An International World

My perspective of America has changed greatly this year - for quite a few reasons.

Nearly all of it comes from the viewpoint of international professors and students.

My upper-level business class professors' nationalities are as follows:1 Canadian, 1 Chinese, 1 Indian (Dots not Feathers), 1 American, 1 Latvian, 1 German, and 1 Korean. On top of this, students in my second major (Business Economics and Public Policy) are particularly international. I have worked with students from Brazil, Hong Kong, Singapore, the Bahamas, and elsewhere around the globe. The one thing that all these people have in common is that they came from all over the globe to the middle of Indiana to work and study. And these aren't just doctoral students and 1 semester students either. They are permanent residents. My Korean statistics professor is even so famous that students in Korea do their studies abroad at IU just to take his class. He's only here for the money.

One thing you may notice, is that foreign students of Chinese dissent (China, Hong Kong, Singapore, etc.) are particularly equipped for studying in the States. Their main advantage over Indian, South American, and Eastern European students? It is customary to choose a Western name for use in business settings and when dealing with the Western world. I was floored when I learned this fact.

Ever meet an Asian who had a Western name? The 3 I converse with the most go by "Shawn," "Patrick," and "Clement." But these are not their official names. In their equivalent of Kindergarten (at least for the Hong Kong students) the children are allowed to choose the name that they will use for the rest of their business lives. In China, it is common to conduct business in English. This seems ridiculous to us. Americans wouldn't consider it prudent to adopt their name to a more easily pronounced Eastern name, even if they planned on living in the East. But the Chinese in particular seem to find no problem in this.

Why is it that these students are so accepting of Western names? Why are they willing to travel to America for an education?

Because as much as you hate to believe it, as much as the cynics on Comedy Central making fun of G Dub would have you not believe, America really is top dog in the world.

First a disclaimer: I do not believe that people need to be ignorant rednecks. If anything, I think an approach similar to my Chinese friends' can get you far.

The United States dollar is the preferred currency in the world. There is talk of the Euro, Euro, Euro, but the Euro is too new and still relatively unproven. You know how I know the US dollar is the best? Because it's the preferred choice of underground drug and arms dealers. The black market will always operate with the strongest currency available - because they have no recourse and their ability to use electronic banking is severely limited.

Unlike most currencies in the world, the US dollar has little to zero risk of severe inflation. We, as youths, in America take this fact for granted, but ask someone who's been through a hyper-inflation their view of money and they will give you a very jaded and cynical viewpoint. A professor of mine, who's job it is to go into countries that have had economic crises and rebuild their central banks, tells us of visiting countries like Argentina who have experienced hyper-inflations. Suddenly money isn't worth anything anymore. Elderly can be found on street corners trying to sell everything they own after the hyper-inflation, because their fixed income can no longer buy a McDonald's hamburger. In the world of money - stability is everything. And when you wake up in the morning and reach for your crisp $20 from your wallet for some McDonald's Breakfast, there isn't a sliver of doubt in your mind that you have enough money to pay for it. That $20 has REAL value, and always will.

The US dollar is so good that other countries even make it their official currency. Many people are not aware of the fact that some countries cannot be trusted with their own monetary policy. They've screwed it up so badly, that their only recourse is to use another, already established currency. The nations of Equidor, El Salvador, and East Timor all use US dollars as official! On top of this, many other nations permanently peg their currency to the US dollar - which means the US dollar essentially becomes the official currency, because the dollar can fluctuate and their currency cannot. Countries with this behavior are Bermuda, the Bahamas, Panama, Barbados, Belize, Lebanon, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait.

Beyond money, our economy kicks ass. There will always be inflation, but so long as your GDP out paces that inflation, then you are making real progress, and the average person is becoming increasingly more wealthy. Well guess what, GDP is out pacing inflation by about 3.5% per year. This is plain sick and nasty when it comes to continued growth. We are the most developed economy in the world. Our GDP is 10 Trillion Dollars. And we are growing at 3.5% real GDP growth. Compare this number with Europe - something between 1 and 2%. Certainly developing economies are growing faster by percent - I believe China was somewhere around 9% growth. But if the US continues this 3.5% growth (which many economists say is more than likely), no other economy will ever catch up to us.

Then there is our political system. Sure we have our critics. And our president isn't exactly a role-model for fostering international support. But the US is designed at the most basic levels to be an open, freedom fostering system. It has it's flaws, but currently we are one of the best political systems in the world - by any measure. And while you may hear on the news how much other nations hate us, thats like saying we hate the French. We don't really hate the French, and we certainly like their champaign. In reality, most of the world enjoys American culture and American products.

The way I see it is this: We should be proud, and thankful that we live under such a system, and with the standard of living we enjoy. But we shouldn't be arrogant fucks and fuck it all up. Look to the Chinese as an example. Be humble, and accepting of other countries when doing business with them. As a nation - be proud of your accomplishments. As an individual - take advantage of the situation you are given.

[Beebs]

Wow, a well thoughtout post on nubblies, well done. Although I think I will bring it down a notch by making fun of the kid who CHOSE Clement as a name.

[Repugnant Abomination]

Did our conversation last night inspire this thread? Either way, well put.

[THEINCREDIBLEdork]

Its rediculous how much influence US has on other countries. When I went nearly halfway across the woild to New Zealand all the little school kids i met there were all about eminem, jay z, and other american shit. They modeled there entire pop culture like the US. They watch the same movies, used the same catch phrases.

Interestingly, the Mauri kids, the american-indian like people that inhabitted the island first, or the nigger of the population if you will, all tried to dress like black people do here.

[Mars Man]

Very good post DJ...I agree with most of it (I'm a foreigner who's lived under severe inflation for a while).

Funny thing..the chinese and koreans here adopt "brazilian" names.

I think I should adopt an american name...any suggestions besides Clement?

[migite]

I will rename you Julio

DJ FC having been a Malaysian Chinese student at U San Francisco and going by the business Western name of Vince, I concur with most of your observations. However, in my past experiences, many from Hong Kong, particularly females, would also choose a Western name but of ridiculous proportions and are generally unimaginative. I have met girls from Hong Kong/Macau who go by the names of Apple, Fish, Bo Bo, and Ringo ...sad but true

[Mars Man]

I will rename you Julio

Julio is just too latin...I was thinking something like Owen, Derek, Bart, Skywalker....

I'd never date a girl who'd go by the name of "fish"...

[theMerciless1]

excellent post. speaking with people from other countries provides incredible perspective that many Americans are not afforded.
i was waiting for "vince" to comment on this topic.

[migite]

i will rename you Lamont if Julio is not your liking.

for one thing i'm asian but speak english with a british accent due to my childhood years invested in british educational system. Also I speak Malay, Cantonese, Mandarin, limited Hokkein, French and americans i have met are usually impressed until i tell them that it is the norm for people in Asia (esp. South East Asia) to speak 3-4 languages and more than 2 regional dialects per language. many westerners who have lived here for a while also adopt the language practices and have smoothly blended in with the locals.

over here we do have a strong american culture influence with local rap groups and rock bands and the indigenous aboriginal cultures suffer the same fate as those elsewhere. the local culture is a mish-mash of brit/us/oz/korean/japanese influences. i think this is most apparant in Singapore. the other countries maintain a strong local identity.

like the e.indian cultures, chinese culture and migratory history through the ages have been noted in existence even in n.america before columbus landed and the theory is that the chinese sailed and traded goods and technology with the north and south americans as early as 1421 without interfering with the existing cultures nor having a colonization program like the european countries.

[Mars Man]

i will rename you Lamont if Julio is not your liking.

Dude, Lamont is sooo much worse than Julio...

[Ugly Bastard]

Well done, FC.

[theMerciless1]

migite brings up another good point, the aversion of americans to languages besides english.
its not even our own language for crissakes.
i was raised in a bilingual household (early in life), and even those family members preferred english because years ago, when they first came here, it was desirable to be very "american" and adopt the American way of life.
I think the general consensus is that the use of or assimilation of other languages into our world subtracts from the culture and integrity of american culture when, in fact, it adds to it.

[Mr. Blonde]

Great post, FC. I agree with a lot of what you're saying...have you ever taken a Globalization and the Third World/similar type course?

No, but I suppose all of my economics courses (save Game Theory) would be "similar."

[Mr. Blonde]

I suppose it depends on which stance of support your classes is taking. My professor was clearly in defense of the Third World economies and often spoke of how badly the U.S. exploited them.

Oh boy. Was this even an economics class?

This is a different argument entirely, but let me put it out there anyways:

Say we have a factory in a 3rd world country, and Americans bitch because we pay them less, so the company pulls the factory. What next? The workers go back to the fields. Outdoor field work is harder than indoor industrial work. America was once an outdoor, agriculturally based economy too. People forget that we aren't forcing anybody to work in a factory, and the opportunity to do so, gives these countries a step in the right direction.

[theMerciless1]

are you saying that exploitation is better than nothing?

[Lucy Fur]

Originally Posted by theMerciless1

are you saying that exploitation is better than nothing?

well, DUH

[theMerciless1]

you cant possibly make the argument that economic exploitation is better than an non-economic, agrarian society.

[Heaven Can Wait]

Laugh it up folks, the next hundred years belongs to china.
The thread reminds me of californication.

Originally Posted by theMerciless1

you cant possibly make the argument that economic exploitation is better than an non-economic, agrarian society.

I cant tell if you're being sarcastic or not, but if people are working in American factories it tells us a few things:

1) That it is their best option
and
2) That we are influencing the supply and demand market for labor - in their favor

[Mr. Blonde]

I obviously don't know as much as I would if I was taking the class currently, and I have far too many other things on my mind (unfortunately) right now to be arguing academia, I suppose I was just trying to get you to look at it from the other side a bit. So i'm not trying to argue hardcore against you, because i'm much more uninformed on my side than you are on yours.

Yes...we are providing them with what may be their best option...but we are still exploiting them with wages, work conditions, and terms of employment, are we not?\

EDIT: My memory of the course is slowly returning in this debate. We are moving factories and such to export processing zones in other countries because it's easy trade, low taxes, and low wages that we have to dish out to get the same products we would otherwise have to pay laborers more for in America. I mean we may be stimulating their economy a little bit, but from a humanitarian perspective (surprisingly), the cost is pretty high. I mean it's not like America is the good samaritan doing this for their own good...we're doing it for ours...and any positive byproduct that happens, happens.

[theMerciless1]

fc, i agree that it is helpful but if someone doesnt know that they are being exploited it doesnt make it ok.

i agree with blonde

This is very off topic.

Your favorite word, "exploit," is a little subjective.

I could very easily claim that Americans working in factories are being "exploited," by the owners of income producing assets. Don't you feel just terrible that people go to work in an Automotive factory every day, do physical labor, and recieve a mere fraction of what can be possibly made in a more academic field? You don't feel that this system is unfair. There are jobs worse than working in an American factory. And it's not as if we have slave labor either. People voluntarily work in factories.

All economies follow the same steps to maturation:

1)Hunting and Gathering
2)Farming
3)Industry
4)Service
5)???

We don't know what's next, but what we do know is that it's next to impossible to expect an economy to jump the industrial stage. So Americans work in factories. They don't get paid like CEOs, but they don't deserve to. And you don't complain when you can buy a brand new Honda, Toyota, GMC, Ford, etc. for under $20,000.

Overseas people CHOOSE to work in American factories, because guess what, factory work is actually BETTER than manual labor outside working on crops. Don't get the romantic imagine of a small, independant farm, this is far more advanced than these people.

By having our factories in these countries, we give them the option - not the obligation - to work in an industrial setting (something Americans of the 1800s would have loved to do), and we pull on the demand curve for the market of labor in their nation, thus everybody in the nation's labor suddenly becomes more valuable indirectly.

So, in short, I feel "exploit" is an unfair word, because slave labor does not exist.

[Mr. Blonde]

okay. I just think, in fact i urge you to try and take a globalization and the third world course (that actually looks at more negative aspects of america's impact on the world than positive...if they have them at IU) before you graduate.