Larry Summers, Dumbass

Schadenfreude reading the Times the past few days. I don't for a minute think that Summers "thinks less of us," as one reductive-minded Harvard student was quoted as saying. I am amazed that he was stupid enough to play the role of provocateur and open that particular can o' worms (re women, biology as destiny, and the number of women in the sciences). Where could that discussion possibly go? Assuming there even is anything to a determinist argument re women and science, where could that discussion possibly take people? And it's an argument anyone could demolish in two seconds: with a more level playing field, what are the percentages of women winning, say, Intel awards? And how could biology possibly account for the rapid diminution in the number of women at each stage of the pipeline?

Though I have to say, the figurative language swirling around this particular controversy is so over-the-top: a tsunami? How could anyone dare use that language right after what just happened? I've always HATED that kind of promiscuity and carelessness of figurative use. It's so cheapening--reminds me of the way the right to life movement attempted to appropriate the language of the Holocaust.

[seguing] One of the weirdnesses of American life is how irrelevant intellectual and academic life seem, when college, especially admissions, are seen as so critical. How many parents whose kids are applying could even name the president of Harvard?