News & Weekly Letters

I’m back this week, just a little cranky about the 50-something responses Philippe had to his letter last week–my response rate is far, far lower! (Andria and I have a weekly squabble over the readership reports of my letter vs. her Memo–I beat her soundly every time, so that’s some comfort!) I do, of course, forgive you all because Philippe’s announcement was an important one and worthy of all the congratulations you sent his way. The announcement is, as I am sure you all realized, very good news for The École, especially as we are preparing for a new phase in our school’s history.

Over the years, Laurence and I have intentionally remained discreet about our private lives and my professional career. One reason is that I have worked for 27 years (more than half my life) as a partner at Renaissance Technologies, a hedge fund that is more than discreet—it is completely opaque and mysterious when viewed from the outside. Renaissance is, however, legendary in the world of finance for its outstanding performance over the decades.

“William the Conqueror didn’t want to be called ‘the Conqueror,’” writes Michel Foucault, because the nickname betrayed the fact that the power he exercised over the English did not come from a legitimate dynastic claim. We know that history is always written by the powerful, by those who have the privilege of choosing on behalf of others what is important and what is not.

The snow day closure on Tuesday reminded me of something Richard Brautigan wrote, “The smallest snowstorm on record took place an hour ago in my backyard.” It didn’t really matter that there was no real snow to speak of; a surprise day off in the midst of a very busy week at school was nonetheless very welcome.

The Lunar New Year celebrations that took place at school today, thanks to the Parents Association, brought back memories of the years I spent in China and Taiwan. Over there, it’s the biggest celebration of the year, and being a 老外 lǎowài (in China) or wāiguǒrén 外國人 (in Taiwan),* I had a tricky time getting my head around its importance. At school, we frequently refer to intercultural competencies, and the Lunar New Year is a prime example of one—it’s important for us not only to know about traditions in other cultures but also to understand what they mean for those who celebrate so we can enjoy the festivities with them.