NSF starts vetting all grants to comply with executive orders

Re:NSF starts vetting all grants to comply with executive or... by ANewFormation on Friday January 31, 2025 @02:21PM (#42890776)

Exactly. This [1] headline from the NYT pretty much sums up the issue: "To Make Orchestras More Diverse, End Blind Auditions."

Different groups of peoples have different strengths and different weaknesses. This isn't some sort of a problem that needs fixing.

And if one does want to 'fix' it you need to start way earlier than at the e.g. hiring point. Want to beat that kid who's been playing violin for hours a day since he was 6? Ok, then your target demographic is 6 year olds, not professional orchestras.

[1] - https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/16/arts/music/blind-audition...

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:NSF starts vetting all grants to comply with executive or... by larkost on Friday January 31, 2025 @07:33PM (#42894294)

I can't read the article, so I don't really know what they are arguing for there. The headline sounds a bit click-baity, so I don't want to guess what the content is.

But looking from a sex standpoint blind auditions are responsible for a sweeping change in the ratio of men and women in professional orchestras (though men still outnumber women %60 to %40, but that is from a near %100 a while ago). This is absolutely a case to look at to demonstrate what unconscious biases are, and a wonderfully effective way of fighting it in one specific place.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:NSF starts vetting all grants to comply with executive or... by ANewFormation on Saturday February 01, 2025 @01:22AM (#42896173)

The article is what you'd expect from the headline.

The change in gender differences is easily explained by more girls pursuing music from an earlier age. More people (as a ratio) from a group competently doing something means you end up with more highly successful outliers from that group.

Blind screening started in the 50s.

[ Parent | on HN ]