await the rise of the resume-builders

this article from the british medical journal sent to me by a friend is pretty scary/interesting. the search for sincerity becomes increasingly more complicated as our society beecomes increasingly more achievement-obsessed.

. . .

My friend's 12 year old son wanted to give up music lessons. Sure, said his dad, but tell me why. Didn't he like the teacher? Was there too much pressure? Had he stopped enjoying the violin? "Dad," replied the child, "I never liked music, but I reckon I'm good enough now to put it on my CV."

Last month, I attended a school concert and heard a 17 year old play a concerto by Liszt. He played by ear—faultlessly and passionately. The young man's face was contorted with concentration; his forehead dripped sweat. In the tough allegro section he bit his lip so hard I thought it might bleed.

Profoundly talented as he undoubtedly was, this level of performance was the result of years of practice and, I mused, considerable self sacrifice in the face of the usual adolescent temptations. But it was more than that. The boy played the piano for the sheer love of it. After his ovation, he had gently closed the piano lid, unfolded a handkerchief, and discreetly wiped tears from his eyes.

I recently helped interview a group of 17 year old hopefuls who were applying to do medicine. Their personal statements were uniformly perfect. As well as the expected row of A grades at GCSE, every one of them boasted excellence in at least three of the Big Four: music, sport, drama, and community service.

They had all done their homework—identifying the subconscious benchmarks that ageing professors use when evaluating the achievements of the young, and ensuring that they scored above the line. I asked one multitalented individual what she had got out of playing in an orchestra. Her measured reply—that the experience had taught her teamwork and commitment, and had provided balance in her timetable while taking five science A levels—gained her top marks on our assessment sheet.

We are now admitting cohorts of medical students who, like my friend's son, have been constructing their CVs since the age of 9. With a few radiant exceptions, their very identities are a pastiche of academic and personal achievements, carefully constructed for viewers like you and me. Surely we owe it to our children to change the system that is requiring them to become so hollow?- Trisha Greenhalgh, professor of primary health care, University College London