Difficult to summarize, since they talk about more than a dozen topics. I found especially the second part about Eric's experience with politics interesting.
Wait, it's invite-only, but you're doing promo on forums to get invites? No offense intended, but since I only want to be in a club that won't have me as their member, my interest just dropped.
Apologies if this seemed crass. We were actually experimenting with a "promotional" aspect of the site by seeing if people would request for an invite if given a relevant and good enough incentive.
Spoiler: The incentive in this case was a chance to watch the video later offline on any of your devices.
I'd like to comment on one point that Eric made that is very contrary to popular belief [summary, not a quote]: Outsourcing of manufacturing often does NOT occur as a result of lower labor costs abroad, but is rather a matter of quality outcomes. Plants around the world are rated on attributes like reliability, robustness, quality in general -- and the US often does not score very high. Eric hints that this could be due to better educated workers abroad. Eric also believes that we NEED more manufacturing to occur domestically if we want to stay relevant militarily, have high standards of living, be a leader economically, and so on.
[My thoughts] I do agree that education is a problem, but I'm not sure if the problem is simply a lack of science, math, or reading skills as is often suggested as the primary education pain points (note: Eric does not suggest this). I believe it's rather a lack of something more fundamental -- a problem with the emergent culture in general that has led to a lack of focus on education in the minds of many youth -- other things have taken priority. Perhaps this economy and unemployment rates will change this? What do you think?
It seems to me, that you and Eric imply, that we are a spoiled generation. If so, I agree.
If I had a job in assembling cell phones, I wouldn't be as excited and committed as someone from an emerging country like China. Current unemployment rates might change this a bit, but once you're spoiled, you're spoiled.
I believe it's rather a lack of something more fundamental -- a problem with the emergent culture in general that has led to a lack of focus on education in the minds of many youth -- other things have taken priority.
I strongly agree. How can you educate a group of people that doesn't care to be educated if their parents don't push them hard enough to value their own education above other interests?
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[ 2.5 ms ] story [ 34.2 ms ] threadIf you request for an invite, as a token of our thanks, you're in for a little surprise ;)
Spoiler: The incentive in this case was a chance to watch the video later offline on any of your devices.
Apologies again if it was out of line.
I could not agree more.
[My thoughts] I do agree that education is a problem, but I'm not sure if the problem is simply a lack of science, math, or reading skills as is often suggested as the primary education pain points (note: Eric does not suggest this). I believe it's rather a lack of something more fundamental -- a problem with the emergent culture in general that has led to a lack of focus on education in the minds of many youth -- other things have taken priority. Perhaps this economy and unemployment rates will change this? What do you think?
I strongly agree. How can you educate a group of people that doesn't care to be educated if their parents don't push them hard enough to value their own education above other interests?