Conference turris::womannotes-v3

329.0. "So many communities, so little time..." by PROXY::SCHMIDT (Thinking globally, acting locally!) Sun Aug 26 1990 18:54

  The following is a mathematical and social exercise, and because it
  is based on humans, it almost certainly has no precise answer.

  Let us assume there are a variety of communities:

   1. In some of these communities, sexism is absolutely rampant
      and institutional.  In fact, it's codified in the foundations
      of their beliefs.

   2. In other communities, there's lots of sexism, but it's a more
      "normal"� distribution of people, and there aren't any under-
      lying assumptions that all full members of the community will
      be sexist in either direction.

   3. In still other communities, sexism is relatively subdued and
      and, in fact, equality is the intended goal if not the current
      fact.  Still, there are a few remaining pockets of sexism left
      (biased about equally in both directions).


  Which community is more worthy of one's effort to show them the
  supposed error of their ways?  As you answer, please also consider
  whether your effort will have any positive effect on either you
  or the members of the various communities.      

                                   Atlant


� "Normal" in the mathematical sense, that is, with the population
  conforming to something like a bell-curve.

    Interesting topic.
    
    My first reaction was "Please send the address of the third community
    so that I can go and live there and not have to worry about the first
    two." 
    
    My second reaction was my generic answer to most questions I hear:
    "It depends."
    
>  Which community is more worthy of one's effort to show them the
>  supposed error of their ways? 
    
    If "one" is an ambitious, tireless political activist, then the
    challenge of the first community would probably be irresistible.
    On the other hand, if "one" works best on a smaller scale, influencing
    individuals, then making the second community look more like the third
    would be a better choice.
    
    The third one is already in great shape. Whatever "ism" you name, I
    doubt that we'll find many examples of communities where it's not found 
    in a lot more than "isolated pockets".
    
    Thanks for entering the topic, and for the obvious care that went into
    wording .0. Several times while entering this reply, questions about
    the assumptions came into my mind, but when I checked, it looked as
    though they'd been anticipated.
    
    	Andrew.