time for coffee.
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i read a ton of thomas paine. should write about it tonight. well see.
i was talking to this guy kevin awhile back. i am reminded of our conversation because i was just at the book store picking up some econ. resources for a paper i have to do in a couple weeks. and i was just browsing over the 'economics' section, and there are all of these titles like, 'how globalization is killing YOU' or 'how the neo-classicals got it wrong and how theyre going to take you with them' and so on and so forth. anyway, i was talking to kevin. and kevin (along with about 65% of people in this community) seems to agree with these titles. some of these people are downright rabid about it.
and i dont get it.
on one hand, they say that global commerce and free trade dont reach enough people, so some are getting ahead faster than others. (granted). on the other hand, they say that you should buy american and support your local economies. they hate corporations, but think that corporations should hand out jobs and high salaries regardless of how productive a given person is. they say that the current regime rewards the rich and powerful core at the expense of the poor periphery. despite the fact that millions of people, particularly in asia, have been pulled out of poverty in the last 10 years alone (hardly including the 'miracle' period in that region). they say it exploits women and children. but women can now exercise personal autonomy in countries where it might have previously unthinkable for a woman to even leave the house without a man. now she has her own income. and the higher wages that these 'sweatshops' offer help to keep children in safer work environments, and provide a means for them to eventually leave. an example: when the international community pressured bangladesh to end all child labor, thousands of young girls and boys turned to prostitution in order to supplement family income.
whatever. like facts make a difference anyway...
