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“It’s not sad if you’re Chinese. Do you hate Chinese people? What’s the difference between an American and a Chinaman that makes the American’s job more important?”
Ameerrrrca – love it or leave it!
All of the people who are bemoaning the loss of American jobs are operating on the premise that American jobs are worth more than Chinese jobs.
That’s a pretty provincial view.
Please explain why it is so without resorting to flag waving, meaningless generalities, or empty feel-good statements that mean nothing.
DH, that’s precisely the point – it’s the fucking consumers who is really to blame. we want stuff for less and loving it. There might be lip service but reality is our buying habits/decisions indicate we really dont give a fuck about the manufacturing folks who got fired.
By benson on March 21, 2011 11:00 AM
b) the money today is NOT in manufacturing. I can confidently guess that only $20 of the price of an IPOD goes to the actual manufacturer (Foxconn). The reamindr gos to the creative side. Moreover, much manufacturing today is done with minimal labor input, especially in the high-tech area. When one visits a factory that makes optical fiber or semiconductors, the thing that strikes you is how few workers there are, even though these plants are vast.
THIS!!!!
For example, a video game that you pay say $40 bucks for in the store, the development/marketing/distribution jobs are all local and are about 96 of the cost. The only thing getting mass produced outside are the CDs and packaging which is about 25 cents out of the 40 bucks.
For toys, majority is still in concept and design which is still done here. About 20-30% is in actual labor and material costs which is done in China.
“Silk ties made in China and sold throughout Asia and the US are generally CRAP.”
good idea – considering soon there will be no middle class – everyone who actually has a job will have to wear a tie!
quote:
. Most of our products either involved tidious tasks (putting strands of hair in dolls) which U.S. workers don’t want to do at minimum wage and even if they did the price would go up from say $19.99 to about $59.99 for a simple doll which no one would pay and we would be out of business very quick.
oh just call her Artisinal Barbie and im SURE there will be tard’s out there willing to fork over 60 bux instead of 20 for her.
*rob*
JB;
I am not sure that I have the answer to your question, but I will say this:
a) I know that right now folks are feeling down because the economy is in the doldrums. However, I think that reverting to protectionism would be a HUGE mistake. I believe it will negatively impact our standard of living. THe US is the 3rd biggest exporter in the world, and if we close off our borders it will shut the market for companies like Boeing and IBM that do a tremendous business overseas (and are the source of very good jobs).
b) Secondly, in addition to the economic benefits, I think that globalization is a tremendous force for world peace. It has lifted hundreds of millions of people out of poverty. It has made countries like the US and China interdependent, decreasing the likelihood of hostilities.
c) Finally, the US economy is still the strongest in the world, AND has tremendous strengths AND is still the best creator of new jobs.
The money today is on the creative side, not manufacturing (sad for me, as I am in the manufacturing sector 🙁 Where is the European, Japanese or Chinese Google or Facebook? The Japanese or European Cisco or Intel? Where is the Japanese or European Apple?
Answer: they do not exist.
Chin up.
“just one of those sad realities.”
It’s not sad if you’re Chinese. Do you hate Chinese people? What’s the difference between an American and a Chinaman that makes the American’s job more important?
American Apparel tried that whole “Made in USA” thing. They are crashing and burning pretty hardcore.