THE GENDER ISSUE – WOMEN’S EMANCIPATION AND THE WAY IT IMPACTS SOCIETAL VIBRANCY AND FUNCTIONING
This is a fact beyond doubt that one of the major boons of the modernization process has been the upliftment of the status of women, who constitute almost half of humanity, from complete subordination to men , to a position which is more equal, just and deservedly their birthright. But this clamour for completely equal rights (particularly in the Western World) has in it’s wake, brought about radical changes in the society- by redefining the most fundamental of Human Relationships, altering the structure and the basis of Family Functioning, which has resulted in disruption of the Functioning of a Healthy Society, because of the overemphasis on individualism, where such a system brings out only individuals, who are alien to the higher human virtues of sacrifice, community living and the art of everyday adjustability.
‘MEN AND WOMEN ARE EQUAL HAVING BEEN CREATED BY THE SAME CREATOR.’ Thus goes the basic principle on which many of the modern feminists/women activists base their movement. But a more realistic, comprehensive and judicious statement defining the Man-Woman equation would be as follows –‘MEN AND WOMEN ARE SIMILAR, YET DIFFERENT, SPECIAL IN THEIR OWN WAYS, HAVING BEEN CREATED TO SERVE CERTAIN PURPOSES – SOME INDIVIDUALLY AND SOME JOINTLY, IN CO-ORDINATION AND CO-OPERATION, THEREBY CREATING AN ATMOSPHERE WHERE DUTIES ARE AS IMPORTANT AS RIGHTS AND HARMONY IS AS MUCH REQUIRED AS IS EQUALITY.’
The folly with western brand of Feminism/Women’s Emancipation lies in it’s premise that as a man is meant to be only Man (Not Son, Husband or Father), so is woman meant to be Woman alone (Neither Daughter, nor Wife and Mother). This overemphasis on enjoyment, freedom, individualism, taking from others and life, at the cost of sacrifice, discipline, collectivism, giving back to others and to life lies at the core of Western Hedonism, which has made the lives their completely artificial and bereft of any genuine deep-hearted contentment.
The Role of a MOTHER is very crucial and pivotal in building the family and since families are but the building blocks of the Society, so her importance for the nation and extendedly for the World can not be underestimated. But the very Mother aspect of the Woman, is being challenged and downgraded in much of the western world and also among certain sections of tradition loving Afro-Asian Countries. Such women are increasingly shirking the role of motherhood and there is increasingly large number of people going without kids, not opting for a formal marriage, going single and so on. This is a dangerous trend. Children who are born and brought up in such an atmosphere are often insensitive and unemotional in their relationships.
THE IDEA OF GENUIINE WOMEN’S EQUALITY
It is a fact, without bias, that the western/modern brand of Women’s Equality is morally degrading and civilizationally detrimental. The western countries may be scientifically and technologically very advanced but they are in a state of de- facto socio-civilizational mess and are facing a moral-ethical crisis of the highest order. This is basically manifested in the increase in rates of suicides, the alarmingly high divorce rates, the increase in anti-social crimes and drug abuse and so on. Essentially, the Western World, in it’s pursuit of happiness and pleasure, has too much divorced itself from social ethics, particularly which flow from religious ideals.
The Western World’s Definition of Women’s Liberation connotes –Enjoy your rights, your priviledges and live as an individual and only as an individual ; grow, prosper, eat, sleep and be merry.’
To Me Women’s Emancipation Means – ‘ Society respects women, doesn’t treat them as objects, they get equal opportunities of education and employment, they should be made aware of their duties as responsible women and citizens, just like men should have their duties, some level of division of labour is necessary- women’s should take up the better part of house work and men have better ability to do certain types of outside works- though there is no clear cut demarcation.’ Because only in the efficient co-ordination between men and women lies the good management of home and sound functioning of society.
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