Why is it so threatening for men to have permission to have a place of their own?
“Because they are hoarding and protecting power and not letting us play with their toys” say the (female) many.
Some say it’s about power, not gender. But here’s a newsflash ladies – the individual members of Augusta National Golf Club had power before they got invited to join (their power is likely what got them the invitation in the first place), and they would have power whether or not they belonged to the club.
Augusta only has the collective club power if we give it to them. And my take is that the impact of that specific type of power – the kind held by old white dudes and measured by position and money – is slowly changing and weakening.
Where is power today? Power today is increasingly more measured as one’s social capital, one’s network, one’s communication skills, and in earned personal attributes (vs. “anointed” power you get just by having a certain title, family, or membership).
And here’s another news flash – the two women admitted to the club are power brokers of the old-line, traditional variety. They represent big government and big corporations – not exactly a revolution I would say. This is not breaking down a wall. So nothing of substance has really changed at Augusta.
Nor should it. It’s a private, exclusive club with a rich old tradition. One of very few left in a society where we cry for everything to be open, “fair,” and “equal” – even though those are false constructs. How about we stop whining about not being allowed to play in their sandbox and spend time enriching our own? Power is moving and changing – stop focusing on the old ways and create your own place in the world.
