Scott McConnell tells a funny-but-not-haha-funny story about the latest trend in outsourcing: training Bangladeshis to copy-edit manuscripts written by Americans. Writes McConnell:
Lines keep getting drawn and blown right over. At some point before the American economy consists entirely of hedge fund managers and those who service them, all of this will end. It could be pretty dramatic.
You watch: when outsourcing starts to affect American journalists -- and it's creeping ever so close, as Scott's post indicates -- they'll develop a Strange New Respect for economic nationalism.
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They are sending it to people who are the metaphor for all human stupidity? No wonder writing is so bad these days.
No wonder so many read what's available for free online.
Wendell Berry has a line in "What Are People For?" something to the effect of when economists talk about how good it is, really, overall, to send American jobs overseas, they never mention that the jobs of economists should be outsourced. And that was probably written at least 15 years ago.
Rod, no matter what else may transpire, you have my undying respect for fulfilling the duty of the fourth estate: opening the doors of government to the full sight of the citizens.
At some point, I would dearly love to see a movement within professional journalism to reverse the increasing secrecy and (dare I say it?) misinformation in government reporting. You, sir, are not on the front line, but as a member of an editorial board you do have a higher profile voice than most. The best contribution you, in your position, can make to our republic is to raise that voice and convince others to join it.
Just a correction - it's *Bangaloreans* (as in people from the southern Indian city of Bangalore - an established outsourcing hub), not Bangladeshis (as in people from the country of Bangladesh, east of India). I realize this is a blog so mistakes will happen, but I thought I'd point this out.
I would also caution against calling 150 million people a "metaphor for all human stupidity". There are American citizens of South Asian descent reading this blog, too (like yours truly - and even agree with many of the ideas posted!).
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