The Technocratic Age
Bill Gates has been credited with saying the following:
Never before in history has innovation offered promise of so much to so many in so short a time.
That statement coincides with my beliefs when it comes to technology, I believe it can provide the solution to many of mankind’s problems if we allow the relevant research. The world’s greatest invention came from America in the form of the first microprocessor created by Intel and technology will play an even more pivotal role in the future of America for generations to come. The government and the leadership of the United States has a role to play in this process by doing everything possible to foster the growth of the science and technology industry to hopefully maintain America’s domination online and offline.
The problem as noted by Mother Jones is that on Senator McCain’s website, his policies with regards to technology vary from general to non-existent:
John McCain, as of yet, has few such fans in the tech sector. His campaign website does not have a section about technology. Sprinkled throughout the site are a handful of references to tech issues
Senator Obama’s website on the other hand has a specific section of his site designated as a place for people to inform themselves about his stance on issues of Technology:
The two points that Senator Obama stresses that I feel are quite significant are the lack of emphasis on math and science in schools today. If America is to remain competitive in the technological environment, it needs to source its future engineers, scientists, and programmers from within the country rather than importing people from India and China . Federal funding should be increased for schools to provide more comprehensive education in the sciences and mathematics fields and maybe even financial incentives for students to enter these fields after high school.
For America to truly succeed in the 21st century, it needs a leader who is in touch with the way technology influences our lives. This influence is only going to grow and being able to effeciently intergrate technology into all levels of society will create a new kind of America, a better America where the United States continues to lead the world in innovation, invention and intellect for centuries to come.
July 07 2008 08:31 pm | American Politics and World Politics
July 8th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/07/07/rnc-launches-first-anti-obama-ad/
July 8th, 2008 at 3:49 pm
We’ve got plenty of funding already. When I was in college in the 80’s, the starting salaries for engineering were incentive enough.
Now, the smart kids who can handle calculus know that more money can be made in the financial industry.
But I’m for importing all the Indian engineers we can get. I’ve worked with them; they’re good people, and India is at least partly in the western tradition of civilization. A prosperous India is a good thing.
July 8th, 2008 at 8:27 pm
Don’t get me wrong Gordon, importing foreign talent is great but as long as America can retain that talent. Regarding the funding issue, the Senator is stressing greater funding at the high school level to ensure that enough time is spent focusing on math and science. During my post-grad here, the one common theme amongst the majority of my Chinese friends is their amazing ability at numbers.
There has to be something in the American education system to depart that natural knack onto the future generation of American teens.
Hey Tate, thanks for the WSJ post, I can’t believe Senator McCain is still trying to float the gas tax holiday when every economist has said it will fail.
July 11th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
I noticed that ability among the Indian postgrads when I was in college. I asked one once how he came to be so good at math. He told me his school didn’t have a lot of books or tech toys; so they did a lot of brute-force memorization and tons of paper-and-pencil problem solving.
His teacher had made them memorize the multiplication tables to 45. Not 10, like in the US.
The Chinese and the Indians simply work harder than Americans are willing to do.
July 11th, 2008 at 5:50 pm
Working hard is the key then, maybe a change in education policy is necessary to promote math and science? Multiplication tables till 45, that is darn impressive, I only remember learning to 12. West and East both have a lot to learn from each other, maybe that can happen in the future in this newly globalized world.