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I was with you for the first few paragraphs. But whichever system of ethics compels us to "catch up to China's manufacturing technology and output" and "smothe

I was with you for the first few paragraphs. But whichever system of ethics compels us to "catch up to China's manufacturing technology and output" and "smother the 'enemy' in an avalanche of production" (quotes mine) sounds more like a civilizational suicide pact than a vision for the future. Our smothering of the planet with production is the most immediate existential threat we face.

hilbert42 6y ago
Oh dear, one has to so literal on posts these days. We were talking IP/software here - so 'poduction' here refers to software/organization. The WWII analogy/link has to do with what's possible if the country really tries - or has its back to the wall as it does now! Even if I had been referring to manufactured hardware type goods - which I wasn't - ramping local production would only replace/reestablish what we lost to China over past decades. It would not be a world net increase in production as we'd be buying less from China (they won't make stuff if we're not buying). There's many other reasons too for local production: jobs, better quality products, reskilling the workforce, strategic interests, etc. I'd have thought that would have been obvious.
- walleeee 6y ago
  I'm sorry for assuming your meaning, I didn't realize you meant to refer only to software. I do agree that we could benefit from re-localizing. I'd prefer it not come wrapped in a new cold war, though. We have all the motivation needed for mass mobilization in ecological crisis, if we could see or feel it more directly.
  - hilbert42 6y ago
    Right. I can't agree with you more about smothering the planet in mostly-unnecessary stuff. I'm truly fed up with the fact that almost every appliance or bit of gear we buy is designed with a short limited life and not meant to be serviced. No wonder the world is awash with e-waste and similar broken/junked stuff. Once, just about every bit of electronics I bought or owned I could fix, now I can't even open up gear without smashing my way inside because it's glued up or snapped shut with one-use-only one-way snap-lock catches, etc. It's a damn disgrace. Two weeks ago the USB socket on my Netgear modem became intermittent and I literally had to smash my way through the plastic case to get inside to gain access to the circuit board. Unfortunately, in doing so I damaged something else which (I think) has rendered it useless (I'll know for sure when I get a chance to take a microscope to the PWA). The fact remains that I haven't been able change a 20 cent socket and to save time I've had to buy a new device! It seems to me that green and ecological movements should do more in this area to stop the millions of tons of e-waste—and getting behind Right to Repair movements is a good place to start.

hilbert42 6y ago

Oh dear, one has to so literal on posts these days. We were talking IP/software here - so 'poduction' here refers to software/organization. The WWII analogy/link has to do with what's possible if the country really tries - or has its back to the wall as it does now! Even if I had been referring to manufactured hardware type goods - which I wasn't - ramping local production would only replace/reestablish what we lost to China over past decades. It would not be a world net increase in production as we'd be buying less from China (they won't make stuff if we're not buying). There's many other reasons too for local production: jobs, better quality products, reskilling the workforce, strategic interests, etc. I'd have thought that would have been obvious.

walleeee 6y ago
I'm sorry for assuming your meaning, I didn't realize you meant to refer only to software. I do agree that we could benefit from re-localizing. I'd prefer it not come wrapped in a new cold war, though. We have all the motivation needed for mass mobilization in ecological crisis, if we could see or feel it more directly.
- hilbert42 6y ago
  Right. I can't agree with you more about smothering the planet in mostly-unnecessary stuff. I'm truly fed up with the fact that almost every appliance or bit of gear we buy is designed with a short limited life and not meant to be serviced. No wonder the world is awash with e-waste and similar broken/junked stuff. Once, just about every bit of electronics I bought or owned I could fix, now I can't even open up gear without smashing my way inside because it's glued up or snapped shut with one-use-only one-way snap-lock catches, etc. It's a damn disgrace. Two weeks ago the USB socket on my Netgear modem became intermittent and I literally had to smash my way through the plastic case to get inside to gain access to the circuit board. Unfortunately, in doing so I damaged something else which (I think) has rendered it useless (I'll know for sure when I get a chance to take a microscope to the PWA). The fact remains that I haven't been able change a 20 cent socket and to save time I've had to buy a new device! It seems to me that green and ecological movements should do more in this area to stop the millions of tons of e-waste—and getting behind Right to Repair movements is a good place to start.