The trouble of percentages..

I thought Singapore's education was stressful enough. Apparently China's education is even more stressful. In fact it is so stressful, one can successfully carry out a body slimming programme with it. I certainly can understand why. The population of China is huge huge. But there is no corresponding increase in the number of universities. Universities, good ones, are only those few, a number that is likely to remain fixed even as the population of China grows.

Out of so many, people perhaps only 30% make it to the university successfully. The population may be closely related in talents, but the fact remains that the universities can only accept the top 30%. So in order to get in the top 30%, everyone tries their very best to work to become the top 30%. It is ironic that this strategy is the best strategy to adopt for any individual. But its success also depends on whether other people are using the same strategy. If everyone is trying to become the top 30%, then there is no net change. And because there appears to be no net change, everyone tries even harder to become the top 30%. But since everyone is doing it, this strategy is not really effective. So, it adds on to your own stress, because you see your hard work not really paying off. And you try harder than ever..

I wonder if we can ever get to the stage of fairness.. If everyone is equally talented, but only 30% can get into the university, then that 30% who got in must have gotten in by some sort of luck. The rest that did not get in, must be quite unlucky. Where is the fairness? Ironically, this system of meritocracy, claims to the fairest system already. Could it be that we have hit a barrier? This is where the inequality will arise. A fair system that somehow divides people into 2 groups.

This is so frustrating..