<p>If I had a daughter, I could see this rationale, no mater how ‘status-y’ it sounds. It’s actually kind of pragmatic.</p>
<p>I’ve got to admit I also see the truth in saxxy’s argument. The H-bomb, in essence, performs something of a “pre-screen.” I don’t find that attitude particularly sexist either – people who value “smart” are going to (to some degree) be influenced by that kind of “pre-screen” information. But I would also say that it <em>could</em> be beneficial for women as well – again, with the principal desired qualities being “smart and accomplished.”
(Who cares about those guys who feel threatened by it )</p>
<p>The dating/mating function of particular colleges is an interesting topic. I suspect my son is finding that the “smart accomplished girls” at his top ranked public are a little more wily than the normal fawning gals back home He’s completely guileless, so at times appears a little out of his depth!</p>
<p>BTW, he would be outraged at this topic re: H-bomb as a means to get the girl. Toured and hated Princeton. He’d say something along the lines of not wanting any girl interested in him for that reason – like I said, guileless – but in truth he seems to enjoy the attention he gets from going to a good school.</p>
<p>You cannot begin to imagine the undivided attention a girl can get in a class that is,say,70% male.If she is naturally a 5,then she will quickly transform to an 8.</p>
<p>I apologize if I came off snarky. But be assured that nothing has been spoken from jealousy. I am a woman happily married for 25 years. So I can attest that a good marriage is a blessing and a worthy aspiration. I also must admit it’s been a while since I have been in the dating scene and so not much of an expert.</p>
<p>So I had lunch with my son today - a recent college grad from a good, but not prestigious engineering college where men outnumber women 3 to 1. He has dated some really great women, including at least two from his college and shares an apartment with a third (a platonic friend). His advice be friendly. Also, dont waste your time in useless arguments. You will never win an argument with a woman because even if you win the argument, you still lose because she will be mad.</p>
<p>haha the title of this thread attracted my attention. But when I read the last page, the posts seem to be talking about something else. What a digression. Parents are great! :D</p>
<p>I never said that you wanted multiple wives (unless you’re a Mormon fundamentalist). Ideally, what you want is just one wife - the wife that is most compatible with you. </p>
<p>But of course finding that ideal wife is a problem, and even if you do, the other - and usually far more difficult - problem is having her want to be with you. Let’s face it, if she is an amazing woman: beautiful, intelligent, funny, great conversationalist, outgoing, etc. - she’s probably not going to be impressed by an average man. She’s going to want somebody who she finds to be amazing. </p>
<p>A Harvard (or other elite) degree obviously won’t close the sale, but it may at least serve as an interesting conversation starter to have her notice you. You will then obviously need to impress her with everything else you hopefully have to offer. But at least you had a shot. Let’s face it, most guys won’t even get a shot with an amazing woman.</p>
<p>Villager, obviously that would indeed be an optimal strategy. </p>
<p>But let’s face it, most people - no matter how intelligent - can’t or won’t do that. That’s like telling guys that a better strategy would simply to be more handsome - well sure, we’d all like to be more handsome. </p>
<p>At the end of the day, the Harvard ‘H-bomb’ may allow you to attract the woman who may turn out to be the love of your life - no different from how a stylish dress and makeup/hairdo may allow a woman to attract a man who may turn out to be the love of her life. And if people can find their soulmate that way, what’s wrong with that? There are a lot of lonely people out there, or people stuck in relationships who they are not really attracted to. Better not to be one of those people.</p>
<p>As far as dating goes if intelligence is one of your criteria a Harvard grad will at least be vetted. Even if he’s an athletic admit he has to have something going on upstairs!</p>
<p>Intelligence is not unique to Harvard.There are high iQ high school dropouts with money.Like i keep saying,Harvard works perfectly if one is already privileged.How many poor kids at Harvard get to join Porcellian?Yet we all know those final clubs are fertile recruitment camps for wall street power brokers.And the girls know it.Zuckerberg survived because his talent did not depend on connections.But Harvard is not exactly the only,or even the best place tech talent can blossom.</p>
<p>“Yet we all know those final clubs are fertile recruitment camps for wall street power brokers.”</p>
<p>The people in the Porcellian don’t need the Porcellian for jobs. I doubt they’ve ever punched a member who didn’t already have the goods for Wall Street. That’s not why people join. In general, those clubs are just buildings constructed around groups of people who are already in THE club. You don’t make it up the ladder by joining.</p>
<p>Be careful about assuming that fictional movies are true. The previously unconnected kids at Harvard can get to Wall Street without joining clubs – people who aren’t already in the club circle. There are lots of other ways to make those connections at Harvard.</p>
<p>Of course they do not need them for jobs.They need them for social connections,which is why i said “power” brokers,not “job” brokers.Its the rich getting to know each other. And you have said it rightly that “I doubt they’ve ever punched a member who didn’t already have the goods for Wall Street”.It is all privilege</p>
<p>No, they already know each other. That’s the whole point. If you’re not already in the metaphorical club through pre-established social connections, you won’t be invited into the physical club. Of course it’s about privilege. But I don’t think it makes much difference. If someone in the metaphorical club decides not to accept his invitation to join the physical club for whatever reason, he’s going to go on to be the same Wall Street power broker he would have been. No transformation takes place. In other words, he’s a Porcellian man whether he joins or not.</p>
<p>You do realize that when you’re talking about the Porcellian, you’re talking about maybe 30 people in each graduating class of ~1650?</p>
<p>“You do realize that when you’re talking about the Porcellian, you’re talking about maybe 30 people in each graduating class of ~1650”
30 people is more than enough competition for influence on Wall street,if one comes from nowhere,wealth-wise</p>
<p>This thread cracks me up. Dated a Porcellian member (BO-ring and not the sharpest knife in the drawer) and ended up marrying a Harvard grad who turned down invites into the clubs because he thought it was socially limiting.(after boarding school for 5 years). When we go to Reunions most of the guys there are MD’s and lawyers with some Wall Street thrown in. (Blankfein and Bernanke) They’re smart and funny and up on what’ s going on in the world, for the most part. But that was then. Not sure many of them would get into H’vard now.</p>
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