Is it a competition worth winning though? European work life balance seems nicer in a lot of ways than the American hyper competitive start-up cut through grind culture. I don’t really want to grind to boost gdp. I want to work enough to have a nice community and place to raise kids. I’d happily be 3rd in iq or math competitions if it meant that I got to live in a safe homogenous culture with tradition and culture vs being in heterogeneous fiat mining town outpost of burger punk highways, strip malls and parking lots with a bunch of overworking new-rich american who try to buy culture and status—and who unfortunately grant status and praise to those with nothing but wealth.