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A review by seclement
Delusions of Gender: How Our Minds, Society, and Neurosexism Create Difference by Cordelia Fine
4.0
This is a systematic take-down of all the stereotypes backed by so-called evidence that we see every day, by an actual expert in her field. You know, all the "women are x....and men are y" such as "women are intuitive, feeling creatures who have poor spatial awareness, but men are systematic thinkers who break down rationally and can navigate like compasses". It's an informed but entertaining look at all the rubbish that is published in popular books and the media, trying to explain away gender dynamics, pay gaps, and the general lack of success in getting women in higher ranking STEM positions in certain countries. (Note: that "certain countries" should be a clue. Women perform better than men in many countries where the beliefs that women = arts and humanities and men = science and math are simply not part of the zeitgeist.)
This is a book you have to be open to reading, but not so open that your mind falls out. And I mean genuinely open to many ideas, e.g. the notion that perhaps no research has accurately teased out the separation between nature and nurture, and even the idea that this isn't possible. I read some scathing reviews online, which initially put me off, but I realised that almost all of those reviews were by men or the anti-SJW mob, who felt assaulted by the idea that someone would have the audacity to question the robustness of the beliefs they have held so dear, which underpin their views of the world.
The one reason I gave this a 4 instead of 5 star reason is that I felt that it became too repetitive. I debated this, as I know that Dr Fine did this because she knew she would be vehemently challenged, so she kept revisiting the same territory. But for a reader, I will say that the sections became a bit repetitive, which almost muddled the points she was trying to make, as the separation between topics - and thus the clarity of her key points - became less obvious. But overall, I would say this book is the best primer that I have read to date on how people misinterpret and misuse evidence - and how scientists struggle to collect robust evidence -on the topic of gender and neuroscience. It wasn't a surprise to me that people misuse evidence to affirm their poor treatment of the opposite sex, but it was enlightening to read a systematic analysis of why that 'evidence' is often not robust, nor is it telling us the story we seem to think is so clear. I love complexity and nuance, so if you do too, then this is the book for you. If you still think men are from Mars and women are from Venus, then it may be that this book isn't for you. Read it when/if you are ready. Dr Fine isn't speaking to everyone, but if you are on the fence, then she's definitely speaking to you.
This is a book you have to be open to reading, but not so open that your mind falls out. And I mean genuinely open to many ideas, e.g. the notion that perhaps no research has accurately teased out the separation between nature and nurture, and even the idea that this isn't possible. I read some scathing reviews online, which initially put me off, but I realised that almost all of those reviews were by men or the anti-SJW mob, who felt assaulted by the idea that someone would have the audacity to question the robustness of the beliefs they have held so dear, which underpin their views of the world.
The one reason I gave this a 4 instead of 5 star reason is that I felt that it became too repetitive. I debated this, as I know that Dr Fine did this because she knew she would be vehemently challenged, so she kept revisiting the same territory. But for a reader, I will say that the sections became a bit repetitive, which almost muddled the points she was trying to make, as the separation between topics - and thus the clarity of her key points - became less obvious. But overall, I would say this book is the best primer that I have read to date on how people misinterpret and misuse evidence - and how scientists struggle to collect robust evidence -on the topic of gender and neuroscience. It wasn't a surprise to me that people misuse evidence to affirm their poor treatment of the opposite sex, but it was enlightening to read a systematic analysis of why that 'evidence' is often not robust, nor is it telling us the story we seem to think is so clear. I love complexity and nuance, so if you do too, then this is the book for you. If you still think men are from Mars and women are from Venus, then it may be that this book isn't for you. Read it when/if you are ready. Dr Fine isn't speaking to everyone, but if you are on the fence, then she's definitely speaking to you.