EJK sent me the link to this essay,
"Paper Tigers," by Wesley Yang. She seemed rather upset by the essay. I had seen one or two people link to the article on Facebook. It's a rather long essay, but I think the author is pretty much saying that East Asians need to become more like Americans and less East Asian if they are to gain positions in upper management.
I do not think that the children of East Asians immigrants have a problem assimilating -- the problem is that the assimilate the wrong sort of culture, all that could be labeled with the pejorative "Uhmerican." But assimilation may not be enough -- what about the development of leadership qualities or an "American" character? While the Eastern peoples Aristotle was thinking of were relatively close (the Persians?), I think his characterization of them as being servile could be applied to those of the "Middle Kingdom" and beyond. East Asian males do have a reputation for being beta. I wouldn't ascribe this to "genetics" or diet or low testosterone. This perception of East Asian males may be holding them back from corporate advancement. But is it the case that East Asian males are more beta than whites?
I think a cross-generational comparison may be necessary. It may be that members of more recent generations of East Asians are more beta than those of previous generations. Also, E. Asians who immigrate may be even more focused on prosperity and material success, investing a lot of resources in their children and more often than not adopting a form of education that could be called "spoiling." It may be strict in some of its demands, but it is very narrow and often fails to prepare the children for real life and its responsibilities. (Should I go ahead and read
Amy Chua's
book?) What sort of leadership role are East Asian males exercising within the family after they are married? Are they sufficiently independent from their parents and autonomous? Do they place a great value on conflict-avoidance and preserving face? Is there a combination of cultural values and practices holding East Asian males back?
Those who become officers in the U.S. military
may be deemed to be good candidates for
business leadership positions. But who joins the military? Who signs up for the military? Very few East Asians (especially Chinese). Indians seem to be even more rare. And yet, the military appears to be a good stepping stone for those seeking management positions. Why? Because military service is not deemed to be choiceworthy. The priority may be on getting a good job (materialism) or on avoiding dangerous jobs (fear of death). Or the military may be judged to be low-status. And yet, in the abstract, military service is an important component of republican virtue. (Although, [voluntary] service in the military is not sufficient for the formation of a citizen in a republic. It must be complemented by the proper moral development.) I wouldn't hold respect for military service to be an aspect of contemporary Uhmerican culture. And it may still not be enough to break the bamboo ceiling, if those at the top are looking for people who are innovative eladers willing to take risks and think for themselves. (The U.S. military is full of bureaucrats and stuck in a 2GW mindset.)
As for the supposed meritocracy that exists in our political economy. How many of those who advance in management of the big corporations are able to do so not because of talent but because of social connections or some other form of favoritism (including affirmative action)? I do not think we have a political program for the grooming future leaders (and I still
think a
national public service academy would be a bad idea). Who tends to get ahead in high school and college? Those who are naturally ambitious and extroverted benefit. East Asians get involved in the rat race for college admissions, but they may not necessarily look for leadership roles in the clubs and organizations they join. Not everyone can be a chief, even at that level. I have my doubts as to the real sort of leadership teenagers and young adults can exercise. Have they learned how to obey or serve properly? What sort of model of leadership have they been exposed to and seek to emulate? Leadership isn't the same as willfulness.
Matching talent with the proper work would be easier in polities that are small, enabling people to know one another. As it is, the sort of "meritocracy" that we have, if it can be called that, is tied to a political economy that is unsustainable.
Regarding diet:
It seems that nutrition, both
in utero and after birth, does have a great impact on development and health. Could it explain why so many East Asians have poor eyesight?
John T. Reed's reaction to the
Fortune article on officers
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