Youtube is so weird. One channel I watch had a video delisted - not just demonetised - for exposing a very, very dangerous "craft hack", but the videos for the craft hack (which has caused deaths and life-changing injuries) were still up.
Having worked in female dominated professions - i kind of agree that single sex isn’t great. But I definitely prefer majority female offices. They are generally calmer & more productive without the male need to constantly battle of the pack leader spot.
The extent to which norms in American higher education (particularly in non-STEM fields) have changed in the past two decades, often for the worst, as the number and power of women has increased can’t be wished away, no matter how much we might like to pretend otherwise. Though perhaps we can ignore it (especially if we live in another nation) or find solace in a silly quote from something called ‘Harvard Business Review.’
This has, in turn, spread from academia to cultural institutions, newsrooms, etc.
There’s a simple reason so many Americans believe this has happened. (It’s the same reason so many Brits believe immigration has led to better food in the U.K. or that it often is cloudy outside: it’s both true and obvious.)
Things have improved in so many ways for so many as women have been given greater opportunities, but we’ve entered the territory of willed ignorance when we pretend wokekess isn’t very much a female phenomena.
I really hope this doesn’t come across as snide. Here goes:
Ahem. I question if a quote from the ‘Harvard Business Review’ elucidating the perceived nuances of sexism in the lower orders is an adequate response to the observation that American wokism is very female. I just don’t think it is. So I’m the one finding the quote silly in this context. Not you.
There is much criticism that can be made of men whining online and I’m sure you have many interesting observations to make of the “manosphere”. I look forward to reading/hearing them, truly. But I don’t think you’re fully operating in good faith (or being honest with yourself) when you extend your sympathy to men left behind, mourning their lost privilege, rather than address the uncomfortable fact that wokeism is, indeed, very female.
You’re not fighting a straw-man; you’re empathizing with one. It‘s a very clever strategy (credit to your unconscious), but it’s still an evasion.
So now I want to know if women use the Fosbury flop and when a woman will develop an approach that advantages those with a lower centre of gravity. (Though perhaps elite athletes don't have the same weight distribution as -ahem -most of us).
Marvellous New Yorker-ese: “We sat at the kitchen table, and he dipped the pita into hummus he had just blended.” The article feeds my suspicion that there is no psychology, only neurology.
Ah yes, the subtle cruelties of the single-sex all girls' school. Much better to work in a mixed environment. Thanks again for such an entertaining newsletter
I love the Spark, so was really happy to see that it has re-started. I've just listed to the Stuart Ritchie one and, as a one-time academic psychologist many many years ago, a lot of what he said resonated. I was a bit surprised neither of you mentioned Ben Goldacre's work, though. There's a lot of read across.
We’re both big Goldacre fans, so it wasn’t a diss (I’m a puff quote on Bad Pharma IIRC). He just didn’t come up organically and Open Science is a big movement so it might have been strange to single him out for praise.
One comment with respect to this part of you well written article, “but also to wokeness, to the “progressive,” “liberal,” and “secular” values that pervade all major institutions.”
The term liberal may not fit in this context anymore, and in fact, may not mean what we think it means. Liberal and conservative are poles of an ideology so can be totally different depending on the ideology. I would love to hear what you think about the the two terms in todays crazy politics.
Youtube is so weird. One channel I watch had a video delisted - not just demonetised - for exposing a very, very dangerous "craft hack", but the videos for the craft hack (which has caused deaths and life-changing injuries) were still up.
Having worked in female dominated professions - i kind of agree that single sex isn’t great. But I definitely prefer majority female offices. They are generally calmer & more productive without the male need to constantly battle of the pack leader spot.
A great start to my Friday, as always! Thank you.
I have to say: Agnes Callard sounds like the most exhausting human who has ever lived.
The extent to which norms in American higher education (particularly in non-STEM fields) have changed in the past two decades, often for the worst, as the number and power of women has increased can’t be wished away, no matter how much we might like to pretend otherwise. Though perhaps we can ignore it (especially if we live in another nation) or find solace in a silly quote from something called ‘Harvard Business Review.’
This has, in turn, spread from academia to cultural institutions, newsrooms, etc.
There’s a simple reason so many Americans believe this has happened. (It’s the same reason so many Brits believe immigration has led to better food in the U.K. or that it often is cloudy outside: it’s both true and obvious.)
Things have improved in so many ways for so many as women have been given greater opportunities, but we’ve entered the territory of willed ignorance when we pretend wokekess isn’t very much a female phenomena.
Oh, I didn’t think the HBR quote was silly. I thought it represented what many men feel — a sense of loss.
I really hope this doesn’t come across as snide. Here goes:
Ahem. I question if a quote from the ‘Harvard Business Review’ elucidating the perceived nuances of sexism in the lower orders is an adequate response to the observation that American wokism is very female. I just don’t think it is. So I’m the one finding the quote silly in this context. Not you.
There is much criticism that can be made of men whining online and I’m sure you have many interesting observations to make of the “manosphere”. I look forward to reading/hearing them, truly. But I don’t think you’re fully operating in good faith (or being honest with yourself) when you extend your sympathy to men left behind, mourning their lost privilege, rather than address the uncomfortable fact that wokeism is, indeed, very female.
You’re not fighting a straw-man; you’re empathizing with one. It‘s a very clever strategy (credit to your unconscious), but it’s still an evasion.
So now I want to know if women use the Fosbury flop and when a woman will develop an approach that advantages those with a lower centre of gravity. (Though perhaps elite athletes don't have the same weight distribution as -ahem -most of us).
Huh, very interesting. We should raise this with Caroline Criado Perez
I may have to have a little lie down if my two girl crushes talk to each other because of something I thought!
Marvellous New Yorker-ese: “We sat at the kitchen table, and he dipped the pita into hummus he had just blended.” The article feeds my suspicion that there is no psychology, only neurology.
Ha, I didn’t spot that. Only noobs blend their own coffee; real alphas blend hummus
HL, did you never find out what your untoward remark was? Or is it classified?
Nope, YouTube don’t tell you. Even the press office didn’t tell me.
Ah yes, the subtle cruelties of the single-sex all girls' school. Much better to work in a mixed environment. Thanks again for such an entertaining newsletter
I love the Spark, so was really happy to see that it has re-started. I've just listed to the Stuart Ritchie one and, as a one-time academic psychologist many many years ago, a lot of what he said resonated. I was a bit surprised neither of you mentioned Ben Goldacre's work, though. There's a lot of read across.
We’re both big Goldacre fans, so it wasn’t a diss (I’m a puff quote on Bad Pharma IIRC). He just didn’t come up organically and Open Science is a big movement so it might have been strange to single him out for praise.
One comment with respect to this part of you well written article, “but also to wokeness, to the “progressive,” “liberal,” and “secular” values that pervade all major institutions.”
The term liberal may not fit in this context anymore, and in fact, may not mean what we think it means. Liberal and conservative are poles of an ideology so can be totally different depending on the ideology. I would love to hear what you think about the the two terms in todays crazy politics.