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I think “winning” really depends on your criteria for success. Maybe it’s winning on overall metrics like GDP, but on an individual level, the story is far less

I think “winning” really depends on your criteria for success. Maybe it’s winning on overall metrics like GDP, but on an individual level, the story is far less clear. Like, is it winning to have the option of starting a company that produces generational wealth for yourself, while living in a city unable to solve its homelessness problem? Is it winning to be a 1%-er but have no safety net so that you're always precarious, at risk of being wiped out by factors you have no control over? Is it winning to have a school system so dysfunctional that you send your kids to private schools that most of your neighbors can't afford? I expect that from a perspective that prioritizes stability, safety, and sustainability, a model where it's hard to be fired and companies are encouraged to take long term responsibility for their employees (and therefore grow slowly) makes a lot of sense.

Gareth321 4y ago
> I think “winning” really depends on your criteria for success. Maybe it’s winning on overall metrics like GDP, but on an individual level, the story is far less clear. This is an excellent point. America does an exceptional job of making rich people richer, but it also ranks poorly in many quality of life metrics. It is now #25 on the social progress index (https://www.socialprogress.org/ https://www.socialprogress.org/). If people are richer but their children are more likely to die in child birth (U.S. ranks #50), or be murdered (U.S. ranks #137 in homicide), is that really better?
- nemo44x 4y ago
  [flagged]
  - brewdad 4y ago
    You can build an amazing life for yourself in the US and yet be one medical crisis away from ruin. I wish you well but you appear to lack empathy for those who did everything “right” but were dealt a crap hand by fate or circumstances out of their control.
    - nemo44x 4y ago
      The parent was talking about dying during child berth and homicide rates. You are completely changing the topic now. Our system isn’t perfect and some people have had unfortunate luck by not having insurance when a medical emergency came up. But that has nothing to do with what the conversation was.
1123581321 4y ago
Your perspective sounds overly mired in tech and San Francisco issues. For most of the country geographically, it’s good to be able to make a business because you can make money doing something useful for other people, create jobs for others. By doing so you improve and create further opportunities for your community, and your taxes pay for the safety nets (that do exist) and decent schools, and you and your employees can be philanthropic on top of that, which is fairly common. Building quickly and creating good, reliable jobs don’t have to conflict.

Gareth321 4y ago

> I think “winning” really depends on your criteria for success. Maybe it’s winning on overall metrics like GDP, but on an individual level, the story is far less clear. This is an excellent point. America does an exceptional job of making rich people richer, but it also ranks poorly in many quality of life metrics. It is now #25 on the social progress index (https://www.socialprogress.org/ https://www.socialprogress.org/). If people are richer but their children are more likely to die in child birth (U.S. ranks #50), or be murdered (U.S. ranks #137 in homicide), is that really better?

nemo44x 4y ago
[flagged]
- brewdad 4y ago
  You can build an amazing life for yourself in the US and yet be one medical crisis away from ruin. I wish you well but you appear to lack empathy for those who did everything “right” but were dealt a crap hand by fate or circumstances out of their control.
  - nemo44x 4y ago
    The parent was talking about dying during child berth and homicide rates. You are completely changing the topic now. Our system isn’t perfect and some people have had unfortunate luck by not having insurance when a medical emergency came up. But that has nothing to do with what the conversation was.

1123581321 4y ago

Your perspective sounds overly mired in tech and San Francisco issues. For most of the country geographically, it’s good to be able to make a business because you can make money doing something useful for other people, create jobs for others. By doing so you improve and create further opportunities for your community, and your taxes pay for the safety nets (that do exist) and decent schools, and you and your employees can be philanthropic on top of that, which is fairly common. Building quickly and creating good, reliable jobs don’t have to conflict.