"If the majority of children with school and behavioral problems are boys, then why do so many overcome early obstacles,"

Question

Pinker turns several assumptions upside down: that the sexes are biologically equivalent, that smarts are all it takes to succeed and that men and women have identical interests and goals. After decades of women's educational coups and rising through the ranks, men still outnumber women in business, physical science, law, engineering and politics. In explaining this ratio, Pinker’s stance is that discrimination plays just a bit part. "If the majority of children with school and behavioral problems are boys, then why do so many overcome early obstacles," while rafts of high achieving women choose jobs that pay less or opt out at pivotal moments in their careers?

If the majority of children with school and behavioral problems are boys, then why do so many overcome early obstacles

what does writer (pinker) want to say in above sentence? explain in easy way

GPY · Accepted Answer

First of all, I do not recommend that you use quotation marks to highlight part of a text. It appears as if the quotation marks are part of the original, and this can change or obscure the meaning. What I assume is the original, at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Pinker, has no quotation marks. To highlight text you can use bold or colour.

To answer your question, I do not see how the highlighted part is a coherent statement.

Clive · Answer

If most kids with problems are boys, then why are so many men successful later in life?

Clive

Anonymous · Answer

If the majority of children with school and behavioral problems are boys, then why do so many men overcome ~~early~~ obstacles in their careers early while rafts of high achieving women choose jobs that pay less or opt out at pivotal moments in their careers?

CalifJim · Answer

vaibhavmaskarwhat does writer (pinker) want to say in above sentence? explain in easy way
If the majority of children with school and behavioral problems are boys, then why do so many (boys) overcome early obstacles ...

The writer believes that children with behavioral problems will be less able to achieve success in life as adults.
Most of these are boys. Therefore, men should achieve less than women. But, in fact, this is not true, according to the writer. Something happens that makes the boys overcome their problems, so they become successful men. Meanwhile, women make choices that do not necessarily lead to success. According to the writer, this is a puzzle, so he asks "Why?"

CJ

GPY · Answer

In my opinion (still), the highlighted part is illogical. Assuming that "so many" means "so many boys", it implies that if boys formed a smaller proportion of children with behavioural problems, then more would be expected to overcome early obstacles.

"If the majority of children with school and behavioral problems are boys, then why do so many overcome early obstacles,"

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