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The author is "Director of Innovation Policy" at a US-based think-tank. His agenda (which I agree with, fwiw!) is to influence US government policy. He is tryin
by rjknight 6y ago
The author is "Director of Innovation Policy" at a US-based think-tank. His agenda (which I agree with, fwiw!) is to influence US government policy. He is trying to do this by encouraging the belief that American innovation has high returns on investment right now, as the "great stagation" may be coming to an end.
Because it's political rhetoric rather than scentific argument, some fudging of the facts is to be expected. The only people likely to be offended at having credit for the innovations stolen are outside the US, and they are not the audience.
It doesn't really detract from the force of the argument, since anything that can be said about American innovation could reasonably be said about European innovation, and "America" could be taken as short-hand for "developed nations at the technological frontier".
- rwmj 6y agoWouldn't it be better for an article which is meant to influence US policy to be grounded in facts? Or are you saying it's fine to make up any old thing because the ends justify the means?
- rjknight 6y agoIt might be preferable if everyone dealt in facts all of the time, but political influence is a competitive game. I'm not saying that it's fine to elide the details, just that it's understandable, and understanding why people do things is fun and interesting.
- SideburnsOfDoom 6y ago> It might be preferable if everyone dealt in facts all of the time, but political influence is a competitive game. And how is playing Liar's Poker with a pandemic virus working out for you? Read the mood, man. Like they say, "It's only when the tide goes out that you learn who has been swimming naked."
- SideburnsOfDoom 6y ago> Wouldn't it be better for an article which is meant to influence US policy to be grounded in facts? IMHO, the last few years in the USA should serve as a strong lesson in why fact-based policy is superior to fantasy politics.
- SideburnsOfDoom 6y ago> "America" could be taken as short-hand for "developed nations at the technological frontier". Only in the USA. The rest of us aren't buying it at present. It's navel-gazing. The USA frankly has some ground to cover to get back to the front rank in governance. The terrible outcome and deepening crisis from COVID-19 in the USA is stark evidence of that, and it can't be wished away by being loose with the facts. It is the legacy of wishful thinking over facts.