Seeing Metropolitan Museum Again.

I take this as an opportunity to breathe city air. The Spanish paintings were not particularly impressive to me but whatever. One cool thing we saw today was this uber-realistic painting--and I say painting--that looks 99% like a photograph. If you don't observe it close, there is ABSOLUTELY NO WAY that you'd think it is a painting. It is a portrait actually, a man's head mostly. The shadow, the light--from the reflection of the guy's pupils to the slightly yellowed spots on the teeth--every little detail was extraordinarily realistic. We were utterly impressed. And that's all I have to say.



After the trip we went to this spanish restaurant in NJ. The paella wasn't particularly impressive to me personally either, but whatever, it's food. i still couldn't eat the oyster...or was that mussel? Ugh, forget it. I can't even match them up in Chinese. The safron rice tastes weird but still edible. Yuliya was making jokes nonstop. Sabrina was laughing nonstop. Amy was talking nonstop. I think the best part of the time we spent in the restaurant is still the hanging out with friends.



And then I came back to school and was told that our prospective trip to the NY Times was canceled because of some preventive measures for the swine flu. :( Oh mannnn..I wanna see the flying papers. Seriously. I want to see. :...(



And then it was the science league. And then I came home and did absolutely nothing.

Time to do homework now. Goodnight--to whoever is reading.

Dreams.

I have dreams. Lots of them.

When I was in the first years of elementary school, I dreamed to become an astronomer.
And then I lost that dream.
For a brief period I dreamed to be a teacher...and then a interior designer...

Physician has never been on the top of my list until recent years. And I'm still not too sure. But if that's the case, I want to be an epidemiologist. I want to travel around to help those affected by infectious diseases. I want to battle virus. But then it means laboratory research, which I hate. So I still don't know. I'm still dreaming.

I like this poem.

念奴娇.赤壁怀古
苏轼

大江东去，浪淘尽。千古风流人物。故垒西边，人道是，三国周郎赤壁。乱石崩云，惊涛拍岸，卷起千堆雪。江山如画，一时多少豪杰!
遥想公瑾当年，小乔初嫁了，雄姿英发，羽扇纶巾，谈笑间，樯橹灰飞烟灭。故国神游，多情应笑我，早生华发。人间如梦，一樽还酹江月。

Immersing in Critiques.

During my "writer's conference" with Ms. Armstrong, she asked me what I wanted to do--for just writing in general. I said, I want to learn how to write movie reviews. I don't know why I said that, but I guess that was my heart speaking.

Ms. Armstrong constantly talks about how we should write outside our comfort zone. Writing reviews is definitely not in my comfort zone. Reviews, of restaurant, of movie, of book, are witty, funny, descriptive, innovative--everything my writing is not. Those pithy but creative remarks awe me. All the time. But it was frustrating as well. Why can't I come up with those metaphors and similes? These critics do it with so much ease and elegance. But again, what do I know about the industry?

Anyways, I already began reading about writing reviews and reading reviews (from NY Times, they're great.) in general. Right now I may not have the financial capability to go to a restaurant and enjoy its menu in its entirety but I can always start with watching movies, both old and new, on a regular basis (thanks to Chinese pirating industry) to gain the knowledge that I need to be a trustworthy critique.

All it takes is the first step.

Half a day in NYC...testing...

I knew today's going to be hot but not like this. When I got to the Columbia campus there were people in all kinds of clothing--T-shirts, sweatshirts, sweatshirt AND T-shirt (=_=Edwin), but after the SHP test was done, as I walked through the main campus, there was like a feast. There are people barbecueing...splashing water everywhere, and people in bikinis lying on the grass--chilling. Nobody was wearing sweatshirts or sweatshirt plus T-shirt. And there are tourists taking pictures with the "alma mater" and just lots and lots of random ppl walking in and out of the campus through the entrance where there are lines of cherry trees.



Rewind. Jaims, Edwin, and I crossed the bridge by carpooling with some random women for free. I used the $1.25 that I saved by carpooling with these random women on a musician who was playing guitar and harmonica in the subway. It wasn't particularly good but the way he sings was delightful. And the way he puts the harmonica on a thing that stabilizes around his neck reminds me of....was it Bob Dylan? Yeah. Anyways it was a nice 20 sec solo (before I got off the train) for one buck.



The test was...ugh. I don't wanna talk about it. So, on our way back, Edwin said we're going to McDonald because he and this other person were going to be picked up there. And so we walked into the subway station and got on the downtown #1 train--which was odd. I didn't understand why we're going downtown just for McDonald until Edwin and Jaims started saying--

Jaims: "Where are we going?"
Edwin: "I don't know. Do you know where are we going?"
Jaims: (shrugs)
Edwin: "hmm...OH do you remember that question?....."

5 minutes later.

Edwin: "Where are we going?"
Xinyi: "I thought we're going to McDonald."
Edwin: "then why are we going downtown?"
Xinyi: "WTF? You meant the McDonald in Fort Lee?!"........



One thing that's sort of sad was I did a lot of research last night on good restaurants around Columbia but we ended up in Fort Lee McDonald. :(

Scattered Thoughts.

Studying in a sunny day while listening to Piazzolla's tango feels good. It's like my own petty life having a background music. I couldn't help but put down my pen, then just started thinking. Somehow my mind wondered to college. Should I bring my CD player to college? Will my roommate mind? Will my roommate have the same taste as I do? Maybe we would go to concerts together in the future?

I don't know.

But this is all I care about. Do I care about studying? Not really. That's just something...what was the word? Perfunctory. I'm doing just enough to not drop my grades and such.

And then comes the realization: WOW, I'm seventeen--already.

I can't hold it back. I kind of want to savor my teenage-hood for awhile. But yeah, it's not going to happen. Soon I'll be out of college, I'll be aging and aging. Is the world going to be as bright as the one outside my window right now when I'm seventy? And can I still see the breeze, visible by the dancing tree branches when I become old and feeble?

Piazzolla's music is still playing. I feel like I'm in one of Miyazaki's movies. And that feels great.

Cooking.

Yesterday I cooked my nth meal for the family. It's really just some pork with dried tofu and pepper, but damn! it tasted exactly like when my mom cooked it. Of course...that's becuz mom directed me..but wow. I'm impressed myself. I def should take some pictures next time. Oh, and the vegetable though...kinda failed becuz I cooked it for too long. but next time it'll be better :)

中国父母常犯的十大错误(转贴)

OMG SO TRUE.
---------------------------

1.让保姆，爷爷奶奶带孩子。不自己亲自照顾

很多中国父母以为孩子只要身边有人看着，没有生命危险就好。其实从出生开始，孩子就需要和别人交流。不会说话也可以交流。肌肤的接触，拥抱，关注的眼光，和他说话。孩子需要不断的交流，会变得比较聪明，对爱有安全感。我们很多家庭的孩子，是在没有关注的环境下长大。脑子会变得怪异呆滞。然后永远缺乏爱的安全感。终生追求那童年，婴儿时期失去却永远追不回的爱。

2.把孩子当炫耀比较的对象

中国人一方面爱面子，一方面想鼓励孩子上进。常常说，你看人家孩子多用功，成绩多好。人家又得了什么奖。这种比较最要不得。况且常常是当着很多人的面说。说难听点，孩子考试考不好只怪你基因太差。人受到基因影响太多了。包括智力，个性种种。并不是孩子不愿意做好。实在是你的基因问题太多。你每一次把孩子和别人比，只带给他多一份不满和痛苦。对于事情没有什么帮助。这种比较和竞争的心里，也导致中国人团体比较无法和谐合作做事。喜欢互斗。对于能力强的人不是佩服，而是嫉妒，要拉他下来。学校的老师更是火上加油。整个家长和老师的教育观念需要加速修正。否则中国人的团队合作永远不如人。

3.不尊重孩子的隐私和权利

很多父母抱着传统的观念，把父母摆在权威的角色。认为子女是属于父母的。这种不把孩子当一个拥有完整权利个体的错误观念，导致个人和社会的很多不良的后果。父母进入子女房间应该先敲门。移动或用孩子的东西应该得到他的允许。任何牵涉到子女的决定应该先和子女商谈。不要随意翻看子女的日记或隐私。应该尊重孩子的所有权利，把他当一个成人一样尊重。这个尊重是从出生换尿片开始。换尿片前，先和颜悦色告诉他要换尿片了，向他道歉，请他忍耐一下。这种尊重的精神是我们社会所缺乏的。导致社会缺乏服务和尊重的观念。不被尊重的人以后也不知道尊重别人。

4.把孩子塑造成自己想要的方向

很多父母把自己一生的遗憾寄托在孩子身上。一直逼孩子往自己以为是正确的路走。即使孩子并不适合，或者不喜欢。譬如学钢琴。譬如出国。在这种压力下，家庭变的不快乐。亲子的愉快时光成了斗争大会。牺牲了亲子的和谐关系，追求一些莫明其妙，也不见得正确的父母理想。当子女长大回想起童年，尽是不快乐的回忆。的确是些愚蠢父母的作为。

5.把学校成绩当成一切表现的指标。

认为越用功越好。一切面向高考，面向出国。很多父母愚蠢地以为学校的成绩代表一切。人生的目标两个，一是高考，二是留学。目标订清楚了。父母剩下的工作，就是用一切威逼利诱苦肉哀求，来达到这个目的。这个科举时代遗留的过时观念，仍旧深存人心。其实事实摆在面前。很多出国回来现在找不到工作。很多北大清华的现在也只能混口饭吃。在学校的成绩并不代表一切。反而是全面的能力，活力，毅力，性格，才是影响他们一生的重要因素。

6.认为早起很好。睡觉就是懒惰

成长中孩子需要充份的睡眠。目前全国教育界正在集体犯罪，剥夺孩子们的睡眠时间。毁灭中华民族的健康下一代。很多孩子6点就起床。每天睡不足8小时。全国还在推广早起才健康的错误观念。睡不足会影响发育。脑力会减退。我们的孩子需要充份的睡眠。全国违法让孩子在周末学习或晚睡觉的教育人士应该用严厉的法律措施来禁止。剥夺中国孩子的玩耍放松睡觉的时间，是全国性的集体犯罪。应该逮捕这些犯罪的教育人士。

7.认为孩子不应该做家事，应该把时间拿来学习

社会学家调查的结果，在家常做家事的孩子将来生活比较幸福。可能是因为处理事情的能力比较强。所以长大以后比较不容易有挫折。或者比较能面对挫折。中国的父母为了让孩子学习，剥夺了一切孩子做家事的机会。剥夺了他学习工作，学习分担责任，学习面对问题的机会。教养出一个个只会解几题数学(又解不好)的傻孩子。中国父母应该让子女充份分担家事。学校应该全面减低作业份量。

8.缺乏幽默感和轻松的一面

或许因为各种压力，家庭的基本气氛就是逼孩子学习。什么是家庭生活？什么是亲子活动？完全不知道。父母因为生活压力，失去了幽默感，失去了轻松。一切都是逼，都是赶，都是高考。实在不知道人活着是为什么。亲子或夫妻在这种缺乏轻松和幽默感的气氛下，一个小挫折就会引爆冲突。

9.认为父母的爱可以是对子女任何不合理要求的借口

男女之间，爱并不是为一切所欲为的借口。或许因为电视剧演太多了。很多人以为爱就可以当一切的借口。很多父母常对子女说的一句话：我们这样做，也是因为爱你，为你好啊。想用这句话堵住子女的反驳。这简直荒谬。要求不合理就是不合理。别把爱扯进来当挡箭牌。父母的要求应该要合理。让孩子心服口服。

10.认为养孩子是艰苦的义务，不是享受

中国父母，经过传统的教育，习惯把养育儿女当成艰苦的义务。也因为这个苦，而常常暗示或明示子女要回报，孝顺。比较正确的态度是养孩子是一种上天赐予的享受。应该享受和子女相处的时光。享受看着他成长的乐趣。

My Travel List.

These are the places that I really want to go:

1. Wu Yi Shang. 武夷山.
located in the province in which I was born, I felt I'm not a total 福建人, a person of Fujian (the province) if I never visited there. Besides, I'm mesmerized by the breath-taking beauty I've seen in pictures...It's just so beautifulll...I think I'll feel like out of the world if I'm in one of those boats:


2. Tibet
I'm afraid that one day it won't be so easy to go to Tibet anymore. I'm curious about the culture. I'm curious about the way Tibetans live. The clothes they wear, the food they eat....


3. Monglia
I want to go there for the same reason as #2. But I think I'm limited to the inner Mongolia...but oh well same thing.



4. to be continued.

camera. laptop. college. travel.

these are my four dreams.

Camera.
I'm sick and tired of my antiquated Sony. OMG I need a new camera. I'm not asking for a 3000-dollar professional camera, just a better one.

Laptop.
I'm not so sick and tired of my current laptop yet. But it'd be nice if I get a new laptop for college. Laptop is a must-have. Hmm..

College.
I'm seriously sick and tired of high school. HELPPPP MEEEE OUTTT. Can't wait for college.

Travel.
OK, this is the thing. I'm gonna turn 18 in about six months. and I'm very likely to go back to china senior summer. I don't think I'll get another chance to go back to china for like another three or four years. So I really wanna take this chance to TRAVEL. travel ALONE. or with my friends. Except the problem is...my parents and relatives are probably not gonna let me do this so easily. It sounds like a crazy idea even to me. and if I met my so-called "friends" on internet, it'll just sound even more ridiculous. and if I tell them my "friend" is perfect save to go travel with because I've known him and our circle of friends for five or six years, it'll just sound even more like some kinda planned conspiracy by my "friends." I don't really want to go with an agency becuz that just....sucks. The schedule is too tight and you don't have that much freedom. I don't really want to go with family members...well..because I never had a pleasant family trip. Hated it.

I don't know. But I really want to travel alone or with my "friend." Tibet...Yun Nan...Wu Yi Shan....Xing Jiang....Arghhh...I have to start saving money.

Daddy.

hmm. I never attempted to write about my dad when I'm not angry. So let me try this today. I think my dad is a sane person overall but that's where it ends. It's really hard for me to live with someone like my dad and I don't know how my mom endure through this. But anyways my dad is a guy with no logic and reason and yet thinks he has it. He is stubborn and thinks he's always right. He never apologizes--NEVER. He treats people with different standards and he constantly contradict himself. But if you point that out, and you here means I, then you could be accused of being disrespectful, naive, stupid, etc. He's always right. ALWAYS RIGHT. No matter how right your argument is, he's ALWAYS right. And he constantly calls other people stupid for stupid things. Some one drives to slow, some one does something too slow, some one does NOT do something his way. Everybody's idiot except him. and oh yeah, this is one of those typical conversations, which u can see how he makes no sense whatsoever:

Mom: "hey, you know Mrs. A's daughter is applying to Harvard?"
Dad: "Oh, you mean Jenny? Are you serious? I don't think so. Remember she was so clumsy and dumb last time at our party."
Mom: "are you sure we're talking about the same person? that girl's in the math olympiad and got a 2400 for SAT. She has a really good chance at harvard."
Dad: "Oh, OF COURSE SHE'S GONNA GET INTO HARVARD. It was so obvious. You should have known it long time ago" blah blah blah blah.

there's no way that my dad can be wrong. absolutely no way.

argh.

My mom has this "habit"--She silently does what you're supposed to do, such as washing dishes or carrying laundry upstairs--and then after everything's done, she complains about how lazy you are and how inconsiderate you are to her. And then she self-pities, thinking how self-less, how hardworking, how great she is.

Give me a break?

So today it's my turn to wash dishes. I just finished lunch and I swear to god I planned to wash the dishes. but I decided to drink water first because that's what I always do, drink juice/water after dinner because the rice feels disgusting in my mouth. and I was watching TV while I was drinking water. So what happens is that all of a sudden my mom comes in with a whole tray of tea wares, and just started washing dishes. I mean, wth are you doing? If you want to wash those tea cups right now just tell me. I'll stop drinking water and start washing right away. but anyways I didn't do anything and continued to drink water while she's washing. I mean if you want to wash then wash. Just please don't think that you're doing me a favor or I'm being incredibly lazy.

But I KNEW THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT SHE'S THINKING. (also becuz during that time my brother comes in and asks why she's washing dishes and she said "nobody's washing them so I have to") So I confronted her after she finished washing. I told her "if it's my turn to wash the dishes then LET ME WASH IT. Don't do other people's job silently and then come back and complain that people aren't treating you so nicely. Just like how you always carry the laundry upstairs without asking anyone and then in the end start accusing people of being lazy and inconsiderate" but then she started saying oh "you're waiting too long you have to wash the dishes immediately after lunch and I can't stand people not washing dishes immediately" So I was like WTF, "it's my dishes, I just want to finish my water and then wash the dishes. If you have something urgent to do then just tell me and i'll start washing immediately" and then my mom goes "I'm sick and tired of chasing after you everytime and don't tell me you have to drink water or whatever, WASH THE DISHES IMMEDIATELY, I couldn't handle the fact you're not doing what I TRAINED you to do so I washed it myself. I didn't even say anything, and instead YOU are having problem with ME?"

so I got really mad and said "if you're so OCD about washing dishes immediately then that's your personal problem, don't vent your anger on me. It's your problem that you couldn't stand not washing dishes immediately (despite the fact that I often see dishes unwashed when it's their turn)."

and my mom says, "shut up."

and I shut up.

Today is all about rage.

Ok so I was playing basketball (and volleyball) with my brother in Westview Street Park. All of a sudden this little kid came and took our ball and started playing with it. I know my brother wouldn't do anything to ask that ball back, so I went up, and said "can you please give me my ball back?" and he handed the ball out, but threw it over me and my brother caught it, after which he gave me a really mischievous look, and chanted "loser loser." I thought he was my brother's friend so I did not lose my temper.

But five minutes later, suddenly I got hit by something from my back, and it was pretty hard. I turned around and I realized that it was the same boy. I'm not even gonna go there--I'm not even gonna discuss if it's intentional or accidental. So I went up, and said, again, "can you please give me my ball back?" He ran away and I asked him "are you my brother's friend?" and he shamelessly said "no I'm not, I don't even know him." and I don't remember exactly what he did, but he either kept running away or tried to hit me with my ball. anyways it was at that point when I yelled "IF YOU DO THAT AGAIN!" and then snatched the ball from him and picked up my jacket that somehow was on the floor instead of the bench, and muttered, PISS ME OFF, and went away.

Thirty seconds later this kid's babysitter or mom confronted me, apparently the kid's was complaining, and said "did he bother you? did he hit you?" I didn't respond, and then she said "did you say he has problems?" I said "I don't remember but probably not?" and she said "you know he's only first grade...he's embarrassed now." SO HERE, out of PURE POLITENESS, I said "It's ok it was just an accidental. I shouldn't yell at a first grader..." cutting me off, the women said "yeah you shouldn't, but i'll ask him to apologize." and yeah he did come and apologize after a brief rebellion but

WOW.

OF COURSE I SHOULD HAVE YELLED. Stupid kids doing stupid things DESERVE some yelling. If you don't yell at them today, they are gonna grow up doing the same stupid things. and the fact that he is acting like a freakin' brainless asshole is caused by insufficient yelling!! I was especially fed up with these type of stupid american kids after suffering today's stupid presentation which I will talk about later.

So anyways, after that incident the women was like "kids, now DON'T PASS THIS LINE, PLAY HERE" meaning don't play in the half that I was playing in. Seriously, I bet she thinks that I have anger management problems but DAMN IT WHO CARES. If she or the kid's mom doesn't take proper care of that kid, it's THAT KID who's gonna have lots of problems in the future. RUDE, STUPID FIRST GRADERS DESERVE TO BE YELLED. Americans generally lack manners. Sad.


Ok, so today's presentation. It was about DUI. damn it was painful. not becuz of the gory scenes (though not so gory to me but anyways), but becuz of its pure stupidity. The main idea is basically "wear your seat belt, don't drive under influence, make smart decisions." So I was like WTF? Isn't this common sense? Do you seriously have to be smart to realize that you have to wear your seat belt and not to drive while ur drunk? Is this presentation's audience idiots or something? And later the guest speaker, who said in a very scripted way that "I used to drink everyday, just like all of you," proved me right. And one of the worst parts is the ending of the stimulated w/e movie, when the girl who died becuz she made the "wrong decision" (to go with a drunk driver" started yelling and crying and was like "I SHOULDN'T DIE...I'M YOUNG...GIVE ME ANOTHER CHANCE."

Seriously? Seriously? SHUT THE FXCK UP, seriously. There is no second chances to live. and If you suffered becuz you made a stupid decision then swallow it and LIVE WITH IT...or DIE WITH IT in her case. GOD i hate when morons first suffer becuz they are morons and then come back and bother other people by complaining about the tragic consequences of their moronic actions. The funny thing is, at one point after showing how the teenagers were partying like crazy, the nurse said "I'm sure you all can picture yourselves in that party scene right?" I yelled "hmmm...NO, NOT REALLY." but apparently no one heard me, and the nurse continued "but I'm sure you CAN'T picture yourself in my scene, in the ER." and quite ironically, "hmm ACTUALLY, I CAN."

China, SAT, and Spanish.

I haven't blogged for awhile and the screen is making me blind so I'm not gonna be typing for long.

So today, what utterly amazed me was the one and only thing--chinese people.

I found this SAT and GRE prep website where ppl are sharing real exams, real essay prompts, and PDFs of prep books probably bought by other people. I mean, the first two are obviously illegal, what I don't really care. What can you do, we are chinese. we share, and we do illegal stuffs--animes, tv shows, songs, movies, w/e. Whatever is there to share we share.

There's something more though. I never knew that there are SAT test centers in hong kong, macao, taiwan, but not ONE in mainland china. The people who want to take SATs and stuff HAVE to travel to hong kong, maocao, or singapore (mainland chinese and taiwanese didn't really do direct traveling until recently, ppl have to go through hong kong). and apparently there's a scarcity of seats available in hong kong. and i read in a thread that it's recommended to take a month or two off from school before the test. WOW. that's a lot of sacrifice and one has to be pretty damned determined to take SAT and come to america. I would assume that for these chinese high school students taking SAT is a once-a-time thing. I don't think they get too many chances since not that many ppl can afford multiple trips to hong kong macao or singapore, plus the test fees (i read it's 4000 yuans, about 500 dollars, not sure how true but wow), plus the money you need to actually attend college there. It's just crazy.

Reading these stuffs make me appreciate my being here even more. Thanks mom, I luv youu.


OK, now moving onto spanish.

So as I was saying before, I'm trying to get in 10 min of spanish listeninig everyday. I've been watching spanish game shows, soaps, news and stuff. So this morning spanish version of sesame street was on TV and DAMN, it's pretty gooooood. And what happened was that, from plaza sesamo, I realized that spanish sound REALLY GOOD when it's sung. I really like those songs about "lavar tus dientes" or "es importante desayunar" that they sing on plaza sesamo, so i went on to google and youtube to find some good latin music. and i found this guy called louis fonsi--nice voice and good-looking. <3

Equality is a naive man's fantasy, a demagogue's propaganda, and a hypocrite's catch-phrase

I HATE ROMANO.
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“A society that puts equality…ahead of freedom,” Milton Friedman once said, “will end up with neither.” In our frenetic pursue of equality, are we losing our sense of its meaning?

Our interim principal has a vision--a noble vision of equality. The first step in achieving this equality seems to be the elimination of the Pre-Calculus BC Honors class because of its inadequate size. How is class size pertinent to equality? Well, it seems that a 30-person regular class and a 15-person AP class is a sign of inequality. Following this logic, varsity volleyball team and honors choir should certainly be eliminated since freshmen volleyball team is double the varsity’s size and honors chorus almost one eighth the size of the general choir. Nonetheless, it is obvious that the elimination of varsity sports teams and honors music classes is not part the Equality Activists' agenda.

How can the elimination of a higher level class because of its size be justified then? Just like the varsity volleyball team and honors chorus, AP and honor classes are selective in nature. It shouldn’t be surprising that there are fewer students in more competitive classes and special education courses. There will never be a honors wind ensemble that is larger than the general band. You will never see a varsity and freshmen team of the same size, because then the varsity team would only impose even stricter standards.

Equality cannot be simply equated with having same number of students in all classes. Equality is about serving everyone’s needs regardless of his or her race, sex, and such. Are the students in the special education program receiving the same attention as those in the regular and AP classes? Are the “young scientists” given as much opportunity as the “young businessmen”?

The Equality Activists proposed another plan coded “Leveling the Playing Field." The school is considering eliminating requirements and standards such as PSAT sores and marking period grades for students who wish to enlist in AP classes. Well, it’s true that people’s invaluable intellectual curiosity should not be smothered just because of one bad day or one bad year, but, again, following the same logic, I, who can’t even run ten meters without panting, should be allowed to join the varsity football team--my most fervent passion.

Well, the answer is obviously no. Even though “equality for all” resonates deeply with our egalitarian heart and democratic soul, we can’t just throw away standards once and for all. Standards are not elitists’ schemes to legitimize their dirty goals. Standards exist because this world is naturally selective. Colleges are selective. Jobs are selective. Heart transplants are selective. A dreamer who craves for utopian equality may well choose to live in a totalitarian government where jobs are assigned, competitions nonexistent, and lives plain and perfect.