Dec 04 2009
Arrival Of The Next Paradigm
Just last week, I was lamenting the general decline in American education with respect to the most recent embracement of Sarah Palin-esque ideals by many Americans. In all honesty, however, that kind of stuff is made in jest (for the most part).
Where the rubber really meets the road is the fact that, while Americans have been busy invading other countries, arguing over which is the true nonexistent God, and debating whether or not Lady Gaga is a man or not, other peoples around the globe have been making some truly INCREDIBLE technological advances.
The following is one of the most inspired, and inspiring, demonstrations of technological prowess that I’ve seen in a long time. Watch Pranav Mistry talk about the thrilling potential of SixthSense technology. It’s absolute genius.
Yup, around the globe. At the MIT Media Lab. In Boston.
Durr hurr, Americans are stupid, durr.
Just talk about the technology, and get off your high horse.
Regardless of the poster’s opinions or where it’s taking place, you have to admit: that is AWESOME. I’m excited to see how that might or will catch on!
My opinions, unfortunately, are not just mine own. I wish they were.
Admitted. MIT and many of the most prestigious educational institutions are still based in the U.S. However, the science and tech curricula are more and more being taken advantage of by foreign students — with Indian and Chinese nationals leading the way (76,500 and 62,600, respectively, for the 2005-06 school year alone). Hell, it’s ever become a running joke in movies.
American students (and its economy), in contract, are moving away from that trend. In 2005, 15 prominent business groups warned that a lack of expert workers and teachers posed a threat to U.S. competitiveness, and said the country would need 400,000 new graduates in the so-called STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields by 2015.
William Green, CEO and chairman of Accenture, was recently quoted as saying “elsewhere in the world there is ‘a laser focus,’ both in the public and private sectors, on developing work forces for competitive companies.”
Moreover, Pranav Mistry (at least in word) is more concerned about making things better for people in his country, rather than making money off of his innovations. That stands in strong contrast to the mindset of most peeps back in the States (besides Craig Newmark)?
No judging — logically, it’s just a matter of tie before the global students become the global teachers. I’m just sayin’.
P.S. @ Yossarian — are you related to Goser The Gossarian, by any chance?
What is awesome is not the technology, which soon or later was going to get developed, but the fact that this guy has developed this open source and is not interested (apparently) in getting loaded.
He is smart enough to know that he already has his future secured due to his IQ and innovative ideas. The money will come for him no matter what.
See, the point most Americans don’t understand (I am an American by the way) is that money makes you rich but does not make you happy.
Yes, it is nice to have money…but do we need millions in order to be happy?
Most Americans spend their entire lives working to pay debt. Debt acquired due to a system that pushes masses to “need” more and more material things, not realizing that true happynes is NOT NEEDING ANYTHING!
And while we keep thinking we are the center of the world great ideas keep popping out from Foreign students. Hum… why would that be?
Great ideas come from necessity… maybe Americans don’t need anything else. Maybe we have it all…. maybe we are indeed the center of the UNIVERSE!!! God Damn!
Whatever.
In response to Yossarian’s point about the lab being at MIT–in Boston: Most science and engineering labs in this country are populated by foreigners. As an example: a large number of biological sciences postdocs at the research institutes in San Diego are from India and China–Americans are either non-existent or the minority. In recent years, we’ve noticed a trend: rather than coming here and accepting any condition to stay here, they work here for a few years and return to their home countries and either start companies there or teach at universities that are actively recruiting them. Of the American scientists that complete science programs, many either go on to law or business schools or enter the business fields of companies because there are fewer and fewer research positions. We won’t see the effects of these changes immediately, but innovations are moving away.