Oct 25 2011: It is well known that in bureaucracies, that each level of pay outlives the next lower level. Why? Smarter, or more organized, or whatever attribute that they have that allows them to be successful also allows them to remain healthier than those just below.
The Nordic countries are always trotted out as the success story for socialized everything. But Nordic countries (and Japan) have one thing that most other countries do not, a nearly homogenous society.
If one were to break down the data from the USA into ethnic groups, you might see widely varying numbers on the graphs. One simple cultural attribute can, and I think does, skew the data in the USA. Fear of doctors. A very simple concept that can by itself drop the life expectency of a whole nation, coming from a group of people that may have a culture of mistrust of the medical profession. Or there could be a lack of enthusiasm for education, substituting an enthusiasm of hard work. That would skew the data of the whole country by one subset valuing labor over education. Which would correlate with levels of income.
Plenty of States in the USA are bigger that the countries used for comparative data, yet are not broken out as being statistically significant. I'd bet that the upper midwest, being predominitely northern european in ancestory and cultural, would break out similarly to the Nordic and Germanic countries.
Just for fun, I'd like to see the chart add one more piece of data to the mix. The percentage of domestic labor utilized in each of these countries. That would be an easy way of correlating 'acting wealthy' v. 'actual wealth'.
Feb 14 2011: Well, the interesting thing about the internet is that it can take male/female right out of the equation. I told a co-worker that the internet and computers were the best thing ever to come along for leveling the playing field. It doesn't ask for race, color, creed, etc. unless it is a racist, sexist, bigoted website.
Second, female influences are already controlling the content of marketing. No? When was the last time that you saw or heard a commercial where the man wasn't the butt of the humor. "Why don't we get you a big boy bag", for example, on an airline ad for no luggage fees using their credit card. I'm not inclined to ride on their planes, but they'll forgo that in exchange for assuming more women will be buying tickets from them.
Aug 5 2009: He's dead wrong about meritocracy. Pushing up the cream of the crop does not imply that there is bad below. Is milk bad just because it's below the cream? That means that criminals can never reform, no one can mend there ways. There are no late bloomers.
The Judeo-Christian mindset is to "forgive and forget". The American secular version is "let bygones be bygones". This allows those that seek to rise will rise. Or can re-rise.
His premise also rationalizes a class system as static. Bunk here in the States.
My definition of a snob: a finely educated hick.
He also needs to read "The No Assholes Rule" to widen his view that successful people only think being harsh to your employees is the only way to motivate them.
And he gives no practical alternatives to Meritocracy and Justice as practiced in the West. It ain't prefect, but it's best we've seen so far. That's why it's seen as so hard to change.
As those that punch the clock would say: "he's full of it.
Feb 19 2009: Mother Theresa couldn't use a building donated to her in NYC because it wasn't handicap accessible and she didn't have the funds to convert it. She said that in India, the handicapped would remain on the first floor and the rest would use the stairs. That was unacceptable to NYC building code inspectors even though Mayor Koch fully supported her very cause (but couldn't follow through).
You might agree with everything that this presenter has said, but are you willing to let the bureaucracy change?
Schwartz did not give us any way to move forward. How are we to re-integrate wisdom into government and society?
Did he say that all proposed governmental laws/ordnances/rules must be published and public a month before any agency can ever discuss voting on it or impliment it?
Did he say how we are to walk away from our CYA mindset? (Cover Your Asses) for you non-litigants.
"Cut through the red tape" is an expression older than I am, yet our (USA) bureaucracy is growing at an accelerating speed. Is our new president going to slow and reverse that? Is he going to "cut through all the red tape" and lay bare the workings of government? Is he going to make life easier for us or is the 'Change' something that looked good in the bar last night, but looks a little rugged in the morning light?
Our world is not more complex, not on a human level. Either you are nice to people or you are not. Either you look out for other people or you use the rules to your own advantange at the expense of others. Either you feed people or you hold the food back for power.
My favorite quote on government is simple: "Bad laws weaken the good ones".
Is our new president going to winnow out the bad laws? or create a whole new set to be placed on top of the old ones? Is he going to be wise or follow the focus groups as his 'wisdom'?
Jan 14 2008: For those with forty pound brains, I'll make this easy. Friends are going to Pamplona this summer for the running of the bulls. I pointed out that Pamplona is in the northern part of Spain where Basque separatist are active. The astute reply was that "Aren't the bulls of greater concern to our general welfare".
One can cross an ocean, in an airplane, drive in a car across a country where you are a known stranger, with a segment of society visitng harm on the general population on a frequent basis and your greatest danger is still.....self induced.
My glass is half full and its a good day to be alive, sunny or not. Do enjoy the time you have to type away and not have to worry about being challenged in the street to a duel for slighting a passerby, or being captured, beaten and sold into slavery.
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A comment on Talk: Richard Wilkinson: How economic inequality harms societies
The Nordic countries are always trotted out as the success story for socialized everything. But Nordic countries (and Japan) have one thing that most other countries do not, a nearly homogenous society.
If one were to break down the data from the USA into ethnic groups, you might see widely varying numbers on the graphs. One simple cultural attribute can, and I think does, skew the data in the USA. Fear of doctors. A very simple concept that can by itself drop the life expectency of a whole nation, coming from a group of people that may have a culture of mistrust of the medical profession. Or there could be a lack of enthusiasm for education, substituting an enthusiasm of hard work. That would skew the data of the whole country by one subset valuing labor over education. Which would correlate with levels of income.
Plenty of States in the USA are bigger that the countries used for comparative data, yet are not broken out as being statistically significant. I'd bet that the upper midwest, being predominitely northern european in ancestory and cultural, would break out similarly to the Nordic and Germanic countries.
Just for fun, I'd like to see the chart add one more piece of data to the mix. The percentage of domestic labor utilized in each of these countries. That would be an easy way of correlating 'acting wealthy' v. 'actual wealth'.
A comment on Conversation: What is your MYERS-BRIGG personality type?
All those INTJ's were Naval Aviators or Naval Flight Officers. Cool Huh!
A comment on Conversation: How do smart people "find their level" in conversation?
We often get the values and abilities wrong, but not the intelligence.
A comment on Talk: Johanna Blakley: Social media and the end of gender
Second, female influences are already controlling the content of marketing. No? When was the last time that you saw or heard a commercial where the man wasn't the butt of the humor. "Why don't we get you a big boy bag", for example, on an airline ad for no luggage fees using their credit card. I'm not inclined to ride on their planes, but they'll forgo that in exchange for assuming more women will be buying tickets from them.
A reply on Talk: Alain de Botton: A kinder, gentler philosophy of success
The Judeo-Christian mindset is to "forgive and forget". The American secular version is "let bygones be bygones". This allows those that seek to rise will rise. Or can re-rise.
His premise also rationalizes a class system as static. Bunk here in the States.
My definition of a snob: a finely educated hick.
He also needs to read "The No Assholes Rule" to widen his view that successful people only think being harsh to your employees is the only way to motivate them.
And he gives no practical alternatives to Meritocracy and Justice as practiced in the West. It ain't prefect, but it's best we've seen so far. That's why it's seen as so hard to change.
As those that punch the clock would say: "he's full of it.
A comment on Talk: Barry Schwartz: Our loss of wisdom
You might agree with everything that this presenter has said, but are you willing to let the bureaucracy change?
Schwartz did not give us any way to move forward. How are we to re-integrate wisdom into government and society?
Did he say that all proposed governmental laws/ordnances/rules must be published and public a month before any agency can ever discuss voting on it or impliment it?
Did he say how we are to walk away from our CYA mindset? (Cover Your Asses) for you non-litigants.
"Cut through the red tape" is an expression older than I am, yet our (USA) bureaucracy is growing at an accelerating speed. Is our new president going to slow and reverse that? Is he going to "cut through all the red tape" and lay bare the workings of government? Is he going to make life easier for us or is the 'Change' something that looked good in the bar last night, but looks a little rugged in the morning light?
Our world is not more complex, not on a human level. Either you are nice to people or you are not. Either you look out for other people or you use the rules to your own advantange at the expense of others. Either you feed people or you hold the food back for power.
My favorite quote on government is simple: "Bad laws weaken the good ones".
Is our new president going to winnow out the bad laws? or create a whole new set to be placed on top of the old ones? Is he going to be wise or follow the focus groups as his 'wisdom'?
TIme will tell.
A comment on Talk: Steven Pinker: The surprising decline in violence
One can cross an ocean, in an airplane, drive in a car across a country where you are a known stranger, with a segment of society visitng harm on the general population on a frequent basis and your greatest danger is still.....self induced.
My glass is half full and its a good day to be alive, sunny or not. Do enjoy the time you have to type away and not have to worry about being challenged in the street to a duel for slighting a passerby, or being captured, beaten and sold into slavery.