This raises the serious (and only mildly defensive) question: how does the US have the largest economy in the world? 1) Are we simply lucky enough to have the most natural resources, so that despite our inefficient usage, we come out on top? 2) Are we still benefiting from decades-old military victories? 3) We do have a larger (and more diverse) population than any of the other countries listed, but India and China have larger populations still. Are we at a sweet spot? 4) Are the abilities tested not well-correlated with economic success of a country? Maybe some cultural/political factors have a strong weight? 5) Is there information in the *distribution* of skills (as opposed to the averages) that is critical to the story?
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2013-10-08 01:39 pm (UTC)1) Are we simply lucky enough to have the most natural resources, so that despite our inefficient usage, we come out on top?
2) Are we still benefiting from decades-old military victories?
3) We do have a larger (and more diverse) population than any of the other countries listed, but India and China have larger populations still. Are we at a sweet spot?
4) Are the abilities tested not well-correlated with economic success of a country? Maybe some cultural/political factors have a strong weight?
5) Is there information in the *distribution* of skills (as opposed to the averages) that is critical to the story?