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Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can ... - WordPress.com

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and stuff, but my mom doesn’t want mego<strong>in</strong>g out that much, because I have tostudy.”I’m struck by the young woman’ssense <strong>of</strong> filial obligation, and its connectionto prioritiz<strong>in</strong>g study over sociallife. But this is not unusual <strong>in</strong> Cupert<strong>in</strong>o.Many Asian-American kids heretell me that they study all summer attheir parents’ request, even decl<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g<strong>in</strong>vitations to July birthday parties sothey can get ahead on the follow<strong>in</strong>gOctober’s calculus curriculum.“I th<strong>in</strong>k it’s our culture,” expla<strong>in</strong>sTiffany Liao, a poised Swarthmoreboundhigh school senior whose parentsare from Taiwan. “Study, do well,don’t create waves. It’s <strong>in</strong>bred <strong>in</strong> us tobe more quiet. When I was a kid andwould go to my parents’ friends’ houseand didn’t want to talk, I would br<strong>in</strong>g abook. It was like this shield, and they524/929

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