In The Independent today...

[tabbymog]

...gender quotas and 'the crisis of the mediocre man'. A very interesting article on the beneficial results of having gender quotas for women in business.

I love that expression... crisis of the mediocre man. Given the source of the study, that expression could well go into the lexicon at the LSE and from there into wider use.

Not surprising. I have always said, we will know we have true equality when mediocre women are as successful as mediocre men.

There being any women at all of course means that there's less space for incompetent men.

I shall read the article, but I once heard a politician commenting on the notion of quotas for women candidates by saying she wanted equal opportunity to vote for a mediocre woman as a mediocre man. (I don't think you're a Cork woman, Vestal, so she stole your line )

Reminds me of one of my favourite AA invocations: Lord, grant me the confidence of a mediocre white man. 🤓

Those posting in the comments section are presumably mediocre men, because they really are against it!

I think it's that way from childhood. For example, a boy who's average at football doesn't have to work at all to prove himself, if a girl wants to join in, she better be amazing at football and better than many of the boys, but although she's better at football she'll still be seen as less.
This is just a continuation from childhood. Sad, but it seems to be like this for anybody over 4yo

That sounds like a very interesting area of research. Much as it intrigues me, I think I'd like to see a different measure of 'competence' used though. I think the income measure they used is a bit of a blunt tool.

I do like the concept of the "crisis of the mediocre man", though. We get enough of them on here, bemoaning our uppitiness! What's the saying, when you're used to privilege, equality feels like oppression? Yeah.

The comments section is very revealing.

It's quite true what they say about feminism, in that once you view the world through those glasses, you can never take them off again.

The comments from men just expose that they are exactly the sort of man the article talks about.