he Dalai Lama Says Female Leaders Are More Compassionate ... Hmm

[xchrom]

http://www.theatlantic.com/sexes/archive/2013/06/the-dalai-lama-says-female-leaders-are-more-compassionate-hmm/276843/



As a Hindu, I often think that if I wanted to choose another religion to follow, it would be Buddhism—and not just because I might get to hug Richard Gere. The Dalai Lama's recent comments in Australia about how his successor could be a woman only added light to my eyes, and made me exhale into a perfect Lotus pose.

Speaking at a press conference, the exiled 78-year-old leader, suggested that women were better equipped to lead the world in the current time. "If the circumstances are such that a female Dalai Lama is more useful, then automatically a female Dalai Lama will come," he said.

His Holiness Tenzin Gyatso was then asked about the bitter gender debate that is permeating Australian politics. Prime Minister Julia Gillard has been accusing her opposition Liberal Party of being sexist and removing women from the political sphere. Earlier this week, a menu for a Liberal Party fundraiser was leaked on social media. It carried the line: "Julia Gillard Kentucky Fried Quail: small breasts, huge thighs and a big red box." The chef who created the menu called it a joke that never made it out of the kitchen. He said that the opposition leaders had not seen the menu. Ms. Gillard called the menu "grossly sexist and offensive." The menu has gone viral and evinced reactions all over Australia. "Even when women ARE at the table, we're still on the menu," tweeted a woman in response.

The Dalai Lama responded to the gender question by referring to rising economic inequality around the globe. The world, he said, needs leaders with compassion. And in his mind, that means the world needs more female leaders.

[LeftishBrit]

1. While there should be more women leaders, out of fairness to 50% or more of the population...

they are not automatically more compassionate. Anyone remember Maggie Thatcher?!

[Cirque du So-What]

3. I consider Mags an anomaly

who overcompensated, attempting to emulate the aggressive, dispassionate traits typically associated with masculinity.

[brooklynite]

4. Right...Indira Gandhi and Golda Meir were real softies...

[Cirque du So-What]

5. 'Anomaly' is not synonymous with 'singular'

True, the women you mention were hardly known for their compassion either, but I consider overcompensation a factor in both their cases as well. Perhaps they all felt that nurturing the characteristics typically associated with testosterone poisoning was necessary for their political success.

[JI7]

2. i think females are more easily able to get leadership positions where compassion is more

important . teachers and nurses are a good example.

but make everything more equal and what may appear to be differences might go away.

i think nixon had more compassion than thatcher and indira gandhi .

[JackN415]

10. Some of the most ruthless, notorious rulers in China history were females...

They were politico-darwinian selected because the system stacked against them. Only the most ruthless, brutal, psychopath females made it to the top.

Many Asian Amy Chua tiger moms are psychopath. They would poison other children to enhance their own offsprings' chance at life.

[JackN415]

6. As someone who respect and love the teaching of the Daila Lama, I have to say this...

he has zero, zilch, nada, absolutely nothing to say about women because he has never married one.

He has zero experience with women. His credibility is zip.

Sorry His Holiness, you are so wrong to step out of your boundary of enlightenment. Oh.. if only I wish you had married one, then you would no longer make those statements.

[MadrasT]

7. Gender essentialist horseshit.

Women are not more (or less) *anything* just because they are women.

[JackN415]

8. I don't know of any credible research on male-female psychopath ratio...

but I have female psychopath-radar, and it beeps a lot.

[stevenleser]

9. Yep, and Dalai Lama like all other folks is not infallible

As I said before, this kind of pronouncement is not a positive one for women.

It suggests they aren't capable of the same range of behaviors and emotions. It's bias hidden in what seems like a compliment.

[JackN415]

12. Would anyone want to learn sex from the Dalai Lama? :D n/t

[Orrex]

11. Ah, benevolent sexism.

You never know where it's going to pop up.