Althouse: "I probably would have gone down into the submarine with Madsen—so would a lot of female journalists I know."

August 25, 2017

"I probably would have gone down into the submarine with Madsen—so would a lot of female journalists I know."

"So much of reporting relies on placing a certain amount of trust in the people you are covering, and Kim’s instincts led her to believe that she would be safe. In a parallel reality, one where her subject was more decent, she could have returned with a fascinating story, as she always did—offbeat, insightful, entertaining. Instead, we are left with thoughts of what could have been, and a devastating sadness."

The last paragraph of "My Friend Kim Wall" by Alexis Okeowo in The New Yorker.

Previous post about the death of Kim Wall: "That was what she did. She just wandered places. She trusted somebody, and then this is what happened."

38 comments:

traditionalguy said...: Attractive women going off alone with strangers is Russian Roulette.; 8/25/17, 10:03 AM
Freeman Hunt said...: "Attractive women going off alone with strangers is Russian Roulette."

Because it's reasonable to think that someone you are interviewing about his submarine might decapitate you? I imagine that was something of a complete surprise.

This story reminds me of the other recent story about the jogger who tried to shove a total stranger in front of a bus.; 8/25/17, 10:09 AM
tim maguire said...: Journalists, especially female journalists, and especially stringers still trying to make it in a shrinking field, do dangerous stuff all the time. It's part of the job description. Sometimes they get hurt. Sometimes worse.; 8/25/17, 10:09 AM
Etienne said...: Women want to be equal to men in natura, but they first must understand that men are savages outside of society. Women better know Savage 101.

If you go to sea with a man, the first thing you want to have ready is a way to kill him, or escape. Because sure as God made little green apples, savagery exists when man and woman are alone at sea, and society is over the horizon.

It is, however, important to know that it was always God’s plan for us to be Red, shiny, and succulent apples.

For that reason, you need a .38 pistol, because they are powerful and one shot solves all your problems.

Savagery (T)rumped, Red and shiny, not green.; 8/25/17, 10:09 AM
JohnAnnArbor said...: Attractive women going off alone with strangers is Russian Roulette.

That's wrongthink. Women should be able to do anything they want without any sense of caution at all. The predators are the only problem!

Remember when that New York lady, Sarai Sierra, left behind her husband and kids to travel in Turkey? Ended up dead. Lots of detailed opinion pieces afterwards about "don't you DARE question her decision to travel alone in a foreign country," etc.

(Oddly, you never hear that said about men. I take precautions all the time, and don't go certain places, etc. to avoid safety/health issues. That's just normal daily decision-making. It's common to hear "Hey, why were you in that bad neighborhood anyway?" after a guy gets robbed.); 8/25/17, 10:10 AM
J. Farmer said...: @traditionalguy:

Attractive women going off alone with strangers is Russian Roulette.

Camille Paglia made a similar argument during her infamous date rape debate in the early 90s.; 8/25/17, 10:12 AM
Freeman Hunt said...: "If you go to sea with a man, the first thing you want to have ready is a way to kill him, or escape."

Heh. Oddly, that's actually a good tip.

Are people still allowed to advise women that they should have plans of defense or escape any time they go off somewhere with someone or do parents have to tell their daughters that in secret now?; 8/25/17, 10:13 AM
rhhardin said...: Safety Not Guaranteed (2012)

Gal joins guy in time machine.

A very nice touch where the guy discovers he doesn't have to go back but goes with her anyway.; 8/25/17, 10:16 AM
BarrySanders20 said...: Theresa Halbach comes to mind.; 8/25/17, 10:17 AM
Darrell said...: I assume everyone is going to try and kill me, if I give them the chance. I have an old-style Bic pen at the ready.; 8/25/17, 10:19 AM
Wince said...: Freeman Hunt said...

Because it's reasonable to think that someone you are interviewing about his submarine might decapitate you? I imagine that was something of a complete surprise.

Nevertheless, Madsen demanding that she give him head to return to shore would be a foreseeable contingency.; 8/25/17, 10:21 AM
Etienne said...: Big bad wolf: Hey babe, wanna ride in my submarine?
Little Red Riding Hood: No thanks, your submarine is too small for me.

Big bad wolf: It might be small, but it is fat.
Little Red riding hood: Small and fat just won't do, I'm Swedish you know?

Big bad wolf: Well, here's the deal, it vibrates and hums and makes your toes curl.
Little Red riding hood: vibrates? Hmm, well now, let's see this thing close up!

later in the lair...

Big Bad wolf: Urp, That was a good meal. Let me dump the guts.; 8/25/17, 10:24 AM
Lyssa said...: I wonder how many jobs are male-dominated simply because they involve being alone with strangers. My husband was a cable and internet repair guy for a while, with no female colleagues in his fairly large group. I had never thought about it before that, but I realized that I would not want a job that involved going to strangers' homes by myself.; 8/25/17, 10:26 AM
Ann Althouse said...: Always have an escape route. I would avoid even going on a boat with a person I wasn't sure I could trust. But a submarine?!; 8/25/17, 10:28 AM
matism said...: Sounds like the gene pool improved.; 8/25/17, 10:32 AM
Darrell said...: He was European. He was sophisticated and harmless. Watch more Scandi-Noir. They're all sick bastards.; 8/25/17, 10:34 AM
richlb said...: Is a corollary to "always have an escape route" include "don't dine alone with a member of the opposite sex"? That's a Pence-approved tactic.; 8/25/17, 10:37 AM
James K said...: I wonder if Teddy Kennedy told Mary Jo Kopechne that his car was also a submarine?; 8/25/17, 10:39 AM
Freeman Hunt said...: Maybe related: Think twice before getting in a sports car with a friend or acquaintance who recently acquired it and is excited to show it to you. The person will almost always drive beyond his or her abilities.; 8/25/17, 10:45 AM
rhhardin said...: I've taken lots of women up in my airplane, back in the day.; 8/25/17, 10:54 AM
JohnAnnArbor said...: "Always have an escape route. I would avoid even going on a boat with a person I wasn't sure I could trust. But a submarine?!"

If you can get to a hatch, you could use this thing.

Getting to the hatch, then opening it (against outer pressure), then successfully exiting the submarine while properly using that apparatus is non-trivial if you are completely familiar with the boat. And of course in a "take a ride" situation, you're not.; 8/25/17, 10:56 AM
rhhardin said...: Not a lot per year, but lots of years.; 8/25/17, 10:56 AM
Howard said...: Many people have lost their "spidey" sense.; 8/25/17, 10:58 AM
John henry said...: Etienne,

Your advice about a 38 is generally good but in a submarine?

Seems like it might pierce the hull or at least screw up the controls. They you are at the bottom of the ocean in a leaky and/or malfunctioning submarine with the only person who know what to do dead.

There most be a better way but I am not sure what it would be, other than "DON'T GET IN THE SUBMARINE!!!"

John Henry; 8/25/17, 11:02 AM
James K said...: Maybe their "spidey" senses have been diverted to detecting every little triggering offense that they miss the real dangers.; 8/25/17, 11:03 AM
n.n said...: Not all men are insane. Not all women are sane. Life is an exercise in risk management.; 8/25/17, 11:07 AM
Yancey Ward said...: I have a female family member who does home health care, and her safety is something that has always worried me. I realize the risk is probably greatly reduced by the fact that multiple people always know the addresses of all of her patients, and that this reality is also going to be known to the people whose homes she enters, but it still worries me.; 8/25/17, 11:15 AM
Etienne said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 8/25/17, 11:20 AM
Howard said...: James K: good point. It actually makes some womyns more susceptible to charismatics who play the sensitive new-age neutered male on TV.; 8/25/17, 11:21 AM
Curious George said...: "Darrell said...
I assume everyone is going to try and kill me, if I give them the chance. I have an old-style Bic pen at the ready."

Ha!; 8/25/17, 11:25 AM
Howard said...: Speaking of lost spidey sense, has anyone else noticed that pedestrians and bicyclists are less careful around motor cars? It's seems impossible that one would place such complete and utter trust in the average random shithead driving a 2-ton bucket of steel 40-miles per hour just inches from your squishy bag of water that houses ones bones.; 8/25/17, 11:26 AM
JohnAnnArbor said...: Speaking of lost spidey sense, has anyone else noticed that pedestrians and bicyclists are less careful around motor cars? It's seems impossible that one would place such complete and utter trust in the average random shithead driving a 2-ton bucket of steel 40-miles per hour just inches from your squishy bag of water that houses ones bones.

Especially on college campuses, but a fair percentage of cyclists are like that most places, it seems. blowing through stop signs and red lights, then flipping you off after you jam on the brakes to save their lives.

But even the ones who follow the rules, I don't understand. A moment's inattention by any driver and you're a splat on the road. I won't put that kind of trust in random, texting, drunk, pothead drivers.; 8/25/17, 11:33 AM
richlb said...: Seems like it might pierce the hull or at least screw up the controls. They you are at the bottom of the ocean in a leaky and/or malfunctioning submarine with the only person who know what to do dead.

Be careful what you shoot at... most things in here don't react too well to bullets.
- Sean Connery; 8/25/17, 11:48 AM
Ralph L said...: Slow down when driving by high schools and colleges when the blind sheep are in session. That was true even before cellphones.; 8/25/17, 11:51 AM
Jael (Gone Windwalking) said...: Hard submarines make bad law.; 8/25/17, 4:13 PM
Fritz said...: rhhardin said...
I've taken lots of women up in my airplane, back in the day.

But did you bring them back in one piece? Just askin. . .; 8/25/17, 10:53 PM
Anonymous said...: 72-year-old British granny marries 27-year-old Nigerian man:

http://www.ladbible.com/more/uk-viral-grandmother-devastated-her-27-year-old-husband-isnt-allowed-a-visa-20170825

Compare and contrast.; 8/26/17, 12:28 AM
Kirk Parker said...: rhh's very own personal Mile High Club!; 8/27/17, 12:01 AM