Letters to the Editor
healthyskeptic
Published Letters: 671 Editor's Choice: 14
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lot of assumptions there
[Read the article: Is a sex change operation liberating or mutilating?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]It has nothing to do with socialization, having been reported in many cultures and eras. It is generally reported from a very early age, and the best outcomes typically involve making it possible for someone to live "as they were meant to be".
-- Trilobyte
Your post is basically a series of logical fallacies.
The fact that it's long been observed, neither validates nor invalidate socialization or biological factors. Human gender has always been social and biological.
That gender dissonance is commonly reported from an early age merely indicates the root cause begins early. It doesn't not necessarily prove a purely biological or social cause. It does not necessarily follow that surgery is the best treatment.
"As they were meant to be" is technically exactly as they are. What would be most fulfilling for them, or what they feel they should be, is another matter entirely.
Whether to attempt to change oneself physically, or change one's state of mind, is a difficult question. Repairing a cleft lip is a much easier dilemma than gender change.
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not
[Read the article: Female execs dominate in Philippines]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]it's perhaps worth noting that, prior to the Spanish invasion of the Philippines, Filipino culture was matriarchal.
The Philippines was not a matriarchy prior to European colonialism. I don't know where you get that distortion.
The islands of the Philippines were ruled and defended by various chiefs, Datu, Rajas, and Sultans, for over a millennium prior to the arrival of the Spaniards.
For centuries they had had tremendous trade and influence in the region, with China and India and much of SE Asia. They frequently had to defend themselves against other regional powers, such as the Thai. Immediately prior to the Spaniards, the Philippines was Islamic.
There was a traditional of shamanism, often female, and they shared in power. As is common in many tribal cultures where hierarchy is generally flatter. But that is not a "matriarchy."
The first hero of independence against the Spaniards was Lapu Lapu, a cheiftan, and a Muslim no less.
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@ Canuckistan Bob
[Read the article: Broadsheet is on hiatus]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]As it stands, readers are damn lucky to have these comment threads at all. Canuckistan Bob
Actually, luck has nothing to do with it. It's a service to subscribers to have subscribers and non-subs comment. It's also a way to generate content at almost no cost to Salon. It's a magnet for page views, hence ad revenue. So much for your theory.
Indeed, I've gotten to the point that I am beginning to think that they should shut down the comments on Broadsheet, let readers send them a letter if they want, and then publish a compendium of good ones once a week or so.
Sure, that's possible. Though, it would cut down on page views to the fora and reader participation. And considering it wouldn't do anything to improve sloppy BS writers (they'd probably even worsen) then it wouldn't do anything to help subscriptions either. Which would be a net loss I suspect.
On the other hand, BS could actually get better writers, more capable for dealing with complex issues, and less tabloid hacks. Then Salon would likly get more quality letters and forum posts, to actually make possible a qualitative increase.
in just the last few days I've been called a dirtbag, drunk, joke, idiot, sheep, and god knows what else
Considering your comments above... understandable.
You seem to really like BS and have some interesting suggestions. Good for you.
But, I suspect the economics of page views, ad revenue, and the low quality of existing writers, and well as the overall decline in the sort of screech feminism they represent in our culture, will be more decisive.
On the other hand, Salon could continue to cannibalize itself, by sacrificing integrity to go for a more tabloid business model, and hope to find a niche.
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controls in the study?
[Read the article: Everything they touch turns to gold]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]A few points which seem fairly obvious, but Price left out:
1) Asking which one tastes better suggests that one does.
2) Packaging which is attractive, whether it's from McDonalds or ACME Carrot, will be more appealing, and create the irrational belief that the product itself was better tasting. That holds for everything from carrots to fine dining and expensive wine.
3) Children's perceptions can be greatly influenced even at a young age. Just because kids are naturally vulnerable to packaging bling, doesn't mean they have to remain that way. Parenting, TV advertising, and schools make all the difference.
My family shopped at the organic co-op, the local bakery, etc. And we were poor, but they were reasonably priced back then.
Everybody was nice and friendly. I still remember bringing reusable glass bottles to the store and it being my job to refill them with things like corn oil, and molasses, which I really enjoyed. We valued quality, not packaging and not junk food. I remember the grocer would always give me a strawberry or something.
The local bakery had cup-cakes in the glass case, with little decorations. They were cheap and not particularly healthy. But the once a week experience of picking my cup-cake, in the store, with friendly people, was something a "Twinkie" in a plastic wrapper could never replace.
I'd like to see tax breaks for small, non-franchise, grocers and other community businesses. I'd also like to see a crack-down on corporate super-markets (benefits, taxes, minimum wage, etc) while banning advertising of junk foods on TV, and totally removing them from schools.
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sometime like never
[Read the article: Roundup: Secret wardrobes and caffeinated memories]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]OMG, A woman had 17 kids, like in the old days! -Tronic
In the "old days" people certainly didn't have 17 kids. Five or so, maybe. To work on a farm. Not 17.
The only reason these people are having 17 kids is because they've been brainwashed by religious fundamentalists, and because their first pregnancy was a miscarriage. They're apparently over compensating, and believe they're doing God's will.
They're probably nice people, but what they're doing is pretty kooky and for all the wrong reasons.
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had_enough
[Read the article: Roundup: Secret wardrobes and caffeinated memories]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]human beings are as dumb as dirt, as a class. And the Duggars are posterchildren for us all.
-- had_enough
Speak for yourself. You sound rather childish.