Well, what's the alternative? Live in some poor country with a happy and contented existence? Fuck no, I want money: happiness is for suckers

You have the metaphor backwards. Where do you go if you're a talented American and your own country continually does not want to pay for your talent? It's the brain drain out of the US to worry about, not the influx of immigration.

> Where do you go if you're a talented American and your own country continually does not want to pay for your talent?

China is the only country that pays even remotely competitively. Yes, even including all the nice benefits of living in a european welfare state, yes including the other anglo colonies.

Makes sense, it's just basic economy to pay for spent and get it. Something the US is continually giving up.

Still, their culture basically does make it so certain types of people simply can't exist there. And I hear there's a healthy dose of racism as well. Nothing unique to China, sadly.

The alternative is to go to another first-world country that makes it easier. E.g. Canada or Australia.