There is an older set of jokes about conjugations: I am principled, you are stubborn, he is mulish; or Horses sweat, men perspire, women are all aglow. Perspective matters.
Persistence is generally regarded as a positive trait. Yet it doesn't take much increase for it to become pathological. I imagine Hillary Clinton sees herself as persistent, or ambitious. I see her as obsessed. Is there a comp among other politicians, Democrat or Republican, male or female, where being Senator, a cabinet position, and being the party's nominee somehow wasn't enough? Even those very ambitious, persistent people seem to have dropped it and feel they've had a good innings.
In my brief recent exposure to children's television, it is clear that all children are not being told they can be whatever they want or anything they choose - only the girls are being told that. Even Barbie tells them that. The boys aren't mentioned. That's worrisome enough, but the women put before them are more often than not being specifically admired for accomplishing something that females don't usually do, for being the first female something-or-other. That's very nice for encouraging girls not to limit themselves, but it sure looks like a recipe for emotional disaster and sense of failure if those girls choose something that they happen to like, that women also liked a hundred years ago.
The exception is entertainer. Each profession values its own, so encouraging girls to follow their dream and become a singer or a dancer is still okay to the writers.
Gore seems to me to have come close. McCain, on the other side of the aisle, gives the impression he enjoys throwing spanners in the works just because he can. Any of those Senators holding on until they have to be carried out feet first fit the description.
ReplyDeleteI don't blame Hillary 100% for this. The media seems obsessed with following and publicizing her, too, though I think those remarks in India backfired badly.