
The Painful Truth About Affirmative Action - roarktoohey
http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2012/10/the-painful-truth-about-affirmative-action/263122/?single_page=true
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jmaistre
Imagine that you are a little behind in soccer ability. You never played
soccer in high school or college, you are not the most athletic person. Now in
your 20s you want to sign up for a soccer league. The local league has
multiple divisions for different ability levels. What do you do? Do you sign
up for the highest, so that you can be exposed to great play? Or do you sign
up for the division that matches your own ability? The answer for most people
is obvious. You sign up for the division that matches your own ability. If you
sign up for a top-level league, no one will pass the ball, and when you get
the ball, you'll have it taken away so fast you won't have a chance to get
better.

The idea that the best way to help someone who is behind, is to put them with
those farthest ahead, is completely insane. Yet that has been the policy
behind affirmative action, behind integration-via-fiat, and behind eliminating
tracking in grade school. It is not helpful to be in classes with people who
are far ahead of you, as you won't get the practice on the basic, foundational
topics that you need. You will be lost, and then fall even further behind. On
the other hand, if you are grouped with people of your own ability, you have
the opportunity to work hard, be among the best in the class, and feel much
greater personal satisfaction. (See again how many nerds who despised gym
class end up later liking casual ultimate frisbee games -- such games among
people of similar ability level ends up being a lot more fun).

