Related: Glenn Loury in conversation with Jay Kaspian King. "Elite Schools Only Care About Rich Kids" https://youtu.be/lC-rviti8dU
Maybe the problem is that Harvard exists
51–60 of 386 posts
Re: Maybe the problem is that Harvard exists
#52This is a typical "let's be all equally poor/bad" argument. Harvard is simply a private institution with excellent reputation and not a single person is required to go there or hire someone from there. Why do Harvard people "drive 20% above the speed limit"? Because selecting good people in a sea of resumes is HARD. Degrees aren't amazing proxies for productivity, but they are decent proxies. I've seen dozens of theo…
It used to have excellent reputation.
Re: Maybe the problem is that Harvard exists
#53Earlier quoted context omitted.
Wow, that's a strong claim. There are various counterexamples to this, so I'd say it's definitely not a law of nature. And anyway, nature by nature (lol) is essentially lawless. It's all random collisions of tiny molecules. So, if anything, I'd say the one law of nature is that there are no laws of nature. Thus, no, there isn't always a ruling class. It doesn't have to be that way.
Can you provide some counter-examples then? It seems like all animals have hierarchies.
Many bird species.
https://asknature.org/strategy/cooperative-herding-catches-m...
Re: Maybe the problem is that Harvard exists
#54There have been several studies finding no benefit from going to “top” schools when controlling for student quality. So the entire premise is false.
Re: Maybe the problem is that Harvard exists
#55This is a typical "let's be all equally poor/bad" argument. Harvard is simply a private institution with excellent reputation and not a single person is required to go there or hire someone from there. Why do Harvard people "drive 20% above the speed limit"? Because selecting good people in a sea of resumes is HARD. Degrees aren't amazing proxies for productivity, but they are decent proxies. I've seen dozens of theo…
I totally agree that Harvard has (and should have) a right to do whatever they want with their institution and admit whoever they see fit.
But if we're serious about a liberal/conservative "equality of opportunity" vs a progressive/socialist "equality of outcome" reality, then we should consider that children have very little consent over the kind of education and familial upbringing they get, yet that childhood education and familial upbringing has profound implications as to whether they can get admitted to a school like Harvard or not.
If we're serious about equality of opportunity society, then we should take a lottery admissions policy for young adults seriously. But it's fine if you don't care about equality at all, at least be explicit about it.
Re: Maybe the problem is that Harvard exists
#56I find the Harvard angst interesting. I’ve never once felt someone else going to Harvard impacted my life in any way whatsoever. I’ve advanced further than everyone I know that went to Harvard in my career and not once did someone wink at the Harvard guy and pass me over. I’m sure it happens, and I’m sure there are secret clubs I don’t get invited to (well the Harvard club is pretty nice and I was invited there by a…
>I’ve never once felt someone else going to Harvard impacted my life in any way whatsoever Eight of the nine current sitting Supreme Court Judges are either Yale or Harvard Law graduates. It's pretty likely Harvard has had an impact on your life in a lot of ways because a lot of people who govern you went there. Degrees from those schools are basically licenses to occupy the highest positions in the country's adminis…
> It's pretty likely Harvard has had an impact on your life in a lot of ways because a lot of people who govern you went there.
And, in addition, because at least presently, anyone who didn't do Ivy+ is essentially never going to be a SCOTUS judge.
The obvious objection is that given there are only 9 justices at a time, essentially nobody is ever going to be a SCOTUS judge anyway.
But that misses the important gating function (as TFA puts it) which begins with Ivy+ schools. Yes, the chance that you or your neighbor will ever be a SCOTUS justice is essentially zero. But the 9 have to come from somewhere, and the current process essentially guarantees that they must have passed through Ivy+. It's far from clear that this is desirable.
Now notice that the same issue applies to the other fields showing massive Ivy+ over-representation.
As TFA says, maybe a gating function is required (sometimes), but the justification for it operating at 18 and not later (22, or later still) is weak to non-existent.
Re: Maybe the problem is that Harvard exists
#57It has fallen out of favor but I am a massive proponent for graduated drivers licenses. Free toll roads would be silly but higher/removed speed limits seem 100% ok to me as long as it's coupled with an actual assessment of driving ability, semi-frequent required reassessment, and stiffer penalties for things such as DUI when driving in the graduated speed limit range.
On a related note, I consider paying for toll roads to be a form of health insurance. I know the newest teen drivers out cruising with their friends aren't paying $6 to race each other down the toll road and likely crash with me. I've seen some crazy stuff on the freeways and much safer driving on toll roads.
Now imagine how much even more safe you’d all be if you were riding on a train, and those youths were harmlessly racing each other on bikes on a nearby separated bike path.
Re: Maybe the problem is that Harvard exists
#58Bees select their next queens at random. They treat them literally royally and it grows to be a big wise queen and they are loyal to her.
Maybe humans are more like other eusocial animals, and things like merit and equality are a comforting charade.
Re: Maybe the problem is that Harvard exists
#59I find the Harvard angst interesting. I’ve never once felt someone else going to Harvard impacted my life in any way whatsoever. I’ve advanced further than everyone I know that went to Harvard in my career and not once did someone wink at the Harvard guy and pass me over. I’m sure it happens, and I’m sure there are secret clubs I don’t get invited to (well the Harvard club is pretty nice and I was invited there by a…
>I’ve never once felt someone else going to Harvard impacted my life in any way whatsoever Eight of the nine current sitting Supreme Court Judges are either Yale or Harvard Law graduates. It's pretty likely Harvard has had an impact on your life in a lot of ways because a lot of people who govern you went there. Degrees from those schools are basically licenses to occupy the highest positions in the country's adminis…
Local laws have more effect on 99% of people than any scotus decision. And I doubt that your local government is composed of Harvard grads.
Re: Maybe the problem is that Harvard exists
#60I find the Harvard angst interesting. I’ve never once felt someone else going to Harvard impacted my life in any way whatsoever. I’ve advanced further than everyone I know that went to Harvard in my career and not once did someone wink at the Harvard guy and pass me over. I’m sure it happens, and I’m sure there are secret clubs I don’t get invited to (well the Harvard club is pretty nice and I was invited there by a…
It seems like if something doesn’t affect you personally, you don’t have any overriding sense of fairness regarding what’s clearly a separate academic and career track for elites.