tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6109775657912393469.post3917978040995477863..comments2024-02-12T00:48:29.373-08:00Comments on The Physics of Poverty: Cumulative AdvantageTara Thiagarajanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02381494131533733589noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6109775657912393469.post-69365953837981394062011-07-25T23:32:52.726-07:002011-07-25T23:32:52.726-07:00Its so true. To what Ms.Maya said, "gatekeepe...Its so true. To what Ms.Maya said, "gatekeepers of privilege", it extends not only to schools but also to businesses, communities, social networks ; everywhere.<br /><br />What is detrimental in this phenomenon is that growth based on innovation gets stymied. While those who have the reasons to innovate, as that old adage goes 'necessity is mother of all inventions', do not get the means & resources to do so. Those who have resources to do so do not have the reasons to innovate. <br /><br />The environment, therefore, doesn't remain conducive anymore to innovation & entrepreneurship and therefore growth & welfare.<br /><br />A very long time indeed since I came across some meaningful writing on real issues. A very good break from the regular shallow wishful thinking of 'India-Shining' , India doing this and doing that stuff that we generally read.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6109775657912393469.post-76149586819350273972011-06-24T07:07:42.482-07:002011-06-24T07:07:42.482-07:00Depressing to think about, but very, very true. As...Depressing to think about, but very, very true. As a private school teacher, I often think of myself and my colleagues as the "gatekeepers of privilege." <br /><br />Until we have really good public schools -- in India and in other countries -- it's going to be hard to create more equitable access to knowledge. That said, Singapore is doing a pretty good job. Their govt. pumps alot of money and energy into their education system, and in order to become a public school teacher/attend an education degree program, one has to graduate in the top third of his high school class. <br /><br />But even in Singapore, children inherit all their parent's social, cultural, and intellectual capital. That's not going to change -- even in communist countries like China, where the govt. has tried hard to shift loyalties away from the family and towards the state, family loyalties persist. It's part of our evolutionary biology, isn't it?Maya Thiagarajannoreply@blogger.com