American ex-pat in Copenhagen here. Yes, very similar experiences with regard to quality of life. That said, my salary (partner/cto in Venture Fund/Studio) is probably a third of what it might be in the Bay Area. Worth it for me and my situation, but just be aware!
IMO the root cause under so much western strife is the increasing loss of social cohesion.
Is your neighbour someone you trust? How would you feel about leaving your door unlocked? Do you think the guys in the neighboring town are taking advantage of you somehow?
Are the voters in the next state completely insane at a philosophical level and are going to elect someone who's going to harm you?
I think globalism is largely to blame for this, and as much as we want multiculturalism to succeed it often does not. (Rich and poor are essentially different cultures even if ethnicity & religion are the same).
Which is to say, if you move somewhere aligned with your culture, which also happens to be one of the oldest and richest countries around, then no shit it's better.
The article doesn't mention the system of Cantons or direct democracy that might be the reason for this success, or how Switzerland has been navigating the challenges of low skilled immigration, or culturally isolated immigration. That's what we should be discussing, not blowhards hanging around Sachs.
As someone who lived in Europe and US about the same amount of time, I think US is good for people who want to make a lot of money and Europe is good for people who want to have a family and live a good life.
