I have to say, I find this to be a pretty silly conversation.

Bryan says Europe is overrated and here is one excerpt from a lengthy post:

…almost no one in Europe lives in places as comfortable and convenient as American suburbs: The houses are spacious, the cars are huge, cheap Big Box stores and chain restaurants are nearby, and (to quote South Park) there’s “ample parking day or night.

Bryan suggests that American tourists like Europe so much because they are visiting it with U.S. incomes.  I am not sure which PPP calculation he is using but I disagree at a more fundamental level.  Bryan gives some good reasons why America is better for 37-year-olds with young children, namely lots of living space and easy shopping.  But I view much of Western Europe as better for the elderly, if only because it requires less driving and they are more likely to live close to their children and perhaps also they receive more respect.  Western Europe is probably better for children too, for reasons related to safety and health care.

My alternative view is that Americans rate European life so highly (in part) because the buildings from previous eras are so striking and attractive.  If all of the U.S. looked like U.S. postwar construction, the country would still impress more or less as it does.  If all of Europe looked like its postwar construction, Americans would be less likely to admire European policies and political institutions.  Yes I know about Lille, and contemporary Spanish architecture, but in reality most Americans would think of Europe as some kind of dump.

And Megan tops things off with this:

Tyler is spot on, I’d say.  Without the pretty buildings, what would often most strike Americans is the cramped space and a succession of petty inconveniences.

Insofar as this is a discussion about land use issues, I think Tyler’s first paragraph makes some good points. It’s strange to me how Caplan leaves little room for differences in taste; it’s not difficult to illustrate many ways in which American suburbs are both uncomfortable and inconvenient. And while they may well be outstanding for middle-class, middle-aged families with children, Europe may well have more to offer the rich and the poor, the young and the old, and the childless.

I find Tyler’s second paragraph odd and Megan’s interpretation of it inane — she manages to undersell Europe and Americans simultaneously. Obviously part of Europe’s charm is the way it looks, but that’s inextricably tied up with other aspects of the place. It’s not like attractiveness isn’t a real reason to appreciate a place. And I think that what most often strikes Americans about life is the succession of petty inconveniences.

Why do Americans like Europe? Well, my sense is that visitors to Europe appreciate the beauty, the overwhelming sense of history, and the richness and density of cultural treasures. I think many visitors do enjoy what they see of European life and appreciate the contrast with America. In big European cities and small — and poor — villages, people knock off of work earlier than Americans do and they go hang out in comfortable bars and pubs and cafes that are truly a pleasure to be in. They seem to be enjoying themselves. If you think about Berlin, it’s by and large a pretty ugly place. And yet, Berliners seem to have a marvelous time of things.

What bothered me most about living abroad were the things that I missed — my friends and family. There are some things that are tricky to get used to, but then you get used to them, and sometimes the getting used to new things is part of the joy of a new place. I can see ways in which raising children would be tricky, but I can also see many advantages to living with children over there. Unless you place no value on exposing your kids to culture and history, having all of Europe within easy reach is a significant plus to set against the ability to drive the station wagon to Costco. And then there’s the health care. I would take the NHS over what I’ve got here any day of the week. The NHS is a comfort. Health insurance here is a looming financial catastrophe. I speak from personal experience.

But you know, experiences vary. Whether you think Europe is grand or not will have a lot to do with taste. It will have a lot to do with the specifics of your situation. But I think it’s much more difficult to assert the objective betterness of one place over another than many suppose. Most people are most comfortable with what they know.

And having spent most of my life in an American suburb, I’ve always thought it funny that Americans are so fond of huge houses with rooms they don’t use and huge cars with horsepower they’ll never need. If they define that as roominess and comfort, and it makes them happy, then fine. But I think others can be excused for judging the quality of a place using different criteria.