We’re reading The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women. If you have your hands on a copy, this week we wanted to read up to the end of Chapter 4. If you haven’t been able to grab a copy, don’t worry, you can catch up later.
For next week, try to read up to the end of Chapter 13.
So far, we’ve been introduced to radium — once touted as a medical wonder — the women tasked with applying it to products, and the companies that paid them to do it. We also got a little of radium’s early history.
It's so sad to see how happy these girls are, and so proud to be working there, knowing what their ultimate fates will be. The writing is brilliant in it's ability to evoke such a response.
Its amazing to me how little has changed; People still tout the benefits of “miracle” products and claim they are safe even when there is no proof of their safety or effectiveness
I wanted to reply with my thoughts without getting too political but could not find a way to avoid it. So all I will say for now is that I strongly and sadly agree.
I can't believe I'd never heard about this, especially since I work in the sciences. You hear about Marie Curie and the tragedy associated with her study of radioactive material, but at least that feels like a noble sacrifice for science to learn more (even if it didn't need to happen with the proper precautions). This just feels like sacrificing young women for commercial profit because they couldn't be bothered to care what the risks were. This is definitely a story that needs to be told and, more importantly, needs to be heard.
Marketing in the US is an ancient art. These are young undereducated working class girls (mostly) who are out to work hard and earn a living doing work that helped the war effort and paid well. What could go wrong.
The Radium Eclipse Sprayer! Unbelievable all the marketing around Radium. Sadly not much has changed these days other than the product. Still can't believe I never heard about this until now!!
It's so sad to see how happy these girls are, and so proud to be working there, knowing what their ultimate fates will be. The writing is brilliant in it's ability to evoke such a response.
They were so carefree and happy, you just feel their joy and work ethic. It's so sad they were treated so poorly.
Its amazing to me how little has changed; People still tout the benefits of “miracle” products and claim they are safe even when there is no proof of their safety or effectiveness
Yeah, that part felt like nothing really changed much besides the supplement.
I wanted to reply with my thoughts without getting too political but could not find a way to avoid it. So all I will say for now is that I strongly and sadly agree.
It's human nature to want easy fixes with dazzling new technology and that makes people ripe for predation
I can't believe I'd never heard about this, especially since I work in the sciences. You hear about Marie Curie and the tragedy associated with her study of radioactive material, but at least that feels like a noble sacrifice for science to learn more (even if it didn't need to happen with the proper precautions). This just feels like sacrificing young women for commercial profit because they couldn't be bothered to care what the risks were. This is definitely a story that needs to be told and, more importantly, needs to be heard.
Marketing in the US is an ancient art. These are young undereducated working class girls (mostly) who are out to work hard and earn a living doing work that helped the war effort and paid well. What could go wrong.
The Radium Eclipse Sprayer! Unbelievable all the marketing around Radium. Sadly not much has changed these days other than the product. Still can't believe I never heard about this until now!!