[ CYPHER CODE #1676 ]
Europe has made stagnation look civilized.

[ CYPHER CODE #1677 ]
They didn’t lose ambition overnight. They regulated it slowly.

[ CYPHER CODE #1678 ]
Poverty is easier to miss when it has good architecture.

BRIEFING

Grant here. It always seems like us Americans are in some weird "competition" with our neighbors across the pond. They're basically like our older, slightly more sophistocated sibling that we feel the need to constantly prove ourselves to. But, underneath all of the high fashion, gourmet food, and stunning architecture is the truth: Europe and its wealth are mediocre at best. Let’s break it down.

A recent X post is comparing the pay of a U.S. fast-food management job to AI developer pay in France and Germany, and it's honestly surprising to see an In-N-Out manager smashing the competition.

It's just ironic that in America, a simple profession like a store manager at a major fast-food chain can still climb into six-figure territory. While in much of Europe, even highly skilled technical work that often requires a degree stays stagnant at $70-85k.

Of course, location, cost of living, and various other factors play a role, but still, the difference is staggering.

SOURCE

This is eye-opening. A fast food job in the US pays significantly more than AI developer jobs in France or Germany, which have higher salaries than most other European countries.

Europeans simply don’t notice how poor they become compared to others. Choices have consequences. pic.twitter.com/AAy39aP5aU

— Michael A. Arouet (@MichaelAArouet) May 9, 2026

And it's worth noting that these numbers are completely legit.

An In-N-Out manager can pull a very decent paycheck, as Indeed currently lists the average pay at about $122,273 a year, while Business Insider previously reported that In-N-Out store managers can average more than $180,000 when profit sharing is included.

But, on the European side, the ceiling looks very different.

A 2026 software-developer salary analysis from Boundless lists Germany’s median software developer salary around €65,200, while broader AI salary guides place Western and Nordic Europe well below top U.S. compensation levels.

Which, speaking of U.S. compensation in the tech field, we undoubtedly surpass Europe. According to the BLS, the median software developer salary is around $133,000, while AI and machine-learning roles often climb much higher, with many estimates landing anywhere from the mid-$150,000s to well over $200,000 in total compensation.

DEBRIEFING

Europe’s problem isn’t just that salaries are lower, but it’s that, overall, Europe has spent years downplaying exceptionalism. In Europe, oftentimes ambition gets treated as vulgar, risk is considered reckless, high earners become tax targets, and employers become compliance departments. It's like the whole European economy is more optimized for safety as opposed to growth.

Their problem is a mix of both cultural and structural. Europe has higher energy costs, heavier regulation, fragmented markets, weaker venture capital, and a slower path from invention to scale. Mario Draghi’s EU competitiveness report warned that Europe’s long-term prosperity is being squeezed by slowing productivity, demographic pressure, rising energy costs, and global competition. The report also said the GDP gap between the EU and the U.S. has widened largely because Europe’s productivity has slowed so much over the years.

Just to further elaborate on the productivity aspect, the European Central Bank found that from late 2019 to mid-2024, labor productivity per hour rose only 0.9%, while in the United States it rose 6.7%.

It's not like Europe became less ambitious overnight. Over time, they've been regulating, taxing, and conditioning the masses, basically turning low expectations into an acceptable lifestyle.

Which can be perfectly fine and comfortable, until one day, a burger manager in California is making bank and a French software developer can't even afford his daily croissant.

NOW YOU KNOW

Europe didn’t lose the race. They lowered the finish line.