OK to those of you who have read and commented on my blog entry about India and China. Know that it was a form of comic relief... Come on you have to admit many were funny. This was written in the space of 45 minutes.... And was due to an email I received. I'm tired of hearing how today's kids are not going to compete against kids from China and India. I have 4 very intelligent kids and know they will face awesome competition for college etc... But, we are not the Greatest Democracy on the face of the earth because of luck. It takes many centuries of hard work and mostly an entrepreneurial spirit to get to where we as a country are today. Many brave people explored, this country, raised families and gave their life's work to create companies and advance ideas that were once dreams of theirs.
America has always had open arms and accepts all people of any country... NOT just the best and brightest. America is a GREAT country due in large part to our Freedom, the constitution, and the ability for free people to be creative and grow, by not being under the thumb of an oppressive empire.
Neither China nor India have been able to duplicate this effort. And for that matter Russia and any other country.
I'm not saying we are better. Just different in a way that encourages growth, and the entrepreneurial spirit. I don't see where this has been duplicated anywhere with the exception of maybe Israel. The UK has bounced back recently too. And this is THE MAIN attraction that brings many of the worlds best and brightest to our country to learn and live and raise a family.
There are many industrious people who bring great talent and knowledge to this country but you have to wonder why they are not as successful in their home country?
I think there are obvious reasons and some that are not so clear. China is not a free society. You are property of the state over there. India has too much ingrained racism. I know they call it a Cast system.. But come on it's just another name for racism. Apartheid was similar. We had similar prejudice in this country back in the early years of the 1600's-1800's and the 1900's were where a change started... We have a way to go as well.
Ask any Indian and you will understand why you can almost always tell what a person does for a living and what Cast they are in depending on their last name. Also the cast determines who you may marry. I often did genealogy with my mother as a young child and there were similarities with this in America and Europe as well. Last name of Miller meant you created mills etc.
Now I do like the fact that marriage is often delayed till later in your 20's or early 30's in India. I still don't understand the need to get married and raise kids right out of high school but we still have millions that do that over here.
If my mother and Father lined me up with 6-10 women to pick one to possibly marry that would have been pretty cool... But I can tell you I would have had nothing to do with it... When I was in my 20's.
If you operate from a stand point that anything man can conceive he can achieve.... you get close to the entrepreneurial spirit that makes America great. If you give freedom and stand back and watch creative people do what they do best you get amazing results. From freedom comes great industry and invention.
I admire poeple from all countries who come here to make a better life for themselves. I just can't help but wonder what is hampering this same person from doing the same in ther home country. IF we could raise the level in all countries what a great future we would hold indeed.
I meet many Indian and Pakistani Doctors and professionals who have come to practice Medicine in America. I like them alot... Friendly, polite as well as well educated, and very strong family values. I have never shared a bit of knowledge with an Indian or Pakistani and been told I was a smart alec. They thirst for knowledge and seem to understand that all knowledge is good and openly share this with whomever they meet. I often found that throughout my life I was so proud to share my knowledge with others.. only to be considered arrogant or a know it all... All I wanted to do was share knowledge not make you feel like you were not as smart or to be a show off.
I just wonder how much their country could benefit if they brought back what they have learned here. You just can't stop asking... Why can't they do as well at home?
I'm amazed at how quickly all that America has to offered is absorbed by many who move here to better their life. Multiple jobs, schools, degrees... Etc. I think they are on the right track by emphasizing education. Now if we could just get that Lame Charlie Crist from Florida to get education as his top priority maybe Florida could graduate 90% of it's young people instead of the paltry amount we do now. http://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/2007/pdf/24_2007.pdf
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1 comment:
I understand where you're coming from as far as the "comic relief" goes, but I have to tell you, your post wasn't very funny. Maybe if you had gone way over the top as some comedians do about this topic, it'd be clearer you were kidding. There's plenty of humor in the immigration situation, but I felt the way you put it was elitist and a little mean.
Also, you make these broad-sweeping generalizations: "Neither China nor India have been able to duplicate this effort. And for that matter Russia and any other country." are you well-versed in the histories of all of those countries? saying stuff like that just makes it seem like you don't know what the heck you're talking about.
America does NOT have open arms to all people from any country. If you looked at the books right now for how hard it is on LEGAL immigrants, you would want to pull your hair out. i personally know people who have been filling out expensive forms and waiting for YEARS to come here, and here's a girl who did everything correctly and is still getting screwed by the system.
I'm not going to argue the fact that things are bad in other countries, which is an incentive for people to want to come here and have more opportunities. I definitely agree with you that those opportunities are what make the US so great. but i think it's important to realize that there are PLENTY of great thinkers who stay and make a difference in their own countries. S. Korean researchers are closer to developing a flu vaccine that doesn't require a needle injection.
You are absolutely right that the United States has to give our education system some serious thought, because it's easy to get lazy when you're at the top, and it's becoming clear that other countries are working hard—we should be working harder. Why can't we use the success of other countries as an inspiration to get ourselves in gear and compete instead of whining about it or pretending it's not happening by insulting them?
I'm not sure you're aware, but there's an extremely strong caste system right here in the United States: based on class. How many towns have a "wrong side of the tracks"? How many soldiers have been recruited from low-income areas because it's the only real shot they will have to get an education and that's the only shot the military has right now to fulfill all the big plans they have for Iraq? How many of our lawmakers/rich-and-famous have sent their kids to the front lines? Not many. Who often benefits from tax breaks and lobbyist-influenced laws? The wealthy.
It's noble to want to share knowledge with people, but it really helps if your "knowledge" is based on facts. Do you even know any Chinese or Indian people beyond pleasantries? I'm willing to bet that if you spent a little time asking them questions instead of telling them about themselves, you'd find that a lot of what you believe you "know" may need a second look.
I saw this video a while back, and your post made me remember it. Competition for "World Leader" is heating up, and if we don't adjust our way of thinking soon, we WILL be left behind. I'm doing my part to be aware of what's going on in the world. Are you?
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