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Original poster

<sigh> Sorry, flamingo here again - boys vs. girls...?

34 replies

FlamingoBingo · 02/02/2011 20:23

Debate with my brother on my FB page at the moment.

  1. can anyone on my FB please come and help me out?

  2. can anyone help me form a good coherent argument to this:

"It's a valid point that we've lived under a patriarchy since humans first existed but this is a legacy of our ape ancestry and is completely natural. A chimp colony has 1 alpha male, chosen by the females, and every other male is a second c...lass citizen with no right to mate. Imagine being a man in those circumstances!

Men and women are different, men ( generally) have more developed spatial awareness and are more likely to take risks (thanks to higher testosterone, and wanting to look cool in front of girls) - useful for hunting and building stuff. Women (generally ) have higher emotional intelligence - useful for building relationships and alliances. We're like 2 sides of the same coin, different but necessary."

I've said something about us living in a patriarchal society since organised religion took over, not since we were apes, and asked him for some links to evidence for what he says. Any other thoughts?

OP posts:
swallowedAfly · 02/02/2011 21:21

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swallowedAfly · 02/02/2011 21:20

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Rhadegunde · 02/02/2011 21:19

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LurcioLovesFrankie · 02/02/2011 21:03

Depends on the type of ape - I think bonobos are pretty matriarchal. But if you really want to blow him out of the water, try to get hold of Feminist approaches toscience, edited by Ruth Bleier, and read the pieces by Donna Harraway ("Primatology is politics by other means") and Sarah Blaffer Hrdy ("Empathy, polyandry and the myth of the coy female") - brilliant essays.

LilBB · 02/02/2011 20:44

SwallowedAFly that is very interesting!

LilBB · 02/02/2011 20:42

Interesting blog. I'm really intrigued about whether or not apes have a patriatchal society. I'm off to research apes now.

swallowedAfly · 02/02/2011 20:39

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Original poster
FlamingoBingo · 02/02/2011 20:34

Thanks LilBB. The debate has ensued following a link I posted to this blog post.

OP posts:
LilBB · 02/02/2011 20:32

I don't think I have anything constructive to say but am interested in the responses you get. Howeve my thoughts are his ape theory doesnt really stand up. If the females choose one alpha male and the rest of the males are treated as second class then surely that's not patriarchy? Also men and women being different doesn't mean one is any better than the other. They are also stereotypes which dont apply to all men and all women.