If he didn’t jump the academic shark with that rape-by-deception article (see here), then Jed Rubenfeld certainly did with his new book, co-authored with wife Amy Chua. Even the New York Post senses that something is not right in Rubenfeldville:
In “The Triple Package,” Chua and her husband, co-author Jed Rubenfeld, gather some specious stats and anecdotal evidence to argue that some groups are just superior to others and everyone else is contributing to the downfall of America.
Unsurprisingly, the Chinese Chua and the Jewish Rubenfeld belong to two of the eight groups they deem exceptional. In no seeming order of importance, they are:
- Jewish
- Indian
- Chinese
- Iranian
- Lebanese-Americans
- Nigerians
- Cuban exiles
- Mormons
These groups — “cultural,” mind you, never “ethnic” or “racial” or “religious” — all possess, in the authors’ estimation, three qualities that they’ve identified as guarantors of wealth and power: superiority, insecurity and impulse control.
If you have never clicked through to a New York Post article before, this one (here) is worth it. But then again, what do I know? My people aren’t exceptional.
-Bridget Crawford
