If a person asked a math problem, an Asian (I mean all of Asia - Japanese, Indian or Middle East guy) would immediately start working on it to figure out a solution. Whereas an American or European will start whining and complaining about how difficult math is, why the person is asking such stupid questions & how they barely managed to pass their secondary or high school math class.
Why is this so? Mathematics is a universal language, if it is tough, so what? You have to practise, practise and make it perfect like any other language. But why only Asians bother to do that, whereas those from western cultures don't?
I'm not taking about mathematicians of the past, I'm talking about what the trend has been in the last 30 years or so.
2006-12-02 05:52:30 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Mathematics
hmm... i think though this doesn't apply to almost every single person, but if we talk about majority, this is really true...
maybe because math requires a lot of "hard work"..
2006-12-02 06:08:07 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
You are correct, to an extent. I am not Asian, and I have always done well in math. So it's not "all" Americans, but I see your "majority" point.
I think it's because Americans are, in general, lazy. If you look at the general trends (unemployment, ISTEP scores, etc.), you see that Americans are going down-hill. I am 26 years old, and I can't believe the amount of disrespect I see coming from the younger generation. I think there-in lies the problem. Parents let their kids get away with anything. Discipline is a joke in America these days.
2006-12-02 14:00:35 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
beacuse they are not worried about the self esteme of their children in Asia. They are more worried about their children not being intelligent enough to work a simple math problem like 1 + 1. Or being able to make correct change without a computer. And if they whine about how hard the math problem they would probably get a smack or two till they stopped whining and worked the problem out.
2006-12-02 14:36:44 · answer #3 · answered by ikeman32 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
because its within our nature to whine & complain. i think your statement following your question answered the very question you asked but wait & hold on for a moment. your statement makes it appear or sound like ALL asians, mid-easterners excell in math & this is not true. i happen to know that they have the dubious distinction of being as much of screw-ups and whiners as the rest of us. a small amount of asians & mid-easterners excell in math & science, as well as europeans & americans, due to themselves & their families. alas and woe to the rest of us slobs, we've become techies and while we have those wonderful new tools for problem-solving, why should i strain my brain? right? don't beat yourself over this conundrum. i still love a challenge, math or otherwise and many more like me are alive & kicking. think of the situation in very logical & simple terms: we all aren't chefs so we pay someone who will cook out culinary delights. we all don't drive so we hire drivers, and the list is endless. our so-called laziness creates jobs on a daily basis & as long as we don't mind paying salaries to these new-found jobs, why not? it's called division of labor & it's been around since humans have trodded this earth. good at math? make a mint! keep this in mind: since we all poop, someone has to shovel it!
2006-12-02 14:20:46 · answer #4 · answered by blackjack432001 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Im from the middle east,,,i think the mathematics being taught here (as well as in asia) is more intensive and thorough...the reason im thinking that way is because one of my friends moved to the U.S ,,,and she told me its way easier there than here...
2006-12-02 14:06:16 · answer #5 · answered by fuz666 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Nevermind, they can't stay that naive for long. I expect that soon they will catch up with the North American / European crowd, they usually do eventually.
2006-12-02 13:57:36 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋