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summers flapping in the breeze
everyone [or at least every chick in science] knows about [or like amanda and steven johnson has commented on] larry summer's remarks by now. so yeah, at first i was a bit miffed. but after consideration, i agree that people should be free to propose any whacked out theories they like, and that the general backlash has proved more interesting than the remarks themselves. when people say things like "women aren't as biologically equipped for science as men" it pisses people off. but if you hear "women are much better at psychology" no one complains. it occurs to me that this might have to do something with our current metaphorical system. in metaphors we live by george lakoff and mark johnson highlight two interesting metaphors:
GOOD IS UP; BAD IS DOWNmaybe women don't balk at the notion of being assigned [even if rightfully so, but that is still up for grabs] talents which are metaphorically consistent with badness because being endowed with a talent is inherently good. however, when the awarding of one talent comes packaged with a denial of another that is, so to speak, ultimately aligned with "good", that "award" seems disparaging. so maybe it's not just the university system that needs restructuring.
RATIONAL IS UP; EMOTIONAL IS DOWN
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it also turns out that, on average, women are better at being men than men are. but then there's this really interesting phenomenon where some women, when it comes down to it, really just suck at being men, and we can't let them get away with it. not anymore. it has to stop. this is important. although... not really as important as the problem of men who just aren't man enough. that, too, must stop. we really must all pull our balls from our purses, here, people.
scott said | January 29, 2005 07:01 PM