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> I believe other HNers might admire Singapore for its excellent math/science education system. >> They definitely test well but creativity is lacking. I shou

> I believe other HNers might admire Singapore for its excellent math/science education system. >> They definitely test well but creativity is lacking. I should add that many Singaporeans are still stuck in the "school > big MNC job > build connections > (possibly) venture out and do business" mentality. It doesn't help that mandatory military service conditions Singapore citizens to take orders from higher-ranked authority figures without questioning them.

olalonde 13y ago
Apart from the military service bit, the two comments above could apply to almost anyone that isn't deep into the Silicon Valley echo chamber. People who are not "stuck in the school > big MNC job > build connections > (possibly) venture out and do business" are outliers, not the other way around. Asians in general probably exhibit that mentality more often because Asian countries are relatively poor or were so at most a generation ago. When you are poor, it's tougher to take big risks as you don't have a family/friends/house/bank account to fall back on if you fail.
- seanmcdirmid 13y ago
  > Apart from the military service bit, the two comments above could apply to almost anyone that isn't deep into the Silicon Valley echo chamber. Not true at all. Most American and European cities are hotbeds of creativity and subversion. > Asians in general probably exhibit that mentality more often but that's because Asian countries are relatively poor or were poor only a generation ago. For east Asia, I think it has more to do with Confucian influence. Even when China was the richest/most developed country in the world, their schooling system was still based on rote memorization and repetition.
  - ValentineC 13y ago
    > For east Asia, I think it has more to do with Confucian influence. Even when China was the richest/most developed country in the world, their schooling system was still based on rote memorization and repetition. Good point. I'll definitely have to consider how that fits with my thoughts on Asian/Chinese culture.

olalonde 13y ago

Apart from the military service bit, the two comments above could apply to almost anyone that isn't deep into the Silicon Valley echo chamber. People who are not "stuck in the school > big MNC job > build connections > (possibly) venture out and do business" are outliers, not the other way around. Asians in general probably exhibit that mentality more often because Asian countries are relatively poor or were so at most a generation ago. When you are poor, it's tougher to take big risks as you don't have a family/friends/house/bank account to fall back on if you fail.

seanmcdirmid 13y ago
> Apart from the military service bit, the two comments above could apply to almost anyone that isn't deep into the Silicon Valley echo chamber. Not true at all. Most American and European cities are hotbeds of creativity and subversion. > Asians in general probably exhibit that mentality more often but that's because Asian countries are relatively poor or were poor only a generation ago. For east Asia, I think it has more to do with Confucian influence. Even when China was the richest/most developed country in the world, their schooling system was still based on rote memorization and repetition.
- ValentineC 13y ago
  > For east Asia, I think it has more to do with Confucian influence. Even when China was the richest/most developed country in the world, their schooling system was still based on rote memorization and repetition. Good point. I'll definitely have to consider how that fits with my thoughts on Asian/Chinese culture.