O/T What Rogers gets (that few do) is how important cultural is to the equation. China has had an entrepreneurial history for hundreds of years- Russia has not
Man, I've been preaching the same thing for years. Folks who have trading as a part of their cultural heritage are the ones doing business today.
Chinese, Greeks, Italians, Indians, Jews, Arabs, etc.
People wonder why Africans or Native Americans are not entrepreneurs. Well, it wasn't in their culture.
You can't force a cultural change on people overnight. It takes time, education, and mentoring, as well as opportunity.
How many people have heard relatives say, "Why don't you become a doctor like your cousin, (fill in the blank here)"
Competitiveness is also something that's learned and taught. Some people are taught to be competitive in education, and others are taught to be competitive only on the streets and in the gym. Others are not competitive at all. Competitiveness is essential for success.
It's not just about throwing money at folks like many people think. You need to be in an environment where you not only have the means to achieve, but you have people around you that crave success also.
That's why many people are frustrated with inner city schools. They say it's teachers, facilities, etc, etc. Well, take those teachers from your upscale community and put them in that same environment, and you'll get the same results, IMO.
Give any teacher eager students, and all they need is a chalkboard and chalk to teach effectively.
Now back to our regular programming. <G> |
