Society in the USA - Assignment Example

By Kar Kit Yee Sociology December 14, 2006 The 60's: Betty Friedan's "Feminine Mystique" This is the 60's, the age of Aquarius, an age of awakening. Recession and the war have left a mark on the economy. American economy, however, fought hard and remains steadfast and growing. People must know how to take hold of opportunities. I have some knowledge in direct selling; I can do this little knowledge for the advancement of my family. I have to explain to my husband the realities of life. I can remain at home, do the usual things of cleaning the kitchen, the house, look after the kids and be the usual loving mother and wife. I love them and I will not change things the way they are now. But in as much as I don't want to make a drastic change, I have to awaken them in the reality that I have to move. We have to move forward. The kids are growing. They will not be forever children. College is so expensive. Betty Friedan's "Feminine Mystique" has reawakened me and my feminine will for power, but also to save my family from poverty and deprivation. The woman has equal rights and responsibilities as the man. She is there to help, not to be a slave to her husband. Her diploma and the years she spent to earn it must not be a mere decoration, to be forgotten by the passing of time. She must leave a mark for herself and her family who equally needs her support and guidance. I can not forever stay idle at home and see this growing family go hungry, or depend entirely on a salesman's income. There are times I have to find ways to make ends meet, when my husband is not able to meet his quota. A lingering thought always comes to mind, "Will I forever stay here and watch my kids go hungry or drop out of school" We have to work together, hand in hand we can fight poverty. If there are opportunities of a job for a housewife like me, I can start. I can start a small business, even if I stay at home. I have wonderful ideas inside me that can turn little things into income. My husband must not be forever a slave to his chauvinistic mind that he is superior, above every woman, or that his decision and ideas will prevail. This is America, forever free for everyone, including a woman. To my daughter: be strong, finish college, and don't be just a subordinate to your husband. Being a woman does not mean staying at home after college. Responsibility at home must be shared between a husband and wife. And this must be talked about. An open dialogue, an open communication between the couple is a good beginning. Shared responsibility leads to progress in the family. Mutual understanding and goal setting are co-equal, just as the wife is co-equal with her husband. The man is the head of the family but the woman must not be left behind. His decision is also a shared decision, co-equal with hers. To my son: be a good example. Follow your father's footsteps, if you want to. But set your goals, and don't leave the woman behind. She is as human as you are. Respect her just as you respect me. Build a home, secure your family - with a woman who will not be a slave at home, but who will go with you to be strong builders of a home and nation. A nation's economy is also the responsibility of people and families. 2. Dr. Laura Schlessinger and her "New Traditionalism" Dr. Laura Schlessinger's books, ideas and philosophies simply tell us something: go back to the basics. This is what she has been telling the world in her "new traditionalism" concept of inter-personal relationships, in the home and family, caring for children and husbands. In fact, she says, "women have the power to control the quality of their lives with their men" and that is taking good care of them, and not just nag and nag them, and be "workhorses" that they are now, forgetting their role inside the home. The traditional way of caring is the husband goes to his job, while the wife stays at home, taking care of the kitchen and the children. Dr. Laura teaches a new approach by not really going back to the old times of the wife staying at home and the husband in the office. Dr. Laura's view seem rather mild, but at least revolutionary, in these times when women have found their place in society, like they are above men, powerful and ready to dominate. Women do not anymore understand their role in society, have gone as far as controlling what are perceived as men's domain. This is a big blow to feminism. These feminist groups say: "if she can't be controlled, she must be stopped." Not only are Schlessinger's notions and advices popular, they are controversial. Feminist groups are pounding hard on her door, her radio show, and her web site, writing emails, bombarding her with parodies and satirical blogs for her supposed "hypocrisy in moral teachings." Dr. Laura just wants us to go back to the old times when the husband is the head of the family, and the wife regain her throne at home, caring for the children, and the husband. Nowadays, women tend to dominate their husbands. They claim, and they have claimed, their place under the sun, controlling men, digging into their weaknesses, even manipulating them. This is what the feminist movement want - their place in the sun, the king instead of the queen. Schlessinger's controversial view on family and relationships moved the status quo, telling us to go back to the basics, touch again traditional concepts of family, husband, children, women, even sex. The last word, with a capital s, moved the more our feminist movements telling Dr. Laura to stop, or else But Schlessinger seemed unmoved. She tells us to understand the men, who are simple people with simple needs, gain back their sympathy and intimacy with home and the children. Women must use their inner power to entice their men to be good husbands and leader of a family, and not be the opposite of a competition where one must win over the other. In the old days, when mothers were teaching their daughters to be wise and sensitive, be powerful to be productive, today they have replaced their so-called "feminine wiles with disdain, hypersensitivity, criticism and nagging." This is what Dr. Laura wants to be replaced. She stresses moral values, unity in the family, reconciliation between husbands and wives, by "empowering" women, making their use of their intuitions once again to make them the real woman that God has designed for them. 3. The Contemporary American Society When it comes to culture and society, the American influence has truly been in the forefront. It has achieved a higher degree, especially when it comes to gender equality. Men dominate, but as well as women. Both are almost equal in every field. Why almost Well, there are certain grey areas which we will deal in this section of my paper. When it comes to family and religion, men and women have well defined roles in these new times. At home, the wife and husband share responsibilities. It is very common for an ordinary American home to have working couples, to share the bills and other responsibilities. Decisions are shared too. This is good because it leads to an open communication between the husband and wife. And children learn early of their roles and responsibilities. In religion, it is almost. While there are a number of women evangelists, this field is still dominated by men when it comes to the number of pastors and evangelists. But that doesn't mean that men dominate or that they are least equal, when we speak of religion. Religion has played a vital role in shaping American society. In jobs, in economy, a man and woman now gain equal rights. Skill and expertise in every field are shared between them. Some grey areas maybe seen in economy and industry, but by and large, they go hand in hand. Some women maybe forward or are holding high positions, even supervising men. We can speak of polity where they are least equal. Men still dominate over women in this field - government and public service. More men hold higher positions in government and public sector. It is still equally possible for men to harass the opposite sex, although at a minimal level. By and large, the men are still "higher" in status. 4. Deborah Tannen's point of view in gender discourse This is entitled the "Genderlect Styles of Deborah Tannen," a very close and almost perfect perspective of man and woman conversations and interactions. Deborah studied and surveyed these observations and recorded them for understanding between man and woman. With these observations, we are able to understand the so-called "imperfections", unique in every human being. There are no bad habits, just unique styles of relating to a fellow man or woman. There are male and female styles of interactions, the male not trying to dominate the other, but just unique or innate in them. It says that there are feminine and masculine styles of discourse, just like 2 cultural dialects. In the portion about Sally and Harry: Sally wants intimacy, Harry wants independence. There is a Feminine and Masculine focus. Here's how unique we all are: For Feminine Focus For Masculine Focus * Women seek human connection * Men are concerned mainly with status * Girls and women feel it is crucial * Boys and men are working hard to Crucial to be loved by peers preserve their independence * Men are jockeying for position on a Hierarchy of competitive accomplishment Man's ways are almost opposite of the woman's. Male looks at life as a competition, a conflict, and he is comfortable with it. The woman feels this is something to be avoided. When it comes to public speaking, we are really different with each other. It says that man's monologue is typical of t he way men seek to establish a 'one-up position'. A man's style is appropriate for report, but not for rapport. When telling stories, man has his ways. Men's humorous stories have a 'can-you-top-this Flavor that serves to hold attention. While that of a woman express desire for community by telling stories about others. We really have different perceptions about things. When we speak, or listen, or express something, we have our own different ways. A woman listening to a story or explanation tends to hold eye contact, and expresses to agree to a point. Asking questions holds different perspectives for man and woman. Women ask questions to establish a connection, a man asks questions of the expert to engage in verbal spring. Opposites in every sense. That's how God created man and woman, in Deborah Tannen's perspectives. References: 1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betty_Friedan 2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laura_Schlessinger 3. http://www.usm.maine.edu/com/genderlect/sld016.html 4. http://raysweb.net/poems/articles/tannen.html Read More