July 29, 2011
July 28, 2011
Se garer sur la défensive
Vu dans le 8ème à Paris, pas vraiment un quartier chaud, mais on n'est jamais trop prudent...
July 13, 2011
Cheating on exams
A small-scale scandal is brewing in Paris, where Le Monde has revealed (article dated 12 July) that several of the subjects of the "bac" were available online prior to the exam, sometimes through class Facebook pages.
This is of course a big problem, including the complex re-administering of the many-part exam for thousands of 18 year olds, and probably more importantly in the eyes of the Ministry, the expensive re-mobilization of exam proctors and graders, all of whom are heavily unionized.
While cheating has always taken place during exams (I would even venture that it's happened in all cultures if the stakes are high enough), I am puzzled by those who are asking "why" an entire age group seems to be so willing to break the rules to "make it".
The value that of people's contribution to society in today's Western world is measured to a large extent by their remuneration. The rise of income inequality has created a yawning gap between those that have to tremendous riches and glamorous lives, and the rest, who can only look up in envy. When the rich & glamorous comprise people whose activities are suspect in terms of value for money (e.g.: sport stars, actors, artists, hedge-fund managers, traders, etc...) it debases the work of the productive members of society. This is particularly true in the current financial crisis, as the remunerations of the rich & glamorous has not fallen, quite the contrary for the bankers who caused the crisis in the first place, giving the impression that impunity has rewarded unfathomable greed.
The motivations for becoming a teacher, doctor, or engineer-that-practices-engineering must be very pure indeed, as they lead to automatic exclusion from the rich & glamorous set. This is despite the fact that these professions make arguably more valuable contributions to society (someone's got to teach and cure the kids who become engineers and build the private jets, after all).
In this context where access to immense privilege can be perceived as nothing more than a hold-up, it should come as no surprised that teenagers do not feel compelled to follow the rules of the game and study for their exams.
This is of course a big problem, including the complex re-administering of the many-part exam for thousands of 18 year olds, and probably more importantly in the eyes of the Ministry, the expensive re-mobilization of exam proctors and graders, all of whom are heavily unionized.
While cheating has always taken place during exams (I would even venture that it's happened in all cultures if the stakes are high enough), I am puzzled by those who are asking "why" an entire age group seems to be so willing to break the rules to "make it".
The value that of people's contribution to society in today's Western world is measured to a large extent by their remuneration. The rise of income inequality has created a yawning gap between those that have to tremendous riches and glamorous lives, and the rest, who can only look up in envy. When the rich & glamorous comprise people whose activities are suspect in terms of value for money (e.g.: sport stars, actors, artists, hedge-fund managers, traders, etc...) it debases the work of the productive members of society. This is particularly true in the current financial crisis, as the remunerations of the rich & glamorous has not fallen, quite the contrary for the bankers who caused the crisis in the first place, giving the impression that impunity has rewarded unfathomable greed.
The motivations for becoming a teacher, doctor, or engineer-that-practices-engineering must be very pure indeed, as they lead to automatic exclusion from the rich & glamorous set. This is despite the fact that these professions make arguably more valuable contributions to society (someone's got to teach and cure the kids who become engineers and build the private jets, after all).
In this context where access to immense privilege can be perceived as nothing more than a hold-up, it should come as no surprised that teenagers do not feel compelled to follow the rules of the game and study for their exams.
July 12, 2011
Pourquoi se gêner?
Rue de Parme, Paris 9ème. Devant les bureaux de la Police, on trouve tous les jours des motos garées sur le trottoir. On voit régulièrement des PV aux pare-brises de véhicules dans la rue. On n'en voit jamais de aux pare-brises de ces motos. A qui appartiennent-elles?
Sans doute pas à des fonctionnaires de police, cela serait tout de même étonnant qu'ils se garent en infraction et en toute impunité ainsi.
Sans doute pas à des fonctionnaires de police, cela serait tout de même étonnant qu'ils se garent en infraction et en toute impunité ainsi.
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