The sad thing about this is nobody needs to rationalize making the right decision: you only need to tell yourself some justification when you know you're doing the wrong thing.
Very, very sad.
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China hiring retired UK fighter pilots?
- Thread starter vxc961
- Start date
Very, very sad.
Those rationalizations are pure horse shit. Plenty of airlines would have snapped those guys up.
Aww, but see, airline flying is boring and they’re entitled to something more . . . </SARCASM>
In the '80s CAG Two exercised with the Sultan of Oman's Air Force. We were surprised to find Brits flying on active duty for Oman. Some were actually current RAF, mostly senior leadership, but many were exRAF. They flew Hunters and Jaguars. Oman didnt even have an Omani Chief Air Marshal until 1990. Their Air Firce was commanded by Brits. The official relationship with the SOAF and the RAF was interesting.
This is no fun with no devil's advocate, so let me help!
I predict that in 200 years or less countries will be competing for citizens in a global marketplace, in the same way that they do today for businesses and their taxes, or that companies do for talent. A generation ago people thought you should/must be loyal to your employer, but now people are realizing that's ludicrous and have no problem bailing if a better opportunity presents itself. My guess is that this will be routine among countries and their citizens in the future. Countries won't like it, just like businesses don't, but opinions will ultimately shift in favor of permitting it, just like businesses do (ie theyve adopted an "if you can't beat em, join em" mindset and hire people with job hopping pasts).
Flame spray away.
I predict that in 200 years or less countries will be competing for citizens in a global marketplace, in the same way that they do today for businesses and their taxes, or that companies do for talent. A generation ago people thought you should/must be loyal to your employer, but now people are realizing that's ludicrous and have no problem bailing if a better opportunity presents itself. My guess is that this will be routine among countries and their citizens in the future. Countries won't like it, just like businesses don't, but opinions will ultimately shift in favor of permitting it, just like businesses do (ie theyve adopted an "if you can't beat em, join em" mindset and hire people with job hopping pasts).
Flame spray away.
The Omanis weren't committing genocide and making bullshit claims to the UAE based on some made-up linkage to the Abbasid Caliphate, either.
I think this is ludicrous. However, if that comes to pass, it will be the end of countries as we know them… and war, famine, and insurrection will be a lot more common. Stability is undermined when people decide they can just go wherever offers them a better deal.
Countries are not like employers. People live in their country, and having one isn’t optional, no matter how much someone might dislike theirs. It’s also a lot more expensive to “hop” between countries, even in parts of the world where they are closer together.
But we’ve already killed the local community. Why not kill the concept of the country? I’m sure some rich asshole has a plan to make billions off the concept. The debt problem may handle this one all on its own.
The plutocracy will decide what happens next. I’m not sure there’s anything we plebeians can do about it.
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The notion of nation-states is a pretty recent invention in our human history.
There are entities now that are not nation-affiliated (ISIS, Al Qaeda) that put soldiers in the field. Luckily they all still need a sanctuary in order to really get their $%& together so we have a place to bomb.
Human are interesting critters.
This is already the case with skilled workers. Look at all of the people who want to come to the United States. We have a competitive advantage. Similarly, American finance bros happily decamp to Singapore to avoid the American taxman. I think in the case of developing countries, the equation is pretty obvious: the developed world has more opportunity and better life. For people in the west - say the US and UK - i think the equation is a bit different and really only applies to a small subset of people. It’s not like some blue collar worker in the Pennsylvania is really weighing which nation-state is best for them. Similiarly, China isn’t rushing to recruit said blue collar worker. I don’t think your prediction will be as geopolitcally catastrophic as @sevenhelmet makes it seem.
Why must stability be undermined if this happens? I think stability must be maintained to a certain extent for it to happen, personally. War amongst developed countries is mostly out of style, and aggressor countries are punished. Just ask Sadaam and Putin. The stability continuing will lower the stakes for countries losing their "important" citizens (like mil pilots) and increase the cost of punishing them and their foreign recruiters.
Countries and companies are more alike than they might first appear. People also rely on companies for their survival, and they aren't optional (on a large scale), no matter how much someone may not like theirs. It's also expensive to hop from company, often in different cities, but companies offset or cover that cost, just like the Chinese did for these UK pilots no doubt.
Food for thought!
Forget 200 years from now- between this and your last post it sounds like you're arguing that the competition for talent has already happened.
You may be right. But if that's the case, what of the concept of shared values and things like national pride? Are they so out-of-fashion that they are to be left behind as well?
It has started already, but it won't be "routine" as I said for some time I don't think. I think the concept of shared values has been under siege for decades and is losing the war to remain relevant. Likewise with national pride. Half the country hates traditional American values and indeed the country itself. Likewise in much/most of the world and their countries and values.
Mass communication and easy global travel lead to globalization, and globalization leads to a global marketplace for talent and a weakening of borders. We're getting closer each day, for better and worse.
I think this point is overstated. A lot of the ramifications of globalization have been erecting of walls - literal and figurative - nationalism, and focus on national identity etc. Visa restrictions and other policies do a lot to thwart the promise of free movement and that global markeplace for talent.
Well no shit Sherlock. Wasn't making a direct comparison. Just pointing out a little known fact and interesting history. Color commentary, if you will.
That may be the case, but in the here and now this kind of activity is reprehensible and nothing more than greed without principles.