Nonsense. Civilization will end because of an embarassing accident involving a time machine, a liquid lunch, and a starter’s pistol. Also, China hasn’t won. This is obvious, because 我们还有Legos的。和别克。嗯，等一等。…we still have Legos. And Buicks. Uh, wait a minute.
I think “Sean Connery” put it best when it comes to “Trebek”.
“Suck it, Trebek. Suck it long and hard”
Of course, he’s not American either…
But at least he’s not Canadian!
Your average Indian makes about $3,750 a year. Despite our fevered imaginings, India is still a very poor place.
How, exactly, do you expect a country to develop if not by creating products that people want? Would you rather India just stay mired in poverty? What they’ve achieved as a country is amazing, and is absolutely a testament to their industriousness. India, let’s also not forget, is an important counterpoint to China’s insistence that democracy is too messy and inefficient for a poor and populous country.
If you are truly concerned about the American economy, why don’t you do something about it? There is nothing stopping you from opening a robot shop. Or, for that matter, a robot importation and distribution business. Do you really think whining and holding petty grudges against the poor is what got America where it is today?
Engineers show emotion? Really?
My point (which seems to have been lost in accusations of xenophobia and jingoism, and digressions into Alex Trebek-land) is that India is doing just fine competing with us technically. The idea that we need to help them out is laughable.
The kid wants to help out people in his ancestral homeland. I suspect he knows a hell of a lot more about the educational opportunities in India than you do. Sure, there are a few good schools, and a few wealthy people who get to go to them. For most people in India, a technical education is only a dream.
You said above that it would “not be so good” for a factory to be built there instead of in the US. What kind of fucking ass-holeish statement is that?
Some enlightening statistics:
Just a facetious note about comparative advantage. The OP seems to be of the protectionist stripe, but the idea tha we should do everything within our own borders leads to inefficiency in the same way that trying to wear too many hats occupationally does.
It’s a third world country. That’s not “just fine”.
It’s a third world country with a $5B tech industry, 1800 tech schools, 4 million tech workers, and 68,000 new programmers every year.
Why do I even bother posting links? 
Seriously, I think India could be described as a 1st world country layered on top of a 3rd world country. Very schizophrenic.
Might be a correct assessment.
All 3rd would countries have a small percentage of the population who are wealthy.
Look, you opened a pit thread about a teenager who wants to help people in need in his ancestral country, saying he was “clueless”. Is it your contention that no on India could do with a helping hand? Is it your contention that there aren’t 10s of millions of people like that?
It is my contention that India needs rice, not robotics. Their tech industry is doing just fine without our help, and yes, it would be wonderful if it develops fully to the point where they are able to lift their own poorest out of abject poverty. But I don’t see any need for anyone to give their tech industry assistance.
Well, if the kid was a rice farmer, then maybe he’d be in a position to do something about that. But he’s not, and besides, you offer a false dichotomy.
So fucking what? What the fuck do you care what this kid wants to do? There are indisputably people in India, millions of people, who are in abject poverty. The kind of poverty that has probably never been seen in this country. Not everyone shares your superficial assessment of the state of affairs in India.
Is it just your industry you want this kind of support for? We’re you bitching and moaning the same way when manufacturing jobs were being shipped overseas? Or, like many IT people I know, were you buying your sneakers from Vietnam and electronics from Japan and wondering why those dumb South Carolina ex-textile workers didn’t get trained in an outsourcing proof profession… like IT?
Well yeah, I did.
I have long wondered that now that we’ve outsourced our manufacturing, and are in the process of outsourcing our service industries…what will the US economy be based on? Taking in each other’s laundry?
Easy on the starch, please. And I need the shirts by Thursday.
Then life sucks. Sorry. Welcome to capitalism. Suck it up or grab a torch and pitchfork and head for the bankers’ gated communities.
That’ll work. I’ll pick up my shirts at the same time.