Intolerance in Higher Learning

Yes, Universities should be where new and different Ideas are discussed

http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/science/02/14/gender.brain/index.html

Recently, the President of harvard University was castigated, ostracized, blasted and called every demeaning name in the book.  Were the perpertartors of this some right wing nut jobs offended by the extreme liberalism in the halls of higher learning?

No.

Was he making offensive and bigotted statements demeaning a segment of the population?

No.

Was he criticizing some one or some group, rightly or wrongly?

No.

His crime?  To dare mention a fact of life.  That men and women's brains are different.  He was not saying one was superior or inferior, just that they view the world, and hence process information differently.

Lo and Behold, now comes a study that shows just that.  Men and Women's brains are different.  According to the study, men compartmentalize more, and hence go from point a to point b quicker than women (mechanical sense).  Women look at the big picture, gathering all pertinent data before making decisions.  Thus they are the more caring and nurturing ones, and can 'see both sides of the arguement' much easier than men.

Is one better than the other?  I dont think so. Whether you believe in a god or just evolution, the development of the 2 genders in such a different way compliments each other to make the race as a whole, the better for it.

But in their intolerance, many women, and NOW itself condemed a man unjustly for saying what to even a layman is observable.  So insecure in their own gender that they must attack science advancement much like the Church attacked Galileo during the middle ages.  It is insecurity in your self and your beliefs that causes bigotry, hatred and intolerance.  And this was demonstrated quite clearly recently by these small minded bitter and insecure people.

Too bad they teach our students in higher ed.

1,027 views 8 replies
Reply #1 Top
I can't that A) it took a study to prove that men and women think differently or that B) it came as such a shock to so many people...I wonder what'll happen when they figure out that women can give birth and men can't...
Reply #2 Top

I can't that A) it took a study to prove that men and women think differently or that B) it came as such a shock to so many people...I wonder what'll happen when they figure out that women can give birth and men can't...

Some politician will demand an equal access to pregnancy law so more men can get pregnant!

Reply #3 Top
The politics of science and education does more to stifle both than any hellfire and brimstone rants from the pulpit against either.
Reply #4 Top

The politics of science and education does more to stifle both than any hellfire and brimstone rants from the pulpit against either.

Veru insightful.  I would add, you know where your enemies are coming from, so they can be gaurded against.  Your friends attack you from the unexpected quadrant. 

Reply #5 Top
The suggestion that men's and women's brains operate differently is not a new thing ... it has been stated for quite some time that the splenium portion of the corpus callosum (the part that allows communication between the right and left hemispheres)is larger in women, meaning better communication between the two hemispheres, supposedly accounting for men's "compartmentalized" thinking, and women's "intuition."

It's interesting stuff.
Reply #6 Top
It's this whole drive to remove all differences between everyone and everything that is driving me nuts. Being different does not mean one is better than another. Physiologically men and women are different (beyond the obvious dangly bits)... men are predisposed to being better at opening pickle jars, lifting large boxes, and getting a round peg to fit in a square hole (hint, it involves a large hammer and possibly a saw to modify the hole). Women are better at carrying a child, asking for directions when lost and getting the proper peg for the hole in the first place because they read the directions. Both have their advantages in different areas.

The body as well as the mind are designed to accomplish specific tasks. Men and women fill COMPLIMENTARY ROLES in a lot of cases. We're two halves of a whole. Each accomplishing different things. Neither is inherently inferior to the other in the overall.

We would do better to embrace differences and celebrate them for the strengths they are. Refusing to acknolwedge them is a form of sexism/racism/prejudice in and of itself that hurts everyone.
Reply #7 Top

The suggestion that men's and women's brains operate differently is not a new thing ... it has been stated for quite some time that the splenium portion of the corpus callosum (the part that allows communication between the right and left hemispheres)is larger in women, meaning better communication between the two hemispheres, supposedly accounting for men's "compartmentalized" thinking, and women's "intuition."

Did your tongue get whiplash saying that?  Very Insightful.

Reply #8 Top

The body as well as the mind are designed to accomplish specific tasks. Men and women fill COMPLIMENTARY ROLES in a lot of cases. We're two halves of a whole. Each accomplishing different things. Neither is inherently inferior to the other in the overall.

Exactly! Just because men are not as compassionate as women does not make them inferior, any more than Women not being able to outlift Arnie is.