4 ms·

It’s interesting comparing this to Australia / NZs cultural career issue, “tall poppy syndrome” [1]. People really need to be coached to even say a personal ac

It’s interesting comparing this to Australia / NZs cultural career issue, “tall poppy syndrome” [1]. People really need to be coached to even say a personal achievement let alone sell it when apply for jobs. 1. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tall_poppy_syndrome https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tall_poppy_syndrome

dudul 6y ago
I had never heard of this syndrome! I think it can be found in Europe as well. The post was really illuminating. I don't know the Indian culture very well, but now I can understand why sometimes Indian resumes are so lengthy, difficult to parse, and essentially filled with air.
- splonk 6y ago
  Another variant of this is "the nail that sticks out gets hammered down." I've usually heard it in reference to Japan, but occasionally other Asian countries as well.
  - wccrawford 6y ago
    The opposite is "the squeaky wheel gets the grease". It's interesting how both views are opposite and yet both true.
    - cutemonster 6y ago
      "the squeaky wheel" is about someone who complains. But "tall poppy" is someone who is talented. No contradiction between punishing talented people, and serving those who complain.
      - wccrawford 6y ago
        "The nail that sticks up" isn't necessarily about talent. It's about standing out in any way.
        cutemonster 6y ago
        Ok that's right, sorry. Here's two others: aim for the stars and hit the moon. And, He who tries to get everything gets nothing (Translated.) Those sayings also disagree with each other
  - webmaven 6y ago
    The nail/hammer version is pretty common in Russia, too.
- R0b0t1 6y ago
  It has been quantified as well, there was research I found at one point showing lower educational attainment and worse life outcome despite IQ for gifted students if they weren't placed in accelerated programs.
- jlamberts 6y ago
  I've heard "the tallest blade of grass gets cut first" in the US, although Google says it's either a Russian or Assyrian proverb originally.
mbo 6y ago
Working for an American company from Australia, I've noticed a tendency for Americans to work overtime to meet a deadline, and Australians to vigorously oppose their peers from doing so. I've even seen people set up alerting if anyone makes commits outside of work hours. There's an unspoken agreement that if someone puts in overtime and others don't, it makes the non-overtimers look bad and that that the overtimer should be _cut down_. Probably not quite tall poppy syndrome, but maybe an adjacent phenomenon.
- Aeolun 6y ago
  And the overtimer should be cut down. That kind of working leads to management expecting the same thing every time, and before you know it everyone is expected to work 12 hour days.
  - cutemonster 6y ago
    Or the employer could pay for the extra hours. So that with cost taken into account, the overtime employee isn't much different from the others. Instead, skill would matter more.

dudul 6y ago

I had never heard of this syndrome! I think it can be found in Europe as well. The post was really illuminating. I don't know the Indian culture very well, but now I can understand why sometimes Indian resumes are so lengthy, difficult to parse, and essentially filled with air.

splonk 6y ago
Another variant of this is "the nail that sticks out gets hammered down." I've usually heard it in reference to Japan, but occasionally other Asian countries as well.
- wccrawford 6y ago
  The opposite is "the squeaky wheel gets the grease". It's interesting how both views are opposite and yet both true.
  - cutemonster 6y ago
    "the squeaky wheel" is about someone who complains. But "tall poppy" is someone who is talented. No contradiction between punishing talented people, and serving those who complain.
    - wccrawford 6y ago
      "The nail that sticks up" isn't necessarily about talent. It's about standing out in any way.
      - cutemonster 6y ago
        Ok that's right, sorry. Here's two others: aim for the stars and hit the moon. And, He who tries to get everything gets nothing (Translated.) Those sayings also disagree with each other
- webmaven 6y ago
  The nail/hammer version is pretty common in Russia, too.
R0b0t1 6y ago
It has been quantified as well, there was research I found at one point showing lower educational attainment and worse life outcome despite IQ for gifted students if they weren't placed in accelerated programs.
jlamberts 6y ago
I've heard "the tallest blade of grass gets cut first" in the US, although Google says it's either a Russian or Assyrian proverb originally.

mbo 6y ago

Working for an American company from Australia, I've noticed a tendency for Americans to work overtime to meet a deadline, and Australians to vigorously oppose their peers from doing so. I've even seen people set up alerting if anyone makes commits outside of work hours. There's an unspoken agreement that if someone puts in overtime and others don't, it makes the non-overtimers look bad and that that the overtimer should be _cut down_. Probably not quite tall poppy syndrome, but maybe an adjacent phenomenon.

Aeolun 6y ago
And the overtimer should be cut down. That kind of working leads to management expecting the same thing every time, and before you know it everyone is expected to work 12 hour days.
- cutemonster 6y ago
  Or the employer could pay for the extra hours. So that with cost taken into account, the overtime employee isn't much different from the others. Instead, skill would matter more.