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To: Stonehenge who wrote (76854)	3/20/1999 8:13:00 PM
From: nihil	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 186894

Well, sorry if you think mentioning the "class origins" of Michael Dell sounds like latent anti-semitism, because if its anti-semitism to identify the religious origins of a Jew -- and Michael is I understand a major supporter of Jewish charities and does not conceal his affiliation -- then we really are in trouble. The real problem in this hoop-de-doo starts from a joke in which there was assumed to be an affiliation between two business men because of some imaginary fraternity relationship between two, one of whom (Jerry) came from a generation in which college fraternities were strictly segregated as between Christians (or at least "gentiles") and Jews. During the 50's and 60's there were enormous battles on campuses about whether fraternities that discriminated against Jews (and later African-Americans) should be permitted on campus at many universities. What little I know about Jerry did not suggest that he was Jewish, but was a tough, street kid who had been seriously injured in a knife fight, while what I knew of Michael indicated a different background. The idea (even in a joke) that they shared a background sufficient to make Michael do something as ridiculous as switching Dell to AMD indicated a sufficiently absurd sociological dissonance as to render the joke absurd. True, the premise of my comment recognized the existence of anti-semitism in the fraternity system, but referring to it hardly endorses it. As to religion having anything to do with business, wake up! One of the most interesting problems in business management today is why top management success is so highly associated with social background and origins. Economic scholars have spent enormous amounts of ink on the relationship between the rise of capitalism and religion. Weber, Sombart and many others trace the emegence of the modern economy and specific religious ideas. They play on the Bible's treatment of the responsibility of people to either guard or accumulate their talents. It is, admittedly, a ticklish subject, because some groups (such as the Jews) are incredibly successful in business, while others -- such as African-Americans -- are strikingly less successful. Historically, Jews have repeatedly establsihed business leadership in many societies, despite their separateness and discrimination against them, and Jewish business leaders have frequently led the way to opening up society to better treatment for all Jews. Anti-semites sometimes argue that Jewish business success is the result of a conspiracy in which Jews help each other and discriminate against non-Jews. One expects intracommunity support, but I do not think it can be proved that this explains a major part of Jewish business success where it has occurred. It seems to me that there are two major causes of Jewish business success. First, the whole culture emphasizes scholarship. One cannot be a Jew without at least a semblance of literacy -- the ability to read their scriptures. In some Jewish communities the highest calling to whom the brightest sons were pledged was to become a scholar. The literary and artistic contributions of the Jews is I believe the richest and most remarkable of any community even disregarding how numerous they are (whites and blacks are not single communities in this sense -- I am not talking of "races"). When people with such intellectual power turn to business the result is overwhelming success, because almost no one else has such commitment to valuing and enhancing intelligence with learning. Second, the group builds up, in part because of their historical persecution, an enormous community of trust. Two (communal) Jews will resolve their disputes on principles and if necessary with get a ruling from their rabbi who consults the traditions of the community and applies reason to the dispute. If one is going to live in a community he must live according to traditions of the community and justice is one of the fundamental principles of the community. Moreover Jews extend this responsible business behavior to outsiders, both as a matter of self-protection and prudence, and out of habit. My own belief, as a professor of management, is that a community or country that wanted to succeed in business could not do better than to study and imitate these major traits of the Jews. One will not always succeed in business by being smart and honest, but even when you slip (like Michael Milken -- another great supporter of Jewish charity) you feel okay about it. As for your accusing me of anti-semitism (even latent antisemitism) I thnk you are wrong, and I would appreciate a withdrawal. No apology is necessary.