Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf premise

[+ FreshFluff]

One of the premises has always made little sense to me. Nick admits that he hopes to sleep with professors’ wives in order to advance his career. This seems like the worst possible thing a young male professor can do, particularly at a small liberal arts college campus. The absolute best case scenario is that (1) none of the husbands find out; (2) the wives he sleeps with never turn on him; and (3) the wives convince their husbands that he’s a good addition to the department from a social perspective even if he’s marginal professionally. More likely, this strategy is a quick way to get tossed out the door and probably blacklisted elsewhere. Sleeping with the college president’s volatile, married daughter seems like a dumb idea, too.

 

Could someone please explain?

[+ WilliamM]

When I was at Penn State in the 1960s, wife swapping was common in the political science department. I never discussed it with my female adviser. A female political scientist was unusual then

 

@FreshFluff

[+ WilliamM]

When I was at Penn State in the 1960s, wife swapping was common in the political science department. I never discussed it with my female adviser. A female political scientist was unusual then

 

@FreshFluff

[+ FreshFluff]

When I was at Penn State in the 1960s, wife swapping was common in the political science department. I never discussed it with my female adviser. A female political scientist was unusual then

 

@FreshFluff

 

Were young male profs doing it too? They need to build up goodwill before tenure.

Edited February 8, 2021 by FreshFluff

[+ WilliamM]

I don't remember because most of my friends were not majoring in politcal science.

 

And I was not interested in possible gossip about my advisor whom I greatly respected because of her work on the 25 the amendment

[+ FreshFluff]

Hmmm. I thought this was considered one of the gayest plays in history. Albee closed down several all male productions.

https://www.nytimes.com/1984/08/03/theater/albee-seeking-to-close-an-all-male-woolf.html

[+ Charlie]

FWIW, I got my first job as a college professor because the dept head's wife apparently found me so charming that she told him to hire me, so he did. (He was trying to find a last minute replacement and I was available.)

[+ FreshFluff]

FWIW, I got my first job as a college professor because the dept head's wife apparently found me so charming that she told him to hire me, so he did. (He was trying to find a last minute replacement and I was available.)

 

Did you charm her in any particular way, or was she just taken by your handsome countenance?

[+ Charlie]

Did you charm her in any particular way, or was she just taken by your handsome countenance?

She called and interviewed me over the phone, because her husband was too busy to interview me himself. We had a delightful long conversation, and the next day he called and offered me the job. I have no idea what she told him to convince him to hire me. I didn't meet her in person until after I started working. The impression I got of her over the phone was of someone extremely attractive, and I was rather surprised to discover she was quite homely.

[TruthBTold]

One of the premises has always made little sense to me. Nick admits that he hopes to sleep with professors’ wives in order to advance his career. This seems like the worst possible thing a young male professor can do, particularly at a small liberal arts college campus. The absolute best case scenario is that (1) none of the husbands find out; (2) the wives he sleeps with never turn on him; and (3) the wives convince their husbands that he’s a good addition to the department from a social perspective even if he’s marginal professionally. More likely, this strategy is a quick way to get tossed out the door and probably blacklisted elsewhere. Sleeping with the college president’s volatile, married daughter seems like a dumb idea, too.

 

Could someone please explain?

 

Sometimes people do exceptionally stupid things. They have a certain logic in their mind but it makes no sense.

[Rod Hagen]

I guess sleep with the "right" wives? In other words wives smart enough to keep their mouths shut about the details and motivations, but confident enough to push their husbands in the right ways.

[+ FreshFluff]