Tuesday, January 11, 2011

A Chinese Mother FUBAR

Although this article originally published in the Saturday Wall Street Journal is not related to macro-economics or housing, I thought it was just too unusual not to re-post.

I don’t think I’ve ever read something quite as bizarre as this author’s take on parenting… She is one gravely screwed up character in need of some serious couch time (as will her unfortunate daughters and likely her husband too) and the fact that the WSJ would publish this article I believe is telling.

While I’m sure that there are bits of insight strewn about this monstrosity that some parents might find some utility in, taken as a whole the author appears to be a tyrant forcing her children into the life of “excellence” that she has chosen for them using guilt or shame or literally whatever it takes.

Worse yet… this fool thinks that she knows what the definition “excellence” is… her kids can only play a piano or a violin? They can’t be in a play? They can’t have a playdate?

The author is confusing excellence with rote mechanical performance… what real musician would constrain themselves to a single instrument or to just classical training?

Does one learn to understand the depth and beauty of mathematics simply through hours of repetition?

Is calling your child a “piece of garbage” and making them ashamed of their physical appearance really best for their health and well being?

Make no mistake… this author is one twisted twisted person.

In any event, the publishing of this article in the WSJ loosely reminds me of the “Japanese Inc.” style coverage that circulated in the late 80s whereby US innovation and business was depicted as being inferior to the then powerhouse Japanese model.

Of course, the start of the 90s represented the beginning of the end for Japan... now multiple decades into deflation and depression… there is no one that believes their model is superior anymore.

Could we be seeing a bit of competitive China pumping going on here?