This post was supposed to appear about a week ago. But, my computer was attacked. No, not by hackers. (You would have heard about that sooner.) By Microsoft.
Microsoft loves to convert your settings. To let them update your computer when they want. Not when I or you want, when I or you can be sure the update they are providing won’t leave our business in a shambles.
And, that’s what they did. They updated my computer to version 1809. (I was happy with a version 106 steps older.) Except, it didn’t really work. Moreover, this update eradicated all 10 restore points that had been carefully archived on my computer.
And, my full backup was four months old. (I only do full backups when I add programs. My data are backed up continually.) And, here’s where life really gets interesting.
Our server cascade decided to blank out almost at the same time. Admittedly, the system was about a decade old. But, the previous server lasted almost 18 years. The one before that lasted about 15 years (although it had been downgraded to a workstation after 5 years.)
Needless to say, restoring from the backup was more problematic than desired. Because the newest backup was part of the network- and, therefore, inaccessible. (When the network was restored [without the server], it wasn’t quite up to snuff. And, after two tries, the old hard drive on which a portable backup resided developed an error.)
OK. Let’s cut this short. I installed a new version of Windows on my computer. And, two of my programs won’t run. (They had been husbanded via upgrades for years. They won’t install on a 64 bit Windows 10 device.).
Now, for the actual blog, which was to appear before my blog about the Yale CEO Summit.
I have been in agreement with TheDonald about one item. (I am hoping to find something else- but he works really hard to be reprehensible and to expound racist, biased, and malignant views.) China is an existential threat to the US. (Russia isn’t our friend, either.) And, given how China requires businesses to fork over their technological prowess and secrets in return for access to their citizenry, I am always amazed that these firms accept such terms. All the while destroying the little technological edge they actually have.)
If tariffs against Chinese goods is what it takes to terminate this thievery, then so be it.
Except…
While I am not part of the 1% (probably not the 5% either), I am moderately well off. I can glibly claim I won’t shop at WalMart. Because I don’t want to buy any Chinese goods, preferring to use my money to foster American firms- as long as they don’t hire slaves (less of a problem with Apple nowadays, but still troubling; not quite so true for many clothing firms) or those that fire staff when things are bad and yet still pay executives outrageous bonuses and salaries.
I am not like 35% of Americans that need to shop at places like WalMart or dollar stores. So, they have enough resources to feed their families, buy their clothes, and pay rent. I am thankfully not like the 47% of Americans who don’t have enough savings to handle a small emergency- one needing $ 400 of cash.
That means my piety is misplaced. Because I can afford to use my money the way I wish.
But, I may not be well enough off to always be an environmentally or socially conscious consumer. Sometimes, I must make a choice between what I need- at a price I can afford- and buying from a firm that does follow the strictures I wish. More often than not, I go without such a purchase, because my conscience reminds me that there are choices that must be made.
Most of our children (or grandchildren)- those that are called Gen Z (folks who have not yet reached 30 years of age)- do pay more for sustainable products. More than ¾ of them do so. Compared to 41% of the folks who are in my age bracket.
You might note that 41% of my age bracket are in the top 30% of the income strata- perhaps not that same 41% that make such purchases, though. That’s NOT true for the GenZ’ers, who are willing to go without to get the brands they want. Of course, most of them don’t have kids yet…
No matter what, we need to stop being so preachy! Because folks have to deal with their own economic circumstances.
Interesting post, Roy! Unfortunately, I am in that 47% you mentioned, plus, I often shop for OTC meds at WalMart. My son is Gen Z. I understand your standards, though. And it seems weird to me, too, that companies would give up their secrets to anyone, but especially, to a country that, as you said, we aren’t exactly close friends with here in America.
Which is exactly why I wrote the post, Jeanine.
Too many declare that folks who are buying Chinese goods are not looking at the big picture- when these declarers miss the point of the economic situation that leads to such a choice.
Roy
Gosh that doesn’t sound good with your computer, glad you didn’t lose anything important. Interesting article about China trades.
Thanks a bunch for the visit and comment, Martha
making those choices is definitely tough ; sometimes we have chosen to go without as well, and at others picked that more non-affordable item (not that often, of course!), and then of course, at others chose not to go without (with a guilty conscience to add)
Absolutely, Vidya.
But, we have the economic freedom to make that choice- or not.