¶ … SIMONE DE BEAUVOIR quote false. In, source-based literature, current events, personal experience, film; support criticize relevant theme. Simone De Beauvoir Quote: " The reason women lack concrete means organizing a unit stand face corrective unit."
The Second Sex by philosopher Simone de Beauvoir emerged in 1949 in France, as a 700-page plea for the liberation of women. In its introduction, the author states "that women lack concrete means for organizing themselves into a unit which can stand face-to-face with the correlative unit." By engaging in a thorough criticism of this statement, it shall be proved false.
In terms of number, women came to represent more than half of humanity and for this reason it seems needless to think in terms of organized units. It would be only appropriate to observe "the true dimensions of women's own empowerment as a new majority" (Friedan). History is charged with situations where a category of people dominated another simply by force of numbers, case in point being the Roman Empire's expansion, or the instatement of slavery in America, or even the persecution of Jews during the Second World War. Consequently, it transpires that women are expected to thwart any form of male sovereignty, be it through an organized endeavor or not. On the other side, putting a whole gender in the same league with conquering armies or prosecuting figures may be somewhat extreme. Besides, the real objective is not dominion, but men and women's equal cohabitation on this planet. Nevertheless, history reveals that the argument of majority has plenty of relevance when it comes to a debate between two correlative units; therefore the long-standing coercing of women is now becoming a matter of the past.
In a virtually cultural sense, the present evolution of women's status can be perceived as analogical to the African-American social upheaval. Both represent a struggle for equality in relation with a masterful unit, whose success is inevitable. They used to be coerced and kept in line by the same implied patriarchal authority, having been endowed with childlike characteristics (cheerfulness, frivolity or simple-mindedness) which were supposed to justify their generally expected submission based on the prerogative of inferiority. One may argue that the century-old, almost criminal matter of slavery has little in common with the seemingly recent, abstract quarrel over a global notion such as female liberation. In addition, African-Americans as a race were the victims of slavery, and they are seen as a unified, bi-gendered group, whereas women total from every race and do not account as a separated unit. However, women's by-placement may be depicted as a pandemic, continuous historical process, something that did not simply occur at a certain time. Notwithstanding the extreme feminist perspectives, it cannot be denied that both problems are originated in real discrimination, and just as one has proved capable of concrete correlative advancement, so does the other.
Simone de Beauvoir's main arguments portrayed in her work, The Second Sex, can be employed to criticize her disbelief of women's concrete results regarding equality. Namely, the precept that no one is born a woman, but rather becomes one, in connection with the idea that there are no special female qualities, altogether indicate that women essentially stand on equal footing with men and are not inferior. Specifically, a strong emphasis is laid on thinking, taking action, and living on the same terms as men do, hence any concrete disparage is withheld. Opponents of this view may argue that women are innately feminine and men innately masculine, which is more than enough to establish discrepancy. What is more, insisting the women try to imitate men may seem unnatural and forced. However, women as a whole actively decry only the other gender's tendency to belittle them on the account of general differences. The only viable conclusion is that women simply choose to be complete persons, individual and free beings with the future open before them; should this choice be confused with virility, it attracts the implication that femininity must be a mutilation.
Formerly, society capitalized on the differences between sexes and, by legal right and tradition, accentuated them. Today, society tends to do the exact opposite: it recognizes and advocates the similarities. Whereas in the past women were held back from the dreams and careers they could...
It is argued that this
endorsement of
equal rights is superficial, that society merely feints to open doors for women while maintaining a contemptuous regard for their potential. Furthermore, women may or may not opt for a life filled with accomplishments. Overall, in the present social climate which incidentally
numbers more women than men, gender-based availability of opportunities is discouraged and it all comes down to choice; women, like men, are only as limited on the path of life as they designate themselves to be.
The issue of
abortion is thoroughly depictive of the way that women find concrete means to stand up for their common rights. Most recent social surveys concur that, apart from some ethical ambivalence regarding minors or the limit of abortion according to semester span, there is a national consensus on the
liberty of mothers to choose when and where to have a child, derived from the moral prerogatives of innate human personhood and right to life. On the other hand, there is a proliferation of conservatory and religious propaganda which condemns women as murderers if they choose to end a life even in its potential form. Even so, abortion by itself is not a value, and neither it nor other faces of sexual life are the most significant issues for women's empowerment. What is most important is having an equal say in topmost economic and political
decision making. "The abortion hysteria is the desperate last gasp of those who are threatened by women's
autonomy, but do not dare attack it head on" (Friedan).
Another aspect which has reasonably improved to female advantage during past decades is the attitude towards
sexual behavior. There used to be a traditional double standard of sexual morality, where men behaved sexually as they pleased, and women as men thought appropriate, but this is no longer true. Whether women become as promiscuous as men (and the standard is seemingly lowered), or men's presumably predatory stance is elevated to that of a more thoughtful integrity (admittedly associated with female behavior), the premise of male coercion has lost its meaning. On a sexual basis, the moral
authority of women represents a heavy counterweight to the physical superiority of men. With that authority, women have a right to refuse any unwelcome proposition from a man, and be obeyed. There are people who oppose this state of events and name it radical, or sinful. Religions are especially adamant about maintaining a proper sexual conduct, and most of them are particularly restrictive in regard to women's sexual liberties. Yet, these views that border on outrage are, by and large, entertained by men, who were also the original designers of adversity. It is now commonly accepted that women are free to choose their sexual conduct, much like the men.
While a nostalgic yearning for the so-called "feminine mystique" (Friedan) lingers on, women's
identity is no longer confined to reach resolutions only in terms of their relation to men, be it sexual, maternal, or domestic. Actually, the identity of women is established outside of family roles, women are defining their lives themselves, and they do so by modeling their actions in relation to society. Additionally, even though selling women cosmetics and face lifts is still a million-dollar, solid-standing industry, women on the whole are moving to a more practical outlook on life; instead of maximizing the value of
youth and ephemeral beauty, they are rather considering their entire life span and focusing on each phase within it. From another point-of-view, women are perceived as eternally feminine, an ideal precious image which must not be lost, even at the expense of personal fulfillment. However, professing this view as requirement objectifies women into pretty, useful child bearers and limits their
human experience to the household. As complete human beings, women have a right to fully express themselves in life.
In the matter of women's equal participation with men in the mainstream framework of society, putting the problem in terms of
adversity may not be as fruitful as making common cause. In order to achieve balance and bring about an improved version of society, women and men have to work together as members of the human race. For this reason, it is necessary to actively promote awareness and reach beyond "the polarized and destructive male model of work and decision making and the undervalued women's model of life" (Friedan), a faulty pattern which imposes the automatic assumption that having a child is synonymous with the freely made decision to give up any professional ambitions and earning power. Challenges of
family life are amply illustrative of the necessity for a correlative
environment. Gradually and to various extents of difficulty, families constantly search for ways to adapt…
