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The freedom to fail has allowed the US to progress at a rate unimaginable in human history. In many societies and empires, the penalty for failure is destruction, prison, even death. Another key to the success of the US is the bankruptcy system that allows people to take calculated risks with great rewards if they succeed and limited damage if they don't. The US stock market is one of the world's most effective ways of sharing risks and rewards with open books for all to see and active debate in the business media as to the prospects. Tech not only has been a great investment but has been a major player in enabling this process and is improving all the time, creating wealth and better living for the world as a whole. Tech has provided much of the transparency that has enabled the US and others to compound their progress at an ever accelerating rate as the tools and the power not only grow but are spread wider in their application and use at an ever increasing rate. This is the seed that has seeded "Silicon Valleys" around the world. Any thoughts, comments or additions welcome.
The freedom to fail has allowed the US to progress at a rate unimaginable in human history. In many societies and empires, the penalty for failure is destruction, prison, even death. Another key to the success of the US is the bankruptcy system that allows people to take calculated risks with great rewards if they succeed and limited damage if they don't. The US stock market is one of the world's most effective ways of sharing risks and rewards with open books for all to see and active debate in the business media as to the prospects. Tech not only has been a great investment but has been a major player in enabling this process and is improving all the time, creating wealth and better living for the world as a whole. Tech has provided much of the transparency that has enabled the US and others to compound their progress at an ever accelerating rate as the tools and the power not only grow but are spread wider in their application and use at an ever increasing rate. This is the seed that has seeded "Silicon Valleys" around the world. Any thoughts, comments or additions welcome.
I agree on the broader point that having a culture that embraces learning though failure is essential for technical innovation and growth and this might be the biggest single reason why the US has such a dominant position in technology. Certainly, early in my career I really struggled with tendency to perfectionism (some might say that's still true) and a fear of failure. If you've been educated or brought up in a culture like that it takes some time and effort to adjust. But you'll learn too little and too slowly for a fast moving area like technology if you do not. Having a culture which encourages experimentation and tolerates some non-endemic failures and sharing of information is a massive advantage.
Samuel Beckett said it best : "Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better."
This is why I'm less worried about the future of the US than some of the - I assume - US commentators on here. You are not hindered - not as much - by shame or blame based cultures. Politics excepted !
