AT SCHOOL, it seemed almost unacceptable for either boys to get good grades or for girls to break a sweat. It was mainly for this reason the boys neglected to do their homework and took pride in failing exams and the girls, brighter but just as prone to herd mentality, excused themselves from doing PE, then spent lunchtimes gossiping in groups rather than chasing balls in the playground.
That is, perhaps, a sweeping generalisation, but there has certainly always been something rather unfashionable about the pursuit of excellence, particularly if the pursuit requires effort and dedication on the part of the one pursuing it. This is true of
