That happened with exercise. Suddenly, in the 1960s and 1970s fitness became a massive priority for millions of Americans. The paradigm shift happened almost immediately. 50 years ago you would only work out if you were an athlete or a soldier. A value was placed on wellness much like a value will eventually be placed on education. Also watching parents sit in unemployment lines because the factory closed is serving as a wakeup call to many people. Don't overestimate the Asians either -- their concept of education is quantitative (i.e how high we're your scores or how many vocabulary words did you learn) while Americans tend to be more qualitative. There's a reason innovation in places like China depends on copying everyone else. What major startups in China have been built based on an original idea? Very very few. There are more successful startups based on new ideas in the Bay Area than in the entirety of China. The successful Chinese companies are almost always rehashed versions of American products. Education isn't the driving force behind success in China -- at least not Chinese education.
50 years ago the average person did more working out as a matter of just living his life than the average person today does doing half assed cardio on an elliptical machine.
Is this exclusive of China? USA seems to be the exception (in the other direction), not China. Most Internet startups are from the USA, why? It's probably because of several causes: the cultural factors that you mention, of course, but also because it's easier to create a company than in other countries, because there are VCs supporting this kind of company, and I'd say because there is a very important internal market willing to buy the products.
Voice from a educator from China! You are right, but we are trying hard to change this. First thing I want my students to do is to forget about their scores.
Actually, I really want to go one step further, and suggest giving up their degrees in order to be really educated!
