Comments on: Women, Whistleblowing, and Rankism http://www.breakingranks.net/weblog/archives/163 This blog seeks to raise public awareness of rankism. Sat, 22 Nov 2008 08:17:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0 by: Elisa http://www.breakingranks.net/weblog/archives/163#comment-232 Fri, 28 Apr 2006 08:21:47 +0000 http://www.breakingranks.net/weblog/archives/163#comment-232 I think the idea of the "club" (whether it actually exists or not), is the whole point of the Time article. Women often feel like they're outside the club, and playing by the rules doesn't yield the kind of results or rewards that accrue to men. Women respond by looking for a set of rules that will apply. Note that we're not talking about an essentialist difference between game-playing men in groups and touchy-feely women. BOTH men and women feel more secure in rule-bound situations, and both are willing to play by the rules to see what happens. As I see it, the difference is that the power players, usually men, are more willing to break promises to women. Think of rules as a sort of promise. Once women see that the rules don't operate for them, they don't seek chaos or violence - they seek an alternative, larger set of rules. The ticket to the larger set of rules (the legal system) is selling out the boy's club. One of these days organizational leaders are going to get hip to the fact that all they have to do is make sure the game looks fair to women. I'm not sure society would be better off for that, though - I think whistleblowers are necessary power check that protect the public good. I think the idea of the “club” (whether it actually exists or not), is the whole point of the Time article. Women often feel like they’re outside the club, and playing by the rules doesn’t yield the kind of results or rewards that accrue to men. Women respond by looking for a set of rules that will apply.

Note that we’re not talking about an essentialist difference between game-playing men in groups and touchy-feely women. BOTH men and women feel more secure in rule-bound situations, and both are willing to play by the rules to see what happens. As I see it, the difference is that the power players, usually men, are more willing to break promises to women. Think of rules as a sort of promise. Once women see that the rules don’t operate for them, they don’t seek chaos or violence - they seek an alternative, larger set of rules. The ticket to the larger set of rules (the legal system) is selling out the boy’s club.

One of these days organizational leaders are going to get hip to the fact that all they have to do is make sure the game looks fair to women. I’m not sure society would be better off for that, though - I think whistleblowers are necessary power check that protect the public good.

]]> by: Intrepid Liberal Journal http://www.breakingranks.net/weblog/archives/163#comment-231 Fri, 28 Apr 2006 02:23:04 +0000 http://www.breakingranks.net/weblog/archives/163#comment-231 In my experience, my male colleagues are more about self promoton through the club. Club rules are you don't expose the wrong doing of others. My female colleagues typically have more of a concious. Hence, they're more inclined to be whistle blowers and distrusted about being the keepers of secrets. Yet it's my experience that male collegues are more inclined to stab you in the back. <a href="http://www.intrepidliberaljournal.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">Intrepid Liberal Journal</a> In my experience, my male colleagues are more about self promoton through the club. Club rules are you don’t expose the wrong doing of others. My female colleagues typically have more of a concious. Hence, they’re more inclined to be whistle blowers and distrusted about being the keepers of secrets. Yet it’s my experience that male collegues are more inclined to stab you in the back.

Intrepid Liberal Journal

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