our androcentric culture-第1章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！







Our　Androcentric　Culture；　or　The　Man　Made　World

by　Charlotte　Perkins　Gilman







CONTENTS


I。　AS　TO　HUMANNESS。
II。　THE　MAN…MADE　FAMILY。
III。　HEALTH　AND　BEAUTY。
IV。　MEN　AND　ART。
V。　MASCULINE　LITERATURE。
VI。　GAMES　AND　SPORTS
VII。　ETHICS　AND　RELIGION。
VIII。　EDUCATION。
IX。　〃SOCIETY〃　AND　〃FASHION〃
X。　LAW　AND　GOVERNMENT。
XI。　CRIME　AND　PUNISHMENT。
XII。　POLITICS　AND　WARFARE。　（with　WOMAN　AND　THE　STATE。）
XIII。　INDUSTRY　AND　ECONOMICS。
XIV。　A　HUMAN　WORLD。






OUR　ANDROCENTRIC　CULTURE；　or　THE　MAN…MADE　WORLD




I。

AS　TO　HUMANNESS。


Let　us　begin；　inoffensively；　with　sheep。　　The　sheep　is　a　beast　with
which　we　are　all　familiar；　being　much　used　in　religious　imagery；　the
common　stock　of　painters；　a　staple　article　of　diet；　one　of　our　main
sources　of　clothing；　and　an　everyday　symbol　of　bashfulness　and
stupidity。

In　some　grazing　regions　the　sheep　is　an　object　of　terror；　destroying
grass；　bush　and　forest　by　omnipresent　nibbling；　on　the　great　plains；
sheep…keeping　frequently　results　in　insanity；　owing　to　the　loneliness　of
the　shepherd；　and　the　monotonous　appearance　and　behavior　of　the　sheep。

By　the　poet；　young　sheep　are　preferred；　the　lamb　gambolling　gaily；
unless　it　be　in　hymns；　where　〃all　we　like　sheep〃　are　repeatedly
described；　and　much　stress　is　laid　upon　the　straying　propensities　of　the
animal。

To　the　scientific　mind　there　is　special　interest　in　the　sequacity　of
sheep；　their　habit　of　following　one　another　with　automatic　imitation。　
This　instinct；　we　are　told；　has　been　developed　by　ages　of　wild　crowded
racing　on　narrow　ledges；　along　precipices；　chasms；　around　sudden　spurs
and　corners；　only　the　leader　seeing　when；　where　and　how　to　jump。　　If
those　behind　jumped　exactly　as　he　did；　they　lived。　　If　they　stopped　to
exercise　independent　judgment；　they　were　pushed　off　and　perished；　they
and　their　judgment　with　them。

All　these　things；　and　many　that　are　similar；　occur　to　us　when　we　think
of　sheep。　　They　are　also　ewes　and　rams。　　Yes；　truly；　but　what　of　it？　
All　that　has　been　said　was　said　of　sheep；　_genus　ovis；_　that　bland
beast；　compound　of　mutton；　wool；　and　foolishness。　so　widely　known。　　If
we　think　of　the　sheep…dog　（and　dog…ess）；　the　shepherd　（and
shepherd…ess）；　of　the　ferocious　sheep…eating　bird　of　New　Zealand；　the
Kea　（and　Kea…ess）；　all　these　herd；　guard；　or　kill　the　sheep；　both　rams
and　ewes　alike。　　In　regard　to　mutton；　to　wool；　to　general　character；　we
think　only　of　their　sheepishness；　not　at　all　of　their　ramishness　or
eweishness。　That　which　is　ovine　or　bovine；　canine；　feline　or　equine；　is
easily　recognized　as　distinguishing　that　particular　species　of　animal；
and　has　no　relation　whatever　to　the　sex　thereof。

Returning　to　our　muttons；　let　us　consider　the　ram；　and　wherein　his
character　differs　from　the　sheep。　　We　find　he　has　a　more　quarrelsome
disposition。　　He　paws　the　earth　and　makes　a　noise。　　He　has　a　tendency　to
butt。　　So　has　a　goatMr。　Goat。　　So　has　Mr。　Buffalo；　and　Mr。　Moose；　and
Mr。　Antelope。　　This　tendency　to　plunge　head　foremost　at　an
adversaryand　to　find　any　other　gentleman　an　adversary　on
sightevidently　does　not　pertain　to　sheep；　to　_genus　ovis；_　but　to　any
male　creature　with　horns。

As　〃function　comes　before　organ；〃　we　may　even　give　a　reminiscent　glance
down　the　long　path　of　evolution；　and　see　how　the　mere　act　of
buttingpassionately　and　perpetually　repeatedborn　of　the　beliggerent
spirit　of　the　maleproduced　horns！

The　ewe；　on　the　other　hand；　exhibits　love　and　care　for　her　little　ones；
gives　them　milk　and　tries　to　guard　them。　　But　so　does　a　goatMrs。　Goat。
　So　does　Mrs。　Buffalo　and　the　rest。　　Evidently　this　mother　instinct　is
no　peculiarity　of　_genus　ovis；_　but　of　any　female　creature。

Even　the　bird；　though　not　a　mammal；　shows　the　same　mother…love　and
mother…care；　while　the　father　bird；　though　not　a　butter；　fights　with
beak　and　wing　and　spur。　　His　competition　is　more　effective　through
display。　　The　wish　to　please；　the　need　to　please；　the　overmastering
necessity　upon　him　that　he　secure　the　favor　of　the　female；　has　made　the
male　bird　blossom　like　a　butterfly。　　He　blazes　in　gorgeous　plumage；
rears　haughty　crests　and　combs；　shows　drooping　wattles　and　dangling
blobs　such　as　the　turkey…cock　affords；　long　splendid　feathers　for　pure
ornament　appear　upon　him；　what　in　her　is　a　mere　tail…effect　becomes　in
him　a　mass　of　glittering　drapery。

Partridge…cock；　farmyard…cock；　peacock；　from　sparrow　to　ostrich；　observe
his　mien！　　To　strut　and　languish；　to　exhibit　every　beauteous　lure；　to
sacrifice　ease；　comfort；　speed；　everythingto　beautyfor　her
sakethis　is　the　nature　of　the　he…bird　of　any　species；　the
characteristic；　not　of　the　turkey；　but　of　the　cock！　　With　drumming　of
loud　wings；　with　crow　and　quack　and　bursts　of　glorious　song；　he　woos　his
mate；　displays　his　splendors　before　her；　fights　fiercely　with　his
rivals。　　To　buttto　strutto　make　a　noiseall　for　love's　sake；　these
acts　are　common　to　the　male。

We　may　now　generalize　and　clearly　state：　That　is　masculine　which　belongs
to　the　maleto　any　or　all　males；　irrespective　of　species。　　That　is
feminine　which　belongs　to　the　female；　to　any　or　all　females；
irrespective　of　species。　　That　is　ovine；　bovine；　feline；　canine；　equine
or　asinine　which　belongs　to　that　species；　irrespective　of　sex。

In　our　own　species　all　this　is　changed。　　We　have　been　so　taken　up　with
the　phenomena　of　masculinity　and　femininity；　that　our　common　humanity
has　largely　escaped　notice。　　We　know　we　are　human；　naturally；　and　are
very　proud　of　it；　but　we　do　not　consider　in　what　our　humanness　consists；
nor　how　men　and　women　may　fall　short　of　it；　or　overstep　its　bounds；　in
continual　insistence　upon　their　special　differences。　　It　is　〃manly〃　to
do　this；　it　is　〃womanly〃　to　do　that；　but　what　a　human　being　should　do
under　the　circumstances　is　not　thought　of。

The　only　time　when　we　do　recognize　what　we　call　〃common　humanity〃　is　in
extreme　cases；　matters　of　life　and　death；　when　either　man　or　woman　is
expected　to　behave　as　if　they　were　also　human　creatures。　　Since　the
range　of　feeling　and　action　proper　to　humanity；　as　such；　is　far　wider
than　that　proper　to　either　sex；　it　seems　at　first　somewhat　remarkable
that　we　have　given　it　so　little　recognition。

A　little　classification　will　help　us　here。　　We　have　certain　qualities　in
common　with　inanimate　matter；　such　as　weight；　opacity；　resilience。　　It
is　clear　that　these　are　not　human。　　We　have　other　qualities　in　common
with　all　forms　of　life；　cellular　construction；　for　instance；　the
reproduction　of　cells　and　the　need　of　nutrition。　　These　again　are　not
human。　　We　have　others；　many　others；　common　to　the　higher　mammals；　which
are　not　exclusively　oursare　not　distinctively　〃human。〃　　What　then　are
true　human　characteristics？　　In　what　way　is　the　human　species
distinguished　from　all　other　species？

Our　human…ness　is　seen　most　clearly　in　three　main　lines：　it　is
mechanical；　psychical　and　social。　　Our　power　to　make　and　use　things　is
essentially　human；　we　alone　have　extra…physical　tools。　　We　have　added　to
our　teeth　the　knife；　sword；　scissors；　mowing　machine；　to　our　claws　the
spade；　harrow；　plough；　drill；　dredge。　　We　are　a　protean　creature；　using
the　larger　brain　power　through　a　wide　variety　of　changing　weapons。　　This
is　one　of　our　main　and　vital　distinctions。　　Ancient　animal　races　are
traced　and　known　by　mere　bones　and　shells；　ancient　human　races　by　their
buildings；　tools　and　utensils。

That　degree　of　development　which　gives　us　the　human　mind　is　a　clear
distinction　of　race。　　The　savage　who　can　count　a　hundred　is　more　human
than　the　savage　who　can　count　ten。

More　prominent　than　either　of　these　is　the　social　nature　of　humanity。　
We　are　by　no　means　the　only　group…animal；　that　ancient　type　of　industry
the　ant；　and　even　the　well…worn　bee；　are　social　creatures。　　But　insects
of　their　kind　are　found　living　alone。　　Human　beings　never。　　Our
human…ness　begins　with　some　low　form　of　social　relation　and　increases　as
that　relation　develops。

Human　life　of　any　sort　is　dependent　upon　what　Kropotkin　calls　〃mutual
aid；〃　and　human　progress　keeps　step　absolutely　with　that　interchange　of
specialized　services　which　makes　society　organic。　　The　nomad；　living　on
cattle　as　ants　live　on　theirs；　is　less　human　than　the　farmer；　raising
food　by　intelligently　applied　labor；　and　the　extension　of　trade　and
commerce；　from　mere　village　market…places　to　the　world…exchanges　of
to…day；　is　extension　of　human…ness　as　well。

Humanity；　thus　considered；　is　not　a　thing　made　at　once　and　unchangeable；
but　a　stage　of　development；　and　is　still；　as　Wells　describes　it；　〃in　the
making。〃　　Our　human…ness　is　seen　to　lie　not　so　much　in　what　we　are
individually；　as　in　our　relations　to　one　another；　and　even　that
individuality　is　but　the　result　of　our　relations　to　one　another。　　It　is
in　what　we　do　and　how　we　do　it；　rather　than　in　what　we　are。　　Some；
philosophically　inclined；　exalt　〃being〃　over　〃doing。〃　　To　them　this
question　may　be　put：　〃Can　you　mention　any　form　of　life　that　merely　'is；'
without　doing　anything？〃

Taken　separately　and　physically；　we　are　animals；　_genus　homo_；　taken
socially　and　psychically；　we　are；　in　varying　degree；　human；　and　our　real
history　lies　in　the　development　of　this　human…ness。

Our　historic　period　is　not　very　long。　　Real　written　history　only　goes
back　a　few　thousand　years；　beginning　with　the　stone　records　of　ancient
Egypt。　　During　this　period　we　have　had　almost　universally　what　is　here
called　an　Androcentric　Culture。　　The　history；　such　as　it　was；　was　made
and　written　by　men。

The　mental；　the　mechanical；　the　social　development；　was　almost　wholly
theirs。　　We　have；　so　far；　lived　and　suffered　and　died　in　a　man…made
world。　　So　general；　so　unbroken；　has　been　this　condition；　that　to
mention　it　arouses　no　more　remark　than　the　statement　of　a　natural　law。　
We　have　taken　it　for　granted；　since　the　dawn　of　civilization；　that
〃mankind〃　meant　men…kind；　and　the　world　was　theirs。

Women　we　have　sharply　delimited。　　Women　were　a　sex；　〃the　sex；〃　according
to　chivalrous　toasts；　they　were　set　apart　for　special　services　peculiar
to　femininity。　　As　one　English　scientist　put　it；　in　1888；　〃Women　are　not
only　not　the　racethey　are　not　even　half　the　race；　but　a　subspecies
told　off　for　reproduction　only。〃

This　mental　attitude　toward　women　is　even　more　clearly　expressed　by　Mr。
H。　B。　Marriot…Watson　in　his　article　on　〃The　American　Woman〃　in　the
〃Nineteenth　Century〃　for　June；　1904；　where　he　says：　〃Her　constitutional
restlessness　has　caused　her　to　abdicate　those　functions　which　alone
excuse　or　explain　her　existence。〃　　This　is　a　peculiarly　happy　and
condensed　expression　of　the　relative　position　of　women　during　our
androcentric　culture。　　The　man　was　accepted　as　the　race　type　without　one
dissentient　voice；　and　the　womana　strange；　diverse　creature；　quite
disharmonious　in　the　accepted　scheme　of　thingswas　excused　and
explained　only　as　a　female。

She　has　needed　volumes　of　such　excuse　and　explanation；　also；　apparently；
volumes　of　abuse　and　condemnation。　　In　any　library　catalogue　we　may　find
books　upon　books　about　women：　physiological；　sentimental；　didactic；
religiousall　manner　of　books　about　women；　as　such。　　Even　to…day　in　the
works　of　Marholmpoor　young　Weininger；　Moebius；　and　ot