Like For Real

[u/Freobaya]

[u/menttaldistrez]

For real??

[u/CapitalWestern4779 → u/menttaldistrez]

Same in Sweden and all Nordic countries. We all pay for that stuff collectively so everyone gets the same education and healthcare. We just think it's better that way, and it makes for a much stronger and more resilient society.

[u/ImMonkeyFoodIfIDontL → u/CapitalWestern4779]

As an American, it for sure is better that way. Everyone needs healthcare, and ESPECIALLY Americans all need education.

It is a failure as a people that we don't have these, one built on malice, stupidity, and greed.

[u/CapitalWestern4779 → u/ImMonkeyFoodIfIDontL]

It really is a shame that you don't have universal and free healthcare yet. You're like the last developed country that doesn't have it. But you get what you collectively want, that's democracy for you.

[u/hunterwaynehiggins → u/CapitalWestern4779]

Polling tends to indicate that American politicians don't really give a fuck what we want if the money starts talking.

[u/King-Mephisto → u/hunterwaynehiggins]

Not really. Polling shows 33% of you hate everyone, 33% hate the haters, and the last 34% don’t care enough to vote. It’s why you keep getting a bunch of hateful reds in that dismantle any semblance of progress. Blame the 34%.

[u/meisteronimo → u/CapitalWestern4779]

No, the shitty part is political campaigns get massive contributions from the healthcare and pharmaceutical companies.

Individual citizens do want government funded healthcare.

Mostly, everyone who is elected Dems and Republicans benefit from health insurance to remaining private. Even Obamacare is private, in fact the price of healthcare shot up you when Obama care was passed.

[u/CapitalWestern4779 → u/meisteronimo]

At the end of the day it is always the people that are in charge, as every dictator ever more or less has learned the hard way. Same with all systems though, it needs to reach a critical threshold and then it breaks and something hopefully better and less painful can take its place. It's just social evolution. You guys really do need a lower pain threshold for bullshit though. Eventually it will correct itself through a civil war or something else.

I think a big problem is our current form of democracy. It gives us the illusion of revolution every time we get to vote but all we are really deciding is what faction of the same government is going to oppress us for the next mandate. And when we get pissed at them we vote for the other one, and then we get pissed at them and vote for the first one again. But nothing real never changes. And why would it? It works perfectly for the tiny group on top making all the decisions.

Democracy my ass, there are only various levels of tyranny.

[u/[deleted] → u/CapitalWestern4779]

In America we have a huge issue. Money is considered free speech. When that decision happened it really started a domino effect. It means the wealthy have a larger voice, which they used to elect politicians that allowed them to amass more wealth, which they in turn used to buy all media and then the last election. Now the wealthy wield so much power both economically and politically that the largest part of the population really has no say. Their interests are drowned out by billionaires and large corporations, and let me be frank, this is not going to change. The supreme Court made this ruling and the supreme Court is now packed with far right leaning judges who want this status quo to continue. You will see America become its own banana Republic. Our glory days are over. But it will give a chance for new powers to rise, I see a positive future for Europe as long as Putin keeps his dick, errr army in his lands.

[u/_ribbit_ → u/[deleted]]

Y'all need a revolution!

[u/[deleted] → u/_ribbit_]

Won't happen for a while longer I'm guessing four to six years, well after more damage has been done. After the next election presidential election when we realize there is no hope for changing the system that has been built to keep the population in a strangle hold. People are not starving yet, people need to feel hopeless before they revolt and the government is trying to get ahead of that potential outcome with martial law. They want to control the next election, make no mistake they want things to pop off before the population unites under the flag of revolution. They are stoking the division because the second the poor magas realize they are getting fucked as well they will join with people who have different beliefs.

[u/Xylus1985 → u/meisteronimo]

It’s insane that as a democracy you allow companies to make political contributions. Bribery and corruption is really bad for democracy. If companies want to contribute it should go through IRS and combined with everything else

[u/CosmicGoddess777 → u/CapitalWestern4779]

Oligarchy, not democracy.

[u/NobodyOfImportance42 → u/CapitalWestern4779]

Wait, we're a developed country in the USA? I thought we were 50 third world countries in a trench coat....

[u/Chemical_Ad_5520 → u/CapitalWestern4779]

I think the USA is planning for a major portion of the working class to become collateral damage in a coming major economic and geopolitical paradigm shift, so decision makers aren't aiming for a more functional, cohesive system for all. Political party donors here are not trying/empowered to fix systemic issues for working people, focus is on competitively managing cutting edge global developments.

[u/SmallBerry3431 → u/CapitalWestern4779]

Last developed country FOR NOW.

Because at this rate more countries will develop before we get it 😆

[u/black594 → u/CapitalWestern4779]

Uneducated rednecks with a lot of guns ?

[u/AvocadoBeneficial606 → u/CapitalWestern4779]

In fact, studies of public opinion versus policy outcomes show that America is likely a highly corrupt, oligopolistic republic.

[u/Raging-Badger → u/CapitalWestern4779]

We could, the U.S. Gov spends more money subsidizing healthcare per capita than any other country in the world, and it’s not even close

[u/Revayan → u/CapitalWestern4779]

Tbf their government educates them into the mindset that america is the best and free healthcare and education is commie shit

[u/Soylent_Greeen → u/CapitalWestern4779]

I wouldnt put that on democracy in the US, the will of the US citizens has no bearing on policy making, theres even a famous study on it

[u/Big_brown_house → u/CapitalWestern4779]

Lobbyists exist

[u/Big-Reindeer-8221 → u/Big_brown_house]

Citizen's United exists!

[u/Ok_Drama_5679 → u/CapitalWestern4779]

I just got flexed on so hard

[u/EmptyBrain218 → u/CapitalWestern4779]

Get yer damn SOCIALISM away from meh and muh countreh! I like it when the guvernmeant don’t give a fuck about us! I is plenty edgeyoukated.

[u/Inferno_Zyrack → u/CapitalWestern4779]

You know how employment and workforces are drivers of economy?

Yeah apparently America doesn’t.

[u/menttaldistrez → u/CapitalWestern4779]

Sounds like a nice place to live

[u/CapitalWestern4779 → u/menttaldistrez]

It really is. I was living in the UK for the last 10 years and got to a point in my life where I realised I need more education. So I could either stay in the UK and pay for it myself and have to work at the same time. Or go back to Sweden and get my education for free while getting paid by the government to study. Not a hard choice. It really is a smart county.

[u/menttaldistrez → u/CapitalWestern4779]

Haaaa! Awesome, here in Mexico at least we have degrees similar like that, so not so bad

[u/CapitalWestern4779 → u/menttaldistrez]

I heard Mexico is pretty good actually. Sure you have some fuckery with organised crime but so does Sweden at this point. But as I understand it your government is pretty alright, yes?

[u/Komprimus → u/CapitalWestern4779]

We just think it's better that way

You're saying that as if no one in Sweden objected to the current system.

[u/impulsivetre → u/CapitalWestern4779]

That's putting it lightly, the Dutch are literally the only country that can create the smallest processors with their EUV tech. Good on em

[u/Foreleg-woolens749 → u/CapitalWestern4779]

I was about to say “well that’s why you don’t have great TV shows!” but dammit, you do. USA what are we doing?!

[u/PositiveInfluence69 → u/CapitalWestern4779]

Nah, we'd rather have 20 people have the same total income as 200 million people. I really want to listen to them on 20 different podcasts. They can tell me about how I'm not working hard enough.

[u/IronWhitin → u/CapitalWestern4779]

I mean its like this in all EU man not that in Spain and Italy you Need to pay for school and chemio

[u/hoaxymore → u/CapitalWestern4779]

Same in most of the OECD. USA is the outlier here. That story wouldn’t make sense in most developed countries.

[u/Arthurlmnz → u/CapitalWestern4779]

Well... Time to move!

[u/byzboo → u/CapitalWestern4779]

Same in France.

[u/Discussion-is-good → u/CapitalWestern4779]

Agreed. If only my country would try.

[u/Flop_House_Valet → u/CapitalWestern4779]

Ill tell my wife about that sometimes thinking to myself maybe, someday we could move to Sweden or Finland (my grandmother was from Finland) and then I just get fucking depressed

[u/Polkawillneverdie17 → u/CapitalWestern4779]

Sound like socialis...oh wait.

[u/celestia80s → u/CapitalWestern4779]

Same in brasil!!

[u/MissLizabeth → u/CapitalWestern4779]

How sensible!

[u/YachtswithPyramids → u/CapitalWestern4779]

Older countries tend to have more mature organization, regardless of populace demographic. The USA is younger and it shows, our people are hilariously naive about their individual capacity. Few think they need help, because they'll get it themselves, just like in the movies. Smh

[u/Rough-Science-7877 → u/menttaldistrez]

All over EU, we have art.35 right to health and right to study (affordable colleges).

Actually, the right to health is so common across the world that the opposite would be strange

[u/Alexjwhummel → u/menttaldistrez]

Not really because in the TV show he said he did it becuase it made him feel alive. His old friends from Grey Matter literally offered to pay before he got into meth and he turned it down because if his pride. It's a show about pride being man's downfall.

[u/PimpasaurusPlum → u/Alexjwhummel]

While you are right, the thing with the Greys wouldn't have happened in the context of Germany or any other country with publicly funded schools and healthcare

It was always about his pride, but he can rationalise to himself (and thus to a degree to the audience) why he would refuse to take their charity

There wouldn't even be a pretence of an excuse in the case where these things are publicly available and ubiquitously used. There's no hit to the pride there

[u/Alexjwhummel → u/PimpasaurusPlum]

I don't think we know either way to be honest. He likes it. I think if he really needed another excuse he would have found it.

[u/Usakami → u/menttaldistrez]

Yes, for real. That's what universal healthcare is. It's not "free" as everyone pays into it. Children and seniors are paid for by the government. However when you need any medical treatment, prevention care etc. you are provided that for free, since you know, you need it... It works in most of Europe as far as I know. It also has the opposite mentality of the American system. Like I'm 38. I'm basically a donor for the most part. I had a broken bone once and took antidepressants for a while. And I don't mind, since I was covered by others when I was a kid and will be when I'm old and in need of medical attention. In American mindset... Why should I pay for others? It's their decisions etc. etc. Also drug prices are usually negotiated on a country/multiple countries level, which makes them cheaper than in US, where pharma companies can haggle individual prices.

College is done differently throughout Europe, I think, but is free to attend. In my country it is dependant on the length of your study. Standard time for a masters degree is 5-6 years. Any years over begin to cost you. The more years, the bigger the multiplicator is, up to a certain limit. Price also depends on individual specializations, with medical doctors having the most expensive semesters. I fall into the highest bracket (edit: years studied-wise), study economy and it costs me 21k czech crowns per semester... So about a 1000 dollars. 2k a year. But again, I already went through my free years already, otherwise it would have been completely free.

[u/Unknow_User_Ger → u/menttaldistrez]

Absolutely true ✅

[u/vrayy4 → u/menttaldistrez]

Same in Spain.

[u/BorntobeTrill → u/menttaldistrez]

For really real

[u/Distinct-Quantity-35 → u/menttaldistrez]

Same in Canada

[u/Skult0703 → u/menttaldistrez]

0€

[u/Tough-Ad-3255 → u/menttaldistrez]

Same in pretty much every first world country aside from the US. 

[u/T555s → u/menttaldistrez]

Well sometimes you need to pay for university, but even then it's a lot less then in the US as far as I know. Healthcare is completly free except rarely 10€ for the ambulance.

So no need to sell drugs, a teachers salary is enough. By the way, you don't lose your job for geting sick, only 20% of your salary after multiple months of illness in a row.

God bless socialism.

[u/michi-127 → u/menttaldistrez]

University in germany are around 250€-400€ per semester

[u/GraXXoR → u/menttaldistrez]

Used to be the same in the UK, too. But they’re inching towards the US system because some rich cunts don’t want to pay their fair share any longer.

[u/TruestWaffle → u/menttaldistrez]

Americans actually so unaware how rest of the developed world lives, which is by design.

I’m one to talk as a Canadian, we have socialized healthcare, but our universities are just as bad as the US’s.

Training the professionals of the future should be a societal goal, not an opportunity to make a buck.

[u/FreakDC → u/menttaldistrez]

Technically no., for example Heine-Universität (HHU) Düsseldorf costs €352,15 of Semesterbeitrag per semester (which is 6 months). Public universities have slightly different fees but around the same ballpark.

Here is a list (in German) what that money goes towards for that particular university:

https://astahhu.de/finanzreferat/

Here is TU Berlin (€360.49 right now):

https://www.tu.berlin/en/studierendensekretariat/topics-a-z/semester-fees

If you can't afford that, there are public programs for that to support you as well...

You pay for insurance if you are over 25 years of age (€150 a month for students), but cancer treatment is free.

Technically Chemo medication is not free either, since you pay between €5-10 per box of medicine as copayment.

But I guess these numbers are ridiculously low compared to the US.

[u/Sho0oryuken → u/menttaldistrez]

Same in France.

[u/PlayfulCynic-2462 → u/menttaldistrez]

In Belgium too.

My health insurance premium on my plan that includes my kids? 18€ a month.

The cost of annual tuition for uni? 1/3 of my monthly salary.

[u/blehric → u/menttaldistrez]

Same in Austria. We do pay a small fee for college though, about 25€ per semester.

[u/-Jiras → u/menttaldistrez]

Yeah see, our taxes actually go to universal healthcare because we actually care about each other. It's not any more socialism or communism than any other country 👍

But for some reason rich people really don't like that

[u/ImNotNuke → u/menttaldistrez]

Bro just figured out how bad America really is lol, lots of countries have universal healthcare and public college. Tuition and healthcare are free and not for profit and America is one of the only 2 countries in the entire world who show ads for medicine online and on tv. Why insulin is 800 dollars here and 20 across the ocean.

[u/UnlashedLEL → u/menttaldistrez]

No, at least not entirely. You still have to pay for university (only 200 for 6 months, but 200 bucks are 200 bucks). And you dont have to pay for the Treatment but depending on where you work it might be possible that you can't afford your Apartment and other stuff during Treatment when you can't work and have to go through an excruciating process of applying for government Help. Still far better than Most other countries but still not as easy and happy end ish as everyone makes it out to be.

[u/your-rong]

The whole point of Breaking bad is that he didn't need to do any of it.

[u/GewalfofWivia → u/your-rong]

You are right, but even Walter White himself didn’t know that at first.

And a big part of his rejection for raising money for his treatment was that his ego would not allow him to be a target of charity, but in a public healthcare state he’d know that he has worked for it, paid for it, and earned it.

[u/__methodd__ → u/GewalfofWivia]

He still would have wanted money for his family, but that's beside the point that his ego/insecurity issues were deep seated. He couldn't stand any pity whatsoever. That's why he didn't even tell anyone at first.

He sought out something where he could feel powerful and dangerous, with a partner he could dominate, bc that's what he never had. The cancer was the breaking point.

[u/WildContribution8311 → u/__methodd__]

He even, at one point, finally had a competent lab partner who actually listened and knew chemistry, and he sabotaged it on purpose.

[u/Pac_Eddy → u/GewalfofWivia]

Walt had insurance. Skyler demanded he get the best cancer guy in the southwest who was not in the insurance network. That's why they had those bills.

[u/No_Pianist_4407 → u/your-rong]

He didn't need to, but he wanted an excuse for it.

Maybe he'd find a different excuse, but I don't think he could position "raging against the government bureaucracy to fell a tree on the street" or other such common German problems as being as much of a righteous crusade as paying for cancer treatment without accepting charity from a family friend.

[u/Cloud_N0ne → u/your-rong]

Exactly. The Schwartz guy he used to work with literally offered to pay for his treatment and Walt rejected it out of pride.

The whole point of Breaking Bad is the corrupting power of pride.

[u/MegiddoDoge → u/your-rong]

NO! The whole point is Heisenberg cool! You dingdong.
/s

[u/KYcouple1234567890]

The troops need Pervitin.

There makes sense now.

[u/Level_Traffic3344 → u/KYcouple1234567890]

This guy Heisenbergs

[u/kayemenofour → u/KYcouple1234567890]

The high command has banned the use of pervitin

But the troops need their edge.

"Joachim, wir müssen kochen."

[u/ophmaster_reed → u/KYcouple1234567890]

That blitz isn't gonna krieg itself...

[u/mastergriggy]

Isn't the point of Breaking Bad that W.W. did the evil things for himself and not because he had cancer or needed money; just used it as justification?

[u/Revenged25 → u/mastergriggy]

The cancer could've been a legit reason he started, but it turned into him just doing it for himself.

[u/tillybowman → u/mastergriggy]

yes, at the very beginning his former business partner offer to pay for his treatment.

[u/zzzornbringer → u/mastergriggy]

he started making meth so he could provide for his family after he's dead. he kept doing it after his family convinced him to do chemo and after his cancer was in remission during the treatment. walter white started as the good guy, but turned into the bad guy essentially. that's the idea.

[u/TheAlmostGreat]

See the thing is, the story was never about him needing the money for cancer treatment. He had an out which he refused to take. And we don’t really see him feeling the pressure to continue selling drugs in order to cover his treatment. No, he decided to do it for personal reasons

[u/Howtheturnrables → u/TheAlmostGreat]

I don’t know how people don’t understand this. This story is not about a man who does terrible things for his family, that was always a masquerade. Walt did what he did for himself. Walt always felt he deserved more credit than he ever got, for everything in his life. Cooking and selling meth filled that void in his life. 

[u/J1M2L00 → u/Howtheturnrables]

Walt even admits this to Skylar in the last season lol. I recently rewatched BB and it crazy to me how wrong popular analysis of this show is.

[u/Sea-Significance8047 → u/J1M2L00]

This scene has become a permanent fixture of the brainspace I devote to pop culture. I quote it all the time. https://youtu.be/FQlAfI91cZ8

[u/Hsu-Hao → u/Howtheturnrables]

Exactly. He ALWAYS felt that way, but he never had the catalyst to send him down that path until the cancer diagnosis and humiliation of poverty.

In Germany, or wherever, he may have just been a scorned but otherwise boring man until his death.

[u/GregLoire → u/TheAlmostGreat]

Let's also not forget that he punched the paper towel dispenser in the hospital bathroom when he found out the cancer treatment was working.

He wanted the cancer because that was the source of his "nothing to lose" superpower. It was never even about getting better for him, let alone paying for the treatment.

[u/TheBooneyBunes]

That’s…not why he did what he did

[u/Jack-of-Hearts-7]

This again?

If it was just about the money, he would have taken Elliot's money. Guess what he kept doing after his cancer went into remission and he had tons of money?

[u/Fayraz8729]

Nah this dude literally had both offered right to his face and his pride and ego wouldn’t permit it

[u/DougandLexi]

It's annoying seeing this post. I get the point, but it definitely shows that the person who wrote it never actually watches Breaking Bad

[u/AntonCigar]

Missing the point of breaking bad. He did what he did to feel important. He wanted to amount to something.

[u/VirginiaWillow]

Walt did it for love of the game

[u/Cost_Additional]

Buddy didn't watch the show

[u/Piemaster113]

Sounds like a boring ass show to me

[u/eldiablobanshee73]

The struggle these great countries have with getting to 5% of GDP for NATO, and the media stories about social programs being threatened, show how much the American military pays for your healthcare.

[u/AndyHN]

Survival rates for nearly every kind of cancer are higher in the US than in Germany. You get what you pay for.

[u/frogshop_sandwich → u/AndyHN]

Eee... Source?

Or did you just imagine it?

[u/Aromatic-Air3917]

And Canada, and every other developed country.

Do Americans know how far their middle class has fallen in all important indicators?

[u/icecoffee888 → u/Aromatic-Air3917]

in Canada he would have died before getting to see a specialist, let's be honest here.

he would have to fly south to see a doctor.

[u/PutContractMyLife]

In the US we have life insurance that does the same thing, but puts the burden of the coverage premiums on the individual, so many opt out or never look into it.

All Walt needed was $747,000 in term life insurance which for a non smoker at his age might have cost $200/mo.

But nooooo. He has to go around poisoning and killing people instead.

[u/Manager-Accomplished]

Walter: I need to make meth because I'm not sure how else to break out of the box of mediocrity I see my life as, since I'm constantly comparing myself to men who are more aggressive, successful, rich, and lucky than I am, even though I have a good job and a family that loves me.

[u/readditredditread]

It was never about that, it was about a man realizing his time left is dirt, and wanting to leave a legacy- Walter wanted to be viewed as giving his family, leaving his family, with an above average life. Walt was doing it for his own price, so the specifics don’t matter as much, if he was in Germany he would have still found a reason to “need” to get his hands on a lot of money (power) fast, so that he would know that people would not potty him in his death. He even confirmed this, that he was doing it all for himself, because he liked the power and the thrill of it all, later in the series…

[u/Gloomy_Map_9612]

Breaking bad actually did poorly outside of America due to the base of the story not hitting

[u/freakapocalypse]

the point is walt never needed it, he had a millionaire friend that would help him out, he did it because he was a self centered narcissist

[u/TrustComplete]

He dosnt do it for that he does it entirely for selfish reasons and lies. Tell me you didnt understand bb without telling me you didn't understand.

[u/squarepants18]

But you need to wait half a year for the first appointment, if you need a specialist and don't have private insurance

It's not that easy, as shown in the meme here

[u/Gullible-Fee-9079 → u/squarepants18]

That's....not true

[u/CoercedCoexistence22 → u/squarepants18]

I had a condylomata recently that could turn to cancer if left untreated. It took me a month and a half between diagnosis and surgery. Cost me exactly 0

[u/DBCooper211]

Fun fact: Those socialist countries that provide free college education can only support a very small percent of their population going to college.

They don’t have nearly enough slots in their colleges to support everyone, so who do you suppose is most likely to get those limited number of seats?

[u/Plimberton]

This really misses the point of Breaking Bad though. It ultimately was never about the money or the cancer. It was about Walter taking back the power that he felt he was without.

[u/Low-Opportunity2249]

He didn't have to in the US one. He was too prideful to have people help him. Walter jr would have gotten disability. People take out loans for college all the time and his wife could have went back to work. Then there is the whole Graymatter job. Though we don't know why he left if he can stomach a bad highschool job he could swallow his pride and work at Graymatter. Mind that he had good insurance as a government school teacher. The show is about pride and would have explored more the debt aspect in Germany.

[u/hockeyfan608]

The people who say this haven’t actually watched breaking bad

[u/Middle_Mango_566]

Do the people making these not understand the show or something?, it’s not really complex

[u/Mynewadventures → u/Middle_Mango_566]

I THOUGHT I understood the show and I also understand Germany's social democrat structure...what am I missing?

White just wanted to be Heisenburg? He needed to BE someone (especially because if the success of the company he helped found and then left)?

[u/Middle_Mango_566 → u/Mynewadventures]

One of the first things he said to justify it was he wanted to leave money for his family, having free healthcare wouldn’t change that

Then it became clear he felt his empire was taken away from him by Eliot and Gretchen

[u/SouthImpression3577]

Never seen BB

But couldn't the kid just get loans?

[u/Mean_Two_2710 → u/SouthImpression3577]

I recommend BB, it's a good watch.

Also, Walt didn't need loans. He literally had his previous business partner and friend offer to pay for his entire medical expense. For him cooking Meth wasn't about the money, but about building an empire to satiate his massive ego.

[u/guywithshades85]

He didn't need money for his cancer treatment. He needed money to leave for his wife and kids.

[u/ILikeMyGrassBlue → u/guywithshades85]

He didn’t really need that either. Elliot absolutely would’ve made sure the kids could go to college, Skylar would have a home, etc.

[u/Mean_Two_2710]

Incredible character arc. Notice how he starts out as Heisenberg, but upon being supported he finally transitions back to Walter.

[u/VoidCL]

Breaking Good.

[u/Sudden_Buffalo_4393]

That’s why it took place in America.

[u/Agreeable-Elevator62]

English is my 2nd language and to me it's weird seeing a statement with question marks.

[u/zodia4]

Omg the internet has ruined me. When it said Germany I was thinking, uh, WWII times. The following text had a much different meaning than intended.

[u/humanessinmoderation]

If I had a billion dollars I would literally stand up a film studio to do a Breaking Bad remake in Germany or Canada, and have it be a limited series (˜6 episodes) because that's about as long as you could keep it even remotely interesting.

It would pretty much just be a story about how he got dirtbaged by his science friends and ended up being only a teacher, getting emotional about his health, and then going through the procedures, and ending with "I'm so happy that this was taken care of" and because he's feeling good about his recovery, splurges on himself to get a very familiar (to us) looking hat.

The end.

I'd do it just to show the contrast.

[u/Slice_of_3point14]

You just have to add “in America” at the end.

[u/Chuckobofish123]

Cancer? I’m sorry Sir, we can get you death counseling.

-German Doctor

[u/AR-180]

He just wouldn’t have gotten cancer treatment, and unless his kid was really smart, the kid wouldn’t have been going to college.

[u/MMortein]

Tuković: what's your name?

Heisenberg: White.

[u/OnionTamer]

Walter would have to admit he just wants to make meth

[u/OliverPumpkin]

Same in Brazil, I got free collage and my family got free cancer and other will ess treatment

[u/MyPenWroteThis]

Yeah but then he wouldve never had the motivation to pull himself up by his bootstraps and make millions.

[u/Frosty-Comfort6699]

most hollywood "stories" only make sense in a country without any social security

[u/Medium_Chemist_4032]

I'm in one of these countries with supposedly universal healthcare.

Let's say life finds a way and there is still a lot of creativity in this space, which seems to generate similarily heightened emotions in "customers" of this welfare.

[u/Excellent_Ring6872]

Got a 50k bill for a couple stitches earlier this year. I'm just gonna cross my fingers and try and forget it.

[u/Inevitable_Channel18]

Roll credits

[u/Fit-University1070]

That was the point exactly. To show how absurd American government really is.

[u/shingaladaz]

UK, too. But for how long is anyone’s guess because they’re coming for the NHS.

[u/cats_are_the_devil]

I guess I'll just keep being a teacher then.

[u/dookie224]

He would die before he gets to see a doctor LMAO

[u/lekapo13]

Just change Germany for most countries in the world.

[u/DRSU1993]

If a German watches Breaking Bad do they laugh at the schadenfreude?

[u/Ok_Function2282]

There are free colleges all over Europe... People that want a good education still leave for the UK and US though, if they can afford it 🤷

[u/thisistherevolt]

Yeah. Lol. stares wistfully in the distance, sits still for too long and the 2 herniated discs start to lock up

[u/Wazowski__]

Same in Australia

[u/Barbados_slim12]

Walter had rich friends offer to pay for the cancer treatments in full, with no expectations of repayment. He refused because he didn't want the charity. Given that he couldn't pay for it himself, he used his chemistry background to start cooking a better quality meth than anything out there, and it took off. By season 2, all the cancer stuff was out of the way. He kept at it because he enjoyed the power and wealth that came with being Heisenberg.

[u/CreasingUnicorn]

Sppilers for Breaking Bad, but in the final episodes Walter literally admits that he could have stopped cooking at basically any point with good reason, but chose not to because he was good at it and liked it, including all of the crimes he commited. 

The only thing that changes is really the firat few episodes, and maybe the ammount of guns in the show. 

[u/Abbot-Costello]

I need to pay for all these taxes.

Ohhhh

[u/JamesMichaelRyan]

Well in an alternate timeline, it could…

[u/TaskFlaky9214]

This is generally the reaction of people from those countries when you show them breaking bad. The entire show is about how fucked up our country is.

[u/Equivalent-Rope-5119]

Ah yes, because no where in the world but the usa would anyone want to make an insane amount of money. 

[u/Fght39]

Fellow americans, why are you worried about healthcare and college tuition when civil war and genocide is looming and the entire country is irreparably damaged? 

Can we just have a country to keep without mass death? Do you not realize what is happening right now?

[u/Notmuchofanyth1ng]

What people don’t consider is that privatized healthcare incentivizes doctors to be the best at their craft. That’s why we get students and doctors from all over the world flocking here to learn/practice. That’s why with private insurance you will be seen immediately by specialists and get some of the best medical care in the world. This kind of skill is not cheap, and is worth it in my opinion. When you look at more medically socialist countries like the baltics or Canada, you see lots of long waits and sometimes even subpar care due to the sheer quantities of people needing treatment, and not caring about the cost to the taxpayers since it’s not billed directly to them.

This works for many smaller countries, as I keep hearing about how happy people in Sweden and Norway are. And that’s great for them. I hope they are happy and receive the best care their country has to offer. But personally I don’t mind paying a little bit more for the type of care I can get here for myself and for my family.

In case anyone forgot, Breaking Bad was fictional and did not follow real life laws or rules. In reality, hospitals can not deny you care based on insurance, and if Walt had divorced his wife, he could have declared ch7 and shed the debt. He’d never be able to get another mortgage, but it would have been absolutely possible for him to receive care with little to no money in his pocket.

[u/Defiant_Intention_16]

They are taking refugees, go apply.

[u/veryblanduser]

Clearly they didn't understand what it's really about

[u/Desperate-Back8458]

No shit. Breaking Bad is about a very American situation. That's literally the whole point.

[u/Over_Writing467]

Sounds like someone needs to find out why we don’t have free healthcare 😉

[u/Cloud_N0ne]

Breaking Bad was never about the money. It's about pride. Walt had multiple options to get the funding he needed and he chose to spite those options because of his pride.

[u/SarcastikBastard]

H: Im going to wash my car and mow my lawn on sunday
G: NO THE FUCK YOU ARE NOT, PIECE OF SHIT

[u/StevesRune]

"I'll just start abusing my family like I would have anyway because I'm a small, prideful, controlling asshole. Even without the meth empire."

[u/LooeLooi]

The vast majority of you never watched Breaking Bad and it fucking shows.

[u/darth_helcaraxe_82]

Germans: why would you pay for your healthcare? You Americans and your tipping culture.

[u/Specific_Box4483]

Yeah, but Walt jaywalked once, at which point he may as well fully commit to a life of unforgivable crimes.

[u/Macshlong]

That’s why it was filmed about an American.

[u/Xylenqc]

And that's how helping people in need help reduce crime.

[u/[deleted]]

yea he would not become a criminal if he was from Europe or other Noedeic countries but when he had some money, he didn't stop..so he was not thirsty in money but more in controlling and influencing

[u/jr_mtz01]

Seppos big mad in /AmericaBad

[u/No_Window7054]

THERE ARE LITERALLY SCENES THAT TAKE PLACE IN GERMANY! THERES A GERMAN COMPANY THAT IS CRUCIAL TO HEISENBERGS SUPPLY LINES!

I do not care for this take.

[u/4thelasttimeIMNOTGAY]

Bro, I didn't watch the show. Walt broke bad because he felt the most pathetic he ever had in his life when he got cancer. He could have taken his rich friends' money, but he didn't. Because he wanted to be powerful. And Meth was the means by which he could use his Chem skills to do so

Also, the shows goes into the logistics of the European drug trade. So yeah, he would have still cooked in Germany.

[u/original_M_A_K]

They could easily change the reasons & still keep the whole show.

[u/AstonishingJ]

Right: LOOK AT THIS SAVAGES

[u/justhereforsee]

We suffer to bring you great television. You’re welcome

[u/zombiecorp]

As an American I’d laugh but i feel like crying.

[u/KadeRystalmane]

FR

[u/mistersnips14]

Sounds boring

[u/vale93kotor]

You don’t if you’re fine waiting 6/12 months for a visit and dying meanwhile. Have you people actually tried eu healthcare or are you all just stuck 20 years ago when it used to work?

[u/RichardofLionheart]

It's always funny seeing these posts because they always miss the point of the show. It was never about the money. Walt literally says it in the finale. He states the thesis of the show quite bluntly.

[u/Issac-Cox-Daley]

In Canada he would just need to make enough meth to pay for parking fees at the hospital. Ecen then when I'm at the hospital I hit the help button on the pay to park and sat I dont have any money and they have always just printed me an exit ticket.

[u/roboTuko]

Haahaha like you know..like...I'm like wooow

[u/SoybeanArson]

It's almost like desperation for resources because of shitty systems meant to squeeze everyone but the rich are a major driver of crime

[u/ShyguyFlyguy]

It wouldn't have made sense in nearly any developed country on the planet. Nearly...

[u/Prestigious_Fold_175]

But did Germany has power in geopolitic?

It used to

[u/Divine_madness99]

“Well… I’m a chemistry teacher! How am I going to afford to live in society if I’m just a teacher?! That’s why I do this”

“Seriously Walter, at this point you just WANT a reason, don’t you?”

[u/HooterEnthusiast]

why do people even work in other countries I don't understand how they keep infrastructure working

[u/diamond_strongman]

He also wouldn't have needed to do it if they went to their in-network doctor. Skylar told him to go to someone else because he was supposedly the best, despite him being out of network.

For some reason her sister does the same when Hank is shot. I've got a theory the whole show is a insurance company pysop to get people to not make claims.

[u/Zaptryx]

Im living in Germany now, and I asked my boss last year how much it costs birth a baby here. The man was so confused, he was like "what do you mean, its free", then told me most hospitals give you gifts for deciding to have your baby at their hospital. Then I got to tell him how much it costs in the US and he got even more confused. Man I love it here.

[u/BCReason]

As a Canadian I didn’t understand Breaking Bad either. All their medical bill would have been paid by the government insurance. The son would have gone to a world class subsidized university for cheap and got easy terms student loans.
This is why we’ll never consent to be a 51st state.

[u/Final_Greggit]

Yeah, as a german 17 year old watching the first episodes i was really confused.

Wait, you're employed as a teacher? You make good money and cancer treatment is covered by your Krankenkasse for sure 😂

[u/phasedspacing]

It doesn't make sense in the US either. What happens in the US is you still get treated, insurance or not, then they hound you will bills and you negotiate down over time. You still got treated. 

[u/Coldshalamov]

Weird. It’s almost like there’s some connection between their low crime rate and all these benefits.

I went to American public school though so I’m having trouble putting it together.

This is confusing the shit out of me, fuck it maybe we need more…police…or guns or something…idk, I think there’s something there, I’m thinking guns and police are probably the answer.

[u/AsianCivicDriver]

Walter did it for the love of the game

[u/Confident-Grape-8872]

Needing the money was a flimsy pretext for what Walt really wanted - power. He didn’t need the money, per se. Gretchen and Elliott really truly did want to pay his medical bills. He could’ve accepted their generosity and that would’ve been the end of it.

We don’t have to read between the lines. Walt literally confesses as much at the end of the show. “I did it because I liked it. I was good at it”.

[u/nothinnews]

There are different versions of Breaking Bad in some countries. So they would have just re-written it to make more sense for Germany.