FT: Contrast to Seoul’s defining moment

Letter to the Financial Times (October 25, 2011) From Mr Kai L. Chan. Sir, Watching the Greek tragedy unfold -- most recently with protests in Athens that turned violent ("Athens burns: Austerity measures passed despite protests", report, October 20) -- one cannot help but juxtapose these actions with those that unfolded in Korea during the Asian crisis of 1997-98. Greeks are taking to the streets with petrol bombs over the prospect of the raising of the retirement age from 61 to 63, and of the elimination of public sector largesse (average government salaries that are almost three times the level of similar private sector positions). During the crisis of 1997-98, ordinary Korean citizens were queuing up to donate their gold and jewellery to the central government to help their nation avert bankruptcy. The differences between the two nations could not be more stark. The act of making harsh sacrifices to save their country became a defining moment for the Koreans (Korea has since become the 15th largest economy, having tripled the size of its economy since its nadir in 1998); Greece is looking at its defining moment with an eye towards becoming a have-not country of the 21st century. Kai…

PAW: Economic remedies

Letter to the Princeton Alumni Weekly (April 6, 2011 edition) It was such a delight to read about Alan Blinder '67 (feature, March 2).  I was fortunate enough to have met Blinder when I was at Princeton.  (Blinder was on my dissertation committee, as was Paul Krugman.)  In addition to being a giant in the field of economics, Blinder is one of the most gracious and kind persons I know.  In fact, I would say that his heart rivals his stature in the spheres of economics and public policy.  Blinder was instrumental in helping me finish my thesis.  Even with his busy schedule and lofty accomplishments, he took the time to help me graduate, when others had little time for a struggling graduate student. If Ben Bernanke were to retire from the Fed, I could think of no person more qualified to assume the post of chairman of the Fed than Alan Blinder. KAI L. CHAN *08 New York, NY April 6, 2011 PAW letters section

Trinity Alumni Magazine: Hear! hear! to higher education

Letter to Trinity Alumni Magazine Winter 2011 It was nice to read about the new deans, Jonathan Steels and Kristen Moore, as well as about Brett Cumberbatch, who is working on outreach to at-risk youth in Toronto's northwest.  The efforts of people like them help enrich Trinity, and our communities. However, I often feel that the traditional programs set up to help Trinity students as well as at-risk youth in our communities miss large swathes of the population.  I myself was an at-risk youth (arrested twice as a young offender and dropped out of high school), as well as someone who had a lot of hardships transitioning to life at university (I was briefly homeless in my first year and eked out an existence by holding down multiple part-time jobs). The weak political voice of under-performing Asians juxtaposed with high-achieving Asians means that this community is often neglected or at best a low priority.  Kudos to those who work to help tear down the barriers that impede people from achieving their potential.  Higher education is without a doubt the single most powerful driver of social mobility. Kai L. Chan, '99 New York City Trinity Alumni Magazine Winter 2011 PDF of…

WSJ: Tiger mother’s child-rearing method draws response

Letter to the Wall Street Journal (January 14, 2011) Although the way Ms. Chua raised her children may be typical of many high-achieving Chinese families, there are many Chinese families who live quite the opposite life.  According to recent Census data, the majority of Chinese people grow up in low-income households, and within this group children typically do not play musical instruments or devote many hours to homework. I grew up in a very poor Chinese family in which none of my siblings completed post-secondary schooling.  I was arrested twice as a teenager and dropped out of high school before eventually finishing at age 20.  However, I did go on to earn a doctorate. Because the "superior Chinese mother" stereotype is so ingrained into society, few outreach programs target at-risk Chinese youths.  Some of my childhood Chinese friends are now in jail or are drug addicts because people in authority always thought our households resembled Ms. Chua's. Kai L. Chan New York Letter as it appeared in the WSJ Copyright ©2011 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved

G&M: Tiger moms

Letter to the Globe & Mail (January 12, 2011) Amy Chua’s book highlights one segment of Chinese parenting in the West to the detriment of another swath of the community.  According to recent census data, the majority of Chinese-Canadians grow up in low-income households, and within this group children typically do not play musical instruments or devote many hours to homework. Many Chinese-Canadian youths from low-income backgrounds face problems of underachievement and criminality.  I grew up in a very poor Chinese family where none of my siblings completed post secondary schooling.  I was arrested twice as a teenager and dropped out of high school before eventually finishing at age 20.  However, I did go on to get degrees from the University of Toronto and Princeton, where I faced a cultural shock when meeting Chinese students there who conformed to Ms. Chua’s background. Because the Chinese tiger mom stereotype is so ingrained, few, if any, outreach programs target at-risk Chinese youths.  Some of my childhood Chinese friends are now in jail or drug addicts because people in authority always thought our households resembled Ms. Chua’s. Kai L. Chan, New York The Globe and Mail © Copyright 2011 CTVglobemedia Publishing Inc.  All…

U of T Magazine: In response to Less Starin’, More Sharin’

U of T Magazine, Autumn 2010 I read Andrew Murphy’s column and recalled the days when I was an undergraduate at U of T.  Looking back, I wish I made more lasting connections when I had the chance.  Somebody once told me (after I graduated) that the most important thing that you pick up at university is your friends — you will lean on them for the rest of your life.  So Murphy is spot on when he says students need to be more confident to meet new faces and make the university experience fun. Since graduating I’ve picked up a talent for befriending new people. Some of this confidence comes with age, but a lot can be fostered by the university.  I know this because I served as an assistant master (akin to an assistant dean) at Princeton when I was a graduate student.  At Princeton I was surprised by how many students would stop me and thank me because I had once joined them for a meal when they were alone in the cafeteria, or said hi to them on campus. These were simple gestures, yet they meant so much because everybody comes into university nervous and yearning for…

Toronto Star: Tough on crime just for the poor

Letter to the Toronto Star (Sunday, April 10, 2010) Tough on crime just for the poor Re:  Former MP Rahim Jaffer connected to conman, April 8 I was intrigued to read that the Crown in Rahim Jaffer's court case very generously offered the former MP a favourable plea bargain.  When I was 17 years old growing up in poverty and arrested as a young offender, the Crown sought six month's closed custody (i.e. jail time) for a school fight I got into. I had to aggressively fight against the Crown and won a favourable ruling (probation with no incarceration) from the judge who presided over my case.  Eighteen years later I am an alumnus of University of Toronto and Princeton University.  I wonder what path my life would have taken had I spent six months in jail.  Seems to me that the tough on crime model only applies to people from lesser backgrounds. Kai Chan, New York http://www.thestar.com/opinion/article/793115--tough-on-crime-just-for-the-poor © Copyright Toronto Star 1996-2010

G&M: What to do: young offenders

The Globe & Mail: Letters to the editor (March 18, 2010) What to do: young offenders I was arrested twice as a young offender (Tory Bill Proposes Publicizing Names Of Violent Young Offenders – March 17), so I read carefully the proposed changes to the legislation.  For the most part, harsh sentences do not deter crime and actually work against rehabilitating offenders.  My brief time in incarceration only ensconced me more deeply in the criminal culture: While in detention, I befriended hardened offenders.  Most of the people I met in juvenile detention were good persons, who just happened to come from unfortunate backgrounds (poverty, dysfunctional families etc.). I always wonder how much talent our country is wasting by not making these young offenders do something productive with their lives (e.g. getting them involved in sports/arts/culture), rather than leaving them to wither in detention. I eventually went on to get a PhD at Princeton after graduating from the University of Toronto.  Teenage years are rough for everyone. K.L. Chan, New York http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/letters-to-the-editor/march-18-letters-to-the-editor/article1503730/ © Copyright 2010 CTVglobemedia Publishing Inc.  All Rights Reserved.

NYT: The era of the white man

Letter to the editor published in the NYT (on-line edition) April 7, 2008 Letter ‘The Era of the White Man’ To the Editor: Re “The Baton Passes to Asia,” by Roger Cohen (column, The New York Times on the Web, March 31): Before anyone really thinks that “it’s the end of the era of the white man,” let me point out a few things. The rates of economic growth in China and India are high because these are modernizing countries playing a game of catch-up. When you look at G.D.P. per capita numbers, the United States is still far ahead of both countries. Second, 450 million cellphones in China, a country of more than 1.3 billion people, means that only over a third of its people have a mobile handset, much lower than the ratio in most developed (typically white) countries. Yes, Asia is large, and the economic gravity is shifting (back) toward Asia, but this is simply natural given, that most of humanity lives there. Go to China or India and see how far the world’s paradigm must shift before the era of “white is right” is over.  The female “natives” virtually worship the white male expatriates in Asia,…

FT: I’d rather have the comfort of a chocolate bar in the nuclear winter

Letter to the Financial Times (21 January 2008) I'd rather have the comfort of a chocolate bar in the nuclear winter Published: January 21 2008 02:00 | Last updated: January 21 2008 02:00 From Mr Kai L. Chan. Sir, The argument Chris Kniel sets forth (Letters, January 17) as to the intrinsic value of bullion-backed currency falls into a common fallacy that blinds gold bugs. The current system of fiat money does display inflationary bias, so no disagreement on that point.  However, to believe that gold has special value is pushing the argument. Gold-backed currency has less inflationary bias only insomuch as the supply of gold is limited and has a real cost of production (ie extraction).  If money were backed by salt, water, sand or whatever commodity one desires, it would have the same anti-inflationary effect.  The only special qualities for gold are its relative scarcity and high cost of extraction.  In that case, uranium would probably serve as an even better storage of value and be less prone to debasement, a common flaw of gold coinage. Personally, I'd still rather have my currency backed by chocolate bars.  In the case of a worldwide catastrophe – such as a…