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You’ll see the same thing here on HN. I remember a discussion quite a while back about how SE Asia lacks a vibrant startup culture and people were going back a
by pigsty 4y ago
You’ll see the same thing here on HN.
I remember a discussion quite a while back about how SE Asia lacks a vibrant startup culture and people were going back and forth about how companies should just bring in Silicon Valley tech workers to get the industry going. Upon mention that Cambodian and Vietnamese simply can’t pay the wages SV techies would want, commenters seemed confused as to why—these struggling countries should just do it and quit making excuses. It’s simply obvious that a country where people are getting maybe $2000 a year should have companies with enough free cash to bring in thousands of Americans who want at least 300k but would settle for 250k if they can get a luxury condo thrown in. Bizarre to witness these statements sometimes—frustrating when it’s crowds.
It’s good when people do, at the very least, a passing glance at the data and consider troubles that could occur.
That said, mom and pops run by just mom and pops do exist. If you’ve got savings and just want to socialize and mitigate some of the costs with a little side income, running a tiny cafe next to your home on weekends is something that isn’t unreasonable if you’re very comfortably settled.
- hinkley 4y agoIf you want to know a man’s character, give him a little power. Let’s say Vietnam found the money to do it anyway. Now you’ve got a bunch of people making minor warlord money compared to the locals. They can now afford to do just about anything their little hearts desire. Silicon Valley may be many things, but a paragon of ethics is not one of them. When you can bribe people half a year’s salary that changes the dynamic quite a bit, and for the worse. And you didn’t bring these people over to run everything, you brought them over to mentor the people you want to run everything. What great role models you’ve provided for them. What could possibly go wrong?
- grog454 4y ago> Now you’ve got a bunch of people making minor warlord money compared to the locals. They can now afford to do just about anything their little hearts desire. Isn't this already happening when an SV company pays an eastern European developer 1/2 a typical SV salary which is 10x the employee's average local salary?
- hinkley 4y agoIt might be, but how many 0.5x bribes are you handing out at “only” 10x normal salary? Also locals at least are socialized to think about their community to some extent. You don’t get that when you bring in outsiders who can annd probably will other most of the population from day 1.
- badpun 4y agoNot that many people from EE work remotely for SV. The time difference (9 hours) is just too much, and you can make similar money ($120k-$150k) remotely working for european companies as well.
- ghaff 4y agoIt works better from the US east coast where it's a 6 hour difference. We have a big European office and 9am or 10am ET meetings work fine.
- spacemadness 4y agoI have to laugh at this as I’ve seen this happen a lot, timezones be damned.
- badpun 4y agoI mean if you're really crazy about money, then sure. But really, contracts within EU pay similar money, and you don't have to become a vampire. The biggest downside is that contracts aren't always extended.
- hinkley 4y agoWorking with India from the west coast: can we just fucking not? 11.5 or 12.5 hour difference, you're wrecking someone's day every time you have a meeting. At least on the East coast it's about the same as EE vs West Coast. If you're a night owl on one end or an early bird on the other you can make it work.