But one thing you can say places like Finland and Korea do share is a deeply held cultural belief that everyone in the nation is in it together. What we lack is the same societal norm that it would be unacceptable for children in the suburbs to have all the advantages, while children in cities and rural areas tend to grow up in great disadvantage.

Some say that our size and heterogeneity holds us back. I think that's bullshit. It's a cop out that's ultimately self-defeating for the whole nation.

Lastly, I don't think it's simply arbitrary, whether we pick the Finnish or Korean models, despite the fact that they both appear to produce great results. I think the pressure culture of Korean education is deeply problematic, and Finnish success proves that you can generate well-educated children without forging them in a crucible.