"A household residing in the northern part of London seeks an remarkable and experienced tutor to assist their smallest child on his first steps to turning into an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this post, you might naturally overlook the term "beginning" as simple figurative language.
However, it may be the most significant element of this unusual employment listing, as it aims to find a tutor for a infant.
Hundreds of responses have now been sent in since the unnamed family posted their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the post has gained attention in the media, with many asking why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is helping the family in their search, said that despite first scepticism, he considered the idea "visionary", and "progressive".
When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they appreciated the unusual nature of their demand, and how early in age their son is.
But, they explained that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had held off until their older child was five, and by that point "cultural bias had already become established".
What precisely did the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "everything", the expert answered. "The manner you eat, the manner you speak".
He stated the elder child had picked up "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family explained to the consultant they hoped to prevent history to repeat itself with their infant.
The intention: To hire a English tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby right from the beginning.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the education at the outset here is kind of osmotic," stated Adam.
It's by means of this osmosis that the family are expecting the child will adopt the English characteristics they aim to impart.
The consultant noted the tutor needed to be an individual who attended "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the suitable individual, they'll be doing things they aren't even aware they're doing, simply by nature," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family informed him the successful candidate should preferably also have familiarity of or passion in equestrian activities, skiing, creative fields and music so as to inspire the child in a wide range of interests.
Furthermore though, he said the family hoped the tutor to enrol the child on a range of courses so the child would be "pony-riding and starting an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's perspective, helping their son develop into a "UK sophisticate" will lead to achievement and open doors.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's certainly a status symbol," he comments.
However, despite all this instruction in "Britishness", would the child adopt so-called cultural influence from the globally influenced family he resides with in any case?
"Absolutely", answered the CEO. "They realize this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as soon as we can', because the price of it is irrelevant," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the private teaching field who share those concerns.
Peter Cui, head and founder of a tutoring service, who also offer individual instructors, stated that "the development of becoming bicultural, or actually, discovering oneself, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
He explained that he had relocated from the Far East to the UK at the period of childhood, and had been brought up experiencing and practicing both cultures. He continued to learn at Cambridge University.
"The notion that a single person can function as a living vessel of Britishness, someone who can somehow transfer the attributes of a English gentleman onto a infant child, strikes me as idealistic and unrealistic," he stated.
"In my experience, engaging a quintessentially UK tutor from babyhood will does not automatically create the result they hope for.
"I did not have such a tutor, and nevertheless I have been privileged enough to live several of the experiences they hope for their son."
He continued: "The truth is, cultural identity cannot be forced from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must come from within."
Buying Britishness
Naturally, UK identity is something Adam believes can be taught – and commercialized.
"I believe the situation that the global community views us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
