You make a good point, we could all do better in resisting the urge to dehumanize others we disagree with. I have wished others to suffer the abuse they perpetrate, it’s sometimes hard not to. But were it up to me to actually inflict, or even implement such extreme punishment, I would not be able to follow through.
However, we cannot stand idly by and let pass these so called small differences of opinion, when they are so overtly aimed at diminishing a person's, or group's opportunities.This misogynist's over inflated opinion of himself and the male gender must not stand unchallenged.
The narrow view of women's worth, reducing us to nothing more than servile beings, meant for pleasing a man and baby making, is the lowest expression of our nature. It also reduces us to our animal instincts as surely as the desire to take an eye for an eye does, rather than aspiring to a higher evolution. But of course, dimishing women's worth is what the cult minded, far right Christian movement believes in, because for mankind to aspire to our own higher intelligence is aspiring to rival God's dominion. It's the entire premise the patriarchal religion is based on. It's the original sin, the one a proverbial Adam and Eve were booted out of the Garden for; not being satisfied to romp and play in the garden and proliferate like bunnies, but daring to consume the fruit of knowledge, to see the bigger picture, to usurp God's total authority.
The women graduates and guests at that commencement should have stood up and walked out. The more we sit, passively listening to this outrageous gaslighting, no matter how much we have to say about it afterwards, the greater strong hold the movement gains to put us back in our places - the bedroom, kitchen and nursery.
Our mothers and grandmothers already fought this battle, why are we ceding the territory?
Thank you so much for reading, Judith, and I very much agree with you! I do not intend to meekly "agree to disagree" in the face of this dehumanization, just to aspire to do so with my own humanity intact and to recognize the humanity of those who seek to dehumanize me, regardless.
As a friend joked elsewhere, if my life truly had begun when I married, I will be legal to drink this October! ;)
I have had these thoughts so many times, especially around the topic of capital punishment. If people are not convinced that we should not harm others for their sake, they at least need to understand they should not harm others for their own sake, as well. We cannot dehumanize others without injuring our own humanity as well.
I guess it is a worthy step in the right direction to realize your own dehumanization of those who are different than yourself. The next step is to acknowledge that they, like you are seeking justice and righteousness and just as fervently. It isn’t just the dehumanization that needs to be recognized, however. It’s also the demonization of their approach to justice and righteousness which sees their world view (and their faith) as evil and yours as good. But maybe that’s a step down the road for you.
Hi Tara, I have read your comment a couple of times and I'm not sure what you mean. It's not demonizing to say that no, you may not dehumanize women, you may not promote antisemitism, no, it is not okay to lie about the pandemic.
I don't see their faith as evil, but yes, his worldview is wrong and dehumanizing and no, I will not shy away from saying so.
I feel as though I am detecting some sarcasm in your last line, so I'll just leave that be. Thanks for reading.
You make a good point, we could all do better in resisting the urge to dehumanize others we disagree with. I have wished others to suffer the abuse they perpetrate, it’s sometimes hard not to. But were it up to me to actually inflict, or even implement such extreme punishment, I would not be able to follow through.
However, we cannot stand idly by and let pass these so called small differences of opinion, when they are so overtly aimed at diminishing a person's, or group's opportunities.This misogynist's over inflated opinion of himself and the male gender must not stand unchallenged.
The narrow view of women's worth, reducing us to nothing more than servile beings, meant for pleasing a man and baby making, is the lowest expression of our nature. It also reduces us to our animal instincts as surely as the desire to take an eye for an eye does, rather than aspiring to a higher evolution. But of course, dimishing women's worth is what the cult minded, far right Christian movement believes in, because for mankind to aspire to our own higher intelligence is aspiring to rival God's dominion. It's the entire premise the patriarchal religion is based on. It's the original sin, the one a proverbial Adam and Eve were booted out of the Garden for; not being satisfied to romp and play in the garden and proliferate like bunnies, but daring to consume the fruit of knowledge, to see the bigger picture, to usurp God's total authority.
The women graduates and guests at that commencement should have stood up and walked out. The more we sit, passively listening to this outrageous gaslighting, no matter how much we have to say about it afterwards, the greater strong hold the movement gains to put us back in our places - the bedroom, kitchen and nursery.
Our mothers and grandmothers already fought this battle, why are we ceding the territory?
Thank you so much for reading, Judith, and I very much agree with you! I do not intend to meekly "agree to disagree" in the face of this dehumanization, just to aspire to do so with my own humanity intact and to recognize the humanity of those who seek to dehumanize me, regardless.
As a friend joked elsewhere, if my life truly had begun when I married, I will be legal to drink this October! ;)
I have had these thoughts so many times, especially around the topic of capital punishment. If people are not convinced that we should not harm others for their sake, they at least need to understand they should not harm others for their own sake, as well. We cannot dehumanize others without injuring our own humanity as well.
I guess it is a worthy step in the right direction to realize your own dehumanization of those who are different than yourself. The next step is to acknowledge that they, like you are seeking justice and righteousness and just as fervently. It isn’t just the dehumanization that needs to be recognized, however. It’s also the demonization of their approach to justice and righteousness which sees their world view (and their faith) as evil and yours as good. But maybe that’s a step down the road for you.
Hi Tara, I have read your comment a couple of times and I'm not sure what you mean. It's not demonizing to say that no, you may not dehumanize women, you may not promote antisemitism, no, it is not okay to lie about the pandemic.
I don't see their faith as evil, but yes, his worldview is wrong and dehumanizing and no, I will not shy away from saying so.
I feel as though I am detecting some sarcasm in your last line, so I'll just leave that be. Thanks for reading.