[Samurai]

I watch K-dramas once in a while, and I am amazed by the high quality of living conditions and production/technical quality of their shows. But it hides the immense cost they are paying for that success.

What cost is acceptable for achieving economic success?

https://youtu.be/JCnvVaXEh3Y

[DigitalOne]

Originally Posted by DigitalOne

A recent Franklin Templeton newsletter also made a case for investing in the Japanese stock market, making more or less the same points.

Nikkei has given a 33% return in the last 1 year.

More on the resurgence of the Japanese stock market from today's Times of India

[Samurai]

https://youtu.be/9RUmRYpmqfQ

[dragracer567]

Interesting and balanced video that takes into account, the hype around India Inc. these days while being upfront about the challenges.

One of the comments under this video caught my eye: "India disappoints both optimists & pessimists"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UYK...omicsExplained

[kiku007]

Originally Posted by dragracer567

Interesting and balanced video that takes into account, the hype around India Inc. these days while being upfront about the challenges.

Good one. The optimism is real and the challenges can be overcome with earnest effort I suppose.

It was interesting they called out the low labor force participation, especially the participation from women.

I recalled listening to a podcast/interview with Alice Evans, where they explain the rise of China through their love of money, their increasing emphasis on wealth and their Lunar New Year's celebration's focus on monetary gain. She highlights the connection between female employment and rise in economic prosperity. You can listen to it here.


Her views can be considered to be controversial by some when she says things like, "I call this “The Honour-Income Trade-Off”. Families may then be caught in what I call “The Patrilocal Trap”: daughters are socialised to get married, stay put, and avoid unrelated men."

However, she does point us to a study by Suhani Jalota and Lisa Ho. The conclusion from their Mumbai study was interesting and I could relate to it. You read about it here or listen to the podcast (Why is female employment low in India?) here.

I mean, take the WFH thread or the threads where discussions are about the State providing free/subsidized public transport to women. People don't give enough thought about how much these small but significant things empower women and consequentially improves productivity and prosperity.

[JediKnight]

Very interesting take on how the economy is especially oppressive for young people. Though the talk is on the US economy but similar trends are emerging in richer parts of India.

• Every economic policy designed to transfer wealth from workers (young people) to asset owners(old people).
  
• Average housing cost pre-pandemic 2,90,000 USD in just four years it is now 4,20,000 USD and interest rates have gone from 3 to 7%
  
• Many young people have given up saving for houses as it outside their reach.
  
• Many young are not marrying and having kids as it is unaffordable. 60% of people 30-34 in 1990 had one child now it is 27%
  
• Economy/education/housing weaponized by rich out of reach for majority of young people.
  
• People under the age of 40 are on average 24% less wealthy then they were 40 years ago. People over the age of 75 are 72% wealthier.
  
• Divorce reduces your wealth by 60% overnight. This is a serious issue in developed countries where divorce rates are very high. E.g. US divorce rate is around 50%

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jdbP30_kNk

[Jeroen]

The one thing keeping more women from working is men! It is that simple.

Many modern, emancipated, men are fine with women working. But that is not enough. You need to also actually step in a help out with the traditional women responsibilities in and around the house, children looking after family. That needs to be splitted as well.

When you look at these countries with high percentage of women working you will still find that those working women still spend more time doing household chores, looking after the children, family and so on.

Many have it easy. All they have to do is work. Everything else is taken care of by their wife’s. Even if those wife’s are working and pursuing a career too.

Make a few checks in your own surrounding. When one of your children falls ill at school. Who gets called, the father or the mother irrespective of who is working?

When somebody in the immediate family falls sick, who is it that will spend time helping out?

Here is an interesting example. My next door neighbour Hugo suffered from a brain haemorrhage. He is 82, has gone blind, his short term memory is badly affected. Who do you think is looking after him, visiting him, arranging all kinds of practical things? The women of our village. All of them have jobs, only a few of the husband have helped out.

Jeroen