Smart People Cram Too.

There is a lot going on this week: bond yields continue to rise, and OpenAI published proofs to 400 outstanding math problems. I want to focus the discussion on the debate over “strivers”. Consider the tweet below: Seeing the striver discourse, one difference with Western obsessives is that a parent notices genuine talent in the kid, and then sacrifices everything to make sure it gets developed. Mozart benefited from having a father like that – but he probably would have become a musical… — FischerKing (@FischerKing64) October 6, 2026 What is a striver anyway? It seems there are two definitions that are being conflated. The first is something along the lines of an overbearing parent who forces their child to participate in spelling bees or take music lessons against the child’s wishes. This is similar to the concept of tiger parenting, so there is no need to invent a new term. In this case I agree with FischerKing: kids who show little talent or inclination for certain activities…