"A family based in the northern part of London is looking for an remarkable and qualified tutor to guide their smallest child on his first steps to becoming an English gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might naturally skip the wording "beginning" as just a turn of phrase.
But, it might be the most important element of this unique position posting, as it aims to find a mentor for a one-year-old.
Numerous of responses have since been submitted since the unidentified family advertised their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".
In recent few weeks, the post has received interest throughout the news, with numerous questioning why?
Forward-Thinking Method
The CEO, chief executive of Tutors International, which is helping the family in their quest, said that despite early scepticism, he considered the concept "forward-looking", and "innovative".
When he met the family, he mentioned they recognized the atypical character of their request, and how immature their son is.
But, they explained that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural conditioning had already set in".
But what did the family indicate by "cultural bias"?
It's "all-encompassing", the expert replied. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He said the firstborn had picked up "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had adopted their cultural habits. The family informed Adam they wished to avoid this pattern to happen again with their younger child.
The strategy: To bring in a British tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the development at the beginning here is somewhat absorbed naturally," explained the expert.
It's by means of this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will acquire the British traits they aim to cultivate.
Adam explained the tutor had to be somebody who went to "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the right kind of person, they'll be performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, simply by nature," he added.
Money No Object
The family informed him the successful candidate should ideally also have knowledge of or passion in horse riding, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and music so as to shape the child in a broad spectrum of passions.
Additionally though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to enrol the child on a selection of lessons so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an musical instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's perspective, guiding their son develop into a "British gentleman" will bring about success and create opportunities.
"Taking into account the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he notes.
But, despite all this tutelage in "Britishness", might the child absorb what is termed cultural influence from the globally influenced family he resides with anyway?
"Absolutely", said the CEO. "They realize this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the perspective of, 'we should try and let's go as soon as we can', because the cost of it is not relevant," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
A number of in the tutoring industry who express similar reservations.
Another CEO, CEO and founder of a tutoring service, who also offer individual instructors, commented that "the process of adopting dual cultures, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
Peter wrote that he had moved from Asia to the United Kingdom at the period of childhood, and had been raised understanding and embodying two backgrounds. He went on to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that an individual can function as a representation of English culture, someone who can possibly impart the characteristics of a UK sophisticate onto a infant child, appears optimistic and unfeasible," he stated.
"Based on my background, employing a distinctly English tutor from babyhood will will not instantly create the outcome they hope for.
"I did not have such a figure, and yet I have been fortunate enough to live numerous of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He added: "The truth is, cultural identity cannot be dictated from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must be internally driven."
Purchasing UK Culture
Naturally, Britishness is something the expert thinks can be taught – and sold.
"I think the fact that the global community holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
