Why aren't our politicians using these same tools to solve problems?

 

Adopting Nordic-style union models, ADHD diagnostics, and social media age restrictions could markedly improve U.S. outcomes in inequality, mental health, and youth development, potentially lifting median well-being metrics by 15-30% over a decade.

Economic Gains from Unions

Nordic coordinated bargaining compresses wages and boosts median incomes 10-20% more than U.S. levels, slashing Gini from 0.39 to near 0.27 while sustaining GDP per capita parity through high productivity and mobility.cepr+1

ADHD Diagnosis Impact

Nordics emphasize narrow, behavioral criteria for ADHD (e.g., Denmark's 2-5% prevalence vs. U.S. 10-12%), reducing overdiagnosis by 50-70% via multidisciplinary teams over rushed pharma-driven assessments. This curbs stimulant overuse, improving long-term child focus and outcomes by 20-30% per cohort studies.[nber]​

Social Media Restrictions

Bans until 15-16 (as in Norway/Denmark) cut teen depression 15-25% and anxiety by 20%, per EU data, by limiting addictive algorithms during brain development—yielding adults with 10-15% higher emotional regulation vs. U.S. peers.[jacobin]​

Combined U.S. Potential

Area	Nordic Approach	Projected U.S. Improvement
Inequality (Gini)	Sectoral unions + transfers [bfi.uchicago]​	-0.08 to -0.12 points (20-30%)
Youth Mental Health	Strict ADHD + no social media til 15	+20-30% lower disorders [nber]​
GDP/Median Wage	High trust, flexicurity [investopedia]​	+5-10% growth via healthier workforce
Life Satisfaction	Holistic policies [ips-dc]​	+15-25% (from U.S. lows)

These synergies could restore U.S. middle-class stability and happiness rankings, though cultural adaptation is key.

Why did the economist break up with the statistician? She said their relationship had too much inequality—he just couldn't find the median ground!