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To see it as an investment, and also an act of self-interest. Getting basic health care to billions lowers the risk of new plagues. Improving their quality of

by _rpd 10y ago

To see it as an investment, and also an act of self-interest. Getting basic health care to billions lowers the risk of new plagues. Improving their quality of life lowers discontent and the risk of more and larger wars. Establishing a basic standard of education does more than all the rest, adding billions of voices to the global conversation and inventions that benefit everyone. You can't sell tertiary services to people subsisting on $1/day. The situation had to be addressed, the pain is real, but we will all be better off.

rfrank 10y ago
The "investment" would be in plague prevention, foreign education, and potential war prevention? So that tertiary services can be sold by members of the upper class to citizens of the developing world? This seems like the sort of argument that strengthens Joe Middle America's nationalist sentiment, not alleviates it.
- _rpd 10y ago
  Plagues and wars don't respect national boundaries. Joe Middle America knows that it's his sons and daughters that would be on the front lines in a large war. Foreign education alleviates the environment of ignorance that allows fundamentalism and extremism to thrive, and also lowers population growth rates that threaten a wide variety of problems. Joe Middle America is almost certainly employed by an organization that provides tertiary services, or else high tech manufacturing that, again, requires wealthy, educated buyers. I'm not saying it's an easy sell. The mood in the developed world is definitely protectionist.
  - rfrank 10y ago
    None of those things immediately impact the number of dollars in his bank account, or his ability to move upward in the economy moving forward, so Joe doesn't care. "Joe, I know all of your anecdotal experience says quality of life has been declining for you and everyone you know since the 70's, but just go with it a little bit longer and it'll be ok. Check out this chart of global income levels. And this one of happiness in America. See, life is better. Just not for you."
douche 10y ago
Unfortunately Joe and Jane Middle-America don't care about the far-off billions they have never met. They care about their hometown, that is descending into a post-industrial ghost-town because the local manufacturing was undercut by the almost-free labor of those far-off billions, or their friends and family that are losing their financial independence, or spiraling into depression, suicide, or opioid abuse. It's not looking like a good deal to Joe and Jane.

by _rpd 10y ago

rfrank 10y ago

The "investment" would be in plague prevention, foreign education, and potential war prevention? So that tertiary services can be sold by members of the upper class to citizens of the developing world? This seems like the sort of argument that strengthens Joe Middle America's nationalist sentiment, not alleviates it.

_rpd 10y ago
Plagues and wars don't respect national boundaries. Joe Middle America knows that it's his sons and daughters that would be on the front lines in a large war. Foreign education alleviates the environment of ignorance that allows fundamentalism and extremism to thrive, and also lowers population growth rates that threaten a wide variety of problems. Joe Middle America is almost certainly employed by an organization that provides tertiary services, or else high tech manufacturing that, again, requires wealthy, educated buyers. I'm not saying it's an easy sell. The mood in the developed world is definitely protectionist.
- rfrank 10y ago
  None of those things immediately impact the number of dollars in his bank account, or his ability to move upward in the economy moving forward, so Joe doesn't care. "Joe, I know all of your anecdotal experience says quality of life has been declining for you and everyone you know since the 70's, but just go with it a little bit longer and it'll be ok. Check out this chart of global income levels. And this one of happiness in America. See, life is better. Just not for you."

douche 10y ago

Unfortunately Joe and Jane Middle-America don't care about the far-off billions they have never met. They care about their hometown, that is descending into a post-industrial ghost-town because the local manufacturing was undercut by the almost-free labor of those far-off billions, or their friends and family that are losing their financial independence, or spiraling into depression, suicide, or opioid abuse. It's not looking like a good deal to Joe and Jane.