our androcentric culture-第17章

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is　a　thing　to　sap　and　wreck；　to　live　on。　　It　is　his　essential　impulse　to
want　something　very　much；　to　struggle　and　fight　for　it；　to　take　all　he
can　get。

Set　against　this　the　giving　love　that　comes　with　motherhood；　the　endless
service　that　comes　of　motherhood；　the　peaceful　administration　in　the
interest　of　the　family　that　comes　of　motherhood。　　We　prate　much　of　the
family　as　the　unit　of　the　state。　　If　it　iswhy　not　run　the　state　on
that　basis？　　Government　by　women；　so　far　as　it　is　influenced　by　their
sex；　would　be　influenced　by　motherhood；　and　that　would　mean　care；
nurture；　provision；　education。　　We　have　to　go　far　down　the　scale　for　any
instance　of　organized　motherhood；　but　we　do　find　it　in　the　hymenoptera；
in　the　overflowing　industry；　prosperity；　peace　and　loving　service　of　the
ant…hill　and　bee…hive。　　These　are　the　most　highly　socialized　types　of
life；　next　to　ours；　and　they　are　feminine　types。

We　as　human　beings　have　a　far　higher　form　of　association；　with　further
issues　than　mere　wealth　and　propagation　of　the　species。　　In　this　human
process　we　should　never　forget　that　men　are　far　more　advanced　than
women；　at　present。　　Because　of　their　humanness　has　come　all　the　noble
growth　of　civilization；　in　spite　of　their　maleness。

As　human　beings　both　male　and　female　stand　alike　useful　and　honorable；
and　should　in　our　government　be　alike　used　and　honored；　but　as　creatures
of　sex；　the　female　is　fitter　than　the　male　for　administration　of
constructive　social　interests。　　The　change　in　governmental　processes
which　marks　our　times　is　a　change　in　principle。　　Two　great　movements
convulse　the　world　to…day；　the　woman's　movement　and　the　labor　movement。　
Each　regards　the　other　as　of　less　moment　than　itself。　　Both　are　parts　of
the　same　world…process。

We　are　entering　upon　a　period　of　social　consciousness。　　Whereas　so　far
almost　all　of　us　have　seen　life　only　as　individuals；　and　have　regarded
the　growing　strength　and　riches　of　the　social　body　as　merely　so　much　the
more　to　fatten　on；　now　we　are　beginning　to　take　an　intelligent　interest
in　our　social　nature；　to　understand　it　a　little；　and　to　begin　to　feel
the　vast　increase　of　happiness　and　power　that　comes　of　real　Human　Life。

In　this　change　of　systems　a　government　which　consisted　only　of
prohibition　and　commands；　of　tax　collecting　and　making　war；　is　rapidly
giving　way　to　a　system　which　intelligently　manages　our　common　interests；
which　is　a　growing　and　improving　method　of　universal　service。　　Here　the
socialist　is　perfectly　right　in　his　vision　of　the　economic　welfare　to　be
assured　by　the　socialization　of　industry；　though　that　is　but　part　of　the
new　development；　and　the　individualist　who　opposes　socialism；　crying
loudly　for　the　advantage　of　〃free　competition〃　is　but　voicing　the　spirit
of　the　predacious　male。

So　with　the　opposers　to　the　suffrage　of　women。　　They　represent；　whether
men　or　women；　the　male　viewpoint。　　They　see　the　woman　only　as　a　female；
utterly　absorbed　in　feminine　functions；　belittled　and　ignored　as　her
long　tutelage　has　made　her；　and　they　see　the　man　as　he　sees　himself；　the
sole　master　of　human　affairs　for　as　long　as　we　have　historic　record。

This；　fortunately；　is　not　long。　　We　can　now　see　back　of　the　period　of
his　supremacy；　and　are　beginning　to　see　beyond　it。　　We　are　well　under
way　already　in　a　higher　stage　of　social　development；　conscious；
well…organized；　wisely　managed；　in　which　the　laws　shall　be　simple　and
founded　on　constructive　principles　instead　of　being　a　set　of
ring…regulations　within　which　people　may　fight　as　they　will；　and　in
which　the　government　shall　be　recognized　in　its　full　use；　not　only　the
sternly　dominant　father；　and　the　wisely　servicable　mother；　but　the　real
union　of　all　people　to　sanely　and　economically　manage　their　affairs。



OUR　ANDROCENTRIC　CULTURE；　or；　THE　MAN…MADE　WORLD


XI。

CRIME　AND　PUNISHMENT。


The　human　concept　of　Sin　has　had　its　uses　no　doubt；　and　our　special
invention　of　a　thing　called　Punishment　has　also　served　a　purpose。

Social　evolution　has　worked　in　many　ways　wastefully；　and　with
unnecessary　pain；　but　it　compares　very　favorably　with　natural　evolution。

As　we　grow　wiser；　as　our　social　consciousness　develops；　we　are　beginning
to　improve　on　nature　in　more　ways　than　one；　a　part　of　the　same　great
process；　but　of　a　more　highly　sublimated　sort。

Nature　shows　a　world　of　varied　and　changing　environment。　　Into　this
comes　Lifeflushing　and　spreading　in　every　direction。　　A　pretty　hard
time　Life　has　of　it。　　In　the　first　place　it　is　dog　eat　dog　in　every
direction；　the　joy　of　the　hunter　and　the　most　unjoyous　fear　of　the
hunted。

But　quite　outside　of　this　essential　danger；　the　environment　waits；　grim
and　unappeasable；　and　continuously　destroys　the　innocent　myriads　who
fail　to　meet　the　one　requirement　of　lifeAdaptation。　　So　we　must　not　be
too　severe　in　self…condemnation　when　we　see　how　foolish；　cruel；　crazily
wasteful；　is　our　attitude　toward　crime　and　punishment。

We　become　socially　conscious　largely　through　pain；　and　as　we　begin　to
see　how　much　of　the　pain　is　wholly　of　our　own　causing　we　are　overcome
with　shame。　　But　the　right　way　for　society　to　face　its　past　is　the　same
as　for　the　individual；　to　see　where　it　was　wrong　and　stop　itbut　to
waste　no　time　and　no　emotion　over　past　misdeeds。

What　is　our　present　state　as　to　crime？　　It　is　pretty　bad。　　Some　say　it
is　worse　than　it　used　to　be；　others　that　it　is　better。　　At　any　rate　it
is　bad　enough；　and　a　disgrace　to　our　civilization。　　We　have　murderers　by
the　thousand　and　thieves　by　the　million；　of　all　kinds　and　sizes；　we　have
what　we　tenderly　call　〃immorality；〃　from　the　〃errors　of　youth〃　to　the
sodden　grossness　of　old　age；　married；　single；　and　mixed。　　We　have　all
the　old　kinds　of　wickedness　and　a　lot　of　new　ones；　until　one　marvels　at
the　purity　and　power　of　human　nature；　that　it　should　carry　so　much
disease　and　still　grow　on　to　higher　things。

Also　we　have　punishment　still　with　us；　private　and　public；　applied　like
a　rabbit's　foot；　with　as　little　regard　to　its　efficacy。　　Does　a　child
offend？　　Punish　it！　　Does　a　woman　offend？　　Punish　her！　　Does　a　man
offend？　　Punish　him！　　Does　a　group　offend？　　Punish　them！

〃What　for？〃　some　one　suddenly　asks。

〃To　make　them　stop　doing　it！〃

〃But　they　have　done　it！〃

〃To　make　them　not　do　it　again；　then。〃

〃But　they　do　do　it　againand　worse。〃

〃To　prevent　other　people's　doing　it；　then。〃

〃But　it　does　not　prevent　themthe　crime　keeps　on。　　What　good　is　your
punishment？〃

What　indeed！

What　is　the　application　of　punishment　to　crime？　　Its　base；　its
prehistoric　base；　is　simple　retaliation；　and　this　is　by　no　means　wholly
male；　let　us　freely　admit。　　The　instinct　of　resistance；　of　opposition；
of　retaliation；　lies　deeper　than　life　itself。　　Its　underlying　law　is　the
law　of　physicsaction　and　reaction　are　equal。　　Life's　expression　of
this　law　is　perfectly　natural；　but　not　always　profitable。　　Hit　your　hand
on　a　stone　wall；　and　the　stone　wall　hits　your　hand。　　Very　good；　you
learn　that　stone　walls　are　hard；　and　govern　yourself　accordingly。

Conscious　young　humanity　observed　and　philosophized；　congratulating
itself　on　its　discernment。　　〃A　man　hits　meI　hit　the　man　a　little
harderthen　he　won't　do　it　again。〃　　Unfortunately　he　did　do　it　againa
little　harder　still。　　The　effort　to　hit　harder　carried　on　the　action　and
reaction　till　society；　hitting　hardest　of　all；　set　up　a　system　of　legal
punishment；　of　unlimited　severity。　　It　imprisoned；　it　mutilated；　it
tortured；　it　killed；　it　destroyed　whole　families；　and　razed　contumelious
cities　to　the　ground。

Therefore　all　crime　ceased；　of　course？　　No？　　But　crime　was　mitigated；
surely！　　Perhaps。　　This　we　have　proven　at　last；　that　crime　does　not
decrease　in　proportion　to　the　severest　punishment。　　Little　by　little　we
have　ceased　to　raze　the　cities；　to　wipe　out　the　families；　to　cut　off　the
ears；　to　torture；　and　our　imprisonment　is　changing　from　slow　death　and
insanity　to　a　form　of　attempted　improvement。

But　punishment　as　a　principle　remains　in　good　standing；　and　is　still　the
main　reliance　where　it　does　the　most　harmin　the　rearing　of　children。　
〃Spare　the　rod　and　spoil　the　child〃　remains　in　belief；　unmodified　by　the
millions　of　children　spoiled　by　the　unspared　rod。

The　breeders　of　racehorses　have　learned　better；　but　not　the　breeders　of
children。　　Our　trouble　is　simply　the　lack　of　intelligence。　　We　face　the
babyish　error　and　the　hideous　crime　in　exactly　the　same　attitude。

〃This　person　has　done　something　offensive。〃

Yes？and　one　waits　eagerly　for　the　first　question　of　the　rational
mindbut　does　not　hear　it。　　One　only　hears　〃Punish　him！〃

What　is　the　first　question　of　the　rational　mind？

〃Why？〃

Human　beings　are　not　first　causes。　　They　do　not　evolve　conduct　out　of
nothing。　　The　child　does　this；　the　man　does　that；　_because_　of
something；　because　of　many　things。　　If　we　do　not　like　the　way　people
behave；　and　wish　them　to　behave　better；　we　should；　if　we　are　rational
beings；　study　the　conditions　that　produce　the　conduct。

The　connection　between　our　archaic　system　of　punishment　and　our
androcentric　culture　is　two…fold。　　The　impulse　of　resistance；　while；　as
we　have　seen；　of　the　deepest　natural　origin；　is　expressed　more　strongly
in　the　male　than　in　the　female。　　The　tendency　to　hit　back　and　hit　harder
has　been　fostered　in　him　by　sex…combat　till　it　has　become　of　great
intensity。　　The　habit　of　authority　too；　as　old　as　our　history；　and　the
cumulative　weight　of　all　the　religions　and　systems　of　law　and
government；　have　furthermore　built　up　and　intensified　the　spirit　of
retaliation　and　vengeance。

They　have　even　deified　this　concept；　in　ancient　religions；　crediting　to
God　the　evil　passions　of　men。　　As　the　small　boy　recited；　〃Vengeance。　　A
mean　desire　to　get　even　with　your　enemies：　'Vengeance　is　mine　saith　the
Lord''I　will　repay。'〃

The　Christian　religion　teaches　better　things；　better　than　its　expositors
and　upholders　have　ever　understoodmuch　less　practised。

The　teaching　of　〃Love　your　enemies；　do　good　unto　them　that　hate　you；　and
serve　them　that　despitefully　use　you　and　persecute　you；〃　has　too　often
resulted；　when　practised　at　all；　in　a　sentimental　negation；　a
pathetically　useless　attitude　of　non…resistance。　　You　might　as　well　base
a　religion　on　a　feather　pillow！

The　advice　given　was　active；　direct；　concrete。　　〃_Love！_〃　　Love　is　not
non…resistance。　　〃Do　good！〃　　Doing　good　is　not　non…resistance。　　〃Serve！〃
　Service　is　not　non…resistance。

Again　we　have　an　overwhelming　proof　of　the　far…reaching　effects　of　our
androcentric　culture。　　Consider　it　once　more。　　Here　is　one　by　nature
combative　and　desirous；　and　not　by　nature　intended　to　monopolize　the
management　of　his　species。　　He　assumes　to　be　not　only　the　leader；　but
the　whole　thingto　be　humanity　itself；　and　to　see　in　woman　as　Grant
Allen　so　clearly　put　it　〃Not　only　not　the　race；　she　is　not　even　half　the
race；　but　a　subspecies；　told　off　for　purposes　of　reproduction　merely。〃

Under　this　monstrous　assumption；　his　sex…attributes　wholly　identified
with　his　human　attributes；　and　overshadowing　them；　he　has　imprinted　on
every　human　institution　the　tastes　and　tendencies　of　the　male。　　As　a
male　he　fought；　as　a　male　human　being　he　fought　more；　and　deified
fighting；