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alienist
Skeptic Friend
USA
210 Posts |
 Posted - 04/26/2011 : 19:09:31
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I was wondering how many women are on this website. I haven't seen a lot of women contribute to the different forums here. Does anyone have any ideas about why there aren't more female skeptics? I do know about skeptchick and sometimes look at her blog.
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The only normal people are the ones you don't know very well! - Joe Ancis |
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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26022 Posts |
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Ebone4rock
SFN Regular
USA
894 Posts |
Posted - 04/27/2011 : 07:08:33 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Dave W.
The results of a 2002 SFN poll can be found here.
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A little out of date dontcha think? |
Haole with heart, thats all I'll ever be. I'm not a part of the North Shore society. Stuck on the shoulder, that's where you'll find me. Digging for scraps with the kooks in line. -Offspring |
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Ebone4rock
SFN Regular
USA
894 Posts |
Posted - 04/27/2011 : 10:50:45 [Permalink]
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orininally posted by Alienist | Does anyone have any ideas about why there aren't more female skeptics? |
Probably because to most people learning and using applied skepticism is as exciting as watching paint dry. |
Haole with heart, thats all I'll ever be. I'm not a part of the North Shore society. Stuck on the shoulder, that's where you'll find me. Digging for scraps with the kooks in line. -Offspring |
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On fire for Christ
SFN Regular
Norway
1273 Posts |
Posted - 04/27/2011 : 13:39:09 [Permalink]
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| Yes and we all know how women despise learning. |
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alienist
Skeptic Friend
USA
210 Posts |
Posted - 04/28/2011 : 19:05:10 [Permalink]
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| I have been thinking more about my question. I think there aren't as many women posting because of lack of confidence. this doesn't apply to all women. I think some women have learned not to express their opinion, esp. with men. I went to a high school where the girls were strong about expressing their opinions and their intelligence. So it is hard for me to understand why there aren't more women posting comments. There could of course be other reasons that I am not thinking of. |
The only normal people are the ones you don't know very well! - Joe Ancis |
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bngbuck
SFN Addict
USA
2437 Posts |
Posted - 04/28/2011 : 22:00:25 [Permalink]
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Alienist.....
| Does anyone have any ideas about why there aren't more female skeptics? |
Aversion to combat and confrontation; the persuasion by power and the implicit threat of strength? Methods that many males have used to manipulate and control females - and others - ever since the Pleistocene era? Unfortunate traces of the behaviour still evident today? |
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Dude
SFN Die Hard
USA
6891 Posts |
Posted - 04/28/2011 : 22:34:47 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by bngbuck
Alienist.....
| Does anyone have any ideas about why there aren't more female skeptics? |
Aversion to combat and confrontation; the persuasion by power and the implicit threat of strength? Methods that many males have used to manipulate and control females - and others - ever since the Pleistocene era? Unfortunate traces of the behaviour still evident today?
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I was going to say that I think there are just as many women skeptics as men, but women don't so often choose open confrontation. Internet forums are typically hostile territory for all participants, and that doesn't generally appeal to women.
I read a study on internet games a few months back, violent and confrontational games (shooters, MMORPGs, etc) don't attract female players. But the girls still play games as much as guys to, they just pick games that don't involve combat.
Maybe the same thing happens for internet forums that deal with argument? It would be interesting to see a breakdown by gender of the people who actually read these forums and don't actively post.
Maybe a poll open to anyone who stops by to read, no registration required? To all readers of these forums, are you male or female? Should be easy to make that a poll.
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Ignorance is preferable to error; and he is less remote from the truth who believes nothing, than he who believes what is wrong.
-- Thomas Jefferson
"god :: the last refuge of a man with no answers and no argument." - G. Carlin
Hope, n.
The handmaiden of desperation; the opiate of despair; the illegible signpost on the road to perdition. ~~ da filth |
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On fire for Christ
SFN Regular
Norway
1273 Posts |
Posted - 04/29/2011 : 08:02:32 [Permalink]
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| I was going to say that I think there are just as many women skeptics as men, but women don't so often choose open confrontation. |
I actually disagree with both halves of that statement. |
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bngbuck
SFN Addict
USA
2437 Posts |
Posted - 04/29/2011 : 10:58:41 [Permalink]
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OFFC.....
| I actually disagree with both halves of that statement. |
Why? |
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On fire for Christ
SFN Regular
Norway
1273 Posts |
Posted - 04/29/2011 : 21:27:44 [Permalink]
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| Because I think women are less skeptical and just as confrontational, if we are talking about non-physical confrontation. |
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Kil
Evil Skeptic
USA
13477 Posts |
Posted - 04/29/2011 : 22:08:07 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by On fire for Christ
Because I think women are less skeptical and just as confrontational, if we are talking about non-physical confrontation.
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Just to clarify, do you think woman are less skeptical than men, or do you mean there are less female skeptics than there are male skeptics? |
Uncertainty may make you uncomfortable. Certainty makes you ridiculous.
Why not question something for a change?
Genetic Literacy Project |
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On fire for Christ
SFN Regular
Norway
1273 Posts |
Posted - 04/29/2011 : 22:26:03 [Permalink]
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| please explain the difference |
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Kil
Evil Skeptic
USA
13477 Posts |
Posted - 04/30/2011 : 00:29:04 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by On fire for Christ
please explain the difference
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Seriously?
Well, okay then.
Saying that woman are less skeptical than men seems to imply that they actually think differently than men do and men do skepticism better. Woman are inherently less skeptical. Sort of like the old thinking that woman can't do math. Girls were steered away from pursuing mathematics and into more appropriate occupations for woman because it was thought that they were less mathematically inclined then men.
Saying that there are less female skeptics than there are male skeptics more suggests that woman are just as capable of being critical thinkers as men are, but for whatever reason, aren't as interested in pursuing it as men are. At least not publicly on a skeptic forum or as a part of the skeptical community.
So which is it? |
Uncertainty may make you uncomfortable. Certainty makes you ridiculous.
Why not question something for a change?
Genetic Literacy Project |
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On fire for Christ
SFN Regular
Norway
1273 Posts |
Posted - 04/30/2011 : 00:34:43 [Permalink]
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| I don't agree with equating Skepticism to Math. As if Skepticism is a skill. By defining it this way you are setting me up to be a sexist if I say women are less skeptical than men. |
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Kil
Evil Skeptic
USA
13477 Posts |
Posted - 04/30/2011 : 00:42:40 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by On fire for Christ
I don't agree with equating Skepticism to Math. As if Skepticism is a skill. By defining it this way you are setting me up to be a sexist if I say women are less skeptical than men.
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Skepticism is both a philosophy and a skill. Critical thinking is a set of tools that we learn to use. So the analogy is apt. I'm not setting you up to be anything. It's not a trick. I'm seeking clarification. |
Uncertainty may make you uncomfortable. Certainty makes you ridiculous.
Why not question something for a change?
Genetic Literacy Project |
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Women skeptics
