Even more dismal news was received in the past few days – the Atlantic announced that Elizabeth Warren is removing herself from the Presidential race. She is the only worthwhile candidate in my eyes and in the eyes of any rational human being. The article began with the following pronouncement: “The harder she works to prove to the public that she is worth of power – the more evidence she offers of her competence – the more ‘condescending’, allegedly, she becomes” This from Megan Garber. Society, Megan argues, tends to prefer women who are a little bit of a mess (think Liz Lemon in 30 Rock) – and can’t handle those who have things figured out. It goes on to speak of the specific strain of misogyny that brought Warren down.
As for Elizabeth Warren? “When I hear her talk, I want to slap her, even when I agree with her.”
A version of that sentiment—Warren inspiring irrational animus among those whom she has sought as constituents—was a common refrain about the candidate, who announced today that she was suspending her campaign after a poor showing on Super Tuesday. This complaint tends to take on not the substance of Warren’s stated positions, but instead the style with which she delivers them. And it has been expressed by pundits as well as voters. Politico, in September, ran an article featuring quotes from Obama-administration officials calling Warren “sanctimonious” and a “narcissist.” The Boston Herald ran a story criticizing Warren’s “self-righteous, abrasive style.” The New York Times columnist Bret Stephens, in October, described Warren as “intensely alienating” and “a know-it-all.” Donny Deutsch, the MSNBC commentator, has dismissed Warren, the person and the candidate, as “unlikable”—and has attributed her failure to ingratiate herself to him as a result, specifically, of her “high-school principal” demeanour. (“This is not a gender thing,” Deutsch insisted, perhaps recognizing that his complaint might read as very much a gender thing. “This is just kind of [a] tone and manner The matter is instead that her unlikability has a specific source, beyond bias and internalized misogyny. Warren knows a lot, and has accomplished a lot, and is extremely competent, condescending acknowledges, before twisting the knife: It is precisely because of those achievements that she represents a threat. Condescending attempts to rationalize an irrational prejudice. It suggests the lurchings of a zero-sum world—a physics in which the achievements of one person are insulting to everyone else. When I hear her talk, I want to slap her, even when I agree with her.
The talented and intelligent writer talks about the horrors of running for present, a series of “controlled humiliations.”
Mordah goes on to quote Keli Maria Korducki from her essay entitled Why High-Achieving Women Pretend Their Lives Are a Mess.” Korducki pointed to 30 Rock’s Liz Lemon as a particularly revealing kind of archetype: the woman who is successful in her career but who is also, in her personal life, a disaster. “
Moruch went on to day that the hot mess is an indictment of how the culture sees famine ambition and success. goes on to say Her conclusion is perfect: To succeed as a woman according to the terms and connections of today’s culture. Korducki writes, “You’d best be a little bit of a fuck-up’
Then the able writer touches upon the ‘curse of condescension of Warren and competent women. The curse of condescension is an attitude of patronizing superiority and disdain. Its synonyms are: superciliousness, superiority, scorn, disdain, loftiness, airs, lordliness, haughtiness, imperiousness, snobbishness, snobbery; informal snootiness, snottiness. ANTONYMS respect.
I have felt that curse. I am, after all, a competent woman and grow increasingly so. Certain individuals, usually women, older and gay men treat me with haughtiness, snootiness, scorn, disdain and superciliousness. It is misogyny at its worst. Kate Manne, a philosopher at Cornell University sees misogyny as an ideology that reinforces a patriarchal status quo. “Misogyny is the law-enforcement branch of patriarchy,” Manne says. What a wonderful way to put it as it rewards those who uphold the current mess and punishes those who fight against it.
Well, I cannot run for President so do not face the difficulties that Elizabeth Warren faced. I was not born in these so-called United States and hence cannot be President. I have the financial independence and the self esteem to be able to walk away from misogyny in its various forms. But I have a very rich life full of many friends – many young men and young women from different walks of life, different countries, different cultures. For example, many friends in Dubai – a city state recently facing many adversities occasioned by the Ruler of Dubai, whose misogyny was proven by recent ruling from a British High Court.
But onto lighter matters including a photograph of the back of my head. I am taking excellent care of myself in the days prior to knee replacement surgery. Yesterday I went to see Kim at All Together Hair Design in Corte Madera and achieved the best hair cut in the world. The back of my head is featured, the front looks even better.! Thank you Kim!We laughed as she congratulated me on my good looks:
Me: When you are hot, you are hot, When you are not, you are not.
She: When you are hot your are hot. When you are not, you are cold.
But an amazing coincidence. Her prior client was a young man who resembled the Crown Prince of Dubai. We laughed and I showed him a photograph of the Crown Prince.
He: I do see the resemblance. I am Italian but often people think I am an Arab.
Me: Is not it amazing that I met you and I did meet the Crown Prince of Dubai in London.
I then told him of the circumstances and we laughed together. Kim later told me that he is the nicest young man. But he is probably too young for me. Hahahaha
