Article by Steven Pinker Professor – linguists, experimental psychology, and is the author of many popular science books were well received in the US and around the world published in the New Republic, a magazine Weeks Releases credibility with articles about politics and art was born a century ago round, was critical an article, also published in the New Republic of William Deresiewicz, author of the book “excellent sheep : The educational mistakes of the American elite and how to have a meaningful life “(Excellent Sheep: The Miseducation of the American Elite and The Way to a Meaningful Life).
William Deresiewicz:
The lameness of education at Harvard
In his article entitled “Do not send your children to Ivy League schools,” with the subtitle “The nation’s leading schools are turning our children into walking corpses”, William Deresiewicz has shown that although the students in elite training system of this school seems intelligent dynamic, but in fact, their psychological balance to be going down at an alarming rate: more students showed great contention and have pride with what we have done and on their position in the top elite of the United States, but inside, they have manifestations of anxiety, fear, even depression, emptiness and disorientation in life. He explained that now, not only because the US elite schools oriented education so focused skills to analyze problems and to persuade others to speak to the graduates meet the immediate needs of the profitable sectors of the economy such as finance, but also due to upbringing of the students is a special preparation of the family to come of age when they are eligible to be recognized immediately in elite schools like Harvard, Stanford, Williams, that they have little experience of failure and are afraid of risks.
In addition to its impact on the students, William Deresiewicz also said that selecting the input and the education system in these schools that only children of rich families and enjoy the new power elite of the society deals, and classes will be increasingly away from the rest of society in general, especially the lower classes of society in particular, including those which need much more help. Harvard’s notoriously training environment the leadership not only of the US but the entire world, the separation would also make future leaders cannot understand and feel the real life who they may be working together in the future.
Steven Pinker:
Degree from the Ivy League is still evidence of intelligence and discipline
And when Steven Pinker’s rebuttal arguments to defend William Deresiewicz Harvard – where he was teaching, he pointed out that the article is full of conclusions Deresiewicz imposition and lack of objective analysis, focusing too on the relative “value of life”, which ignored the development of particular intellectual ability and success in life in general. He compares Deresiewicz article as a hunter shot splashed hit everything but skating lose the most important goal of his.
Deresiewicz did not specify any arguments to convince the reader that the Ivy League students today lack mature, far removed from reality than their previous generation, when compared with students outside the Ivy League system or in full America in general. Moreover, he is “accused” of students who want good, achieving the highest results for the purpose of creating a foundation to achieve success in terms of money, status and fame. “So students should do this, drug testing and electronic games during day.” Ask Steven Pinker.
Although there may be in many cases, “second-class” talent of students on par with elite schools and a number of study in these schools even surpassed considering Ivy League schools is still no justice reason to believe that students of that inquisitive, open-minded, less competition and more modest than the Ivy League student, as Deresiewicz confirmed. However, the schools’ second-class “is also famous for the student community busy playing, lazy school, neglects and school exams to pass. Therefore, the conclusion that the students should register at top schools because these schools under them a more comprehensive education is just unfounded conclusions of Deresiewicz.
Findings of economists showed Caroline Hoxby most elite schools cost money for the facilities and their training system average of 20 times compared to inferior schools. That is partly the cause of the Ivy League students have the ability to graduate on time more, choose your partner as more attention and generate higher income by 20% compared with the peers from schools normal.
Regarding the purpose of higher education, Deresiewicz said “the first thing students should be learning from college is the ability to think”, but he denied analytical skills and persuasive speech which is very important for career after college students is necessary. Disregard this reality is absurd. In addition, he also refutesDeresiewicz’s view that higher education was to give students an opportunity to “build it as an independent individual.” According to Pinker, students need to be equipped with a comprehensive knowledge of history and culture as well as social politics or art to be able to appreciate the beauty and have an insight about the world in general. If students want to “build itself as an independent individual,” they can do it outside of their regular classroom.
One of the few points of agreement Deresiewicz that Pinker, such as higher education quality should Mainstream (democratization) so that all citizens can access, there is also the view of many other Pinker know. He said that the ability and needs of the students when applying to college is not homogeneous and the diversification of the schools reflect very honest facts. But this is not immutable. Pinker proves his point through the history of Harvard, where before the 1960s only for the elite of society. Then in the 1960s, under the pressure of the Cold War competition between the Soviet – American focus is Sputnik successful flight into space, along with the national movement against apartheid racism and Status the Semitic, Harvard had to change ourselves, to focus on the policy “to use talents”, brought a series results in the economic field of science and technology of America. A fact many people know that Harvard now only a maximum of 10% (maybe even as low as 5%) annual enrollment targets based on their academic results, others are based on the development individual comprehensive as athletic ability or artistic. So, an admissions system so how can it be just to produce these “walking corpses”, or the “sheep” as identified by Deresiewicz.
Pinker since although he was one of the professors and the students love his lectures with important content will be in the final exam hall but there are today only half of the students go to school. Obviously is not because they are lazy, but Harvard students “terribly busy” with extracurricular schedules from sports to art music. Through these activities the “play” is that students feel the stick teammate and achieved accomplishments from their own efforts, an integral part of “comprehensive experience in Harvard”.
So why when Harvard students “more playful learning” is a case, firms or financial advice leading investment back quickly scooped them, and pay them higher salaries paid 20% of the new students Other graduate? A bachelor’s degree from an Ivy League school elite was proof of intelligence and discipline, the more important factor specific knowledge because when these elements is the acquisition of knowledge is only a question Timing. Two is to have the skills that even intelligent people without also hard to succeed. Most of the students from elite schools are equipped, like the ability to think logically and critical thinking clearly. Another factor is an employee with a bachelor’s degree from Harvard is less likely to “do wrong” and also beautify the company’s lineup very much.
That’s obviously very reasonable when families have investment conditions for small children to when coming of age. They are eligible to be considered for acceptance into the elite top schools.
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