(no subject)

[ailbhe]

"Most women now work and their new economic independence contributes to levels of family break-up which are higher in the UK than in any other Western European country."

Because trapping women through economic dependence is good for children. And fathers have NOTHING TO DO WITH IT.

Comments

[the0lady.livejournal.com]

Let's break up this quote into its constituent parts, shall we.

-- "Most women now work"

Most women have always worked. Women make up the vast majority of the economic agents on the planet, as a direct result of their higher likelihood of caring for children and other dependants, and therefore of necessity.

Going out to work is not a middle class luxury, nor a sign of individualism run riot.

-- "their new economic independence"

What sort of data is this statement based on, and what is the benchmark for "independence" being used here? That women earn less than men is a fact. That they are more likely to end up caring for children after divorce or separation is a fact. That their jobs are more highly concentrated in the serivces part of the economy more vulnerable to the current financial crisis is a fact. These facts do not add up to the above statement, unless by "new" independence the writers of the report are referring to the changes in the law that allowed women to own property in their own name - and that happened quite a while ago.

-- "contributes to levels of family break up"

Again, what data is this based on? Even if the report managed to demonstrate that higher levels of affluence directly and causally contribute to higher levels of parents separating, which is unlikely, as we've established in the previous point that level of affluence is entirely theoretical. This is a double fallacy in that it's conjecture based on incorrect data.

-- "higher in the UK than in any other Western European country"

So what? I bet it's higher than in Soudi Arabia too, but Soudi Arabia is not our cultural benchmark. The UK shares more culturally and economically with the US than with Europe, and levels of divorce here are in fact lower. Saying which, still, so what? There seems to be an assumption buried there that "family break up" is some sort of social ill in it own right, but the implication is left vague - a sure sign of underlying ideology rather than data.

In short, this is bullshit. Not that you didn't know that already.

[k425.livejournal.com]

Thank you. You have put into fluent words my original thought of "where's the research?".

[the0lady.livejournal.com]

*bow*

I'm delighted to be loved, or even wuvved! =)

(Confession: I actually don't like Ben Goldacre terribly much. He's a bit of an arse if you ask me. But he _does_ have a thinkin' head on him...)

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

This is a wonderful analysis. I still haven't calmed down from wanting to fling things, but this helps.

[rmc28]

Oh, by the way, as I currently give money to the Children's Society, I feel a "disappointed donor" letter coming on. Do you mind if I rip off your very good points here in it?