# Why are Jewish people so disproportionately successful **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [June 14, 2013, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-jewish-people-so-disproportionately-successful/661027 "2013-06-14T21:55:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Renee\_RL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7c8e57/32.png) [@Renee\_RL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee_RL)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2013, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-jewish-people-so-disproportionately-successful/661027/161 "2013-08-10T16:03:58Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > Just a nitpick - I hate the term “Jewish people”. To me it seems that when it is used in place of “Jews” that’s because “Jews” somehow sounds derogatory to the speaker. Are you Jewish? ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2013, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-jewish-people-so-disproportionately-successful/661027/162 "2013-08-10T16:48:42Z")
> [@Renee\_RL](#): > > Are you Jewish? Yes. Why? ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2013, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-jewish-people-so-disproportionately-successful/661027/163 "2013-08-12T02:57:14Z")
If I were a rich man, Yubby dibby dibby dibby dibby dibby dibby dum. All day long I’d biddy biddy bum. If I were a wealthy man. I wouldn’t have to work hard. Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum. If I were a biddy biddy rich, Idle-diddle-daidle-daidle man. ---
**Author:** ![LC\_Strawhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19adc/32.png) [@LC\_Strawhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LC_Strawhouse)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2013, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-jewish-people-so-disproportionately-successful/661027/164 "2013-08-12T03:06:04Z")
Sorry, but pretty much any group’s “success” is absolute kid stuff compared to that of upper class Brits of Norman descent. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2013, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-jewish-people-so-disproportionately-successful/661027/165 "2013-08-12T08:04:39Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > Yeah, I’m going with the cutting-off-part-of-your-dick requirement as what’s holding the numbers down. Ha! Yes indeed, good hypothesis. ---
**Author:** ![Renee\_RL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7c8e57/32.png) [@Renee\_RL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee_RL)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2013, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-jewish-people-so-disproportionately-successful/661027/166 "2013-08-12T15:44:37Z")
Before the Holocaust Germany had so many Nobel prize winners…after hardly any. ---
**Author:** ![RedFury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ec9cab/32.png) [@RedFury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedFury)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2013, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-jewish-people-so-disproportionately-successful/661027/167 "2013-08-12T15:52:56Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > Not really because that’s a pretty exceptional business model. It’s hardly a widespread phenomena and for most of history, a Jewish background was a liability in business. Ever since excuses came-up, no one is ever wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Virgil\_Tibbs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c4cdca/32.png) [@Virgil\_Tibbs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Virgil_Tibbs)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2013, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-jewish-people-so-disproportionately-successful/661027/168 "2013-08-12T16:21:27Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > Ha! Yes indeed, good hypothesis. Muslims also circumcise, or am I missing something? Regarding the Jewish debate, is it simply that a high proportion of US Jews are middle class, they are status-conscious and their culture esteems education, work and family values? ---
**Author:** ![asianjew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@asianjew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asianjew)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2013, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-jewish-people-so-disproportionately-successful/661027/169 "2013-09-11T06:03:28Z")
I think one of the reasons Asians can’t get extremely wealthy is because culturally, Asians are very different from jews. Although both cultures emphasize education the similarities end there. Asians focus on authority and rote memorization, whereas jews are encouraged to think critically and always question. Asians will work hard and become doctors, engineers, etc. but it is difficult to advance, either because Asians lack the self confidence to speak up or can’t play that game. The EQ of Asians is low, in other words. The other thing is that Asians tend to value face. Thus, that means buying the biggest houses, sending kids to the best and most expensive schools, buying luxury cars, etc and blowing any wealth they may have accumulated for really nothing. Jews are taught on day one the value of investing and the value of delayed gratification. Of course there are exceptions to every race and culture but as someone who grew up Chinese but is converting to judaism, this is what I see. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2013, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-jewish-people-so-disproportionately-successful/661027/170 "2013-09-11T06:09:57Z")
> [@asianjew](#): > > I think one of the reasons Asians can’t get extremely wealthy … What a weird post. FYI [17 of the world’s 100 richest people are Asian](http://www.forbes.com/billionaires/list/). The top-ranking one is #8, at $31 billion. ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2013, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-jewish-people-so-disproportionately-successful/661027/171 "2013-09-11T07:05:50Z")
> [@asianjew](#): > > I think one of the reasons Asians can’t get extremely wealthy is because culturally, Asians are very different from jews. Although both cultures emphasize education the similarities end there. Asians focus on authority and rote memorization, whereas jews are encouraged to think critically and always question. Asians will work hard and become doctors, engineers, etc. but it is difficult to advance, either because Asians lack the self confidence to speak up or can’t play that game. The EQ of Asians is low, in other words. > > The other thing is that Asians tend to value face. Thus, that means buying the biggest houses, sending kids to the best and most expensive schools, buying luxury cars, etc and blowing any wealth they may have accumulated for really nothing. Jews are taught on day one the value of investing and the value of delayed gratification. > > Of course there are exceptions to every race and culture but as someone who grew up Chinese but is converting to judaism, this is what I see. Please define “Asian”. Are you really arguing that Afghans and the Japanese should be grouped into the same category? For myself, I don’t see what Banghladeshis and Koreans have in common and would make it more sense to put them in the same category as opposed to say Norwegians and Brazilians, but perhaps you can enlighten me. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2013, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-jewish-people-so-disproportionately-successful/661027/172 "2013-09-11T12:11:36Z")
> [@RedFury](#): > > Ever since excuses came-up, no one is ever wrong. Don’t be so hard on yourself. ---
**Author:** ![asianjew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@asianjew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asianjew)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2013, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-jewish-people-so-disproportionately-successful/661027/173 "2013-09-11T14:20:29Z")
> [@Askance](#): > > What a weird post. FYI [17 of the world’s 100 richest people are Asian](http://www.forbes.com/billionaires/list/). The top-ranking one is #8, at $31 billion. Not saying they can’t get wealthy, I’m saying the chances are a lot lower. Given that china itself comprise 20% of the worlds population but jews only 0.2% the chance for a jew to make the top 100 is about 100 times greater than that of an asian. And when I say asian, I mean, Indians, Chinese, Japanese, Koreans, Vietnamese, philipinos, etc. ---
**Author:** ![asianjew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@asianjew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asianjew)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2013, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-jewish-people-so-disproportionately-successful/661027/174 "2013-09-11T14:22:45Z")
> [@Ibn\_Warraq](#): > > Please define “Asian”. > > Are you really arguing that Afghans and the Japanese should be grouped into the same category? > > For myself, I don’t see what Banghladeshis and Koreans have in common and would make it more sense to put them in the same category as opposed to say Norwegians and Brazilians, but perhaps you can enlighten me. I never like lumping Asians all into one category but Americans seem to have this sense that all “Asians” are hardworking, etc. and this is where i completely disagree with this american notion. if you just look at the Chinese, jews are about 100 times more likely to make the top 100 list than a Chinese person. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2013, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-jewish-people-so-disproportionately-successful/661027/175 "2013-09-11T14:46:24Z")
> [@asianjew](#): > > Not saying they can’t get wealthy, I’m saying the chances are a lot lower. You’re extrapolating a lot from a limited set of data. Western style capitalism hasn’t been at work in Asia for nearly as long as it has in Europe or the Americas, nor have they been a part of Western culture nearly as long as Jews. The analysis is even more flawed if you try to use a statistical comparison. While India and China do account for 1/3 of the world’s population, neither has exactly been a capitalist paradise until recently. And what happened as soon as those countries turned more favorably towards capitalism in the last couple decades? Bam. Billionaires popping up all over the place. Give it a few more generations and more general acceptance of capitalism and let’s see what happens, shall we? ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2013, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-jewish-people-so-disproportionately-successful/661027/176 "2013-10-10T00:56:48Z")
I thought it was relevant to note that as of now (October 9, 2013) with the Economics, Peace, and Literature prizes still to be announced, there are six more Jewish Nobel Laureates: François Englert (Physics) James Rothman (Physiology or Medicine) Randy Schekman (Physiology or Medicine) Martin Karplus (Chemistry) Michael Levitt (Chemistry) Arieh Warshel (Chemistry) [Ref #1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Jewish_Nobel_laureates), [Ref #2](http://www.jinfo.org/Nobel_Prizes.html) I recognize that this does nothing to elucidate the “why” of this thread’s title, “Why are Jewish people so disproportionately successful?” Still, I find it quite remarkable (IMO, YMMV, etc). ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2013, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-jewish-people-so-disproportionately-successful/661027/177 "2013-10-10T01:13:53Z")
> [@KarlGauss](#): > > Still, I find it quite remarkable (IMO, YMMV, etc). I don’t. On the contrary, it’s exactly what you’d expect based on current institutional trends. I.e., it’s incontestable that, for whatever reason(s), Jews are very overrepresented in modern academia, medicine, and science research in general. It goes without saying that we’d therefore expect Jews to be overrepresented at the highest levels of those disciplines too. What would be remarkable would be if, given the current demographics of the Western academic establishment, Jews _weren’t_ overrepresented among Nobel Prize science laureates. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2013, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-jewish-people-so-disproportionately-successful/661027/178 "2013-10-10T01:38:10Z")
> [@KarlGauss](#): > > I thought it was relevant to note that as of now (October 9, 2013) with the Economics, Peace, and Literature prizes still to be announced, there are six more Jewish Nobel Laureates: > > François Englert (Physics) > James Rothman (Physiology or Medicine) > Randy Schekman (Physiology or Medicine) > Martin Karplus (Chemistry) > Michael Levitt (Chemistry) > Arieh Warshel (Chemistry) > > [Ref #1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Jewish_Nobel_laureates), [Ref #2](http://www.jinfo.org/Nobel_Prizes.html) > > I recognize that this does nothing to elucidate the “why” of this thread’s title, “Why are Jewish people so disproportionately successful?” Still, I find it quite remarkable (IMO, YMMV, etc). I believe Jews win about 25% of nobel prizes (and fields medals, US medals of science, etc) despite being something like 0.2% of the world’s population. [http://www.jinfo.org/Nobel\_Prizes.html](http://www.jinfo.org/Nobel_Prizes.html) ---
**Author:** ![Avalanche1521](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7feea3/32.png) [@Avalanche1521](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avalanche1521)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2013, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-jewish-people-so-disproportionately-successful/661027/179 "2013-11-16T04:50:00Z")
They aren’t any smarter I don’t know what you are reading… They feel they have been suppressed by the holocaust and they are they only ones with struggles. So they stick together. They have lobbyists in DC for Israel which gets strong contacts in business and politics. So they are not any smarter they just stay together and will make sure a jew gets higher up the latter before anyone else even if they are more qualified. I am not anti semitic or agiant Israel. I have to give them credit even though I feel it’s disgusting how they are treating Palestine but that’s a completely different subject. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2013, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-jewish-people-so-disproportionately-successful/661027/180 "2013-11-16T05:42:51Z")
I wonder what search string brought him here… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-jewish-people-so-disproportionately-successful/661027.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-jewish-people-so-disproportionately-successful/661027.md?page=10)