The Pence Rule: useful, stupid, pragmatic or antiquated? - Share your opinion

[Mysterious Capitalist]

I see no problem in this, conceptually. At the end of the day, I interact with whoever I want. A woman is not ostracized for not mingling with men that make her uncomfortable, so why would the other way around be seen as stupid or even sexist?

It *is* objectively dumb to make it some kind of rule for corporate survival, but it's a "necessary dumb" in the current social climate, especially if your career could be at the mercy of a spurned colleague.

Maybe we're finding the solution to the Fermi Paradox: societies advanced enough will just implode under the pressure of their own social stigmas. I guess we'll see...

 

[DangerousGas]

I have a vague recollection of reading somewhere about Pence referring to his wife as 'mother'? If that's the case, then I can't really see the value of taking the guy's lead on male/female interactions, because that just comes off as being weird as fuck. That said, there certainly seems to be a far greater concentration of total social ineptitude these days on both sides of the gender divide, so whatever, really. I'll continue talking to women in a professional environment in exactly the same manner that I talk to men in the same situation and I don't really foresee any problems with that.

 

[Hellbound Hellhound]

Something akin to 'the Pence rule' exists in many cultures (notably India and much of the Islamic world), and the result is typically a large section of the male population not knowing how to properly interact with women. What this invariably leads to is resentment and unhealthy sexual repression.

 

[Corbin Dallas Multipass]

The "pence rule" should be stupid, sexist, and unnecessary. But because our society is very stupid right now, it's pragmatic.

Nobody should ever call their spouse "mother" or "father". That's just creepy.

 

[Dreamland]

If memory serves me well, Linus (Torvalds, not that spindly soyboy) also has a pence rule for conventions. It's simply necessary unless you want rape accusations thrown at you when you're even slightly famous.

 

[waffle]

If you're a normie it's probably stupid. But, if you have a "high risk" job or are just around a lot of weirdo's for any reason it, regrettably, makes sense. At least in some form. One of the real take aways form #MeToo is that in a lot of situations people are very willing to listen and believe on any sexual allegation, especially if the accuser is a hot chick.

 

[The Demon Pimp of Razgriz]

I think some people here are misunderstanding the rule and its application. The rule isn't to absolutely avoid any and all contact with women whatsoever like an incel, but avoid any situations that could easily be misconstrued as some form of impropriety. In a business situation, you treat women curt and business like, like you would treat a man really. You actively take steps to avoid situations that could easily be misconstrued, such as, for example, keeping your door open when talking to a woman alone in your office, or having someone else present. In your personal life, this is just as simple as avoiding traveling alone with a woman unless it is necessary, going to dinner alone with them, being in your house alone with them, or sharing a hotel room with them (cough, cough, Tyler Malka); you know, the things that people could easily spin against you.

The main purpose of the rule is to prevent other third parties (including your spouse) from misunderstanding/misrepresenting the event in question, or from the woman in question making a credible looking false claim. It avoids the appearance of evil, and ensures that relationships are kept impersonal and professional. And yes, as others have hinted at, attractions grow within people naturally, simply due to close proximity and extended interaction. Its called "propinquity". This is just a way of avoiding it or discouraging it.

 

[queerape]

If you can't trust your urges around other women, then that's more on you than the entire female sex.

 

[Ruin]

Isn't Pence a fundamentalist, or of that stripe? You know, the type who thinks that everyone who doesn't believe as he does is going to hell? He's definitely part of the religious right. Most of those assholes ARE hypocritical jackasses.

Stupid, sexist, and paranoid. All of which, describe Pence perfectly. Not to mention insulting. Oh noes, I can't possibly be alone with a woman, because one of us might accuse the other of sexual harassment!"
Or the fundy crap about how men can't control their lusts, so women can't wear skimpy clothes, and have to have their dads or brothers around when they're "courting". Ugh

"Pence is an evil sexist bigot who advocates for rape, no I don't have any evidence for these claims but I'm throwing them out there anyways."

"Hey why are men afraid of interacting with women you guiz? I don't understand."

Self awareness level zero.

 

[Krokodil Overdose]

Recent events have conclusively vindicated Pence.
"Prove you didn't rape a woman somewhere in Maryland between the years of 1979 and 1983!"

 

[Terrorist]

I think it's a bit too far and I personally wouldn't practice it, but in this day and age, one needs to respect one's marriage and make a statement of it, lest people get the wrong idea, and a Pence-style arrangement is a decent way to do that. There's so much polyamory and cheating and other fucked up shit these days that, sadly, you need to make an explicit statement you're monogamous. Normal men and women respect that and don't rape each other/falsely accuse each other of rape, I wish we could be sane again and ignore the neurotics who say there's a rape culture.

 

[Regu]

Nobody should ever call their spouse "mother" or "father". That's just creepy.

I have to disagree, growing up a good friend of mine had both of his parents go by the exact same name with the same spelling, so they just called each other "Mom" and "Dad" when the kid came around to avoid confusion. Thing is though is that it doesn't have a sexual contention at all and is more of the result of a funny situation than anything.

 

[Lysol]

I don't get why people give a fuck who others associate with or how as long as they're not hurting anyone, and in today's societal climate I don't see how it's anything other than pragmatic.

 

[Replicant Sasquatch]

I have a vague recollection of reading somewhere about Pence referring to his wife as 'mother'? If that's the case, then I can't really see the value of taking the guy's lead on male/female interactions, because that just comes off as being weird as fuck. That said, there certainly seems to be a far greater concentration of total social ineptitude these days on both sides of the gender divide, so whatever, really. I'll continue talking to women in a professional environment in exactly the same manner that I talk to men in the same situation and I don't really foresee any problems with that.

Pence is a very weird guy. He's like some creepy 17th Century New England patriarch suddenly launched into current year and made vice president. Even my Rush-worshiping dad thinks he's a freak.

 

[DangerousGas]

Pence is a very weird guy. He's like some creepy 17th Century New England patriarch suddenly launched into current year and made vice president. Even my Rush-worshiping dad thinks he's a freak.

He does rather come across as being every stereotype of a Puritan, but turned up to 11.

 

[Orkeosaurus]

It shouldn't apply to most people, but if you're a noteworthy or important person who would benefit from being socially unimpeachable (Brett Kavanaugh) it's genius.

 

[millais]

It shouldn't apply to most people, but if you're a noteworthy or important person who would benefit from being socially unimpeachable (Brett Kavanaugh) it's genius.

They actually found a way around it. All these allegations regarding Kavanaugh's conduct are mentioning that other witnesses were present at the time of the drinking/raping/etc and the other witnesses are denying anything took place, but it's still not good enough to silence the accusers. Maybe the only way to make it truly foolproof is to videotape all these social encounters in their entirety with the consent of the participants.

 

[Joan Nyan]

They actually found a way around it. All these allegations regarding Kavanaugh's conduct are mentioning that other witnesses were present at the time of the drinking/raping/etc and the other witnesses are denying anything took place, but it's still not good enough to silence the accusers. Maybe the only way to make it truly foolproof is to videotape all these social encounters in their entirety with the consent of the participants.

Still won't help you if someone can just make up an imaginary meeting, like a gang-rape-train-party or something. You need to videotape yourself 24/7 so you always have an alibi.

 

[millais]

Still won't help you if someone can just make up an imaginary meeting, like a gang-rape-train-party or something. You need to videotape yourself 24/7 so you always have an alibi.

lol, maybe those IRL 24/7 livestreaming guys like Ice Poseidon are on to something

 

[Slap47]

The rule is impractical because women lie.

The only way to protect yourself is to record yourself 24/7.