Theos-Talk Archives (January 1997 Message tl00642)

Richard writes:

>For the record, I can perhaps relate to a little of what might have prompted
>you to make the statement.  As a long-time high school teacher, I have been
>amazed by the type of boys that many of even my best TAG girls sometimes
>gravitate toward--regular Neanderthals and criminals in some cases.  If I
>were forced to make a "theosophical" statement about this it would be along
>these lines:  "Many younger women often seem fascinated by and may be drawn
>toward young men who seemingly have greater power than they have--power of
>either a physically or psychologically dominant nature."

I am amazed that you are "amazed" at the behavior of young girls.  They are
simply responding to cultural demands and conditioning.  "Regular
Neanderthals and criminals" in this culture are worshipped, emulated.   That
whole "conquerer/hero/rebel" business, so popular in this society.  Teenage
girls are still taught that true happiness is found in a man.  These teenage
girls are watching movies written by men, reading textbooks written by men,
reading magazines (claimed to be written for them) owned by men, listening
to popular music dominated by men. . .and one wonders why they think men are
the way to go?  And, worse, many of the women who are considered to "have
made it" betray girls by sending the message that sexuality is the ticket to
freedom.  The world still evolves around men.  Around age 12, girls begin a
downhill slide in self-esteem and body image.  The reasons why are obvious.
Girls begin to become acutely aware of how little genuine influence they
really have.

In the book "Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls" there
is a passage that refers to issues previously discussed on theos:

--Inclusive language helps girls feel included.  One client said, "My aunt
is a mail carrier.  It's been hard to know what to call her -- 'mail person'
didn't sound right and 'mail woman' sounded like something from the circus.
I'm glad we have a word now for lady mailmen."  Another noticed that artists
are generally referred to as "he."  She said, "That makes us say 'women
artists,' which doesn't sound like they are real artists."--

>It has been my experience, at least, that the girls seem almost invariably
>surprised and dismayed once they realize they are being dominated and treated
>unfairly; certainly, they do not seem interested in encouraging even further
>domination.

To learn that the lessons, so ingrained in their psyche, are flawed is
certainly dismaying.  Girls, up to that point, may have really believed that
society had their best interest at heart.  Surprise, indeed.

>Perhaps all the girls were after in the first place was a way to
>~augment their own power by means of association~ or something; however, it
>seems very clear to me that they were not seeking the opportunity to
>surrender their power to someone else.

No, girls do not seek to surrender their power to someone else - they are
earnestly seeking ways in which to obtain equality.


>Perhaps some young women can be fascinated by horses for a similar reason:
they want >to be near the horse, ride the horse, make the horse go where
they want, etc.--but >they do not want the horse to suddenly start ordering
them around and making their >lives miserable.

The horse analogy, in this instance, does not make the grade.  Girls are not
attracted to horses for the same reason they are attracted to particular
males.  Personally, I can see why a girl would be attracted to a horse - a
strong, independent creature, but not really free to be - it is easy to
identify.  And I do find your comment "make the horse go where they want" an
interesting one.  Perhaps you would expand on this?


>Maybe you're right; maybe I'm right; maybe Kym will set us both straight.
Who knows?


Who knows.


Kym