This is an excellent introduction, and a great resource, thank you.
@InsertPhilosophyHere Жыл бұрын
Glad it was helpful!
@paulfessinger515 Жыл бұрын
Why is none of this taught in schools?
@InsertPhilosophyHere Жыл бұрын
Education reflects dominant social norms. Women are considered to be second-class, and talking about women as equals is still not widely acceptable.
@mydearamy Жыл бұрын
This is interesting, thank you. I especially enjoyed learning more about 3rd wave feminism's early roots. One thing that struck me as off, that I'd like to offer input on, is defining the history of "human society" as oppressing women for hundreds and thousands of years. We can say this about Western society, and perhaps some other designations, but not human society. Human society has both an ancient and a living history of matriarchal social structures, not just patriarchal. It serves patriarchal dysfunction to make these invisible, so let's please name and acknowledge these, that we can be inspired and led by what they can teach us. First, we can consider that humanity's early roots were likely matriarchal cultures. The earliest evidence of humanity's spiritual life are so-called Venus figures-- figures of the Great Mother archetype-- which are indicative of matriarchal culture. It's been many years since I've studied this topic, so I don't recall the book titles and authors, but my understanding is that early cultures are thought to have honored, even worshipped women, for their profound connection to the mysteries of life and death. Women's ability to give birth from their bodies, feed and nurture growing life (suckle) from their bodies, and even bleed without being injured, was awe-inspiring, sacred, and naturally connected humans to their sense of the divine. It takes some imagining from our modern-day patriarchal social lens -- which has trained us to objectify women's bodies as somehow mere objects of male pleasure, and even see women as a supposedly "weaker" sex, rather than comprehend them in their full power -- but with a bit of humility it's not hard to imagine that early humans would appreciate and even be awed and humbled by women, and that women would hold a natural position of power in society. We can also consider that matriarchal cultures actually never died, and remain alive and well today, even in the midst of oppressive patriarchal structures (brought from Europe, as noted in your presentation, thank you). The existence of matriarchal cultures is most clearly evidenced by indigenous populations, many of whom maintain matriarchal structures even today. For instance, I was told by a Native American man (I wish I'd gotten his name and tribal heritage at the time; he was, and may still be, a teacher at Plymouth Plantation) that in Native American tribes, traditionally women are in charge. The grandmothers, called "Clan Mothers," run things. White folks tend to assume the male Chiefs are running things, but he said that actually they act more like news casters, announcing the news of what the grandmothers have decided. I asked him if that was true within a household (nuclear family structure) as well, and he confirmed it was, saying that a man may earn a reputation of trust in the community that can allow for some influence, but when it came down to it, a women, even one that is much younger, makes decisions in running a household. I don't remember if he said this or if I read it elsewhere, but I believe that if a man isn't meeting the woman's expectations, he might come home to find his possessions outside the door, with the understood message that he's to go back to his mother's household. I'm by no means an expert on Native American culture, but I found this perspective so empowering and contrary to messages from Western patriarchal culture, that it moved me deeply and stuck with me. Everything I've read since has confirmed what that Native American teacher told me, and pointed me toward its relevance for our current time. As Floyd Red Crow Westerman put it, "The Clan Mothers ran everything, and had the last word. I think that's the answer." I hope you find this input helpful. I very much appreciate that you are reading and thinking and teaching outside of the dominant perspective.and I hope you continue to share these balancing perspectives!
@InsertPhilosophyHere Жыл бұрын
Hello, Amy, thank you for your comments. With respect, I have to disagree with you about matriarchal cultures. The theory that such cultures were widespread or even that they were the norm prior to a time when patriarchy was asserted is not supported by the archaeological and cultural evidence. Some indigenous societies are much more equal in gender roles than the human norm, true, but the problem is there is still a patriarchal norm in human societies past and present. That said, patriarchy is always wrong in its oppression of women. We need not appeal to matriarchal societies to accept that ethical judgment. We definitely need to learn from indigenous societies that are less patriarchal, because that lack of patriarchal dominance can solve so many of the problems plaguing the world. I recently attended a lecture by the author of a book, "Red Skin, White Masks," amzn.to/3J0oSDg who argues persuasively that Native American tribes have a much more enlightened views about gender equality and our relations to the land, which are connected issues in my mind.
@mydearamy Жыл бұрын
@@InsertPhilosophyHere Thank you for your thoughtful response. I appreciate your perspective, and fully agree that there is *a problem of a patriarchal norm throughout human history.* I'm more comfortable with that language than the language used in the video, which referred simply to the history of human society as patriarchal. It felt to me to omit the existence of matriarchal cultures of the present and the past, which is my main point. I don't mean to say that early history was in any way dominated by women (and I can see how my language sounded like that), rather simply stake the claim of matriarchy's existence in human history, past and present. I 100% agree with all that you said in your last paragraph above! Yes, less patriarchal indigenous cultures have much to teach dominant culture, on both gender relations and on relations to non-human-peoples, including animals and plants, and water as a living thing. Thanks for the book link! I'll check it out. Have you read Kimmerer's Brading Sweetgrass? I found it a very intimate sharing of native perspective and wisdom, slow in narrative pacing at times for the busy Western brain, but highly effective in teaching through the heart some of these enlightened views.
@InsertPhilosophyHere Жыл бұрын
I meant no omission, but I think it is important to stress the dominance of patriarchy. Especially from a Western perspective, feminism is a strong response to what is seen as the overwhelming hegemony of patriarchy. Also, please understand that my video is made form my intro to philosophy university students, who are fairly if not completely new to the topic. But you challenge me to someday follow up with a video on comparing indigenous and Western cultures. :)