A Nation of Above Average

A Nation of Above Average

The fragile French ego struggles with history.

Or at least the British think so. During a re-enactment this June, the English used blue and red ships rather than identify them as British or French. They were celebrating the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar and their landmark victory over Napolean. They didn’t want to make the French feel bad.

The Europeans don’t have a monopoly in coddling self-esteem, however.

It starts early here. Dr. William Sears informs new parents that the best piece of baby furniture they will buy is a king-sized bed. This “family bed” allows co-sleeping arrangements that make baby feel better and lessen anxiety.

Meanwhile, hospital lactation consultants coach new moms on feeding techniques. They direct us to nurse on demand. Translated: whenever the baby cries. Baby knows best, after all, and mothers are reduced to a set of mammary glands.

This doctrine of self-esteem pervades our schools as well.

Shortly after my daughter started kindergarten in Hillsborough County, she was chosen Citizen of the Month. I was elated until I learned her name was drawn randomly from a pool of eligible children whose only qualification was that they hadn’t been in trouble that month. Such egalitarianism. And I thought it was an award.

Her class also uses a treasure box to reinforce good behaviors – a common practice in grade schools. The plastic tiara in the chest really motivated her. But what of being good for goodness’ sake?

A recent high school graduate in Hillsborough earned a 7.64 GPA on a 4-point scale. My mother ranked among the top three students in her school in Vietnam, where the grading system worked quite differently. She might earn 17 out of 20 on an assignment – a score that would translate to 85 percent in America. An 18 was an exception, and getting 20 – well, that was unheard of.

Inflating students” GPAs might not be serving us well. In recent worldwide competitions of teenage students, the United States ranked 18th out of 21 nations in math and science on the Third International Mathematics and Science Study and in the bottom third of 41 countries in math on the Programme for International Student Assessment.

Yet when the Programme canvassed students” beliefs about their abilities, asking them whether “I get good marks in mathematics” or “I learn mathematics quickly,” the United States came in first.

Interestingly, China, Korea and Japan scored among the worst in these self-concept questions while posting among the best scores on the test.

Test results and grade inflation are symptoms of a nationwide epidemic, also evident in absurdities like Harvard’s graduating 91 percent of its students with honors.

America has become Lake Wobegon, where every child is above average.

Graduates from the school of high self-esteem enter the workplace and often are surprised by their reception. They aren’t prepared to deal with objective criticism of their punctuality, accuracy and quality of work. A hiring manager’s best tool to deal with these new hires: a box of tissues.

From cradle to work force, we’re creating a generation of fragile egos lacking the resilience and tenacity needed to tackle an increasingly instable political world and a growing global economy. But at least we feel good about ourselves.

MyLinh Shattan lives with her husband and three children in Lutz.

Aug 6, 2005

0 Comments

About the Author

Mylinh Shattan is a writer who has lived on three continents, served in the Army, worked in corporate America, and taught in college. She loves adventures, in the world and in the mind. Literature is relevant and learning is a lifelong pursuit, so you might as well have a bit of fun along the way.

Stay Up to Date

Rise above the tedium with the TreeHouseLetter. Always learning with a bit of fun.

Latest Posts

Degree of Separation

5 Min read Social connection on Earth in 2023 Network theory U.S. Army and Armed Forces Math geek special, logarithm * Thought exercise for the day. How many friends between you and anyone on the planet? In popular culture this number is often referred to as Six...

What Makes a Speech Great?

2 Min read Admiral McRaven Operation Neptune Spear Toolbox, Speaking skills * Admiral 'Bill' McRaven spoke at the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment event to commemorate Operation Neptune Spear. He started by saying he was going off script and that his wife...

The Cure for Resentment and Cynicism

3 Min read 2 Book recs 1 Podcast rec Wisdom from the college graduate AVAILABLE ON PODCAST Spotify iTunes The cure for resentment and self-abnegation is gratitude. So says Douglas Murray, author and guest on the Good Fellows Podcast.* Murray asked his friend--a...

Weasel Words

3 Min read 2 Book recs on grammar, usage, and style Toolbox, ages 9 to 99 Improve writing immediately AVAILABLE IN PODCAST Spotify iTunes * One of our defects as a nation is a tendency to use what have been called weasel words. When a weasel sucks eggs it sucks the...

What Makes a Single Person’s Death Feel Large?*

4 Min read 2 Book recs, on writing and on jigsaws Toolbox, the Eulogy 1 Elegy, What is Dying? for the bereaved * AVAILABLE ON PODCAST SPOTIFY iTunes * Four friends died recently and three were my age: one from acute liver failure, one from Lou Gehrig's Disease (ALS),...

Wild Horses Dragged Me Away

3 Min read Wild horses Assateague Island Estancia Alta Vista, Patagonia 1 Book, children's classic AVAILABLE ON PODCAST Spotify iTunes * Wild horses dragged me away.* In earnest. My road trip last weekend had a detour to Assateague Island off the Eastern Shore of...

Topics

Inoculate yourself against the absurdity of life with a dose of the best ideas and writing. Always learning with a bit of fun.

TreeHouseLetter

Always learning with a bit of fun

 

 

Readers receive one to two letters a week, with 2 to 10 minute read time. Includes regular features:

 

The Music in Prose
Poetry for Emergencies
Toolbox

 

 

Be inspired by the best writing and ideas, and become better readers and writers in the process.

Thank you for joining! Please check your email for a confirmation.