Hans Rosling, Fareed Zakaria Speak On CNN Special About How World Is Catching Up To U.S. (VIDEO)

Hans Rosling of Sweden's Karolinska Institute shares some interesting data with Fareed Zakaria on CNN's upcoming special, 'Restoring the American Dream: Getting Back to #1 – A FAREED ZAKARIA GPS Special.'

Rosling used dynamic graphs to illustrate how countries like China and Japan have caught up with the United States over the past few decades in terms of economic growth, life expectancy, and innovation.

After seeing the data, Zakaria summarized the situation the U.S. finds itself in. "It's not that we're falling behind," said Zakaria. "It's that the whole rest of the world has begun to catch up. And what it suggests is that it's not so much that people are overtaking us, it's that everybody is moving into the same space, that there's a whole set of advanced countries, European and Asian, that are all converging in one space."

Zakaria's special debuts this Sunday at 8:00pm ET and PT.

WATCH (via CNN):

Comments

[SansCulottes08]

11:20 AM on 03/12/2011

What a load of crap. It's not that the rest of the world is "catching up", this is what's going on -

- previously under-developed countries like China and India, are exploiting what they've got - masses of poor people who, if left uneducated and denied political rights, can be exploited to produce the goods that previously were produced in advanced countries by a relatively better off workforce, plus

- some of the workers in those previously under-developed countries are being educated to perform more highly skilled jobs, which they too will perform for much lower wages than that which formerly prevailed in advanced countries; plus

- tiny oligarchic elites in those previously under-developed countries work together with the global financial capitalist elite of the advanced countries to shift capital investment from the advanced countries to the formerly poor countries; while

- the US military guarantees the global stability to protect the global financial elite from popular revolution.

The process will be complete when, everywhere in the world, there is a tiny financial elite who own and control everything, a relatively small educated class of pampered professionals, and an enormous mass of poor who have to do whatever thay are told or risk getting shot.

America's financial elite are not falling behind - they are at the helm, leading this global process. 90% of America's people, though, are falling behind as they are reduced to the same state as the powerless poor of China.

[Ergon]

10:14 AM on 03/12/2011

 
Xmoonwalker x asked:
"One more attempt. This is what you said
"We're not Number #1 any more, and the rest of the world is "catching ON" to us, lol."
LOL -> laugh out loud. So why are you happy that we are losing out to the rest of the world? Do you call laughing at your country as "construct­ive criticism"­?
 
No, I called it patriotism. But from a spiritual perspective, I think we carry a heavy karma not just from how historically we mistreated other countries, but also, our own people. And if some of us, be we anti-war, or the marchers in Wisconsin, try to make a better country, I think that is A Good Thing.

[mendelcrosses]

01:30 PM on 03/07/2011

I doubt anyone wants to be "catching up" with America.
People are looking as to how they will get more rights unlike America where the orientation is towards less right. People want to improve on standard of living whereas in America you seek ways to lower standard of living. No one wants to catch up with that.

[SansCulottes08]

11:22 AM on 03/12/2011

You said it brother! (or sister)

[TYRANNASAURUS]

11:26 AM on 03/07/2011

Fareed Zakaria: 'Rest Of The World Has Begun To Catch Up' To U.S.....

This is just a more positive way of saying we're going down hill.

[jtabs]

11:18 AM on 03/07/2011

The show was great as a teaser, but an hour is insufficient for the topic, but at least Fareed is willing to try which is much more than anyone else. I would like to see a follow up with a more diverse group of contributors and an expanded analysis of both the problem and possible solutions. This is like many other shows which state that health care in this country is slowly bankrupting the country and leave it at that.

[StevieMac26]

12:44 PM on 03/07/2011

what problem?

[ThreadKiller]

11:07 AM on 03/07/2011

WWJD?

[Euterpe360]

10:17 AM on 03/07/2011

This was a really great special. I was lucky I was just sitting around when it came on. I think Fareed is the best thing going in journalism right now. He's opinionated, but always locks for facts to back it up and he never raises his voice to make his point. Such a professional.

[AZreb]

08:15 AM on 03/07/2011

Wouldn't it be more accurate to say we are "catching down" to third world countries? More have nots as opposed to haves - loss of the middle class - loss of manufacturing - more hunger and poverty - more homeless - more jobless -

Can we dig our way out? Not until we start thinking of our own country and our people first instead of trying to be the bank for other countries and the one that fights their wars for them - not until we get rid of the lobbyists for foreign countries who influence our Congress - not until we get rid of the politicians who want the glory and power instead of doing the hard work for our country's future.

Too much to ask for? One can only dream.

[Kauia]

11:32 PM on 03/06/2011

Mundane show - Until Fareed's concluding remark on what is holding U.S. back: "It's politics." Hit the nail on the head! Unfortunately, easier said than changed. Unless American domestic politics undergoes a drastic change, i.e., campaign financing, gun control, etc., we will continue to watch the truly civilized, unselfish world pass us by.

[Puzzlr]

09:21 PM on 03/06/2011

I don't see China overtaking us. Their government will ultimately hold them back. They have a long way to go before they are able to even match us. It may seem like they are, but they have a lot of inner problems (rich getting richer, lack of regulation, shift in population, low spending and the overall oppression of its citizens). Never mind the fact that they have 'ahem' appropriated a lot of their technology. Its not happening.

[CologneCitizen]

12:55 AM on 03/07/2011

They will pass because the country is still evolving and developing while the USA is standing still. When basic scientific truths are denied in the USA, why would any smart scientist bother to waste his time there ?

[Puzzlr]

10:48 AM on 03/07/2011

Contrary to popular belief, the vast majority of people in the USA aren't creationist. Don't believe the hype. People here will continue to think outside the box where technology is concerned. Not so in China. And consider how quick the Chinese government is in shutting down outside internet feeds. No, they have a long way to go.

[AZreb]

08:16 AM on 03/07/2011

Do you think our government is moving us forward? The only thing our politicians are concerned with is election or reelection - and that goes from the lowest to the highest.

[Puzzlr]

10:52 AM on 03/07/2011

That may be so, but they couldn't get away with a Tiananmen Square. And remember the cardboard meat? China. Or how about the dog and cat food that killed a lot of animals. China. If we have a problem with a politician, we can vote for his opponent. If you disagree with the Chinese government, you will find yourself in jail.

[mike72]

08:13 PM on 03/06/2011

Sigh ... remind me the 40s and 50s when physicists and medical doctors were the super stars of the society.

In less than 50 years, we have turned into an "entertainment" and "consumer" oriented society.

But realistically, does any of you (me included) would lift your fingers to do some mundane assembly line work anymore?

[Euterpe360]

10:15 AM on 03/07/2011

Probably not, but thank goodness our engineering prowess allows us to build automated assembly plants that can produce far more than a slate of laborers for much less.

[wardropper]

07:37 PM on 03/06/2011

Sorry, guys...

It's a lie.

The rest of the world is leaving the U.S. behind - mostly because its politicians have no morals at all, while other countries have a couple left...

[AZreb]

08:18 AM on 03/07/2011

fanned -right on the money (pun intended).

[dead WASP]

07:36 PM on 03/06/2011

I respect Fareed's opinion, but the fact is, the U.S. is beginning to fall behind as far as quality of life issues are concerned.

[Kenz300]

07:26 PM on 03/06/2011

If we did not spend so much money on the military, wars in Iraq and Afghanistan
and did not give a tax cut to the top 2% we would be much better off financially.

[Gregor53]

06:49 PM on 03/06/2011

It is not hard to catch up to someone who is running backwards and blindfolded.