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  •  Irrelevant? (none / 0)

    How is that?  Even by your construct, one I reject, a discussion has begun.  Course he's also Prez of the most prestigious university in the country. Don't follow you at all here.

    Everybody dies alone.

    by Armando on Sun Feb 20, 2005 at 08:13:03 PM PDT

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    •  Hrm (none / 0)

      Well I don't quite follow you either, so I guess we're even.

      When I say "he's irrelevant", I mean that I'm not trying to judge him personally, in a positive or negative fashion.  He is not the fire, he is not even the fuel, he simply happened to be the match.  He is not wholly irrelevant, but judgments about his personal characteristics are (hence I rejected your titling of my piece as "Summers is okay").

      In citing Summers, I simply am trying to have a dialogue on a topic I consider salient.  I am not trying to particularly condemn or condone Summers, aside from saying that his critics are largely misguided.  That doesn't make me a fan, mind you, simply not a jeering critic.

      Anyway, I realize he's an important person, and I'm not meaning to dismiss that either in saying he's irrelevant.  I'm simply saying that my purpose here is not to judge him one way or the other, simply to use his words as a bit of intellectual kindling.

      If there is hope, it lies in the proles.

      by Aaron on Sun Feb 20, 2005 at 08:18:06 PM PDT

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      •  Kindling (none / 0)

        To what end? What discussion are you trying to spark?  See, in my view, you inadequately discuss the Summers issue and other than that, I'm not sure what it is you do discuss.

        I certainly don't see a discussion of sexism in your diary.

        Everybody dies alone.

        by Armando on Sun Feb 20, 2005 at 08:21:52 PM PDT

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        •  Perhaps "sexism" was an erroneous title (none / 0)

          As I said, it's purposefully general.  Still, my intent is not to discuss Summers in detail (e.g. judge him, as you seem to want to), so you're correct in that.  Besides that, I wanted to express my own general non-understanding of many self-proclaimed feminists, and much of the movement in general.  I'm truly looking for explanations, and a few of the comments in this thread have provided some, thankfully.

          If there is hope, it lies in the proles.

          by Aaron on Mon Feb 21, 2005 at 07:05:00 AM PDT

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          •  Defensive (none / 0)

            That was very defensive.  Look, you wrote mostly about Summers in a diary you say is not about Summers.  I don't think your diary is much of an exploration of sexism either so I don't really know what it is about.

            But, you seem a nice person, unike me, so I'll just wish you well.  Thanks for the conversation.  

            Everybody dies alone.

            by Armando on Mon Feb 21, 2005 at 11:42:16 AM PDT

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            •  Defensive? (none / 0)

              Heh, you're a nice person too, for the record.  I'm a frequenter of Tacitus as well, and have appreciated your contributions on both sites.

              Anyway, as I said above, the diary uses Summers, but it is not about Summers.  It is not a personal judgment, neither a defense nor a damnation, and it is not intended to be.  And you're likely right, it's not much of an exploration of sexism either: it's mostly just my musings.  C'est la vie.

              Thank you for the conversation as well, and no need to shy off if you don't want to.

              If there is hope, it lies in the proles.

              by Aaron on Mon Feb 21, 2005 at 12:05:28 PM PDT

              [ Parent ]

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