The world seems intent on dividing things into art and science. This is apparent in the inaccurate notion that people are either left-brained or right-brained. Society possesses the characterization that a person can only be analytical or creative. A person will attempt to define herself as an “art person” or a “science person.” There is no in-between area presented in society, which gives rise to stereotypes of both fields.
In the next ten years, one out of three American workers (and 800 million globally) are at risk of losing their jobs to new technologies, according to research from McKinsey (Manyika et al., 2019). Automation, the use of largely automatic equipment in a system of manufacturing or other production processes, and Artificial Intelligence, the development of computer systems able to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence, are going to replace millions in the workplace. Many people are freaking out about this; while at the same time, many people are looking forward to it. Should we be worried about automation or should we be happy? That depends. When discussing automation it is crucial to understand that (i) we don’t want jobs, (ii) it will bring about massive economic disparity, and (iii) we must approach this future in an intelligent manner.
It is easy to observe the universe as a whole and decide it is rather chaotic. If nothing else, we have all at least vaguely heard about the entropy of the universe in pop culture. This idea stems from the fact that in thermodynamics, systems trend toward increases in entropy, or disorder. By that logic, the entire universe is eventually going to achieve its own maximum level of disorder, though it is hard to say exactly what that means. However, despite our general concerns about the logic of the universe, a surprisingly small amount of numbers forms the basis for phenomena occurring around us all the time. It would seem the universe has more order than we think.
While the current pandemic has changed almost every facet of our daily lives, it is important to take a step back from the mundane day to day and appreciate the innovations made in engineering despite all the barriers we have faced this year.
Most people are acquainted, perhaps from their many commercials, with Rocket Mortgage. The fintech mortgage lender previously known as Quicken Loans is currently the largest retail mortgage lender in the United States. Rocket’s claim to fame has been its digitization of the mortgage filing process, such as allowing applicants to upload documents with their phone, personalizing information on available rates, and providing online chat features to reach out to professionals.
Mask mandates are being lifted left and right, rush hour is back in action, and the economy seems to be looking up. As we transition into a new normal, something resembling pre-2020 society, the economy’s rebound will be far from linear.
Ethiopia is one of the few countries in Africa that pursues an active and comprehensive industrial policy. Ethiopia is looking to position itself as the new low-cost manufacturer of the world. To achieve its goal, Ethiopia needs proper industrial policies consideration which comprise “more particular facts than any brain could ascertain or manipulate” (Hayek 1973). The objective of the “Industrial Policies Series” is to examine current outcomes of Ethiopia’s endeavor to identify key elements in the Ethiopia-specific complexity that are pivotal to both success and failure. Targeted sectors used for our examinations are the leather sector, horticulture sector, and cement sector. In part A, a comparison between the leather, horticulture sector and the cement sector will be made to stress on the value of import-substituting policies.
In the midst of emerging from the pandemic, it is important to look at the next steps to get the economy back on track. Within his first hundred days in office, president Joe Biden announced his lofty infrastructure plan. President Biden noted that this plan “is a one-in-a-generation investment in America” that has the potential to redefine the country (Tankersley, 2021). This extensive plan will inject money directly into the economy and could possibly be changing the United States for the foreseeable future. When considering what steps to take forward, it is crucial to analyze what the long term results are. So far, implementations like stimulus checks have provided a degree of short-term, immediate relief to some, but such policy action is not something that will help them get jobs and prosper growth. Families are able to pay for their immediate expenses to support themselves, but the checks are not providing them with secure jobs with stable income. In contrast, the infrastructure plan aims to create jobs for millions of Americans and improve the current crumbling infrastructure. According to the World Economic Forum, at its current state, the United States’ infrastructure is ranked 13th among other rich countries, with the score having gone down in recent years (Duncan). The United States is behind countries like Switzerland and Singapore, but this doesn’t have to be the case. White House correspondent for the New York Times, Jim Tankersley, stated that this plan has the potential to “create millions of jobs in the short run and strengthen American competitiveness in the long run,” demonstrating that this is a plan for the future, not just a small fix (Tankersley, 2021).
Secretary of Transportation, Pete Buttigieg, recalled this plan as a “common sense investment” that will create jobs and help alleviate the budget deficit (King, 2021). Such an investment in public good will benefit everyone, not just a small group of people. President Biden notes that it will also set up the United States to be “more competitive around the world,” especially against those with fast-growing economies like China (King, 2021).
The Earth’s average temperature has risen by 0.6°C since the late 1800s (World Health Organization). The change seems minuscule given the time horizon, but even the slightest increase in temperature can have grave effects. Climate change directly affects food production and weather conditions which influence transmission patterns for diseases and infections like malaria. It has already wreaked havoc worldwide as many animal species are becoming endangered with nowhere else to go. With so many warning signs and scientists advocating that the U.S. government should take a stronger position on the issue, it is a wonder why so little change has occurred. A 2019 study by Pew Research Center indicates that the United States ranks 20th in the world regarding citizens’ views on climate change as only 59% of U.S. citizens believe it is a major problem (Fagan & Huang 2019). Given that the government prioritizes issues important to the public, it is no surprise that environmental protection has remained in the shadows of issues more pressing to Americans such as taxation, foreign policy, and more. Nevertheless, the environment has remained a controversial topic as the debate between prioritizing economic success and environmental protection has been a decades-long battle. Due to the lack of prioritization of environmental protection, there has been limited action by the U.S. government and businesses to take steps towards more environmentally-friendly regulations and measures.
The history of elections in Latin America has gone through periods of varying political philosophies. Previously, there have been left-leaning governments such as Rafael Correa's in Ecuador or Evo Morales's in Bolivia. More recently, there has been a rise in right-leaning governments such as Bolsonaro's in Brazil or Pinera in Chile. A pattern seems to arise where governments of the right follow left-leaning governments. The swings from the left may have been fueled by corruption scandals (World Politics Review, 2021) or failure to activate the economy. Under these historical circumstances, presidential elections are being held in Peru. Both candidates represent extremes on political ideologies.
