Philosophical question

Ouled Nails

New member
I asked this question elsewhere and methinks it's a good one:

Philosophical question: Why are some cultures so afraid of their own women that they have to bind them, legalistically speaking, to veil them like cloistered nuns, to treat them like cattle in their marriage rituals, to invariably punish them ten times more than men in matters of the heart?
 

JHC

Chief assistant to the assistant chief
I think basically the ones you may mean are lacking in the top and bottom departments, once again ideology is used to dominate
 

Contratrombone64

Admiral of Fugues
I'm with Colin on this, nothing more than religious fundamentalists persecuting whomever they desire and justifying by some spurious mystical text such as the Bible or the Koran ... spare me.
 

JHC

Chief assistant to the assistant chief
I'm with Colin on this, nothing more than religious fundamentalists persecuting whomever they desire and justifying by some spurious mystical text such as the Bible or the Koran ... spare me.
B..... Hell David!!! where did you learn such big words :grin:
 

rojo

(Ret)
And some cultures won't let women have an education either. Female students can face harassment, schools for girls are sometimes burned down...

There have been quite a number of incidents here in Quebec lately relating to the wearing of the niqab. I find it quite bizarre, that someone would want to fight for the right to wear what could be termed an oppressive garment.

I think a person should be free to wear whatever they like. But a garment such as the niqab does tend to put up a sort of wall, and I don't see how that could help for human interactions. I would think the person wearing one would feel rather isolated. I don't see how it could be a healthy way to exist. How can one develop one's identity? But then I have no experience in dealing with either wearing something that covers my face (except a scarf when it's cold) or interacting with someone who wears such a garment. I don't see how one could enjoy wearing such a thing every time one steps out of the house.

I am not in a position to judge here, as I don't know enough about the tradition, nor how it developed. I think one would have to go back to see when/where it started and in what conditions in order to understand where it came from. As a woman living in Canada in the year 2010, it is beyond my comprehension.

As to the rest of the question, history is brimming with cases of large and small scale oppression, be it racial, religion-related or gender-related. As to why, I think it generally stems from control and power issues. I have no idea how it gets so out of hand, or what it is about human nature that oppression can proliferate to such an extent, without enough folks to stand up and say, "hey, wait a minute..."

The little that I have grasped on this topic is that it stems from religious beliefs. I have never gone so far as to read the texts involved, so I don't feel I should comment on that. But this treatment of women has been well indoctrinated in certain communities, it seems.

What kind of effect would all this have on the collective women's psyche? How can one support the oppression of one's Mother, one's Sister, one's Daughter?

I often count my lucky stars that I live in the location, and the era that I do.

Very good question, ON.
 

teddy

Duckmeister
I asked this question elsewhere and methinks it's a good one:

Philosophical question: Why are some cultures so afraid of their own women that they have to bind them, legalistically speaking, to veil them like cloistered nuns, to treat them like cattle in their marriage rituals, to invariably punish them ten times more than men in matters of the heart?

You have actually answered the question yourself. They are afraid. I know men who avoid intelligent competent women because they feel inferior to them. Men may dream of bimbos, especially after a few beers but give me an intelligent positive woman who knows her own mind any day. Covering yourself from head to foot in any western country makes you look like a freak. How does that empower them.

teddy
 

Contratrombone64

Admiral of Fugues
it's a deliecate issues and I'm sure fundamentalist Islamic women probably have their own strong views on this (being secondary to men).
 

JHC

Chief assistant to the assistant chief
I think a person should be free to wear whatever they like. But a garment such as the niqab does tend to put up a sort of wall, and I don't see how that could help for human interactions. I would think the person wearing one would feel rather isolated. I don't see how it could be a healthy way to exist. How can one develop one's identity? But then I have no experience in dealing with either wearing something that covers my face (except a scarf when it's cold) or interacting with someone who wears such a garment. I don't see how one could enjoy wearing such a thing every time one steps out of the house.
.
The fair rojo
There is nothing wrong with freedom of choice but when in Rome.......
 

Montefalco

New member
But unnecessary racism such as that has only sprung up as a byproduct of political correctness - surely people shouldn't be so sensitive about old sayings like that. It's like Santa being banned from saying 'ho ho ho' in America.
 

JHC

Chief assistant to the assistant chief
If you go to live in another country you must obey their rules and do as they do, if you are not prepared to do this then bugger off back to where you came from and quick
 

thirdcreed

New member
We humans like power, and it has always been difficult to voluntarily give it up. I suppose that's the biggest reason. I feel that religion is a tool that can be used by the opresser and the opressed, for both good and evil.
 
Top