Robert St. Estephe–Gonzo Historian–is dedicated to uncovering the forgotten past of marginalizing men. “Gonzo journalism” is characterized as tending “to favor style over fact to achieve accuracy.” Yet history – especially “social history” – is written by ideologues who distort and bury facts in order to achieve an agenda. “Gonzo” writing is seen as unorthodox and surprising. Yet, in the 21st century subjectivity, distortion and outright lying in non-fiction writing is the norm. Fraud is the new orthodoxy. Consequently, integrity is the new “transgressive.”
Welcome to the disruptive world of facts, the world of Gonzo History.
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Trigger alert:
Dear Reader: If you happen to member of either of the following communities – Toy Dog, Type 1 (mangina) or a Toy Dog Type 2 (white knight) – you should not read the rest of this post.
No Toy Dogs need apply – Big Dogs only!
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FULL TEXT: Berlin, July 7. – Dr. Albert Einstein, the famous scientist, made an amazing discovery relative to America on his trip which he recently explained to a sympathetic-looking Hollander as follows:
“The excessive enthusiasm for me in America appears to be typically American. And if I grasp it correctly the reason is that the people in America are as colossally bored, very much more than is the case with us. After all, there is so little for them there!” he exclaimed.
Dr. Einstein said this with vibrant sympathy. He continued:
“New York, Boston, Chicago and other cities have their theatres and concerts, but for the rest? There are cities with 1,000,000 inhabitants. Despite which what poverty, intellectual poverty! The people are, therefore, glad when something is given them with which they can play and over which they can enthuse. And that they do, then, with monstrous intensity.
“Above all things there are the women who, as a literal fact, dominate the entire life in America. The men take an interest in absolutely nothing at all. They work and work, the like of which I have never seen anywhere yet. For the rest they are the toy dogs of the women, who spend the money in a most unmeasurable, illimitable way and wrap themselves in a fog of extravagance. They do everything which is the vogue and now quite by chance they have thrown themselves on the Einstein fashion.
“You ask whether it makes a ludicrous impression on me to observe the excitement of the crowd for my teaching and my theory, of which it, after all, understandable nothing? I find it funny and at the same time interesting to observe the game.
“I believe quite positively that it is the mysteriousness of what they cannot conceive which places them under a magic spell. One tells them of something big which will influence all future life, of a theory which only a small group, highly learned, can comprehend. Big names are mentioned of men who made discoveries, of which the crowd grasps nothing. But it impresses them, takes on color and the magic power of mystery, and thus one becomes enthusiastic and excited.
“My impressions of scientific life in America? Well, I met with great interest several extraordinary meritorious professors, like Professor Milliken[sic]*. I unfortunately missed Professor Michelson** in Chicago, but to compare the general scientific life in America with Europe is nonsense.
[“Einstein Declares Women Rule Here – Scientist Says He Found American Men the Toy Dogs of the Other Sex. – People Colossally Bored – Showed Excessive Enthusiasm Over Him for Lack of Other Thinks, He Thinks.” The New York Times (N.Y.), Jul. 8, 1921, Section (?), p. 9]
* Editor’s notes: “Professor Milliken” is most likely the Nobel Prize-winning Dr. Robert Andrews Millikan, a full professor at the University of Chicago. Among his other discoveries, Dr. Millikan proved experimentally the photoelectric effect postulated by Dr. Einstein, and he coined the term “cosmic rays” to describe radiation from outer space.
** “Professor Michelson” is most likely the Nobel Prize-winning Dr. Albert Abraham Michelson, a Department Head at the University of Chicago. Dr. Michelson is credited with one of the earliest accurate measurements of the speed of light, and also with the Michelson-Morley experiment that helped establish Einstein’s theory of Special Relativity. – AL
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Einstein’s words were powerful, but the story doesn’t end there. A lot of feminists took exception to Einstein’s observations, and The New York Times published their retorts that next day:
“Chicago Women Resent Einstein’s Opinions”
Men, However, Seem to Agree on “Toy Dogs” and Dominance of Wives
Chicago, July 8. – Professor Einstein’s opinion of America, and of American women in particular, as expressed in an interview cabled from Berlin to THE NEW YORK TIMES yesterday and reprinted in Chicago this morning, brought forth indignant protests from Chicago women today. They took particular exception to Professor Einstein’s characterization of American men as the “toy dogs” of American women.
Chicago men, however, seemed to agree with Professor Einstein on the dominance of women and the “toy dog” charge, while professors at the University of Chicago contented themselves with a few nervous tut-tuts and the comment that the German scientist had obtained a warped view of America because of the short time he spent here.
“Perfectly ridiculous,” said Mrs. Frederick D. Countess, 1,534 Lake Shore Drive. “The professor must have met a bunch of movie actors when he was over here. If the American men make more money than the other men to spend on their wives, that’s American luck. I think the right kind of American is the strongest character in the world.”
“I cannot agree with Professor Einstein,” said Mrs. Jacob Bauer, 1,100 Lake Shore Drive. “Women have the vote and men are women’s equals.”
Domination of women over men in America is not a national phase, but a world-wide one, believes William Wrigley Jr. “It is just as true in Germany as it is here.” he says. “Einstein is right on the women, and I’m proud of the fact. Aren’t the women behind everything a man does? Maybe not openly, but they’re there just the same. What else can a man do with his money but spend it on his wife?”
Professor W.P. Evans of the chemistry department at Northwestern University said: “It seems incredible that a man of Dr. Einstein’s attainments should make the statements credited to him. If these statements are correct, they go far to prove the fact that, although he understands thoroughly, we hope (don’t forget to put in the “we hope”), the theory of relativity, he has not the essential qualities for judging the scientific and industrial achievements of a great nation.”
“Dr. Einstein saw America under very unfavorable conditions,” and Professor Millikan of the physics department of the University of Chicago, who was spoken of favorably by Dr. Einstein as a “meritorious” professor, “due to the popular furore [sic] over his discovery. I might say that he had a hectic time.”
[“Chicago Women Resent Einstein’s Opinions – Men, However, Seem to Agree on “Toy Dogs” and Dominance of Wives.” New York Times (N.Y.), Jul. 9, 1921, “Amusements, Hotels and Restaurants” section, p. 12]
