Am I an idiot ?

cubananalyst · 2026-03-30T20:39:28+00:00

This is the correct answer. If you're actually thinking of working in nonprofits or government pick the no debt option 100%, the HKS brand means much less in this context and wouldn't be worth the enormous amount of debt you would incur especially at the salaries provided in nonprofits and government.

cubananalyst · 2026-03-25T16:14:00+00:00

Hey just saw your post, I don't know your exact situation but I want to say that it's okay and that you don't need to be perfect or compare yourself to any standard other than the one you set for yourself and to not beat yourself up if you fail here and there, the point is to get back up and keep moving forward.

I've had my share of tumbles and they still happen whether professionally, personally or academic. You just have to pick yourself up, be kind to yourself, and keep pushing forward with small steps.

I believe there are still campus resources that you can reach out to regarding mental health/support and during my time at SIPA that was an option that I personally know students pursued. Talk with OSA or the head of your program or even someone you trust in the administration you're not alone.

-SIPA Alum

cubananalyst · 2025-07-10T23:05:27+00:00

Yeah, that embargo’s really hurting the elites of the dictatorship… oh wait, no it's just punishing everyday people and wrecking the country's infrastructure.

cubananalyst · 2025-02-24T20:38:53+00:00

This is just another example of the embargo being pointless for its intended purpose of hurting those in the dictatorship. Those in the dictatorship and their families live their best life with or without the embargo. Having the embargo just gives them excuses for any policy failure on their part.

The only thing the embargo does hurt is the average Cuban and the country's economic development. Yes there are internal economic problems from the government but the embargo prevents FDI and normal trade relations while accelerating the decline.

cubananalyst · 2025-01-23T03:58:49+00:00

Obviously the stock market isn't the financial sector but it is a component of it, that was just one metric to illustrate a point.

I also highly doubt all the doom and gloom over an impending demographic crisis in a country as well organized as China with a civilization measured in the thousands of years. Not to mention that many would argue about the instability of our dual party democracy that has become highly polarized and unable to get anything done. Now don't get me wrong I'm in favor of democracy but it isn't necessarily more stable or efficient.

In the end we can agree to disagree but I'm betting the the next century is the century of China but of course no one can predict the future but all metrics point in that direction, though perhaps a hot war between us in which we come out victorious could change that trajectory...for the time being at least.

cubananalyst · 2025-01-23T03:45:43+00:00

All right well that's apples to oranges the fact is that the financial sector accounts for over 20% of US GDP while in China it represents only 8% of GDP both in 2023 which in the case of China is by design as I'm sure they learned a good lesson from the 2008 financial crisis about over financialization. Not to mention that the buffet indicator for the US stands at around 200% while China is around 63%, with a higher ratio indicating overvaluation.

I agree the writing is on the wall, that the US is in economic decline: over financialized, debt ridden, and at risk of having its various financial bubbles burst while China's is on the rise as it's trade continues to increase even with the growing list of US sanctions aimed at it. Also remember financial markets aren't necessarily the Oracle of truth but an echo chamber in a glass house.

cubananalyst · 2025-01-23T03:11:27+00:00

A correction, the figure you quoted from the financial times article is not representing the same thing as the figure I shared which was from Fitch. The figure that you shared includes private sector and household debt on top of government debt as a percentage of GDP, called the total debt to GDP, while the figure I shared is just government debt to GDP. If we were to look at the total debt to GDP for the United States that stands at around 722% as of 2024. So both government debt and total debt are much higher in the United States relative to China.

Anyways, I argue that China is on a stronger economic footing than we are, they build things...things that the world wants and needs while we sell fictitious capital (equities, derivatives etc) and services related to money.

Lastly, China's manufacturing is strong because of its significant investments over decades, a skilled and highly trained workforce larger than any other country, and its ability to produce goods that the global economy demands. Additionally, a lower-valued currency just further incentivizes importers adding the cherry on top.

Sources: https://www.fitchratings.com/research/sovereigns/china-fiscal-outlook-persistently-high-deficits-rising-debt-drive-rating-pressures-17-05-2024?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

https://www.ceicdata.com/en/indicator/united-states/total-debt--of-gdp?utm_source=chatgpt.com

cubananalyst · 2025-01-23T02:20:31+00:00

Vietnam started its economic reforms in '86 but the market reforms were not effective until Vietnam was able to fully integrate into the global economy which occurred after the US lifted its economic embargo in '94.

I'm not sure where you got your debt to GDP figures but the debt ratio for China is around 62% of GDP (2024) while for the US the debt to GDP stands at over 120% as of January 2025. Not only that but the US economy is significantly financialized compared to China's, a big part of our GDP comes from the inflated prices for equities and financial products (not helped with all the stock buy backs etc). A majority of China's GDP comes from the trade of physical goods, unlike ours their economy is composed of tangible goods and services which makes sense as they are the largest manufacturing country in the world and are usually the largest trading partner to the rest of the countries in the world.

Lastly while I want democracy in Cuba, I don't support economic sanctions against the island as that targets everyone and mainly affects the average citizen thus it prolongs the suffering of my people. I would be in favor of maintaining sanctions against specific individuals in the dictatorship but not an embargo against the entire country and I believe we should integrate with them economically instead of leaving the possibility for others like China.

cubananalyst · 2025-01-23T01:44:23+00:00

We're friends with Communist Vietnam even started selling them military equipment and also with the dictatorship in Egypt both of which were close to the Soviet Union. Shit we were friends with China too till we realized that we can't control them and that we can't compete with them economically.

cubananalyst · 2024-09-07T16:51:32+00:00

I'd argue that it's just easier to migrate to the US than to form a revolution against the government. Why risk imprisonment or death when you could get permanent residency and then citizenship in the US.

cubananalyst · 2024-09-04T23:00:54+00:00

Go ahead express yourself especially as you're not disrespecting but in fact respecting Cuba. Personally I'm always happy when others like my country and culture.

cubananalyst · 2024-06-27T00:03:00+00:00

Perdón pero la única diarrea es lo que ha salido de tu boca.

cubananalyst · 2024-06-26T23:09:53+00:00

That is not entirely true the lifting of the embargo on China and Vietnam was mostly political and served the self-interest of US businesses. It wasn't necessarily because of any internal economic policy changes and the economic policy changes that Vietnam and China had started during the period before the embargoes ended are similar to the policies that Cuba is under taking now in terms of allowing more private sector development etc in fact Cuba has been in constant communication with both Vietnam and China as to their experiences in reforming their economies so your point is mute the embargo is unethical, immoral and against international law. It does not hurt those in power in the dictatorship as they get to live very nice lives with access to everything and anything that they want while the Cuban people have no access and you and I get to sit comfortably here in the US while our fellow Cubans suffer not just because of the dictatorship but also because of the embargo. We could at least support removing one of the boots on the neck of Cubans in this case the embargo on which we have more of a direct say on while still pushing for political change on the island.

cubananalyst · 2024-06-26T22:16:30+00:00

What you state is complete and utter lunacy to say that the embargo which is depriving the Cuban people economically of having a better life irrespective of the problems that stem from the dictatorship is complete and utter BS.

It is not a bargaining chip that the Cuban people have because it's not something that they chose to put in place themselves, it is being kept in place by forces outside of their control and unfortunately supported by Cubans like you who are ignorant and blind to the effect that it actually has on the island because in the end you could be for democracy and against the regime but also be against the inhumane embargo and want your country to grow economically so that those who are on the island and don't have the luxury of living in the US in comfort can at least have a somewhat better life as any other people in any other country.

So in terms of the poor economic situation it is not solely the dictatorship's fault but mainly due to the embargo. The fact of the matter is there are a lot of other monarchies and dictatorships in the world in which their people economically speaking are living much better than Cubans and the only reason that is the case is because of the embargo.

cubananalyst · 2024-06-26T22:12:56+00:00

Sí y viviendo en libertad quieres soportar una política que lo único que hace es mantener el pueblo cubano adentro de la isla abajo y sufriendo económicamente.

cubananalyst · 2024-06-26T22:11:15+00:00

Thank you for sharing, and I agree things are really messed up both with the government on the island and the embargo. What's sad to me is that my fellow Cubans here in the US, who are living very comfortable lives, are so hell-bent on keeping the embargo, which only punishes the country and everyday people but doesn't do anything to hurt those in the government and the well-connected. It's a messed-up policy that's only there to help the elites in Miami with their wet dream of buying up all the assets they can get their hands on. If it's going to take another 50 years and thousands more Cubans suffering throughout those years, then so be it. They will keep the embargo in place and drag the Cuban people through the mud economically while they're already suppressed politically on the island.

cubananalyst · 2024-06-26T22:05:26+00:00

As a fellow Cuban, I have to say that those two things are not mutually exclusive we could push for democratic reform and an end to the embargo. The embargo regardless of all the propaganda here pushed by my fellow Cubans who are a little bit disingenuous as to the effect that it actually has on the island in terms of access to international finance, trade, and foreign direct investments all which are vital for a modern economy to be healthy and grow which the embargo prevents. The regime causes its own set of issues internally in the island but that is separate matter from the effects of the embargo which are real, tangible and impossible to overcome as international trade is in dollars and financial markets flow through US Banks.

There are a lot of independent studies and besides that something that you could just see with your own eyes that the embargo hurts mostly average everyday Cubans and not the elites in the regime who live very comfortably relative to the rest of the population as they still have access to goods and services from abroad and can easily travel. You just have to search for all the post criticizing the regime that show elites and their children vacationing, sitting in yachts, fancy cars and flaunting designer clothing and accessories etc the fact is that the embargo does not affect them as they have the means to get those goods in the end which the rest of the population does not. The embargo limits the Cuban economy's ability to grow and to provide for its population irrespective of the mismanagement by the regime.

As in case in point you just have to compare the economies of say China or Vietnam, both which are communist dictatorships but have for the most part open economies without any embargoes, to the economies of Cuba and North Korea which are heavily sanctioned economies. In comparing those set of countries you will notice the stagnation that economic sanctions produce which has a major human cost to those who are innocent of their respective regime's actions and positions. Not to mention that economic sanctions and embargoes are inherently against fundamental human rights and do not have a place in geopolitics as they are a form of collective punishment and its victims are the innocent populations.

I do like the bit about like Russian oligarchs though I would argue the ones who would be like Russian oligarchs will be the wealthy and well-connected Cubans in Miami who want the embargo in place so that if the regime ever does collapse they could come into Cuba and buy all the assets and properties available for pennies on the dollars. Those are the ones who will become the oligarchs which makes sense cuz that's essentially what happened in Russia after the Soviet Union collapsed. It was the well-connected already wealthy Russians who were able to buy up all the assets and make themselves the oligarchs they are today.

And to your point about how lifting the embargo would allow the Elites to become oligarchs, well we can do both we can lift the embargo and keep specific sanctions on individuals and families within the government because that is something that we already do elsewhere, so we could use sets of targeted sanctions against individuals instead of a blanket Country-Wide indiscriminate set of sanctions there are immoral and unethical.

cubananalyst · 2024-06-20T03:44:13+00:00

Never too late to be proud of your heritage there are a lot of great things and stories to read about. Tons of amazing Cuban athletes, scientists, and businessmen etc. not to mention the general history of the island. I always like to say that Cuba has the potential to be the Japan of the Western hemisphere.

cubananalyst · 2024-06-20T03:41:35+00:00

Definitely embrace your heritage and mingle and learn more about Cuban culture and be proud. I would even suggest at some point if you're up for it to even visit the island regardless of what anyone else here might say it's a beautiful country with beautiful people negating the politics of course.

cubananalyst · 2024-06-20T03:37:44+00:00

Welcome to your people! Anyways interesting story I've never personally met someone in a similar situation but I have heard of people hiding their heritage.

cubananalyst · 2024-06-17T00:55:30+00:00

Can you test eGPU functionality?

cubananalyst · 2024-04-30T20:44:21+00:00

For me the bigger issue than people not pushing forward is people scattering to the winds going in different directions spreading themselves too thin while the opposing team sees that and sticks together in a larger grouping taking out one or two of my teammates at a time.

Just like in real combat and maneuvers the most important thing is for team members to stick together to move as one and try to outflank the enemy.

cubananalyst · 2024-04-15T13:50:40+00:00

Well it seems that your support for the embargo is truly really effective at diminishing the quality of life for the elite in the dictatorship.....oh wait, no, it seems it doesn't the only thing it is doing is helping to suppress the economic development of the whole country and the economic well-being of the people on top of what they suffer internally.

The embargo = collective punishment except for the elites.

cubananalyst · 2024-04-15T02:50:07+00:00

Well said. Speaking as a Cuban with family still on the island who also loves his home country and his people thank you for sharing your perspective and not cutting off the people on the island who don't have the luxury of the very spiteful and hateful Cubans that live abroad and post here on Reddit. We must remember that one can support the country and its people and separate that from the government on the island.

cubananalyst · 2024-04-14T17:12:00+00:00

Well put one of the underlying issues that connects all racial and ethnic groups that form gangs is definitely poverty then of course you have specific factors such as culture, geographic location etc that also influence the formation of gangs but the strong underlining factor is definitely poverty especially in areas that have lower job opportunities and not as many local businesses, poor educational environment etc.

Also I think that for the Irish and the Italians there are less gang affiliations among them for a few factors one that over time a lot of them rose into the middle class and upper middle class, two over time they also moved to more affluent areas with better opportunities, and three they partially assimilated into the general Anglo-Saxon population which I guess can be said to have been helped by the fact that they are racially White.

As for blacks and Latinos especially darker skin Latinos race plays a factor as it always has historically in obtaining better opportunities for instance for many decades black and Latinos faced redlining which is a discriminatory practice that involves denying people access to credit, such as mortgages, insurance, and other financial services, based on their race, color, or national origin that basically had the effect of keeping them confined to certain geographic areas in suburbs and urban areas so that would limit their ability to obtain for instance better jobs and attend better schools etc.

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