[jollybean]

Those are all good points, but the rest of the world turns out, pound for pound, Engineers that are just as good and crazy.

But have access to fewer resources, networks, capital, markets etc..

Also, the % of US immigrants that are on the 'high end' is relatively smaller.

Migration to the US, when you include off the books migration, is a little bit towards the low skilled end.

But definitely the smaller relative portion of 'hardcore talent' is still actually quite large in real terms, and yes, they do disproportionately contribute. It frankly doesn't take a large quantity.

[foxyv]

This is why I didn't just mention the engineers. It's the conflation of all those factors. Not just a single one. Crazy engineers can get a lot done with no capital, but mostly they will end up doing soul crushing Dilbert style jobs.

For instance, look at Russia! Their engineers are probably twice as crazy as Americans, but they have very little room to do crazy things with that talent. They don't have trillions of US dollars being sheltered in their tech startups by VC funds.

[pr0v0cat3ur]

The US offers unlimited resources for pursuit if one is willing to venture after them with resilience. Having said that, it always comes down to passion and willingness of pursuit and this is why many with lesser means can still achieve greatness and even better in a country with the resources available.

[jollybean]

" it always comes down to passion and willingness of pursuit"

I think this mostly populist myth.

It's definitely possible for people to do 'great things' but there are innumerable factors beyond that. 'Passion' I would say is not even an important or necessary element.

'Grit' is probably necessary, but not nearly sufficient either.

That anything is possible, doesn't mean that it's remotely likely to happen even with unlimited 'passion and grit', or even talent.

[908B64B197]

> But have access to fewer resources, networks, capital, markets etc..

So their bankers and politicians just can't compete.