‘Americans just work harder’ than Europeans, says CEO of Norway’s $1.6 trillion oil fund, because they have a higher ‘general level of ambition’

Wage slaves work in the US not for basic necessities, but for a sense of pride and accomplishment.

As a Norwegian, fuck you Tangen.

Or maybe, just maybe, Europe has been around for soooo much longer than America that they've reached the age where they realize that there are other priorities in life than just the accumulation of wealth. Like enjoying life, having a work/life balance, socializing with one's friends and family.

Perpsectives change when your history as a country is longer than a few hundred years.

TIL: “desperation” = “ambition”

I’m assuming he's just big mad that he can’t force his employees to work 60+ hours a week?

Working more hours doesn't mean you're working harder.

I have worked with a lot of people from all over the world, and Americans have stuck out by being inefficient and following instructions to the point that they don't use their own brain anymore.

Well, it's only a small sample size based ony own experience, but I doubt it's any different to the CEO talking out of his ass.

Slavery never left America, they just gave it a different name and made it faceless.

Higher ambition to not be homeless, sick or bankrupt? Everything is insanely overpriced to boost corporate profits and we have no fucking healthcare or social safety net. In fact, we are the only "developed" country to lack these basic, fundamental features.

Americans work this hard because we are hungry, and the only thing that will satisfy at this point is billionaire meat.

… says random guy who probably started out rich and never worked even one minute for bare minimum.

Being able to eat and pay rent is ambitious.

Ex global Head of Software here:

No.

for sure, when your survival is on the line if you or someone in you family ever becomes sick, gotta hustle that 3rd part time job

Here's my ambition: be there for my family and enjoy life with them for the fixed number of hours I have on this dirtball. Working overtime isn't compatible with my plan. Nobody goes to their grave thinking "I should have worked harder".

But you do you...

That's the American dream baby!

He's probably right, but at the same time good on Norwegians for not having to slowly kill themselves working and having the chance to enjoy life instead.

And little Timmy again won't have his dad in his little league's match.

More like salaries below survival limit, so overtime is a must-have.

Unlike other posters, I think this is not wrong. You see a lot of "hustle culture" over there as well as the general belief that if they work hard they can get rich. Whether that's a good thing or not is another question.

We'd have fewer problems if they didn't

TIL a complete lack of labour laws and safety nets is the same thing as willingness to work.