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Exporting Myself?
sennomo asks: "Years ago, I was told that I needed a degree to get a programming job anymore. So, I went to college. A couple of years and thousands of dollars later, there was still no job for me, in spite of my all-powerful B.A. in C.S. The most common explanation I get is that jobs are being exported out of the country. So, I've decided to export myself. Moving to higher ground, so to speak. I have heard a few others discuss this, but how many are actually trying it? And how is it going for them? Are there any hotspots for American expatriate programmers?"
I am an American studying labor issues in my country and you are somewhat correct. We have percentage of our paycheck going to unemployement, but (this is the good part) It caps at 75% of your last pay or about 700 USD a month-which ever comes first. Also you are kicked up after 6 months (exceptions to this are high unemployement--right now it is 12 months) Whether or not you have a job or not you are expected to get off the government assistance. The question to why dont people pressure the goverment more--this is complicated. First of all our media is controlled by the 12 wealthiest people or corporations. So the media is slanted and many people are unaware of the issues. Why dont people go beyond this? The answer to this is our public school systems are failing. We use textbooks 20 years old. We have to beg for money at bake sales and tax levies. States pay taxes up to the federal goverment and the federal government goes to war so money does not go back down. Right now on state and city levels city police and firefighters are being layed off, university tuition is going up, and public schools are firing teachers because funds from federal to state level have been cut. So now you have a mass of people being lied to and not question it because they to not have the intellect to question all of this. The third thing is American arrogance which I do not have an explanation for. I served in the military and just about every comrade felt they lived in the best country in the world and none was better. They also think everybody who is not an American wants to be an American. So when you think you are the best how you possibly have problems. I think alot of it comes from the fact even though we are supposedly the strongest country in the world our everyday citizens are extremely isolated in their perceptions, ideas, and contacts. Most do not know how it is in other countries but they still watch John Wayne movies where American always wins because we are good everything opposing us is evil. 4rth our country has followed the example of the Roman empire. Even though the Roman empire has many different languages, cultures and beliefs you could rest assured no matter which roman town you went into the colleseum, cathedral, and etc. were there and in the same place. Also the masses were appease by entertainment. If you come to America all towns and cities look the same. You have your walmarts, mcdonalds and many other chains. It makes us feel comfortable which equates to complacentcy. Also it is not a mistake everytime we go to war a couple dozen war movies glorifying America. Its kind of like the bloody war scenes acted out in colleseums by gladiators. It goes on and on. But it so complicated it can not be explained so easily. I hope this helps Mike