In your Opinion, is modern society trying to teach men to fear or respect women?

Question

In your Opinion, is modern society trying to teach men to fear or respect women?

Answer 1

I think it's trying to teach them to view women as equal, worthwhile human beings.

Respect and fear are earned.

Answer 2

Modern society?  Whatever it is attempting to teach is highly questionable and not worth learning, in my opinion.  Our society is badly flawed in so very many ways - so nothing it could teach would be worth learning.

My hope, of course, is that we are gravitating toward a world in which women and men are respected for the lives they live, rather than their gender.  Frankly, I can't imagine fearing or respecting anyone, simply for their gender....can you???

Answer 3

I don't see modern society as a coherant whole - but a group of individuals all acting for their own reasons - so in my opinion, it isn't trying to do anything.  The end result is another matter though - do men fear women?  And if so, where does that fear come from?  I don't see how it can be a physical fear, but perhaps men's own fear of social disapproval.  And of course, we all do many crazy things in the name of not wanting to appear unusual  :-)

Answer 4

Well I think certain aspects of society are teaching men to disrespect women. Right now I'm thinking about certain music videos that portray females as s*x objects and a lot of movies too. I see it in teen boys and the way they treat girls. However there are also aspects of society that are teaching men to respect women.

Answer 5

The climate seems to be more one of fear or apprehension , especially in matters of employment , divorce , child custody/support and sexual harassment and false rape accusations.

You can't force respect , even with a court order.  

Answer 6

Ryde On has the perfect word- apprehension. It has become a natural tendency for men to question every spoken word and  action when interacting with a female that is not extremely close to you.

Guys, lots of luck if you treat a female co-worker as a friend. You will be punished somewhere down the road.

Answer 7

I think that the two options listed are not equal variables... I mean, perhaps some view giving respect as weakness and in turn fear the outcome...others might view respect as a given or norm in modern society. I think things have a way of evening out and perception is key...

but this being said, I do feel that modern men respect women more then men of the past.

the only thing you have to fear is fear itself really.

side note... perhaps the key to so many social problems is turning off the tube and viewing situation with your own thoughts and not what society "says" is right or wrong. But of course it IS easier to be told what to think then taking the time to figure things out on your own...

Answer 8

Excellent question. The answer simply depends on who you're asking.

Man: society is teaching men to fear women.

Woman: society is teaching men to respect women.

I would personally argue that women want to be respected as equals (not penny for penny or pound for pound) and that woman want to be feared as equals (in the competitive sense - for jobs, salary, intelligence, ability).

Answer 9

I can argue that in society today men are, respecting women, repressing women, fearing women, loving women, supporting women, beating women......

Answer 10

Good question. I think a bit of both.

Women just want the same freedom as men to live how they please without being harshly judged or discriminated.

I think a lot of men are threatened by this, and whether or not that's the intended purpose (I don't think it is), men will be threatened by women having more power, since we're jealous creatures and like to lay claim to our women. I'm not saying possessiveness is okay, it's just the way it is for many people...

Answer 11

I think what we are talking about here is polcor (so-called 'political correctness'). Polcor has set out two golden rules in respect of gender and these are:-

(1) You must "fear" women, like slaves and serfs used to have to defer to their betters. You must on no account dare to look a woman in the face. You must keep your head lowered and your eyes averted when approaching a woman. If you do not comply she will under proposed new legislation be legally be entitled to shoot you dead.

(2) You must always "respect" women but women are perfectly entitled to disrespect men. According to the polcor rule book, "respect" is defined as treating women as though they were little princesses. It is mandatory that men must always be treated as dirt.

Strangely enough, many of the people who frame polcor are males.

Answer 12

well I definitely don't think it's fear which doesn't really matter anyway.  but respect is a biggie...well there are always respectful guys of course but society is painting an ugly picture for disrespecting women instead...and i don't just mean objectifying women a lot of guys have lost their pride too they don't treat women respectfully and chivalrously. but i admit while a lot of females suffer self esteem issues it doesn't help for them to show like they don't respect themselves either :(

Answer 13

Why not ask the women what they want, fear or respect?  

I work with people who have irrational fears, the last thing I want is for anyone to suffer an irrational fear

No, modern society is trying to teach every one to respect one another, unless someone's actions are to be feared, i.e., a serial killer, a rapists, an abuser..

Answer 14

ha ha ha pert b*****s are much more important i agree!!.. Maybe fear should be granted incase we all get pert b*****s.. watch ya eyes lads....

On a more serious note, I don't think that men should be made to fear or respect women.. is it not the case that respect is earnt?  I think the same question could be said for females as well... Mayeb society is more open about both issues which makes it seem that modern society is teaching men this?  I have been in fear of men, but I also respect a lot of them...should this not be the same on a mans side of things?

Answer 15

I get the message that all things inherently female should be celebrated, and that all things inherently male should be derided.  

Answer 16

The media is highly responsible for a lot of misinformation with respect to intergender disparity in the corporate world.  The wage gap is, indeed, a myth inasmuch as despire opportunities being available, many women simply choose not to enter fields where there is a high degree of stress and responsibility.  Much of this is the result of women having to wear many more hats than men.  A woman with a child is forced to work, and as a high-level professional, she simply has too many things going between taking care of her family and taking care of business interests.  It's nothing more complex than that.  Many fields simply don't allow for an employee to take a significant leave by virtue of being pregnant and if pregnancy is of any value, then it's only rational that something has to give if there are only 24 hours in a day.  A woman who is interested in having a family simply doesn't have the luxury that men do in certain fields and are therefore are simply entering fields where their lifestyle is conducive to raising a family.

Modern Feminism opposes this traditional notion of supporting the family or the interest of the child and as a Modern Feminist, there is little standing in the way of this individual seeking any position in virtually any field in the modern era.