tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128598650087737063.post4794693001198805914..comments2023-10-28T23:27:11.116+11:00Comments on the rachel papers: Babies or brains?Rachel Powerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18076347414401820489noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128598650087737063.post-56939642031883168712009-06-27T10:56:32.329+10:002009-06-27T10:56:32.329+10:00I was going to say what Damon said, only less eloq...I was going to say what Damon said, only less eloqently. Basically I think (some) people are always going to be mean and bitchy about people who are different to them, for various reasons. <br /><br />Books like yours, anything that helps us understand other people, can help. But people will still be judgemental.<br /><br />Also, Alison, yes! Feminism should be about choice and diversity, not sameness.<br /><br />~Kirsten<br />(of narrating kayoz - same person, new blog)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128598650087737063.post-4344103066222141892009-06-09T14:00:45.380+10:002009-06-09T14:00:45.380+10:00Radical feminism was once about giving women the r...Radical feminism was once about giving women the right to work; now it can feel like like it's about claiming that women who don't work aren't fully adult! As one who has been harshly criticized for staying home with children (such a waste!), I vote we reclaim feminism as being about choice, not just replacing one paradigm (home with kids) for another (working). And respecting others' choices whichever way they go. Thanks for the post.Alison Sampsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04492848177186327971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128598650087737063.post-27735490672387723622009-06-08T21:32:08.010+10:002009-06-08T21:32:08.010+10:00Thank you for such a well-expressed commentary on ...Thank you for such a well-expressed commentary on the issues raised in these two articles. <br /><br />Polly's comments brought to mind a Grumpy Old Women (or something similar) show on the ABC. A "working mother" accused SAHMs of baking cakes for a school fair to deliberately highlight the failings of the mothers too busy "with real jobs" to be able to bake themselves. Attitudes such as this, and Polly's, seem unbelivably self-focused to me. <br /><br />In general, women seem to waste an inordinate amount of energy deliberately trying to make other women feel worthless and inferior. I've observed more breast vs bottle, working mum vs SAHM, cloth diaper vs disposable etc etc discussions to last me a lifetime. Why must we be so critical and unforgiving?<br /><br />As Damon said, perhaps generosity of spirit is a rare achievement. For myself, I would prefer to aim to achieve this ideal and perhaps some measure of happiness than to tie myself up in knots of angry resentment and superiority like Polly.<br /><br />I think I'll join you for that cup of tea, DSusan Whelanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18253437044745874795noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128598650087737063.post-3681535970617068042009-06-08T14:15:00.324+10:002009-06-08T14:15:00.324+10:00My initial response to Polly's quote (I've...My initial response to Polly's quote (I've not read about it beyond your blog post): "Polly,put the kettle on and while you're at it, shut the fuck up.<br /><br />My second, more readable, response to your post is: Amen Rachel. The world doesn't need less parents, it needs less woman who turn on women not because it's irksome and wrong (wrong is ok) but because it's a harmful thing that can prevent any woman from meeting her full potential, no matter what lifestyle she chooses. Being free and full is an aim that many struggle to grasp.<br /><br />I don't like Polly's position, it's oppositional.<br /><br />The kettle just boiled. I'm off for a cuppa.<br /><br />dDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05483212166356412701noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128598650087737063.post-38762563021586605542009-06-08T10:07:50.227+10:002009-06-08T10:07:50.227+10:00It boggles my mind that people (male and female) c...It boggles my mind that people (male and female) continue to talk about having children, or not having children, as if it's some sort of communal policy decision we should be making. As if there's something to be gained by every single one of us making the same decision. The same people seem to be unable to deal with the idea of living in a society, so every pram in the street is an inconvenience to them, or every childfree woman is a symbol of the freedom and career opportunities they've lost now that they're mothers.<br /><br />BitchPhD has written some really good stuff about children and society, especially on why keeping children out of the public sphere isn't a feminist solution to anything.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128598650087737063.post-26671683281685456012009-06-08T10:07:15.467+10:002009-06-08T10:07:15.467+10:00Damon and your post are onto something. Aren't...Damon and your post are onto something. Aren't we just talking about people who need to have a whine? Let 'em go.Kate Moorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11731006032499344619noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128598650087737063.post-78221400017198655952009-06-08T07:58:50.388+10:002009-06-08T07:58:50.388+10:00Yes, it's very frustrating.
But I wonder: is ...Yes, it's very frustrating.<br /><br />But I wonder: is this just about children and parenthood, or are narrow, inflexible, bitchy opinions a broader problem?<br /><br />"Men are X," just like "the French are X," and what about those Labor politicians? "They're X, too. All of them."<br /><br />It's a common failure to understand the subtlety and variety of the human condition; to overcome easy, simple caricatures, which console or justify our selfishness.<br /><br />It's the disease that books like <i>The Divided Heart</i> can help to cure - if we read them patiently, open-mindedly, sympathetically. Experience helps, too - but we can't always share this. Good friendships can help, but we have to allow them to be different, educative, illuminating (and Vernon hasn't done this).<br /><br />In short: perhaps generosity of spirit is a rare achievement. What might encourage and inspire it? Just exemplifying it ourselves?Damon Younghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06421351032851052928noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8128598650087737063.post-68694286444525081192009-06-08T00:11:04.539+10:002009-06-08T00:11:04.539+10:00Yes I agree, it is amazing that still we have thes...Yes I agree, it is amazing that still we have these debates over what really is a personal decision (or accident of fate when you either find yourself pregnant or on the other hand unable to concieve!) There is no need to 'populate or peril' as early governments would have us fear. I am amazed that we still define people in such steriotypical ways- I was astounded when an 11 year old boy in my class expressed steriotypical views of a generation that I viewed as old fashioned!<br />And you are also right to question why women turn on and judge each other. Sometimes when people have such strong reactions they are reacting to something else, possibly their own doubts in their choices??? <br />PS. yes I questioned the spelling of awe-summm to just one of those things where someone thought it was clever I guess.Red Hen (dette)https://www.blogger.com/profile/09620943527844246297noreply@blogger.com