Reply to NYTimes: In South Korea, Questions About Cram Schools, Success and Happiness

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[quote=Anonymous]In my mind - maybe it's because I'm from the international relations sphere in DC - I see this trend as something that has been tremendously powerful in developing into modern economic powerhouses in several countries. It's amazing that we could see Japan dig out of war devastation in a couple generations, China climb out of middling/struggling country status in 40 years, South Korea move from middle income to high income in a generation. But the question of sustainability is really a big deal.

Workforces can break if they are worked too hard. People need family life. You can't have success only happen for the people at the peak of the mountain.

In the U.S. we have a social compact around economic success relatively commensurate with your willingness to work, and some ability to set boundaries and get out what you're willing to put in. It has some major failures, but at least the premise isn't entirely wrong.

These cultures where you have to offer total commitment to school, then to work, have to find a way to dial it back and offer 'some commitment, at least better than subsistence' if they're going to allow people to thrive outside of work.

I think big picture that's what the modern world really needs to be humane - the ability to do better for oneself without having to gamble or make herculean efforts - just keep working in good faith and things will turn out for you, in keeping with how hard you try.

I think we walk around with this as something like unspoken natural law, sometimes honored in the breach, but what we see as one kind of justice, and I think it would be better if we said some of this out loud and tried to make it possible.[/quote]

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