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To: The Philosopher who wrote (6734)	2/9/2004 10:21:21 PM
From: Brumar89	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 20773

Japan was once known for cheap labor, they say. Then Korea and Taiwan were. They aren't equal to the US yet, but close enough. They're in the same ball park now. Next Malaysia and Thailand was the source of cheap labor. Now Vietnam and China and India and Sri Lanka etc. And its not just manufacturing but services that can be moved or undercut on wages. OK, China and India are massive countries compared to the earlier ones. It's a much bigger task for these countries to raise their living standards ... but eventually they will. I have no idea how long it will take. The longer it takes the harder the adjustment. But it's going to happen.

To: The Philosopher who wrote (6734)	2/14/2004 12:55:07 AM
From: Czechsinthemail	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 20773

Under present technology, and under any technology that seems likely to develop in the next century, it's not possible for the whole world to even approach our standard of prosperity. In the late 1970's, I heard an address by Buckminster Fuller in which he said that it was possible, using existing technology, to bring everyone in the world up to the standard of living of the average American in 1972. He maintained that the main issue was for people to know it was possible and to organize collaboratively to make it happen. This came from a study from a think tank he organized to develop creative world solutions. Later I met one of the people who had participated in the study. He told me that the biggest thing was redeploying resources from destructive and wasteful spending such as the spending for weaponry that worked against rather than for the benefit of humanity. At the time, we were in the midst of the Cold War, and a key feature of the plan was to run an electric grid between North America and the Soviet Union so that power could be generated and transmitted through a mutually beneficial interdependent collaboration that better provided for peak energy needs. Having adequate power allowed improved irrigation and with that better nutrition, sanitation, education, etc. You can read some of the discussion in Fuller's book, Critical Path. An important point he makes is that instead of using technology for the benefit of humanity, it is hoarded for the benefit of relatively few. Fuller felt it was important for people to understand technology in order to know what choices were possible rather than just accept the choices they were given by people more intent on exploiting than helping them. One of the things we desperately need is exemplary and visionary leadership -- at all levels. We need it for people to be able to develop more loving and fulfilling relationships. In the absence of a positive vision for the future, people suffer from holding back the best expression of who they can be and what they can do together. Entangled in the fears and conflicts of seemingly endless divisions, we lose sight of our collective wisdom and our common longings to share a better world. We forget that the best way to care for ourselves is to do a better job of caring for one another.