I'm swiping this off Aiz's site. I've been starved of ideas of what to write (distractions have been many...), so, new rule for my blog: If my comment is longer than 2 paragraphs, start my own entry on the topic.
When times are bad, it's natural for people to blame the more visible causes of their hardship. A more enlightened citizen could blame the lack of jobs on failure on the part of their govt to protect the economy, or the lack of incentives to entice foreign investments. But the lay person would target the beneficiaries of this shift in fortunes.
Personally, I would try to evolve myself. But I do understand how difficult it would be when MNCs shift their investments from people like me to people like me who are cheaper - and there's really nothing much I could do about it as a person. In some cases, e.g. Singapore, when the investments shift from the tech market to bio-tech, reskilling is a very serious problem for individuals. Most are forced to look out - way out e.g. migrating to another country where their skills are still in demand and there's ample opportunity, or undergo a career change. Both options are traumatic for the individual. Which is why I feel that Aiz's words: "Instead of being an ass and a crybaby, give your employers reason to keep you. Be competitive." are uncalled for.
In the case of the Indian nationals, discriminatory acts against them, interestingly enough, originate from non-individuals e.g. police, immigration etc. I work with several Indian-nationals and they're a welcome help - they're good, they're focused, and they don't make you run around the block doing their work (as in the case of some other IT consultants).
Perhaps the lesson in all this is to prod governments to accept the challenges of globalisation and evolve faster, because what we're seeing now is that opportunities don't just move from one individual to another, they move from one region to another. A more resilient government would pre-empt such shifts (which has had its roots for several years now), and plan accordingly.
Addendum:
1. The Rise of the Indian Diaspora - How It Contributes Towards India