There was once when I chatted with the chief chef of Pasta Cafe and we somehow drifted to how the kitchen is run on a naval vessel. Tell him everything and I might find myself serving pasta to military policemen one day. After a bit of self-censorship, I managed to tell him about this very famous chef I heard of who cooks so well that the Navy sent him for some SHATEC courses. After he completed the courses, COs just pray that he will be posted to their ships. Out at sea, nothing boost the morale more effectively than food. His culinary skills is praised by many personnel and his paycheck is considered one of the fattest among the chefs. However, he does have a problem. He loves to slap at his ship crews' backside when asking them for their comments on his food or other trivial matters.... other body movements also do not suggest that he is as masculine as he should be.
Hearing this, my chief chef immediately remarked that he is not a man and that is his competitive edge. Genuinely speaking, from past experiences since Primary 1, I cannot find reasons to say he is wrong. Consider also the below paragraph which I extracted from a book by my favourite management guru, Tom Peters:
"In 1996, there were 8.4 million women and 6.7 million men in American colleges; by 2007, that disparity will have grown to 9.2 million women versus 6.9 million men. Moreover, more of the women stick around and finish.....
Almost everywhere you look, the numbers tell a compelling tale. (Yes, guys, the numbers. This isn't touchy-feely, wishy-washy stuff you can brush aside with your "just the facts, ma'am" attitude.) For example:
- There are far more girls in student government than boys.
- There are far more girls in honor societies than boys.
- Girls read far more books.
- Girls outperform boys in tests of artistic and musical ability.
- Girls study abroad at a higher rate.
Yikes! But don't despair fellas. We still rule in some areas. Namely: Crime and violence of all varieties. Alcohol abuse. Drug use. Learning disabilities."
"In 1996, there were 8.4 million women and 6.7 million men in American colleges; by 2007, that disparity will have grown to 9.2 million women versus 6.9 million men. Moreover, more of the women stick around and finish.....
Almost everywhere you look, the numbers tell a compelling tale. (Yes, guys, the numbers. This isn't touchy-feely, wishy-washy stuff you can brush aside with your "just the facts, ma'am" attitude.) For example:
- There are far more girls in student government than boys.
- There are far more girls in honor societies than boys.
- Girls read far more books.
- Girls outperform boys in tests of artistic and musical ability.
- Girls study abroad at a higher rate.
Yikes! But don't despair fellas. We still rule in some areas. Namely: Crime and violence of all varieties. Alcohol abuse. Drug use. Learning disabilities."
The strike rate is not reflected in the survey and forecast. It would be more alarming if he says that 12 million women are offered opportunities for decent learning and 9.2 million made it to college. Whereas, 15 million men are offered the same opportunities and only 6.9 million made it to college. The figures are made up but does anyone dare to deny it does not conform to reality?
3 comments:
Not to mention girls can cry foul when they are "screwed" while guys can't :-)
On another notes, some people say that women are the worst drivers in the world. That kept me thinking....hmm, there are just 2 Genders, Male and Female. Are guys the Worst of the worst or just worse driver? Go figure the vocabulary.
Females are more emotional and indecesive behind the wheels. Man are also emotional and swear a lot behind the wheels.
Statistically wise, it might be true that gals are better than guys in some ways, especially when dealing with emotional topics. But each gender has his / her own strengths, and comparisons between them may not be fair for both parties. What I'm trying to say here is that competition in today's world doesn't just revolve around both genders but also within our own gender itself. This can be seen especially when you are in NS or having a job... where there are plenty of backstabbers around... =p
You just mentioned the word "compete" and that is especially in contrary to today's world which emphasize co-operation, alliance, collaboration.
Of course, men and women have their own strengths and weaknesses, but it seems that strengths of women are far more relevant today. And some of men's strength can easily be replicate by women through technology. Hard skills are easier to store and reproduce. No one can learn soft skills through 2 week career enhancement course.
While I am not trying to rally men to compete with women, there are still things to say if one sees it as a competition. Small picture.... you compete with anyone, men/gays or female/lesbains .... Big picture, which division is one competing in? Premier division or Division 1 or 2? Look who are your competitors then (Jurassic era) and now (Post WW II era)? This is not about driving women out of the premier division.... it is about staying in the premier division. How many men's teams will play in the "Champions' League" in future?
Writing this message will make me public enemy by both sexes and it may seem I am kissing the ass of Tom Peters.... he is not paying me for this. It is in actual an early warning signal which I subscribe to.... not to be taken too casually.... and it is supported by what is already happening around us for years and decades.
However, women will never outrun men in a marathon. Or can't they?
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