Groupings vs. flight

The Washington Times ^ | 11-29-05 | Thomas Sowell

[Question_Assumptions]

As a Rutgers alumni who does, in fact, think highly of Rutgers, I feel obliged to point out that you can get a very good education at Rutgers, particularly in the sciences, engineering, and pharmacy and it has some top-notch graduate programs. That said, Rutgers is not the top-choice of over-achieving high school students in New Jersey because it's a state school. As such, most of the hightest achieving Asian students have their eyes on MIT, Princeton, Columbia, Stevens, etc. and not Rutgers. Rutgers isn't a bad university, but it's not a prestigious one, especially in New Jersey where it's hard not to swing your arms in a crowd and hit a Rutgers graduate. I do, however, highly recommend it for parents who have children who don't know what they want to do with themselves because Rutgers has a large number of programs of study, and it's a lot cheaper to have your kids "find themselves" at Rutgers than a $40,000 a year private school, even at out-of-state tuition rates.

[Redleg Duke]

The kid with the better job, not the blown knees from soccer.

[Vicomte13]

I've noticed that there are high-performing people in all ethnicities, and that the highest flyers of all are usually liberal artists who have also learned math, and who were also athletes in their youth and who retain both the competitive spirit and the teamwork that soccer teaches but that no academic subject teaches.

The highest flyers are the people who command teams.
Soccer teaches you to do that.
Mathematics does not.
You need both, if you want command.

Look very carefully at the nuclear Navy.
These folks, mostly from Annapolis, are the brightest of the brightest of the bright. They're great at Math - although not quite as good as the most driven Asians, AND their verbal skills are good - although not quite as good as Alan Desrhowitz and the top lawyers, AND they're athletes - although not professionals.

If the body is not exercised, it corrupts, and with it, the mind.

"The battle of Waterloo was won on the playing fields of Eton." - Lord Wellington

Sports are an integral part of education.
Those who do not have them growing up are limited when compared with those who do. Perhaps they have to hypertrophy their "math muscles" in order to compete, but it's a cinch that they will never command.

Sports AND math AND liberal arts are what is required.
A single-minded focus on science and math will make you a well-paid employee of someone who has all three.
That's the way it is, and it will not change, because the TOP jobs do not DO anything, they LEAD. And that is learned by team sports.

[Question_Assumptions]

Sports AND math AND liberal arts are what is required.

Absolutely. But that's exactly what American-born Asians are starting to do. A Korean friend's cousin, for example, is going to West Point. And don't think that Asians don't learn teamwork and leadership in Asian social groups because they exist, too. There are plenty of Korean Christian youth groups, Chinese singles groups, and so on out there. They fly under the radar of most Caucasians because they aren't in your face about it. They they are out there.

The full scope of this only gets clear if you step back. Those Asian students do eventually assimilate and become very Americanized. When you start to look at 3rd and 4th generation Japanese and Chinese Americans, they become wholly Americanized (e.g., see the Asians in "Dogtown and the Z-Boys"). This is something that some Asians are fighting and I've seen, for example, sending the kids to China to stay with the grandparents to innoculate them against becomming too American. Not sure how successful that's going to be, though. The Asians that are going to have it best are like the Americans who have it best, those who are Americanized enough to get good social skills but also consider academics important enough to get good grades and go to a good college.

[doc30]

I've seen too many folks educated beyond their intelligence...

And many people promoted beyond their competency, too.

[Vicomte13]

"This is something that some Asians are fighting and I've seen, for example, sending the kids to China to stay with the grandparents to innoculate them against becomming too American. Not sure how successful that's going to be, though."

It won't work at all.
Over 50% of even Jews marry Gentiles in America, and the Jews have been the most resistant to assimilation of any people in the world.
America assimilates like the Borg.
Resistance is futile.

[Question_Assumptions]

Yup, sure looks that way to me, too. :-)

[dakine]

And many people promoted beyond their competency, too.

Hmmm...stopped and made me think...hahaha!

[Clemenza]

Rutgers has a great AGRICULTURAL program as well, I kid you not.

Dad went to Montclair State, was extremely successful in his industry to the point of having Ivy boys working for him. Some bloom later than others.

The main point to be made is that those with high levels of academic AND social skills are the most successful. That and a high level of testosterone allow one to dominate.

[Clemenza]

Know two alcoholic folks of Korean and Chinese ancestry who were classmates of mine at U of Chicago.

[Clemenza]

It should be pointed out that the only Asian group you find in large numbers on Wall Street are the East Indians.

[Vicomte13]

There are also quite a few analysts, mostly Chinese.

[Vicomte13]

There are also quite a few analysts, mostly Chinese.

[Question_Assumptions]

Rutgers has a great AGRICULTURAL program as well, I kid you not.

You are correct. I keep forgetting Cook because they kinda keep to themselves out on those experimental farms along Route 1.