True and sad. I'm not a person who naturally smile but I try to force myself as much as possible to try to get others to smile back, like at employee at shops and restaurant, person sitting in front of you in transport...
But the problem is far beyond that. #Switzerland, like many other countries went from peacefull and easy life to ultra competitive and price crushing, but not exactly the same way as EU zone and other countries with high tax and high inflation. Despite our higher salaries and official low inflation rates, it's getting harder and harder to get good jobs, to get a raise or promotion, lands are maintained artificially scarse and housing price are skyrocketing, thanks to super low mortgage rate that just help rich (high income) to borrow more and put pressure on the market for buyers. This induce also a step rent cost increase, while we have still fraction of percent in vacancies putting also a lot of pressurer for tenant.
Both scenarios push pressure on families forcing both parents to work more to increase the houshold income while heavily relying on public daycare with always much lower offer than demand or private that cost more than the second income usually (but you need to justif high income to qualify for a rental or mortgage).
On top of that health insurance cost are increasing at 5-10% per year.
Both housing/rental cost and insurance cost (close to 50% of an houshold costs) are of course excluded from inflation prices.
To make if worst as our fiat currency is (one of) the strongest in the world and our housing market is one of the best investment vehicule, this just make it worst for average Swiss people and those who live in the country with average to low income.
Politically it's also not so great, we get vote less and less for important decisions and more and more for meaningless decisions or for choosing option C or D when more people would like A or B which are not a possible option. Politics are being infliance by EU and we pay for their bad decisions and government indirectly, it's take it or you life and interaction with EU will get sanctioned in many ways, a bit like Brexit with UK.
And if you want to leave the country you will never find a place where the quality of life and security is similar while retaining similar available money after all mandatory tax and cost deduced. So you have to sacrifice something (secruity, quality of lige, available money to save for retirement...) on top of the sacrifice of leaving you beloved ones, family and friends behind. Which is too much for most people.
So yes, I understand that Switzerland is getting toward depressionland. Hopefully there will be a way out but I don't see how currently.
