He’s not worried about it
Hey, did you know that women actually don’t want to climb the ladder, they’d rather be happy? Did you know women have more sense than those silly men with their higher salaries, and prefer to go around in a circle rather than up? It’s true: the CEO of Saatchi and Saatchi said so.
The chairman of advertising agency Saatchi and Saatchi has been put on leave for saying the debate on gender bias in the industry is “all over”.
British-born Kevin Roberts told Business Insider he did not think the lack of women in leadership roles “is a problem” in the advertising industry.
The reason it’s not a problem is because women like it. They like it, I tell you!
In the interview, published on Friday, Mr Roberts said the “debate is all over” about gender diversity in the advertising industry.
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He goes on to say that rather than holding ambitions to progress into the higher echelons of management, many women – and men – simply want to be happy and “do great work”.
He adds: “…they are going: ‘Actually guys, you’re missing the point, you don’t understand: I’m way happier than you.’ Their ambition is not a vertical ambition, it’s this intrinsic, circular ambition to be happy.
“So they say: ‘We are not judging ourselves by those standards that you idiotic dinosaur-like men judge yourself by’. I don’t think [the lack of women in leadership roles] is a problem.
“I’m just not worried about it because they are very happy, they’re very successful, and doing great work. I can’t talk about sexual discrimination because we’ve never had that problem, thank goodness.”
Yay, problem solved! In fact problem never even was a problem, at least not at Saatchi and Saatchi.
If this was a valid interpretation (and it’s not), then they need to ask themselves– Why is it impossible to be a top executive and be happy? With all those unhappy people in positions of power, you think they’d do something to make it so that they can have success AND happiness. Maybe… give themselves the ability to do some of their meetings over a golf game or a nice meal out. Make travel easier by getting nicer accommodations. Allow themselves to handle matters by teleconference, giving themselves time for other…
Oh, what’s that you say? It’s *common* for executives to have more flexible schedules and more job perks than the people at the lower levels.
Huh. I wonder why he thinks women wouldn’t be happy in those jobs.
I keep telling people. Mad Men was a subversive documentary, not a drama.
Well that’s good news! First I learn the slaves who built the White House were lovin’ it because they were so well fed and clothed, and now this. Any plans for your future now that feminism turns out not to be necessary? ;-)
“Boy, you women are just super. You’ve got this whole thing figured out. Ha ha. While we dumb old men tire ourselves out in the rat race, you ladies know what really matters. I feel sorry for us fellas, I really do. Good work, girls.”
There really are people who prefer not to work in management, men and women, so it’s not entirely implausible. Many creative people especially do prefer to do creative work rather than plan budgets and all the other dreary stuff that commands the biggest salaries. The question is just whether or not there are statistically more women who feel that way than men.
Why does Ophelia Benson, for example, keep trudging away at writing when she could be doing that MBA?
I think this is less about creative types, Pinkeen, and more about people wanting a full life.
If men want to rise as far as they can in a demanding career (including one in the arts,) they know they can also have a partner and children, if they want one. The societal template for Home Life/Family is still, “the woman is mostly responsible for that.” The father brings in as much money as he can; the mother does most of the grunt work, the scheduling, and the emotional work. If they’re rich enough, they’ll likely hire people for the grunt work, but the mother will be the one overseeing the help.
Even when the father is enlightened and supportive, there are systemic problems she has to overcome.
And the idea that whoever works the most hours is the most productive is still common, despite studies showing it’s not true.
Roberts has been forced to resign. A good thing to. I’m ashamed he’s a Kiwi. Then again, sadly, we have plenty of asshats in this country.
Well just imagine how we USians feel. JUST IMAGINE.
I try, but then I start to cringe from an excess of shame and embarrassment and have to stop. I tend to excessively feel empathy with those particular emotions, no doubt because of things that happened to me way back. But, yeah. Your public life as a nation has sunk from merely toxic and dysfunctional to full on train wreck. I sincerely hope some superwoman comes along to save us all.