On: Some Saudi women are secretly deserting their country

> male counterparts (who are generally guaranteed government sinecures) > These countries risk not only of losing their women; if they do not mend their ways, they will lose the most productive half of their populations.

Sounds like they're also losing the potentials of many of their male population with such guaranteed government sinecures.

Yeah, there is definitely a motivation gap between the genders brought on by relative government subsidies.

One might speculate that the special extra support afforded to women versus men in technical careers these days might lead to a similar slackening off in effort over time..

There's a difference between "let's give women a leg up in an area they are underrepresented" and "let's stop treating women as chattel".

I think this is an important idea in the understanding of motivation.

That, and the perception of value in such industries. Telling people off all the time isn't a good way to regulate the market..