tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048715035467766557.post2401163133960404507..comments2024-03-03T04:40:39.492-05:00Comments on Fire Megan McArdle: Imperialism now!bradhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06907349163323395529noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048715035467766557.post-28938012062233951152007-11-13T21:06:00.000-05:002007-11-13T21:06:00.000-05:00But anon, do you do this with the implicit idea th...But anon, do you do this with the implicit idea that the people you're observing are literally suffering from the lack of what Megan would call a free market?<BR/>And I think you're being charitable about Megan's degree of interaction. She sounds like she's pontificating about what she saw out her taxi window, not that she's wandering into residential areas of the city and chatting up any english speaking locals she could find.bradhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06907349163323395529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048715035467766557.post-73522245965801253992007-11-13T18:10:00.000-05:002007-11-13T18:10:00.000-05:00Look I think McArdle's a twit, too, and to my mind...Look I think McArdle's a twit, too, and to my mind the Atlantic's recent "acquisitions" have severely dented its appeal (Hiring that ignorant lying fuckwit Sullivan?!?! C'mon....)<BR/><BR/>However.... I think the tone of this particular post is dumb and out of line. I've traveled a bit in the former Soviet zone, and I found myself doing pretty much the same thing McArdle talks about -- getting a feel for wages, noting prices of basic goods, and trying to get a sense of the locals' daily life. Frankly, I think that's a more respectful approach to travel than looking at the stuff in the guidebooks, and ignoring everyone who isn't a waiter or a concierge or a fixer.<BR/>-- sgloverAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048715035467766557.post-80520695632607503962007-11-13T00:11:00.000-05:002007-11-13T00:11:00.000-05:00I'm sure the sweatshoppers are the ones riding the...I'm sure the sweatshoppers are the ones riding the mopeds & Vespas. We know how important it is for poor pepole to have non-public transportation, so they can get to work on time.M. Bouffanthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04519088858760760560noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048715035467766557.post-18516244899996455032007-11-12T19:15:00.000-05:002007-11-12T19:15:00.000-05:00You're absolutely right, a quick googling reveals ...You're absolutely right, a quick googling reveals Vietnam has a great many sweatshops. I made the mistake of presuming Megan knew a damn thing about the economy she punditized about. I have no excuse, though I did think taking the people she saw outside her hotel as archetypical representatives of the state of the Vietnamese economy was kinda dumb of her.<BR/>I wonder how big a role sweatshop wages play in the low average income she bemoans, and the relative quality of life for those who still live an agrarian life versus those in the essentially indentured servitude of sweatshops.bradhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06907349163323395529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2048715035467766557.post-71325940347588695782007-11-12T17:48:00.000-05:002007-11-12T17:48:00.000-05:00Nice one, brad. I was about to do something simila...Nice one, brad. I was about to do something similar, came to the site, & there you were. Now I can go back to goofing off.<BR/><BR/>One note: I believe there are plenty of sweat shops there. Nike has a presence of some sort, & you can bet that as Chinese wage-slaves start getting uppity, the econo-imperialists will be moving more & more production to Vietnam & Cambodia. And think of all the improvements in productivity that can be attained in North Korea. Those people won't be getting out of line soon!M. Bouffanthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04519088858760760560noreply@blogger.com