The American Nightmare: No Exit, No Entry Re: # 116

That was funny. LOL. Why would I be jealous of an American of all people!. Poor sod is what I think. Works all his life like a dog and at the end of the day isn`t sure if his insurance will cover his illness costs. Instead the market tells him leave your house and go to India for your operation.

The American Nightmare: No Exit, No Entry Re: # 110

Thanks GT.

Corporations are not motivated by altruism but by profit maximization therefore, the goal is to become monoplies--the corporation defends against competition. It uses all and every means to do that--from prices, to innovation in products to advertizing to ``capture the market``. Consumer surplus is a happy outcome of competition. However economic models at present do not capture the waste in resources from the needless production of goods. Corporations therefore flood markets persuading the consumer to buy. The original theory was that profits will reduce to 0 over time in a completely free market. However a corporation would rather that never happened. Therefore it seeks alternatives from cheap labour to ``innovative`` production methods to compromises in quality to achieve its ends--that are not necessarily quite what consumers may want. However, consumers have limited power to influence a corporation. Shareholders and consumers of the corporation are different entities. Consumer power in the current form of the corporation is dependent on successful information dissemination only. Enter media. Enter Corporate PR. Enter disinformation.

The American Nightmare: No Exit, No Entry Re: # 114

The American melting pot is quite different from the Canadian mosaic. Each has its pluses and minuses. I agree that the Canadian mosaic is more advanced in its understanding and adjustment to immigration than America.

The American Nightmare: No Exit, No Entry Re: # 115

I had to put a cap on the number of words and so deleted a couple of pages. Even then many people have found the article long. The topic is huge and this was an intro type column.

The American Nightmare: No Exit, No Entry Re: # 80

Yeah for them Samina. It is interesting to see the trajectory of performance and goals of second generation immigrants.

rgds

S

The American Nightmare: No Exit, No Entry Re: # 93

#93 by freesoul on November 19, 2005 2:02pm PT Score=1 [plus | minus | remove]
Re: #89 by SamiaShah

Freesoul, I did not see a reply # 95 addressed to me. I am however posting a detailed reply since you asked me to do so on this response--I had thought that I had answered it in my previous post--that it was self-evident, but apparently not.

[Freesoul you seem to be a corporate type with the same hang-up that most immigrants from South Asia display. `That people from my country just don`t know how to interact with the American system and I do.`]

(It is ur understanding of American Corp culture, that I am criticizing, not everyone else`s. I have 6 years Pak`s software house company experience, and nearly 6 years here in USA. Worked for the biggest software company in the world in USA. So I think i know what the psyche of Pak worker and a pakistani worker in USA. I have worked in 2 very different companies in Karachi, one run by an ex army colonel, and one run by an atheist and drinker. Needless to say, creativity is crushed under army discipline, and more encouraged in an environment, where nothing is beyond question , not even God. )

I feel I am repeating myself here—the point I am making in the article is about dissent on ethics, not creative brainstorming that is usually encouraged in Corporations especially software companies.

[Also, I have throughout the article acknowledged the incredible open generosity of the Americans and the openness of hiring practices--literally any one from the world can get a job here.]

(Again, a misconception. It is not generosity, it is simply 101 economics. Diversity helps. When u dont care about color of skin, and sexuality of person, u get the best ppl in the genes pool. Microsoft stood for its gay and lesbian employees ever since mid 80s. Not a single opportunity goes by when the company does not make sure that its gay emplyees r not discriminated against, not just inside the company, but even in social life outside the company premises. Again, economics 101. )

I made the exact same point in the article—that a lot of actions are motivated by economics. Whatever the motivation, American companies do not discriminate which is a plus for them since they appear to be open and generous which in turn motivates people to work in America.

[However, corporate types agree on some funadmental ideas otherwise they wouldn`t be in the Corporation. Dissent is encouraged within these boundaries.]

(What r these boundaries? There is a book on Fiefdome Syndrome by Robert Herbold, a seasoned COO. It discusses how creativity can be encouraged within boundaries, so that business discipline can also be ensured. It is tough compromise, but it has to be made. Successfull companies cannot remain on the top if a cabal (like in Enron) is running the the corp. Dissent is always encouraged by decentralizing the corp.

Every US company is not Enron. Rigth now, there might be worst cases than Enron, that r still covered up. But such companies will eventually pay the price for the shortcuts they took, in terms of their employees` morale and productivity. Also, Whistleblowers have state and deferal protected rights, outside the company. And u can not generalize the whole issue by Enron brush. )

I quote, “such companies will eventually pay the price for the shortcuts they took”. Article mentions market corrections.

I quote, “And u can not generalize the whole issue by Enron brush.” Neither can you generalize that the corporation is a/ democratic or even b/anarchist.

(My point is not that all corps r inherently honest. Off course, they will exploit the workforce if they could monoploize the market. Shell could skin ppl in Africa, if it could bribe their govt into silence. I have read in detail about Walmart stories, and if u dig deeper, it is more a case of bunch of greedy employees suing their company. Walmart`s recent leaked memo was another example of propaganda. I read it completely, and i could not undertsand anything wrong in it. If u don;t like Walmart`s medical covergae or promotion grades, just leave the company. BTW, never did any MBA. Now I feel good about it :) )

Any one knows exactly what the corporation excels in doing, producing in bulk and erecting barriers to entry. So, you feel that employees of a corporation that is bigger than some governments should just leave the corporation simply because the employee can find another job? In other words, people should not try to improve the ethics of a system, just simply leave when it starts stinking. And that the politics of self-interest are completely justifiable and even, `natural.`

I quote, “if ur happy with urself and ur article, fine. But ur article lacks supporting facts. It is a bunch of Marxisim-inspired rhetorics, nothing more. “

Your reply is weak. You are saying exactly the same things that I stated in the article. Except that you are content with them and I am critical. We are using different measuring sticks. And you are using capitalist propaganda, little else to refute my arguments.

Regards.

ps; more next article

Rabid Hi Nadeem

Fantastic work here. I keep grinning and coming back to read a few again. I liked the one on Shahrukh Khan. In a blanding flash of light I now know why I like him so much. He is like a muppet!!. And oh Prince Charles was toooo good. Farhat Hashmi`s was like talcum powder on diaper rash. She has done more harm to women`s rights than even Zia. I would have thought you`d see her as a taliban dressed as female. But what you did do was sooo funny what with the covering hang-up that she has.

The American Nightmare: No Exit, No Entry Re: # 101

Surely you misunderstand. I got bored. Heard arguments like this a million times and then some. I can probably argue on similar lines longer than you about exactly why A. US is a meritocracy B. Why a meritocracy is just dandy and C. How humans must evolve. Unfortunately the truth is that most arguments like this are fallacious.

You will get your responses, perhaps in greater detail than you expect, except not in this board but over time in the column.

Thanks for interacting.

Culture Cloning Shaista

This phase is really important for Pakistan. For years people were completely segregated from the Hindu ethos. They are bound to go and explore that side of their heritage. The pendulum swings and then reaches equilibrium. Look at the business facts; The majority viewership is in India, so channels that target the region will tend to cater to the Indian audience as well.

The American Nightmare: No Exit, No Entry Re: # 98

And how do you propose `people` should `adapt` to `change.` For example:
1. Who should adapt?
2. What does adaptation mean?
3. What does the change you talk about look like? What is changing? who is changing IT? and why?.
4. How should we convince people that it is they who need to adapt to change?
5. If they agree to `adapt` to `change` what can they do to prove they have successfully `adapted?`.

The American Nightmare: No Exit, No Entry Re: # 93

The sentiments as express by the gentleman here are a live example of some of the thought processes that I have tried to articulate in the article.

1. Labeling a dissenting view as Marxist. And what`s wrong with Marxism?

2. Confusing creative brainstorming in Corporations with dissent on ethics.

3. Gentleman has also ended up agreeing to some things stated in the article yet made it sound that he has presented the argument.

4. The subtext that he happens to be on the right side of the issue and as long as he wins and his interests are being served than who cares if, as he puts it, 18 yr old girls are starving with 3 kids.

So, from the vantage pt of what was it again; being able to say go fetch in mysql? the gentleman feels that he knows it all.

The American Nightmare: No Exit, No Entry Re: # 82

Freesoul you seem to be a corporate type with the same hang-up that most immigrants from South Asia display. `That people from my country just don`t know how to interact with the American system and I do.` And of-course there could be nothing wrong with the US economy because well it is so much richer than the economies of so many other countries. Right?

Also, I have throughout the article acknowledged the incredible open generosity of the Americans and the openness of hiring practices--literally any one from the world can get a job here. However, corporate types agree on some funadmental ideas otherwise they wouldn`t be in the Corporation. Dissent is encouraged within these boundaries. Surely you read about Enron? If dissent had been part of the culture as much as you seem to think--then the Enron debacle would have been corrected a long time ago. Surely you read about Shell and its disgusting behaviour in African countries. Surely you know how Walmart hires and how anti women its hiring policies are...surely you read beyond your MBA curriculum?

I am thankful to say that my sojourn in academics is/was interdisciplinary, so neither Marx nor the Popplers, nor socialism nor capitalism got my mind. Perhaps you weren`t so fortunate...:) I hope you take this in good spirit.

The American Nightmare: No Exit, No Entry Re: # 76

Yes for sure language is the darndest impossible thing, infernally clumsy. I use a dialectic style sometimes--a conversation in the mind- to just bounce ideas. Thanks very much for the comments.

S

The American Nightmare: No Exit, No Entry test

The American Nightmare: No Exit, No Entry #58/59 plus other replies

All the comments are really interesting. We all go back to this one idea; ok, so US stinks in some parts. Ok. But then where else to go? This is still the best system so what can your critique really do? Comparisons to India/Pakistan/Europe etc. come up. So many people take the path of, `it ain`t really broke, why fix it?.`

The fact is I don`t really know what is right for immigrants to do. I don`t have any solutions. I just write about what I saw, understood and wondered about.

Let`s bring it down to complete basics; IMHO it isn`t the best system because it ignores that you exist. You work here all your life and you never belong politically. You can live in America for 15-20 years and never vote--so the comment about it being easier to change the system in US--well only if you have that blue passport. That if you get time from your day job, raising children and family. And where will you start? Will you write to CNN to tell them about what is going on and how disenfranchised you feel because you have been living here for 15 years without the basic right to vote? I havent seen that sort of thing in media (fairly common in Canada). Why? Because you are afraid of being ridiculed or coming on to a dangerous watch list of some sort? You are American so you don`t want to draw attention to the fact that you weren`t. or Aren`t or whatever. Why is that?

It is the wealthiest system so you can afford more things than you can anywhere else in the world. Well, it isn`t getting wealthier so thats a cause for concern because costs are rising and eventually that means lower living standards.

It also uses technology in everything, so you will know how to operate a number of systems and gadgets. You will drive cars your ancestors dreamt about. You will have gadgets in your house for everything, over time you wont be able to operate anything and feel embarassed that you have to ask your kids to turn on the tv.

You will most likely die of cancer because the food is rotten because it does not rot.

If you are naturalized, you will always feel apologetic that you weren`t born American.

When you visit home, you get a lot of admiring looks but those visits are kind of rare. If thats the time you feel happiest about being in America, it is kind of worrisome.

You will always wonder if you did the right thing for your children. When they end up at Berkeley and what else you will feel that you did do the right thing, because now you will be counted as part of the very best people in the world. But when they make it abundantly clear that your needs are not part of their life, you will wonder again.

When you lose your job, become ill or need something from the government, that is the time to see if this system is the best. It is a ruthless system, it compensates the strong at the expense of the weak.

Someone said that we are engaging in dialogue because of the confidence the American system gave us. That isn`t true. I joined Chowk in 1997 in Karachi. Academically, I am a product of IBA, Karachi and Canada. But I do see your point. The American culture imparts confidence. One becomes more direct and forthright living here. The best American insitution is the entrepreneur. Some of the most brilliant people thrive in a capitalist system. The miracle of capitalist creativity is the best side of America. But for how long, is the question.

The American Nightmare: No Exit, No Entry Re: # 14

Enjoyed all your comments.

On the Royesque. Thanks but I am technically an `insider`. A corporate employee type. Whereas Roy could anthropomorphize the corporation--demonize it and make it out to have a brain and an evil heart, I unfortunately for me know exactly what the corporation is about. It is the great nothing of the 21st century. A nonentity populated by bossy people. A fishpond. A children`s playground of nasty little ones. There is no evil in a Corporation, other than the rivalry of the people who work in it and who totally loathe each other. A Corporation is, in other words highly over rated and can go the way of the dinosaurs very soon since it is so inefficient. I promise you a whole column on the Corporation.