Author Archives: Michelle Burtnyk-Horn

To Douchebag, or Not to Douchebag?

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Editor’s Note: let’s face it, some people are just jerks/a$$holes/sharks/douchebags – and they exist in our neighbourhoods, classrooms, workplaces, families, and many other communities. Can, or should, we change them? Should all members of said communities be held to a higher, golden-rule-ish standard of kindness, inclusiveness and non-douchebagery? The question is discussed and debated below by superawesome Correspondents, Steve and Michelle. When you finish reading be sure to join the thread of commentary. Whether or not you pick a side is totally up to you. Thanks!

- John

Befriend a Douchebag Today!

By: Stephen Sloot – Special Guest Correspondent

Communities are chock-a-block with douchebags.  Spend an evening at your local pub/café/park and you’ll undoubtedly encounter a table of douchebags whose football-throwing-Hollister-clad-Diesel-reek so disrupts your table’s collective vibe that conversation turns to abrasive mocking of said douches.  Some of us (those who self-identify as non-douches; folks perhaps part of a food co-op, ultimate Frisbee team, or other things that White People Like) feel compelled to verbally tear apart this group, as though we were given special licence to vituperate the subculture without remorse.  This does not encourage togetherness (a mainspring of community).

Douchebags can play an important role in your community.  It’s unchallenging to see their negative impact on community fabric.  Yes, their presence is a continuation of a high school cliché, the early douche antagonizing innocent drama club or student council members. [see Freaks and Geeks, ep 01 – ep 18].   The fully-grown douchebag exists as the metaphoric canary of community health.  Their individual gravity codifies social structure, in fact.

Imagine for a moment that you and your special lady/man are walking down the street, maybe popping in to King of Dosas – a douchebag unmistakably buds in front of you in line.  You’re a nice guy/gal…you don’t want to say anything because it’d just create more trouble/work for you.  It’s best to be polite and stew.

Enter the anti-douche.  These are the people who are specially designed to aid social protocol.  They emerge from their otherwise gentile exteriors to out-douche the douche.

“Get the fuck out of line, douche,” the anti-douche will say.  And 4/5 times, the douche skulks to the back of the line, muttering something about a left-wing politics and a Prius.

Being part of a community is not choosing a circle of friends.  Douches belong whether we like it or not.  Labelling subcultures breeds tribalism, the antithesis of community.  Tempering the douche is the responsibility of all.  Let out your inner-douche every once in a while.

If we seek to eliminate the douche based on a learned set of behaviours we reduce ourselves to: “if you’re not like me, leave.”  The communities I want to live in, contribute to, they’re the communities that encourage constructive dialogue and concede that none of us are perfect, surface or in our safe enclave where everyone agrees.  Difference helps us become better people, creative folks with different solutions to complex problems within our communities.  Befriend a douchebag today!

For the sake of the community, bring out the antidouche!

By: Michelle Burtnyk

Do you like interacting with douchebags? Do you ever find yourself coming home at the end of a long day, fondly remembering your run-in with a douchebag: Man, I LOVED listening to that douchebag talk on his Blackberry to his buddy about how he was so much better looking that all the other guys at his gym, while holding up the grocery store line … that conversation was so interesting! Or, how many times do you come home from a party thinking how much more fun it was due to the high douchebag-antidouchebag ratio:You know, that party was awesome – I love how all those guys kept on hitting on my fiancé even though they knew we were engaged – they really know how to stir things up!

Don't let this happen to you - stand up to the Douche!

No, I didn’t think so. Nobody likes douchebags. Douchebags don’t even like douchebags. They’re obnoxious, arrogant, and think they’re better than everyone else. Luckily, most of the time they’re pretty easy to pick out – besides their dreadful attitudes and defective personalities, they usually sport pretty ridiculous outfits (stay tuned for Godfrey’s post on Douchebag fashion for top tips on picking out your resident douchebag).

Mr. Sloot would have one believe that douchebags belong whether we like it or not – and labeling a douche a douche leads to tribalism and a decline in community. I beg to differ. Imagine a community without douchebags … go ahead, it is possible! There would be less conflict, less tension, and less doucheyness in the air (due to the decline in Axe body spray sales, I believe). How is this douchebag-free community achievable, you ask? As mentioned, douchebags are pretty easy to spot. And, most douchebags are fairly cowardly, prone to skulking off once their inflated sense of self has been popped. Douchebags need to be confronted – it’s only in this way that they’ll realize their behaviour is unacceptable. While Mr. Sloot (in a somewhat douchey way) suggests we all let out our inner douche once in a while, I would suggest instead that it might be time for us all to look inside and let out our anti-douche.

Gumboots: for the love of style, function, history and hilarity

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Gumboots have somehow, over the last few years, sneakily sloshed their way into my life. A mere three years ago, my life was gumbootless … and like text messaging, my electric toothbrush and Facebook … I now wonder how I could have ever lived without them.

There are a lot of great things to say about gumboots, so with no further ado, here are the top five reasons why gumboots may in fact be my favorite type of shoe and community … and should probably be yours too: 

1. I don’t think any other type of shoe has so many hilarious names: Wellingtons, rubbers, wellies, topboots, barnboots, muckboots, rainboots, blucher boots and of course, gumboots. This wide array of names is pretty hilarious on it’s own (muckboots!), but also speaks to the diversity of those who wear these footwear phenoms: those who tread in muck, barns, rain, and, um, uppity English courtyards are all connected by this fabulous boot. 

2. Gumboots have, in some odd, inextricable way, become the theme for my upcoming wedding and thus a symbol for love and happiness! From invitations to optional attire to event signage to table decorations to photographs, these bad boys will be left, right and centre at the big event. The big question is … do you know why? Take this super-secret wedding website quiz and see how well you know your Gumboot (of the Daily variety) correspondents and editors, and how well you remember information from posts past (there may or may not be an extra wedding invitation on the table for the first person who guesses correctly*) 

Why are gumboots featured in John and Michelle’s engagement photos and invitations?

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3. Gumboots defy barriers and bridge generations, classes and worlds! From mischievous three year olds running around jumping in puddles to a worker wearing wellies with reinforced toes in an industrial mine to a farmer in the field to a fashionable city girl wearing shiny red gumboots to complete her outfit, gumboots create a common ground (figuratively and literally) whereby unlike individuals become more like, creating an opportunity for .. you guessed it … community to be fostered and grown. 

Gumboot Dancers in South Africa

 

4. Gumboots are rich in history and have permeated the cultural fabric of communities around the world. Check out this article for a fascinating look at how gumboots have become a part of the cultural landscape worldwide. One of my favorite stories: In South Africa, the sound of people dancing in gumboots is often incorporated into semi-traditional popular music, known as “gumboot zydeco”. This dance began as a form of communication in the late 19th century in the gold mines of South Africa. Because miners were forbidden to speak to one another, they communicated using their work attire (which included gumboots) and native tribal rhythms. This story is just one among many – from Australia to Canada to Russia to Scandinavia, Gumboots have their own unique histories and cultural significance. 

5. Gumboots are the perfect balance of style and function. Whether you need protection from rain, muck, concrete, or dangerous chemicals, gumboots can serve your needs – and keep you looking stylish all the while! 

So there it is. In my humble opinion, individuals should be exposed to gumboots on a daily basis – and since it’s a little silly to be wearing gumboots in the summer (except at a wedding, that is), I suggest you get your dose by tuning it to The Daily Gumboot, where you’ll find the same caliber of hilarity, history, style, functionality, and world-bridging community as you’d find in a regular ol’ Wellie. 

*Sadly, friends, there are not extra wedding invitations to be given out. But hey, that’s not to say you can’t make your way up to Merville and lurk in the nearby bushes (you may need gumboots for this) to take in the festivities!

The Stone Carvers

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CLJ Reviews The Stone Carvers by Jane Urquhart

What We Read

The Canadian Novel is a theme the CLJ picks up every now and then with varying degrees of enjoyment by all involved. Jane Urquhart’s The Stone Carvers was one of the better ones.

Spanning centuries, the novel examines the relationship between what you want and what you do once you get it through multiple intertwined narratives centred on a small town in Ontario. The story opens with the complex tale of Catholic priest Father Gstir’s journey from Austria to the small town of Shoneval. Upon arrival, he builds a brewery and church, receives the bell he worked so hard to acquire, and promptly dies. Fast forwarding a number of decades we are introduced to the main characters of the book: Klara, Tilman, Eamon and Refuto.

Klara and Tilman are siblings, born to the wood carver who helped Father Gstir construct his church in the wilderness. As a young woman, Klara tragically falls in love with the poetic Irish-Canadian neighbour Eamon, who then leaves to join the Canadian Expeditionary Force and fight in WWI. As a boy, Tilman is unable to stay in one place, and ends up (literally) breaking the chains of family to travel the road as a hobo, also ending up in the trenches. Kindly Refuto provides comic relief as well as space for Tilman’s strange wanderlust to grow into with his cryptic, reverse sentences and double negatives; “Refuto does not make those sentences.” Eamon is killed in the fighting, and Tilman’s leg is wounded, making his wandering existence difficult.

Ultimately Klara and Tilman end up in Vimy Ridge, carving the Canadian war memorial and in doing so find what they always wanted: healing, love and closure from the various traumas they had suffered. Klara, pretending to be a man, secretly falls for Giorgio, an Italian-Canadian carver. Tilman meanwhile discovers his sexuality in a local French chef, Recouvrir (hilariously translatable as ‘to recover’). Happy endings are in store…

The use of the Vimy Ridge Memorial is an interesting one. The mass psyche of Canadians was supposed to find solace for its collective sacrifice at this memorial. Perhaps Klara, Tilman and Giorgio represent a particular demographic within that mass; the ex-soldier, abandoned lover and talented artist.

What We Did (and How We Did It)

Passionate discussion was followed by flying soap chips. The trophy was awarded to the most interesting or entertaining bar-of-soap monument to the novel’s innermost soul. Unsurprisingly, the trophy was awarded our resident storyteller and overachieving book clubber, John Horn, for his multi-dimensional cloud structure. The soap has subsequently been used in our daily showers. Fun, efficient, and sustainable? That’s the CLJ spirit!

What We Thought

Overall the novel was enjoyed by most, with particular mention going to the character development of Klara and Tilman as well as the curiously successful narrative device weaving multiple time lines and generations. Frustration was expressed at the seemingly boundless prose frequently employed by Jane Urquhart to describe quite ordinary moments. Further annoyance was centred on the sheer stupidity of some characters, most notably Eamon, but what is a good read without some outright distain for a fake person?

As told by Stewart Burgess …

Your digital fill – GSTWN stories

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As desribed by co-creator Anthony Munoz, Gastown is a meeting of worlds – from hipster hang outs to dot com start ups to the Lower Eastside’s down and outs. Take a journey through the streets of Gastown through the eyes of those who frequent the streets, and experience the less glamorous side of Gastown.

Grandview Park – a redesign for beautification or gentrification?

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Grandview Park ... all guns and drugs? Or good 'ol family fun?

 I vividly remember listening to a lively CBC radio debate – lively enough that the tension seemed to permeate along with the radio waves through the room – in Fall 2008 about the potential redesign of Grandview Park in East Vancouver. Stephanie Maingot, Commercial Drive resident, was advocating for the allotment of $1 million from the city in order to ‘redesign’ the park, which she described as being fraught with drug dealing, crime, violence and illegal protests. The tension within the interview arose when Ms. Maingot was unable to pinpoint exactly how these funds would be used to address these issues, and was likely fuelled by the fact that the radio host, at the height of the interview, slipped in the fact that he is a proud East Van resident. Ms. Maingot’s plight is supported by both a group of neighbors calling themselves the ‘Friends of Grandview Park’ and the Commercial Drive Business Improvement Association. For more on Ms. Maingot’s views, check out this Vancouver Courier story in which she was interviewed on the topic. 

Earlier this year, the Vancouver Parks Board announced that this redesign project was approved, with construction set to begin in Summer 2010. The ‘Friends of Grandview Park’ were very involved in this approval process, presenting to the Parks Board on the necessity of this redesign. More details and conceptual design options can be found on the Parks Board site. Of course, there are those in opposition to the redesign, stating gentrification of the area as their main concern. The argument can be found on their Defend Grandview  website. 

Now. I live quite close to Grandview Park, and frequent it regularly. I’ve seen some shady transactions take place, very open displays of drunkenness, and homeless people sleeping in bushes. I’ve also seen amazing drum circles, children playing, and lovers picnicking. DG correspondent Kurt Heinrich was lucky enough to see a bike polo match the other weekend (which may or may not be played by resident ‘hipsters’). One can’t help but feel a sense of community when visiting Grandview Park, and if not accept, then tolerate the more systemic issues that confront residents that frequent the park. I don’t have anything against the redesign, per se – I can’t really argue against park improvements such as a better drainage system, new playground equipment, and more benches and flowerbeds – but it seems to me that a $1 million dollar redesign of the area will do little to address the more systemic issues that face the individuals who visit Grandview Park and the surrounding area. How will this redesign address homelessness? Mental health and addiction concerns? Poverty?  Is the intention of the ‘Friends of Grandview Park’ group to see these individuals move along to another park, or are there other initiatives happening parallel to this that provide support for our community members? If so, I haven’t seen any indication that this is occurring.. As a wise man once said, “Every society is judged by how it treats the least fortunate amongst them”.

Peanut Butter and Tuna: Sometimes gimmicks do the trick

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There are a lot of really bad things in the world that deserve our attention. A lot of causes that we could be dedicating our time. Charities that we could be donating our money. Change that we could be advocating for. At a recent BCAMA event focused on sustainable marketing, a speaker from the Vancouver-based marketing firm Octopus Strategies discussed how with such an array of causes and corresponding public appeals, passion alone isn’t enough to drive your personal cause – something more is needed to engage the public. But what exactly is this “something more”? Is there a formula where you can plunk in your cause, your goal, and your audience and the perfect engagement tactic will spit out? Unfortunately, this is not the case (well – not yet at least – socially responsible mathematicians get to work!)

Recent scientific findings (and no, these are not related to most of the “recent findings” cited by John Horn on the popularity of Johnism) have shown that us humans have a physiological response to inequality – namely, the human brain, upon confronting an inequitable situation, reacts more positively and strongly when those in an inequitable or unfair situation are given more equitable or fair treatment. We all know this pretty innately – nobody likes to see others suffer. But the breadth of appeals that confront us can be overwhelming, and when we don’t actually see or experience these inequalities in our daily lives, it can be difficult to become engaged. Stats don’t lie, as they say, but they certainly make it easy to remain far removed.

An amazing public awareness campaign in Toronto recently caught my eye, and made me think about some possible solutions to these frighteningly overwhelming questions about engaging the masses. The Stop Community Food Centre has just wrapped up it’s Do the Math Campaign, which aimed to raise awareness about the dismally inadequate social assistance program in Ontario. I encourage you all to take a moment, go to the site, and Do the Math. Trust me, when you do you’ll find that a person attempting to live off of social assistance does not receive enough income to live with health and dignity.

This campaign caught my eye because it engaged Torontonians in a clever and unique way towards a very specific goal. Popular and influential Torontonians, including Naomi Klein, city councilor Joe Miheyc and Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health Dr. David McKeown, stepped up to the (mostly empty) plate to raise awareness about how difficult it is for a person living on social assistance to live in health and with dignity. Relying on food hampers and drop-in lunches for a week, they blogged about their experiences living off drastically limited choices and encouraged others to become involved. This campaign succeeded in getting people involved because it used prominent public figures as a bridge between worlds – between the haves and have-nots – that is seldom crossed. It took advantage of technology to reach young adults, a particularly hard group to reach. It sucked readers in with curiosity and kept them there with personal stories from people they respected and trusted. It made people think … would I be able to survive if I only had $30.00 – $60.00/month for all of the food I consume? If I had to plan and stick to a budget so tight that every single penny was accounted for (check out this blog by a Vancouver Island resident living on a very limited budge for more on this)? Participants and organizers alike were quick to recognize that in no way was the experience of these participants anything like those of someone actually living in poverty, but statistics can only go so far and gimmicks and theatre often work to engage otherwise desensitized citizens.

There are a lot of friends and family in my life who work tirelessly for causes, who ooze passion from their pores and work every day to make this world a better place. Finding this balance between passion and clever tactics is never easy, but so necessary in order to make the changes we hope to see a reality.

Campbell’s Casino … Consultation-less?

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What could make this scene better ... than a gigantic casino

I consider myself a reasonably knowledgeable person when it comes to current events – I have a mild addiction to CBC news and have a good ‘ol fashioned love affair with reading good ‘ol fashioned newspapers. Which is why the announcement of a new casino being planned for the False Creek area of Vancouver caught me wayyyy off guard. My mind started running through all the reasons this was clearly a mistake: didn’t Gordon Campbell campaign (way back in the day) on a promise to curb gambling? Isn’t False Creek a burgeoning residential area in great need of schools, community centres, and, well … anything but a 100,000-square-foot monstrosity of a casino? Is this really in line with the aesthetically-conscious urban design plan for Vancouver? Convinced that this was merely an idea – just like the idea a few years back to move the Vancouver Art Gallery into that space – I made a mental note to find out when and where community consultations would be taking place, knowing that there would be a large, engaged group of citizens who would turn out to express their suggestions and concerns.

My confusion grew and frustration blossomed as I scoured news sites later that day to find out how I could become involved in the process. As I read more about the proposed casino, I started taking note of my questions and concerns – if it’s merely replacing the Edgewater casino, why is it 70,000 square feet bigger? With (very valid) concerns about gambling addiction, will this ‘state-of-the-art’ casino implement measures to address this, such as new regulatory technology in Ontario that does not allow self-identified problem gamblers into casinos? With a historical precedent of returning a percentage of gaming revenues back to arts/culture organizations and charities within the community, what benefits will be returned to the city? How much say do our city planners have in the design of the building? With an expressed interest in accelerating construction, will design changes be taken into consideration? If we don’t want it – will it still be constructed?

Sadly, the opportunity to have my questions answered seemed to get more dim as I kept reading: City counsellors have more or less stated that their hands are tied – with the site on provincial land, it is exempt from city zoning. It was also stated quite explicitly that the city is in no position to demand any benefits at all from the development.

Vancouverites should be entitled to have their questions answered, complaints heard, demands made, and wants taken under serious consideration. Our city is young, growing, and still in the process of defining itself – if we adamantly feel that this new casino is not a good ‘fit’ for our city, or have valid concerns about the size, location, design, or revenue distribution, we have the right to have our voices authentically heard. I do hope that community consultations do come to fruition, and they are more than just a tokenistic attempt to appease the masses – and hey, if they do, I hope to see you there.

When the world collapses, head for Detroit!

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This month, my ambitiously creative, brilliant, and fairly eccentric book club is reading a creative, brilliant and fairly eccentric book entitled ‘The World Without Us’ by Alan Weisman. The title is fairly self-explanatory (which is great for those members who don’t actually get around to reading the book) – what would the world be like if we weren’t here? How long would it take nature to repossess cities, the seas and skies to recuperate from the damage we’ve caused by spewing toxic fumes into them, the plastics and synthetics we’ve created to decompose?

Angkor Wat, Cambodia

Reading this books takes me back to Angkor Wat, Cambodia – this temple was build in the early 12th century for King Suryavarman II, and abandoned in the early 15th century when Thai armies captured the city of Angkor. It was basically forgotten for about 400 years, and rediscovered by a French Nationalist in 1860. Visiting Angkor Wat a number of years ago, I was awed and humbled by the sight of nature overtaking the ruins – tree roots enveloping doorways like wise snakes wrapped around unsuspecting prey, wily fauna forcing their way through every crack in the foundation they could find, incessant rain dissolving the clay in the sandstone, weakening the structure. What I came away with was this: the power and resilience of nature is astounding, and in our urbanized world, we have forgotten to appreciate and respect this. We no longer build durable structures that would withstand 400 years – we build cost-conscious housing made of woodchip roofs, scrapboard flooring, and vinyl siding that will be gone in 10 years. We flout nature by leveling topographic areas to build cities, as did 19th century urban planners with Manhattan. We pave over, well, everything. If we weren’t here, nature’s vengeance would be swift and subsuming.

Given our preoccupation with urbanization, technological advance and unfettered growth over the last century or so, a recent story about Detroit’s turn to agriculture caught my eye. After being put in such a dire circumstance after the collapse of the auto industry, leaders and researchers have been exploring alternatives to keep their city vibrant and citizens well (and in town). They have turned – in full circle style – back to the environment. The idea is for Detroit to become self-sustaining – turning abandoned car lots to fertile farmland, supplying families and schools. Not so much of a stretch of the imagination when one considers that the land Detroit sits on was once agrarian country, is very close proximity to the Great Lakes, and has an ample growing season. And this is not just an idea – it has some clout. Prominent Detroit businessman John Hantz (who may or may not be an influential member of Johnism) has already contributed $30 million to the project to get Hantz Farms underway, with plans to grow natural, local, and fresh fruits and vegetables, harvest wind energy, and utilize geothermal health and biomass fuel from recycling compost.  Detroit’s mayor Dave Bing has just released a landmark document  – the Neighborhood Revitalization Strategic Framework describes how large sections of Detroit will be razed and returned to farmland, open space, and nature.

With both economic and environmental crises affecting our global community, many communities and individuals are realizing that we need to see ourselves as part of the greater ecological web, and if we are to escape the demise theorized by Wiseman, live within it as opposed to against it. And hey, if Detroit can do it, so can the rest of us.

Confessions of a (globally conscious) Chocoholic

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Chocolate - delicious anytime, anywhere!

Chocolate - delicious anytime, anywhere!

I’ll be the first to admit it – I’m a chocoholic. Now, don’t get me wrong – there are much, much worse things to be addicted to. But really, there’s nothing better than a piece of (dark, always dark) chocolate to get you through a challenging afternoon at work or to top off a delicious meal. Or after a Sunday afternoon bike ride or as a mid-morning treat. You get the picture. With proven health benefits when eaten in moderation (AKA – eat a piece and not a whole bar in some but not all of the situations above), many are now enjoying this delectable treat guilt-free … well, almost guilt free.

According to Statistics Canada, Canadians purchase 6.7 kilograms of chocolate per person each year. Last year, nearly $47 million worth of cocoa products came in to our country.

fairtradecocoagraph

Graph Taken from TransFair Canada

Where is this chocolate produced, you ask? The majority of the world’s cocoa production comes from West Africa – 43% from Côte d’Ivoire, 15% by Ghana, 7% by Nigeria, and 4% by Cameroon. Sadly, the conditions on many of these cocoa farms are inhumane and hazardous – the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), reports that more that 284,000 children are working in hazardous conditions on cocoa farms. Save the Children Canada reports that 15,000 children between the ages of 9 and 12 have been sold into forced labour on cocoa farms in West Africa in the last few years. These children work 12-14 hours a day, scattering pesticides, chopping cocoa trees with sharp machetes, and hauling heavy bags of beans. Cocoa farmers are exploited in a different way – getting paid such a low price for their beans ($30 – $110 a year) that they can’t afford medicine, food, clean water or schooling for their children.

Fortunately, there is something each of us can do to support safe working conditions and adequate pricing – purchase fair-trade chocolate. When an item is labeled Fair Trade, it means not only a fair price is ensured to the farmers, but it also guarantees that decisions around Fair Trade revenues are democratically decided within communities, fair labour conditions are met (including living wages and the prohibition of forced child labour), direct trade between producers and importers is ensured, and environmental standards are upheld.

For us Canadians, recognizing and purchasing Fair Trade certified chocolate is relatively easy. For more information on the certification process, visit Canada’s nonprofit Fair Trade certification organization, Transfair, which is a member of Fairtrade Labelling Organizations (FLO) International. To ensure you’re purchasing independently certified fair trade chocolate, look for one of these labels:

Canada's Fair Trade Certified Label

Canada's Fair Trade Certified Label

International Fair Trade Certified Label

International Fair Trade Certified Label

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fair Trade Vancouver provides great information on certified Fair Trade chocolates that are available in Metro Vancouver. To find places near you that carry such chocolates, check out this this interactive map (details stores, restaurants and outlets across Canada).

In the Vancouver area, here are some great chocolates to try out:

I can testify – from personal experience, of course – that Cocoa Camino and Terra Nostra are delicious. With all of the choices we are faced with as consumers, purchasing Fair Trade chocolate is an easy and effective one. Indulge (in moderation), dear friends and readers!

Consumers are powerful and if we use our money with compassion and wisdom we can change the world.
-Source Unknown

The Menopausal Math Teacher and other Tales of Cultural Influence

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Female math teachers - we need more of you!

Female math teachers - we need more of you!

Thinking back to high school, I didn’t have very many female math teachers – I can only think of one (not very nice) one, actually. Subconsciously, this could very well have influenced my decision to pursue an Arts degree in University. Conversely, it could have been the fact that I enjoyed contemplating the probability that Holden Caulfield would face his demons more than the probability of rolling a 3 on two dice five times in a row (8?). Proclivities aside, the point is that in the cultural stratosphere of high school – a cess pool of influences and values that shape who you will become – having female role models in math and science is imperative for young females to have the confidence to pursue studies – and a career – in a science or technology field.

Despite unfounded claims by some, including a former Harvard University president, suggesting that the underrepresentation of girls in science is due to genetic differences, recent findings have now resolutely shown that culture is the driving force behind the underrepresentation. Recent findings have also shown, resolutely, that said president Larry Summers is an idiot. A meta-analysis just published by the American Psychological Association comparing math scores of nearly a half million boys and girls in 69 countries found that when students had the same resources, there were no differences in math abilities. The study results also showed that in countries where gender equity is more prevalent, girls are more likely to perform better on math assessment tests: in Iceland, girls outperform boys. In Korea, boys outperform girls. In Canada, boys and girls perform equally well.

Hilarious jab at menopause? Or a negatively skewed take from Western culture?

Hilarious jab at menopause? Or a negatively skewed take from Western culture?

Deeply held cultural values, ingrained in families, the community and society, play a role not just in perceptions of academic aptitude, but in perceptions of well-being and illness as well. Some researchers have gone so far to say that there is no such thing as a value-free assessment of health – well being can only be experienced and understood through a cultural lens. Studies have provided some concrete examples of this – a study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology showed that self-esteem was more associated with well-being in countries characterized by individualism. Anthropological studies have shown considerable variation across cultures in the experience of menopause, with typical symptoms experienced among North American and European women (hot flashes, headaches, difficulty concentrating) not being experienced by women in other cultures, including Japan. When one looks at the cultural value placed on menopause  – with the North American medical model emphasizing loss and decline and the Japanese model emphasizing a normal and celebrated transition – it is difficult not to see the influence of culture on perceptions and experiences of health and illness.

Within your community, what cultural values shape your attitudes, abilities and experiences?