Bill Belew has raised 2 bi-cultural kids, now 34 and 30. And he and his wife are now parenting a 3rd, Mia, who is 8.
Silicon Valley
I wrote in a previous post-Golden Goose that
Stanford is feeling the pinch. Well, now it seems Silicon Valley is feeling the pinch as well.
I read today that despite the economy reaching pre-Internet boom levels, the Valley is facing a serious brain drain. There are a number of reasons for this –
1. Highest cost of living – it costs more than $500 a square foot to buy a match box size condo in my area.
2. Salary increases are not keeping up.
3. Severe traffic
You can say that again! 4. Severe traffic.
And….
5. We can’t get the Chinese and Indians to stay!
I attended a citizen swearing in the ceremony a couple of years ago for a friend. There were about 1000 people in the auditorium. Clearly, one-third were from India, one-third were from China and one-third were from everywhere else in the world.
It’s not that way anymore.
1. The Indians and Chines are beginning to head home because of better opportunities in their home country.
2. US Immigration restrictions are also allowing fewer candidates from these two countries.
3. The quality of life here is not what it used to be.
If all the Brains are leaving to go back to China and India, and future brains are not allowed to come….what will be the long range impact on technology development here in the States?
What can we expect to come out of these two great countries?
It’s a huge concern that so many leave the US for reasons you mentioned, I agree. But we could still turn our country around so that intelligent people want to rebuild with us. I work with business leaders all over the world in my brain based business, and I am surprised at how many well wishes out there want the US to move forward. I’d like to see us “burn strong” in places we now seem to be “burning out.” Mainstream America with all its regulations for the fast dollar, is causing the latter, but we could move in another direction if we unified more. In my area, for instance, there is amazing support in research that we can be getting far more from our own brains. Seems like a start anyway. Thoughts?
Ellen,
Thanks for this insightful response from someone who has firsthand experience.
I agree. America has much to offer but we need to be as accomodating as permissible to present and future ‘brains’.
Thanks for sharing.
on the other hand, this is good for China and India.
yup, i try to always look at the bright side 🙂
Melissa,
How right you are. And if China and India start picking it up, we will have no choice put to step it up as well or get left behind. Competition is good. Even Marx would agree.