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- From: mwaugh@utkvx2.utk.edu (marcie)
- Subject: Re: Mattel says "Math is tough."
- Message-ID: <7OCT199209320999@utkvx2.utk.edu>
- News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41
- Sender: usenet@utkux1.utk.edu (USENET News System)
- Organization: University of Tennessee Computing Center
- References: <BvLyKC.LFH@rice.edu> <1992Oct5.084002.25808@nuscc.nus.sg> <1992Oct6.110256.5388@ms.uky.edu>
- Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1992 13:32:00 GMT
- Lines: 37
-
- In article <1992Oct6.110256.5388@ms.uky.edu>, cyeomans@ms.uky.edu (Charles Yeomans) writes...
- >In article <1992Oct5.191034.27195@Csli.Stanford.EDU> hiraga@Csli.Stanford.EDU (Yuzuru Hiraga) writes:
- >>>: Mattel has just released a new product. A Barbie doll that says
- >>>: "Math is tough".
- >>>
- >>>What would you have her say?:
- >>
- >>Not what I'd have her say, but if all of us filed a protest to Mattel,
- >>it'll certainly be changed to "Mathematicians are tough". :-)
- >>
- >>-YH
- >
- >I would have Barbie say "Getting a job in math is tough"
- >
-
- From a former Barbie addict:
-
- Is Barbie influential? You'd better believe it! In my experience: (paraphasing
- John Lennon) The Beatles were more popular than Jesus Christ and Barbie
- more popular than the Beatles. Barbie's business is being popular. Thus,
- popular girls don't do math because math is (too) hard and thus uncool.
- In fact, the math being taught to Barbies fan club is NOT tough. It is easy,
- basic stuff that we all need to get by. Unless you live under a rock and
- seldom emerge, the message that math is uncool is a widely distributed myth
- among the elementary/ Jr. High crowd (and beyond, for that matter). Pressing
- this concept too greater heights, Mattel has now hard-coded this message into
- it's primary product, and has engaged it's considerable marketing prowess
- to disseminate this information. I suppose we should be glad that Barbie
- does NOT say " Math is GRRROOOOOSSSS!!!!!"
-
- BTW: Getting a job WITHOUT math is tough! Barbie will learn this only after
- it's (almost, we hope) too late.
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- Marcie email : mwaugh@utkvx3.utk.edu
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