I dont have any familial ties of immigration. I dont know foreign languages to be competent.
I look at Europe as a whole also facing extremist conservative and fascist-adjacent rhetoric. I dont see those countries much better off. I know little of South America. I know Africa has a lot of inroads with China with Belt and Road.
Simply put: I'm trapped in the USA. My friends are trapped in the USA. My indirect family is either trapped in the USA, or they're pro-maga and approve this hellscape the country is being into.
Ive looked at making a commune with like-minded folks and becoming self sufficient, and walking away from this society. Cause there's not many choices, and fewer every day.
I likely won't know the language. I can't legally work. I'm now an "illegal alien", and people everywhere hate them (USA isn't special in that hate).
I could try English speaking countries? Canada is not encouraging, given the 51st state threats. England, again, not at all welcoming. Iceland is suffering badly with a whole bunch of things.
I dont know about Australia or New Zealand.
The USA is also very big. Lot of places to hide.
I find this kind of opinion hard to understand. The difference is incredibly high contrast to me.
https://www.aspi.org.au/report/aspis-two-decade-critical-tec...
> The US led in 60 of 64 technologies in the five years from 2003 to 2007, but in the most recent five years (2019–2023) is leading in seven. China led in just three of 64 technologies in 2003–2007 but is now the lead country in 57 of 64 technologies in 2019–2023, increasing its lead from our rankings last year (2018–2022), where it was leading in 52 technologies.
The flip already was happening before Trump. He absolutely accelerated anti-immigrant, anti-work visa, and other variety of other-hate. But we were losing significant ground in technology to China before this.
Basically, if you want to go into a variety of fields, you learn in China, and you work in China.
Put simply, they are making factories for quantum chip production. And Photonic chips. https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/06/13/china-ramps-up-phot...
We're basically playing with mud and sand and used to be good at metal casting. Not even good at that any more. I'm embarrassed to be an American.
SilverElfin•1h ago
bix6•1h ago
Yeah it’s a big nothing burger SilverElfin, keep supporting this admin for whatever reason it is you still support them
Social science doesn’t matter? Interesting take.
spicyusername•54m ago
An increase of 23 to 114 for one random thing isn't really a trend and it's questionable whether it's newsworthy, even if it is a seed that could have grown into a real headline with legitimate journalism, more investigation, and better writing.
But this is what passes as journalism these days, and if it confirms our pre-existing believees, we'll happily repost it and pretend it's real.
Herring•48m ago
There's a real survey then. The trend will continue, democrats will keep becoming more unhappy, and those with means will increasingly make changes. Intelligence correlates with liberalism and openness to new experiences. That's how brain drain after fascism works.
Conservatives of course don't care.
nxm•27m ago
Herring•14m ago
Universities are inherently centers of critical thinking, independent research, analysis and questioning of established norms, etc. There's a reason that in history conservatives and fascists are consistently hostile towards intellectuals.
bix6•12m ago
https://www.reuters.com/world/austria-hails-brain-gain-lurin...
So sure this story doesn’t provide details but it confirms the trend we all see happening.
juggern•38m ago
bix6•15m ago