For the longest time I have struggled with a woman's role in society; and recently i have come to a conclusion that "Women need to find their place in the world post patriarchy". We border on extremes, hence the term, "career woman" that we find being thrown around. Based on how people define this "career woman" I do not think it is to be carried with pride!
Anyway, i came across the article below. A young man's views on partriarchy and why family structure and women's positions made sense under this regime. Interesting read worth your minutes.
Enjoy ;)
The Universe is Patriarchal by Nature
Laws exist everywhere; you don't have to believe in them for them to apply to you. Even gravity is not acknowledged by all, but it's indiscriminate in its effects. The main purpose of structure is to bring upon order and stability; unfortunately the unintended consequence of regulation is abuse. Those entrusted with authority to implement rules tend to use their power to oppress their subjects.
Hierarchy exists everywhere in nature and it's a pyramid-shaped structure with the proverbial alpha male at the pinnacle. Power and responsibility trickles down with every descending level. Humans have more developed brains, emotions and an added dimension of spirit or soul as opposed to animals, hence it ludicrous to suggest we model our lives on those of our non-human counterparts. We have a unique need for self-actualisation, have evolved faster than all other creatures and instinct is a secondary tool we use in decision-making. We do, however, not live in isolation and still carry genes of our primate ancestors.
Men and women are not the same, equal or comparable. Each gender is equipped with skills, abilities and talents to perform varying tasks within society and in a household, presumably assigned by the Universe or whoever/whatever you deem to be the creator. Everyone has a role to play and none is more important than the other. Men have always held positions of prominence with exception of few societies where there have been females rulers. Nothing in history of mankind suggests that things were any different prior to establishment of patriarchy. There's no evidence to suggest men consciously engineered society to favour them. What we can see, however, is why men could not have actively opposed the status quo.
The bulk of the reason society looks to be falling apart is because men generally abused their power, oppressed their subjects and neglected their responsibility, hence we live in a fatherless society and boys grow up without positive role models to look up to. Changing the whole societal structure to correct this one ill is not a solution and women aspiring to be like men further perpetuate what has already gone wrong. Of course, very few women find themselves in those positions out of choice. It's still fashionable to be a woman and feminine, we just need to bring those men that make all males look bad in track and appreciate patriarchy.
Equality is not a concept I fully comprehend, however I have never understood it to mean similarity. I am convinced it's disastrous to encourage women to perform male duties. Allow me to entertain your hypocrisy in pretending not to know what constitutes a male masculine task. I have already mentioned the ills visited upon society as a result of men neglecting their parental responsibilities, would you like me to proceed to waste time arguing about the practicality of employing a male helper and/or a female gardener? I have no doubt someone out there is doing it, that's how irrational society has become.
If how gender roles have been defined throughout history is what's accepted as patriarchy, then it is not an evil system. I refrain from basing my argument on a dictionary definition of the concept, but on practical uses thereof and its connotations. I'm of the view that this approach saves us from getting bogged down with semantics and carry on debating core issues.
Acknowledging traditional gender roles is not an act of oppression of women by men, thinking men are superior to women is. To a discerning mind, the distinction is crystal clear. Men have traditional roles of leadership in society and in households, but democracy makes it acceptable for women to assume these roles in organisations that subscribe to such principles and I have had lots of females leading me; not even once have I resisted direction on the basis of gender. We have a duty to abide by our constitution and I too subject myself to its authority. I am, however, of the opinion that as far as it does not contradict the constitution and/or infringe on anyone's human rights, men should assume positions of leadership and responsibility of protecting their subjects.
It is when we truly understand that submitting to leadership is not a sign of weakness or inferiority that we cease being slaves to victim mentality. Those in positions of power we have to keep responsible for their conduct instead of making noise in the streets and calling them names for going astray. I am yet to meet a woman that wants a sheepish man; one that's not proactive, fails to take charge and stand for what he believes in; no child wants such a father either. A man that acts like a security guard and exercises his power unnecessarily is unattractive either.
Maybe I don't know what patriarchy is because the world as I see it is one wherein men have vision and women follow, in support and nurturing their men's goals. That's the world I would be at ease bringing a child into, knowing she would know her gender is at the core of her identity and she has responsibility to act in a manner that glorifies the essence of who she is as opposed to betraying values that give worth to her whole being.
When a man knows how to address a woman in a manner that honours her and a woman submits herself to her man in thought, words and deeds, we would be conscientised of how well the order we have unfortunately christened patriarchy works.
Article by Nyakallo Lephotho
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