Review of the Human Nature

¶ … Lorber titled "The Social Construction of Gender." The paper will also address the issue of how human nature can be defined.

What is the Paradox of Human Nature?

The article's author devotes some time towards explaining gender's societal construction. According to the author, children's genitals first segregate them into two gender categories and from this point on, the process of construction commences. Depending on the child's gender, he/she is given a name, dressed accordingly, and meant to act as befits his/her gender (Lorber, 1990). This difference in gender also leads to a disparity in career roles and goals after the child turns into an adult. It was commonly expected in the past that women remain at home and raise the kids rather than take up high-salaried, fulltime jobs. On the other hand, the men get to make more money.

A section of Judith Lorber's 'The Social Construction of Gender', published in 1994, conveys the following message "For humans, the social is natural ... " A reflection of this message indicates that the message may be viewed as the foundation of human life. Indeed, biology with its chromosomes and genes has a large role to play in human life's foundations. However, in Lorber's opinion, the society and culture one grows up in is what is responsible for molding an individual into the ultimate personality he/she becomes. A reading of the book's 'The Paradox of Human Nature' chapter reveals to readers the following perception of Lorder: "not biology, but culture, becomes destiny." Family values, religion, societal beliefs and traditions, and the media, are among the factors that mold an individual's identity to completion (Lorber, 1990). During childhood, everybody is taught how they should behave in different scenarios. How our comportment should be covers all aspects related to our respective genders, right from the way we eat and speak, to the way we must dress and even, laugh. The paradox entails another component, which is: this shaping of a person towards guaranteed happiness doesn't, at all times, result in happiness.

How We Define Human Nature

In today's third-wave of feminism, there are many Americans who do not know or fail to recognize the fact that Christian ladies still struggle against what can be considered obsolete gendered ideas (Calloway-Hanauer). Some of the gendered beliefs that are unfair to women include: women are innocent, unconscious temptresses who should, therefore, conceal their bodies; a woman's work comes secondary to that of her husband; and women aren't supposed to lead (or, at times, even talk) in church. Historically, internal as well as external fears and pressures have rendered them silent on such issues.

Small girls often play house -- this is blatant proof of how, even at the tender age of 5-6 years, a girl is made aware of what is expected of her later on: remaining home with children while her husband goes out for a job, and ensuring that dinner is ready by the time he gets back. A clear stereotype here is: women remain home whereas men go out for jobs. There are innumerable gender stereotypes concerning females, but the aforementioned examples are undoubtedly the most popular and most highly contested by modern-day feminists. Other stereotypes and taboos for women are as follows (Brewer):