Set Theory, Identity Politics, and Professor Feinstein

"Women feel very strongly about Hillary and African-Americans feel very strongly about Barack”

So says California Senator Dianne Feinstein as some kind of justification for her dream ticket of Obama/Clinton. Senator Feinstein’s nuanced understanding of logical principles has catapulted her into third place in the World’s Smartest Woman contest, right behind HRC and Marilyn vos Savant. Let’s look at the Venn diagram:

Oh, yeah…kind of a dilemma for African-American women. Gee, Dianne, are they girlier? Or blacker? Are lighter-skinned African-American women pulled more toward the Hillary camp while their darker sisters lean more toward Barack?

This is a fundamental problem of identity politics. It’s illogical.

Still you gotta admit, Venn diagrams are fun. Let’s look at some other ones…How about an intersection of sets “Senate” (and yes, I mean the set of Charlatans & Panderers) and “Women.” And by the way, the illustrated set component of the intersection of C&P and women is not all-inclusive by any means.

Similarly instructive, “Psychos” and “Women”…again, hardly all-inclusive.

Comments

[tim fall]

Looking fwd to the full 20-min PPT presentation.