> The other stark contrast is how much harder people in China seem to work than people here, and how working hard is considered a good thing, not a bad thing.

> The other stark contrast is how much harder people in China seem to work than people here, and how working hard is considered a good thing, not a bad thing. If continued growth is dependent on working harder (more hours), I'm completely fine with being over passed. If you have to give up more of your life to "grow" you have less time to enjoy the fruits of your labor. While America's growth is enviable, our work-life balance is not and many people outside the US think our labor and vacation policies are a joke. I don't think the solution to growth is working harder or changing our attitude towards hard work, we're already at the top (excluding China) – it's about working smarter and with better legislation to support risk takers.