our androcentric culture-第4节

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she　says；　sublimely。　　〃I　do　not　care　what　he　has　done。　　I　will　forgive
him。　　I　will　save　him！〃

This　state　of　mind　serves　to　forward　the　interests　of　the　lover；　but　is
of　no　advantage　to　the　children。　　We　have　magnified　the　duties　of　the
wife；　and　minified　the　duties　of　the　mother；　and　this　is　inevitable　in　a
family　relation　every　law　and　custom　of　which　is　arranged　from　the
masculine　viewpoint。

From　this　same　viewpoint；　equally　essential　to　the　proprietary　family；
comes　the　requirement　that　the　woman　shall　serve　the　man。　　Her　service
is　not　that　of　the　associate　and　equal；　as　when　she　joins　him　in　his
business。　　It　is　not　that　of　a　beneficial　combination；　as　when　she
practices　another　business　and　they　share　the　profits；　it　is　not　even
that　of　the　specialist；　as　the　service　of　a　tailor　or　barber；　it　is
personal　servicethe　work　of　a　servant。

In　large　generalization；　the　women　of　the　world　cook　and　wash；　sweep　and
dust；　sew　and　mend；　for　the　men。

We　are　so　accustomed　to　this　relation；　have　held　it　for　so　long　to　be
the　〃natural〃　relation；　that　it　is　difficult　indeed　to　show　that　it　is
distinctly　unnatural　and　injurious。　　The　father　expects　to　be　served　by
the　daughter；　a　service　quite　different　from　what　he　expects　of　the　son。
　This　shows　at　once　that　such　service　is　no　integral　part　of　motherhood；
or　even　of　marriage；　but　is　supposed　to　be　the　proper　industrial
position　of　women；　as　such。

Why　is　this　so？　　Why；　on　the　face　of　it；　given　a　daughter　and　a　son；
should　a　form　of　service　be　expected　of　the　one；　which　would　be
considered　ignominious　by　the　other？

The　underlying　reason　is　this。　　Industry；　at　its　base；　is　a　feminine
function。　　The　surplus　energy　of　the　mother　does　not　manifest　itself　in
noise；　or　combat；　or　display；　but　in　productive　industry。　　Because　of
her　mother…power　she　became　the　first　inventor　and　laborer；　being　in
truth　the　mother　of　all　industry　as　well　as　all　people。

Man's　entrance　upon　industry　is　late　and　reluctant；　as　will　be　shown
later　in　treating　his　effect　on　economics。　　In　this　field　of　family
life；　his　effect　was　as　follows：

Establishing　the　proprietary　family　at　an　age　when　the　industry　was
primitive　and　domestic；　and　thereafter　confining　the　woman　solely　to　the
domestic　area；　he　thereby　confined　her　to　primitive　industry。　　The
domestic　industries；　in　the　hands　of　women；　constitute　a　survival　of　our
remotest　past。　　Such　work　was　〃woman's　work〃　as　was　all　the　work　then
known；　such　work　is　still　considered　woman's　work　because　they　have　been
prevented　from　doing　any　other。

The　term　〃domestic　industry〃　does　not　define　a　certain　kind　of　labor；
but　a　certain　grade　of　labor。　　Architecture　was　a　domestic　industry
oncewhen　every　savage　mother　set　up　her　own　tepee。　　To　be　confined　to
domestic　industry　is　no　proper　distinction　of　womanhood；　it　is　an
historic　distinction；　an　economic　distinction；　it　sets　a　date　and　limit
to　woman's　industrial　progress。

In　this　respect　the　man…made　family　has　resulted　in　arresting　the
development　of　half　the　field。　　We　have　a　world　wherein　men；
industrially；　live　in　the　twentieth　century；　and　women；　industrially；
live　in　the　firstand　back　of　it。

To　the　same　source　we　trace　the　social　and　educational　limitations　set
about　women。　　The　dominant　male；　holding　his　women　as　property；　and
fiercely　jealous　of　them；　considering　them　always　as　_his；_　not
belonging　to　themselves；　their　children；　or　the　world；　has　hedged　them
in　with　restrictions　of　a　thousand　sorts；　physical；　as　in　the　crippled
Chinese　lady　or　the　imprisoned　odalisque；　moral；　as　in　the　oppressive
doctrines　of　submission　taught　by　all　our　androcentric　religions；
mental；　as　in　the　enforced　ignorance　from　which　women　are　now　so　swiftly
emerging。

This　abnormal　restriction　of　women　has　necessarily　injured　motherhood。　
The　man；　free；　growing　in　the　world's　growth；　has　mounted　with　the
centuries；　filling　an　ever　wider　range　of　world　activities。　　The　woman；
bound；　has　not　so　grown；　and　the　child　is　born　to　a　progressive
fatherhood　and　a　stationary　motherhood。　　Thus　the　man…made　family　reacts
unfavorably　upon　the　child。　　We　rob　our　children　of　half　their　social
heredity　by　keeping　the　mother　in　an　inferior　position；　however
legalized；　hallowed；　or　ossified　by　time；　the　position　of　a　domestic
servant　is　inferior。

It　is　for　this　reason　that　child　culture　is　at　so　low　a　level；　and　for
the　most　part　utterly　unknown。　　Today；　when　the　forces　of　education　are
steadily　working　nearer　to　the　cradle；　a　new　sense　is　wakening　of　the
importance　of　the　period　of　infancy；　and　its　wiser　treatment；　yet　those
who　know　of　such　a　movement　are　few；　and　of　them　some　are　content　to
earn　easy　praiseand　payby　belittling　right　progress　to　gratify　the
prejudices　of　the　ignorant。

The　whole　position　is　simple　and　clear；　and　easily　traceable　to　its
root。　　Given　a　proprietary　family；　where　the　man　holds　the　woman
primarily　for　his　satisfaction　and　servicethen　necessarily　he　shuts
her　up　and　keeps　her　for　these　purposes。　　Being　so　kept；　she　cannot
develop　humanly；　as　he　has；　through　social　contact；　social　service；　true
social　life。　　（We　may　note　in　passing；　her　passionate　fondness　for　the
child…game　called　〃society〃　she　has　been　allowed　to　entertain　herself
withal；　that　poor　simiacrum　of　real　social　life；　in　which　people
decorate　themselves　and　madly　crowd　together；　chattering；　for　what　is
called　〃entertainment。〃）　　Thus　checked　in　social　development；　we　have
but　a　low　grade　motherhood　to　offer　our　children；　and　the　children；
reared　in　the　primitive　conditions　thus　artificially　maintained；　enter
life　with　a　false　perspective；　not　only　toward　men　and　women；　but　toward
life　as　a　whole。

The　child　should　receive　in　the　family；　full　preparation　for　his
relation　to　the　world　at　large。　　His　whole　life　must　be　spent　in　the
world；　serving　it　well　or　ill；　and　youth　is　the　time　to　learn　how。　　But
the　androcentric　home　cannot　teach　him。　　We　live　to…day　in　a
democracy…the　man…made　family　is　a　despotism。　　It　may　be　a　weak　one；　the
despot　may　be　dethroned　and　overmastered　by　his　little　harem　of　one；　but
in　that　case　she　becomes　the　despotthat　is　all。　　The　male　is　esteemed
〃the　head　of　the　family；〃　it　belongs　to　him；　he　maintains　it；　and　the
rest　of　the　world　is　a　wide　hunting　ground　and　battlefield　wherein　he
competes　with　other　males　as　of　old。

The　girl…child；　peering　out；　sees　this　forbidden　field　as　belonging
wholly　to　men…kind；　and　her　relation　to　it　is　to　secure　one　for
herselfnot　only　that　she　may　love；　but　that　she　may　live。　　He　will
feed；　clothe　and　adorn　hershe　will　serve　him；　from　the　subjection　of
the　daughter　to　that　of　the　wife　she　steps；　from　one　home　to　the　other；
and　never　enters　the　world　at　allman's　world。

The　boy；　on　the　other　hand；　considers　the　home　as　a　place　of　women；　an
inferior　place；　and　longs　to　grow　up　and　leave　itfor　the　real　world。　
He　is　quite　right。　　The　error　is　that　this　great　social　instinct；
calling　for　full　social　exercise；　exchange；　service；　is　considered
masculine；　whereas　it　is　human；　and　belongs　to　boy　and　girl　alike。

The　child　is　affected　first　through　the　retarded　development　of　his
mother；　then　through　the　arrested　condition　of　home　industry；　and
further　through　the　wrong　ideals　which　have　arisen　from　these
conditions。　　A　normal　home；　where　there　was　human　equality　between
mother　and　father；　would　have　a　better　influence。

We　must　not　overlook　the　effect　of　the　proprietary　family　on　the
proprietor　himself。　　He；　too；　has　been　held　back　somewhat　by　this
reactionary　force。　　In　the　process　of　becoming　human　we　must　learn　to
recognize　justice；　freedom；　human　rights；　we　must　learn　self…control　and
to　think　of　others；　have　minds　that　grow　and　broaden　rationally；　we　must
learn　the　broad　mutual　interservice　and　unbounded　joy　of　social
intercourse　and　service。　　The　petty　despot　of　the　man…made　home　is
hindered　in　his　humanness　by　too　much　manness。

For　each　man　to　have　one　whole　woman　to　cook　for　and　wait　upon　him　is　a
poor　education　for　democracy。　　The　boy　with　a　servile　mother；　the　man
with　a　servile　wife；　cannot　reach　the　sense　of　equal　rights　we　need
to…day。　　Too　constant　consideration　of　the　master's　tastes　makes　the
master　selfish；　and　the　assault　upon　his　heart　direct；　or　through　that
proverbial　side…avenue；　the　stomach；　which　the　dependent　woman　needs
must　make　when　she　wants　anything；　is　bad　for　the　man；　as　well　as　for
her。

We　are　slowly　forming　a　nobler　type　of　family；　the　union　of　two；　based
on　love　and　recognized　by　law；　maintained　because　of　its　happiness　and
use。　　We　are　even　now　approaching　a　tenderness　and　permanence　of　love；
high　pure　enduring　love；　combined　with　the　broad　deep…rooted
friendliness　and　comradeship　of　equals；　which　promises　us　more　happiness
in　marriage　than　we　have　yet　known。　　It　will　be　good　for　all　the　parties
concernedman；　woman　and　child：　and　promote　our　general　social　progress
admirably。

If　it　needs　〃a　head〃　it　will　elect　a　chairman　pro　tem。　　Friendship　does
not　need　〃a　head。〃　　Love　does　dot　need　〃a　head。〃　　Why　should　a　family？



OUR　ANDROCENTRIC　CULTURE；　or；　THE　MAN…MADE　WORLD


III。

HEALTH　AND　BEAUTY。


NOTEThe　word　〃Androce