I agree with the premise of this essay and with your arguments. I wish logical arguments worked when presented in a clear, factual manner but, unfortunately, this doesn't work with a lot of people. I'm 72 years old, a retired academic and associate dean in a business school. I can't tell you how many times I'd be discussing a new or chan…
I agree with the premise of this essay and with your arguments. I wish logical arguments worked when presented in a clear, factual manner but, unfortunately, this doesn't work with a lot of people. I'm 72 years old, a retired academic and associate dean in a business school. I can't tell you how many times I'd be discussing a new or changed policy or curriculum with a room full of mostly PhDs only to have a few of them present anecdotal stories to justify not going along with the proposal. These are highly educated people who understand, teach and use statistics in their research basing their reasons on a statistically irrelevant sample of one. Many people lead with their biases and prejudices, instead of logic. My grandparents on my mother's side came "over on the boat" from Ireland and landed in Gary, Indiana. My mother was born in the US and remembered seeing the NINA (No Irish Need Apply) signs in businesses. But, too many Irish were strongly against desegregation and even became violent to prevent it. I subscribe to numerous Substacks and one writer recently described her painful break-up with a long-time partner. This partner said that he had to get away from her because she was "useless". This shocked and saddened me. I've been called a lot of names from a lot of men over the course of my life but I'd never been called useless and I found it to be particularly hateful. How can any human being be useless. I don't have any answers but words are important and we all have to be better.
Hi Patricia. You're right. "Logic" doesn't always work, and anecdote sometimes unfortunately can win out the day in some conversations. I suppose some of what I hoped to advance in this article is that a strong counter argument against xenophobia isn't just a reclaiming of logic, but a reclamation of emotion and connection and mutualism too.
That anecdote you cite, of the person whose partner called her "useless" — man, that is biting. You're right to add: "How can any human being be useless"
And on your other note: "I've been called a lot of names from a lot of men over the course of my life but I'd never been called useless and I found it to be particularly hateful" — I'm sorry for the names you have been called at one time or another. From my (albeit limited) vantage point, the only names I'd have to offer about you is kind or thoughtful. Thank you for sharing your self, and your thought, with us.
I agree with the premise of this essay and with your arguments. I wish logical arguments worked when presented in a clear, factual manner but, unfortunately, this doesn't work with a lot of people. I'm 72 years old, a retired academic and associate dean in a business school. I can't tell you how many times I'd be discussing a new or changed policy or curriculum with a room full of mostly PhDs only to have a few of them present anecdotal stories to justify not going along with the proposal. These are highly educated people who understand, teach and use statistics in their research basing their reasons on a statistically irrelevant sample of one. Many people lead with their biases and prejudices, instead of logic. My grandparents on my mother's side came "over on the boat" from Ireland and landed in Gary, Indiana. My mother was born in the US and remembered seeing the NINA (No Irish Need Apply) signs in businesses. But, too many Irish were strongly against desegregation and even became violent to prevent it. I subscribe to numerous Substacks and one writer recently described her painful break-up with a long-time partner. This partner said that he had to get away from her because she was "useless". This shocked and saddened me. I've been called a lot of names from a lot of men over the course of my life but I'd never been called useless and I found it to be particularly hateful. How can any human being be useless. I don't have any answers but words are important and we all have to be better.
Hi Patricia. You're right. "Logic" doesn't always work, and anecdote sometimes unfortunately can win out the day in some conversations. I suppose some of what I hoped to advance in this article is that a strong counter argument against xenophobia isn't just a reclaiming of logic, but a reclamation of emotion and connection and mutualism too.
That anecdote you cite, of the person whose partner called her "useless" — man, that is biting. You're right to add: "How can any human being be useless"
And on your other note: "I've been called a lot of names from a lot of men over the course of my life but I'd never been called useless and I found it to be particularly hateful" — I'm sorry for the names you have been called at one time or another. From my (albeit limited) vantage point, the only names I'd have to offer about you is kind or thoughtful. Thank you for sharing your self, and your thought, with us.