The economics....

...of prostitution. Interesting article about a controversial paper. Tangentially related (ok, not related at all), I just wanna ask, what's with US patriotism? Nationalism is like crack for the masses. I mean, I love the freedom and opportunity that I have in America, and I want to contribute to society here somehow, someday. But why is there such a fuss made over US having to be the best? Olympic basketball. Space technology. Overall economy. The US has to outperform its competitors. But why? Why do we care so much? It's not enough that America has to be a great place to live, but it must also be better than everywhere else in the world? I'd say America is tops for entrepeneurship, freedom, and fatty foods. Not necessarily in that order. God bless America for those. But would I care if France had another revolution, and an ultra conservative (in the traditional sense) constitution was written to guarantee French citizens liberty rivaling ours? Last year I took a course on globalization, and I thought, why are these such big problems? Why can't everyone just see others as humans, instead of as people from other countries? Why does it matter that Indians are hired for tech jobs from American companies? At least someone is getting paid, either way. What's the deal with tariffs? If someone makes a better product, they ought to reap the benefits, regardless of which nation they are based in. I realize the issue of nationalism is much deeper than what I've ranted about. I'm just saying--America is going to have a rude awakening, I think in my lifetime. Companies will move overseas (why stay in America? Go to China, where the labor and taxes are cheap!) -> Americans will be poorer -> America won't be the world's largest consumer market -> America won't rule the world economy or politics or basketball. All it'll have left is the freedoms that it were founded upon.