Why American economy is not over - Poland
Americans can take economic perspective from Poland
I am an American that lives in Poland. I can take perspective and objectivity by looking at Poland and the Polish people. Every expert on TV is calling for the end of the US economy. This is not true. It is not even close to true. The US economy is not over. It is moving forward. How do I know? Well the US economy is 1000 times better off then Poland was under communism when the shops where empty and you had eight people in one room. Are the experts saying that the US economy will regress to that state? Not a chance. Even if it did. And it will not, look at the hard working Polish people who built up their country in 20 years from a desert to a beautiful modern wealthy EU country. This is why Americans do not have to worry about what is being blasted at them on CNN. Look at Poland before you look at CNN for perspective. America like Poland is moving forward.
I mention it on my forum People and Languages
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September 24, 2008at 11:31 am
You’re forgetting, that if left to it’s own devices and not “liberated” by our dear “friends” the Russians, our economy would be flourishing, just as it was in the period between WWI and WWII. The US economy probably will not fail, but don’t use Poland as a contrast: We’ve sold everything we had: We no longer build our own cars (we build GM crap now), we do not have our own beer anymore (sold to Heineken Group), our highways are built by the Germans… the university students leave to tend bars and do janitorial work in Ireland for Christ’s sake! We’re not “flourishing” at all: We’re selling out, just like Americans did.
The only thing we got going for us is a common religion, faith, and, well, the fact taht 99.7% of us are caucasian and more or less have similar views.
Americans don’t have that, they care only about money, and fact is, it’s fleeting away now.
Good luck USA!
September 24, 2008at 2:57 pm
You are right, Poland was growing and fast when it was free, the Germans and the Russians (but those old German and Russian mentalities are gone) stoles so much wealth not to mention they destroyed so many bright minds in war. But peace and love our mission is to forgive. But regardless, Poland is back. However, about your comment that students are doing bar work? I am American and that is what students do in the USA. I would work at McDonalds at any age. I do not care. This is life. I amnot proud. Too many Polish ‘new Poles’ students think because they have a piece of paper from a school they should run a company. No true. You have to work and invent your own ways to make money. No one in this life give you anything, you have to go out and create it for yourself. This is what many Poles and Americans are doing, it is part of their culture and this is why the USA will do well. Americans are one of the most spiritual nations on earth and there are intellects artists films starts and adventurers, your generalizations are distortions of the truth.
September 24, 2008at 3:45 pm
Truth is worth as much as you can pay for it: If you haven’t seen that, travel more. Or at the very least, know your history from multiple perspectives: each throne tells a different tale.
Brain drain… look it up. There’s no positions available for Polish students in their own country, and if there are, it’s seriously more profitable work to tend bars and clean up washrooms in another country. You can go work at McDonald’s all you want, point is, in Poland, we NEED fresh minds in our society, not in our fast food joints (which are there no thanks to USA). Our own Sejm is already overrun by bull American-mimicking “strategies” implemented by moronic, drunk politicians who will sign anything, any treaty, veto any bill, for any money at all.
Who will run the country when these dinosaurs die? Why not outsource that to the friendly Germans or the equally interest-free Russians?
Poland is stagnating, but we can still change this. We can ALMOST do the same for the USA, but the mentaility has to change, and they’ve seriously got to contend with the new, larger economies of China and India. Americans have been too diluted by sitcoms, fast food, V8’s (in a time of record gas prices LOL) and media from every angle to realize what is REALLY going on.
If there is hope, it lies in the proletariat.
It would be a shame to see that entire country look like Detroit and Buffalo.
September 24, 2008at 10:38 pm
You make some points. But I remember in the 1990s some Polish people were complaining about Poland and focusing on all the problems. While, others bought real estate, like in the Rynek Krakow very very cheap. They are millionaires now. There will always be complainers waiting for the government or a big company to help them, or worse blame the government for their problems or say the guy next to them is rich because he has connections or is corrupt, and there will always be movers and shakers who do it on their own and find solutions despite obstacles. All my friends in Poland are honest hardworking people and have done great things on their own.
Braindrain - I do not believe it. All my friends in Poland and I live in Poland are very smart and do not want to leave as they are doing fine in Poland. My friends that run companies all complain they can not find enough workers, that students have huge expectations with no real life experience, and this is why they are opening Poland to Ukrainians etc. I worked in McDonald type jobs. I have worked 10 at night to 7 am- 7 days a week and hard work on the loading docks even with a master’s degree from a top school, I did not complain and never expected the government or a company to help me. With that same attitude I went to the top of the income level in the USA when I was in Boston. I am proud of working McDonald jobs as it teaches you that capitalism is not about the government or a big company helping you but you have to go out and do it yourself. You have to learn that a company is not there to serve you a big fat wage because you have a piece of paper., rather it is there to serve customers.
The sooner complainers learn that the sooner the better it is for them.
The Economist magazine has written two years in a row you make more money in Poland as a Sr. Manager relative to the cost the of living than in UK or Ireland. Poland is a great place if you have the right attitude.
September 26, 2008at 4:34 am
Thanks for your comments. Your point of view is extremely interresting.
I lived & worked in few countries and the most important thing I’ve learned is that we shouldn’t judge other people by their nationalities.
PS: Could you write some tips, suggestions and ideas about learning English by Poles? How Polish people could learn proper English in the best and the easiest way? What are common mistakes in learning process?
Keep up with your great work.
Best Regards
September 26, 2008at 5:15 am
Tomek, Here is my advice for Poles to learn English. 1) do not worry about verb tenses (czas). Tenses are taught by the Polish schools and stressed and give students stress. Its only for the teachers, native speakers do not use 16 tenses. The reality is the simple tense is the primary tense in English its used for general actions, the continuous tense for a process that is it. I do not really ever use the perfect tense. 2) The whole world speaks English, so English native speakers do not listen or even hear grammar mistakes by foreigners, at least not like Poles hear grammar mistakes when people speak Polish -really. Therefore most important in English is speaking without fear and know English native speakers do not care much about grammar, this will come with time. How to learn English. In my opinion, if you can not afford lessons or going to the States, read books, real books in English and do not worry about every word. If you read seven books in English your English will be very good. I teach English and I hope this helps.