those reasons are ultimately selfish I don't know if that's right. There can be altruism in medical work, for example; and great scientific discoveries and ar

those reasons are ultimately selfish I don't know if that's right. There can be altruism in medical work, for example; and great scientific discoveries and artistic accomplishments have a pan-human, almost spiritual significance, at least for me -- like gifts to the species. But I take your point: even if it's not a conversion from selfishness to "what is best for my child," but rather a conversion from altruism or pursuit of a masterpiece to "what is best for my child," the conversion still happens to a lot of people. And when it happens, it feels right. ---- p.s. sorry for the comment churn, your comment wasn't posted when I deleted my comment (which I realized was essentially just a more vehement restatement of my top-level comment).