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America Can’t Even Produce the Things It Invented

nytimes.com

191–194 of 194 posts

Re: America Can’t Even Produce the Things It Invented

#191
post #28
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And what purpose is that big data stuff typically used for? Something related to serving ads.

Optimizing our energy systems is another one.

Ha, and what is that energy being used for, huh? Power ad-servers :-p

Re: America Can’t Even Produce the Things It Invented

#192

Earlier quoted context omitted.

All your points are down to lowering cost by exploiting workers more. Lower capital needed due to low salaries, no employee protection, no building or environmental regulation, no employee contracts, no training… Is that really what you want for your country? I imagine you don't see yourself working one of those unprotected low-paying jobs however.

If I was part of a developing nation then, yes, I would absolutely want those jobs. They tend to be the best jobs in the region and one of the key ways to advance your social class. There's a pretty strong amount of research backing up this position: https://www.nber.org/papers/w9669 It's one of the main reasons we've seen such a sharp reduction in poverty at basically every single monetary value you could measure it…

The point is that this may be good for a developing nation, but it's not a solution you should want for a developed nation. The parent comment identifies lowering labor costs as a solution to develop US manufacturing.

Re: America Can’t Even Produce the Things It Invented

#193
post #181
post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure but that's because a house in London is a fundamentally different asset today than it was say 30-40 years ago. I live in Toronto and people in my generation complain about housing prices here as well, that their parents bought a house for super cheap back in the 70s and 80s and now they have no chance to afford anything. What's not discussed is that these cities were much smaller back then, had far fewer service…

Asking without irony: What place in Canada today would be equal to Toronto in the 1990s?

1990s? Ottawa, Edmonton, maybe the Waterloo region.

But there are also places like Calgary, Winnipeg, London and Halifax that are smaller, much more affordable, and have a decent standard of living. The issue is that if you compare Halifax or Winnipeg to Toronto it's a no brainer that Toronto is just significantly ahead in development, but it's not like people in Halifax are struggling to find work, or are poor or living in bad conditions. There are plenty of good places across Canada to raise a family and enjoy a good standard of living.

Re: America Can’t Even Produce the Things It Invented

#194
post #181
post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure but that's because a house in London is a fundamentally different asset today than it was say 30-40 years ago. I live in Toronto and people in my generation complain about housing prices here as well, that their parents bought a house for super cheap back in the 70s and 80s and now they have no chance to afford anything. What's not discussed is that these cities were much smaller back then, had far fewer service…

Asking without irony: What place in Canada today would be equal to Toronto in the 1990s?

Montreal is significantly cheaper than Toronto (even though prices have picked up in the past 5 years or so) and would provide something similar to Toronto 90's prices with arguably similar services.
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