[mpoteat]

The key, from my perspective, is to focus on real work which produces real value for other human beings. In an academic context I admit that it can be difficult to attach this value to your work.

As well, in this article, a person bemoans the opportunities their parents gave them; piano lessons, math competitions, etc. Even though they have clearly benefited from these advantages, it's unclear to me if the person acknowledges the position of privilege that such an upbringing grants.

[musicale]

The sad bit to me is doing all of these things to pad a college application rather than for interest or enjoyment. I actually enjoyed math team and continued math competitions in college.

Though I almost wish I'd been more vigorously encouraged to study piano, since I have little time or motivation to practice it now.

As indicated, getting into Stanford still qualifies as winning the elite college admissions lottery, even if one might have preferred Princeton or MIT. (And Stanford likely provides some advantages as well.)

[crooked-v]

> real work which produces real value for other human beings

I've felt the same way in tech. I've seen so many job listings that are just an endless series of buzzwords or the latest iteration of data adtech analysis integrated lake warehouse whatever and found myself wondering when and where it translates into actually affecting the lives of anyone beyond interchangeable corporate middle managers.

[poulpy123]

The author is not bemoaning the opportunities he had but the fact these became requirements

[mpoteat]

On reflection I agree.

Still, I feel the author should have explicitly acknowledged the fact that there are underprivileged kids out there that would kill for the opportunities he was given.

[doubloon]

having a kid work basically 14 hour days for years and years so they can get into the best school based on the criteria of the ivy league, it becomes very easy to downplay the importance of communication and social skills, like empathy, play, dealing with difficult people, emotional intelligence, etc etc.

this is how people like Sam Bankman Fried and Caroline Ellison develop into having sociopathic patterns of behavior and dysfunctional realtionships, just constantly being pushed to play a game of artificial metrics from the time they are children.

its almost like taking away childhood from people and having a form of child labor.

[lacrimacida]

Sam Bankman doesn’t strike me as a hard working student though his upbringing could have the expectation to outdo his parents, both of them professors in Ivi League schools if I remember correctly. The appetite for risk may be a byproduct of that though…

[musicale]

IIRC they teach/taught at Stanford, which is in the Pac-12 (until next year, when it joins the ACC) rather than the Ivy League.