A thought:

It isn’t about race, gender, ethnicity, genetics, etc. It’s all about culture.

My sociological analysis

To culture means to cultivate. To grow. It’s used in agricultural notions, and you can also “culture” kefir, yogurt, or any other fermented foods.

Culture triumphs over biology

Obviously biology has a part to play. For example, the apex male is still stronger (powerlifting) than the apex female. But an apex female powerlifter is still stronger than an elite male powerlifter. For example Becca Swanson has (at height of 5 foot 9 inches, 240 pounds) has (equipped) powerlifting records of a 800+ pound squat, a 680+ pound deadlift, and 600+ pound bench press). Becca is stronger than 99% of males, but still not as strong as the strongest male powerlifters (Eddie Hall and his 1200+ pound deadlift).

Another good example — Stefi Cohen. Body weight of around 120 pounds, with 200+ bench, 400+ squat, and 500+ deadlift. Even if she were taking steroids, human growth hormone, testosterone, whatever — at best that only gives you a 20% strength advantage. She’s still far more of a beast through her training, determination, and effort than her “genetics”.

The culture — the desire of Stefi Cohen and other female powerlifters. This means that “culture” is an amalgamation of an individuals preferences, efforts, desires, and work. Their work ethic is embedded in the culture.

Appearances affect us

Of course we humans stereotype. We judge on appearances. For example, would you trust a rapper to be “rich” if he were driving a beat-up Toyota Camry vs the new Lexus? Or would we trust the lawyer who wears flip flops and socks? Or if a bishop rode roller skates (Nassim Taleb’s example)?

I’m not stupid. I know people judge be on being an Asian-American male. For example — East (and South Asian/Southeast) Asian men are seen as less masculine than other races of men. For example the stereotypes are:

1. Smaller dick size
2. Weaker generic potential to become physically strong
3. Reduced ability for sports (the bias that mot Asian men cannot make it into the NBA, NFL, MLB, etc). Even the Asian guys who have made it into the NBA, NFL, MLB aren’t physically dominant. You don’t have an Asian guy with a build of a Shaq in the NBA, you don’t have an Asian Barry Bonds, or am Asian linebacker in the NFL. Why is this? My theory — Asian American culture is anti-sports, and pro-academics. Less encouragement from parents means fewer trained Asian male athletes in high school, and fewer who will go into college and the professional leagues.

Why does culture triumph?

Part of it is a numbers game. If you got a society which prizes academics over all (Confucian Asian societies like South Korea, Singapore, China, etc)— of course you’re gonna get more Asian kids who excel at math, academics, etc. I know in my family, the expectation was to get an A in everything. You weren’t even applauded for getting an A. It was the base-line standard. Even an A- meant failure.

And as a consequence, my goal in school was simple:

Don’t get anything less than an “A”.

Thus I worked hard in school to get good grades.

If I were raised in a culture which didn’t prize academics, of course my grades would have been worse. It all comes down to expectations, culture, enforcement, and training.

A spartan saying

There’s a spartan saying about training and raising your kids. The gist is this:

Two puppies were separated at birth. One was reared in the lap of luxury, and the other was trained to become a hunter in the woods. Once they became grown — guess who was the more fierce predator?

Who directs the culture?

It seems the king, law-makers, philosophers, thinkers are the ones who first create the culture, then enforce it.

For example the ideals of a nation. Who created these ideals? The fathers of a certain nation. My analysis is—

• America: Utilitarianism, John Stuart Mill, via Jeremy Bentham
• Germany: Protestantism, via Martin Luther.
• Much of Asia: Confucianism. Then now in China — Maoism.
• England: Utilitarianism and respect for the royalty.

Thus when we talk about “societal values”, we actually really mean to say cultural values. Culture is king.

Which culture do you desire to follow, or create?

We have the power to follow the culture we like. Better yet, the apex is to create your own culture!

Humans create culture, and culture is for humans. Culture wasn’t born for humans to obey!

ERIC