Really?

[lisaf]

Larry Summers? THAT Larry Summers? The guy who said that the reason there weren't more women in the highest ranks of academia was because they were genetically inferior as a whole?

Really?

He better be really good at economics.

Comments

[elspeth1]

In defense of Summers, that is what was reported and NOT what he said. He actually has a decent record on women in academia. See this Huffington Post article as an example:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sheryl-sandberg/what-larry-summers-has-do_b_142126.html

[lisaf]

Yeah, I read his actual quote at the time, and I still find it fairly obnoxious, if not offensive. The fact that it was so clearly well thought out meant that he really believed what he was saying.

But he's not getting hired to do women's rights, I guess. After all Biden's the one who called Obama 'articulate', and he turned out ok.

[katkt]

The fact that it was so clearly well thought out meant that he really believed what he was saying.

I more or less believe that he believed what he was saying - partly because of its content and partly because of the shape of his later backpedaling - but I think, particularly in the upper reaches of academia, "you made a clearly well thought out argument" is poor evidence for "you believe that argument"

I have no idea of his qualifications. Or, as important, what his general political philosophy on economic issues is.

[webbnh]

I'm not brilliant enough to be an asshole.

Aw, don't sell yourself short! I'm sure you could do it.

(And, there's always the Peter Principle...)

*ducks* and *runs-for-cover* ;-)

[dreda]

I am thrilled, because the current dean of the Law School is his bestest friend, and maybe she'll go with him.

(Also, he is that good, regrettably.)