Competition for American Students

By: Sean Savoie 

To all the Junior High School, High School, and College students, please understand that the students in China, India, and South Korea (among many other countries) are kicking the butts of American-raised students. Here in America the vast majority of the people have lost their edge and become complacent, lazy, disinterested and indifferent, overly-confident, and short-sighted. Vast numbers of people are closing themselves off to the rapidly evolving world outside of the USA. New York City is not the best indicator of this predicament; however, one trip out to “middle America” will reveal the truth behind assertion that only 17% of Americans read about national and international news. The average American watches 6 hours of TV per day!

            In Shanghai, upon getting to know a couple of freshman college English majors, discussions about education were very revealing. One student, perusing my ‘Scientific American’ magazine, began explaining to me both the nature of messenger RNA and the newest understanding of the properties of black holes using equations of plus or minus infinity. America is clearly in trouble. While 20-year-old women in China are exploring quantum physics and biotechnology in their free time, American women are watching American Idol, Survivor, Desperate Housewives, and Sex and the City.

            It is not news that American public schools are becoming a disastrous embarrassment, yet the sheer hunger of youths to succeed in Asian countries is staggering. My venture into China has opened my eyes. Change is occurring far faster than I had imagined (and I have a good imagination). The old-world-system of doing business has become slow and inefficient, creating a unique advantage for young people who have desire and creativity. With radical change being the only real thing we can count on, adaptability is essential. Boundaries must fall. The acceleration of change will soon become greater than ever seen in human history.

            So what am I really trying to say? Well, the youth of today, with their video games, PSPs, and cool cell phones, must build a specialized toolbox of skills that may be cross-correlated. Radical change must be met with radical flexibility, creativity, and incentive. Specialization in a single field will be met with extreme competition from high-level students from around the world, yet some skills, such as multiple language mastery, technological prowess, and an understanding of world trends, will always be worth investing time and money to develop. My suggestion to high school students, college students, and recent college grads is to get out of the USA to better understand what is happening in other parts of the globe. Be ready to travel to locations where your skills are most useful because those who adhere to traditional ways of doing business with an expectation of getting hired, trained, and prepared for retirement will fall through the cracks and eventually suffer. The good news is that the world is changing, and the bad news is that the world is changing. How will this affect you?