6 ms·

> Colombia looks to have a GDP per capita about 1/10th of the US, so if we scale it up 10X... Ah, yes, but costs for public projects like this in the US is far

> Colombia looks to have a GDP per capita about 1/10th of the US, so if we scale it up 10X... Ah, yes, but costs for public projects like this in the US is far greater than 10x Colombia's.

marcinzm 3y ago
Yes, amazingly paying someone $2/hour won't fly in a major US city.
- throwup238 3y ago
  It will if they’re convicts on a chain gang.
  - roughly 3y ago
    Acknowledging the general ickyness of prison labor, I'd be curious what the overall effect on wellbeing and recidivism among prisoners would be of spending time working outside planting trees to make the local community a better, more beautiful place.
    - TaylorAlexander 3y ago
      Probably better than making garments for McDonald’s and Walmart, but yeah we should abolish prison labor (and prisons). Here’s a report on the state of human rights abuses in prison labor in the United States: https://news.uchicago.edu/story/us-prison-labor-programs-violate-fundamental-human-rights-new-report-finds https://news.uchicago.edu/story/us-prison-labor-programs-vio...
    - joecool1029 3y ago
      It was pointed out to me awhile back that the 'slave states' that utilize this kind of labor need all sorts of low-level nonviolent crimes to lock people up with. Why, you may ask? It turns out giving violent offenders (murderers, wife beaters, gang bangers) tools like shovels in an open environment can be pretty dangerous. Guards would rather have some pothead teenager to order around.
      - Terr_ 3y ago
        > It was pointed out to me awhile back that the 'slave states' that utilize this kind of labor need all sorts of low-level nonviolent crimes to lock people up with. Arguably a continuation of their post-civil-war Black Codes [0], where--if you had a certain skin color--it was effectively a crime to ever leave/lose your abusive "employment", then that crime led to fines, then the fines led to more fines from compounding court costs, and once you were in prison, you were forced to labor for private interests. Perhaps even the same "employer" you tried to leave. [0] https://www.history.com/news/black-codes-reconstruction-slavery https://www.history.com/news/black-codes-reconstruction-slav...
- Wytwwww 3y ago
  Are you saying that the people building those parks in Colombia were only paid $0.2 per hour?
  - marcinzm 3y ago
    > The groundwork is carried out by 150 citizen-gardeners Probably lower on average given a lot of them got paid $0 it seems.
roughly 3y ago
I'd happily pay $25/year. $2/mo to live in a city with that kind of greenery and QOL improvement? Absolutely sign me the fuck up.
- toomuchtodo 3y ago
  Highly recommend Medellín if you can swing the remote expat life.
  - onemoresoop 3y ago
    How is the COL compared to the local salaries? And how is the job market there?
    - m_dupont 3y ago
      I live here as a nomad. Job market is pretty bad. Haven't seen any official statistics but I've heard many locals anecdotally say that the pay even for people with econ / engineering degrees is pretty bad. Lots of young people with advanced degrees just end up working in call centres, or onlyfans.
  - baristaGeek 3y ago
    Unless you’re in tech or a few other sectors (eg: long tail exports such the company that manufactures transistors for Tesla, which is near here) the local job market is very bad. Particularly with new prices, in the wealthy areas it’s comparable to a city like Lisbon now. If you have a remote job however, it’s a no brainer. For example, renting a 3 bedroom in a wealthy area (through the local route, not Airbnb) within a gated community that has a pool, a gym, etc = $1,000. A private maid/chef once per week = $80. Normal Uber ride = $4-$6. Meal for 2 in a very fancy restaurant = $50 - $75. Makes SF prices feel insane.
    - toomuchtodo 3y ago
      Agree with everything in your comment.
    - 3y ago

> Colombia looks to have a GDP per capita about 1/10th of the US, so if we scale it up 10X... Ah, yes, but costs for public projects like this in the US is far greater than 10x Colombia's.

marcinzm 3y ago

Yes, amazingly paying someone $2/hour won't fly in a major US city.

throwup238 3y ago
It will if they’re convicts on a chain gang.
- roughly 3y ago
  Acknowledging the general ickyness of prison labor, I'd be curious what the overall effect on wellbeing and recidivism among prisoners would be of spending time working outside planting trees to make the local community a better, more beautiful place.
  - TaylorAlexander 3y ago
    Probably better than making garments for McDonald’s and Walmart, but yeah we should abolish prison labor (and prisons). Here’s a report on the state of human rights abuses in prison labor in the United States: https://news.uchicago.edu/story/us-prison-labor-programs-violate-fundamental-human-rights-new-report-finds https://news.uchicago.edu/story/us-prison-labor-programs-vio...
  - joecool1029 3y ago
    It was pointed out to me awhile back that the 'slave states' that utilize this kind of labor need all sorts of low-level nonviolent crimes to lock people up with. Why, you may ask? It turns out giving violent offenders (murderers, wife beaters, gang bangers) tools like shovels in an open environment can be pretty dangerous. Guards would rather have some pothead teenager to order around.
    - Terr_ 3y ago
      > It was pointed out to me awhile back that the 'slave states' that utilize this kind of labor need all sorts of low-level nonviolent crimes to lock people up with. Arguably a continuation of their post-civil-war Black Codes [0], where--if you had a certain skin color--it was effectively a crime to ever leave/lose your abusive "employment", then that crime led to fines, then the fines led to more fines from compounding court costs, and once you were in prison, you were forced to labor for private interests. Perhaps even the same "employer" you tried to leave. [0] https://www.history.com/news/black-codes-reconstruction-slavery https://www.history.com/news/black-codes-reconstruction-slav...
Wytwwww 3y ago
Are you saying that the people building those parks in Colombia were only paid $0.2 per hour?
- marcinzm 3y ago
  > The groundwork is carried out by 150 citizen-gardeners Probably lower on average given a lot of them got paid $0 it seems.

roughly 3y ago

I'd happily pay $25/year. $2/mo to live in a city with that kind of greenery and QOL improvement? Absolutely sign me the fuck up.

toomuchtodo 3y ago
Highly recommend Medellín if you can swing the remote expat life.
- onemoresoop 3y ago
  How is the COL compared to the local salaries? And how is the job market there?
  - m_dupont 3y ago
    I live here as a nomad. Job market is pretty bad. Haven't seen any official statistics but I've heard many locals anecdotally say that the pay even for people with econ / engineering degrees is pretty bad. Lots of young people with advanced degrees just end up working in call centres, or onlyfans.
- baristaGeek 3y ago
  Unless you’re in tech or a few other sectors (eg: long tail exports such the company that manufactures transistors for Tesla, which is near here) the local job market is very bad. Particularly with new prices, in the wealthy areas it’s comparable to a city like Lisbon now. If you have a remote job however, it’s a no brainer. For example, renting a 3 bedroom in a wealthy area (through the local route, not Airbnb) within a gated community that has a pool, a gym, etc = $1,000. A private maid/chef once per week = $80. Normal Uber ride = $4-$6. Meal for 2 in a very fancy restaurant = $50 - $75. Makes SF prices feel insane.
  - toomuchtodo 3y ago
    Agree with everything in your comment.
  - 3y ago