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Elite Underproduction

troynikov.io

1–10 of 297 posts

Re: Elite Underproduction

#2
I strongly agree with the premise of the article, and I wish more of society was aware of the issues that propagate what the author calls "Elite Underproduction". However, while I agree with the premise, I think the precise factors that create this issue are not sufficiently discussed or agreed upon (Not enough money goes into science research? Regulation imposes too heavy a burden on the outputs of scientific endeavors in the material world? We culturally are not sufficiently accepting of those people who would like to do elite-esque style research?). I'm not sure what the precise ratios of the causes are but I feel each of those question marks I just wrote contribute somewhat.

Personally, I have no idea what the ratio is or a great way to go about fixing it. But hey, if some awareness of the issue helps, I'm all for it. Regardless of what you feel about Peter Thiel or Eric Weinstein, their discussion in the first episode of Eric Weinstein's podcast at least discusses the issue around "Elite Underprudction". In that episode, Eric brings a perspective from a more left-leaning viewpoint and Thiel with his signature more libterarian/right-leaning viewpoint.

Re: Elite Underproduction

#3
post #2

I strongly agree with the premise of the article, and I wish more of society was aware of the issues that propagate what the author calls "Elite Underproduction". However, while I agree with the premise, I think the precise factors that create this issue are not sufficiently discussed or agreed upon (Not enough money goes into science research? Regulation imposes too heavy a burden on the outputs of scientific endeav…

Thiel is right wing but definitely not libertarian.

Re: Elite Underproduction

#4
post #2

I strongly agree with the premise of the article, and I wish more of society was aware of the issues that propagate what the author calls "Elite Underproduction". However, while I agree with the premise, I think the precise factors that create this issue are not sufficiently discussed or agreed upon (Not enough money goes into science research? Regulation imposes too heavy a burden on the outputs of scientific endeav…

Thiel is right wing but definitely not libertarian.

Isn’t Thiel essentially anarcho-capitalist?

So pretty far right and extremely (in the literal sense) libertarian.

EDIT: anachro->anarcho

Re: Elite Underproduction

#5
The "academic meatgrinder" ignores the fact that a plurality of top PhD and MS programs' students are international, usually from Europe, India or China. There are deeper issues at play - like the fact that American K-12 schools often have an anti-intellectual culture and American culture as a whole does not place sufficient emphasis on doing well in school.

Re: Elite Underproduction

#6
It feels like the problem is tied to our understanding of what's important as a society. We agree more or less that money represents value, even if people say it doesn't their actions say they it does. I think the more we double down on this as gospel the further our manufactured/perceived reality can move away from the underlying truth of the world. Money only represents short term value well. I think at some point the tension there will be too much for the fiction to hold and the fault line will have to fall back into equilibrium. It would probably be best if we were to do it gently.

Re: Elite Underproduction

#7
post #2

I strongly agree with the premise of the article, and I wish more of society was aware of the issues that propagate what the author calls "Elite Underproduction". However, while I agree with the premise, I think the precise factors that create this issue are not sufficiently discussed or agreed upon (Not enough money goes into science research? Regulation imposes too heavy a burden on the outputs of scientific endeav…

Thiel is right wing but definitely not libertarian.

Honestly don't know the true nature of his politics, and I didn't mean to get political in my comment. I simply meant that in Thiel's discussion alone during the podcast comes from a less-government-would-help-here perspective. I don't know his opinions on virtually anything nor do I really care; I just thought that a variety of the points he made in that episode were at least interesting and made me think in a way I had not thought previously.

Re: Elite Underproduction

#8
"In my line of work I meet plenty of lapsed physicists. These are people with physics degrees, even physics Ph.D's, who don't do physics. Instead they're usually some sort of programmer, or occasionally some version of a quant."

I now PhDs that became High School teachers and they were some of the most gifted. I know PhDs that wait tables to make ends meet.

I think if the guy has fundamentally not understood what Peter Turchin was talking about. They are getting priced out of the housing market, won't ever be able to afford to buy a house. Even raising a family might be difficult. At the same time you pay for services for the boomers and a retirement and social security that yourself might never see.

Re: Elite Underproduction

#9
post #5

The "academic meatgrinder" ignores the fact that a plurality of top PhD and MS programs' students are international, usually from Europe, India or China. There are deeper issues at play - like the fact that American K-12 schools often have an anti-intellectual culture and American culture as a whole does not place sufficient emphasis on doing well in school.

I can't help but wonder if the current economy, with all its inequality and disproportionate rewards for the highly skilled, is a necessary step on the path towards changing the anti-intellectual US culture.

You get more of what you reward and less of what you don't. It's not always a pleasant truth, but it's a powerful one.

Re: Elite Underproduction

#10
post #5

The "academic meatgrinder" ignores the fact that a plurality of top PhD and MS programs' students are international, usually from Europe, India or China. There are deeper issues at play - like the fact that American K-12 schools often have an anti-intellectual culture and American culture as a whole does not place sufficient emphasis on doing well in school.

Which has what implications?

Your comment is kind of meaningless drivel with abstruse language.

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