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In defense of the absent-minded, labeling it a "dominance" behavior requires several value judgements. One could readily read his examples to demonstrate, for

In defense of the absent-minded, labeling it a "dominance" behavior requires several value judgements. One could readily read his examples to demonstrate, for instance, that once people attain to a certain level of status and respect (enough that they don't have to worry about people calling them "stupid") they're simply less uptight about a lot of things than other people are. They treat social chores and the location of parked cars as being precisely as unimportant as everyone feels like they are. The way the author talks about the habit- "everyone would love to be absent-minded", how people can or can't "get away with it," etc- makes it sound like absent-mindedness is the natural way of being. One could turn the whole idea around and criticize modern culture for requiring us all (those of us without professor-level cachet) to maintain a mandated level of neuroticism. Neuroticism that is unnecessary for real performance- since, if someone can operate effectively enough to attain tenure, "absent-mindedness" certainly hasn't crippled their professional effectiveness. (In all of this, of course, I except the story about the guy who left the author rideless at the office. That was a 'dickhead' move.) Finally, on the claim "they only forget things that benefit them," be very careful about confirmation bias. I, for one, show up at meetings early not infrequently- but when this happens, no one knows because no one else is there.

jancsika 9y ago
> Finally, on the claim "they only forget things that benefit them," be very careful about confirmation bias. I, for one, show up at meetings early not infrequently- but when this happens, no one knows because no one else is there. Additionally-- that fuddy-duddy professor who left their colleague hanging to attend a conference may have done 100 other absent-minded things at the conference that were detrimental to their own career. These may include: * being late to their own presentation because they went to the wrong building * undermining their own presentation by forgetting every colleague's polite advice to not making gross sniffing noises or laugh like a hyena at seemingly random moments in their public speech * being completely inept at getting their laptop to play audio/video excerpts or display a graph on a screen * forgetting to exchange contact info with someone who would have helped advance their career * give an earnest, brilliant, persuasive response in public to an egotistical and well-respected scholar on the hiring committee for a position coveted by the professor, who then silently takes offense and uses their power to keep the professor from being hired for that position * forgetting to follow up with an appointment with well-respected scholar who wanted to help the professor publish something that would help their career, causing that scholar to silently vow to never again waste time with that professor (All based on real events.)

jancsika 9y ago

> Finally, on the claim "they only forget things that benefit them," be very careful about confirmation bias. I, for one, show up at meetings early not infrequently- but when this happens, no one knows because no one else is there. Additionally-- that fuddy-duddy professor who left their colleague hanging to attend a conference may have done 100 other absent-minded things at the conference that were detrimental to their own career. These may include: * being late to their own presentation because they went to the wrong building * undermining their own presentation by forgetting every colleague's polite advice to not making gross sniffing noises or laugh like a hyena at seemingly random moments in their public speech * being completely inept at getting their laptop to play audio/video excerpts or display a graph on a screen * forgetting to exchange contact info with someone who would have helped advance their career * give an earnest, brilliant, persuasive response in public to an egotistical and well-respected scholar on the hiring committee for a position coveted by the professor, who then silently takes offense and uses their power to keep the professor from being hired for that position * forgetting to follow up with an appointment with well-respected scholar who wanted to help the professor publish something that would help their career, causing that scholar to silently vow to never again waste time with that professor (All based on real events.)