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Women Aren’t Less Confident Than Men, They’re More Correct
In 2015 writer Sarah Hagi tweeted some advice for women suffering from imposter syndrome: Just pray, “Lord, give me the confidence of a mediocre white dude.” The internet went nuts. In the decade since the phrase has made its way onto a million and one mugs, totes, and t-shirts.
Her joke was funny. But for a quip to transform into a cultural touchstone, it has to tap into something deeper than our collective hunger for LOLs. People responded to Hagi’s tweet because it aligned with a broadly held belief: in general men tend to be more confident than women. Even when their out-sized self belief isn’t rooted in reality.
Many of us have come to this opinion through real life run ins with delusionally self assured dudes. Plenty have also seen the endless articles and videos from various coaches and thinkers insisting men swagger while women dither.
Whatever the exact roots of the stereotype, a great many people are secure in their knowledge that women tend to be less confident than men. (And that the world frequently rewards men for their bluster.)
But what if this widely held belief is based on a misunderstanding? What if women aren’t less confident, but just more accurate in estimating their odds of success? And perhaps most fascinating of all, what would happen if we…
