I was at a party for Bastille Day in Paris a few years back, and we were leaning over the balcony to watch the fireworks. A cute French girl sat next to me, but after a few flirty glances the moment was entirely ruined with the most basic of interactions: “What’s your name?” she asked in French. “Cody,” I said.
That was it. We were done. “Co-zee?” she said, sounding out the entirely foreign name, looking more disgruntled with each try. “Col-bee?” “Cot-ee?”
In fact, companies with names that are simple and easy to pronounce see significantly higher investments than more complexly named stocks, especially just after their initial public offerings when information on the stock’s fundamentals are most scarce. People with easier to pronounce names are also judged more positively and tend to be hired and promoted more often than their more obscurely named peers.
There are more variables at play than just pronunciation, though. In competitive fields that have classically been dominated by men, such as law and engineering, women with sexually ambiguous names tend to be more successful. This effect is known as the Portia Hypothesis (named for the heroine of Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice who disguises herself as a lawyer’s apprentice and takes on the name Balthazar to save the titular merchant, Antonio). A study found that female lawyers with more masculine names—such as Barney, Dale, Leslie, Jan, and Rudell—tend to have better chances of winning judgeships than their more effeminately named female peers. All else being equal, changing a candidate’s name from Sue to Cameron tripled a candidate’s likelihood of becoming a judge; a change from Sue to Bruce quintupled it.
Names work hard: They can affect who gets into elite schools, what jobs we apply for, and who gets hired. Our names can even influence what cities we live in, who we befriend, and what products we buy since, we’re attracted to things and places that share similarities to our names.
A name is, after all, perhaps the most important identifier of a person. Most decisions are made in about three to four seconds of meeting someone, and this “thin-slicing” is surprisingly accurate. Something as packed full of clues as a name tends to lead to all sorts of assumptions and expectations about a person, often before any face-to-face interaction has taken place. A first name can imply race, age, socioeconomic status, and sometimes religion, so it’s an easy—or lazy—way to judge someone’s background, character, and intelligence.
These judgments can start as early as primary school. Teachers tend to hold lower expectations for students with typically black-sounding names while they set high expectations for students with typically white- and Asian-sounding names. And this early assessment of students’ abilities could influence students’ expectations for themselves.
On this year’s French baccalaureate, an exam that determines university placement for high school students, test-takers named Thomas (for boys) and Marie (for girls) tended to score highest. These are, you will note, typically white, French, middle- or upper-class names. One could imagine these students were given the advantage of high expectations and self-perception, whether or not they had the money and support that comes with the socioeconomic background associated with those names.
People change their names for different reasons. Angelina Voight became Jolie to estrange herself from her father and Natalie Hershlag became Portman to maintain her family’s privacy. The inclusion of a middle initial in formal correspondence is a strong identifier of intelligence (even though the New York Times claims it’s a dying trend). But what if parents from disadvantaged circumstances gave their children “advantaged” names? Could just a name really have that great of an effect on a person’s career and future?
A 2004 study showed that all else being equal, employers selected candidates with names like Emily Walsh and Greg Baker for callbacks almost 50 percent more often than candidates with names like Lakisha Washington and Jamal Jones. Work experience was controlled and the candidates never met face-to-face with the employer so all that was being tested was the effect of the candidate’s name. The researchers concluded that there was a great advantage to having a white-sounding name, so much so that having a white-sounding name is worth about eight years of work experience. “Jamal” would have to work in an industry for eight years longer than “Greg” for them to have equal chances of being hired, even if Jamal came from a privileged background and Greg from an underprivileged one. (Perhaps that’s why mega-celebrities can get away with giving their children peculiar names. A résumé with the name North West probably wouldn’t do as well as James Williamson—unless Papa Kanye called up the boss.)
After the girl at the party had so much trouble saying my name, I asked what her name was. “Edwige,” she said. It’s a lovely name, very French, but it is also pronounced the exact same way as “Hedwige,” which just so happens to be the French version of Hedwig, the owl in Harry Potter. “Don’t make fun,” she said, and I didn’t. But neither did we talk very much for the rest of the night. But still, I wonder what would’ve happened if I had been a Pierre and she a Marion. Perhaps we would’ve gotten along quite well that night, perhaps we would’ve quickly trusted each other. Perhaps I’d have a date this weekend.
It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so. – Mark Twain
To almost all, including me, the phrase “I don’t know” packs serious anxiety. It exposes weakness and demonstrates a lack of knowledge. It sets us up for judgement, condescension, and potentially negative ramifications. Our minds race with horrifying scenarios: my friends will think I’m dumb; my boss will consider me incompetent; my spouse will lose confidence.
But as hard as we try to fake it, reality is unchanged. Most see right through us, or at best are confused by us. We suspect the person who knows it all, actually knows very little and are highly skeptical of the “full-service” company that is excellent at everything. There is only so much BS-ing that can be tolerated. We ultimately just want to know the truth.
Saying “I don’t know” isn’t admitting weakness, but instead is a show of strength. It signals self-awareness and validates the limited knowledge you claim to hold. Author Bill Long explains:
Not only is knowledge useful and enjoyable, but an ability to explain things precisely and lucidly is almost as important as learning to be gracious and loving towards others. I live for knowledge and I love putting it together in ways that have not yet been done. But what I am learning as I mature is that you actually learn more and are more useful to yourself and others if you are constantly aware of what you don't know and if you are willing readily to admit to others the nature (and scope) of your ignorance. No one will ever tell you that a successful interview should consist of statements of your ignorance; but I will tell you that the most successful way to learn and develop your mind to its greatest potential is to live in your ignorance, readily admit it, and know how to use your ignorance to leverage knowledge at a deeper level.
I’ve been considering the topic recently as the result of a few business interactions.
1. I chatted with a lawyer who claimed to understand the intricacies of both startup law, and public company M&A law. He also mentioned that he “does a little criminal work on the side.”
2. An adventur.es portfolio company asked for feedback on a Fortune 100 pitch. They specifically wanted to know how they could cover up the fact they had little industry experience relevant to the potential client. I told them to admit their shortcoming with confidence. The meeting went well.
3. I was pitched by a software startup looking for investment. The three founders claimed on their opening slide to be “experts in the business consulting.” They were between 22-25 years old and had never started or operated a business.
In short, it pays to know what you don’t know and admit it.
Practically, saying “I don’t know” takes courage, confidence, and humility. It is a phrase reserved for those of substance who know something and want to learn more. Perhaps Socrates had it right all along, “The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.”
下午去住房办公室办事。等候的时候,闲来无事,决定清理自己手机里的联系人。一个个往下看,D,D是谁?一点印象也没有。删。J,who is J?想不起怎么认识的了,只记得他老给我打电话叫我出去玩,我总是礼貌地拒绝,拒绝到他都不好意思再打了。删。R,啊,那个辽宁女孩,在一个餐馆认识的,对人莫名其妙的热情,总说“人在外面,朋友是最重要的,真的真的,朋友是最重要的”。给我打过几个电话,总是计划着一起出去玩,却从来没有成行。这几个月便是彻底不打电话了。删。G,交友party上认识的一个美女,不知道为什么,当时竟然互相留了电话,却从来没有打过她的电话。而且那次party过后,再也没有见过、听说过她。删。
一口气删了十多个人。边删边想,D,D在干什么呢?这个我都想不起来的D,此刻在干什么呢?还有J,R,G……这些若有似无的人,在哪里汗流浃背地生活呢?认识更多的人,忘记更多的人。被更多的人记住,被更多的人遗忘,吹出更多的肥皂泡,然后看到更多肥皂泡的破裂。自己川流不息的生活,不过是别人手机里的两个音节而已。而过几个月,就连音节都不是了,仅仅是被消耗掉的无法追回的那段时间,躺在烟灰缸里的几截烟灰而已。
letter from a professor majored in ME,U OF MICHIGAN,US
Dear xxx:
Over about one year period, we have had 6 Chinese Ph.D. students quit their RAship and Ph.D. studies. The reason for them to leave was not that they could not continue, it was rather because they want to have a job now (a higher salary, with a hope that the companies will apply for their green card status). They came with thier promises to pursue their Ph.D. degrees, we paid tuition for them to take courses for their Master degree, and we taught and helped them in their research capabilities. Once they got their M.S. degree in Mechanical Engeering, because of the excellent job market in the U.S. at this time, it is relatively easy for them to find a job. In a way we felt that we were used as a step for those Chinese students to come here, and get their master's degree, then get their jobs. We pay approximately $45-50 K/year for each Ph.D. student, including the tuition, health insurance, various fees, lab and computer fees, and monthly salary, we also put a lot of time and efforts for them. They (most of them) also did good research work as assistants. However, we don't get credit because we don't produce PH.D's, which is one of our major purposes as an institution of high education. On the other hand, they have their particular interests which are also understandable, for example, financial pressure, and wishes to have their green card applications on the way asap.
This situation also happened to my Chinese Ph.D.student. He is very talented and did a good job in research. However, after he got his M.S. in M.E., he resigned very recently. We still let him stay here presently (with salary) for one more month, otherwise he will have to repay his tuition, which is over $10K. Although we are very considerate for those students, the consequences are obvious:
(1) It greatly degraded the reputation of Chinese graduate students who
apply for admission. Some professors address those as "very unethical", "you really cannot trust them when they promise you to pursue their Ph.D. degrees under your supervision", " you feel you are so stupid as cheated by your own student". It really created some resentment. Actually, I know, as of this time, there are a couple of more students looking for a job or already got a job offer, but not telling their advisors. They will quit at the last minute before they leave. This situation will certainly get backfired, and the damage will mostly be transferred onto the future applicants from China.
(2) Some professors or research scientists have already made their decisions not to consider Chinese student applications. Although it should not and cannot be a policy, it is the individual's decision in selecting future Ph.D. students with preference, and in my opinion, with good reasons. It will make it much more difficult for us to bring in Ph.D. students from China. For example, as you know, I was looking for one or two Ph.D. students later this year, and I have a vacancy for a Ph.D. student now. But I will not consider Chinese applicants. At the same time I feel truly sorry, for I know, especially many graduate students from Tsinghua University of very high qualifications sent email applications to me (and to other professors), including yourself. Now I have to inform you that please try your applications elsewhere, or other professors.
In our department, many Chinese graduate students know me and we have a very friendly relationships. The faculty members know that too. One told me: "You try to help them, then they screw you up!" I spent time to write this email message, for your information and considerations, as to how this situation may be somehow alleviated. You may discuss this with your close friends and classmates, I am not sure you should broadly propagate this message. But I did present a fact and an opinion
昨天在伦敦的晚会上,我遇见了这样一位校友。他西装革履,睿智幽默,谈笑风生,典型成功男士的形象。然后我了解到他是Slaughter&May的managing partner,就瞬间觉得他高富帅的形象更加帅富高:Slaughters是伦敦magic circle firm里最有气质的一所,而且partners很少,所以提名很困难。
也是当时申请的时候,Nigel说过这样一句话: I feel you are trying too hard to keep all the doors open. But you have to realize that some doors are just meant to be closed, so that in this kaleidoscope of fervor and desire, you can come to see which ones you ought to go through.
在书的封面上可以看到一个长长的副标题:“Hundreds of Money Saving Hints to Create Your Own Great Look”(数百个帮你打造最佳个人风格的省钱办法)。
《Cheap Chic》的原版于 1975 年在美国出版发行,作者是两位女性,同为服装编辑出身的凯特琳·米丽奈尔(Caterine Milinaire)和卡罗尔·特洛伊(Carol Troy)。在书的封面上可以看到一个长长的副标题:“Hundreds of Money Saving Hints to Create Your Own Great Look”(数百个帮你打造最佳个人风格的省钱办法)。当时的美国,已经经历了二战后的经济高速发展时期。越南战争刚刚结束,对抗文化的热潮逐渐退去,人们尤其是年轻人开始更多地关注自我,更加在意自身个性的体现。