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Most startups fail because innovation is darn difficult. A gaggle of geeks sitting cross-legged (Sukhasana) around computer screens may not look challenging (it is), but generally it requires people of all genders, nationalities, personalities coming together with their expensive, focused college degrees. Geek-ish innovators forgo many pleasures in life. Instead, they work long hours to bring the rest of us life-enhancing devices and services. In the U.S. we have families, communities, religious groups that demand excellence, Andy Kessler reminds readers in his WSJ column.
Markets reward it. Excellence, like COVID vaccines, doesn’t come from luck or laziness, but from hard work and perseverance.
Virtually all universities and now many companies have D&I departments, for diversity and inclusion.
Yes, this sounds worthy enough, but as far as AK can tell “the No. 1 job of a D&I department is to hire more people into the D&I department. No one ever mentions excellence.”
Government too. Joe Biden is likable enough, but let’s face it, during the primaries he was the compromise, the consolation prize. And now he’s quickly perpetuating mediocrity by proposing $15 minimum wages, $1,400 stimulus checks, and $400 weekly unemployment-check boosts.
Yes, the Covid recession requires assistance, but these programs are too broad and will likely lead to permanent welfare-state expansions. Why work when Uncle Sam provides table stakes for mob-trading GameStop and dogecoin?
Mediocrity Flourishes
A high school near Mr. Kessler realized that middle schools from lower-income neighborhoods weren’t adequately preparing the students for high school. The solution? No, don’t fix the problem, it was decided. Easier yet, dumb down the high school and drop Freshman Honors English “to combat the effects of academic ‘tracking” because it “ultimately separates students of different socioeconomic and racial backgrounds.”
The End of American Exceptionalism?
Van Morrison, in one of his songs, sings about keeping mediocrity at bay. Has the race to the bottom begun?
In January the College Board announced it would eliminate the essay portion of the SAT, as well as all of the separate SAT subject tests. Their stated purpose was “reducing and simplifying demands on students.” Such a burden.
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