The New York Times' new male (#9) columnist -- Ross Douthat -- is getting some scrutiny. It appears that the Times has not only hired too many males, they've also hired too many self-absorbed low-life womanizing scumbags. Women should stay away from this one, or they may wake up one day to find themselves and their sexual encounters described in unflattering detail on the pages of the New York Times.
In his book, Privilege, the dashing young pro-life Ross Douthat describes a sexual encounter and then confesses to being turned off (!) by the news that his partner was on the pill. Gawd.
Brad DeLong:
From Ross Douthat, Privilege, bottom of p. 184:
One successful foray ended on the guest bed of a high school friend's parents, with a girl who resembled a chunkier Reese Witherspoon drunkenly masticating my neck and cheeks. It had taken some time to reach this point--"Do most Harvard guys take so long to get what they want?" she had asked, pushing her tongue into my mouth. I wasn't sure what to say, but then I wasn't sure this was what I wanted. My throat was dry from too much vodka, and her breasts, spilling out of pink pajamas, threatened my ability to. I was supposed to be excited, but I was bored and somewhat disgusted with myself, with her, with the whole business... and then whatever residual enthusiasm I felt for the venture dissipated, with shocking speed, as she nibbled at my ear and whispered--"You know, I'm on the pill..."
Even more damning, Ross Douthat doesn't care who he hurts. Maybe a couple of women, Reese Witherspoon being one, want to sue his inflated ass?
And, of course, there is the other point: here is a Witherspoon look-alike who has offered Ross Douthat the extremely precious gift of wanting to make love to him, and he writes her into his book in this way with what look to be sufficient identifying details. You can write that paragraph in a way that is calculated to try to make her feel bad about herself should she ever read it; you can write that paragraph in a way that does not try to make her feel bad about herself should she ever read it; normal human sociability and empathy suggests that one should try to do the
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