What Can America Learn From Switzerland?

only in Switzerland you have bunker
homes a bank and a bik pack we prepared
for Invasion basically when you have a
small country like Switzerland in center
of Europe you have to be defensive but
you also have to be important to others
is there a lot of trust with government
here right from the
source few years ago the drug scene was
pretty bad here they are changing many
things it is getting better it’s like a
Beverly Hills what are your thoughts of
traveling the US you’re saying this is
one of the rough areas of the country
this guy’s a legend around here oh wow
that’s crazy right the middle class is
suffering a bit more than back in the
days Highway grocery store
stop look at this I admire Switzerland
for many things and that was the point
of this video to show some of the things
we can learn from As
Americans This Is
Beautiful what’s the name of the lake
Lake Geneva but we prefer calling it The
Lake Limo Lake LMO yeah but the english-
speaking world knows Geneva right yeah
Lake Geneva and Geneva is down there
right exactly at the far end and then
today we’re going to go down to some of
these towns some of the country Villages
right and then hopefully end up in the
mountains at the end that would be great
yeah I got a lot to ask you today cuz uh
I look at Switzerland is is a place that
has it together pretty well as far as
countries in the world and of course
everywhere has its issues but
Switzerland’s one of those places where
I’m like hm looks like they’re doing it
right in many areas of society here
that’s true that’s true I grew up
roughly right there okay and I don’t
think of Switzerland as a wine country
but is this mostly domestic or is Swiss
wine going around Europe it is getting
bigger and it’s really getting good like
in this in val Geneva they make amazing
wines and when you say Canton it’s like
state in the United States right States
right yeah 26 right 26 yes okay and you
got the Monte Carlo
Edition yeah we’re not in Monte Gallo
obviously
[Music]
but up there you have some
fortifications that we set up for uh
during World War II
it’s pretty interesting to see that we
prepared for Invasion basically so
that’s concrete blocks to prevent the
tanks from running into Switzerland okay
and they built that really quickly 1940s
they figured out the Nazis were going
through France and they started this
project from the lake to the mountains
basically in this area you have two
lines they’re separated by a few
Villages I think it’s to discourage the
ones that might cross one fascinating
the side of the farmers feel
yeah and this is going how many miles
would you say from the lake to the
mountains more than 10 miles I think
okay they say that in Switzerland we
have space for 120% of the population in
the bunkers I don’t know if the law is
still applicable but it’s either you
have your own place at home yeah or you
got to pay something to make sure the
municipality has a place for you okay I
guess we could go on for the next 10
plus miles but that’s how it looks huh
and the trail goes uphill really and you
see the small house there bluish green
behind the trees there yeah it’s one of
these fake house actually it’s not the
real one fake house what do you mean
it’s kind of a bunker but they would put
some big guns in there okay that home
right there nobody’s living in but it’s
a bunker with guns yeah sometimes you
can visit I think they they have open
doors we try to prevent everything here
that’s the culture so okay tension’s A
bit everywhere what have we done in the
last centuries when there are there are
tensions around we prevent you stay
neutral you prevent yeah staying neutral
means say being defensive right when you
have a small country like Switzerland in
center of Europe you have to be
defensive but you also have to be
important to others right because by
numbers you have no chance against the
big Powers around you absolutely no
chance okay and so here we go we have
the faux
Windows just painted at distance they
look totally real here’s what what we
have inside huh those big guns yeah
obviously they’re not working but I
think they’re still there yeah and this
is the line we were showing earlier yeah
so it Go line yeah from the lake then it
goes up to the mountains up to where the
tanks would not go you know it’s too
steep then so Switzerland was a poor
country what 150 years ago thing is we
don’t have that much natural resources
so we don’t have oil don’t have gas you
have stability yeah but we went to
stability because we didn’t have another
choice right the Army is still a strong
Army we just recently bought some of
your f-35s right so how does it work
with military here does everyone have to
serve or how does that work yes so for
the men it’s mandatory so young men when
they’re 18 they get an invite basically
to go to the Army and then there there
are several ways you can do that okay
and so men put their time in and then
from my understanding they all get a gun
is that correct yeah most of them they
would get a gun to bring home either a
rifle or normal gun but the Amo stays
like the military Amo stays in the
arsenals right when you go for like
training uhhuh you go back to the
Arsenal you get the specific military
Amo or civil Amo do the so you have a
gun at home but you don’t have the ammo
at home exactly so I’m guessing the
point of that is they don’t want anyone
using guns at all ever unless there’s a
threat and then they give the citizens
ammo is that how that works I guess I
guess I mean I’m not I’m not an expert
on that but yes but that’s the that’s
the military Amo from what I understood
you can have some civil one you can get
some if you have the license because I
mean we have a lot of people in
Switzerland as a sport they are shooting
right oh okay so you get a license for
that and you can get ammo so you have
many people having actually a license
right yeah and um probably he going to
come back because you film him right
don’t film The Police
I don’t know but you saw how he watched
at the camera I don’t know no he
probably thought it was a gun or
something in the 13th century there were
major powers in Europe especially the
Habsburg then the C like the states they
started to think maybe we should be
allies and defend ourselves against the
threat basically so we can still do our
own things Agriculture and stuff and
like everyone is happy right this is how
it started they learned how to deal with
their cultural differences different
religions as well yeah and language as
well like four languages now in
Switzerland all nationally recognized
correct French German Italian Roman
which not many people speak exactly is
it it’s a Latin language though Roman I
think so yeah okay it’s it’s really like
the vast majority of the people they
would speak French German and Italian
okay so there’s just an area like by the
highway right yeah but then on the other
side you have a farm there with the
house it’s the place one of our our ex
president lived right his farm your ex
president lives there on the farm I
don’t know if he’s still there but yeah
he is still in federal cons you didn’t
want to get too close and I get it but
there was no security there was no high
wall just a farmer field and a
popey’s can’t believe you have popey’s
here the Popeyes across the road yeah
but you have like our politicians you
can encounter the president you know at
the restaurant or casual shopping or
usually no security as for as for many
celebrities here it is safe and I think
it’s good also to show the proximity
with the people for example if you have
everyone here from the middle class
lower class or the higher class pretty
much everyone lives there in town here
and raw yeah like the mood between the
classes is pretty good here I would say
okay so you’re saying wealthy middle and
poor live here now I’m not seeing poor
at all I mean this it’s not maybe the
poor that you think of you would see
there are some
smaller apartments and more density in
some areas but no it’s not like the
super poor okay do you have homelessness
in places like this in towns like this
or not really I don’t think so or very
very low rates like there’s always a way
to get some food and to get some place
to stay but the law isn’t going to allow
someone to be homeless here they’re
going to say get off the street and go
into a place cuz I don’t see anyone here
they’re going to take care of I mean
you’re never going to get someone sleep
in the streets here maybe in Geneva in
Geneva you could get some yes sometimes
you see and we really try to take care
of them like we have many initiatives
the reason I’m asking these questions
that might not make sense is because for
example in Skid Row Los Angeles to my
understanding and things are always
changing most of the people there have
access to housing or resources if they
want but to stay in the housing provided
by the government you need to play by
the rules meaning being off drugs and
there is rehab available but a lot of
people say you know what I don’t want to
play by the rules I’d rather live on the
street it’s a little more wild and a
little more free and therefore they can
live on the street but I’m guessing in
Switzerland they don’t have that option
like the law isn’t going to work in the
favor of them living on the streets I
mean when you’re having hard times here
you’re going to get some support from
the government y with the conditions
that you’re looking for a job you should
apply you should stay healthy I I guess
or at least if you are on drugs you’re
going to get some help like someone is
going to is going to that you have some
issues and hopefully not in all cases
but hopefully you’re going to get some
help yeah so you are being kind of not
monitored but but people are taking care
of you right you have to follow the
rules right it makes
sense your Clarity here is exceptional
yeah I mean what is that 10 15 ft of
water maybe yeah you see the bottom I
don’t know if the camera is getting that
but I’m sure when the Sun hits it’s like
Caribbean yeah oh really almost almost
like some people would say but yeah it’s
really here so in Switzerland the value
of something like this you’re not going
to know the exact number obviously but
we’re talking like three maybe 5 million
something yeah yeah even probably more
it’s not really the building it’s more
the surface right the land is worth a
fortune yeah and that’s what I’ve
noticed driving around the country
there’s not much land I mean there’s a
there are a lot of mountains obviously
you can’t build on but it just seems
like there’s a competition for square
footage acreage uh hectors whatever you
want to say right like it’s nobody
really has 50 hectar of land here I
don’t think right no well we have the
mountains in the north we have the
mountains in the South yeah it’s just a
small strip where we can we can live so
yeah and this is midlevel wealth here in
Switzerland uh probably a bit higher
than mid I would say okay this guy with
the old Maserati that’s a cool old
Maserati actually yeah the you see some
pretty nice what’s that straight
straight out of I don’t know my Maserati
but it looks like 1987
perhaps people living in apartments like
this is that what you would consider
lower income in Switzerland or is that
middle income or no it’s I would say
it’s more middle these apartments are
pretty nice or pretty close to the lake
and then we go right in The Vineyards
and then up to homes yeah yeah usually
when you have Lake View then the houses
are bigger and nicer but usually these
type of houses were there for I mean
it’s been a long time they’re here right
otherwise you could not build something
in the middle of the wiard like that
okay if it’s zoned as a AG culture you
can never build and so I’m sure that’s
tightly monitored right yeah this is a
nice neighborhood yeah that’s really
nice it’s super expensive even like in
the village you want to buy a house 16th
17th century it’s renovated you know the
walls are thick it’s super high quality
let’s say houses right it’s going to get
really expensive it does it pass down to
the generations of families or how does
this work usually especially for wine
makers yes so we’re climbing a little
bit now there’s a super nice Village on
the hill like a Beverly Hills mood right
but way more open to me oh interest have
you been to Beverly Hills yeah you’ve
traveled the US a fair am amount a few
times okay what are your thoughts of
traveling the us personally I really
like it because you know the freedom you
you rent a car you go everywhere you
want culture is pretty I mean it’s kind
of similar how so how’s it similar it’s
easy you know the people are pretty
welcoming you guys say Hi how are you
all the time so you engage with the
people
so as a tourist it always feels great
right you feel like you’re being
welcomed by the people and a few
cultural difference of course but it’s
it’s enriching I think is there anything
that sort of shocks you when you travel
the US yes if you encounter this
phenomenon in the US like Kensington
like you showed or you know I was in San
Francisco lately and like the tendin
area oh yeah that’s only T right you’re
even wondering if the people are
actually living in the building right
it’s only tents and people everywhere
that’s something you would never see
here it’s shocking obviously but it’s
also shocking for you I guess and I hope
that the governments or the authorities
would take care of the problematic
before it reaches this level is there a
lot of trust with government
here overall yes overall yes yeah and
you have what uh is it six political
parties in charge at any one given time
I think there’s not a restricted amount
of political parties but the main ones
yeah I mean we have uh a bunch of them
but I would say six seven let’s say
major ones okay so there’s a real
balance yeah you can’t go really extreme
on any side of things or can you well
the I would say that what makes it also
pretty cool is the politics are not
politicians by career right so okay they
are representing the the people out
there so they all most of them had a job
prior to being involved in politics so
okay and they’re being elected because
of that also like because they are
representative of the people right so
the this is the Beverly Hills you were
saying kind of yeah one big factor of
why this area is wealthy is the view
obviously like the view is absolutely
magnificent we’re going to see some of
it and also like by car in 3 5 minutes
you can access the highway and then in
20 minutes you’re in Geneva 20 minutes
you’re in Lozan the airport in Geneva 20
minutes you can go everywhere you want
you’re home very quickly so you can live
a real peaceful existence out here and
be close to a lot of stuff yeah there
you go so that’s nice that’s what you
want
yeah have you ever seen a grave with
such a view oh yeah let me get out for a
second is that all right yeah
sure a this is so beautiful you guys
check it
out that is
cool so
calm so
peaceful I think in my younger years a
place like this uh would not bore me but
make you want to get out and as I get
older I appreciate he calm and beautiful
a bit
more do you guys in Switzerland look at
yourselves as outliers from the rest of
Europe and the reason I say that is for
example you’re not part of the EU you
have your own currency we always have
that feeling of sometimes and I speak
for my myself obviously but being
careful what the others might think what
decision the other countries would do we
we want to stay neutral basically that’s
part of the identity and the reason why
we don’t have the same currency the
reason why we did not join Europe as you
could see also like it’s a very clean
safe place and it’s kind of normal that
you want to keep it that that way right
so you are pretty much not afraid but
you don’t want to change right and so
I’m not going to dive into it cuz it’s
been done a million times there’s you
know Dark Side to everything the banking
system here historically has some
darkness in it obviously quite secretive
I think it secrecy has been lifted to
some degree right it’s like not everyone
can just park their money here totally
easily
non-descript right it changed I mean we
have way less money laundering I guess
because of the Americans because the
Americans went hard on that I believe
went to paint on that one very hard and
that’s where as a small country you
don’t really have much say right you
don’t have the power to say no America
we’re not going to do what you want I
mean it depends on who geopolitically
yeah it depends on who is telling you
what to do but when it was the America
in this case for the the finance system
that was that was rude for switzland but
yeah we have were were people pretty
upset about that depends depends I mean
the banking secrecy and stuff it’s
something you don’t really talk about
right and you were saying doing a video
like this most Swiss people really want
to keep things close to their chest not
really open up about some of these
deeper topics is that the case you think
I I think there’s a deep respect on each
other’s opinion here right we have a
direct democracy everyone has an opinion
that matters right so I think also truly
that I should not be you know giving my
opinion on publicly all the time because
you know it’s it could influence the
people and it’s like when you vote here
we vote a lot like every year four times
you vote four times a year four times
there’s a voting uh let’s say slot where
we vote several laws at different levels
and you’re a direct democracy meaning
any big issue the people vote on popular
vote wins right yeah in in the US we
have our Congress it’s a representative
form of democracy and I always am very
very clear to you the audience that this
is one perspective we’re cruising around
one part of the country and I’m show you
what I see and we’re going into Mark’s
world and Mark’s opinions and for me
this is how I learn this is why I love
doing what I’m doing because I get to
tap into a culture through the locals
and I understand that like everyone has
a different way of looking at things I
think most of the audience understands
that too like just the route today I was
like okay bring me down near the lake
near some nice stuff okay let’s go up to
the countryside and I sort of you know
we could spend all day in Geneva if we
wanted in like the worst part of Geneva
and that’s a story we could go to the
best part of Geneva and that’s a story
yeah there’s a million ways
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discount now back back to the story do
you feel like Switzerland is too
regulated you you’ve spoke about a lot
of regulations I mean part of what makes
it strong is the regulation right but
also the fact that we are kind of free
there’s a balance here sometimes you see
some laws I mean you you would really
laugh at that like we banned the
mushroom hunting for the first week of
the month in in this state like the
people sometimes get mad at such very
specific laws that okay sound like
they’re useless but on the other hand
you have uh deep respect and probably
also because of the regulation that we
have here for example at night after 10
p.m. you should not make noise in the
neighborhoods right yeah so Switzerland
is the way it is because you have
certain amount of regulations that keep
it nice but also the fact that we have
kind of the a word to say about the
regulations we can also do referendums
if we’re not happy with
one okay this is the town of jiml is
that how you say it jiml Gmail yeah
Gmail almost like Gmail but it was there
before
Gmail okay these water fountains I love
those and you just put a bottle up to
those and you can it’s just Mountain
Water Spring Water basically yeah yeah
yeah it’s it’s you most of them you can
drink if it’s written you cannot then
you cannot obviously but if it’s not
written usually the water is Super Fresh
it’s it’s good as good if not better as
the tap water basically and we’re going
to meet a friend of yours here yeah
maybe we stop and I call him or what do
we do yeah give give him a call I don’t
know if I’m going to call him because
it’s like lunchtime you know this is
typical Swiss right you don’t disturb
the people when they’re eating or you
know usually in Switzerland there’s not
a lot of things that are very
spontaneous right we we like to plan we
like to yeah and I got to say making a
video I have never had plans like
yours this I mean the locations of where
to go I mean it’s a matter of you know
structuring the day you come here you
ask me to give you some advice I mean I
give you a plan so then you see the plan
and you’re like yeah great it makes
sense yeah yeah I mean it makes sense to
you so then you’re not like yeah where
is he going to bring me and you know so
every country or culture is somewhere in
between Chaos and Order right it’s a
sliding scale Switzerland would be one
of the
most orderly countries in the planet
that’s probably the case but that’s why
people want to park their money here and
that’s why they want to send their kids
to school here and that’s why they want
to have real estate here is because
there’s more predictability even if it’s
false who knows what the world is in 10
20 years but it feels like there’s more
predictability because of the Safety and
Security we anticipate it’s stable
because we anticipate also you know
makes that goes back to the preventative
nature of the mindset and the culture
and I’m in the honeymoon period right
now okay where everything looks great
and I understand there are plenty of
problems like anywhere but when you’re
preventative you sort of do away with a
lot of the potential problems that going
to come your way versus being reactive
to everything like I find us Healthcare
to be quite reactive it’s like wait
until the big problem comes then deal
with it yeah versus get ahead of the
thing whatever that might be yeah well I
hope we can keep that to me this is the
way politics should also be working
right prevent before before it happens I
like your War as a
Resort mentality here so we have
diplomacy that’s why Geneva is the the
heart of diplomacy right but you guys
have gotten a lot of flak for that over
the years of not taking a side
especially in World War II yeah yeah
because you cannot completely be at the
center all the time right you have to
you have to protect yourself and at all
costs Switzerland wants to prevent an
invasion or you
know so in a way we had we had to take
decisions during World War II such as we
are doing taking decision right now and
yeah sometimes it’s questionable of
course but I think that almost aligns
with what happens in politics in US
politics for example if you’re a
Centrist I don’t want to really pick a
team and and be on a side that’s almost
looked at as a weak position or or this
both the sides look down upon that and I
think that’s what Switzerland has done
as a country it says hey guys I’m not
picking a side exactly want to stay out
of this and I’m going to go where my
interests
lie yeah yeah or they would say if there
are two sides just let put them together
around the table and discuss right yeah
and you guys are the great negotiators
in the world right like when the US and
Iran have to speak it’s done through
Switzerland yeah yeah yeah that’s true
yeah cool cool
[Music]
English okay so this is Kevin’s business
this is cool you like you like eggs
right you have some good ones there oh
great he also does that with school like
he takes the kids okay they can see the
what the cheese making process and uh
you know like this cheese is the same
with a ret camar little where make this
here you can after looking in the cave
cheese oh let’s do it Kevin family
business yes a yes it’s a we are my wife
and me
but yeah so you it’s the first
generation yes oh I don’t have I don’t
have a family family history no family
history not really I’m the first that is
cool so people can still do that now
yeah the Young The Young Generation he
was saying that’s why he wants to show
that to kids so he’s getting back to
basics he doesn’t come from that world
but he he wanted to you know because in
a lot of places you see the small farms
declining yeah right the big farms
taking over mhm and you don’t see many
people at a young age getting into it
without a history in it through family
so that’s cool I didn’t know that
happened here yeah really yeah so they
they’re doing the cheese the in the
morning so now they’re they stopped
doing it we can visit the the lab W
Kevin’s got the new setup everything
looks
small small yes it’s a small place it’s
not like these big cheese making but
Kevin you’re well set up look at this I
mean I don’t I don’t know cheese making
but this looks serious a it’s a press
it’s being made now one day one one
night in the in the press and after
tomorrow uh the 4:00 we do in the pass
of South it’s
here wow and
here one day and one night is uh
24
hour is the Sals with the with
water the butter machine the butter
machine yes the old machine but it’s
very
yeah that’s
beautiful that’s the cream the cream for
tomorrow so this is where all the cheese
is aged yes the smell is amazing here
yeah
very do you like eating a little bit
yeah let’s do
it cool right from the source
so how many months here like uh 10
months 10 months
yes that’s nice yeah yes so to have the
grer name there’s certain regulations
and standards I I would guess yes so
they have um strict rules how to make it
and then you they’re being controlled so
they can get the stamp aop right yes yes
Kevin you can make a good life doing
this business here in Switzerland like
you can have a good life yes it’s very
good you
going in America
no for the car you
know Kevin Kevin
the name is this is the shop from G
GMA do you have a website yes I have a
website okay so all tourists and locals
coming to the ZL area need to see Kevin
he’s got the good cheese what a cool
guy what a cool guy amazing right yeah
as I was saying in there it’s like you
don’t see so much of that these days
I’ve see actually a little bit I’ve seen
in the states it’s super hard with the
economics of it yeah and so to see this
work here it sounds like it’s working
for
him that’s really cool is very very cool
cuz this is deep in your culture yeah
it’s very important right and it’s an
indicator like if the cheese makers are
not going doing
great it feels bad right they must be
doing great this is the identity of
Switzerland like making good cheese the
right way with the milk from the cows
nearby like that come on that’s that’s
the ENT here good work good honest work
yeah yeah that’s what I greatly respect
about the country is there’s a big
emphasis on quality yeah yeah it’s
always been that way if you look back in
history like we don’t have natural
resources so how can we bring
value yep so we do qualitative stuff we
put a lot of emphasis on the good work y
because it
pays I think we should really emphasize
on the value that the job bring right
right job is not only labor for things
you forced to do it’s just also
something that can bring you a lot of
Joy a lot of
accomplishment you feel that when you
talk with Kevin well he wakes up at like
what 4 in the morning I don’t even know
but he loves it yeah and that’s great we
need more people like this so all the
cants like I was saying before are like
US states they all have different
policies to some degree and so they even
have like different tax policies and
different regulations to some degree and
so it’s
that’s true a bit of a battle between
the cantons of making it better so it
attracts people right attracts money
attracts so businesses at at the state
level the taxes can be used to yeah to
also make it more attractive yeah we
have an example in the in eastern
Switzerland nowadays where
municipalities also and CCS they are
playing with the tax rates to bring
people back they want to bring family
back they were saying so in a way that
regulates right so I I uh I was
researching that last night I want to
show you this I’m sure you know it tax
rates tax rates okay hopefully this
comes out in the camera well I’ll just
put a screen of it up here so you have
Zug which is the lowest tax rate so I’m
looking at the far right here if
someone’s making a million dollars
they’re getting taxed
27.5% and then you can look at a Canton
like what is it burn 4
43.9% or Geneva
45.4% so 45.4 versus
27.5 is huge yeah the difference is huge
yeah so if you’re making
$100,000 in zoo you’re paying 15.3% and
then the Swiss average for $ 100,000 is
you’re paying
22.3% it’s pretty close to the US
depending on what state you’re in
obviously where I live Florida there’s
no state income tax so the only income
tax is from the federal government yeah
but then you can be in California I
believe the top rate there it is or will
be
14.3% I believe tax like state level on
the state level that’s on top of the
federal tax so yeah that’s massive it’s
massive yeah and so you better get a lot
for that right yeah yeah yeah that’s
true because switch seems it seems like
you get a lot for what you’re paying in
yeah again it depends on where you are
but depend on where you are yeah yeah
and I know also like if the counton are
more or less poor like Geneva is a super
rich counton they very high tax rates
and then I know the like some of the
money they make is going to other conton
that are poorer and that like you know
try to attract wealthy people with lower
tax rates I don’t know exactly how that
works but there’s this like cohesive um
notion with the like they they help each
other it’s not as independent as it
looks like they they help each other but
does that create tension if someone’s in
a Canton where they’re getting taxed
highly and that money that tax revenue
is going to another Canton it could but
I don’t think so for now it’s if it’s
being used wisely and you know the rules
right this these are the rules this
cohesiveness between the C we know they
contribute to each other in a way but at
least it’s staying in your country you
know America send I forget how many
billion to Egypt every year to Egypt
yeah oh I mean it’s so many countries
and that’s what the world power does
right it needs to control policy and how
do you control policy is through money
and so you’re basically buying power
without the gun that’s how that works
and yeah I guess it’s better than the
gun but still as an American taxpayer
quite often your money is going not to
your community not to your state
a lot of it is is going in a million
directions so your taxes for Europe are
extremely low compared to most countries
I mean the few outliers like Monaco yeah
or maybe Cyprus I think has some
advantages for business I forget what
exactly but overall very low especially
compared to your neighboring countries
like France and Italy yeah what’s
healthare like you were just saying that
off camera you said it was a bit
different than most places I mean
Healthcare the the system works great
okay Healthcare is good but we pay for
that right it’s expensive it’s one of
the biggest expense that we that the the
people here in Switzerland have what’s
an what’s an example how much is it as
an example that yeah you’re 30 you’re
doing well it could be from 500 to 7 800
a month so there’s no socialized
medicine there’s no government funded
medicine unless I guess you’re low
income right the government helps or
Howes yeah yeah so you can get some well
health insurance is mandatory everyone
should pay okay but then if you’re like
low incomes get some some support from
the government from this it’s at the
state level I mean many people actually
get this support yeah what about
education higher education it’s
extremely cheap compared to the US it
will usually be lower than 1,000 Franks
oh jeez th Swiss Franks the semester and
it can range from like the university I
was in was like 600
what about your
retirement so you you contribute to that
in most of the jobs you’re going to get
that back later on when you’re retired
do you guys have confidence in that you
believe it’s going to be there it’s
really a topic a burning topic right now
so we have several votations on that
because you know the Aging of the
population makes it that a lot of people
are reaching their 50s 60s but yeah we
don’t have enough young people to pay
for them obviously so when you project
that you’re like yeah but you’re never
going to get
I mean I’m never going to get what I
what I you don’t think you will I truly
hope we’re going to find Solutions right
yeah I don’t think I don’t think I will
personally uh the Social Security in the
US but Switzerland’s debt to GDP I’m not
exact on the numbers but I believe it’s
around
34% debt to
GDP America right now I believe is
upwards of
130% your debt levels are are very very
low for the Western world I mean that’s
what we extremely low yeah we we have
kind of we have some experience in you
know how to handle the finance right
yeah I think so probably
that okay so there’s an artist here who
builds clay sculptures yeah so he builds
that you know in the forest I heard and
so this guy’s a legend around here it’s
pretty recent I heard of but let’s just
ask him some question oh wow that looks
cool that’s crazy right yeah this is
cool how long have you been been doing
this it’s been two years I really like
um all people who civilization grow and
and become something different and I
also really like ants the little insect
ants yeah yeah so it’s a melting between
my passion for history and my passion
for ants and in fact I think it’s the M
interest about all life uh grow up and
become something complex like society
and this small civilization has buil his
own religion about work about fighting
about Liberty about a lot of symbol we
could see the light here and here and
here and here and after maybe maybe this
afternoon or tomorrow I will build some
roof for the for the top of the tower
yeah so so the light will be uh cache
like everywhere I will be hidden
invisible oh this is so there’s so much
detail you have all the skulls down here
yeah there is a lot of skull
here what’s your name FR M FR Moto are
you here every day yeah practically
every day yes but not in winter in
winter it’s too cold what if it snows on
this yeah it resist the snow the last
winter it’s break absolutely nothing I’m
not sure for the future I hope it will
resist the maximum winter possible if I
may ask what are your thoughts about
Switzerland do you absolutely love your
country do you have mixed feelings do
you think it’s a great place for being
creative or I I have mixed feeling
because uh as a kid I really really like
my country maybe a bit of propaganda but
as a kid I really like it and more I
grow up more I
realize the a bit the Dark Side of
Switzerland swiland is very straight uh
everything has to be absolutely right no
plus for hesitation no plus for
something the American has and the
French have the expansion no plus for
for B expansive okay but you’re you’re
able to show your expression here and
your expansion right fair you say I I
think it’s not the worst country in the
world for that there is a lot of Liberty
Switzerland is very safe it’s a very
safe place but the mentality too much
straight
mentality uh it has good part for a
hospital for a transport for for many
part of the human being live it’s very
good to have very straight and but for
me it’s it’s sometimes a bit a problem
okay look at that guys this is really
special the amount of detail in here
there’s is behind the scenes I guess
it’s lit up red at
night got the lights here
and then that
backdrop didn’t expect to see this at
all
here who’s shooting it’s a military
training place just nearby the
Switzerland is neutral you
know yeah and it’s heavy machine gun
it’s not just light gun so down here
they’re shooting yeah army base yeah did
you do time in the military no I’ve been
um put out of the military you got k out
yeah I’ve did you misbehave or what
happened yeah I’m not sure um I have the
impression that I demand to be kicked
out but maybe he don’t want me I’m not
sure they’re like he’s too hard to
manage let him go yeah it’s probably
that I’m May it’s
complicate there’s always something to
learn from others I find absolutely no
matter who or what there’s always
something to learn and I think of
Switzerland as one of the countries
that’s the best off in the world but to
get something you have to give something
up to some degree and if you want all of
this stability and you want everything
to work like the artist was saying maybe
personal expression isn’t the number one
yeah right you have to it’s like in a
relationship right yeah if it if it
works you have to do concession does
that mean anything like you know the
yeah compromise compromise yeah that’s
the world
compromise and this is how you build
strong relationship strong
cohesiveness Community yeah compromise
understand each other and United States
you feel it’s the same or different I
think you can design whatever type of
life you you want in the US if you want
to be super creative and do whatever you
can do that if you want to work in
finance you can do that you can be what
you want to be if that’s your
driver as far as politically it’s far
more divided than here I would say these
days
but that tension a lot of it is
manufactured in the media when I’m on
the ground with people nobody ever asks
or really cares are you a Democrat or
Republican and like oh I’m not going to
talk to you I mean you could get in
those situations but for the most part
it’s not like what you see on the media
here yeah I think traditionally Euro
European media is always put the United
States in a negative light for the most
part mhm whether that be British Media
or Euro News or yes yes also here like
they’re going to show the most
unhinged Behavior out of control
whatever it is yeah it’s always in the
extremes it’s always in the extremes and
America is such a massive place if
someone hasn’t been say coming from here
it’s hard to wrap your head around it
right this is 8 million people that’s
basically part of Greater Metro Los
Angeles right we have 340 million right
now something like that and so the scale
and scope of it is is hard to comprehend
the more I discover the more I realize I
haven’t seen all there is to see not
even close yeah yeah I get it it’s like
knowledge the more you know the more you
realize you don’t know and people can
agree or disagree but you always have to
understand why people do what they do
and where they’re coming from and why it
is the way it is 100% true
[Music]
perhaps the nicest parking garage I’ve
ever been in really I’m just cleaning
look at this sometimes they have like
some type of purple lights like in the
public restrooms for example I don’t
know if these are the same purpose but
but I heard it was meant so you don’t
see your veins then you it becomes
harder to you know you don’t see your
veins to put a needle into them yeah
potentially I don’t know it was there it
was some what what everyone was saying
like yeah they put these lights so you
know you see but it becomes very harder
to okay do drugs
right few years ago it was really uh the
drug scene was pretty bad here really
yeah but they opened a an injection side
like they are changing many things so it
it it’s more friendly area you saw the
Kensington video I made yeah was there
any situation like that no but You’ have
people openly using drugs on the streets
you could encounter such people
sometimes syringe on the floor it seems
like since they introduced it it is
getting better I mean you see more
people here it feels a bit more safe so
there was probably a carrot and a stick
approach they offer the injection sites
but you’re not allowed to do it on the
streets right yeah right see in
Kensington they offer the injection
sites but you can still do it on the
streets you’re not supposed to do that
on the streets there is more police
presence cuz the people were complaining
a lot in this area right okay I mean the
area has always been really cool the
buildings are beautiful flat iron no
it’s our flat iron yeah there you
go totally different field from where
Kevin lives obviously oh like that’s not
that far far away yeah the density like
now you’re in a city even though Lozan
might look like a small town for you
guys in the US this is the city for the
people here and Kevin is definitely more
like a village Vibe right do you notice
a big divide between the rural and the
urban people in Switzerland like in the
US I would say rural areas are more
conservative urban areas more liberal
politically could that same Dynamic yeah
the dynamic yeah you would see that yeah
okay that’s pretty much Universal
worldwide yeah yeah that would that
would be but then you know the people in
the cities they would be so happy to buy
some cheese from Kevin right you know
and say that so that’s the viable so and
they completely rely on one another even
know they don’t see it directly I always
find that interesting like the rural
people need the infrastructure the
technology that the cities develop and
then the urban people always need the
food that the rural areas produce like
without those rural areas you know it’s
not happening you’re not eating and I
think more D never like organic food
local food yeah is something that’s
really trendy out there like in the city
you’re going to find many restaurants
you know marketing on that right yeah
for sure so yeah oh but there’s a
wedding something’s going on here
wedding yeah the bride and
groom I’m the wedding
videographer so that’s something the
tourists would like to see in in loan
somehow oh it’s it’s a clock yeah Quint
Cal Switzerland something also happening
with like small animation every hour do
you come out here every week Mark to see
this absolutely yeah every day well
there we go we’re coming out of the
house the flag is just massive H yeah
people are proud to be
Swiss what’s the immigration process
like in Switzerland from my
understanding it’s super hard to get
Swiss citizenship do you know how it
works exactly or I know that it’s hard I
mean you must fill up several criterias
you must have been in the country for
many years been working out there but
otherwise like if you have a job also it
might depend on the on the the country
you’re from but usually if you have a
job or if there’s something like that
makes sense you are there then you can
you can get in usually and you take in
certain amount of refugees over here
right yeah also yeah with what happens
in Ukraine we we have some ukrainians
that that went in yeah okay so is there
tension in the country with growth
development population is there is that
a big
conversation in your elections I mean I
know that there are some discussions
like initiatives trying to figure out
okay maybe what’s the the limit like how
because as as we were discussing like we
have mountains in the South mountains in
the north we’re just living on a small
strip in the end so we don’t have that
that much area to put the people on on
right but I also heard that it’s like
the demographic is still increasing but
you don’t have that many people every
year that come okay like the expert
would say that we’re never going to
reach 10 million I mean that’s what I
read in the newspaper recently right but
like all Western countries your
reproduction rate is not keeping up no
with population replacement exactly
that’s the problem it’s not
2.1%
no so you have have to
immigrate yeah pretty much yeah is that
a worry you lose some of the traditions
and your culture if you do too much of
that I’m putting you on the hot spot
right now yeah I mean this is a this is
a good question I I truly I don’t know
it depends really on how it’s going to
go I mean I also think that at some
point we’re going to have less people
right also because of the reproduction
rate yeah so is there a swissness that a
lot of the
immigrants embrace
like they really integrate well into the
culture would you say it depends but
most of the time yes like the ones that
integrate because I for example I would
say uh there’s an area of the US called
Dearborn Michigan it’s mostly Muslim
I’ve made videos out there and the
people living there the ones I’ve talked
to are very
pro-american more pro-american than most
Americans actually I would say yeah and
most of them told me we like it here
better than Europe and I’m not talking
about Switzerland I’m talking like
France UK yeah
because it feels like it just the it
jives better I guess like that maybe
because the US is new mhm and it’s
everybody and it’s all mixed up and it’s
sort of like that’s what it is anyways
but I don’t know what the case is like
in Switzerland CU I think there is more
friction in I’d say with Muslims in uh
in France and in
UK yeah potentially yes I mean we have
also I think there are less
opportunities to have the friction right
we have way less Muslim population than
in in the UK or in France okay so
there’s no there’s no real tension in
that space I mean they could have been
but I don’t think so like the it’s still
a very like the percentage I don’t know
exactly but it’s really lower than in
France and the UK so even though there
would be tensions it’s still really like
uh okay and no usually I think like like
you were saying about the swissness like
the the Swiss vibe that there there is
here like usually the people from other
countries when they coming they love it
love it because it’s clean it feels home
very quickly here and they respect that
a lot and they they and when they make
the citizenship hard when you get it
it’s a big accomplishment I think you
you have like more skin in the game yeah
Hot Topic like you said but yeah nobody
really likes it yeah yeah but here it’s
fine like we are doing really well I
would say like you look also at the
unemployment rates are low uh people are
happy like Kevin was saying everyone
finds a job is still a good place place
to say I
[Music]
guess so this is the gateway to the
valley region yeah and when you look on
a map you can see it’s just that sort of
vein cutting through the Alps yeah yeah
which yeah exactly and you have the
river that comes from the big glassier
you have a lot of hydro electricity huh
yeah yeah actually they are changing
their strategy now potentially even like
reinvest in in nuclear plants so
potentially we’re going to vote for that
again you vote for that you vote for
your energy policy we somehow we vote
for everything here but you were saying
the risk to that is if there’s a
conglomerate that owns a majority of the
media they can really sway the vote
either way with
propaganda pushing the population
towards a certain yeah that would be
really bad because you know we are not
we are very few people out there right
in Switzerland 8 million people the
voting population should be what like
four yeah 4 million and then the ones
that actually vote it’s like half of
that so you know if you can change the
mind of two two one 2 million people but
that’s why it’s so important to me that
in Switzerland we have this proximity
with the government and the trust right
right yeah and also we’re not speaking
loud about our opinions it’s kind
of uh so you you don’t want to persuade
somebody to come to your side you want
to respect them in the sense that they
have a clean vote as far as like they’re
going for what they truly believe in I
just could look at the United States if
we’re talking about getting 4 million
votes to sway everything or you only
need a little over 2 million I mean the
amount of marketing in manipulation
would be insane I mean it already is
insane but it seems like it would be an
easy job or it would be so competitive
that garbage would be in your face all
day long everywhere you
looked I mean I I’m really happy that
it’s not the case yet here right it’s
still doing pretty well but I also
really truly hope we’re going to keep
the dialogue open because as you said
it’s fragile nowadays with the media
with internet like you know you could
change people’s minds so quickly
I still think that direct democracy like
we have here is the best system it’s
just super good like we choose right but
you need an educated population to have
direct democracy and you need an
Engaged population somebody can be
formally educated well but have a lack
of understanding on the big issues
that’s tough right yeah yeah that’s
tough like who’s really the expert yeah
sometimes sometimes when you see what we
vote for you can also ask yourself
is it really something we must ask the
population right some but I think it’s
good to have the the maturity to either
get some information about a specific
topic or just not vote right but this is
very controversial right what would you
say are the biggest issues in
Switzerland right now something that
comes up in
conversation the cost of living I would
say the rents inflation I feel like
somehow the middle class is suffering a
bit more than it would back in the days
so this is also something that people
are a bit more worried about everything
is really expensive here right we have
great salaries if you compare that with
France Italy Germany but also the cost
of living is extremely high so what are
the salaries here let’s just say for a
teacher what does a teacher day 65
70,000 to up to I don’t know 80 85 90
depending on the experience also okay
let’s speak dollars so roughly that’s in
dollars right yeah yeah roughly that’s
in dollars what’s considered a a middle
salary here in Switzerland that I know
that this topic is burning right because
statistics could tell you exactly what
the middle salary or the median salary
is yeah but it’s absolutely not
descriptive of what it is really the
lower incomes that you would get for 100
working 100% should be around the 4
4.5k but you have people that earn less
right we we don’t have a mini minimum
one like you would have in France right
you don’t have a minimum wage here
no okay but there’s like a consensus
right you you should still be paying at
least something like 4 to 4.5k a month
can you live okay on 4.5k a month here
or you really absolutely depends depends
on where you live the rents can double
depending on where you live right we
were by the lake now we’re going to
areas where the rents are way lower you
see also the price of fuel is super low
168 a liter yeah usually it’s more 18085
like in the area we were
before oh look at that those towns way
up there on the mountain yeah that is
cool usually when you see a small town
like for example here where it gets
worse the buildings are getting older
potentially the crime rates are a bit
increasing then usually you see them
they going to invest and try to make
that better right they’re going to try
to who’s they the Canton or the country
uh usually the Canton for that I would
say it’s very rare to see like places
being abandoned by by the authorities
yeah it’s not like out in Appalachia
these towns that had a huge industry at
one
time that’s falling off and now they’re
making homes and stuff like that you’re
not seeing that here no no no because we
don’t have that type of also type of
Industry that’s dead now right you’re
like yeah okay actually here main thing
uh in the area is the salt mine right
there’s probably the only thing that we
could extra ract from the mines in
Switzerland is the salt right okay so
Mark you’re saying this is one of the
rougher areas of the country well I
don’t know if I can say rougher but
usually when you check the statistics
this would be one of the kind of the
place where there’s a bit more violence
there’s a bit more crimes being
committed but yeah you it’s still really
nice right I mean what what a let down
I’m I’m I’m really trying to you know I
asked Mark I said
let’s get off the North Korean tour a
little bit cuz everything looks perfect
and show me like the worst of what you
can show me I’m sure someone’s going to
reach out in the comments and say hey
you should have shown them this or that
but yeah yeah there are worst places
obiously you just type on Google where
is the worst part where is one of the
worst part of this area in Switzerland
and they were they’re going to say yeah
they’re going to say here potentially
yes one one of the worst okay this is
not a paid for by the Swiss government
propaganda video These Gardens look
terrible
there weeds near the train tracks that’s
a that’s a skel
right the beex train station I guess you
can’t always see crime especially during
daylight hours but from surface level it
looks quite
Swiss there’s also when’s the last time
you were hunting for beat up
neighborhoods in Switzerland is this the
first Mark you know what we could we
could have gone to Geneva and in Geneva
it’s a bit easier to find right okay so
that’s a bigger city and you can find
because of the density right also in
Lozan we were too quick we were on the
East part of Lozan which is pretty
wealthy the West part of Lozan is a bit
is a bit worse okay so you have more
high density buildings so potentially we
were a bit too much into the North Korea
tour as you said look at that what gr
too Vibe G I’ve never played it it’s the
same like yeah they try to advertise of
the US way let me check let me check
where it’s the worst right we’re going
to ask CH GPT
I threw you a a hard challenge Mark cuz
it seems like your map today was pretty
on point yeah you seem like you really
knew let me check let me check you
really knew you’re Switzerland but which
are the worst areas uh where we could go
in terms of security crimes and poverty
in the western part of
Switzerland in the western part of
Switzerland which includes regions like
Geneva VA where loan is located Noel and
parts of freeborg it’s generally
considered safe compared to many
countries however like any area there
are neighborhoods with higher rates of
crime poverty and Social Challenges
Geneva certain neighborhoods in Geneva
particularly in the pakis area have
higher crime rates this area located
near the train station is known for
issues related to drug trafficking
prostitution and Petty crimes like
pickpocketing while loan is a beautiful
and generally safe City the FL district
has been noted for NTI related incidents
and renin a nearby suburb has had some
concerns about higher crime rates and
socio economic difficulties especially
with youth related violence you R in
here what about b b
x remote
location poverty and unemployment yes
that’s more like the isolation here
Social
Challenges similar to other towns in
more rural or semi- rural areas Bay
faces
challenges with integration and services
for its diverse population economic
difficulties can sometimes lead to
social tensions but these remain on a
relatively small scale there’s probably
one last where I think we’re going to
get right there that’s that’s that’s
bigger Monte is going to be let’s go to
Monte okay
okay this is looking quite Industrial
over here huh a bit more yes there’s a
major uh Chemical Company there I think
most of the people like here would say
that these areas are a bit more poor
because of the RS potentially also
geographically it’s not the most
beautiful areas to live weather also but
you could see it’s it’s it’s really not
bad right
no I mean I mean it’s it’s clean and
orderly yeah yeah it is it is nothing
says danger like kids out alone doing
their sports but they’re never going to
be a place where you won’t find some
kids out that is awesome man I I think
it’s something to really look up to I’m
being serious here like it’s it’s a joke
in a way like oh this is so bad it’s not
bad because it’s
comparatively you know I’m all over the
US I’m been all over the world it’s also
the mentality like even in most of the
neighborhoods that are considered as hot
neighborhoods the buildings will most
likely look nice right yeah you don’t
see any
rundown looking buildings really no
because if there is an issue with that
then you know the authority will say we
should repair or you know it’s it’s
maybe not safe physically safe so
they’re going to the actual Town’s going
to step in and that’s pretty cool it’s
sort of something to Aspire towards if
this is one of your more blighted towns
that’s some success I would
say there’s a lot of joke between the
the counton and like with the with the
French you know and if when you go to
Zurich potentially you’re going to have
some jokes about the Germans even though
it’s not like not as bad as it would be
in baser for example okay so what were
you saying about the cars in the
countown yeah usually you see some nice
cars in valet right yeah potentially
they try to compensate because they
don’t have a lake I don’t know but then
they’re going to say yeah guys but we
have the mountains yeah it’s cool we
always have like also the accent we are
joking with that uh there’s a nice
Ambience and mood between the conts they
we all have the for the people in valet
you know the people in Geneva and V are
very slow on the on the highway they are
all left lane campers you know what part
of Switzerland gets looked down upon by
everybody let’s say like who who’s the
punching
bag depends on on why right like the
very rural Jura for example like in the
North we all joke about the fact that
you know they and sometimes also in
valet we can say that yeah you know if
it’s your cousin or your wife it’s the
same you know because you know small
town stuff that’s the joke we would do
but it’s it’s never in a it’s never mean
right it’s never meant to be mean but we
joke about the fact that we are
different right the same with in the us
when we talking about Florida man right
yeah you got to love this highway gas
station here
huh you know why the dogs why these are
the San Bernard dogs right you know
these the dogs that going you know that
go to save you with the whiskey in the
small jar that right Whiskey in the
small jar is that like legend or they
actually yeah it’s it’s more of a legend
but okay there are amazing dogs actually
that are being raised uphill in the
mountains there so This Is A Highway
grocery store stop yeah
want Swiss style yeah but it’s a bit
Built For Tourists right it’s this is
this is one of the nicer ones I’m sure
they show off look at this all this food
out here right off the highway right
next to to the gas station and then you
can eat out here right near the lake
someone’s wind
surfing and get the
views that is
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cool those are Avalanche fences up there
right exactly yeah so when the big snows
come in the winter those fences prevent
the snow from going all the way down
into the valley and burying a town right
yeah could be yeah that’s that story
yeah also it’s you know so it gets the
Sun so it’s there’s more instability in
the snow and so this is the beginning of
valet which goes quite far yeah and is
that beautiful Valley in the country
with the Peaks towering and we can’t
even remotely see the tops of them
exactly and what a place it’s just like
most of my videos you can only get so
much in one video we saw as much as we
could in one day yeah and uh I admire
Switzerland for many things and that was
the point of this video to show some of
the things we can learn from As
Americans you can’t compare apples to
apples 8 million to 340 million or
whatever it is right now but you can
learn from people doing things that seem
to be working so I appreciate you for
bringing us in because me on my own I
wouldn’t have been able to really get it
like us that really was a pleasure that
really I mean I really enjoyed it as
well good stuff mark all right guys
thanks for coming on that Journey oh I
got another Swiss video I’m actually
shooting tomorrow it will be the
following week on YouTube but on the
other side of the country in Zurich so
that’s going to be cool couple Swiss
videos for you thanks for coming along
until the next one
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