Joseph Epstein On "Dr." Jill Biden: Pretty Much Right; Clearly Not Sexist

This is mainly right.

It is, of course, being accused of racism* by the Woketarian left--in this case: sexism variant...and misogyny. Why they often level both charges is beyond me. Though I think they're actually phasing out 'sexism' because it's unspecific with respect to sex. Thus, like 'racism,' it suggests that the non-left-favored class could be the object of such a thing. With 'racism,' they just started proclaiming that whites can't be victims of it, and blacks can't be perpetrators. The left, of course, love redefining terms--or trying to. But they could, in this case, also just phase out 'sexism'...or claim there's nothing wrong with it. Only misogyny matters...

   Anyway: nothing Epstein writes in any way suggests sexism at all. It's just the knee-jerk reaction of the cult to deploy some -ism or -phobia accusation whenever someone they favor--and who belongs to the appropriate group--is criticized. After four years of exhibiting vile contempt for Melania Trump--and that after eight years of adulation for Michelle Obama--the MSM is out of the gates fast with their pro-"Dr."-Jill-Biden project.

   As Epstein notes, almost no one with a Ph.D. goes around calling himself "Dr." in ordinary contexts. Anyone who does is ridiculed, at least silently. It's not some big deal. But it'd be kind of like always referring to yourself as John Jones, B.A. Speaking of which: nobody really calls himself "John Jones, Ph.D." in ordinary contexts, either. A friend of mine refers to it as "titling up" when he has to do it--as in "I had to title up." Which you do have to do sometimes in professional contexts. Or if it's on a dropdown menu or whatever. Then I choose "Dr."...but probably wouldn't bother to change it if it were wrong. 

   Look, I don't even think medical doctors identify themselves as "Dr. So-and-So" on Twitter--which is how Jill Biden does it. So this isn't really about medical degrees vs. Ph.D.s.  (Though it reminds me of an old New Yorker cartoon that has a maitre d' saying into a phone something like "And, Dr. Jones, is this an actual medical degree or (merely?) a Ph.D.?" (probably not getting that exactly right...but NewYorker it up a bit.) 

   Also look: not to be a snob...but Biden's degree is actually an Ed.D... Which is a step down from an actual Ph.D., even. Though probably no less an accomplishment than a Ph.D. in one of the grievance studies, or one of the weaker humanities...

   Weirdly, I thought that making fun of her for using "Dr." all the time was fine...but suggesting to her that she stop doing it was...kinda weird. For some reason that part irked me a bit. Can't figure out this reaction...

   Epstein also notes that the value of Ph.D.s has diminished, and I agree. There's now so much lightweight, political bullshit in academia--including in the sciences--that there's not much reason to be impressed by a doctorate. Such a person could be a genius...but is probably not...and there's a decent chance he or she's an idiot...And the push for "diversity"...now "DEI" at my school...though I say "DIE" or "IED"...is just making it worse.  (Oh...we've just been told that they now want us to say "IDEA"--the 'A' is for a snazzier acronym...and for 'access.' Dipshits...) Needless to say, the push for "diversity" lowers standards. Everyone but the most thoroughly PC realizes that. But it also tends to bring in more Wokes. And that hastens the downward spiral...

   So this is all stupid, but that's the mud the Woketarians have dragged us down into. Our public discourse is stupider than ever, largely because a cult has taken the reigns. There's no sign it's power is diminishing, and no sign it'll ever stop being flat-out stupid and irrational.

[More bullshit accusations of sexism. Also: straw man. No one has claimed that she doesn't have a right to refer to herself as "Dr. Jill Biden." All they've noted is that it's bush league and a bit comical. And it is. 

OTOH, maybe we could response: that's kind of entitled bullshit. Maybe in your family Ph.D.s are a dime a dozen...but in many families their considered real accomplishments... I dunno. I don't think that's crazy. My grandma used to think that I should basically always use my title...she was so proud of it... Damn. I really miss my grandparents... Ok. That's enough of that...]j

[Y'know...now I'm thinking it's kinda mean to give her the business about this. I mean....it's not even at the 50-yard line by the vicious standards of contemporary public rhetoric...but still kinda mean. I mean...it really is a kind of bush-league thing to do. Which makes it kind of mean to make fun of. Not sexist, of course. That's still Woketarian bullshit. Those people are so goddamn stupid they don't even merit attention...or wouldn't if they weren't so crazy/dangerous/destructive... They always reach straight for the race* card--in this case: sex variant. In actual fact, it's just kinda nit-picking and mean. Though not wrong...]