Comments on: IEEE and U.S. Hegemony http://www.thelibertypapers.org/2008/11/15/ieee-us-hegemony/ Life. Liberty. Property. Defending individual freedom and liberty, one post at a time. Wed, 22 May 2013 18:26:11 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 By: Mark http://www.thelibertypapers.org/2008/11/15/ieee-us-hegemony/#comment-61364 Mark Mon, 17 Nov 2008 14:20:15 +0000 http://www.thelibertypapers.org/?p=3212#comment-61364 I read the editorial in IEEE Spectrum also and I saw the “Why can’t the EU just adopt a strategy…” comment as a long-range goal that would drive current actions and planning. It didn’t strike me as a “let’s just wish this problem away and it will be gone” statement. I, too, view the leaders of Russia as ambitious and control-minded, both within their country and across borders. I don’t see the IEEE’s advising against being dependent on Russia as “support for the American military-industrial complex.” The editorial seems to say that Russia may manipulate the gas supply to ward off action by the EU nations themselves (whether the Americans had a preference or not). The whole of the editorial did not seem to me as “pro-US” as you view it, but more US-agnostic.

I have seen IEEE-USA (a branch of the worldwide organization) take on parochial positions on immigration and work visas that I didn’t care for. They probably see that as their role as an advocate for electrical and electronic engineers in the USA. I haven’t see the IEEE (worldwide) be as US-centric in the policies they advocate.

If you’d rather not see “political” or “social” editorials in an engineering magazine, I respect your right to your preference. IEEE Spectrum has published articles and editorials on the impact of technology on society and I welcome more of these. I doubt the IEEE would suggest you shouldn’t discuss electrical engineering related subjects here at TheLibertyPapers.

]]> By: Brad Warbiany http://www.thelibertypapers.org/2008/11/15/ieee-us-hegemony/#comment-61165 Brad Warbiany Sat, 15 Nov 2008 18:11:13 +0000 http://www.thelibertypapers.org/?p=3212#comment-61165 tarran,

I agree wholeheartedly… Let me point out another angle, though:

Why can’t the European Union just adopt a strategy of energy independence and wean itself from Russia and the “stans”?

While we’re at it, why doesn’t the US just adopt a strategy of high incomes and prosperity? Seems like as long as we believe that all that is necessary to make a change is to “adopt a strategy” — economics be damned — we might as well go for the gusto, right?

A statement like that of the IEEE belies a very strong technocratic bias, in the belief that if only we adopt the right policies we will make everything better. Not that this surprises me, since IEEE is a standards organization and professional group, so all they really do is have meetings and adopt policies.

But I think it’s important to point out that life is a lot more complex than just “adopting a policy” and hoping it all works out for the best.

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