The "asinine theory" Ms. Fischer referred to in her misguided diatribe (July 20) is neither solely the product of Mr. Tompkins' alleged poor upbringing nor of the inebriated musings of a group of good old boys at Top of the Hill.
In 1938, the sociologist Willard Waller formulated the principle of least interest, i.e., "The less interested partner in a relationship has greater power. An implicit bargain is struck in which the more interested and dependent person defers to the other's wishes in order to ensure that the relationship will continue." (Taylor et al. "Social Psychology," p. 276)
Thus, it would seem that more astute observers of the human condition than Ms. Fischer recognize this age-old truism. Perhaps in the future she would do well to check her facts before assassinating someone's character. Then again, since she is a self-proclaimed "difficult girl," I guess we shouldn't be surprised.
Jonathan Davis
Senior
International Studies
