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I think you overestimate the reputation of the US and underestimate how much it has rapidly declined the last decades. I also think you underestimate how much

I think you overestimate the reputation of the US and underestimate how much it has rapidly declined the last decades. I also think you underestimate how much effort it takes to really start over and become properly integrated in a new country. It is a very enticing prospect for many to side-step this issue entirely and still get an almost unfathomable salary for some countries.

bwb 5y ago
I've personally been remote since 1999 and run teams from around the world since then. The largest was a company I grew to ~130+ people over 18 countries. I know you are underestimating the rep of the USA outside of politics and the dysfunction :) Remote is a great opportunity and one I've used at every company I've built. But, the thing that draws global talent is money, and American companies have all the money. If anything this is going to hurt local companies who can't compete for top talent hiring out of the USA :) I will note, i think Canada is doing a great job of being pro-immigrant in a way the USA can't and American companies are opening lots of offices and hiring there.
- Oddskar 5y ago
  > I know you are underestimating the rep of the USA outside of politics and the dysfunction I don’t really understand. Why would I disregard “the dysfunction”? That’s very much at the core of what shapes the rest of the worlds perception of the US. Agree on the second point though. It does (potentially) globalise the job market quite a bit.
  - bwb 5y ago
    Tons of people want to move to the USA for nature, stability, pay, freedom of expression, freedom of speech/religion/life, low corruption, house prices are low compared to many many places, mixing pot, opportunity, american dream etc... The power of the American narrative is huge. I know so many devs in Brazil who want to live to USA or Germany, as well as many other places. Those places have problems at a much higher level than our current stuff.
    - DeathArrow 5y ago
      >Tons of people want to move to the USA for nature, stability, pay, freedom of expression, freedom of speech/religion/life, low corruption, house prices are low compared to many many places, mixing pot, opportunity, american dream etc... High level of crime, too much politics, education too expensive, healthcare too expensive, no public pension funds.
      - bwb 5y ago
        Totally agreed with you :) But the key point being narrative around the American dream, freedom of religion/expression, and all the other things I mentioned. Moving to a new place and taking a risk is a feeling based decision. Sure we might dress it up with some logic, but at the end of the day the USA has soft power in spades.
        Oddskar 5y ago
        It has relative soft power. The reason you hear lots of Brazilian devs wanting to move is due to the tremendous problems Brazil is facing. Not all countries have problems to this extent. From a EU-centric perspective the soft power the US have is not that strong.
        bwb 5y ago
        I totally agree with you. I live in Europe. But, globally brand America's brand is quite strong still. And that is my point, don't forget how powerful that brand has been for the last 100 years. It doesn't disappear overnight.
JohnWhigham 5y ago
And I think you overestimate how much things have rapidly declined. Is the US's heyday in the past? Of course. It is on a decline. But if your entire lens of what is happening in the country is news channels and the Internet, you need a reality check. As Dave Chappelle said, Twitter is not a real place.
- Oddskar 5y ago
  > But if your entire lens of what is happening in the country is news channels and the Internet, you need a reality check. Not sure what your point is. How do you think people shape their opinions and perceptions on things if not via media and the internet? What would this “reality check” consist of? I would move to the US for a number of years just so I can determine whether I want to move there? Should I read the collected works of David Foster Wallace? It’s perception we’re talking about here. It doesn’t have to be rational nor accurate.
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
- erect_hacker 5y ago
  this is a terrible take. why comment at all?
ctvo 5y ago
> I think you overestimate the reputation of the US and underestimate how much it has rapidly declined the last decades. How has it rapidly declined? Please list the ways. I don't necessarily disagree, but I am curious.
- jleyank 5y ago
  Behaviour of the conservative side of the country has been grim the last 10+ years, unless you’re white. Overall, the country is right-centre as compared to the western world. Politics is constant yet government is in gridlock. Health care is costly and intermittent being tied to employment. Social cohesion and support isn’t particularly good. But there’s money to be had if you don’t mind the cost.
- randcraw 5y ago
  These are the biggest universities in America today. None of them existed 50 years ago. They are the future of college education in America. #1 Western Governors University (WGU) North Carolina 121,437 #2 Southern New Hampshire University New Hampshire 104,068 #3 Grand Canyon University Arizona 90,253 #4 Liberty University Virginia 79,152 #5 Ivy Tech Community College - Central Indiana Indiana 72,006
  - Noos 5y ago
    Uh, this makes zero sense. This is just places that are inexpensive to get degrees from because many places now require college degrees for jobs that don't need them. They are not "the future of college education" in any real leadership sense, no more than Coursera is "the future of education."

bwb 5y ago

I've personally been remote since 1999 and run teams from around the world since then. The largest was a company I grew to ~130+ people over 18 countries. I know you are underestimating the rep of the USA outside of politics and the dysfunction :) Remote is a great opportunity and one I've used at every company I've built. But, the thing that draws global talent is money, and American companies have all the money. If anything this is going to hurt local companies who can't compete for top talent hiring out of the USA :) I will note, i think Canada is doing a great job of being pro-immigrant in a way the USA can't and American companies are opening lots of offices and hiring there.

Oddskar 5y ago
> I know you are underestimating the rep of the USA outside of politics and the dysfunction I don’t really understand. Why would I disregard “the dysfunction”? That’s very much at the core of what shapes the rest of the worlds perception of the US. Agree on the second point though. It does (potentially) globalise the job market quite a bit.
- bwb 5y ago
  Tons of people want to move to the USA for nature, stability, pay, freedom of expression, freedom of speech/religion/life, low corruption, house prices are low compared to many many places, mixing pot, opportunity, american dream etc... The power of the American narrative is huge. I know so many devs in Brazil who want to live to USA or Germany, as well as many other places. Those places have problems at a much higher level than our current stuff.
  - DeathArrow 5y ago
    >Tons of people want to move to the USA for nature, stability, pay, freedom of expression, freedom of speech/religion/life, low corruption, house prices are low compared to many many places, mixing pot, opportunity, american dream etc... High level of crime, too much politics, education too expensive, healthcare too expensive, no public pension funds.
    - bwb 5y ago
      Totally agreed with you :) But the key point being narrative around the American dream, freedom of religion/expression, and all the other things I mentioned. Moving to a new place and taking a risk is a feeling based decision. Sure we might dress it up with some logic, but at the end of the day the USA has soft power in spades.
      - Oddskar 5y ago
        It has relative soft power. The reason you hear lots of Brazilian devs wanting to move is due to the tremendous problems Brazil is facing. Not all countries have problems to this extent. From a EU-centric perspective the soft power the US have is not that strong.
        bwb 5y ago
        I totally agree with you. I live in Europe. But, globally brand America's brand is quite strong still. And that is my point, don't forget how powerful that brand has been for the last 100 years. It doesn't disappear overnight.

JohnWhigham 5y ago

And I think you overestimate how much things have rapidly declined. Is the US's heyday in the past? Of course. It is on a decline. But if your entire lens of what is happening in the country is news channels and the Internet, you need a reality check. As Dave Chappelle said, Twitter is not a real place.

Oddskar 5y ago
> But if your entire lens of what is happening in the country is news channels and the Internet, you need a reality check. Not sure what your point is. How do you think people shape their opinions and perceptions on things if not via media and the internet? What would this “reality check” consist of? I would move to the US for a number of years just so I can determine whether I want to move there? Should I read the collected works of David Foster Wallace? It’s perception we’re talking about here. It doesn’t have to be rational nor accurate.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
erect_hacker 5y ago
this is a terrible take. why comment at all?

ctvo 5y ago

> I think you overestimate the reputation of the US and underestimate how much it has rapidly declined the last decades. How has it rapidly declined? Please list the ways. I don't necessarily disagree, but I am curious.

jleyank 5y ago
Behaviour of the conservative side of the country has been grim the last 10+ years, unless you’re white. Overall, the country is right-centre as compared to the western world. Politics is constant yet government is in gridlock. Health care is costly and intermittent being tied to employment. Social cohesion and support isn’t particularly good. But there’s money to be had if you don’t mind the cost.
randcraw 5y ago
These are the biggest universities in America today. None of them existed 50 years ago. They are the future of college education in America. #1 Western Governors University (WGU) North Carolina 121,437 #2 Southern New Hampshire University New Hampshire 104,068 #3 Grand Canyon University Arizona 90,253 #4 Liberty University Virginia 79,152 #5 Ivy Tech Community College - Central Indiana Indiana 72,006
- Noos 5y ago
  Uh, this makes zero sense. This is just places that are inexpensive to get degrees from because many places now require college degrees for jobs that don't need them. They are not "the future of college education" in any real leadership sense, no more than Coursera is "the future of education."