The Perils of Academia for Asians

<p>Interesting story, sent to me today:</p>

<p><a href="http://news.newamericamedia.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=26d44e25cc1fb2e48054a176cc503a2c%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://news.newamericamedia.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=26d44e25cc1fb2e48054a176cc503a2c&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>The perils of academia affects non-Asians as well. Perhaps not as many or as much but affect nonetheless. It's a matter of numbers and degree, I think. How often do we read about CC families asking the following questions (or their variations)?
-What's the best school for pre-med, pre-law, etc.?
-What EC will get me into college X?
-What courses would yield the best gpa for graduate/professional school applications?
-What major will get me the best job after graduation?
The list goes on.</p>

<p>It is easy to get swept up.</p>

<p>The author does not know much about the recent political and social development in Asia. Conficius's doctrine was replaced by socialism and communism in China and Vietnam more than 50 years ago. Having a college degree in a communist society did not give high social status. Being a member of the Communist Party was more important. When the Communists took over Asia they condemned the intellectuals influenced by Conficiusism.</p>

<p>The author also could not tell the difference between parental pressure and mental illness. It's true than Asian kids have parental pressure but it was not the case with Cho, the VT murderer. He blamed Cho's parents's pressure for his killing. But we all know that a non-Asian man who killed a teenager just finishing highschool two days ago was not the result of parental pressure on academic matters.</p>

<p>The author just wrote the article to justify his failure in college. He said he defied his parents' wish to change goal after graduation. But who knows, maybe his GPA was just 2.7, too low to apply for medical school.</p>

<p>Saying Japan is a Confician-bound country is totally wrong.</p>

<p>Conficius's doctrine was replaced by socialism and communism in China and Vietnam more than 50 years ago. Having a college degree in a communist society did not give high social status. Being a member of the Communist Party was more important. When the Communists took over Asia they condemned the intellectuals influenced by Conficiusism.</p>

<p>Dude, the phase ended decades ago with Mao. I guarantee you the average college graduate is by far more respected than the average communist party member. When my dad got into college in 1979, merely 3 years after Mao's death, he became famous throughout his entire district, and the status of his family was immediately raised. Same with my mom. Modern Asia is as meritocratic as ever.</p>

<p>Ray - Off course today China is no longer a communist country and communist party members have less power. This does not mean the current Chinese government wants to promote Confuciusism. Also did you notice that the paragraph you quoted is in the past tense? What I mean is Chinese students in America want to excel in academics not because their parents were influenced by Confucius (because their parents were raised in a communist country).</p>

<p>India and Pakistan have nothing to do with Confucius but their people also value college education.</p>

<p>I think this article might help address some of the incorrect perceptions of confucianism, China, SK, Japan, India.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.blonnet.com/2006/11/28/stories/2006112800590800.htm%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.blonnet.com/2006/11/28/stories/2006112800590800.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>just what we need, more stereotype</p>

<p>^I disagree. The fact that education is so highly valued by Asians isn't a stereotype.</p>

<p>"I think this article might help address some of the incorrect perceptions of confucianism, China, SK, Japan, India."</p>

<p>That article has no ground. You can wiki to know about history of India and Japan.</p>

<p>Ex:<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_philosophy%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_philosophy&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p><a href="http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e641.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e641.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Confucius had some influence in Japan but Japan was not "Confucian-bound".</p>