’t make them act as entitled or snobbish.

So, if I move to USA will I be free from these types of people or will I still see some of them/hear from them? I’m not sure if America is dominated by middle-class or posh, Oxbridge graduates or aristocrats.

Sorry for the rant. Just felt overwhelmed.

Great minds…!
Also great username. I have one who I love!

Haven’t RTFT because MN skews both negative and clueless when it comes to all things US.

Spot on. And people think they're experts because of something they read in The Guardian years ago. It's a classic example of the Dunning Kruger effect.

Aye, do ya? How much annual leave do you get? What rights do you have at work? How much is statutory maternity leave? What’s the animal welfare like around the food you eat? What are the stats around mass shootings for kids in school vs the same stats in the uk? Even the weather - what’s the stats on extreme weather in the uk vs the USA?

I lived there too. Quality of life in the UK has its downsides but the US is a different and much shitter kettle of fish, and anyone claiming that it’s some sort of utopian dream the OP can just dash off into the sunset is deluded. I know where I prefer.

I'm not entirely sure that the OP knows what life is like in the UK. In more than 30 years here not one of the things they have listed have ever affected my life. You'd think that we were all cowering under the feet of rampaging toffs in silly hats to read her posts.

Of the two Oxford students I can recall meeting in my life (one undergrad, one postgrad), both were entirely normal, humble - but clever - young women. Not in the slightest bit snobbish.

Never met anyone from Eton or Harrow but I can't think why I might hate them just for existing.

I doubt that there is much difference at all between the US and the UK. Both countries have elite universities and normal ones, both have fee-paying schools and non-fee-paying. Both are in the same bracket on the Global Social Mobility Index. Both have exclusive clubs. Both hate Elon Musk etc.

And I actually have a friend who was born into an old-money family in Manhattan.

Batshit response as expected.

I never said it was a utopian dream, just that MY quality of life improved by moving here. I can go into the details, but I don’t think you’re actually interested.

By the by, my company, like a lot of US companies, has an ‘unlimited’ annual leave policy and I take 8 weeks of paid leave a year, which is more than I had in London (7 weeks). Parental leave is on a par with the London office. Top tip: work for a global company in the US.

And the weather extremes are generally a good thing. We had a long weekend last week in Miami. We hopped on a 2.5-hour flight, left -5C weather and were on a beach in 27C weather. The fact you can easily get some warmth in the depths of winter is fantastic. I recall needing to travel much further for winter sun when I lived in the UK.

Indeed.

I'm from a middle class family. Certainly not super rich. My mum was from a farming family and my dad grew up in extreme poverty.

My sister got an offer from Oxford but turned it down as she preferred the syllabus at her other choice. I doubt she'd have suddenly became a toff had she accepted the offer.

And is from a working-class family.

I have been living in the USA for 6 years. It’s a great place to live. I am making significantly more money than I did in the U.K.. I make $500k working only 10 days a month. We have good health insurance and we can get all the latest medicines that NHS does not provide. My kids attend the best public schools. One has speech therapy and it’s all covered by insurance. No waiting lists. People are much friendlier, more polite and more optimistic. I have not seen any guns and where I live has almost zero violence. I live In a big city. It’s very safe. Right now yes politics is an issue but for most people life does not change. It’s only if you look Mexican do you need to be worried. I’m not white but have never had any racism or hate crimes. It’s just a fantastic place to be and I have no regrets.

Go outside and touch some grass. It sounds like you need to work on yourself a bit more and stop thinking so much about everyone around you. There are “posh” people literally everywhere, if you have lots of these people in your life and effecting it directly… stop hanging out with them?! Moving to the US will not solve your issue, you are looking for ways to be miserable and a misery chaser will find misery wherever they go.

Do you really know anything about America? It seems you want to go because you dislike Britain, not because you LIKE America.

It’s my home so I’ll always love it, but it’s definitely not a decision to make just because you dislike somewhere else.

Jobs situation is better, though, so for career development I’d recommend it. Maybe start applying for jobs and see what comes up? Do you have a shortlist of cities?

I’m amazed anyone with the slightest social conscience is content to live in a country where ‘it’s only if you look Mexican do you need to be worried’. That’s okay then.

Right. Isn’t that astonishing.

If Mexican was replaced with Jewish…

Of course there are political problems right now. I don't get involved with protests as I don't feel 'American' and I am not going to put myself in harms way for them. I don't agree with what's happening but what can I do. I will just hope that the problems go away once Trump's term is over. As you can see from the protests many Americans are good, decent people. I live very far away from the areas with protests. If I only think of me and my family, yes we live a much more comfortable life than if we were in the UK. Most people will just live their lives like normal and you don't see the violence.

Sorry, just adding to my post, I am earning $500,000 a year working just 10 days a month with excellent healthcare and excellent schools. In the UK I made £60,000 working 20 days a month with NHS healthcare (almost nothing). It's a massive massive difference so of course I am happy to live in America.

Anesthesiologist?

They make so much money lol

My employer could offer me 1 million dollars plus healthcare plus FREE private school and I still wouldn't go. That 1 million dollars doesn't look good if you're shot dead or your child has been shot dead in a school shooting. I would not risk it for any money in the world. You'd never forgive yourself. It's just not worth it. For any money.

Sounds like a "you" problem. Likely will follow you wherever you go

Sorry to disappoint but if trump snuffs it or sees out his term unchallenged ( bybpeople like you) the detritus remains , the stephen miller's and the vances will carry on their carnage. trump will have called a national emergency cancelled elections and youre stuck with them. Enjoy.

LOL if you belive the US does not have an equivilant class / caste system even before Trump. Its one of the least equal societies in the world.

I don't get why you have such an issue with it. I don't t like it either but I'd never in a million years think that the US would be a better option.

The US class system is based on how much money you have. If you're poor then how will you afford to get yourself educated? Or even stay alive without healthcare? It's no surprise that their president is a multi-millionaire.

Add to that a very limited amount of leave entitlement, maternity leave, batshit president, school shootings, ultra religious stuff ... Why would you even consider this better than where someone went to school?

I'm guessing you've got a personal gripe with others due to your own situation.

And just to add, I was offered a scholarship to a private school which I turned down in favour of state school.

I don’t give Oxbridge types or the Royal Family a second thought and I live in the UK. I would rather have Keir Starmer running the country I live in than Donald Trump though so US would be a non starter for me. Weird that you hate Elites but will tolerate ethnic cleansing by gun toting thugs. Good luck.

Qxford offers/rejections were out a few days before they posted this.

I'd guess they got a rejection.

I'm a dentist- self employed, do not have my own practice. Used to work for the NHS but moved to the US. Salaries are much much higher in the US. Anesthesiologists make even more than me but they work longer hours.

Are you taking the piss?

I am not a citizen so I can't vote. I am saying that if the Democrats win the next election things will be better.