Wal-Mart, the name and the phenomenon, is an aspect that anyone who is in America just can not escape. And why not? Wal-Mart is only the second company after GM (who did it 30 odd years ago), whose revenue is equivalent to more than 10% of US GDP.
I like many others have even always been startled by this phenomenon. Starting with the first time when I entered its store, when a lot of stuff that were seemingly impossible for an immigrant student became reality, to my studies where I came to know how the operation of the it work, to the radical opponent of its operation especially in CNY to lot of shows on it, it has been a learning experience.
And like the capitalist dream that it fulfills it has it pros and cons. The most important is certainly making a lot of stuffs possible for many customers for whom many of it would not have been possible. Personally Wal-Mart had made many items economically feasible for me, especially when I was student. And I am certainly not the only one. A big reason, why, Wal-Mart appeals to lower earning communities. Wal-Mart surely is leveling the rich and poor divide by bringing up the lifestyle of so many Americans. And for decades much of increase in American lifestyle was because of this advantage of Globalization.
The other good aspect of Wal-Mart is the Globalization it is brining. Though its implication will be decided by history, Wal-Mart has made it possible for a manufacturer anywhere in world to market its goods. The supply chain makes it possible but its results are phenomenon. Much of China’s progress is because of Wal-Mart, (Wal-Mart is the single biggest buyer of Chinese commodity). And this is to the fastest growing developing nations. Add names like Bangladesh, Sri-Lanka and Malyasia it is uplifting lives of many across the world.
On the con side, one aspect is the loosing the small stores, and the high consumerism it generates. I suppose, especially form personal experience, Wal-Mart forces us to buy or have hope of buying the next time we come in, for many stuff that we do not need. And this I suppose can adds a lot of chaos to the already life that one lives.
Delving a more into the above aspect, it especially becomes relevant to an Indian, where we are taught from really early on that one needs to avoid a lot of "Maya". Do we need so much, or we are buying what a big store wants us to. In this way I suppose small stores are always better. And though we might buy each item at a higher price there, but as we are buying less, the overall amount we pay might not be as much as we might calculate first hand. Also it makes our life simpler. It is not spending hours at Wal-Mart and trying to decide but getting us do stuff that matter
The implication of this is big. Personally it helps in making our life simpler. I believe one of the challenges of a modern lifestyle is to distinguish between ones needs and ones wants. Stores like Wal-Mart make this really difficult especially if you happen to be a curious person, like me.
In end as it is mentioned Wal-Mart is a classical example of Capitalism. It has it pitfalls besides having its advantage.
Sunday, July 03, 2005
Thursday, June 16, 2005
The two Empires
Having lived for most part of my life in a place which has to a very high degree being to a degree a benefactor or influenced by the First Empire, and having lived the later part of my life espcially with my career part of the new Empire, it makes me often wonder what diffrentiates these two worlds.
And to a degree it is amazing how poles apart how these two Empires (the socialist or the communist would have rephrased it to be the Imperilist/Colonist which to a degree after the Iraq fiasco that too after such fresh memories of Vietnam does seem to hard to fathom).
All ofthem had come after seeing the PBS episode "Empire: Victoria".
Much of that can be understood by looking into an egalatarian Hagelsitic or Bernard Russel's British World compared to more Pragmatic "Pragmatism theory" of the americas.
And to a degree it is amazing how poles apart how these two Empires (the socialist or the communist would have rephrased it to be the Imperilist/Colonist which to a degree after the Iraq fiasco that too after such fresh memories of Vietnam does seem to hard to fathom).
All ofthem had come after seeing the PBS episode "Empire: Victoria".
Much of that can be understood by looking into an egalatarian Hagelsitic or Bernard Russel's British World compared to more Pragmatic "Pragmatism theory" of the americas.
Saturday, May 21, 2005
The enigma of 70's
It always has remained an enigma why am I so fascinated by that era. Be it the music (Pink Floyd, RD Burman and John Denver), the political movements (Vietnam War and its after effects, Green movement or Naxalite movement in Bengal), or be the freedom of expression (from extreme like Larry Flynt to Noam Chomsky) to other sociological and cultural changes like feminism. So how come so many of these important sociological changes happened during this time.
What caused all this upheaval. Though for sure many of the events were caused by earlier movements. Especially the coming of equanimity of mordern life after the heady days of 50's and mainly 60's, when mordern technology was thought to to be a panecea. But still it does not answer why these movement of such high degree of global, holistic and evangelistic mindset and thinking was replaced by more practical mindset of 80's and 90's. It becomes even more interesting when you look and meet the people of that era. They are now usually responsible aprt of community and are not any different from practical and rational Gen Xers like us.
I had read in one Sociology book, one of the reason for this was that the society goes through periods of cultural change. The 50's and 60's were marked by the practical reasoning. The world had to build after the upheaval of WWII. But their children who inherited a better world and maybe one of the most optimistic times ever achieved, became more holistic. This might have lead to the broad minded and cosmopolitan people of that era. But unfortunately good items did not last long. The 80's and 90's with world brought the practical realities with the oil crash and other political events. Changing a lot of people to become more self oriented.
But are these reason true reasons. I seriously think there is more to this, events and history have more to them than just few macroscopic tools of analysis. But what were these aspects, that changed the same people and also the one that came after that.
What caused all this upheaval. Though for sure many of the events were caused by earlier movements. Especially the coming of equanimity of mordern life after the heady days of 50's and mainly 60's, when mordern technology was thought to to be a panecea. But still it does not answer why these movement of such high degree of global, holistic and evangelistic mindset and thinking was replaced by more practical mindset of 80's and 90's. It becomes even more interesting when you look and meet the people of that era. They are now usually responsible aprt of community and are not any different from practical and rational Gen Xers like us.
I had read in one Sociology book, one of the reason for this was that the society goes through periods of cultural change. The 50's and 60's were marked by the practical reasoning. The world had to build after the upheaval of WWII. But their children who inherited a better world and maybe one of the most optimistic times ever achieved, became more holistic. This might have lead to the broad minded and cosmopolitan people of that era. But unfortunately good items did not last long. The 80's and 90's with world brought the practical realities with the oil crash and other political events. Changing a lot of people to become more self oriented.
But are these reason true reasons. I seriously think there is more to this, events and history have more to them than just few macroscopic tools of analysis. But what were these aspects, that changed the same people and also the one that came after that.
Sunday, May 08, 2005
Clash of Two ideas and American Economic future
This thought came to me when I was watching the movie "xxx". An interesting movie that talks about how a guy tries to make a Japanese run factory return to his hometown. Though a funny way, it shows the clash the two different cultures. The Western or more correctly American, where more emphasis is given on individual satisfaction and creativity, and the oriental where your society and the duty towards it (Indian "Karma"), is given more emphasis to. So where else on one side we have American families loosing their job but having better family life, on the other hand the Japanese Manager, who works his ass off, finds himself ridiculed by his wife comparing him with the American families. Though at this level things are fine, but at economic constraints, it brings an important question that has troubled me for most of my existence here. That of being how this country in the first hand became so rich and powerful, and what sort of suture entails this country. Geographic and mineral richness can not be the only reason, as India also has them and maybe so many other country that are languishing in poverty. I believe it is in history and more important culture. And for certain period my search in it has thrown some answers. One thing could be the entrepreneurial spirit or as others will say Capitalism, that this country encouraged. The classical example could be the putting railroad connecting California to the east, is a good example (see Ken Burns "American stories The West: The Grandest Enterprise under God"", I think PBS has always been enlightening especially if one comes from another country). As can be seen in these and other stories from past American power came from its creative people be it the people who settled in west or be it FDR's social reforms or Einshower's National highway act. All creative answers, to hurdles plaguing this relative new country.
But what future entails this country. Somehow I do not see some breaks in Economic Fundamentals. First the two aspects where American excelled at, people from other places are sort of doing better. In manufacturing atleast at large scale areas, China at simpler stuff and Japan at more complicated areas area are doing better. In scientific temper, years at stretch American student’s antipathy towards science and engineering are point of concern to organization like NSF. And it is no surprise that visionaries like Bill Gates are even questioning how US will fare in future (see the discussion on this matter by Bill Gates, Shirley Tilghman: President Princeton, David Dreier, U.S. Representative (R-California) ). So how will America fare in future? One of the thing which I found which I find could be the hardest hindrance is the change in culture. America was made by entrepreneurial and hardworking people. Unfortunately American today lacks it today. Americans because of years of prosperity have lost the hard working aspect of their forefathers. Also because of aspects like Insurance and especially the growth of middle class stereotypes as a socialist would call or suburban dysfunction, especially after 1950's among other things make more American avoid taking too many risks with their lives. And thus we are seeing people from other portions doing better than Native American born people. Classical examples are Asians who excel Native American even Caucasian whites both in education as well as in Economic terms. Especially with low labor gone to Spanish, manufacturing gone to China, Service and IT industry being outsourced to India and other countries what are then American’s doing. It is no doubt American are managing the show, but for how long. As we are seeing in IT, because of lack of American doing the lower level work, I do not think American can produce high class managers in future, if today’s young generation do not dirty themselves with manual work.
Though I do think it is as grave as I might be projecting. One of the aspects of America is its recover from its problem. The aspect of creation of "xxx" after the great dustbowl, FDR's workers plan to Einshower’s National highway act are classical aspects how American meet depressing time and turned it to an advantage. The other aspects are the intellectual might of this country as well as the premier university it has.
But what future entails this country. Somehow I do not see some breaks in Economic Fundamentals. First the two aspects where American excelled at, people from other places are sort of doing better. In manufacturing atleast at large scale areas, China at simpler stuff and Japan at more complicated areas area are doing better. In scientific temper, years at stretch American student’s antipathy towards science and engineering are point of concern to organization like NSF. And it is no surprise that visionaries like Bill Gates are even questioning how US will fare in future (see the discussion on this matter by Bill Gates, Shirley Tilghman: President Princeton, David Dreier, U.S. Representative (R-California) ). So how will America fare in future? One of the thing which I found which I find could be the hardest hindrance is the change in culture. America was made by entrepreneurial and hardworking people. Unfortunately American today lacks it today. Americans because of years of prosperity have lost the hard working aspect of their forefathers. Also because of aspects like Insurance and especially the growth of middle class stereotypes as a socialist would call or suburban dysfunction, especially after 1950's among other things make more American avoid taking too many risks with their lives. And thus we are seeing people from other portions doing better than Native American born people. Classical examples are Asians who excel Native American even Caucasian whites both in education as well as in Economic terms. Especially with low labor gone to Spanish, manufacturing gone to China, Service and IT industry being outsourced to India and other countries what are then American’s doing. It is no doubt American are managing the show, but for how long. As we are seeing in IT, because of lack of American doing the lower level work, I do not think American can produce high class managers in future, if today’s young generation do not dirty themselves with manual work.
Though I do think it is as grave as I might be projecting. One of the aspects of America is its recover from its problem. The aspect of creation of "xxx" after the great dustbowl, FDR's workers plan to Einshower’s National highway act are classical aspects how American meet depressing time and turned it to an advantage. The other aspects are the intellectual might of this country as well as the premier university it has.
Clash of Two ideas and American Economic future
This thought came to me when I was watching the movie "xxx". An interesting movie that talks about how a guy, tries to make a Japanese run factory return to his hometown. Though a funny way, it shows the clash the two different cultures. The Western or more correctly American, where more emphasis is given on individual satisfaction and creativity, and the oriental where your society and the duty towards it (Indian "Karma"), is given more emphasis to. So where else on one side we have American families loosing their job but having better family life, on the other hand the Japanese Manager, who works his ass out, finds himself ridiculed by his wife comparing him with the American families. Though at this level things are fine, but at economic constraints, it brings an important question that has troubled me for most of my existence here. That of being how this country in the first hand became so rich and powerful, and what sort of suture entails this country. Geographic and mineral richness can not be the only reason, as India also has them and maybe so many other country that are languishing in poverty. I believe it is in history and more important culture. And for certain period my search in it has thrown some answers. One thing could be the entrepreneurial spirit or as others will say Capitalism, that this country encouraged. The classical example could be the putting railroad connecting California to the east, is a good example (see Ken Burns "American stories The West: The Grandest Enterprise under God"", I think PBS has always been enlightening especially if one comes from another country). As can be seen in these and other stories from past American power came from its creative people be it the people who settled in west or be it FDR's social reforms or Einshower's National highway act. All creative answers, to hurdles plaguing this relative new country.
But what future entails this country. Somehow I do not see some breaks in Economic Fundamentals. First the two aspects where American excelled at, people from other places are sort of doing better. In manufacturing atleast at large scale areas, China at simpler stuff and Japan at more complicated areas area are doing better. In scientific temper, years at stretch American student’s antipathy towards science and engineering are point of concern to organization like NSF. And it is no surprise that visionaries like Bill Gates are even questioning how US will fare in future (see the discussion on this matter by Bill Gates, Shirley Tilghman: President Princeton, David Dreier, U.S. Representative (R-California) ). So how will America fare in future? One of the thing which I found which I find could be the hardest hindrance is the change in culture. America was made by entrepreneurial and hardworking people. Unfortunately American today lacks it today. Americans because of years of prosperity have lost the hard working aspect of their forefathers. Also because of aspects like Insurance and especially the growth of middle class stereotypes as a socialist would call or suburban dysfunction, especially after 1950's among other things make more American avoid taking too many risks with their lives. And thus we are seeing people from other portions doing better than Native American born people. Classical examples are Asians who excel Native American even Caucasian whites both in education as well as in Economic terms. Especially with low labor gone to Spanish, manufacturing gone to China, Service and IT industry being outsourced to India and other countries what are then American’s doing. It is no doubt American are managing the show, but for how long. As we are seeing in IT, because of lack of American doing the lower level work, I do not think American can produce high class managers in future, if today’s young generation do not dirty themselves with manual work.
Though I do think it is as grave as I might be projecting. One of the aspects of America is its recover from its problem. The aspect of creation of "Social Security System" after the great dustbowl, FDR's workers plan to Einshower’s National highway act are classical aspects how American meet depressing time and turned it to an advantage. The other aspects are the intellectual might of this country as well as the premier university it has. All these have mde this place what it is
But what future entails this country. Somehow I do not see some breaks in Economic Fundamentals. First the two aspects where American excelled at, people from other places are sort of doing better. In manufacturing atleast at large scale areas, China at simpler stuff and Japan at more complicated areas area are doing better. In scientific temper, years at stretch American student’s antipathy towards science and engineering are point of concern to organization like NSF. And it is no surprise that visionaries like Bill Gates are even questioning how US will fare in future (see the discussion on this matter by Bill Gates, Shirley Tilghman: President Princeton, David Dreier, U.S. Representative (R-California) ). So how will America fare in future? One of the thing which I found which I find could be the hardest hindrance is the change in culture. America was made by entrepreneurial and hardworking people. Unfortunately American today lacks it today. Americans because of years of prosperity have lost the hard working aspect of their forefathers. Also because of aspects like Insurance and especially the growth of middle class stereotypes as a socialist would call or suburban dysfunction, especially after 1950's among other things make more American avoid taking too many risks with their lives. And thus we are seeing people from other portions doing better than Native American born people. Classical examples are Asians who excel Native American even Caucasian whites both in education as well as in Economic terms. Especially with low labor gone to Spanish, manufacturing gone to China, Service and IT industry being outsourced to India and other countries what are then American’s doing. It is no doubt American are managing the show, but for how long. As we are seeing in IT, because of lack of American doing the lower level work, I do not think American can produce high class managers in future, if today’s young generation do not dirty themselves with manual work.
Though I do think it is as grave as I might be projecting. One of the aspects of America is its recover from its problem. The aspect of creation of "Social Security System" after the great dustbowl, FDR's workers plan to Einshower’s National highway act are classical aspects how American meet depressing time and turned it to an advantage. The other aspects are the intellectual might of this country as well as the premier university it has. All these have mde this place what it is
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