Lost in the Meritocracy: The Undereducation of an Overachiever

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It's a hit!

This book is less a commentary on the disservices inflicted on overachieving students by education and more of a discussion of a rural young man be... (show more)

This book is less a commentary on the disservices inflicted on overachieving students by education and more of a discussion of a rural young man being thrown to academic demons that he was ill-prepared to deal with. Taken in that light, it becomes a story about realization of self and of others.

Kirn’s open portrayal of his actions makes him in some instances unlikable and infuriating. That’s wonderful. There’s no real attachment to him, which makes it much easier to take in and evaluate everything he’s saying, which is volumes. To him, the educational system is a game to be played and that most of the high achievers in this system don't achieve based on merit, but on knowing how to play.

I found that this book gives a fairly honest and painful look at one person’s experience in the Ivy League system and should be read as such. If you’re looking for a balanced analysis of the US educational system, however, you’re going to be disappointed. (show less)

 

 

by Chrissie Evaskis

No, it's a flop!

Can't recommend this one. As a recent alum with ambivalences about my own "elite" education, I was primed to absorb Kirn's thesis -- that clever li... (show more)

Can't recommend this one. As a recent alum with ambivalences about my own "elite" education, I was primed to absorb Kirn's thesis -- that clever liberal arts students are encouraged to "fake it" with careful buzzwords and meta-analysis rather than pursuing genuine understanding. And indeed Kirn has some insightful things to say, illustrated with colorful anecdotes, and he put them all on display in the original 2005 version of this story, which ran in the Atlantic (http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200501/kirn). But here, in book form, they're buried underneath hundreds of pages of directionless memories that contribute nothing to his thesis -- indeed, sometimes they don't even contribute to his coming-of-age narrative. Characters are sketched minimally if at all, and even Kirn himself fails to cohere into a recognizable character. The few attempts to round out the structure with some symmetry (including two visits with "Uncle Admiral" which bookend the narrative) fall pretty flat, and their presence actually underscores the structurelessness of the remainder. With heavy editing, this could have been a powerful memoir and a powerful indictment of higher ed. In its current state, it's neither. Stick to his Atlantic piece, which includes all the best parts with less of the fat. (show less)

 

 

by Leigh

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  After hearing a short interview with Kirn, I thought this was a book about his lack of cultural capital as a rural Minnesota kid who went to Princeton. That's not what this book is about. I initially disliked it a great deal, probably because Kirn was a smart ass who figured out how to work educational systems. From start to nearly the finish, he is not likable. This book is more about class consciousness, particularly for a largely unstable kid who ends up at Princeton after coming from a ... (show more)

  After hearing a short interview with Kirn, I thought this was a book about his lack of cultural capital as a rural Minnesota kid who went to Princeton. That's not what this book is about. I initially disliked it a great deal, probably because Kirn was a smart ass who figured out how to work educational systems. From start to nearly the finish, he is not likable. This book is more about class consciousness, particularly for a largely unstable kid who ends up at Princeton after coming from a family with a truly unstable father -- and pretty miserable public education. By the end, I thought it was a very sad story. Kirn may have been an unlikable smart-ass, but he was also a lost kid who didn't know much about how to engage with others, his education, or himself. Being molested by a school teacher simply added to all the mess. I continue to believe that higher education can be transformative, but Kirn's story shows that it is not always so. I do not dispute his assertion that the most elite educations serve as much to develop connection for the future as education, but I do assert that Kirn also shows that higher education can be absurd. (show less)

   

   

  by Joyce on Aug 14, 2009 at 07:25AM

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  From the abstract and an interview with Kirn that I saw, I thought the book would be less biographical and more analytical. Despite that disappointed expectation, I did enjoy the book quite a bit. Although Kirn typifies a person who I would have been exceedingly annoyed with during my university years, he at least realizes to a certain degree the absurdity of the system which he learned to manipulate so well and eventually comes to appreciate learning and reading.

  I enjoyed his detailed ... (show more)

  From the abstract and an interview with Kirn that I saw, I thought the book would be less biographical and more analytical. Despite that disappointed expectation, I did enjoy the book quite a bit. Although Kirn typifies a person who I would have been exceedingly annoyed with during my university years, he at least realizes to a certain degree the absurdity of the system which he learned to manipulate so well and eventually comes to appreciate learning and reading.

  I enjoyed his detailed story-telling style that traced his many exploits in the U.S. educational system. It was easy to empathize with his exploration of his journey from being the top dog in Minnesota to being "Lost," as he puts it, at Princeton with an "elite" world to which he did not and could not belong.

  If you are looking for an analysis of the failings of education, not the best book, but it remains an interesting story of Kirn's own experiences. (show less)

   

   

  by Jackie Harris on Aug 05, 2009 at 01:19PM

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