Go West, Young Man - 21st Century Version

Publisher Horace Greeley advised young AmericanSince manufacturing wages in China are 68 to 88
men in the 1840's and 1850's to make their fortunescents per hour, China is almost impossible to beat in
by going west.manufacturing. There are benefits. For example,
The New Hampshire journalist was completelygoods made in China and sold here in
correct, publishinga quote by John B.L. Soule, "goWal-Mart stores save the average American family
west, young man, and grow up withthis country."$500 per year.
Fortunately, Americans never stopped going westChina is building a national interstate highway system
and growing up with this country-even to this day!with many more miles than ours, and it is building
Today, the "young men" includes young ladies, too-asentirely new cities the size of San Francisco every
well as opportunity seekers of all ages.few weeks. With the 2008 Olymipic Games to be
Greeley didn't consider that if you you keep on goingheld in China, that country wants to show the world
west,you would blow by California, Oregon andit has really arrived as a first class superpower.
Washington, landing eventually in the Far East-includingChina uses 40% of global steel and 30% of the
China, India, Japan and South Korea--the globalworld's coal and lots of cement, too. China
hypergrowthnations of 2006 and beyond.increasingly imports larger amounts of oil as well.
And, with the Internet, you can go west, south,Don't view China through the prism of outdated, Cold
east, north, or anywhere on earth without everWar stereotypes--peasants working in rice paddies,
leaving your home or office--or even getting out ofChairman Mao, stultifying communism, and The Red
your chair.Guards. Forget that stuff.
In the 21st Century, you do business in spaceConsider that your next car may be an imported red,
(cyberspace), not just a limited place like a town,Chinese-made Chery sports car, priced under $19,000
city, region, or country.fully loaded with Lexus robotic manufacturing
Horace Greeley would have loved 2006, being aexcellence and elegant Ferrari design. China has 120
visionary who boldly editorialized to free the slavescar companies.
from plantations. In the 21st Century, you can freeChina will have its cars available in the USA for sale in
yourself from the slavery of employment, the lastlate 2007 or early 2008.
legalized form of slavery in the United States.Third, what are the opportunities in the 21st
The 21st Century started with a requiem for the lastCentury?
century's Industrial Revolution, now dead andAmerica remains at the forefront of creative new
deserving of a final, decent burial. Industrialtechnologies and innovations. Forget the Detroit Big 3.
Revolution--rest in peace!Forget most of the once impressive firms making up
Not only is the Industrial Revolution over, lifelongthe Dow Jones Industrial Average. Forget about
employment, jobs, job security, labor unions, fullylow-tech factories that make shoes and toilets and
funded pensions, factory towns, socialism, outdatedboat anchors. Flush that focus. Look to the future.
Rust Belt factories, trade tariffs and barriers, andConcentrate on these new high growth alternatives:
myopic economic nationalism are over, too.Web 2.0, florescent light replacement,
In the 21st Century, self-employment, self reliance,nanotechnology, WiMAX, RFID, clean energy (solar
entrepreneurial action, globalism and the Internet areand wind), emerging countries, biometrics, Internet
the keys to success.TV, Internet over power lines, enricheduranium,
What Do We Need To Know About The 21stVOIP, offshore energy exploration, and The Wellness
Century?Revolution.
First, what's going on with the U.S. finances? Can theIf you don't know what these industries and
government support me or create a job for me?innovations are, ask any tech savvy teenager or
Answer: No!start reading business publications more often.
1. The United States economic position is shaky. OurAmerica's best years are always yet ahead, and
annualized 2005 trade deficit is $706 billion, up fromthese innovative new things will get the United
$616 billion in 2004.States, and you as a self-employed person,
2. The U.S. budget, "balanced" in 2002, ran about onepositioned as a successful 21st Century player.
half trillion dollars in 2005. "Just say no" or using theNetwork marketing, using "intellectual distribution," will
veto are no longer practiced by Washington's powerbe one way many people will thrive as
elite.self-employeds in the 21st Century, building global
3. The total U.S. budget deficit is about $8.0 trillion, ordistribution networks at home, using the Internet.
$26,222 per American man, woman or child. It'sWhat do I forecast for 2006?
increasing at a mere $1.76 billion daily.Answer-gas at $5.00 to $6.00 per gallon, crude oil at
4. The U.S. has $44 trillion in underfunded government$75 to $100 per barrel, the increasing irrelevancy of
liabilities.Ford and General Motors, a surge in prices of key
5. Congress just raised the federal debt ceiling tocommodities (gold, silver, platinum and uranium), a
avoid the possibility of default. That's thecontinued rise in US interest rates, a softening of the
government's version of increasing your Visa cardhousing market, a decline the value of the U.S. dollar,
limit so you can still keep taking cash advances toand continuing violence and political turbulence in the
pay your other bills.Middle East OPEC states and from oil producing
Wake up, people. The government cannot afford tonations in Africa and South America.
support you withwomb to the tomb socialist benefitsIs this gloom and doom? No way. America has 5% of
or create a purposeless, do-nothing job for you.global population, but 31% of the world's global
You need to be self-employed and save and investeconomic activity, a gross domestic product per
your money to take care of yourself for the rest ofworker 30% higher than Japan and Germany, 600
your life.pet chiropractors, numerous Starbuck's stores, and
Second, what's going on with China?households headed by a college graduate earning on
China is becoming a capitalist superpower, just likeaverage of $72,000.
the United States. BusinessWeek believes that theWhat a country!
world's three superpowers by 2050 will be the UnitedIf you befriend and welcome change, embrace
States, China and India. I agree.self-employment, think outside of the box, view
China's 1.5 billion population includes 300 millioneverything globally, and work hard and consistently,
educated, middle class people (more than the entireyou will do very well and enjoy everything even
US population) buying homes, cars, and the other nicemore.
things of middle class living.Wherever you are now, follow Horace Greely's "go
This group is called "Chuppies," Chinese urbanwest, young man" editorial directive. Applying Greely's
professionals (similar To American Yuppies of timesquote to modern times, it means to to get yourself
past).moving, going "west," wherever the 21st Century
Americans can make a fortune selling upscaleopportunities are.
products and services to Chuppies.