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What We Can Learn From Chinese Techies Sars And Canadians

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by Mark Stein
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Oct 27 2008 8:55am EDT

What We Can Learn From Chinese Techies, SARS, and Canadians

Kevin Maney writes: I see that here on Portfolio.com we're trying to be optimistic, running a feature titled, The Upside of the Downturn. This reminds me of the time I spent a day golfing with a group of top-tier Chinese technology entrepreneurs at a course near The Great Wall. At one point we got talking about the 2003 SARS flu outbreak and how it must have been horrible for their companies. The guys in my foursome laughed and said that it was actually great for their golf games. Since every business was shut and nobody could do anything anyway, they spent six weeks improving their handicaps.


The title of our story, by the way, also reminds of a now-timely book that was actually published in 2006. It's titled, The Upside of Down: Catastrophe, Creativity, and the Renewal of Civilization, by Thomas Homer-Dixon of Toronto. He argues that breakdowns like the one we're in now should "open up extraordinary opportunities for creative, bold reform of our societies." Doesn't that make you feel better?
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