women should run the stock market

[miriam_e]

Anybody hear the Science Show today?
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/scienceshow/default.htm
http://mpegmedia.abc.net.au/rn/podcast/current/audioonly/ssw_20081018.mp3

There were a lot of interesting segments, but the final one really caught my attention.
http://mpegmedia.abc.net.au/rn/podcast/current/audioonly/ssw_20081018_1252.mp3

Researchers have been analysing the behavior and homonal balance of stock market traders. It seems the old boys network is seriously damaging capitalism, as many of us have long suspected, but the mode of damage is really interesting.

When they compete on the trading floor men act the same way males in many other social species do -- competition raises their testosterone levels. This beefs them up and makes them indulge in more risky behavior. This is a vicious cycle where testosterone levels and risky behavior spiral upward out of control, till they are making completely stupid decisions because they are utterly unable to see with any kind of perspective. When the inevitable crash comes testosterone levels drop and cortisone levels rise, which alters their behavior again, making them more scared and cautious, but now out of synch with reality in the opposite direction, considerably worsening the effects of a financial crash.

There is no way to stop this. It is how males have evolved to act back in the day when it seemed to be a good idea to beat your opponent with a rock when he competed with you.

Women don't appear to be affected by this competition the same way. It makes sense that women should run the stock market and probably other financial institutions if we are to survive these crashes. Eunuchs and male-to-female transexuals would be safe too, I imagine.

Comments

[hestia.livejournal.com]

This may get me hated but I'm too old to care now. Women are scary with the competition between each other too. Instead of trying to outdo each other in some activity they'll attack one another either directly or behind each other's backs. Why? To disable the competition for male attention through lowering the other woman's self esteem or to be seen as championing the male POV in a way that paints her as some horrible castrating harridan/dyke/crazy bitch.

[miriam-e.livejournal.com]

Actually, I totally agree. I've had terrible experiences in attempting to organise a conference some time back and being relentlessly attacked by some of the women involved. Often I was the last to know that I was being attacked because it was, as you note, done largely behind my back. I was utterly bewildered, naive clod that I am.

Women are certainly not angels, but they do seem to be immune to the particular detachment from reality that powers the crazy swings in financial arenas. It might take time for the problems of femininity to show themselves there, but I can't help feeling the feminine hormonal system might be a better fit than the masculine.