Thread

1. roenxi · 1790756315 · focus · HN ↗

   > Every generation believes it is living through the end of something.

   Many generations are. Last century saw the collapse of the British and Soviet empires - titans by any measure - through mismanagement. Europe as an international power was also broken (compared to how they used to be). I can easily imagine 1900s me fleeing to America in fear of the end times and feeling quite justified in his choices with hindsight. Less obvious where to run to these days as the US not-an-empire looks like it may crumble.

   Most of the people who died didn't get an opportunity to complain, so we live with some serious survivorship bias on how bad things got.

   1. Maxion · 1790756968 · focus · HN ↗

      > Less obvious where to run to these days as the US not-an-empire looks like it may crumble.

      Depending on what you're running for China is in some senses kinda what the US was back in the day, except there's no land so no easy way for them to accept migrants. These day and age migrants also aren't very accepted anywhere.

      1. realharo · 1790757569 · focus · HN ↗

         China is facing many of the same problems that the rest of the world is, with demographic decline, slowing growth, etc.

         1. bsoqk · 1790757743 · focus · HN ↗

            Those problems could be solved with a careful migratory policy (ie what America did back in the day because it was economically impossible for the entire third world to fly there; today, this could be enforced with laws)

            1. somenameforme · 1790759300 · focus · HN ↗

               The issue with demographic decline is not just quantity of people, but also quality of people. China (and any country) will want individuals that speak the language, are culturally compatible, with useful skills, and so on. The limited number of people any country can draw on once you consider this starts to make it clear that migration doesn't solve anything.

               And even with migration, if those migrants don't themselves end up with high fertility rates then you've done nothing but kick the can, and not especially far. Because of all of these issues, I think there's approximately a 100% chance that China will do the equal but opposite of the one-child-policy should their demographic issues fail to start reversing more naturally.

               1. teiferer · 1790760266 · focus · HN ↗

                  > The issue with demographic decline is not just quantity of people, but also quality of people

                  "Quality of people". Spoken like a true tech person.

                  1. Johanx64 · 1790761721 · focus · HN ↗

                     When a company hires people, will it take in just anyone with a pulse?

                     Tech people look at things in terms of - is this true or not.

                     And "Quality of People" is perfectly accurate description.

                     How it makes you feel about it completely irrelevant.

                     1. teiferer · 1790798819 · focus · HN ↗

                        A person can be a bad fit for a job. Using the term "low quality person" is still a terrible way to express that.

                        Let us know which company you are having hiring responsibilities for, then people can draw conclusions where to apply (or avoid it).

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