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To play devils advocate and give him the benefit of the doubt... wasn’t the 1950’s a much different time in terms of respect for women? Reading that excerpt, I
by chatmasta 9y ago
To play devils advocate and give him the benefit of the doubt... wasn’t the 1950’s a much different time in terms of respect for women?
Reading that excerpt, I got the sense he was writing from the perspective of his past-self, in an almost self-deprecating way. He’s citing that incident of an extreme example of how literally he would follow instructions. By choosing it as an extreme example, he’s effectively acknowledging that the attitude was disrespectful / wrong.
Granted I haven’t read the whole book, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there is some crucial context missing from those excerpts.
Feynman did, after all, write the words himself.
- xevb3k 9y agoPerhaps my usage of the words “good and bad” implied a moral judgement. But, that’s not really my intention. What I’m saying, is that it’s unwise to idolize people because of their work in one area and then elevate (or more worryingly emulate) there work in other areas. Like his treatment of women, Feynman’s work in Biology is not really very interesting. It wouldn’t stand up on its own merits... the only reason to talk about it is if you treat Feynman as some kind of Hero/ideal. Feynman is not really a wonderful person to idolize (not that anybody is)...
- icebraining 9y agoHaving read the book, I didn't get the impression he was criticizing himself. It read as just another story of an experiment, which how it seems he approached most of life (and which is what makes the book interesting, in my opinion).