Society Society

Woman And Power

by admin on | 2024-09-03 17:38:59 Last Updated by admin on2024-11-09 17:13:40

Share: Facebook | Twitter | Whatsapp | Linkedin Visits: 84


Woman And Power

WOMAN AND POWER

 

Patriarchy: The Beginning


Ash: Hey Vir, how are you?

Vir: Hey, I am doing great. What about you?

Ash: I am also doing fine.

Vir: Good...Anyway happy woman’s day...

Ash: Thank you, Vir.

Vir: So, what do you plan to do on this occasion?

Ash: As such I have no specific plan to do anything about this day. But, one thing I would like to do is to discuss the evolution of a patriarchal society and the lower status of women in our society since a long.

Vir: OK. That is good. We should know the cause of the prevalence of patriarchy in our society. We will discuss that. It would be a pleasure for me to discuss that issue.

Ash: It’s good that you want to discuss this topic. Let’s start the discussion.

Vir: OK, as you say.


WOMAN: POWER EQUATION AND EVOLUTIONARY CAUSE

 

Ash: I would like to know your perspective as to why women have faced a lowly position in our society. That phenomenon is not typical of any locality, but it is global. It has been going on for long. Tell me, why is that so?

Vir: That is a very deep question. To answer that question we need to go deep into history, specifically our evolutionary history.

Ash: Evolutionary history? Why?

Vir: Because in it is lies the answer. We will try to find the reasons for the prevalence of patriarchy.

Ash: OK. Then tell me.

Vir: We need to understand that males have dominated women in several aspects. They may be physical and other aspects as well.

Ash: I do not think that males dominated. On the contrary, I believe that women did not get the opportunity to prove themselves, unlike males.

Vir: Look Ash, males also did not get the opportunity out of anything. Either you have to create an opportunity or grab one. That I think, did not happen in the case of the women. I would say that women did not grab the opportunities or did not get opportunity, which could have helped them create dominance or be on par with their male counterpart.

Ash: How could they have grabbed opportunities, if they were not given the chance?

Vir: You are repeating the same point. Ash, look in this world it is the power that decides, who will dominate and who will not. I am of the opinion that women failed to increase their power, which then affected their status in the society, which can be said to have culminated into the so called patriarchy. In such society males in general tend to have the dominant status.

Ash: Ok... I do not know. Whether this is true or not.

Vir: Obviously, this is my opinion. And that may very well vary in case of the others.

Ash: Ha, but if you believe so, I would like to know the reason behind it. As to why women could not dominate by acquiring more power than their male counterparts?

Vir: Ha.. it needs to be discussed.

Ash: Tell me...

Vir: If you trace our ancestors or go back into our evolutionary history then you will come to know many things.

Ash: What are you talking about? Tell me more clearly...here we are to discuss not to hide.

Vir: I am telling... not to hide but to analyze and also realize. But know that these are my opinions.

Ash: Let me know your opinions then.

 

HUNTING - GATHERING OR REARING: WHAT GIVES MORE POWER?  

Vir: OK.. then, listen. As you know, for some reasons unknown to me, men took the responsibility for the bread and butter needs of the family. Now, during the earlier period of our evolution, humans had to remain dependent on hunting and gathering food. And know that it was very difficult to hunt animals and even gather food because humans had to compete with the beasts in the jungle.

Ash: Yes, I do not deny that fact. But, what it has got to do with the patriarchy?

Vir: I believe that there is a relationship. As males took that hard responsibility, their physical and mental faculties developed much more than their female counterparts. While in most cases, women took the responsibility to maintain the home, they developed those faculties, which are related to maintaining the household, at a much higher level than males.

Ash: So, you are saying males became dominant because of the evolutionary forces?

Vir: It is just my opinion. I think that must have led to the development of the patriarchal society in which we live. Naturally, males developed more prowess because of their role, which they somehow took upon themselves or rather nature bestowed upon them. That part is debatable. But, regardless they then leveraged that position to assert their dominance in other fields like politics, society, economy, culture, and so on.

Ash: Ok... I do not know whether what you are saying is right or wrong. But, it seems logical to me. I cannot deny your argument completely. Had women taken the role of bread and butter, today we would be living in a matriarchal society... Am I right?

 

PROGRESS OF THE WOMEN: HOW?

 

Vir: I think yes. Probably then we would have lived in the matriarchal society. And men would have cried over the prevalence of the matriarchal society and repression of the males. Also, I hate to admit that, but whatever progress that women are making nowadays, somewhere males have played the role. The earlier proponents of feminism and women’s rights have been liberal- minded males, who called for mutual respect between males and females.

Ash: I don’t agree with you completely. Women today are achieving everything because of their capability. Males played no role rather they tried to assert their dominance by maintaining the status quo of patriarchy.

Vir: Yes, you can have your opinion, even though I do not agree with you. But, one thing is sure, that situation nowadays is changing. Women have challenged patriarchy in many domains. Women are creating their own spaces.

Ash: Yes, many great women have risen to the top, not because of some favours but based on merit itself.

Vir: And also nowadays, unlike earlier man does not have to go into the jungle to hunt or gather food. Now, women and men alike can earn bread and butter for their families. So, yes women have come ahead. But, there is much ground to cover. Still, patriarchy remains dominant and many female-centric crimes are committed out of that mindset.

 

PRESENT: SCOPE FOR IMPROVEMENT

 

Ash: Yes, you are right that much ground is yet to be covered.

Vir: Obviously, much more is yet to be achieved. The majority of women cannot and should not remain mute spectators, while few fight for their rights. They need to grab opportunities and claim the power. With the acquisition of power, women can break the shackles of patriarchy. Then women can no longer be seen as submissive or secondary, but rather equal to men.

Ash: I completely agree with you. There is one quote that I know. It goes like that power is never given it is taken. Along those lines, women have to take the power in all domains and promote a just society.

Vir: Yes...you are right. All should work to achieve that goal. I hope to see you that day.

Ash: Ha... I hope so. I hope women will wake up from slumber to shake and destroy the patriarchy, which enslaves women.

Vir: Yes. you are right.



Leave a Comment