Das Capital

It's been evident for a long while that the United States is falling behind in its ability to stay on the top of the heap when it comes to global business and technological innovation. But identifying the way in which we raise our kids as a large part of what is keeping us from global achievement? That's fascinating. It opens a whole new lens on a problem that can seem very abstract, and impossible to solve, when you are grappling with it as a societal phenomenon. That doesn't mean, nor does Brooks assert (see link above) that there are solely individual, bootstrappy soluations. But it does suggest that those of us with kids have an obligation as citizens to do everything we can do help our children grow up in as enriched environments as possible-and to apply some discipline to help them glean as much as they can. As the mom of an ADD child, I have long been aware of the importance of opening new prospects to her. Such kids thrive on novelty-so is she going to get that solely from the newest computer game-or from creating a new play at a local repertory theater? But B and I find it more logical to conceive of such enriched environments only because we, too, were raised in such environment. As a society, we need to discover and find money for ways in which working class and poor parents can have these choices for their kids, too.