Author Topic: Is multi-tasking a female thing? (Read 1528 times)

LaramieHirsch · « **on:** August 14, 2012, 11:48:26 PM »

It occurred to me this week how female the idea of multitasking is.

Where did multitasking come from? I mean...I know it's always been around. But it has been emphasized in our culture as a necessary thing to be able to do, particularly in work places. Is there some sort of correlation between the emphasis on multitasking these days and the feminist movement?

Anthony Benedict · « **Reply #1 on:** August 15, 2012, 12:25:28 AM »

Laramie, I like your posts so please forgive me for the following response:

Gosh, I dunno!

Maybe we could have asked Gen. Omar Bradley on D-Day as he was watchiing his men storm Omaha Beach while getting reports from three different services simultaneously ( that would be air, sea and land, btw ), signing off on orders, demanding new information from subordinates, reporting to Ike and London and, when there was more than one-tenth of a second available, trying to decide whether to push on or get his men off the beaches before every last one of them was slaughtered.....

I bet he might question the premise of "multitasking" as a feminist thing.

( Just a little humorous sarcasm for what was a huge target. Sorry, I can't help myself when one pops up like that! ) :ready-to-eat:

Btw, I'm sure any day now I'll return the favor and you can have at it with gusto, too!

LaramieHirsch · « **Reply #2 on:** August 15, 2012, 12:36:10 AM »

Quote from: Anthony Benedict

Laramie, I like your posts so please forgive me for the following response...

Meh. It was just a speculation. I ask so I can get feedback, after all!

Nylndech · « **Reply #3 on:** August 15, 2012, 01:50:59 AM »

one mom raising six kids while dad is at work

hmm

Daegus · « **Reply #4 on:** August 15, 2012, 05:31:50 AM »

No one really "multitasks" as you would understand it. Actual multitasking is an incredibly inefficient way of doing things, because when a person is focused on more than one thing at a time, they are certain not to do the task in an efficient way.

As a matter of fact, most people CANNOT have more than 1 thought occupying their minds at a time, so most people are not really multitasking. Even if you're in the army and have multiple things to do, seemingly at once, you can't really call that multitasking since you give each specific activity its own time to be done. Even if you're a mother raising 6 children while the father is at work, I can tell you right now without knowing anything about you that you are not constantly focusing on each child individual at the same time. Rather, you think of them collectively as an individual group or you only think of 1 individual child (so either way, they're still being looked at as individuals in some way).

Multitasking doesn't really even exist.

shin · « **Reply #5 on:** August 15, 2012, 09:43:07 AM »

Quote from: LaramieHirsch

It occurred to me this week how female the idea of multitasking is.

Where did multitasking come from? I mean...I know it's always been around. But it has been emphasized in our culture as a necessary thing to be able to do, particularly in work places. Is there some sort of correlation between the emphasis on multitasking these days and the feminist movement?

Yes, it is more inherently female, I have heard. I believe it was on one of Fr. Ripperger's audio conferences on men and women, but it may have been an Audio Sancto sermon on the subject instead.

Women are more inherently oriented to multi-task, men are more single-focused. This helps the women handle the children, especially in a large family. The latter helps men handle, for example, warfare, where being distracted by all the different troubles rather than focused on the most important matter at hand would be a problem.

Loriann · « **Reply #6 on:** August 15, 2012, 10:32:42 PM »

Having been in education for many years, I see some strong multitasking in both sexes. Some folks multitask and forget where they put things as they were distracted...some listen absently to directions...I guess I see it like any other talent--some have it and some don't. My husband is far better at it than I am, and it is an advantage in his business.

Neil Obstat · « **Reply #7 on:** August 16, 2012, 03:37:23 AM »

Quote from: Daegus

No one really "multitasks" as you would understand it. Actual multitasking is an incredibly inefficient way of doing things, because when a person is focused on more than one thing at a time, they are certain not to do the task in an efficient way.

As a matter of fact, most people CANNOT have more than 1 thought occupying their minds at a time, so most people are not really multitasking. Even if you're in the army and have multiple things to do, seemingly at once, you can't really call that multitasking since you give each specific activity its own time to be done. Even if you're a mother raising 6 children while the father is at work, I can tell you right now without knowing anything about you that you are not constantly focusing on each child individual at the same time. Rather, you think of them collectively as an individual group or you only think of 1 individual child (so either way, they're still being looked at as individuals in some way).

Multitasking doesn't really even exist.

So, when Leonardo da Vinci wrote normally on one subject with his right hand, in
Latin, and at the same time, wrote backwards on a different subject with his left
hand, in Italian, he wasn't multitasking?

Or, when Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was composing a new work of music in his
mind, and at the same time was writing down a previously composed different
work of music, each of which had different key signatures, and different melodic
themes, one a score for orchestra and the other an SATB motet for small chorus,
and sometimes they were for entirely different purposes (sacred and secular, for
example) he wasn't multitasking?

Or, when an exhibition magician stands on a ball, keeps a stick perched on top of
his nose with a spinning plate on top of it, and juggles three flaming torches with
his two hands, he's not multitasking?

Or, when a cavalryman rides a horse, and shoots a rifle at a moving target, like
at another man on a different horse who happens to be shooting at him, neither
one of them is multitasking?

When a singer thinks about the posture of his legs, hips, back, chest, neck, chin
and tongue, while he considers the amount of air in his lungs compared to the
length of phrase he hopes to finish before breathing again, while he adjusts the
dynamics and tone of the place in his song he's singing based on how he thinks
his last phrase came out in fact and what he expects to do with the rest of the
song, and how the audience is reacting, and whether he is still in tune because
his accompanist is about to start up again after a minute of silence and they had
better be in tune with each other, because the piano can't change its tune -- that's
not multitasking?

When an airline pilot speaks with the Control Tower, reads his 34 gauges (each of
which measure a different thing), sees an approaching aircraft on Port side at
10:00, listens to the co-pilot reporting on the status of the flight crew, and regrets
not having had that additional hour of sleep last night, that's not multitasking?

When a motorcyclist rolls the throttle just a little to lighten the front wheel
enough to skip over a basketball-sized rock, letting the rear shocks absorb all
the impact as he leans to the right and pushes his left handlebar gently forward --
not too much! -- letting the front wheel come down just in time to hit a space
between rocks and at the same time avoids running into another rider who is
trying to pass him up on the trail, that's not multitasking?

Or, when the same cyclist drives his utility van to a race that's going to start in
three hours, as he's cruising down the freeway at 65 mph, steering with his
knees, as he uses both hands to rebuild his motorcycle carburetor on his lap,
and watches for possible unmarked cruisers nearby, that's not multitasking?

Oh, sorry, I should have given examples of women. Okay,

A woman skydiver leaps out of the open cargo bay of an aircraft and looks
for her target on the ground as she checks air speed, altitude and time on her
instruments so that she can pull the rip cord at just the right moment, all the
while doing acrobatic maneuvers in coordination with several other skydivers
who are all doing the same thing, that's not multitasking?

Daegus · « **Reply #8 on:** August 16, 2012, 12:52:32 PM »

Quote from: Neil Obstat

So, when Leonardo da Vinci wrote normally on one subject with his right hand, in
Latin, and at the same time, wrote backwards on a different subject with his left
hand, in Italian, he wasn't multitasking?

Leonardo da Vinci is not known for writing things in Latin. I don't know where you got that from. Secondly, one can practice tasks to the point in which they become second-nature or can be done with very little thought involved.

Quote

Or, when Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was composing a new work of music in his
mind, and at the same time was writing down a previously composed different
work of music, each of which had different key signatures, and different melodic
themes, one a score for orchestra and the other an SATB motet for small chorus,
and sometimes they were for entirely different purposes (sacred and secular, for
example) he wasn't multitasking?

Riddle me this: was he quickly shifting focus from one task to another in a way so seamless that it appears to be multitasking, or was he giving his undivided attention to both tasks at the same time?

Quote

Or, when an exhibition magician stands on a ball, keeps a stick perched on top of
his nose with a spinning plate on top of it, and juggles three flaming torches with
his two hands, he's not multitasking?

Multitasking involves the ability to focus on more than one task at a time. What you've stated is not proof of anything. Anyone can practice doing multiple things at once to the point of it becoming mindless. For instance, I can drink hot chocolate and write an essay at the same time. Does that mean I'm multitasking?

Quote

Or, when a cavalryman rides a horse, and shoots a rifle at a moving target, like
at another man on a different horse who happens to be shooting at him, neither
one of them is multitasking?

Are either of the horses multitasking?

Quote

When a singer thinks about the posture of his legs, hips, back, chest, neck, chin
and tongue, while he considers the amount of air in his lungs compared to the
length of phrase he hopes to finish before breathing again, while he adjusts the
dynamics and tone of the place in his song he's singing based on how he thinks
his last phrase came out in fact and what he expects to do with the rest of the
song, and how the audience is reacting, and whether he is still in tune because
his accompanist is about to start up again after a minute of silence and they had
better be in tune with each other, because the piano can't change its tune -- that's
not multitasking?

This is so ridiculous I won't even bother addressing it.

Quote

When an airline pilot speaks with the Control Tower, reads his 34 gauges (each of
which measure a different thing), sees an approaching aircraft on Port side at
10:00, listens to the co-pilot reporting on the status of the flight crew, and regrets
not having had that additional hour of sleep last night, that's not multitasking?

I'm going to end up repeating myself more than I want to at this point.

Quote

When a motorcyclist rolls the throttle just a little to lighten the front wheel
enough to skip over a basketball-sized rock, letting the rear shocks absorb all
the impact as he leans to the right and pushes his left handlebar gently forward --
not too much! -- letting the front wheel come down just in time to hit a space
between rocks and at the same time avoids running into another rider who is
trying to pass him up on the trail, that's not multitasking?

I'm going to end up repeating myself more than I want to at this point.

Oh look, I've done it again!

Quote

Or, when the same cyclist drives his utility van to a race that's going to start in
three hours, as he's cruising down the freeway at 65 mph, steering with his
knees, as he uses both hands to rebuild his motorcycle carburetor on his lap,
and watches for possible unmarked cruisers nearby, that's not multitasking?

Ridiculous.

Quote

Oh, sorry, I should have given examples of women. Okay,

A woman skydiver leaps out of the open cargo bay of an aircraft and looks
for her target on the ground as she checks air speed, altitude and time on her
instruments so that she can pull the rip cord at just the right moment, all the
while doing acrobatic maneuvers in coordination with several other skydivers
who are all doing the same thing, that's not multitasking?

Try harder than that.

Telesphorus · « **Reply #9 on:** October 14, 2012, 10:47:07 PM »

Daegus, it is certainly possible to compartmentalize the brain to do two things at once. It seems rather paradoxical, but it's possible. I'm not saying I can do it, just that it's something I don't doubt can be done.

Incidentally this thread is giving me deja vu.

That would be one event that seems to happen twice, rather than two simultaneous events.

Telesphorus · « **Reply #10 on:** October 14, 2012, 10:48:57 PM »

Women are typically more interested in social matters and therefore they are much more attentive to what people say. Some like to eaves drop. Certain families in trad chapels like eaves drops.

Be wary among neo-SSPXers.

Marcelino · « **Reply #11 on:** October 15, 2012, 12:36:43 AM »

Quote from: LaramieHirsch

It occurred to me this week how female the idea of multitasking is.

Where did multitasking come from? I mean...I know it's always been around. But it has been emphasized in our culture as a necessary thing to be able to do, particularly in work places. Is there some sort of correlation between the emphasis on multitasking these days and the feminist movement?

They say multi-tasking is encouraged by all these hand held devices and results in people doing lots of things, not very well

spouse of Jesus · « **Reply #12 on:** October 15, 2012, 04:19:43 AM »

How many men can speak and listen at the same time? women can do it easily. Best cooks are men but no man can cook and read a children's book aloud at the same time. women can talk to the phone and cook simultaneously.

Telesphorus · « **Reply #13 on:** October 15, 2012, 04:20:48 AM »

Quote from: spouse of Jesus

How many men can speak and listen at the same time? women can do it easily. Best cooks are men but no man can cook and read a children's book aloud at the same time. women can talk to the phone and cook simultaneously.

Yes they're designed to be helpful.

When they function according to specifications.

Capt McQuigg · « **Reply #14 on:** October 15, 2012, 03:20:38 PM »

The phrase "multi-tasking" is near ubiquitous among the ladies.

And the general way it's used - who doesn't multi-task?