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I think what you're saying is a great way to describe what advantages accrue with wealth, even middle class wealth. Essentially you had the system work in your

by entee 10y ago

I think what you're saying is a great way to describe what advantages accrue with wealth, even middle class wealth. Essentially you had the system work in your favor and in turn knew how to work to system. You got a warm intro into an internship, this helped you get into college afterwards. These kinds of subtle boosts are mostly a function of being in the right place within the system and knowing how to pull the right levers, and if you don't know to look for those levers, you'll never know they're there and be disadvantaged as a result. In your case, it was being in the right place and having the flexibility to take that internship. For someone else it might be knowing how to work the college financial aid system, or something else. I look back and see that throughout my academic career, if I didn't have people who knew how the system worked telling me, "you should do this, and this is how", I don't think I'd have gotten where I am. Essentially, I got a better shot at things even though I was no more qualified on a purely intellectual basis. AA is an imperfect tool to give people some of those same advantages, and I'm a little ambivalent about it. But I think it or something like it is probably necessary to give everyone an equal shot.

misterbowfinger 10y ago
Another thing to consider is that I worked the system in New York City. And the system in NYC has a fair amount of access and resources, if you work it right. Why not create a similar amount of access and resources at Howard University? I don't see that as traditional Affirmative Action, which we primarily think of happening during an admissions process. This is just creating more channels to resources in tech, which is entirely reasonable, even from a conservative economics perspective.
pm90 10y ago
I have mixed feelings about AA as well. All of these subtle boosts as you call them come from more than just being in a school, although I agree that helps a LOT more than not being in the school. There is the obvious advantage of living in a culture that values such things as education, career progress etc. The most important is probably encouraging and supportive parents. In short, I think we need to do more than just let people from other communities simply join our prestigious institutions but to recognize that these institutions need to be changed to help these students achieve what students from other backgrounds get as well. I know all the meritocracy crowd here will come after me with pitchforks for saying this, but I do think it is justified in putting all that effort into helping people that are born in disadvantaged families. Is it fair to the other kids who may have worked really hard but get less attention simply because of their family background? Maybe...but they were lucky to be born in a great family in the first place... I too got very lucky by being born in a great family.... I'm eternally grateful for it having helped me to have a happy and fulfilling life. I hope others can have a shot at such a life as well.

by entee 10y ago

misterbowfinger 10y ago

Another thing to consider is that I worked the system in New York City. And the system in NYC has a fair amount of access and resources, if you work it right. Why not create a similar amount of access and resources at Howard University? I don't see that as traditional Affirmative Action, which we primarily think of happening during an admissions process. This is just creating more channels to resources in tech, which is entirely reasonable, even from a conservative economics perspective.

pm90 10y ago

I have mixed feelings about AA as well. All of these subtle boosts as you call them come from more than just being in a school, although I agree that helps a LOT more than not being in the school. There is the obvious advantage of living in a culture that values such things as education, career progress etc. The most important is probably encouraging and supportive parents. In short, I think we need to do more than just let people from other communities simply join our prestigious institutions but to recognize that these institutions need to be changed to help these students achieve what students from other backgrounds get as well. I know all the meritocracy crowd here will come after me with pitchforks for saying this, but I do think it is justified in putting all that effort into helping people that are born in disadvantaged families. Is it fair to the other kids who may have worked really hard but get less attention simply because of their family background? Maybe...but they were lucky to be born in a great family in the first place... I too got very lucky by being born in a great family.... I'm eternally grateful for it having helped me to have a happy and fulfilling life. I hope others can have a shot at such a life as well.