Elon Musk says China has an advantage because its politicians are better at science

[haidian]

Elon Musk says China has an advantage because its politicians are better at science

• If American politicians were better at science, then it would help tech companies with innovation, according to Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
• Politicians in China, including the mayor of Beijing, were better at science, he said on comedian Joe Rogan's podcast called "The Joe Rogan Experience."
• The role of government in the technology sector is a frequently debated topic around the world.

Saheli Roy Choudhury
Published 2 Mins Ago

Beck Diefenbach | Reuters
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla.

If politicians were better at science, tech companies could probably innovate better, according to Elon Musk.

The Tesla CEO appeared on comedian Joe Rogan's podcast called "The Joe Rogan Experience" late Thursday where he spoke on a wide range of topics including artificial intelligence (AI).

"You know, I wish politicians were better at science. That would help a lot," Musk said when Rogan asked him about bottlenecks at the companies he runs and the things that were holding back innovation.


Musk agreed with Rogan that there are not incentives for American politicians to be good at science.

"Actually, they're pretty good at science in China, I have to say," Musk said, adding, "The mayor of Beijing has, I believe, an environmental engineering degree, and the deputy mayor has a physics degree. I met them."

Beijing's mayor, Chen Jining, is a "doctor of engineering" and a professor, and obtained a master's degree in civil and environmental engineering from Imperial College, London. Beijing has multiple vice mayors and it wasn't immediately clear whom Musk was talking about.

"And the mayor of Shanghai is really smart," Musk said about Ying Yong, who holds a masters degree in law, according to the government's website.

The role of government in the technology sector is a frequently debated topic around the world. Many argue that if governments come up with heavy-handed regulations against tech companies, or push for unfavorable policies, it could potentially stifle innovation.

Recently, U.S. lawmakers grilled Facebook's Sheryl Sandberg and Twitter's Jack Dorsey over what the tech giants are doing to fight abuse on social platforms and online election meddling. Other American tech names are worried about the impact of a potential new round of U.S. tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports. Dell, Cisco, Juniper Networks and Hewlett Packard Enterprisereportedly sent a last minute letter to the U.S. Trade Representative's office asking for an exemption, worried that it could increase their costs and potentially lead to job losses.

For his part, Musk is facing a probe by the Securities and Exchange Commission on whether he violated securities laws after he claimed in a tweet that he had the funds to take Tesla private. Musk has since posted that, based on the feedback he received, it was apparent that most of Tesla's existing shareholders believed it was better off as a public company.

In China, local tech companies are already required by law to cooperate with domestic authorities — to the point that it has led to growing national security concerns from intelligence officials in the West. While Beijing has pushed for innovation and promoted entrepreneurship, the government still has plenty of oversight on tech companies.

Recently, for example, Beijing blocked tech giant Tencent from selling a blockbuster video game "Monster Hunter: World" on its distribution platform, WeGame. Alibaba affiliate Ant Financial has also come under pressure on several fronts from regulators. Alipay, the massive digital payment service that Ant Financial operates, was hit by a central bank decision to raise the reserve funds ratio of third-party payment firms to 50 percent, with the expectation that the ratio will be raised eventually to 100 percent and further squeeze profits, according to Reuters.

The newswire also reported that Ant Financial was singled out by the People's Bank of China as the only online finance firm for a trial program to test stricter regulations on financial holding conglomerates.

Still, the country is also aggressively pursuing certain technologies including artificial intelligence and semiconductors as part of its Made in China 2025 plan. Earlier this year, Beijing said it would build a $2 billion AI research park to aid in its goal of becoming the leader in the technology by 2025. At the same time, China has raised multiple funds for semiconductor development within the country since 2014.

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/09/07/elo...at-its-politicians-are-better-at-science.html

 

[EasyNow]

China's true advantage is that they are not hampered by bureaucracy and ethical policing like the West. Gene editing, human cloning - all the future meds will be discovered in China.

 

[Menthol]

It's the system that makes the different.

USA uses populism/democracy, while China uses meritocracy.

It's the system that makes the different.

USA uses populism/democracy, while China uses meritocracy.

 

[24 Hours]

Elon Musk says China has an advantage because its politicians are better at science

• If American politicians were better at science, then it would help tech companies with innovation, according to Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
• Politicians in China, including the mayor of Beijing, were better at science, he said on comedian Joe Rogan's podcast called "The Joe Rogan Experience."
• The role of government in the technology sector is a frequently debated topic around the world.

Saheli Roy Choudhury
Published 2 Mins Ago

Beck Diefenbach | Reuters
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla.

If politicians were better at science, tech companies could probably innovate better, according to Elon Musk.

The Tesla CEO appeared on comedian Joe Rogan's podcast called "The Joe Rogan Experience" late Thursday where he spoke on a wide range of topics including artificial intelligence (AI).

"You know, I wish politicians were better at science. That would help a lot," Musk said when Rogan asked him about bottlenecks at the companies he runs and the things that were holding back innovation.


Musk agreed with Rogan that there are not incentives for American politicians to be good at science.

"Actually, they're pretty good at science in China, I have to say," Musk said, adding, "The mayor of Beijing has, I believe, an environmental engineering degree, and the deputy mayor has a physics degree. I met them."

Beijing's mayor, Chen Jining, is a "doctor of engineering" and a professor, and obtained a master's degree in civil and environmental engineering from Imperial College, London. Beijing has multiple vice mayors and it wasn't immediately clear whom Musk was talking about.

"And the mayor of Shanghai is really smart," Musk said about Ying Yong, who holds a masters degree in law, according to the government's website.

The role of government in the technology sector is a frequently debated topic around the world. Many argue that if governments come up with heavy-handed regulations against tech companies, or push for unfavorable policies, it could potentially stifle innovation.

Recently, U.S. lawmakers grilled Facebook's Sheryl Sandberg and Twitter's Jack Dorsey over what the tech giants are doing to fight abuse on social platforms and online election meddling. Other American tech names are worried about the impact of a potential new round of U.S. tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports. Dell, Cisco, Juniper Networks and Hewlett Packard Enterprisereportedly sent a last minute letter to the U.S. Trade Representative's office asking for an exemption, worried that it could increase their costs and potentially lead to job losses.

For his part, Musk is facing a probe by the Securities and Exchange Commission on whether he violated securities laws after he claimed in a tweet that he had the funds to take Tesla private. Musk has since posted that, based on the feedback he received, it was apparent that most of Tesla's existing shareholders believed it was better off as a public company.

In China, local tech companies are already required by law to cooperate with domestic authorities — to the point that it has led to growing national security concerns from intelligence officials in the West. While Beijing has pushed for innovation and promoted entrepreneurship, the government still has plenty of oversight on tech companies.

Recently, for example, Beijing blocked tech giant Tencent from selling a blockbuster video game "Monster Hunter: World" on its distribution platform, WeGame. Alibaba affiliate Ant Financial has also come under pressure on several fronts from regulators. Alipay, the massive digital payment service that Ant Financial operates, was hit by a central bank decision to raise the reserve funds ratio of third-party payment firms to 50 percent, with the expectation that the ratio will be raised eventually to 100 percent and further squeeze profits, according to Reuters.

The newswire also reported that Ant Financial was singled out by the People's Bank of China as the only online finance firm for a trial program to test stricter regulations on financial holding conglomerates.

Still, the country is also aggressively pursuing certain technologies including artificial intelligence and semiconductors as part of its Made in China 2025 plan. Earlier this year, Beijing said it would build a $2 billion AI research park to aid in its goal of becoming the leader in the technology by 2025. At the same time, China has raised multiple funds for semiconductor development within the country since 2014.

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/09/07/elo...at-its-politicians-are-better-at-science.html

There's truth in this. Most US politicians tend to be of a buissness or law background.

China's true advantage is that they are not hampered by bureaucracy and ethical policing like the West. Gene editing, human cloning - all the future meds will be discovered in China.

Not to mention in the US science is hampered by corporate interests and evangelical Christians.

 

[gambit]

Not to mention in the US science is hampered by corporate interests and evangelical Christians.

Really?

Can you explain why the microwave oven did not came from the Soviet Union or China?

 

[24 Hours]

Really?

Can you explain why the microwave oven did not came from the Soviet Union or China?

Because it doesn't go against religious beliefs like stem cell research would nor does it hinder any profits like climate science went against the coal industry. And for the former, the religious right didn't rise until around the 70's and 80's anyway.

And the USSR and communist China had their own antiscience/pseudoscience nonsense of their own. Like with Tromfin Lysenko influencing Soviet agricultural policy in the 30's and 40's. And much of the Chinese public is superstitious, the politicians, probably not as much.

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

Because it doesn't go against religious beliefs like stem cell research would nor does it hinder any profits like climate science went against the coal industry. And for the former, the religious right didn't rise until around the 70's and 80's anyway.

And the USSR and communist China had their own antiscience/pseudoscience nonsense of their own. With Tromfin Lysenko influencing Soviet leading agricultural policy and the fiasco that was the Cultural Revolution.

Can you name one thing a typical person who lives in the developed world sees in their day to day activity that was invented in Russia or China in the last 200 years? Start listing them and you'll find the list incredibly short. Meanwhile I bet just the clothes you are wearing probably have more US inventions in them (multiple synthetic fabrics, zippers, snaps, etc) than the entire list you can generate.

 

[24 Hours]

Can you name one thing a typical person who lives in the developed world sees in their day to day activity that was invented in Russia or China in the last 100 years? Start listing them and you'll find the list incredibly short. Meanwhile I bet just the clothes you are wearing probably has more US inventions in it (multiple synthetic fabrics, zippers, snaps, etc) then the entire list you can generate.

I'm already fully aware that 1900 was the American century. I was referring to contemporary events. And by hamper I do not mean that in science the US has come to a halt. Just certain delays. Though perhaps you would find a better choice of words if I mentioned certain fields of science instead of science in general?

Let me state that I do think China has some chance in outpacing US contribution to science but the US is certainly not out of the game yet.

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

I'm already fully aware that 1900 was the American century. I was referring to contemporary events. And by hamper I do not mean that in science the US has come to a halt. Just certain delays. Though perhaps you would find a better choice of words if I mentioned certain fields of science instead of science in general?

Let me state that I do think China has some chance in outpacing US contribution to science but the US is certainly not out of the game yet.

Certainly I expect them to accomplish breakthroughs. But for a country that claims to be 21st Century modern they are punching well below their weight when it comes to bringing forth ideas that become commonplace around the world.

Something like LED bulbs

 

[Metanoia]

Without an iota of doubt, China has progressed tremendously in various ways and forms in a relatively short span of time. However, I would have to disagree with Mr Musk on this.

There's a reason why it's only the USA where we find the Elons, the Jobs, and the Gates of the world. It has something do with the underlying culture I suppose. May be that'll change someday, but at the moment America is the land of the (scientific) crazies.

 

[haidian]

US can rest on its old laurels but world is progressing and changing fast, what's done in the past doesn't give one much credit for the future.

 

[rambro]

Without an iota of doubt, China has progressed tremendously in various ways and forms in a relatively short span of time. However, I would have to disagree with Mr Musk on this.


There's a reason why it's only the USA where we find the Elons, the Jobs, and the Gates of the world. It has something do with the underlying culture I suppose. May be that'll change someday, but at the moment America is the land of the (scientific) crazies.

These days in US, nerds n geeks are shun.
The cool loud motor mouth junkies are popular.

Totally in contrast of what is cool in china

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

These days in US, nerds n geeks are shun.

Maybe 30 years ago that was true but if that was the case today people wouldn't be using cell phones, computers, or the internet. 3 things which were once considered incredibly geeky. I had a laptop (plug-in, no battery) and a cell phone (plug-in/car's cigarette lighter, no battery) in the late 1980's and people thought that was geeky at the time..but times changed.

 

[gambit]

Claim: US science is hampered by corporate interests and evangelical Christians.

Q: Can you explain why the microwave oven did not came from the Soviet Union or China?

Because it doesn't go against religious beliefs like stem cell research would nor does it hinder any profits like climate science went against the coal industry. And for the former, the religious right didn't rise until around the 70's and 80's anyway.

And the USSR and communist China had their own antiscience/pseudoscience nonsense of their own. Like with Tromfin Lysenko influencing Soviet agricultural policy in the 30's and 40's. And much of the Chinese public is superstitious, the politicians, probably not as much.

That is an idiotic answer.

The reason why the microwave oven COULD NOT have came from the Soviet Union or China is because of communism, which stifles creativity which hampers innovation.

You made a blanket statement that is contrary to what happens in real life.

 

[Nan Yang]

Claim: US science is hampered by corporate interests and evangelical Christians.

Q: Can you explain why the microwave oven did not came from the Soviet Union or China?


That is an idiotic answer.

The reason why the microwave oven COULD NOT have came from the Soviet Union or China is because of communism, which stifles creativity which hampers innovation.

You made a blanket statement that is contrary to what happens in real life.

Gosh ...The Soviet Union did the following:-
First satellite in space
First man in space
First women in space
First space station
The Kalashnikov
Rocket propel rocket
All those MIG fighters
They still make the best rocket engines

Even Nazi Germany
V1 bombs then V2 rockets
First jet fighter
The volkwagon
Tiger tank

That's just off my mind.
Not to mention all those Chinese inventions under Imperial rule.
Gunpower, Fireworks, Silk, rockets, roof tiles, cross-bows, grenade. The Junk itself has numerous innovation by itself.

Dictatorship also create innovation. But it is true that the Western multi party democracy has reached it's level of incompetence.