Father/Mother
Head/Heart
Logos/Pathos
Man____
Woman
Binary oppositions.
“Always the same metaphor: we follow it, it carries us, beneath all its figures, wherever discourse is organized” (Cixous 157). Men and women are viewed as opposites in a way. Society holds this view due to a long-standing ideology set in place years ago. However, Cixous argues that this opposition is not entirely true. “There is no invention possible…without there being in the inventing subject an abundance of the other, of variety…” (Cixous 158). She does not say a little of the other; she says an abundance of the other.
Women tend to seek the other more than men because men are viewed as the dominant sex in society. “In a certain way woman is bisexual – man having been trained to aim for glorious phallic monosexuality” (Cixous 159). Monosexuality could be replaced with masculinity there also. Althusser would say that these ideas come directly from the ideologies instilled upon our society. Women are taught two different life motives; strive to be as good as men, or act and behave like a woman. Men have it easier, taught to simply be as masculine as possible. I would argue that a combination of these three ideas would be the most beneficial. Going back to the binary oppositions, it is much better to use your head and your heart, rather than just one. Same goes for logos and ethos. In order to understand one’s self you need to understand what you aren’t, which relates to Macherey’s notion of what is not said.
Butler discusses the topic of feminism, which in my mind is just beating a dead horse. Women have it substantially better today than they did 50 years ago. Family has become much less of a Patriarchy than in prior years, while women have also seen a steady increase in terms of employment. Feminism achieved many goals, but I believe it has hit the glass ceiling. Women do exist, and are more equal now than in the past. Will they ever be completely equal to males? Probably not. However, going back to Cixous, women need to understand that the other (Men) is the more dominant sex.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
I was interested in seeing your response to this material, and I particularly look forweward to see your response during class! You bring up some good points about men and women; why is it that you do not think there will be equality between men and women? It would be great to see you see which theorist would support or oppose your ideas. :)
Post a Comment