I think the theme AS is looking for is that Europeans tend to not put a value on their lives by having the most stuff. In Europe, there is always something to do...but it's not based on entertainment and having to pay for it. It's part of their culture. You can go into just about any town/city square on any weekend and find something to do for free, whether it be festivals, concerts, etc. The only thing you have to pay for is the beer and food. Things like this are usually lacking in the US, as it's more about money.
For example, this past weekend was a three-day metal festival where the only charge was on the food and beer. Everything else was free. And yes, the bands got paid because it was considered a cultural event and the money came from the city. Granted, they were local bands but some were fairly big bands, even though they were local as well: Raintime, Elvenking, Karnak, Pathosray, and others. Not my favorites, except for Karnak, but these bands travel to the US for festivals and all over Europe.
It's just a different mindset than in the US, but not in respect to business. European business is just as corrupt as American. The difference is that business and culture are two different things in Europe, but in the US not so much.