4 ms·

Thanks is a great story, but not about Feynman or Feminism. It’s about class. The reason she felt comfortable was because she was from the ‘upper’ class that be

• harry8 5y ago
  The story is about argument and evidence being compelling and authority not so at all. > she felt comfortable... ...could question anyone, even Noble Laureates. The idea that this is explained entirely by class does a disservice to people from more humble backgrounds who are capable of being confident. For example Feynmann himself has a large number of anecdotes about suddenly not caring who he was arguing with because thinking about the problem took over. Los Alamos with all the greatests physcists after Newton present, for example. Putting class at the centre of everything really isn't vastly better than pretending it has no relevance and does not exist. The thing that should interest us more is where are the modest background geniuses coming from now? Is class distinction getting more important and becoming a stronger barrier now than in the 30s and 40s or from this story the 70s. US tuition fees and student debt would suggest it is worth looking at.
  • haroldp 5y ago
    And Feynman made some wonderful attacks on social status. I recall in particular the lesson on "epaulets" from his father. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dkv0KCR3Yiw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dkv0KCR3Yiw He was the child of poor Jewish immigrants.