Comments on: Why China makes our electronic products (it’s not just cheaper labor)

By: Mike

Mike — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 15:46:01 +0000

I would be more concerned about energy conservation and gas conservation. Since solar power are being used everyday, I think more people are aware about this energy problem.

By: Bastiat's Ghost

Bastiat's Ghost — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 21:34:30 +0000

Humans do 2 things in this universe: gather and process matter and energy, and design the geometric conformation of matter and energy.

Developing economies tend to focus on gathering and processing matter and energy.

Developed economies tend to focus on designing the geometric conformation of matter and energy.

The only relevant issue is where in space-time it is most efficient to carry out these activities. See: Frederic Bastiat, “The Petition of Candlestick-Makers”, 1845.

By: matthew

matthew — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 20:15:30 +0000

Well, wherever they are made I wish there was both a higher standard for quality (long-lasting/durable products) and human rights in the factories.

By: HollyTree

HollyTree — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 23:28:49 +0000

Add to the downfall of America the increase in mysogyny and sexist attitudes of idiot men (as exemplified in by Nyk above) who think that only men can be engineers. Your attitude will be the death of you.

By: Cybernettr

Cybernettr — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 03:48:19 +0000

Add to that the fact that China has a very cautious immigration policy, as opposed to that of the US, and you have a recipe for disaster!

By: Nyk

Nyk — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 09:47:01 +0000

The US and its vassals cannot hope to compete with China as long as they don’t have self-sustaining economic and social systems. High levels of socialism and corporatism (crony capitalism) are putting the brakes on economic growth, while low birth rates among high-IQ STEM workers coupled with high birth rates among the less intelligent poor are putting a halt to scientific progress, by reducing the overall number of minds capable of doing science and increasing the number of minds engaged in crime and other activities detrimental to society. Our future is either the Singularity or the Idiocracy. There is no middle choice.

In China, hard-working smart men are rewarded with good jobs, good wives and high social status. In the US, they are rewarded with middle-class, highly-taxed jobs, the most beautiful women are not interested in them, while the have to cope with the crime of the underclass as well as the bailouts of the rich.

It’s not hard to see which country has the better incentives for creating prosperity.

By: Thomas Jensen

Thomas Jensen — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:53:08 +0000

I am not sure what tomorrows internet is going to be, but one thing I think will be here soon is virtual worlds with 100% immersion, IE, so advanced that it’s impossible to tell them apart from the real world, when you’re inside them. This will be huge in gaming and other sorts of entertainment. The total immersion will be made by direct connection to the nervous system and during immersion signals from the artificial world will replace real signals from your body. The brain will be fooled with 100% efficiency, just like when we are dreaming. Effectively, it will be on-demand dreaming without sleeping and remaining conscious.
I think a big part of it for many people trapped in a modern world that they find too complex is going to be escapism into a simpler world. They essentially want to live in the medieval times or similar low-tech simplicity, but still want the option of modern healthcare and such. Total immersion can give them that. This opens up business opportunities in numbers we have scarcely allowed ourselves to dream about.
Timeline for this? I’d say about ten years to the first working systems and in twenty it’s going to be a major business.

By: Giulio Prisco

Giulio Prisco — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:42:45 +0000

Khannea, the Chinese are following, to the letter, the teachings of your ancestor Sun Tzu in The Art of War. That ancient (and surprisingly modern) book is their master road-map. We should read it again, too, or else.

By: Khannea Suntzu

Khannea Suntzu — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:15:54 +0000

It’s the reality of the world – always been – but that word “compete” disgusts me.

By: Martin Putters

Martin Putters — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 20:23:32 +0000

What exactly are tomorrow’s innovations: I don’t know, but most likely it has something to do with robotics, nano technology, gen technology, information technology and/or energy technology.