lord t'underin' jebus! That's a lot of stuff...
Ahem. Anyway. I'm going to reply generally to what Lord Bryan has wrote,
rather than piecemeal. Before I start, I'd like to say I respect him.
Even if I think he's a space alien, he's still a right smart fellow.
I don't take him seriously, but I don't take anyone seriously. Especially
things on the Internet.
So, how did this happen? Chad mentioned Angelina Jolie, and Mario made
a some-what distasteful joke. Yes, the joke was distasteful. A quick
reply noting that it was such would have been enough, no? Oh well,
what is done is done.
So, I take from your essay that you're not stating women would be offended,
that you're advising us to broaden our horizons. I *do* take offence
to this overly broad statement, sir. I do indeed.
Let's go back to the beginning, or part of it:
> And men wonder why some women don't want to be part of technical
> organizations or the field altogether? Sigh.
Okay, some might. I do not. About half the top programmers I know are women.
I know quite a few female geeks -- not just in the "tech" field --
and thus this is not something I wonder. Interestingly, almost all of these
geeks are married or as good as married... Usually to geeky men, so obviously
those fellows must be doing something right...
If you hear me wonder at the lack of geek women, it will be along the lines
of "Darn, all the smartest ones are married/engaged/canadian".
Also, I'd point out two things: More women go into science than men,
and (from my own experience) there are more really good women mathematicians..
> So broaden your horizons gentlemen! There are many intelligent,
> technical and attractive women that might be more representative of a
> prospective female newbie. [snip]
All right then. That would be a fine statement if it were directed specifically
at someone. Or a finite set of someones. As it stands, that statement
is broad enough that it includes me, and it is false.
Plainly said, it is my goal in life to fall madly, deeply, and forevermore
in love with a women what shares my passion knowledge and truth.
A geek, of science, tech, math, come-what-may. In a way this makes my horizons
less broad, as I am unwilling to settle for anything less. It matters not.
The point being, Agent Smith, is you're including me in your tirade.
Now, as for the "And you wonder, where there are so fee
You can do that, but only if it actually *applies*. Never, never make
broad general statements. It's a bad idea.
> Just my $0.02 ... Of course I even think "outside the box" when it
> comes to women too.
What box is this? I see no box. Are you creating a box around other people
because you feel the need to be separate from them? Or does it make you
feel happier to think you're on the outside of something, and most
people are on the inside? Why must you generalize so many thing?
Why do you begin to hate all those of your gender lately?
Is it not saner to hate specific ones? It's awfully bad to hate so many people.
Why not feel pity for them? For those that will know not ever the joy
of talking to a beautiful woman about dynamic vs. static typing? Or
emacs vs. vi. :)
Yes, I will agree there are many man-geeks that are sexist, but I
chalk it up to lack of education. I will repeat, it is not good to
hate the ignorant, even when they do you harm. Teach them.
Most of the geeks *I* know are not sexist. And as I am the only person
I can speak
for with certainty, to me the only difference between a female geek
and a male geek, is the female geek is physically attractive. So
there's nothing to cause sexism, is there?
Tell me, is it worth it? All this time, energy, worth it for this argument?
Think of how many poor little electrons have had to traval up stream and die
for us this topic. Wouldn't they be better honored by a discussion
of... anything else? And yet I continue this mess, because I feel I
must.
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