Why are Asians so smart

It is a popular conception that Asians are smarter than the other races and that is the reason why they excel in academic and scientific fields more than the others. This conception or stereotype is quite old now, but it still is believed by many. However, the truth is that Asians as a race are not superior to any other race in terms of biology. In fact, no human race on earth is superior to the other human races in terms of genetics or any other biological factors.

There is however, a certain degree of truth in the statement as students in certain parts of Asia are found to be very studious and ambitious. This fact is due to cultural and social factors, rather than genetic factors. In East Asia, education was given more importance than perhaps in any other contemporary nation because here, the status of one’s family was immensely responsible for the kind of life that the person and his/her family had. Civil Service Examinations were a way for the successful examinees to join the status of the literati, which meant increase in the social status as well as the standards of living. It is this extremely competitive mentality incorporated in their culture and psychology over the course of generations that has made the Asians seem smarter.

Although that particular social system might have gone through some major changes, the competitive spirit it imparted onto the Asians has made them very effective in today’s competitive world. It is true that competition today starts right from the early school days and continues throughout one’s schooling, college and later in job opportunities. In such an environment it is no wonder that the Asians excel as they have experienced the pressure of competition in their society long before the others. The Asian families groom their children in their tradition and thus they find themselves in familiar grounds. It is amazing, but even in some of the advanced mathematics class, certain Asian countries disallow the use of calculators and are often encouraged to use the abacus. Such strict measures paired with strict economic conditions of these countries have made their students more agile, effective and fast.