Abstract
This essay explores the concept of feminism as a human right rather than merely a struggle of American women to achieve equal opportunity and salaries in the corporate world. Without denying the importance of such achievements, the facet of feminism that is explored for the most part is the ability for women around the world to be treated as human. Not only are women denied rights such as the opportunity to be educated or to earn money to feed their children, moreover they are considered property and subject to abuse. The central concept portrayed in this essay is that as women climb the ladder in the struggle to eliminate glass ceilings in the corporate world, we must not leave vast numbers at the bottom, still struggling to be considered human. The essay explores writings on women?s issues from sources including the Bible, Virginia Woolf, and Bell Hooks enabling observations from diverse times and cultures to be explored. Often our society is oblivious to what is happening in other countries or even other neighborhoods, this essay is a reminder.
Feminism: A Human Right
Feminism, as thought by many Americans, is not just a movement to create high-level jobs in the corporate world and equal salaries for women, although that component must not be disregarded. Women around the world are being treated as lower class citizens if citizens at all. Meena was a woman born in Kabul who was murdered in 1987 for her work with the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan, also known as RAWA. Meena and other members of RAWA fought for the right to earn money to feed their children, the right of literacy and knowledge, the right to leave their homes without permission from their husband, let alone the rig...
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...Http://www.amnestyusa.ort/news/2002/kenya03082002.html>.
Marder, Herbert. Feminism and Art. Chicago: U of Chicago P., 1968.
Meena. ?I?ll Never Return.? Payam-e-Zan, Issue No. 1. 1981. RAWA. 20 Oct. 2002 <http://rawa.false.net/ill.htm>.
?Nigeria, Death by Stoning Upheld in the Case of Nigerian Woman Amina Lawal.? Amnesty International U.S.A. 20 Aug. 2002. Amnesty International. 15 Oct. 2002 <http://www.amnestyusa.ort/news/2002/nigeria0802002.html>.
?Pakistan, Tribal Councils Must Stop Taking Law Into Their Own Hands.? Amnesty International U.S.A. 5 July 2002. Amnesty International. 15 Oct. 2002 <http://www.amnestyusa.org/news/2002/pakistan07052002.html>.
Woolf, Virginia. A Room of One?s Own. New York: Harcourt, Brace & World, Inc., 1929.
Yoder, John Howard. The Politics of Jesus. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1994.
Ayn Rand, in Anthem, illustrates a futuristic, socialist society. In the novel, Rand destroys any sense of individuality and describes the social setbacks endured after living ‘only for the brotherhood’. The individual person fails to exist and is but a ‘we’ and recognized by a word and a series of numbers rather than a name. Additionally, she describes the horrors encountered within this different system of life: from reproduction methods to punishments. Through the life of Equality 7-2521, Rand demonstrates a person’s journey from obedience to exile in this socialist society. Throughout the entire novel, Rand criticizes Marxist theory as she demonstrates socialism’s failure to suppress revolution, thwart material dialectic, and its detriment to humanity.
Throughout the philosophical novel known as Atlas Shrugged, its author, Ayn Rand, leaves no question as to the primary theme within the story. In fact, Rand herself stated that the theme “is the role of the mind in man’s existence.” The story indicates that it is the presence and awareness of the mind that promotes prosperity and morality. For the duration of the book, as the men of reason and strong morality disappear, panic spreads through the remaining men in power, who are representative of the incompetent. They represent the men who avoid reason, acting upon such things as feeling and responsibility. Rand, through her lead character, condemns men of this nature, writing; “Are you seeking to know what is wrong with the world? All the disasters
It was mainly written as a response to the widening acceptance of philosophies of totalitarian governments, but also to the belief of sacrificing individual liberties for the public good, ever-present during the "Red Scare." In place of these ideas, Rand developed her theory of "Objectivism," which celebrates reason, capitalism, and individuality. Rand expresses these beliefs throughout the entirety of the book by showi...
“I swear – by my life and my love of it – that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine” (Rand 979). The last lines of John Galt’s speech in Atlas Shrugged declare the fundamental principle of Ayn Rand’s philosophy of Objectivism. Her ideology plays an integral role in her literary pieces, functioning as the motor driving the actions, goals, and beliefs of the protagonists. From the first strains of Objectivism established during her childhood in Russia, Ayn Rand would develop and cultivate her ideas further in each novel, culminating in her magnum opus, Atlas Shrugged. We the Living, The Fountainhead, and Anthem share the theme of Atlas Shrugged, and The Fountainhead and Anthem would join the masterpiece as staples of the Objectivist and Libertarian ideologies (Smith 384). Nothing could pose a greater contrast when presented in juxtaposition with Rand’s doctrine than the Communism of her childhood. Ayn Rand’s experiences living in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic led her to create Objectivism; through her fictional works, she showcases her philosophy which is centered on the struggle of the individual versus the collective by emphasizing different aspects in each of her novels.
The infamous author Ayn Rand dedicated her life wholly to the study and furthering of her political dogma, Objectivism, the uniting theme throughout all of her published literary works. One of the most obtrusive examples is her novella Anthem, which is set in a futuristic yet inept dystopia that is entirely founded on principles of collectivism. Page by page Rand’s sentiments become glaringly obvious, subsequently causing the reader to question her motivation behind this story, their own agreement with her egocentric philosophy, how Christianity aligns with every aspect of it, and if, overall, it was adeptly written.
Ayn Rand is easily one of the most controversial, provocative and rejected philosophical minds of the 20th century. She is completely absent from Donald M. Borchert’s Encyclopedia of Philosophy where only a short reference to Rand’s compatriot Vladimir Solovyov’s “…objective forms of moral life” (125) even hints at any thing remotely to do with Rand. Rand’s utter rejection at the hands of the mainstream philosophical community stems from her controversial viewpoints on various topics and her fierce criticism of intellectuals
Collectivism, the rejection of personal desires for the communal good of a whole, is a contradictory philosophy, for it punishes those who adhere to its doctrine, while simultaneously rewarding those who exploit it. In Ayn Rand’s We the Living, collectivism, as with any other political ideology, has positive and negative applications, and, whether wielded as a mechanism of justice, or terror, the pendulum of its consequence swings in both directions. In its purest form, collectivism would theoretically rise from the mass cooperation of a group for that group’s benefit; resting in the altruistic hands of the group members and running on honesty, integrity, and moral uprightness. In actuality, as portrayed through Ayn Rand’s novel, collectivism is the suppression of independent thought in the name of an assembly to whom one is forced to swear loyalty and, furthermore, results in the rationalization of tyranny for the ‘common good.’ The enticement of supremacy overwhelms any philanthropy that those in power would potentially have, spelling despair for those at their mercy.
When one no longer relies upon society to formulate their most basic moral principles, the result is individualism. In Ayn Rand’s novel The Fountainhead, this concept of virtuous individualistic thinking is advocated through her characters as well as the roles they play within the collectivist, altruistically-dominated world they exist in. On the surface, architect Howard Roark and author Lois Cook both seemingly demonstrate individualistic qualities through their condemnation of society. However, if one were to look at the cores of their personas, he or she would find that they are indeed polar opposites.
It is a privilege to interview veteran therapists who are exiting the counseling arena after a long career in the profession. I was honored to shadow Lea Keylon, a seasoned counselor, who on the eve of retirement set aside time for a student interview. The enlightening interview opened my understanding to the importance of proper diagnostic coding for insurance reimbursements, the financial struggles of private practice, and the poignant effect of forensic counseling on therapist (L. Keylon, personal communication, March 26, 2010). Lea was eager to share her counseling accounts; however, the excitement of retirement planning could be seen in her demeanor. Private practice requires self-discipline, constant research for legislative changes, peer support and consultation, time management, tenacity, and patience. The encounter with Lea impressed the importance to surround myself with colleagues that are enthusiastic about learning and continuing education opportunities, to hire assistance for time-consuming administrative task, and adequately assess a proper caseload that will sustain my counseling practice and without avoid counselor burn out (L. Keylon, personal communication, March 26, 2010).
Ayn Rand's classic story of one man's desire to become an individual in a nameless society presents a compelling refutation of collectivism in all forms. The hero, labeled "Equality 7-2521" by the State, chooses to challenge conventional authority as he learns the joys of experimentation and discovery, the ecstasy of human love, the challenge and fairness of liberty, and the happiness of self-interest. Equality 7-2521 writes three unique phrases in his journal: 1. "My happiness needs no higher aim to vindicate it. My happiness is not the means to an end. It is the end.", 2. "We know that we are evil, but there is no will in us and no power to resist it.", 3. "The word 'We' . . . must never be placed first within man's soul.". These phrases will be discussed individually in the remainder of this essay.
For several decades, most American women occupied a supportive, home oriented role within society, outside of the workplace. However, as the mid-twentieth century approached a gender role paradigm occurred. The sequence of the departure of men for war, the need to fill employment for a growing economy, a handful of critical legal cases, the Black Civil Rights movement seen and heard around the nation, all greatly influenced and demanded social change for human and women’s rights. This momentous period began a social movement known as feminism and introduced a coin phrase known in and outside of the workplace as the “wage-gap.”
Before Ayn Rand, no one had ever seriously attempted to justify capitalism on moral grounds. It was a given that capitalism was immoral; the proponents of capitalism merely tried to exhibit the efficiency of the system (i.e., it is a "necessary evil"). Economists did this because they focused only on the people who would be helped by an anti-capitalist society: the "needy." What Ayn Rand presents so masterfully through Atlas Shrugged is the objective perspective of what is occurring in societies where people may take from others for the "public good"; in the novel, she repeatedly begs the question: "At whose expense?" When the People's State of Mexico nationalizes the San Sebastián mines, Ayn Rand clearly presents what is really happening: a gang of looters is robbing an honest business for their own benefit. In any other case, this wo...
As women, those of us who identify as feminists have rebelled against the status quo and redefined what it means to be a strong and powerful woman. But at what cost do these advances come with?... ... middle of paper ... ... Retrieved April 12, 2014, from http://www.feminist.com/resources/artspeech/genwom/whatisfem.htm Bidgood, J. 2014, April 8 -.
Among the many subjects covered in this book are the three classes of oppression: gender, race and class in addition to the ways in which they intersect. As well as the importance of the movement being all-inclusive, advocating the idea that feminism is in fact for everybody. The author also touches upon education, parenting and violence. She begins her book with her key argument, stating that feminist theory and the movement are mainly led by high class white women who disregarded the circumstances of underprivileged non-white women.
Throughout history, women have remained subordinate to men. Subjected to the patriarchal system that favored male perspectives, women struggled against having considerably less freedom, rights, and having the burdens society placed on them that had been so ingrained the culture. This is the standpoint the feminists took, and for almost 160 years they have been challenging the “unjust distribution of power in all human relations” starting with the struggle for equality between men and women, and linking that to “struggles for social, racial, political, environmental, and economic justice”(Besel 530 and 531). Feminism, as a complex movement with many different branches, has and will continue to be incredibly influential in changing lives.