archanfel
Active Member
^^ I think intelligence might have something to do with it. A child with an IQ of 90, probably has little chance of having a great education or getting a scholarship to university. (unless, of course, they have wealth and connections)
That's no excuse. Undergraduate study requires little intelligence, neither do the vast majority of jobs. If you are not intelligent, then study harder. If somebody is 10 times smarter than you, then you work 100 times harder. If a kid studied 16 hours a day, no TV, no video games, yet still couldn't pass an examine, then I would say he is disabled. Yet I have never seen such kids.
mig174 said:I would argue that especially for children, home environment and parenting are huge determinants of future success. Poorer parents are unlikely to be able to spend a lot of time with their kids or provide them with the opportunities more well-off kids have. I think that constitutes less "fortunate" and, as a consequence, less prepared.
The unpreparedness does not stop at generation boundaries. In these cases, it's the parents who are less prepared, they have to take responsibility for their offsprings. If it's only a monetary thing, then Canada provides both public schools and interest free loans. If it's an altitude thing, then there's little the society can do unless we brand these parents as unfit. The important thing is that the society can't create moral hazard and somehow makes it seem acceptable. Also, it's not too late to start preparing at 18. Yes, you would be at a disadvantage, but work harder and you can make it up. I would even argue rich kids have more material distractions.
Our country should make sure every kid has opportunities, maybe not equal opportunities, but opportunities to go to school and build a career. No, not everybody can be Einstein or Bill Gates or even Rob Ford. However, I do believe in Canada every able person does have the opportunity to get an average life. We just need to drive home the idea that you reap what you sow and stop making excuses for people.