<p>"My Missing Math Gene" by Tony Wong</p>
<p>I read it in english class. I thought it was pretty thought-invoking. What's your guys opinion on it.</p>
<p>u have a link?</p>
<p>no sorry =( i only have the paper version. I tried searching on google but i can’t find it</p>
<p>What is it about? o.O</p>
<p>I’m also curious – what’s it about?</p>
<p>Type it up? :)</p>
<p>Or give a synopsis lol.</p>
<p>k, you guys better give your true feelings since i’m typing up a good chuck of this great article.</p>
<p>It seems every year i am asked to speak to Asian kids about alternate careers.
An alternate career for an Asian child being defined as anything but a doctor, dentist, pharmacist, accountant or any vocation requiring addition.
I am uniquely qualified to give these seminars, it seems, because i must be one of the few Asians, according to programs like 60 Minutes (which once did a segment on why so many Asians are taking over the medical schools of America), who cannot add. Or subtract or multiply.
I also stink at chess and have trouble turning on my computer.
If there’s a math gene for Chinese folk, i have somehow missed out.
But do not despair for me, for i have been living a fulfilling life despite my handicap, although my job has been made more difficult with China’s win this summer at, what else, the International Math Olympiad, where, to top things off, Canada’s top-gun was Chinese Canadian.
THis leaves folks like me in a precarious situation burdened with trying to lead Asian youth out of their computer and slide rule-induced stupor.</p>
<p>…
For the occasion, i wrote a skit to demonstrate the pressures faced by Asian kids at home.
Mom: 'Jimmy Li got into pharmacy. His mother said he got scholarship too"
Me:" that’s nice, Mom, I think i’ll continue practising my Spider-Man doodle. you never know when Marvel will call."</p>
<p>Then he went on you talk about how his older brother paved the way for him to become a writer by being an artist. And how successful his cousin Walter is as a photographer.</p>
<p>Conclusion: " So you see, there can be life after math. Diversity is the name of the game. And stereotypes, like bad cliches, just won’t hold any water- at least if you don’t subscribe to them. "</p>
<p>Certainly intriguing in that it addresses the potentially limiting stereotypes and expectations of a culture. </p>
<p>I see a lot of this kind of pressure in my friends at school. One such student (who I believe is ranked 2nd on a weighted scale) has been stressing out about living up to his parents’ expectations and getting into an ivy league school like his older brother. He does have a worthwhile reason for wanting to attend UPenn, and he’s definitely got an active social life, but it’s not good for his psyche to be so stressed out.</p>
<p>The article also succeeds in addressing the fact that more people should find and pursue a career they are truly passionate about. Too many people chase jobs they don’t really like, and they’ll just end up hurting themselves in the future.</p>