In bionet.women-in-bio Caroline J. Walker <walkerc at CLEMSON.EDU> wrote:
: Is it my imagination or does this discussion look like a debate on hazing?
I can't speak for your imagination, but 'hazing', to my way of
thinking, is a word fraught with negative loading and, in my
opinion, is not what this discussion is about. The dictionary
on my desk defines it as: "Harassing with unnecessary tasks."
No one, that I've seen, is advocating this under any circumstances.
: I think the number of anti hazing postings shows that there
: are many of us who don't believe in this system at all, and resent being
: subjected to it or seeing bright and able people falling through the cracks.
The fact that you don't agree with it or resent it does not mean
that you don't have to deal with it. And to deal with something
requires preparation.
: It was amusing that some posters in
: the somewhat pro-hazing side are considering themselves misinterpreted and
: at the same time posing the question of "shouldn't I tell my student when
: they are wrong or if they are lazy?". This is a classic defense of hazing
: (I live in SC so we get to hear this stuff a lot) by making it sound like
: the only alternative to hazing is to never reprimand or criticise!
I've never been to SC so I confess, I'm not up on which geographic
areas are noted for 'hazing' and which are not. Frankly, I've always
associated the word with social organisations like fraternities, rather
than professional ones.
However, despite the fact your post could be construed as being
moderately antagonistic, through use of loaded words such as 'hazing'
and 'amusing', the latter of which could be thought to be an attempt
to demean or belittle the view of 'pro-hazing side', I admit, you made
me chuckle. This post is a wonderful example of the very behaviour
you profess to be railing against.
If you don't like such behaviour, why do you engage in it? Mind you,
I'm not criticising the fact that you do...after all, I'm on the pro
side and feisty debate, in my eyes, is no more than Good Clean Fun.
But I'm curious as to how you rationalise the dicotomy between what
your words are saying and how your words are said.
Deirdre
--
| Deirdre Sholto-Douglas | e-mail: finch at mcs.com |
| | |
******* The only acceptable substitute for intelligence *******
is silence.
