Ask HN: Why has humanity failed to innovate in the past decade? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: Why has humanity failed to innovate in the past decade?

#51

Post by dazzawazza » Fri, Jan 08, 2010, 12:30 PM UTC

It may not seem like a revolution but I think the micro loan model is a huge revolution. Not just because it lifts people from poverty and empowers.

One of the most important things it does is show people in rich countries that poor people are both hard working and honest and are not in need of charity but are in need of help.

We've been stuck in a cycle of giving charity to poor countries and nothing seems to be getting better. MLs have helped to break that cycle and empower ordinary people (not warlords, clerics or politicians).

So I think that's an innovation :)

Re: Ask HN: Why has humanity failed to innovate in the past decade?

#52

Post by philwelch » Fri, Jan 08, 2010, 1:08 PM UTC

shabda wrote: post #50

jacoblyles wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am pretty sure he is the first black man elected head of state in any country that is not majority black, and I know of no precedent of a leader being elected from any racial minority that makes up only 13% of a nation. Outside of cutting into people's brains and taking out in-group preferences that have existed since before the Cambrian explosion, I don't know what else you want us to do. Barack's election does sa…

> Now the rest of the world, they are still racist as hell. Try pulling the same stunt in Japan, or France. And thats statement is not racists at all > I know of no precedent of a leader being elected from any racial minority that makes up only 13% of a nation. India. We currently have a Sikh PM(religious minority, 1.3%, from wikipedia), our last President was Muslim(13.43%). There have been 3 Presidents of India, fr…

Try #3, Thomas Jefferson, a deist.

Re: Ask HN: Why has humanity failed to innovate in the past decade?

#53

Post by samstokes » Fri, Jan 08, 2010, 2:01 PM UTC

Smartphones are transformative. They're already affecting popular culture and will do so even more as they become more widespread. (One simple example: arranging to meet a friend at a location new to one or both of you can be more spontaneous if you both have GPS-enabled local search.)

I suspect most of the changes are for the better, although I'm sure there's an argument to the contrary.

Re: Ask HN: Why has humanity failed to innovate in the past decade?

#54

Post by jsz0 » Fri, Jan 08, 2010, 5:45 PM UTC

dnsworks wrote: post #45

jsz0 wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Personally I don't think there's anything inherently bad about acknowledging someone's membership in a minority group. Otherwise I feel like we're denying minorities, and majorities, an important perspective on how we got to where we are today.

At some point I like to think there will be no concept of minority groups. Just people. But sadly we're allowed to pass on bad lessons to our children, so old hatreds just stick around forever.

I think we're getting there. It's just a long process.

Re: Ask HN: Why has humanity failed to innovate in the past decade?

#55

Post by jacoblyles » Fri, Jan 08, 2010, 11:39 PM UTC

shabda wrote: post #50

jacoblyles wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am pretty sure he is the first black man elected head of state in any country that is not majority black, and I know of no precedent of a leader being elected from any racial minority that makes up only 13% of a nation. Outside of cutting into people's brains and taking out in-group preferences that have existed since before the Cambrian explosion, I don't know what else you want us to do. Barack's election does sa…

> Now the rest of the world, they are still racist as hell. Try pulling the same stunt in Japan, or France. And thats statement is not racists at all > I know of no precedent of a leader being elected from any racial minority that makes up only 13% of a nation. India. We currently have a Sikh PM(religious minority, 1.3%, from wikipedia), our last President was Muslim(13.43%). There have been 3 Presidents of India, fr…

>And thats statement is not racists at all

No, it's more culturalist. The United States has had a multi-racial society for a long time, and over the last few hundred years I think we have made strides in peaceful coexistence that few other places can replicate.

Religious tolerance, however, is not our strong suit. It was a big deal when we finally elected a Catholic (John Kennedy) to the Presidency.