The Roots of Misogyny

[wukter]

Why is practically every human society across all times, places and cultures dominated by men?
I have read that War on Women article that MillyR linked to. It's chilling. Why is it everywhere?

I would be interested in your thoughts, or maybe there is actually a simple, widely accepted answer that I could be pointed to.

Yes but I have a hard time with this because despite loving books, I can hardly bear to plough through even page 1 of a Salman Rushdie or Martin Amis - it's like being stuck next to a really boring egomaniac on the train, who won't stop talking.

Most of the literature I love happens to be by women. I don't know why that is. The writers I like are certainly not the ones being hailed as the next big Swinging Whatever.

That was a very interesting article Sakura, I thought it was just me that found these novelists over-rated, dry and tedious. Ian McEwan in particular writes with all the passion of a shopping list. in his early days it always seemed like he was faking weird, (it still came out dry).

EAM, your stuck on a train anaolgy make me lol, bang on.

I've been reding Rachel Cusk lately, she really is fantastic.

EAM;

Sorry, this is still on threads I'm on so keeps coming up...and I've read last few posts...

Re; your point about male/female authors

J.K Rowling deliberately used just her initials as she knew boys would be put off buying her books if they knew she was female. She made a business decision.

She is now rolling in money...I wonder does she feel she let the feminist movement down?

I don't really care whether she does or nor DP, sorry!

*not

Well you should care, because that annoyed me more than anything a man has ever done. And if you don't care that intelligent women are still (more or less) pretending to be men to, "get on" then why are you a feminist?

Y'see, you can't fight for equality if women like J.K Rowling are throwing it back in your face. It wasn't a man who made that decision for her...she made it herself.

fuck off daftpunk.

Actually I can.

You're making two mistakes. One is imagining that I would see J K Rowling's decision as something bad she had done to women, rather than a decision made in a misogynistic society. Do you think I would consign the Brontes and George Elliot to the dustbin of history as well, because they wrote (initially) under male names?

The other is telling me that I "should care, because that annoyed me more than anything a man has ever done". Well if you're annoyed about it you make a fuss, it's not my job to bother about things just because they get on your nerves!

That's quite some statement by the way: genocide, child abuse by men, mass shootings - all pale into insignificance beside JKR's editorial decision (backed up by plenty of personal appearances [not with fake beard] I might add).

I was talking about the world of literature and feminism, not the world in general.

I would never put J.K Rowling up there with Robert Mugabe...

Not me, who was that Riven?

The Brontes and George Eliot were writing eons ago....it shouldn't still be happening....that's my point.

Fine well run along and write a letter to someone who gives a toss DP.

Now, Riven, you were saying?

Wow, I had no idea about that.

Funny there was a real trend in the middle ages for people to write compendiums of "good women", talking about historical and religious figures and the stories of their lives.

It's a heartbreaking history when you think about it.

I'm pleased to see she's championing women's right (and apparently duty) to write books under their own full names. Now I'm leaving her to it.

I won't be writing a letter to anyone....the world doesn't need another angry of tunbridge wells...(enough of them on this thread)...

But if I ever bump into the multi-millionaire J.K Rowling, I will ask her if ever regrets her decision....I'll ask her why she didn't feel empowered enough to write as a woman after all the feminist movement had done for her.

I'm sure she'll just tell me to fuck off too....and I wouldn't blame her

I didn't put it quite like that Riven, I said women lack the drive and ambition that most men have.

You know now I don't think she is actually after attention. I think she has a solid agenda to derail any feminist discussion. That's why she is so thick skinned and keeps coming back, she is achieving her aim. It's hopeless until everyone just posts DP or just ignores her, which I admit is hard to do.

Might be worth a try, I've got to go now though!