As another Nordic implant in the US, I agree with all of these observations. Just a comment on bureaucracy and red tape. There’s a myth about America as the land of the free and Europe—especially the Nordic countries—as drab socialistic places where people are oppressed. In reality, there is much more bureaucracy, rules, paperwork, fees to pay, lawyering to do in America in everyday life, whether it’s buying a house, filing your taxes, going to the doctor, installing a solar panel, ... anything, you name it. Partly it is, I guess, because the USA has more lawyers per capital than any other country (with the possible exception of Pakistan) and they create the rules. Largely it’s because of low level of trust in society, which compels people to rely on laws and litigation instead of common sense and decency.