when it comes to tech, why is the us so far behind?

[word]

i was looking at http://www.threegmobile.net/gallery/ an i started thinking to my self, WHY ARE WE SO DAMN BEHIND IN EVERYTHING?. i mean when Wap came out here, japan was already blueprinting thier 3g networks and they had imode (keep in mind japans gov't holds 58% of ntt docomo stock so the ends justify the means http://www.nttdocomo.com a network in which mobile handsets can be used for all sorts of ecommerce ( imagine ordering hot canned corn soup from a vending kiosk with your mobile) not to mention an in car navigation system in real time 3d, scalling the entire metropolitain highway system from overpasses to the nearest massage parlor http://www.mci.panasonic.co.jp/aced/...000/index.html (this navi sys was relased in beta in 98) yet the closest we will ever get will be bluetooth, 802.11b, a couple repeaters and a proposed massive owrellian(sp?) database monitoring every transaction made with credit just because little timmy likes pipebombs. and lets not forget about homeland security. **** that where's my gold wafer & simscan. (note: i really had to vent cuz i hate att)

[spyrul]

the actual answer is because japan isn't allowed to have an army, so they devote all their funds to technology.

america seems to be somewhat obsessed with their armies, and to be the "best", so that's why western nations are sometimes a little further behind. we tend to make sure that we're well defended against people who hate us because we make sure they know we're well defended.

kinda stupid, i guess. but i'm no politician, so i can't very well change anything.

[word]

well i guess thats what happens when you become a world millitary superpower, you have an unwired, un-r4d populus. if we werent so full of our selves maybe parts of the world would'nt hate us so much, which in turn means we would'nt have to arm ourselves out of ph33r? just a personal observation i guess.

[Dr Toker]

I had no idea Japan couldnt have an Army? Didn't we massacre hundreds of thousands of japanese civilians, was that not enough? But to say that they cant defend themselves from attack is obsurd. Politicians suck b4llz.

[spyrul]

some time after WW2, i think because of Pearl Harbor, the UN decreed that Japan was not allowed to have an army.

it seems they've been quite peaceful, and filling the world with wonderful gadgets which we westerners could only dream of getting our hands on.

[Palemoon]

One reason is M$ and you all should learn a bit of history for real watch TV like PBS lots of good stuff there. What is the point of this thread? A kid that has no idea of History nor could ID a map putside a county doing? Why we are behind is because people go to school take out loans their family in other parts all of them aunts uncles brothers sister work hard in other parts of the world put one child through a University. What is wrong is that the value of all this knowledge is reduced to a point and click person, spoon feed by the OS maker. Excuse me kids I'm gonna fart cause like it or not none of this is new you did not invent it, it is not new because you did not know, but old and your young. At least take the time to learn the history of the web before asking such lame questions. One is only behind if they are in a race and the last time I looked the HUMAN RACE spoke of all people, and an equal voice for all. Shakes head..I think WWII was the reason for Japan not having a offensive force..was part of it. History teaches much what a lame thread!

[word]

well it seems that they are in a technological Renaissance (or have been going through one) for some time now. ever since their bubble burst a lot has happened. right now they are at the point where we were 11 years ago concerning hacking and what to do about it.

[vanman]

The only thing I can say is that maybe a country can only afford to put x-amount of money into varios sectors of the industry.The main thing I think is to do the most with what you have, the best way you can.The distribution of funds I think get's ditributed according to what is needed most at a specific time.

[mrcoffee12]

Japan has all the technology because it is cheap for them to manufacture. We invent it and they say oh look, this looks cool lets build a few billion of these, they sell them for uber cheap prices in Japan and their citizens are happy, then they try to charge us half our year's income to buy one and we say, uh no thanks you can keep it, so we don't have the technology. Also, I'm not sure what the technical raesoning is but like Germany(who really don't have much of an army) We rebuilt some parts of Japan to higher living conditions so that they wouldn't need to wage war any more, they CAN have an army(I think) but choose not to really have one, because they know that if somebody attacks them the UN will come save them (Sad but true). Anyway, ya, thats why Japan has more/better technology than the US, they just make all our useless inventions and hand them out at incredibaly cheap prices then make the profit from them off us westerners.

[cwk9]

Japan keeps a small army by choice I think they even have a clause in there constitution to prevent them from attacking other countries. Perhaps anyone who knows a little more about Japan could offer some insight. If Japan decided to build up a more sizable army the U.S would probably give them the thumbs up because then they could sell them weapons. Think mrcoffe12 pinned down why the get all the cool gadgets before we do is because the make the stuff. Also companies like to test products in places like Japan before launching them in north America.