We need to remember that it is the science and technology related fields that drive innovation and development for a society. Research and development in these fields aid in transportation, defense, energy, communication, and so much more. Although I am biased (I am an engineer), I believe that our country”s priorities are completely out of line. We need scientific-based jobs to compete in this new world. India, China, and Russia all value science in a way our country cannot even imagine.
These countries are less into the liberal arts and focus on the hard-nosed sciences, and will continue to grow strength as contributors in the world economy – especially China. In fact, the majority of China”s leaders are all ex-engineers – and they are only looking up with their economy at this moment. When I visited Shangahi four years ago, all I saw were skyscrapers under construction – everywhere. There were more cranes than buildings. The city is booming with world corporations finding refuge in their pseudo-free-socialist/capitalist-market sector. Supposedly, this sector of China is just easier and cheaper to set-up shop.
Our country is over-saturated with bankers, brokers, real estate agents and lawyers. Although these jobs are essential for the functionality of a society – they do not help a society EVOLVE. We need to reconstruct our primary and secondary educational system and start attracting kids to the science fields as early as we can. A greek-literature major will not solve our country”s problems. Our time in the sun is done, and we need to bite the bullet. We can no longer send Timmy to UCLA to be a painter. We need to send Bartholomew to MIT to be a rocket scientist. We are watching GM sink into the mud, and it is a combination of crooked CEOs and lackluster engineering. How can this be? We were the ones that invented the car! Now we will have to sit and watch countries like China, India and Turkey become world exporters of automobiles. One other other point. The whistle was blown about alternate energy over thirty years ago, but no one budged due to pork-barrel lobbyists and lack or pro-activeness. Would this have happened under the direction of a Washington led by scientists as opposed to lawyers?
Let”s start becoming aware that the human race becomes more evolved not by producing marketers and journalists but by producing scientists. It was science that led us to the invent of electricity, the phone, the car, the internet, the integrated circuit, and so much more. All of these innovations were from American scientists. Our problem is, after we invent it, we drop it, and then Taiwan or Japan perfect it. So my point is, lets output more engineers, innovate a hovercraft that runs on water, develop it, produce it, and then sell it to the entire world.
Again – this whole thing is completely biased. If you are a journalist or Latin theatre major, please forgive my rants – as I mentioned, we do need you. We just dont need anymore of ya!
Peace and Love.