<p>I just read the blurb on wikipedia on it. There’s a world of difference between intense 80 hour workweeks to design or push a tangible product and what cobrat described. There’s something in human nature that we don’t mind huge timesinks when creating something we feel ownership in.</p>
<p>^^Yes. Or in doing work that we are obsessively interested in. It becomes a pleasure, a fascination, not a chore. What better time to get involved in something like that than when you’re young, before family responsibilities come first. Instead of thinking, “I’m working XX hours for XX pay”, one thinks about what they want to accomplish.</p>
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That’s not much of a point. Norway has similar policies (48 hrs a week max) and (currently) a 3.2% unemployment rate. Employers adapt.</p>
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That can change, especially with today’s technology. Meetings can be done via Skype, files can be synchronized online etc.</p>
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<p>Yeah, well, not everyone is a workaholic. Regardless of whether you like your job, spending 13 hours a day at work is too much for most people.</p>
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<p>Then there are plenty of unhealthy companies as I know plenty of people working in such companies pulling those hours who aren’t management. Heard it’s gotten worse for some since 2008 as those who weren’t laid off often have to pick up the slack for those who were. </p>
<p>Also, this isn’t restricted to the private sector. A few friends who work in a few state agencies in the NE have had to pull overtime because of the severe staffing cuts and the resulting increase in workloads per remaining employee. </p>
<p>It’s one reason why one of them hasn’t taken vacation time in nearly 3 years. Fortunately, he’s able to roll over most of his vacation time…though his supervisor advised him that he needed to take a couple of weeks off a month ago as he’s about to exceed his accumulated rolled over vacation time with the upcoming fiscal year.</p>
<p>Corbat: we’ve gotten to the point where you are going to have to cite a source for “these studies,” and some story other than about “someone I know.”</p>
<p>The US government should make it financially painful for companies to outsource jobs to other countries. That way, they will have little incentive to export jobs to countries like India, China and others.</p>
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<p>The usual way to do that is to weaken your own currency. It would result in domestic inflation though.</p>
<p>Outsourcing, practically speaking, is very difficult to stop.</p>
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<p>Exactly. The idea makes for great political soundbites, but we have a global economy. Moreover, holding onto the highest corporate tax rate in the western world is making it more “painful” for US companies to remain onshore; it is an disincentive to stay.</p>
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<p>This may be true for services provided by a multinational to country A from country B, neither being the US, however, for services provided within the US, this is not true. Let’s say you have regs that no health or financial info can be shipped out of the border, outsourcing for those industries will be controlled.</p>
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<p>We establish bi-directional trade treaties with multiple countries. If we make such a rule, we risk violating those treaties. We can also get sued at the world court.</p>
<p>Look at the attempt at Buy American requirements for the Stimulus act a few years ago for a primer on what happens when you try to slow down trade in one direction. Other countries call foul. The US sells a lot of goods to other countries and our industries don’t need roadblocks to their businesses.</p>
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<p>So are you suggesting that the US ban foreign banks from opening shop in the US and employing US residents? Ban international credit card transactions?</p>
<p>^^
I didn’t advocate specifically what we should do. All I was saying is that based on the way I’ve seen other countries handle foreign competition, this is a tactic that has been used successfully by others. Do you really think you can go to China or Japan or India and open whatever kind of business you want? Clearly other countries are far more adept in fighting for their interests in international court than we seem to be. The US’s interests are less represented by the government than by multinationals who really don’t that much of a vested interest against outsourcing or protecting US interests.</p>
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This actually should work to our advantage if we choose to exercise it. We import a lot more than we export.</p>
<p>Please stop saying “the end is nie.” The word is “nigh.”</p>
<p>By the way, I agree with you about the need for hard work and long hours for any professional who is serious about building a career. It’s especially important that young people know what it takes. From what I can tell, nothing has changed here; it’s always been this way.</p>
<p>Although I wish there was such a thing as “work/life balance” in my industry, I’ve never encountered it - and I’m starting to get old!</p>
<p>It’s true. I’m a horrible speller. I make apostrophe errors, too, and I mess up the i before e rule. I have a dyslexic daughter, and I suspect I carry some of the genes. I could never diagram scentences, and yet, here I am. </p>
<p>I will make spelling errors in the future.</p>
<p>I will never remember that is how you spell indespensible, not even in ten minutes. </p>
<p>But, feel free to correct me any time. Sometimes it sticks. Maybe I will remember indespensible, now. Who knows?</p>
<p>In the meantime, we are communicating rather effectively, and are in agreement. verb AND subject. ;)</p>
<p>i think it’s ‘indispensable’. i could be wrong…</p>
<p>You’re not wrong.</p>
<p>But who really cares, except for you English majors?</p>
<p>Who are the 1 in 2 who aren’t getting jobs anyways.
Just kidding.</p>
<p>Yes, I think the screen name with “poet” promises more! :)</p>
<p>Anyway …</p>
<p>You’re making a really good point that these young folks need to hear - and it’s not just young folks, either. There are a lot of people here who love to insult what they call “the wealthy” or “the rich”, by which they mean reasonably high-earning professional folks who have been busting their butts for decades. You’re pretty much telling them what they need to do if they want to get there the hard way. Not many people are willing to commit that kind of sustained effort and personal sacrifice.</p>
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Well, I’m a STEM guy, and I care. :)</p>