He introduces the character of Sophie, and explains how her education differs from Emile’s. Hers is not as focused on theoretical matters, as men’s minds are more suited to that type of thinking. Rousseau’s view on the nature of the relationship between men and women is rooted in the notion that men are stronger and therefore more independent. They depend on women only because they desire them. By contrast, women both need and desire men. Sophie is educated in such a way that she will fill what Rousseau takes to be her natural role as a wife. She is to be submissive to Emile. And although Rousseau advocates these very specific gender roles, it would be a mistake to take the view that Rousseau regards men as simply superior to women. Women have particular talents that men do not; Rousseau says that women are cleverer than men, and that they excel more in matters of practical reason.
2007-03-18 14:57:47 · 8 answers · asked by michael H 4 in Social Science ➔ Gender Studies
http://www.utm.edu/research/iep/r/rousseau.htm#SH5c
2007-03-18 14:58:11 · update #1
Baba Yaga I realize that this is the 21st century; but has HUMAN NATURE changed since then!? Rousseau had at least as sound a grasp on HUMAN NATURE as ANYONE living or dead.
2007-03-18 19:25:41 · update #2
The way I get it down to the lowest common denominator is: in general, women talk about people and men talk about ideas.
Which doesn't mean that I believe men are more intelligent than women. For me, it means that I prefer having conversations with men. In general.
2007-03-18 15:07:04 · answer #1 · answered by Jenny 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This is not relative to modern times. YOU are using this out of context to what is generally discussed here and the fact is that this whole belief system regarding females is totally archaic. Remember in this time Physicians still thought of women as having a "wandering womb". Women have come a long way since then. Educated, equal, free, verbal, credible, accountable, courageous, and strong. Have you been sleeping under a rock? As we know gender roles are constructed by social constraints of any said age.
2007-03-18 22:10:00 · answer #2 · answered by Elle M 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I can"t say I totally disagree, however being female I have seen many females who do not fit into the "need men" role even if they do desire them. Males, and quite a few seem to need women on many levels and will live with totally unsuitable partners as will women , so I don't see the differences here. I see it more in their reactions to the situations.
2007-03-18 22:10:48 · answer #3 · answered by ginny 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Of course I don't agree. It's filled with uninformed generalizations and illogical jumps in reason.
And it doesn't explain things like why, if men are so much more independant, in senior couple if the woman dies, the man is more likely to end up in a nursing home because he cannot take care of himself than if it happened the other way around. You can look up the statistics on that yourself.
And it doesn't explain the reasoning as to why a woman need be submissive to a man simply because she happens to be female.
2007-03-18 22:15:15 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
I don't agree with that. I believe that men and women differ mostly becuase of the society around us and how it sculpts our "gender roles" for us. Parents treat and teach their boys and girls differently, as does the rest of society to some degree. But then again, all of who we are is sculpted by society in some way.
There are obvious physical differences, yes. Women have lower muscle mass, different skeletal frames, and a uterus. But I think people forget the most important physical similarity, that men and women have the exact same brain.
2007-03-18 22:11:55 · answer #5 · answered by CheezyYumYums 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Doesn't apply to today's men and women--submissive women can only be found in very Fundamentalist Churches or some 3rd world countries today.
We would all be riding in horse-drawn carriages if we adhered to that time periods' standards of transportation,too.
Nice little fantasy, though.
Good luck
2007-03-18 23:40:57 · answer #6 · answered by Croa 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Sounds like Rousseau needs to practice a little more "amour de soi" and a lot less "amour-propre".
He's full of crap, crank and compost.
Post after post after post of absurdity. I'm getting a dejavu headache.
2007-03-18 22:51:45 · answer #7 · answered by Rain 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
This has no bearing on today's men and women. Intelligent
women and men of today wouldn't see it as differences,but as being sexist.
2007-03-19 00:03:07 · answer #8 · answered by Morningstar 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋