Are elite schools for excellent sheep?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here. I LOVE Excellent Sheep and read it annually. It's a spot-on diagnosis of where we are as a country.

At the end he's thinking about the future of higher ed and writes:

"Will we continue to maintain an artificial scarcity of educational resources, then drive our children into terror and despair by making them compete with one another for the spaces that are left?"

Pretty apt description of DCUM, no? Competition, terror and despair.

I think the book is accurate and the post that OP quoted is spot-on, and I went to HYPS.

I also think people here are freaking out about it because they don’t like how accurate the characterization is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here. I LOVE Excellent Sheep and read it annually. It's a spot-on diagnosis of where we are as a country.

At the end he's thinking about the future of higher ed and writes:

"Will we continue to maintain an artificial scarcity of educational resources, then drive our children into terror and despair by making them compete with one another for the spaces that are left?"

Pretty apt description of DCUM, no? Competition, terror and despair.

I think the book is accurate and the post that OP quoted is spot-on, and I went to HYPS.

I also think people here are freaking out about it because they don’t like how accurate the characterization is.

So he wrote the hit job article and subsequent book right after being denied tenure… hilarious.

[Anonymous]

"They're just excellent sheep" sounds like something bitter people who did not get into an elite school would say.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I honestly think there is some truth to this. Overachievers driven by money and status seems accurate. That is also very DCUM.

It's very DCUM, but it's the surest way to a stable, peaceful, and happy life.

Not sure DCUM is the best example of this tbh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I honestly think there is some truth to this. Overachievers driven by money and status seems accurate. That is also very DCUM.

It's very DCUM, but it's the surest way to a stable, peaceful, and happy life. You just seem salty that you didn't go to HYPS. Being a status-driven overachiever has led me to financial success, which has done wonders for my mental health and happiness as someone who grew up lower-middle class.

Some people aren't driven by the accumulation of wealth. Nor do they care about social status. It sounds like you are working on overcoming your childhood. I mean, good for you that money makes you happy? Not everyone is built that way.

My comment was more general about the rat race and the pressure around it and how it can really create a toxic environment/mindset.

Trust me, I am in no way salty about HYPS degrees.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am married to someone with two ivy degrees who is wildly successful and I will be the first to admit that has not necessarily brought him happiness. He is an over achiever who will probably never retire. He is intent on sending all our kids to top 20 schools and we are paying huge private school tuitions and tutor fees with that goal in mind. I will admit, though, our first college student is clearly having doors open for him that I personally have never seen for myself, so there IS something to be said for attending an elite school.

Have your kids enjoyed it? That is not meant to be rude or snark. There are plenty of kids who are naturally competitive. Other kids aren't, but they don't want to disappoint.

[Anonymous]

Not at all, but I went to Brown, have a trust and a meaningful job, married someone successful, and avoid strivers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am married to someone with two ivy degrees who is wildly successful and I will be the first to admit that has not necessarily brought him happiness. He is an over achiever who will probably never retire. He is intent on sending all our kids to top 20 schools and we are paying huge private school tuitions and tutor fees with that goal in mind. I will admit, though, our first college student is clearly having doors open for him that I personally have never seen for myself, so there IS something to be said for attending an elite school.

Have your kids enjoyed it? That is not meant to be rude or snark. There are plenty of kids who are naturally competitive. Other kids aren't, but they don't want to disappoint.

Good question. I only have one in college. He is enjoying it more as a rising senior. Freshman year was a eye opener for him as it was the first time he wasn't one of the smartest in the room and he realized that would have to really apply himself. He is not naturally competitive, so there have been few bumps along the way, but he is doing great for the last couple of years (despite the covid disaster).

[Anonymous]

This entire discussion is moot because the immense majority of students will not be admitted to any of these very selective institutions, OP.

So spending one's time criticizing the people who attend smacks a lot of the green eyed monster. I'm sure if your kid applied and got in, you would not press them to turn down the offer.

Personally I believe that like attracts like and your personality is large predetermined by genes. So it's not the institutions that turn you into an intellectual perfectionist, it's who you were from the start.

And given my husband and I are research scientists, I can tell you that certain professions REQUIRE intellect and perfectionism. We're not going to cure cancer in any other way, OP. We're happy, though

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"They're just excellent sheep" sounds like something bitter people who did not get into an elite school would say.

Exactly! LOL! Green with envy.

[Anonymous]

The “we were all happy happy happy it’s the best it’s perfect how dare you imply someone might not be happy at HYS” posters freaking out in this thread are quite something to watch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"They're just excellent sheep" sounds like something bitter people who did not get into an elite school would say.

Exactly! LOL! Green with envy.

+1000

The vast majority of parents would die to send their kids to HYPS. Don't try to tell me otherwise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The “we were all happy happy happy it’s the best it’s perfect how dare you imply someone might not be happy at HYS” posters freaking out in this thread are quite something to watch.

I'm guessing you're not an HYPS alum? What axe do you have to grind against these schools? Sorry your rejection letter from high school still hurts to this day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m pretty skeptical of anyone calling people sheep/sheeple.

I am, too. I'm not proud of this but it makes me quit reading.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The “we were all happy happy happy it’s the best it’s perfect how dare you imply someone might not be happy at HYS” posters freaking out in this thread are quite something to watch.

I'm guessing you're not an HYPS alum? What axe do you have to grind against these schools? Sorry your rejection letter from high school still hurts to this day.

I am an alum. No axe to grind, just bemused by the bizarrely panicked posts from people criticizing OP. It is not a great advertisement for HYPS that so many of you can’t handle mild criticism of the schools.