So.............how ya'll patriots feel about learning Mandarin in 2016?

blakfyahking
blakfyahking Members Posts: 15,785 ✭✭✭✭✭
edited April 2011 in The Social Lounge
The IMF officially states that the US will no longer be the world's largest economy by 2016:

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/imf-bombshell-age-of-america-about-to-end-2011-04-25

I guess that ominous commercial about the Chinese class learning about the fall of the US is going to come true sooner than predicted.

Thoughts??????

Comments

  • spirituald
    spirituald Members Posts: 42
    edited April 2011
    Haha, how about Babylon will be long gone by then... no need to study Mandarin ...
  • janklow
    janklow Members, Moderators Posts: 8,613 Regulator
    edited April 2011
    don't see how this will lead to any Americans learning Mandarin, but hey
  • And Step
    And Step Members Posts: 3,726 ✭✭✭
    edited April 2011
    janklow wrote: »
    don't see how this will lead to any Americans learning Mandarin, but hey

    NY Times reported on an increase of Chinese-Language instructions in American schools. Makes sense though if they are going to be the number one economy and they are already the number one manufacturing nation in the world, it would make sense that people would learn it. Reports are in that 60 million people worldwide are learning Mandarin.
  • janklow
    janklow Members, Moderators Posts: 8,613 Regulator
    edited April 2011
    And Step wrote: »
    NY Times reported on an increase of Chinese-Language instructions in American schools. Makes sense though if they are going to be the number one economy and they are already the number one manufacturing nation in the world, it would make sense that people would learn it. Reports are in that 60 million people worldwide are learning Mandarin.
    okay, let me clarify:
    more people are going to learn Mandarin because it's going to be a more useful language to learning. learning other languages is good (even if it's not my thing) you might as well learn one you're likely to use.
    HOWEVER, i get the impression the threadstarter's doing more of a "? CHINESE ? IN 2016 WE'LL ALL BE SPEAKING MANDARIN" thing, which is the scenario i'm skeptical of. China's economic size in 2016 won't mean there's no reason for Chinese to learn English in order to sell those manufactured goods.

    also, if he's thinking of a "Chinese invasion," Red Dawn scenario, i also consider that unlikely, albeit much more exciting
  • gns
    gns Members Posts: 21,285 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 2011
    history has proven the asians to be intelligent and savage muhfuckas when it comes to war but they have yet to best the caucasoids, don't see it happening now either
  • Shuffington
    Shuffington Members Posts: 3,775 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 2011
    I should already no it.. xie xie.. :-/
    Ima just stack my Renmibi's
  • kingblaze84
    kingblaze84 Members Posts: 14,288 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 2011
    America is ? !!!!!!!!

    Inflation is kicking us in the ass, look at the high cost of rent, food, and now gas prices. The debt is killing us because the dollar isn't worth ? these days.

    Yeah.........America is in its dying days. Time to buy some more weed and forget about these sad days.
  • kingblaze84
    kingblaze84 Members Posts: 14,288 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 2011
    heyslick wrote: »
    Most Chinese already speak English? If and when they take over they had better learn to speak Spanish.

    LOL........that's funny cuz it's true.
  • kingblaze84
    kingblaze84 Members Posts: 14,288 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 2011
    More signs of America's demise.......

    http://money.cnn.com/2010/10/14/pf/boomerang_kids_move_home/index.htm

    NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Getting a degree used to be a stepping stone to limitless career opportunities. Now it's more of a hiatus from living under your parents' roof.

    Stubbornly high unemployment -- nearly 15% for those ages 20-24 -- has made finding a job nearly impossible. And without a job, there's nowhere for these young adults to go but back to their old bedrooms, curfews and chore charts. Meet the boomerangers.


    "This recession has hit young adults particularly hard," according to Rich Morin, senior editor at the Pew Research Center in DC.

    So hard that a whopping 85% of college seniors planned to move back home with their parents after graduation last May, according to a poll by Twentysomething Inc., a marketing and research firm based in Philadelphia. That rate has steadily risen from 67% in 2006.

    "It's peaking at levels we have not seen before," said David Morrison, managing director and founder of Twentysomething.

    Mallory Jaroski, 22 graduated from Penn State University in May but has been living at home with her mother while looking for a job in press relations. "It's not bad living with my mom, but I feel like a little kid. I have a little bed, a little room," she says.


    Jaroski thought she would stay for summer. But like many others, she's found her stay becoming significantly longer.

    "There's almost an expectation that kids will move back home, there is no stigma attached," Morrison said. "The thought now is to move home for 6-12 months but in reality those young adults will be home for a year and a half or longer. Even if they have jobs, they are living at home."
    20 highest-paying jobs

    Jessie Sawyer, 23, graduated in May of last year and moved back home with her parents while she looked for a job. She has since been hired as a local editor for Patch.com, a news site, but has yet to move out of her parents' home.

    "I'm trying to save up to move out," she said. But "the new job is 10 minutes from where I live so it's convenient."


    Even though living with her parents comes with some rules and restrictions, Sawyer says that's a small price to pay for the comfort and convenience of home.

    "My parents have been really supportive so if they ask me to do something like wash the dishes I feel like it's reasonable."

    The job picture for recent grads may be brightening, however. Employers expect to hire 13.5% more new grads from the Class of 2011 than they hired from the Class of 2010, according to a new study conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers.

    And that's good news beyond just employment. These boomerang years are "a life interrupted," Morrison said. "Time on the job is important and you won't get that time back." To top of page