Re: Camp Ground Electricity and Your RV

e...@xxxxxxxxxxx wrote:

> Women like RP is why we don't have more women in math and science.

More women aren't in math and science because their male teachers, male
counselors, and male classmates belittle them and discourage them at
every turn. Think a bit about the power of the self-fulfilling
prophesy.

I was not one of the pioneers, I'm much too young for that, but I still
got it in spades, along with all the social penalties that go with
excellence in what's alleged to be "man's work."

And, to be fair, most mothers don't help a damn bit either. Mine sure
didn't.

The occasional father is influential. Mine sure was. He wasn't much
on flowery philosophy. While I was in high school, he'd say, "You like
it, you're good at it, keep at it, the assholes are my problem." I'm
not precisely clear what he told them, but I suspect it was equally
terse.

If you want to understand the roots of it, think Judeo/Christian/Muslim
teachings. I'll expand on that if anyone is so ignorant of those
teachings as to need some prompts.

Pop was also rather blunt about the social penalties. He'd ask, "You
wanna get married NOW?" I'd say, "Someday, but not yet." He's say,
"So don't sweat it. Men are like busses, there'll be another one along
in a while." He'd also say, "You only need one." They were all tired
cliches, then and now, but they were also the very best of calming
advice.

(And then, along came this guy ...)

> "I"m just a stupid woman and here are my thoughts on these thinges..."

RP didn't say that. She just confessed the ignorance that a whole lot
more men confess in their posts here -- and that a lot of men should
confess but don't.

> Guys don't care, but somewhere, there is a little girl thinking, that's
> man stuff.

Yes, having had that crap browbeaten into her by dozens of men, and
been tearfully advised that way by a few women.

:-)

Jenny
BSIS, MSCS, ABT-CS

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