stuckincincy Posted January 31, 2006 Posted January 31, 2006 Many work with the State department in embassies throughout the world, some in other fed agencies (CIA, Defense, NSA, USAID etc.) There is a huge NGO (Non Governmental Agency) community overseas as well. With the global economy there is a strong demand in banking and commerce, energy and architecture. 589425[/snapback] So they are "facilitators" with no substantive knowledge in whatever they talk about. Nice gig. Sounds like a nice field for the kids of the rich and connected - aluminum siding salesmen with a degree...
BF in Indiana Posted January 31, 2006 Posted January 31, 2006 I would suggest going the route of a professional dating coach. You find out what classes all the hot girls are taking and bribe your professor to get you in. You find out the girls' likes/dislikes and how to manipulate them. By midterms you'll have them out at the bar stripping on a pool table for ya. Or you can take something geeky like whatever you are talking about.
tennesseeboy Posted January 31, 2006 Posted January 31, 2006 So they are "facilitators" with no substantive knowledge in whatever they talk about. Nice gig. Sounds like a nice field for the kids of the rich and connected - aluminum siding salesmen with a degree... 589510[/snapback] Actually in a global economy they are marketable. I taught lawyers and economists in Ukraine and they were required to be fluent in FIVE languages, Ukrainian Russian, two western (usually English was one) and one Eastern. These are not facilitators stuck....they are the folks who are getting American businesses to outsource and acquiring many industries in the states.
stuckincincy Posted January 31, 2006 Posted January 31, 2006 These are not facilitators stuck....they are the folks who are getting American businesses to outsource and acquiring many industries in the states. 589533[/snapback] So, depressed domestic wages, foreign ownership, and jobs sent overseas is what they do?
tennesseeboy Posted January 31, 2006 Posted January 31, 2006 So, depressed domestic wages, foreign ownership, and jobs sent overseas is what they do? 589540[/snapback] Exactly. The ship is leaving the harbor. Either get on it or starve on the island. This is a flattened world (Tom Friedman's recent book "The World is Flat" makes the point pretty clearly.) If I were a college student international affairs (international business and law) would be the place to go. I work with Chinese Russian, South American and other students here every day and I see they are comfortable dealing in a world wide and global economy than most of our students who avoid studying languages, do not travel, and think they will always live in a cocoon.
stuckincincy Posted January 31, 2006 Posted January 31, 2006 Exactly. The ship is leaving the harbor. Either get on it or starve on the island. This is a flattened world (Tom Friedman's recent book "The World is Flat" makes the point pretty clearly.) If I were a college student international affairs (international business and law) would be the place to go. I work with Chinese Russian, South American and other students here every day and I see they are comfortable dealing in a world wide and global economy than most of our students who avoid studying languages, do not travel, and think they will always live in a cocoon. 589582[/snapback] Seeds of revolution. We are not immune...
1959BillsFan Posted January 31, 2006 Author Posted January 31, 2006 Exactly. The ship is leaving the harbor. Either get on it or starve on the island. This is a flattened world (Tom Friedman's recent book "The World is Flat" makes the point pretty clearly.) If I were a college student international affairs (international business and law) would be the place to go. I work with Chinese Russian, South American and other students here every day and I see they are comfortable dealing in a world wide and global economy than most of our students who avoid studying languages, do not travel, and think they will always live in a cocoon. 589582[/snapback] I was just sitting back and watching the replys for a little while, BUT Tennessee makes a ton of very valid points. Due to the growing ability and ease of communications, the thought of national boundries are beginning to fade. The WWW has been instrumental in circulating informations and getting people to communicate about their lives: How they live their lives What is important to their families and communities What the impacts change is making How their governments are handling this change How corporations are working the "world wide economy" What changes are good, what changes are bad, and why No longer is it a national situation, it is rapidly becoming international. I have taken e-learning courses where the instructors are in England and students are from a variety of different countries. Our experiences are very different because our cultures are very different. BUT, the fascination is very evident to learn about other people and their cultures. No longer is the International existance purely government. Corporate is going out and expanding because the market is no longer limited by trade boundries. But just as important, we as individuals are expanding ourselves as we communicate our life experiences with other people, and them with us. A decade ago, people were soooooo shocked about how lives are lived in different parts of the country. Now, thru cheap and widely accepted communications, we are actually closer to people in other parts of the country. The next step is using those same means to cross the "national boundries" and building into an international culture. How many people in the Message Board post from different parts of the world???? Funny, part of our culture, football, has spread to many other parts of the world. Same thing with education. Now there are programs that deal with other stock markets, e-commerce may be one of those catch all phrases. The way we live life, our culture is rapidly becoming very open to rapid change and we are at the tip of what I would phrase as "International Relations". AND, by the way, "a rich kids" kind of major???? Nope, we aren't rich by any means. I was layed off because my job went over seas. This is for people with the clarity of what the future holds, and for those that realize this is a way to help the future along in a positive manner. The governmental paths have been there for a long time. Corporate is catching up quickly. AND the educational path is even greater than those combined, because "cultural change" takes a lot of education and training. At least, this is the way I see "International Relations".
stuckincincy Posted January 31, 2006 Posted January 31, 2006 I was just sitting back 589874[/snapback] What happens to the masses in this new age?
tennesseeboy Posted January 31, 2006 Posted January 31, 2006 What happens to the masses in this new age? 589992[/snapback] The masses do pretty well, stuckin. However the "masses" include not only the high school grad in Buffalo but also the Mexican, Thai and Chinese workers. As the situation falls out they will have a common standard of living. For the Chinese, the Mexican and the Thai...it will be better. For the Buffalonian...much worse. The intelligent people will understand international affairs. I have a friend who had a very successful tool and die operation in Western New york. His son is now managing his plant in Shanghai and he is building two more elsewhere in China. Another friend here in Tenn. has a very successful Malaysian medical products company and another is active in farming in South America. This is what is happening and education is what will separate the successful international businessman from the Masses. Three kinds of people in this world stuck..those who make things happen, those who have things happen to them and those who wonder "what happened?" Where do you want to be?
stuckincincy Posted February 1, 2006 Posted February 1, 2006 The masses do pretty well, stuckin. However the "masses" include not only the high school grad in Buffalo but also the Mexican, Thai and Chinese workers. As the situation falls out they will have a common standard of living. For the Chinese, the Mexican and the Thai...it will be better. For the Buffalonian...much worse. The intelligent people will understand international affairs. I have a friend who had a very successful tool and die operation in Western New york. His son is now managing his plant in Shanghai and he is building two more elsewhere in China. Another friend here in Tenn. has a very successful Malaysian medical products company and another is active in farming in South America. This is what is happening and education is what will separate the successful international businessman from the Masses. Three kinds of people in this world stuck..those who make things happen, those who have things happen to them and those who wonder "what happened?" Where do you want to be? 590023[/snapback] I understand international affairs, tenny. And I, like you, like to pose evocative questions. But I do not agree with your division of folks into three catagories. It seems to be a master/slave/idiot sort of thing - and vaguely, a view towards the desirablility of a controlling master race. That's not a correct term, I know. I do not accuse you of such advocacy. I am not a naive person - I am aware of history and have some understanding of how society operates. I, rather simplisticly, have concerns for future strife if it is to be a few have all the toys. Remember who gave you the quote in your sig line.
tennesseeboy Posted February 1, 2006 Posted February 1, 2006 Stuck, I'm not saying I LIKE the way things are turning out but there are a number of factors that have taken hold in the last decade that have set us onto this path which will in fact have the same result. The "entitlement" era will end (look at the State of the Union Address, for example) and the difference between the Thai, Filipino, Mexican and American workers will be slim and none soon enough. The intelligence worker and the worker who can anticipate the situation and roll with the punches will survive and in many cases prosper. I've been working with many of them in the recent past. You are right that it will be a world of incredible haves (few) and a amalgamam of have nots. I think education that is global in scope and initiative will be the difference. I have a daughter who has traveled through Europe and Asia and will study abroad and spend a year of law school overseas. I think she'll probably be ready for what's coming. I don't think the Phys Ed major from Medina will be.
stuckincincy Posted February 1, 2006 Posted February 1, 2006 Stuck, I'm not saying I LIKE the way things are turning out but there are a number of factors that have taken hold in the last decade that have set us onto this path which will in fact have the same result. The "entitlement" era will end (look at the State of the Union Address, for example) and the difference between the Thai, Filipino, Mexican and American workers will be slim and none soon enough. The intelligence r and the worker who can anticipate the situation and roll with the punches will survive and in many cases prosper. I've been working with many of them in the recent past. You are right that it will be a world of incredible haves (few) and a amalgamam of have nots. I think education that is global in scope and initiative will be the difference. I have a daughter who has traveled through Europe and Asia and will study abroad and spend a year of law school overseas. I think she'll probably be ready for what's coming. I don't think the Phys Ed major from Medina will be. 590985[/snapback] Well, I am certainly in favor of education and incentive. But if trends end up seriously marginalizing those that make the products, grow the crops, fix the plumbing, and so forth, the whole shebang can crash and burn. If disaffection cause the folks whose work makes those necessities to give up the ship, Katy bar the door. Certainly, there is a distribition of abilities. The fellow who wrote the text many years ago - "The Bell Shaped Curve" got villified for pointing that out. It is an error to confuse uneducated with unintelligent. The same instantaneous technologies that inform the few who utilize it to large personal economic advantage is not lost on a sizeable percentage of the "hoi polloi". I make it a point to read Marx' "Communist Manifesto" at least once a year. It's appeal, visceral as it is, is a formidable thing. Allow for the possibility that the perception of the "robber barons" can re-emerge. And condensation and arrogance is something instantly perceived by almost everybody.
tennesseeboy Posted February 1, 2006 Posted February 1, 2006 Gets back to the usefulness of international affairs education though stuck, doesn't it? If that is where the playing field is we had best get into shape to play on it.
Pine Barrens Mafia Posted February 1, 2006 Posted February 1, 2006 Where's the "Why should I give a flying !@#$?" option?
stuckincincy Posted February 1, 2006 Posted February 1, 2006 Gets back to the usefulness of international affairs education though stuck, doesn't it? If that is where the playing field is we had best get into shape to play on it. 591028[/snapback] Short term, yep. Neither you or I will be around when it comes to a head. In the meantime, perhaps we will someday cross paths and slug down beers and fill the tavern air with lofty ideals between the belching before the young folks send us on our way!
tennesseeboy Posted February 1, 2006 Posted February 1, 2006 Where's the "Why should I give a flying !@#$?" option? 591045[/snapback] I'll have to remember that when you're pulling your rickshaw down Main St!
Gavin in Va Beach Posted February 1, 2006 Posted February 1, 2006 Allow for the possibility that the perception of the "robber barons" can re-emerge. And condensation and arrogance is something instantly perceived by almost everybody. 591022[/snapback] With numerous stories on executive compensation skyrocketing over the last 10 years and I'd say the "robber barons" have already re-emerged. The corporate corruption stories are piling up and that can only strengthen the perception...
1959BillsFan Posted February 1, 2006 Author Posted February 1, 2006 This isn't about Marxism, or Capitalism, or Socialism, or Corporate management, or "the masses", or Budha, or Jesus, or Allah. My question deals strictly with school possibilities and what things are being taught in the best ways. Is there politics in International Relations????? Is there politics in Religion??? That is the same thing as asking, is there politics in the NFL, or in corporate relations, or the government for that matter???? People may wish to try to change the purpose, but again there are people that may want to enhance the purpose and help right the situation. Kind of like Marv Levy and the Buffalo Bills. Maybe we can all have a beer in an agreed upon place, except, I do Grape Nehi. Don't laugh.
tennesseeboy Posted February 1, 2006 Posted February 1, 2006 Back to the main topic, 1959. Yesterday afternoon I attended a workshop on Diplomacy and International Relations. Two day workshop on establishing international business opportunities, but the one I did catch was a former ambassador and terrorism security expert on careers in the Foreign Service. They have experience in most areas of the world. They strongly advised a good education in international relations. I kind of chuckled when they were so forceful about it. They also put an emphasis on the stuff Dean mentioned about overseas programs (and SUNY has some terrific ones.) and the fostering of language skills.
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