interesting that 2 socialist countries are at the top of the list. also the big drop in US ranking from one yr. to the next does not seem possible. is the study flawed
Those socialist do some things right. Government sponsorship of technological innovation is one, not solely for military intention. Although I think DARPA has made some insanely amazing innovations. Countries like ours that hack off decent funding for stem cell research and even try and prohibit the legality of certain types of research are at risk of falling off the map of innovation and discovery. The funny thing is people want to slow immigration and the government cuts funding or prohibits certain types of research and you end up with a bunch of Budweiser and Nascar fans. (Sorry, I can stand Budweiser, but Nascar is sewing-exciting to me.)
Of course it is. But the fact that anyone can even come close to ranking us 7th, let alone question us is maddening. The most well funded research and tech development should come from a country with as much capital and diversity as the US. I'm not being patriotic, I'm being realistic. The fact that anyone can even mis-rank us 7th is a signal that something else is flawed too. Don't you think?
If the study is a shocker to you you need to get out of the US and travel a bit more, the ranking was networked readiness. Anyone who thinks that the US is No 1 by this benchmark has probably not left the US in quite a while.
Actually, I see nothing wrong with that list. Those small European countries are really getting ahead. I strongly suspect that those saying the study is flawed have actually never been outside the US for a meaningful time. (Getting drunk/high/laid in Amsterdam is not meaningful.) Also, if you investigate into 'American' innovations, you'll find that the brainpower is mostly provided by immigrants. Let's face it, money can go only so long in attracting brains. (Kind of the same deal as for why India keeps falling behind.) Oh, by the by. What exactly is people's idea of socialism around here? This sounds an awful lot like American chest-pounding to me, the same reaction to timidly deny that the US is falling behind in something. Remember the 80's with the American car industry? There was a lot of chest-pounding back than, and look at the auto industry now: I accept it is a slow whirl that sucks it down the tubes, but it flows in one way.
I travel a lot...80% of my traveling involves leaving the country. I know that the rest of the world is not in the ice age....but do you realize how much money, intelligence, resources, and ability to lead innovation there is in this country? This country is still innovative...but, we're moving more into militaristic innovation that's government sponsored and blocking private firms from being innovative. The FDA and the like are trying to turn the rest of us into Utah.
You misread me if your comments were in that regard. I have no problem being second best or third best or anything as a nation...but it's more of a hand wringingly "how the fuck could this happen" type of way. I just find it amazing that this country could continue to be so stupid in the face of changing times. You're totally reading it wrong.