man-flu downs the knackered hack again

08May07

So I went to London for a few days, then came home and went training. Not too arduous you’d think, but there was some background stress coming from one particular stakeholder. And with one child (aka Chip off the Old Hack) already down with a cold, it could not be long before man-flu symptoms started to manifest themselves at the head of the household.

Now, I think I have mentioned before that I have an evolutionary theory for man-flu, of which I’m sure Art de Vany would be proud. Man-flu is predominantly a British expression for a headcold requiring the male of the species to become totally inactive and self-pitying. One of the key symptoms of man-flu is a general lack of sympathy from the female of the species, who is genetically resistant to the strain (although not to the strain of having to take care of him).

My theory, which I’ll elaborate when I’ve next got time, has been accepted by three evolutionary biologists, so I feel confident that a paper would get approved and peer reviewed in some eminent journal, so long as the panel was all male. The only woman academic I’ve suggested it to just scoffed. But then I don’t think she fully appreciated the media value of the story, and got too hung up on the need for evidence.

Anyway, so apologies for those who keep coming back looking for more on Nassim Taleb.

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