Posted on 08/02/2012 6:32:53 AM PDT by Paladins Prayer
It’s difficult to say if the greatest drama of the 2012 Olympics has occurred inside or outside the athletic arena, but it’s hard for anything to compare to the controversy that recently surrounded 16-year-old Chinese swim sensation Ye Shiwen. The story started on Saturday when Ye shattered the women’s world record in the 400-meter Individual Medley in a time of 4:28.43, beating the old mark by more than a second.
If a second constitutes a “shattered” record—and it does at that high level—you can only imagine what a 14 or 23-second difference is: it’s a vast ocean away. So it should surprise no one that those also happen to be the number of seconds Ye was slower than, respectively, the last finisher in the men’s 400m IM, and its winner, Ryan Lochte.
But you wouldn’t know it from the reportage, which, fueled by Ye’s anomalous final leg of her race, seemed content to rank race times like bowling scores. For instance, the first part of a Daily Mail headline read, “Ryan Lochte may be speedy…but this 16-year-old Chinese girl is even quicker!”
(Excerpt) Read more at canadafreepress.com ...
And it’s effective. When working with kids years ago in athletics, I encountered an 11-year-old boy who was under the assumption that the women’s mile record should be faster than the men’s. If people are raised with a grasp of reality like that, how can they possibly figure out what social codes, policies or politicians to support?
I remember in my youth when I got into some competitive sports, I was surprised to find such a gap in mens and womens track event times.
It had always been my experience that the girls ran much faster than me. Especially after the first 60 yards or so.
Well, you must have been a poor athlete, to be frank. The fastest kids in my elementary school were always boys (I was one of them). And I was never under the impression that girls were faster.
The only boys who were slower than girls were the fat kids or the ridiculously poor athletes. This isn’t to say that there’s anything wrong with being a poor athlete. We don’t choose our talents. But c’mon, what normal boy didn’t know that men were better at sports?
What occurs to me is that maybe you’re younger than I am and are a victim of the silly girl-power portrayals in the media. May I ask your age?
Dude... it was a joke.
Oh bull, article is just nonsense..author is trying to make big deal out of nothing.
Okay, my mistake. I’ll bonk myself on the head.
And the hen-pecked American male representative weighs in.
It’s the same reason why we see unrealistically powerful female characters who outshine men on TV, specious science reporting that glorifies women and diminishes men, and the replacement of male figures in history books with women of dubious accomplishment: it’s part of the effort to portray women as the same as men and, when possible and beneficial, as superior.
Of the many frauds exposed, this social engineering feat is the most egregious, id est, women are intrinsically superior to men in all ways physical, mental, and practical. Watching a 200lb. woman try to dominate a 150lb. collegiate wrestler is risible enough (the match is over in seconds,) but to be repeatably slapped with the scene, in movies and t.v., of a 95lb. woman kicking the crap out of a 250lb. brute is nauseating.
Just for grins, imagine a 95lb. man trying to physically best a 250lb. male Mixed Martial Artist.
The castrating of the American male continues at an accelerated pace.
I ran cross country and track and numerous girls were faster than the guys...very common. Many girls from other schools ran faster times than the guys in CC-girls and guys ran the same time-I was passed numerous times by girls and I was far from slow. Happened all the time.
I work out 7 days per week, weights and cardio -on average 2- 2.5 hours per day, mid 20's and top physical shape and my girl friend is faster than me and she has some years on me via age. Ran a 8k earlier in the year and I kept up with her for the first several miles and then she looked at me, nodded her head and said "see you at the finish"..I did not feel "emasculated". Some of the very best bicyclist in the world are mid to late 30's women.
But c’mon, what normal boy didn’t know that men were better at sports?,
Maybe because guys have more opportunities and more guys go out for sports. I will give you that men are more stronger and generally faster but I have seen incredible women athletes in just about every sport.
What occurs to me is that maybe you’re younger than I am and are a victim of the silly girl-power portrayals in the media.
What's wrong, some girl best you?? Why the hate on "girl power"? I personally love strong, ambitious women.
Hardly.... You sound like a like a man who has dysfunctional relationships with women.
Yeah, I agree it does not make sense and is not realistic but just as bad was the 50's movie portrayal of women who at the slightest sign of danger would put her hand across her face, scream and faint..I find that just as nauseating.
“Ran a 8k earlier in the year and I kept up with her for the first several miles and then she looked at me, nodded her head and said “see you at the finish”
Why then do I doubt that you are in ‘top physical shape?’
The Chinese either bought off the doping tests, or they found a new way to cheat. Sadly, this is Chinese culture. Lie, cheat, steal, add poisons to products, etc etc etc... anything to look good for a moment to the higher-ups... and the Olympic Committee in China is almost as influential as the Central Party itself (at least in the lives of elite athletes)
(And I say this as a Sinophile... I LOVE China, but this is egregious cheating, right in front of our eyes, and nobody seems to be noticing. Kudos to the American trainer who is brave enough to call a cheat out loud.)
Of course you love “strong, ambitious women.” That’s an effect of the leftist conditioning.
By the way, if you had girls who were running faster than the boys in CC in high school, it just means that those boys weren’t very good. As the author points out, boys’ high school records are better than women’s world records. Or did you not know this?
Do you actually call yourself a conservative? Huffpo might be a better place for you.
As a fellow lifter and cardio enthusiast, I am intrigued on your insight as to the comparisons between the running prowess of men and women who spend equal time and effort at the endeavor, sans any weight training that interferes with running endurance.
I posit that although there are marvelous, but not incredible, women athletes, the gist of the Duke article is valid. In their respective fields of physical expertise, men are not bested by women. (Yes, there are the occasional freaks of nature, but I only refer to those exceptional XX/XY humans.)
Maybe because my GF is extremely athletic and incredibly fast?? She does marathons, triathlons and CrossFit events on a regular basis. Zero body fat.
I run with her but more interested in lifting.
Yep, that was egregious. I also believe that women are fully capable of defending themselves and extricating themselves from danger, but usually in ingenious and practical ways.
Then I surmise that your cardio conditioning is subpar.
I’m a distance runner myself. If you’re lifting, that won’t help you run.
Oh bull again...Many people on FR have strong, smart and ambitious daughters and they are extremely proud of them.
By the way, if you had girls who were running faster than the boys in CC in high school, it just means that those boys weren’t very good.
I did not say all the girls were faster but there were some girls fast than the boys and the slower boys had nothing to be ashamed about..those girls were very fast (the ones that beat them)
As the author points out, boys’ high school records are better than women’s world records. Or did you not know this?
Yes, the top boys ALWAYS are faster than the women...they are generally stronger and faster
Thommas, but even the female freaks of nature can’t hold a candle to the male freaks of nature, as world records prove.
And in a way all top-notch athletes are freaks of nature.
I don't place as much emphasis on cardio but try to get in at least hour nearly every day about 5-6 days per week of cardio. Do a lot of HITT training.I also have some bad knees from overdoing it in HS and don't want to make them worse. Still run with my gf several times per week.
I would rather lift but don't want to look like Arnold..just lean, ripped, athletic look.
That being said I'm faster and better shape cardio wise than 90% of the men in the general population in my age group but with the shape the average American male is today that is not saying much.
The fastest kids when I was in 6th, 7th, 8th grade were girls, and I was one of them. The boys started winning in high school.
All I’ll tell you is that your attitude is why America is experiencing “death by woman,” as voting patterns prove.
It seems that all these “strong, ambitious women” aren’t strong enough in the mind to figure out that you shouldn’t vote for leftists.
Carry on, my wayward son.
While girls do mature physically sooner than boys, I don’t really believe you. In my experience, it isn’t uncommon to see 13-year-old boys who can outpace even seasoned adult female athletes. I have seen this.
If your gf has “zero body fat”....she is not a girl
“I also have some bad knees from overdoing it in HS and don’t want to make them worse.”
Aah. Well, that explains it. I have similar troubles for similar reasons. I used to run cross country and did every track event from the 400 onwards. Used to race against the sprinters to the same folks I had to face in cross country in the 3000. Did that for two years - that’s really too much to do in a meet.
Mostly I swim these days. Keeps me fit. Last I ran, I did a 10k in around 45 minutes, so that should give you an idea of where I used to be at my best.
The difference in men and women for running is roughly 10 percent regardless of distance. It is slightly higher or slightly lower by event. But it is essentially 10 percent. Title IX does not change that. Good intentions do not change that. Girls are just a bit slower.
What truly irritates me is the feminist thought that if women can’t perform at the same level of physical capacity of men, that somehow diminishes the accomplishment. For a woman, Ye’s record is amazing. That’s why she is judged against other women, not other men. That a man can swim faster than her doesn’t diminish her accomplishment.
I really like the author’s birds/fish comparison. Each has a specific talent set—which one is “better?” The answer—neither is better. It’s silly to quote Spongebob, but in one episode he says, “Everyone is best at something, but nobody is best at everything.” Quite a bit of wisdom for a ridiculous kids’ show.
Men are physcially stronger than women. But women are capable of juggling multiple tasks at once than men are, generally speaking. (Hmmm...ideal for someone who has to raise and nuture kids, don’t you think?) There are lots of things men are better at, and lots of things women are better at. That does not diminish either group’s accomplishment, but rather demonstrates that male and female are complementary, not equal.
It’s not an issue of what’s better, but an understanding of roles. You wouldn’t ask, “what’s better, a 60 degree angle or a 30 degree angle,” because the answer is, “who knows, but you won’t get a right angle without both of them.”
Well I was exaggerating somewhat. Put it this way..very very low BF, lean runners build and no boobage-ran those off years ago. She does lift with me every day so has nice toned arms.
.Same here, CC for 4 years and track for 3. If I run today it's mostly on the local HS rubber track. We live near a state park with 15 miles of grassy hiking trails so we do run on with cross hiking/running shoes. Try to stay off of pavement as much as possible.
My knees are not causing me major problems but they do ache somewhat at times.. I take GNC Tri-Flex which has really helped.
Actually, the whole concept of “multitasking,” and that women are better at it, is nonsense. recent studies have shown that no one multitasks very well. And anyone who drives behind a gal on a cellphone knows this firsthand.
The whole concept of multitasking was driven by PC nonsense anyway. It was something the left latched onto because they figured they could portray women as being better at it.
Hmmm...I didn’t know that the idea of women being better at multitasking had been pushed by feminists. I find that interesting. I have observed in my own life that men don’t multitask as well as women, but it’s definitely possible that I had a bad case of “confirmation bias.”
Of course, omitting multitasking now, my point still stands:women and men have different skill sets that they excel in.
Yes, but women’s skill set relates to raising kids. It relates to virtually nothing else. This is because everything else is a male domain in character. Even the best chefs are men.
I understand your statement to mean that the only thing women are good at is raising children. Is that what you mean?
Obviously, there not one-dimensional creatures. But that is what they’re designed for. Only political correctness blinds us to this fact. To paraphrase Mother Teresa, “Women should care for the children and let men do what they’re better designed to do.”
So if men are better chefs, then they should do the cooking! :) Of course, I’m being facetious.
Women certainly are designed to raise children. I do not disaggree with that. Men are designed to protect and provide. I definitely think that women should stay at home with their children if they have them.
That being said, some women are better at cooking than some men, and vice-versa. Women’s skill set is not just limited to raising children, though that is a set that they have. Of course, some men are also very good at raising children, and it takes both a man and a woman to successfully raise children.
I do not agree with you, however, that every skill but raising children is “man’s domain.” Certainly there are skills that are distinctly masculine, but there are many things that both sexes can do equally well.
In reality, there are precious few things the sexes do equally well. And the compulsion to say otherwise is simply due to social pressure and misconceptions.
In reality, there are precious few things the sexes do equally well.
I understand that there is a huge problem in America with an attack on male ability and a pervasive attitude of extreme feminism.
However, the solution to the problems with feminism is not to resort to the chauvinistic idea of “precious few” things that men and women can do equally well. The solution is for society to recognize that men and women are both good at a lot of things, but that men really truly are physically stronger with faster reaction times.
When it comes to mental acuity though, I think that the sexes have an equal capacity for being very intelligent.
I agree with you that feminism is a problem and that feminism seeks to emasculate society—but let’s not get carried away and say that men are superior to women at virtually everything.
Women tend to operate emotionally more than men do, and this is one reason why they support leftists like they do. How people vote tells you much.
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