Is being taught to fear the "Patriarchy" sexist?

Question

This article explains the patriarchy pretty well:

http://www.ifeminists.net/introduction/editorials/2006/0809roberts.html

Is male power really something to fear?

Answer 1

i feel powerful at times but then i want women to desire me, not fear me.

Answer 2

There is no Patriarchy. If there was we'd have more rights in family court.

Answer 3

Yes.  Look at what it has done around the world.

Answer 4

I get what you're trying to get at. I have thought of this myself. I have questioned if perpetuating the idea that women really are being oppressed in the dominant discourse or dominant narrative (story) that we tell about women and men in society is just furthering and reinforcing the idea that it is valid. If women in actuality have a lot more power and opportunity to use that power than we are told or believe, then in a way, believing in the power of patriarchy can actually persuade us that we don't have power when we do. The truth is that sometimes I might give away my power when I am fearful or confused about how much I really have to begin with. Yes, I think there are tactics out there that are meant to distract us from empowering ourselves despite oppressive forces.

Answer 5

"The feminism?"

The patriarchy that has been opposed by feminists doesn't mean just having men in positions of power. It means men being in control of any and all aspects of society simply by virtue of being born male. Replace "men" with "women" and see if you'd like it if the situation were reversed.

Answer 6

LOL! Great article, especially Betty Friedan's description of the comfy pad her husband had set her up in with a maid etc so that she could pursue her writing interests: a "comfortable concentration camp"! She must be great fun to shop for at Christmas...

Yes its sexist to spread prejudiced nonsense about men, and saying that men are oppressors of women is so commonplace we forget just how sexist it is.

Answer 7

That writer is an idiot who knows nothing about history, let alone feminism.  Political leaders did not guide us through 2 wars and a depression - they caused 2 wars and a depression.  The depression was caused by inadequate monetarist economic policies - if the gov had not foolishly and ridiculously clung to policies that obviously were not working for 10 - 15 years, there wouldn't have been a depression.  WW1 was the most ridiculous, pompous, face saving exercise of a war that was mainly about grabbing land and territories and WW2 was caused, amongst other things, by the economic damage and damage to national Germanic pride caused by WW1 and the depression.

I'm not even getting started on the writer's views on patriarchy - you can't have a battle of wits with an unarmed person :-)

Answer 8

To be fair

Power corrupts both men and women. And people that end up in positions of power are usually the ones that crave it most. Which are usually not the ones that are more prepared to handle power. In fact, I have yet to see a course in which people are tough how to handle power. Most courses in the university are of how to be a servant for someone else.

I really don't care about a patriarchy or matriarchy or humanchy. As long as the leader is someone that cares about the people, based his/her decisions around what is best for the people and those the decisions are not just what he/she think is best for the people but on what the people think that is best.

This is possible in a family. But its impossible in a democracy.

Why?

Because the way for a person to be president or senator is by political parties and interest groups. Non of them have the will of the people in mind.

Thus we see things like the raising of totalitarianism in the United States of America. One step at a time so the sheep do not complain while they are boiled alive.

Answer 9

I think the patriarchy is hiding in a bunker with Saddam's WMDs.

Rio, not simply by virtue of being male, it might be easier to believe that but its just not true.

I control what I build and so do you, get it?