Such as: what does patriarchy do for us? Why do we still comply with systems that undermine us and our interests?
Her answer: Protection. It protects us from having to be fully independent, fro having to form identities of our own, from being afraid of the Other Men who might hurt us worse, protects us from having bad reps if we just listen to and follow the sexual norms....it goes on and on.
Or is she wrong? What do ya'll think? Her theory immediately rang true with me: as a senior, facing down the future (although I did just get a job!), it is somewhat tempting to imagine a world in which someone else would plan it all for me, would tell me what to do, have convenient answers waiting for my tough questions. But then I remember I love being in control of my life and the course it takes, tempting as the promise of having someone else worry over the details may be.
Much love,
The Sheriff
I think our society just craves structure and normalcy and this is the model that we have been given. This why some of the biggest struggles of our society are so theoretical at their very core. Perhaps this consistency provides a protection that both sexes rely on...certainty of their place. But those are just my thoughts!
ReplyDeleteI agree about the protection aspect, but I think an even larger reason we find ourselves perpetuating patriarchy is because it also supplies a hierarchy which many women benefit from. That hierarchy places you BELOW a lot of people, but you can also use it to locate yourself ABOVE and superior to others (because that is how social orders work). So maybe within patriarchy I have to submit below white men, but perhaps it also gives me privilege over less attractive women, or minority men.
ReplyDeleteThe only people who are without any stake in this sort of hierarchy are those with no one else below them - and in most societies that is a transient state which passes, for example with age.