Why Men Oppress Women

[Jeremiah65]

Everyone is unique. Some women have it within them to be conquerors...som do not. Granted, it is not as prevalent in women as is in men to conquer....

In the grand scheme, it all comes down to resources....do you have enough. If a woman is running a culture and the start running low on something they need....I would assume she would be just as violent and war ready as a man.

Edited August 4, 2013 by Jeremiah65

[seaturtlehorsesnake]

I remember in high school we were all taught chess and go and a number of other such games, and the boys inevitably did much better than the girls -- enough that the girls quickly lost interest (no one maintains interest in something they regularly lose at).

So I take it as evidence of a difference in the way men and women think; men are more conquest oriented, to be blunt, and will apply the mental concentration needed, while women become bored with it and their minds wander.

but that's terrible evidence. one high school, and you take that and apply that to all women, everywhere?

[Frank Merton]

Yea -- if a woman were running for Chief Executive of a country and I were a voter there, all else being equal (mainly what they had to say about war), I would have no trouble accepting the idea that a woman would lead a nation to war when necessary.

But maybe not as readily as a man.

[Frank Merton]

but that's terrible evidence. one high school, and you take that and apply that to all women, everywhere?

Yes I do. Just look at the world chess records. What is it that causes some women to think they have to be equal to men in all things?

[seaturtlehorsesnake]

....

maybe i'll wait. if i respond directly right now, i'm not going to be civil.

ok, so. very few women play chess, so it's quite natural that there aren't that many high ranking women. but the number of women who play competitively is increasing, and as it does, the number of high ranking women and grandmasters is also increasing.

girls are not encouraged to play chess. chess is a game that requires practice and concentration to excel at, and if you are not encouraged to play, or are discouraged from playing it at a young age, odds are good you'll struggle at a later age. did it occur to you that this might be one reason why the girls in your high school did poorly? and i'm willing to bet there were a few who didn't do poorly, but were ignored.

also, this damn thread isn't even about chess.

i'm interested in equal opportunity. and that's something that sure as hell doesn't exist yet.

good ever loving everything do i hate evo-psych.

[Frank Merton]

Chess was a minor item in my list and an attempt at lightness. That you are unable to see this and react accordingly indicates a considerable excess of defensiveness. Then you go ahead and say you are having trouble being civil. I just don't get it. What do you want -- the elimination of men? Their total submission?

Well of course not, so get off your high horse.

[seaturtlehorsesnake]

man, you just need to look at my post to see what i want. i wrote it right there.

ok, i'm an irritable, sometimes straight up angry person. doesn't take away from my point. and yeah, the chess thing grates on me. i've been a casual player for most of my life, and i'm sick and tired of the insistence that women just aren't good at chess, because nature.

but i'm trying to be less angry in online conversations, so i'll step back from this one. sorry.

[Mikko-kun]

We lose interest in things we are not good at; or maybe the obverse is the case and we never become good at things we have little interest in. Your description of the boys is the point.

I seriously doubt it's because women wouldn't be good at chess by nature. Chess is a game of logic, and if there's any correlation between logic and math, then women should have the potential for it too, because women can beat men in math without trouble, it doesn't seem a gender-question there. Math is something where you got less boundaries to think things, if you go down to it. The imagination. And women can be competitive. So I'd outrule these reasons.

What I think is the real reason is most women dont like war games like men do. If chess was fairies, unicorns, princes and princesses instead of soldiers and killing, I bet more women could relate to it.

[Ratte]

(no one maintains interest in something they regularly lose at).

But... I've played Magic the Gathering for years!

Even before I started the testosterone treatments, I played chess like a champ. I don't play much any more, but not because I lost interest. Because I got tired of people feigning headaches when they were losing and flipping the board when they lost badly or making some kind of excuse to get rid of the sense of defeat that hung over them when I beat them. People, not just men.

[Aggie]

I seriously doubt it's because women wouldn't be good at chess by nature. Chess is a game of logic, and if there's any correlation between logic and math, then women should have the potential for it too, because women can beat men in math without trouble, it doesn't seem a gender-question there. Math is something where you got less boundaries to think things, if you go down to it. The imagination. And women can be competitive. So I'd outrule these reasons.

What I think is the real reason is most women dont like war games like men do. If chess was fairies, unicorns, princes and princesses instead of soldiers and killing, I bet more women could relate to it.

You got it there, Mikko...I agree. I am extremely god with maths and yet I can't stand chess....war games are not what I like and chess is a war game..... and I can't talk for most women, but all the women I know don't like chess, except my sister but that's just because she likes to try to beat my brother at any game he might like to play! lol

And I can't sit still looking at a board and thinking when I could be doing sooo many other things!

[Ratte]

What I think is the real reason is most women dont like war games like men do. If chess was fairies, unicorns, princes and princesses instead of soldiers and killing, I bet more women could relate to it.

You're kidding, right? Most of my female friends, and even my mates mother are into horror movies, torture-p*rn. They love seeing people slaughtered in the most gruesome ways imaginable.

[Frank Merton]

The question connected with chess, where there really is no doubt that historically men have and continue to dominate, is one example that raised the question of whether there are innate differences mentally between men and women or that the differences we see are cultural or maybe (since so many of the differences are found in most cultures) just a result of how humans differ in how they treat babies of the two sexes.

I don't know and am not prepared to guess, beyond to say that it is probably a case of "all of the above."

In Asia, now that it is possible to determine fairly early on the sex of the foetus, a significant (pushing 20%) increase of boys over girls is becoming apparent. This is a social and demographic disaster in the making. Everyone agrees officially, but there are officials in Vietnam who think it might not be so bad, as men are viewed as being better soldiers and workers. I think maybe the only thing that can be done is to get Vietnam a female prime minister.

[Aggie]

You're kidding, right? Most of my female friends, and even my mates mother are into horror movies, torture-p*rn. They love seeing people slaughtered in the most gruesome ways imaginable.

Maybe it's an age thing....I'm in my forties and I can't stand horror movies.....maybe younger women are different?

[Ratte]

Maybe it's an age thing....I'm in my forties and I can't stand horror movies.....maybe younger women are different?

My mates mom is nearly fifty. I think it's a matter of how you were raised in combination with how you really feel.

She loves horror movies and sports and all manner of "manly" things, but when women's sports are brought up, she makes fun of them with such a bitter tone. She's hurt and lashing out at other people because she was denied being who she wanted to be.

At least that's my analysis. She's always trying to change me to be more like her. I refuse to suffer in silence.

[Aggie]

Yeah, how you are brought up is important........my dad is Italian...and very old fashioned, it was hard rebelling to him!

My daughter is a bit of a tomboy, but maybe because she's got two older brothers, and I never stop her, she can be as she like, whatever makes her happy...but, having said that, I wasn't a girlie girl either...I never wanted to be a princess, I wanted to be an astronaut or a witch...imagine that in a Catholic environment!! ha ha ha

[little_dreamer]

Chess is boring. The real money and power is in government, financial services, technology, and entrepeneurship. More and more women are moving into these fields.

[Mikko-kun]

You're kidding, right? Most of my female friends, and even my mates mother are into horror movies, torture-p*rn. They love seeing people slaughtered in the most gruesome ways imaginable.

I got cases like that too, mostly my age though. Being raised in a more conservative environment can have an effect. I dont like the way you lose in the chess, no questions, just go for the win, lose you lose, no one's gonna pat you in the back for a good game and you ain't gonna get an endorphine rush like in sports. It's a mindset thing also, you need to love that kind of competition if you want to be good at it, comes naturally then. I just find it too one-sided but just my taste. Sports are great because underdogs always have a chance. Well...

[Jodie.Lynne]

While I will agree that women have often suffered throughout history, and we still have light-years to go to achieve equality of the sexes, the author of the piece seems to be a bit careless in his blanket condemnation of the male population. For each of the abusive (his term) societies he cites, there are other cultures which either revere women, or at the least, grant them equal partnership in the society. The Celts spring readily to mind, but there are others. For each wife-beater, there is one husband who cares and loves his wife WITHOUT resorting to verbal, physical, or psychological abuse. And, it is not uncommon for women to be just as abusive to their own gender as well as men.

Reading the article, it seems that Mr. Taylor has his own particular axe to grind against men, and is looking for a Politically correct scapegoat.

[Lilly]

I don't think the author (Taylor) is 'grinding his axe' against his own gender. Historically far, far more women have been treated as property lacking basic civil rights verses being 'revered'. Even today there are many cultures that still view women as being intrinsically of less value than men. This isn't some politically correct mumbo jumbo...it's a fact. Remember we're talking world wide here not just western culture.

[Crabby Kitten]

Babble babble babble

[Jodie.Lynne]

I understand that Lilly, but the tone of the article seems to indicate that ALL men have, and continue to, oppress (in whatever form) women.

Am I aware that there are parts of the planet that still treat women as chattel? Yes, I am.

Am I aware that women have been historically used, abused, and treated like property? Yes, I am.

Am I aware that not ALL mean do this? Yes, I am.

My point is that Taylor's piece paints ALL men throughout ALL time with the same brush, and blames it all on testosterone.

What part do culture & upbringing play? Societal morals and mores? In my childhood, it was considered dishonorable, cowardly, and shameful to raise your hand to a woman. Obviously, in some cultures, that level of civilization was never achieved, by Mr. Taylor (in his brief statement) seems to lay the blame squarely on hormones. And isn't that just as gender-prejudiced as saying that women can't be good at chess?

[+joc]

The reason women aren't, generally speaking, good at chess is because: (mounts horse, takes rope, throws it over limb, fastens around neck fashionably)

Men are far superior to women in two major venues...physicality and thought process....women simply don't have the patience and aptitude for thinking things through far in advance...which is why so many women find chess boring.

(tightens rope, gives horse one final hug...)

[Lilly]

Men are far superior to women in two major venues...physicality and thought process....women simply don't have the patience and aptitude for thinking things through far in advance...

With all due respect...what a load of utter nonsense.

You have a point about males being physically stronger, but as for "thought process" and "aptitude for thinking things through"...absolutely incorrect.

[Skep B]

I think he might've been joking.

what with the Old west style hanging and all

[+joc]

With all due respect...what a load of utter nonsense.

You have a point about males being physically stronger, but as for "thought process" and "aptitude for thinking things through"...absolutely incorrect.

I was just joshing you sweetheart...