For the harridans

[bunsen_h]

"Women do desperately need models for power other than the maternal. Nothing is more likely to set any subordinate’s back up, whether they be male or female, than for their boss to come the “mother knows best” routine at them." -- Lois McMaster Bujold, in correspondence with Sylvia Kelso, published in Women of Other Worlds (1999).

I can think of several control freaks who could stand to pay attention to that.

Comments

[kattale.livejournal.com]

I find that in the daycare situation, I get better results if I sound like a drill sergeant than a mother. Mothers say idiotic things like, "There's a sweetie! Don't hit mummy! No, little sweetie schnookums, don't hit! Num num num num num! Kisses! Kisses! No no, don't hit, kisses!"

[bunsen-h.livejournal.com]

I have unfond memories of a former housemate with her brain-damaged cat. When it damaged something or otherwise did something it wasn't supposed to, she'd pick it up and hold it up to her face, and say, "Bad kitty!" Then she'd give it a hug-and-cuddle: "But she's so cuuuuuute!!!" Not exactly an effective way to try to teach different behaviour.

[ambiviolent.livejournal.com]

Garrr. This reminds me of ex-boss (oh! just one of many reasons why it's great she's an ex boss) saying to me, quite seriously, in a "now, now, you have to listen to mummy" voice, "Remember, Shannon, you can only go on vacation if you have *all* your work done." It was definitely not a busy time of year. I just barely bit down on "Remember, B-, I can only go on vacation if I have vacation time, period, full stop. Which I do, so kiss off."