Cross

[kerravonsen]

Well, there's nothing like being condescended to on a mailing list to make me angry.
I asked a simple question, and I got told "don't they have Google in Australia? Here's how to use it."
When I called the arrogant fellow on it, he told me "he was wondering why I was wasting the time of dozens of people when a 'minimal effort' would give me the answer".
Problem is, Google doesn't actually answer my question. And the other person who answered told me "here's how to use Feature X", when what I actually wanted to know is "What is this Feature X you're talking about? It's not in the FAQ." Though I admit I didn't spell that out, but I didn't think I needed to.

I am SOOOO mad.
And half wondering if he would have been so condescending if he hadn't known I was a woman.

(next day) Well, my rant to the guy seems to have sorted out my intent, anyway. He's probably still annoyed at me, but at least he knows I *wasn't* wasting people's time. And the other person also actually answered my question! So I now know what Feature X is. Not entirely sure whether I want to use Feature X, but at least I can now decide with knowledge.

Comments

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

You should complain to his superiors about that, if you can. I sometimes have to answer simple questions in my current job but I do it politely because:
1) What's the point in being rude?
2) They might be having a bad day or they misunderstood something,
3) I never know when I might ask something dumb myself and I'd like to be treated kindly.

And I bet there was sexism involved. And possibly parochialism too.

[kerravonsen]

Can't complain to superiors, it was a mailing list for an Open Source program -- no "superiors" to complain to. Fortunately, the guy who was helpful was the guy who actually wrote the software, so it's not a lost cause.

I think the reason I was so mad, has a few parts to it:
- I've been a netizen for ... (goes and counts up) 17 years; I know how not to ask stupid questions
- it took me by surprise; other geeky lists I've been on have been friendlier
- all this talk of Male Privilege recently has made me more aware of possible sexism around me

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Then I hope you made your feelings clear to the creep.

Huh. If God wanted women to be inferior, he'd have created us that way.

[kerravonsen]

If God wanted women to be inferior, he'd have created us that way.

(grin)

Reminds me of something someone said (I think in a sermon); that the hebrew word which is translated "helper" in Genesis (that woman was made to be a helper to man) is not a word used for a servant, but the same word gets used when God helps people.

The conclusion is left as an exersize for the student.

(evil grin)

[reapermum.livejournal.com]

If God wanted women to be inferior, he'd have used them as the prototype, not the production model.