now, singapore and japan were trail blazers, and the others are coming closer, and very soon china and india will come to a place near to you. >> this is fascinating, and it highlights the central idea that it's not that we're falling behind. it's that the whole rest of the world has begun to catch up. and it -- 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. >> yes. it's a healthy, wealthy corner. that's where people want to live. i live there myself. it's a nice place. >> but can so many countries live there? can the united states prosper with so much competition? >> yes. i mean, it's more competition but it's also more customers. >> so you're an optimist? >> no, i'm not an optimist.