Can't Discrimination Be Rational Too? |
 |
 |
 |
| Media Link - Times-Journal (Fort Payne, Alabama) | ||
| Friday, 01 June 2001 00:00 | ||
The successful WalMart chain is apparently under scrutiny. Why? Not because of selling faulty products. Rather, because they have significantly more men in positions of senior authority than do comparable companies. The conclusion we're all supposed to draw from this fact is that WalMart unfairly discriminates against women. This strikes me as one valid hypothesis. But why are we not allowed to consider other hypotheses? Such as: maybe the leaders of WalMart focus on excellence, rather than gender. WalMart is known for high standards. Perhaps they simply found more men than women who were able and willing to live up to their high standards. When you search for an electrician, a doctor, a car mechanic or a piano teacher for your child, do you look for the best one -- or a specifically male or female one? The answer seems obvious. Employers are no different. To survive and make a profit, companies must find and keep the best talent available. Color and gender are irrelevant in the quest for profit and success. What I'm writing here is scandalous, because it's thought to imply that men must be superior to women. But the greater success of WalMart proves no such thing. There are probably companies with more women than men which are doing very well in their particular market. Many of the great entrepreneurs of history have been women, and there will no doubt be more in the future. There's no reason at all to assume that either men or women hold a monopoly on excellence. I don't deny that irrational discrimination against women (or men, too, for that matter) exists in various settings. That's not my point. My point is that before drawing conclusions, reason dictates that we consider all possible explanations -- not just one. This is the tragedy of the political correctness eating away at our society. The truth matters much less than it used to matter. Advocates of the prevailing view intellectually tar and feather you as racist, sexist or otherwise irrational if you dare offer alternative explanations based upon facts and reason. If objective truth perishes, so too will excellence, productivity, and success -- the very values upon which both men and women desperately depend.
|
||
Special Feature
Featured
Shopping
Books & Booklets Audio Commentaries, Interviews & Advice Articles & Essays Coaching/Therapy Newsletter Newsletter Back Issues MerchandiseOther
Shopper and Email login
Shopping Cart
Your Cart is currently empty.
Wait for the payment page to appear after your order is confirmed. If you haven't entered your payment information, your order will not be completed. When ordering instant downloads, your shipping and credit card billing addresses must match. Problems? Call 302-539-5986 or contact Dr. Hurd.
DR. HURD'S NEW BOOK!
Click here to purchase your autographed copy!(Choose domestic or International delivery. Price includes shipping.)
Kindle Edition
Click below to purchase in KINDLE E-book format from Amazon
Daily Dose Mug
Get your official Daily Dose Coffee Mug! Click "merchandise" in the shopping menu to the left. Psychotherapy
Want to address an issue head on in a peaceful, oceanside location? Come to the beaches of Delaware for our special Reflection...by the Sea package.Stop and Think...
" It is neither wealth nor splendor; but tranquility and occupation which give you happiness. "Thomas Jefferson