5 ms·

Untalented rich still earn more

42 points by neverminder 10y ago

valuearb 10y ago
I'd like to see the "science" behind this questionable assertion.
- andrew-lucker 10y ago
  "Children from high-income backgrounds who show signs of low academic ability at age five ..." I have no problem with the science, probably taken out of context. But the article, wow! If you can determine education outcomes at age five, then why do you even go through the motions of K-12.
  - SamReidHughes 10y ago
    There is a big correlation there. Edit: But I guess it might be that people showing low ability at 5 are more likely to be long-term higher-ability kids underperforming their future ability level if their parents were higher.
  - CyberDildonics 10y ago
    > then why do you even go through the motions of K-12 To learn things I would guess.
  - erikpukinskis 10y ago
    I don't understand your suggestion. Are you saying that if we can predict someone has a high probability of being a C or D student that they shouldn't go to school at all?
steego 10y ago
This conclusion is consistent with a tenuously related finding in a recent HBR article. The study cited in the article sent virtually identical but fictitious resumes to top law firms from fictitious students coming from 2nd tier law schools. Where the resumes differed were subtle cues that referred to students extra-curricular activities and financial status. Here's the gist: If your personal interests are sailing and polo vs. pickup soccer and country music, you're 13 times more likely to get an interview if you're a male. In other words: 13/80 resumes indicating a high socioeconomic status were called for an interview vs. 1/80 resumes for low socioeconomic statuses. Personally, I suspect many of us like to think we're meritocratic, but our mind betrays us by favoring people who match our subconscious idea of what talented people look like or sound like on paper or in person. Evaluating people is hard and our minds like to take shortcuts to save energy. https://hbr.org/2016/12/research-how-subtle-class-cues-can-backfire-on-your-resume https://hbr.org/2016/12/research-how-subtle-class-cues-can-b...

42 points by neverminder 10y ago

valuearb 10y ago

I'd like to see the "science" behind this questionable assertion.

andrew-lucker 10y ago
"Children from high-income backgrounds who show signs of low academic ability at age five ..." I have no problem with the science, probably taken out of context. But the article, wow! If you can determine education outcomes at age five, then why do you even go through the motions of K-12.
- SamReidHughes 10y ago
  There is a big correlation there. Edit: But I guess it might be that people showing low ability at 5 are more likely to be long-term higher-ability kids underperforming their future ability level if their parents were higher.
- CyberDildonics 10y ago
  > then why do you even go through the motions of K-12 To learn things I would guess.
- erikpukinskis 10y ago
  I don't understand your suggestion. Are you saying that if we can predict someone has a high probability of being a C or D student that they shouldn't go to school at all?

steego 10y ago

This conclusion is consistent with a tenuously related finding in a recent HBR article. The study cited in the article sent virtually identical but fictitious resumes to top law firms from fictitious students coming from 2nd tier law schools. Where the resumes differed were subtle cues that referred to students extra-curricular activities and financial status. Here's the gist: If your personal interests are sailing and polo vs. pickup soccer and country music, you're 13 times more likely to get an interview if you're a male. In other words: 13/80 resumes indicating a high socioeconomic status were called for an interview vs. 1/80 resumes for low socioeconomic statuses. Personally, I suspect many of us like to think we're meritocratic, but our mind betrays us by favoring people who match our subconscious idea of what talented people look like or sound like on paper or in person. Evaluating people is hard and our minds like to take shortcuts to save energy. https://hbr.org/2016/12/research-how-subtle-class-cues-can-backfire-on-your-resume https://hbr.org/2016/12/research-how-subtle-class-cues-can-b...