Nay-sayers and doom-sayers: August MensaMag makes free with their arguments that we’ll outgrow our reliance on oil, there’s no hope we shall, money and power matter most in this world, and men kill for any excuse they can find. But whichever apocalyptic disaster comes about, make no mistake. The world is going from bad to worse. Events seem, in fact, like the result of a poorly conceived pharmaceutical adventure. Why oh why can’t we marshal all the pros and cons surrounding any particular issue instead of the few that support the viewpoint we favour? No wonder most of us condemn politicians and lawyers in the same breath; both are paid to take positions, and no viewpoint rises higher in ethics than the eloquence of its proponent. We’re best off, it appears, buying gold at any price and tucking it under the mattress. These are troubled times, good Mensans, troubled times indeed. Our rescue seems in the hands of the gods whom we ceaselessly offend.
And speaking of offence, Mensans who believe in gender equality will want to oppose the cultural relativism preached by well-meaning sociologists. They and their legal brethren consider that women may voluntarily elect male dominion under a veil of cultural freedom. Small religious cults or large and rich communities, both have proposed power structures in which women take little public part, something like Canada before women could own property or vote. We wouldn’t suggest that our black fellow citizens should have the right to be slaves, but this is OK for women. Or is it?
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