Blog Post #9 -- "The Problem That Has No Name"

"The Problem That Has No Name" by Betty Friedan
Blog started at 8:35 p.m.

This passage by Betty Friedan shed light upon the dilemma of women of the 1960's. The Feminine Mystique discusses the role that American housewives had become fed up with. Women were questioning their purpose in life and if there was more to it than taking care of the household and children. It would appear that women wanted more independence and self-reliance. However, one has to question if that is truly the right fit to the void that women were trying to fill (pg. 464, READER pg. 126) I'm somewhat disappointed that Betty Friedan doesn't mention the possibility and potential that religion may have had upon these women nor the success or failure of the referral. I'm not advocating that women have no place in the workforce, not at all! I just think that it's a shame to see that when one DOES have the "American Dream" (a house, children, a spouse, white picket fence, etc.) they end up unsatisfied, with sentiments of unfulfillment, and a lack of purpose. Even after women gained the right to vote and work, how many of them can say that they are happy with their lives and the state of the world? In addition, how many women vote in today's day and age? A right so virtuously and fervently pursued, now with not as significant of an impact as it was thought to have. I suppose that it can be said that more things change, the more they stay the same. It would seem that people believe that the purpose of life is to be happy, and perhaps that's an achievable dream for many, but for others, it's an impossible goal, and for others still, they lie to themselves and force themselves to believe that they are happy when in truth, they are still tormented by these very same thoughts of ambition, regardless of gender.

I find that women are equal to men is some aspects of life and unfortunately unequal in others. I would be more than happy to work alongside a woman in nearly any given occupation. However, one must acknowledge that there ARE natural differences between men & women. For instance and generally speaking, women have less upper body strength than that of men. Thus, men are perhaps best suited for manual labor as opposed to women. There are double standards in society. Lastly, it is most pitiable that the age of chivalry and gentle-manliness is long gone. It may not be a direct consequence of the feminist movement, but one can see the irony in the lack of "damsels in distress".