Common Dreams
We are five Americans living in social democratic Norway. We think that our experiences provide a unique perspective as to why it is that so many Americans so strongly support the reforms called for by the platform of Sen. Bernie Sanders.
Our time in Norway also helps to explain why it is so challenging for many Americans to imagine Sanders’ proposals in concrete terms. We draw from our dual reality of living in Norway while looking over—with critical eyes—at what’s going on in the United States.
The five of us moved from all corners of the U.S .to Norway, for different reasons. Despite these differences, we’ve all come to the conclusion that the Sanders campaign provides necessary answers to challenges that the U.S. faces.
The five of us are constantly reminded of the many ways in which our lives in Norway stand in stark contrast to the lives of our friends and family back home. Americans often explain their political choices by drawing on concrete life experiences—it’s also the same with us. Notably, the years we’ve lived in Norway have provided us with visceral proof of the type of society it’s possible to create together and the time it may take for these possibilities to feel real.
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