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An underlying motif of the article seems to be that the fuerdai not only do not want to work hard but also that they only deserve the best jobs. One example:
by jb613 11y ago
An underlying motif of the article seems to be that the fuerdai not only do not want to work hard but also that they only deserve the best jobs. One example:
"It’s no surprise that most fuerdai, after summering in Bali and wintering in the Alps, reading philosophy at Oxford and getting MBAs from Stanford, are reluctant to take over the family toothpaste cap factory."
However, at least some of the parents fortunes came from precisely working hard at menial work (e.g. owning and operating a toothpaste cap factory). For those that didn't build companies, while luck may have played a role, I suspect the parents who found their way into the upper levels of government or political jobs also had some degree of working hard or being smarter than others.
"the son of Wang Jianlin, a real estate mogul and the richest man in China"
Or taken risks - because unless you inherit or are granted land there is no other way to make the vast fortunes from real estate than leveraging and risk. Bankrupt or rich, it could have gone either way.
- mattzito 11y agoI think you are underestimating the amount of graft and corruption that may have been involved in a lot of these fortunes. From knowing folks who have opened factories and businesses in China, there is a staggering amount of market manipulation by various government functionaries who pick and choose who gets to win and lose.
- jb613 11y agoSure, in many instances, corruption may have played a role too, but corruption requires work too - something the article implies is beneath the fuerdai.
- LiweiZ 11y agoBeing a master of "马屁精" or ass-kisser as a somewhat direct translation is the only skill they need besides being born in the inner circle or having special relationship with the circle. I'd admit being a master in a field is a challenging task. Better systems encourage more masters contributing to humanity, while others encourage masters contributing to themselves.
- roymurdock 11y agoOne level of abstraction up is another motif that can be observed in almost every facet of life - regression to the mean. Extremely hardworking, gritty, lucky parents -> fuerdai who never felt cared for, feel no sense of purpose, and want to extend their childhood.