Continuing from yesterday…
It seems to me that the one thing Americans can do well which people from other countries cannot do well is be Americans. Where, in the future information economy, would this matter?
Well, for one thing, suppose you walk into a virtual diner in a future shared VR world. Who is going to bring you to your table? Who will take your order?
If you are looking for an entertainment experience (why else would people pay such inflated prices for restaurant food), then you are going to want your experience to be authentic.
I am guessing that there is not a single person out there from Bangalore who can do a proper impression of a waitress in a roadside diner in Alabama. Not one.
So that was one example of knowledge work well suited to rural Americans that cannot, by its very nature, be outsourced to other countries. Can you think of others?
I would love to see an actress in Bangalore accept that challenge.
It’s possible that a few exceptional performers in Bangalore might pull it off, but here in America lots of people could do it with ease. We’ve got the numbers on our side, which is exactly the point.
I’ve taught in Bangalore with the most amazing and engaged students. To me and I would venture to them as well, I would seek to find the lines of collaboration and connection. For example here in Canada, we must learn to listen to first nations, through the truth and reconciliation process. Listening is first. And acknowledging our own implicit privilege and bias. Then comes ways to create links, share access and resources. Perhaps we can perform new roles, not just prepackaged authenticities.
I agree with you of course.
That said, it does not seem as though the people feeling the economic crunch in rural Wisconsin and other parts of the Rust Belt are primarily looking for that dialog. They are primarily looking for a steady family income sufficient to privide a reasonable standard of living in their local region.
If engagement with people in Bangalore leads to that outcome, they may pay attention. What do you think?
I hope for that possibility, and will put my best towards it from this vantage here in Canada. You know, the rust belt is right across the lake from Toronto. They’re our neighbours, as are first nation communities. How can we bring students into our labs? Or create hybrid learning mechanisms? How can we support communities with new methods that funnel money from our grants and labs? And create ways for students struggling in Bangalore to share these points of contact? I think it’s up to us and remarkable people like you to forge the networks….
This may be a little off-topic, but where the Canada Council is going may be of interest…
http://canadianart.ca/news/canada-council-head-promises-new-era-arts-funding/