tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5248447883714712696.post7421753562330152052..comments2024-03-25T15:02:25.695+11:00Comments on oz.Typewriter: The Hite Report and the Lies About the Olivetti Typewriter AdsRobert Messengerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04366507489948676594noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5248447883714712696.post-10198272425073687272022-09-20T06:09:49.508+10:002022-09-20T06:09:49.508+10:00You're absolutely right. On one hand, perhaps ...You're absolutely right. On one hand, perhaps it is commendable to point out fast and loose journalistic integrity. But on the other, this really smacks of "aKsHuLlY... tHe aD nEvEr sAiD tHaT!"<br /><br />The inherent sexism of these ads is obvious. Even without that *specific* tagline, it's easy to envision Ms. Hite nonetheless being upset when she saw the words attached to her photo shoot. The rest of the story goes like this: there was a protest against the ad campaign, she showed up to join in, and was invited to the New York City chapter of NOW. <br /><br />Again, calling out errors in pieces of journalism is fine. I hope this blogger (and I don't get that impression) doesn't mean to use this error to make the argument that the ad campaign was not sexist in itself.Kirknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5248447883714712696.post-19315820271896385982020-09-19T17:47:37.111+10:002020-09-19T17:47:37.111+10:00Thanks for this information, and the high res imag...Thanks for this information, and the high res images. Reading the ad wording, it's entirely understandable how the strapline got paraphrased over time. It may as well have actually said what Hite and others have claimed. This doesn't excuse all those who should have checked when writing her obituaries. I was certainly fooled into thinking it was a direct quote (and repeating it) simply because it was in several newspapers! I assumed the ad in question had been somehow lost. Better late than never, as they say.Martha Leahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07653034254266696895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5248447883714712696.post-45002289713475951942020-09-18T05:43:48.279+10:002020-09-18T05:43:48.279+10:00I wonder how she interpreted other ads of the day ...I wonder how she interpreted other ads of the day as everything from cigarettes to cars to motorcycles, to all kinds of things featured young ladies to sell the products.<br /><br />Even today many reporters do not do their research before publishing articles or books. Bill Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14649212489891769390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5248447883714712696.post-79882769861720294462020-09-14T14:47:59.239+10:002020-09-14T14:47:59.239+10:00As the person above mentioned, there are phrases t...As the person above mentioned, there are phrases there that are very much “The typewriter is so smart she doesn't have to be,” just said with different words. Particularly this stands out: “Now, she may be prettier than other typists, but she's not necessarily any brainier. Then what makes an Olivetti girl such a phenomenal typist? Her brainy Olivetti Electric Typewriter, of course!”<br /><br />But I also believe what’s missing from your analysis is what’s unwritten, too – the decades of history of sexism in the industry, the forced smiles of the women in the picture, the young age of all of them (indicating both objectification and the lack of upward mobility), five men invading the secretary’s personal space in the original advertisement, and the entire idea of validating the woman’s value in the workforce by her typing abilities and her typing abilities alone (“but can she type?”). If the exact words aren’t spoken, the ads are dripping with the *sentiment* – and their tone, one that can seem funny and cheeky to us, privileged white men, can be downright insulting to others. Given all this context it’s entirely possible to imagine the radicalizing effect the ads could have had on Shere Hite and other women (and, hopefully, some men).<br />Marcinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04663244405495235071noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5248447883714712696.post-10396112507580206512020-09-14T11:55:09.603+10:002020-09-14T11:55:09.603+10:00It's a shame that lesser reporters didn't ...It's a shame that lesser reporters didn't check their facts. Well done.<br /><br />That said, I can understand how Hite would misremember the exact words of the ad copy here, or would paraphrase it as she did. Some of these ads do come close to saying that the "girls" don't need brains because their typewriters have them—and finding the sexism here is like shooting fish in a barrel.Richard Phttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16232053429935587826noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5248447883714712696.post-20835703066142087292020-09-13T18:12:49.965+10:002020-09-13T18:12:49.965+10:00Your extensive knowledge of the history of typewri...Your extensive knowledge of the history of typewriter advertisements (and typewriters in general) never ceases to amaze me.Craighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07241209659499192073noreply@blogger.com