The hurdle race

Yesterday a Facebook friend had posted an article captioned ‘Another proof that Malays are not lazy or stupid'.

I personally know of many in each race in Malaysia who are intelligent and hardworking as well as stupid and lazy and as such I cannot accept that any particular race is stupid or lazy.

I believe it is the politicians in our country who make a certain race ‘stupid and lazy’ for some advantage they gain by keeping this race ‘stupid and lazy’.

As an analogy let us take a hurdle race. Let us say there are two categories of people (category A and category B) taking part in the race every year.

In the first year A beats B. The authorities decide to raise the hurdle of A and reduce the hurdle of B.

In the next year despite the hurdles being raised for A and lowered for B, A still beats B. The hurdle is again raised for A and lowered for B. This goes on until the hurdle cannot be raised any higher nor lowered any lower.

Now, what is the motivation for B to be able to jump any higher?

Would A not get stronger and better built than B?

What should the authorities have done? They should provide coaching/ motivational talks etc. for B rather than lowering the hurdles. 

Could lowering the hurdles be a ploy by the authorities to maintain the standard of B at a low level for some specific purposes?

Note: The 10 second barrier for the 100 metre dash was broken in 1963. Since then many more have broken the 10 second barrier. We need to ask as to how that was possible. Prior to 1963 athletes did not believe it could be done. However, once one person did it the mindset changed and more athletes were able to beat the 10 second barrier.