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In a message dated 8/16/01 1:34:37 PM Eastern Daylight Time, [log in to unmask]
writes:
> More seriously, the "exceptional" woman has long been a problem.
> Whenever privileges, and even rights, are given on the basis of
> exceptions, the deprived or outcast group turns on itself. The scarcity
> of rewards is sometimes named as one culprit in academic battling.
>
> M.
Very eloquently put, and of course I agree completely. There's a whole zoo of
these "exceptions." The "exceptional Negro," the "good Jew" (or "the Jew who
isn't like the other Jews"), and so forth.
I'm glad people don't talk this way very much any more. But I think to place
Eliot we have to remember that this is indeed how they talked in the 1920s,
and almost down to the 1960s. I have a 1927 newspaper article in which my
grandfather's brother--the family achiever--is being given an award by, I
think, the shriners. He's praised for showing "what those of the Hebrew race
can accomplish."
Yuk! Next time the question comes up of whether "those of the Hebrew race"
can accomplish anything, you have my permission to mention uncle Henry. The
awful thing is that I can't bring myself to hate the idiot who made the
comment. The person probably meant to be nice, but was just too dense to
realize how patronising he was being. I hope uncle H was embarrassed by the
whole thing, and not mistaking the remark for a compliment.
I see eliot playing with this kind of snide stuff in TWL, where Madame
Sosostris is the wisest woman in the world (which doesn't actually mean the
wisest person in the world). The back hand compliment, I guess, is an art.
best,
pat
(the wisest woman in dudley, pennsylvania)
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<HTML><FONT FACE=arial,helvetica><FONT SIZE=3 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Arial Narrow" LANG="0"><B>In a message dated 8/16/01 1:34:37 PM Eastern Daylight Time, [log in to unmask]
<BR>writes:
<BR>
<BR></FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Arial" LANG="0"></B>
<BR><BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">More seriously, the "exceptional" woman has long been a problem.
<BR>Whenever privileges, and even rights, are given on the basis of
<BR>exceptions, the deprived or outcast group turns on itself. The scarcity
<BR>of rewards is sometimes named as one culprit in academic battling.
<BR>
<BR>M.</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=3 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Arial" LANG="0"></BLOCKQUOTE>
<BR>
<BR>Very eloquently put, and of course I agree completely. There's a whole zoo of
<BR>these "exceptions." The "exceptional Negro," the "good Jew" (or "the Jew who
<BR>isn't like the other Jews"), and so forth.
<BR>
<BR>I'm glad people don't talk this way very much any more. But I think to place
<BR>Eliot we have to remember that this is indeed how they talked in the 1920s,
<BR>and almost down to the 1960s. I have a 1927 newspaper article in which my
<BR>grandfather's brother--the family achiever--is being given an award by, I
<BR>think, the shriners. He's praised for showing "what those of the Hebrew race
<BR>can accomplish."
<BR>
<BR>Yuk! Next time the question comes up of whether "those of the Hebrew race"
<BR>can accomplish anything, you have my permission to mention uncle Henry. The
<BR>awful thing is that I can't bring myself to hate the idiot who made the
<BR>comment. The person probably meant to be nice, but was just too dense to
<BR>realize how patronising he was being. I hope uncle H was embarrassed by the
<BR>whole thing, and not mistaking the remark for a compliment.
<BR>
<BR>I see eliot playing with this kind of snide stuff in TWL, where Madame
<BR>Sosostris is the wisest woman in the world (which doesn't actually mean the
<BR>wisest person in the world). The back hand compliment, I guess, is an art.
<BR>
<BR>best,
<BR>
<BR>pat
<BR>(the wisest woman in dudley, pennsylvania)
<BR></FONT></HTML>
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