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> According to World Population Review, the highest IQs are found in Asian countries including Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong, China and South Korea (Taiw

> According to World Population Review, the highest IQs are found in Asian countries including Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong, China and South Korea (Taiwan is top at an average of 106). Careful there. Implying that some cultural norms are superior to others are going to get you into trouble in the wrong crowd. > Why would it be surprising to see China with its capital and human resources catch up with the West and surpass it? Because the message that diversity === strength is a powerful one. Plenty of people simply cannot wrap their heads around how positive an effect homogeneity can have on results; their built-in PC filters cut in before they even get to the thought. I've observed decades of how, in the west, not only can you simply not say something, but any insinuation that you are thinking it is liable to result in consequences for wrong-think. I think the east is going to catch up and surpass the west in science and technology. The best way to prevent this is to seed their society with the same ideological tarpit that the west finds itself in and hope like hell it catches on so that they too can have enforced inclusivity training on company time.

rurp 2y ago
While yes the US could be better about freedom of speech and ideas in some areas, it's a pretty wild assertion to say that China of all places has a comparative advantage here.
- graemep 2y ago
  That is not how I understood GP. It was not a comment on free speech in general, but on the acceptability of certain ideas that have an economic impact. I do not actually agree with assertion being made either - the west has problems, but its biggest problems are complacency, economic policy, and an unwillingness to face difficult problems, not lack of homogeneity.
- lelanthran 2y ago
  > While yes the US could be better about freedom of speech and ideas in some areas, it's a pretty wild assertion to say that China of all places has a comparative advantage here. Who said anything about free speech? I said, and still stand by, that some cultures norms are superior to others, and that that sentiment is not acceptable to many in the west.
  - munksbeer 2y ago
    The reason isn't "acceptable" is because the world is fraught with examples where the sentiment of superiority of culture or race led to horrific outcomes. Therefore people have worked extremely hard over the decades to stop those sort of things. I see from your profile you're from South Africa, so I'd assume you are more capable than many others of recognising that. Perhaps things swung a bit too far one way (I genuinely am undecided), but we should realise the intentions in this started out well. And we'll swing too far back the other way if we're not careful.
    - lelanthran 2y ago
      > The reason isn't "acceptable" is because the world is fraught with examples where the sentiment of superiority of culture or race led to horrific outcomes. You know, I didn't say anything about race. Please don't misrepresent my point in order to argue against it because ... well, there's a reason that there's a common name for that sort of thing. > I see from your profile you're from South Africa, so I'd assume you are more capable than many others of recognising that. Not just "from", I grew up in Apartheid South Africa. I saw the rubicon speech live on TV, not read it in a wikipedia article. I had to watch where I go because of the "whites only" signs in certain parts of the country. And yet, I still get lectured on race by people who have never lived under legislated racism, which is a good deal harsher than "systemic racism". > Perhaps things swung a bit too far one way (I genuinely am undecided), but we should realise the intentions in this started out well. And we'll swing too far back the other way if we're not careful. Some cultural norms are superior, and have superior results, producing better and more productive members of society on average. And some cultural norms are primitive and regressive, and produce less productive or net-negative productive members of society. Race has nothing to do with it.
      - munksbeer 2y ago
        You're not following the advice of hn and reading my post in the most charitable light. I specifically used "culture" in my reply, and added "or race" to illustrate my point. You chose to view this as a strawman. It is not. Please feel free to ignore the "race" part of my statement. So for the benefit of doubt, the world has over many decades tried to fight against the sentiment that some cultures are superior because (and pay attention here) this line of thought (whether it is right or wrong), has led to horrific outcomes in the past, and still does.
deleted 2y ago
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metabagel 2y ago
Of all issues to focus on, this is the one which troubles you the most - company training to avoid creating a hostile work environment.
- lelanthran 2y ago
  What makes you think this troubles me the most? Or at all? Do you imagine that people who think "some cultural norms superior to others" make it part of their identity?

rurp 2y ago

While yes the US could be better about freedom of speech and ideas in some areas, it's a pretty wild assertion to say that China of all places has a comparative advantage here.

graemep 2y ago
That is not how I understood GP. It was not a comment on free speech in general, but on the acceptability of certain ideas that have an economic impact. I do not actually agree with assertion being made either - the west has problems, but its biggest problems are complacency, economic policy, and an unwillingness to face difficult problems, not lack of homogeneity.
lelanthran 2y ago
> While yes the US could be better about freedom of speech and ideas in some areas, it's a pretty wild assertion to say that China of all places has a comparative advantage here. Who said anything about free speech? I said, and still stand by, that some cultures norms are superior to others, and that that sentiment is not acceptable to many in the west.
- munksbeer 2y ago
  The reason isn't "acceptable" is because the world is fraught with examples where the sentiment of superiority of culture or race led to horrific outcomes. Therefore people have worked extremely hard over the decades to stop those sort of things. I see from your profile you're from South Africa, so I'd assume you are more capable than many others of recognising that. Perhaps things swung a bit too far one way (I genuinely am undecided), but we should realise the intentions in this started out well. And we'll swing too far back the other way if we're not careful.
  - lelanthran 2y ago
    > The reason isn't "acceptable" is because the world is fraught with examples where the sentiment of superiority of culture or race led to horrific outcomes. You know, I didn't say anything about race. Please don't misrepresent my point in order to argue against it because ... well, there's a reason that there's a common name for that sort of thing. > I see from your profile you're from South Africa, so I'd assume you are more capable than many others of recognising that. Not just "from", I grew up in Apartheid South Africa. I saw the rubicon speech live on TV, not read it in a wikipedia article. I had to watch where I go because of the "whites only" signs in certain parts of the country. And yet, I still get lectured on race by people who have never lived under legislated racism, which is a good deal harsher than "systemic racism". > Perhaps things swung a bit too far one way (I genuinely am undecided), but we should realise the intentions in this started out well. And we'll swing too far back the other way if we're not careful. Some cultural norms are superior, and have superior results, producing better and more productive members of society on average. And some cultural norms are primitive and regressive, and produce less productive or net-negative productive members of society. Race has nothing to do with it.
    - munksbeer 2y ago
      You're not following the advice of hn and reading my post in the most charitable light. I specifically used "culture" in my reply, and added "or race" to illustrate my point. You chose to view this as a strawman. It is not. Please feel free to ignore the "race" part of my statement. So for the benefit of doubt, the world has over many decades tried to fight against the sentiment that some cultures are superior because (and pay attention here) this line of thought (whether it is right or wrong), has led to horrific outcomes in the past, and still does.

deleted 2y ago

[deleted]

metabagel 2y ago

Of all issues to focus on, this is the one which troubles you the most - company training to avoid creating a hostile work environment.

lelanthran 2y ago
What makes you think this troubles me the most? Or at all? Do you imagine that people who think "some cultural norms superior to others" make it part of their identity?