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Conference quark::mennotes-v1

Title:	Topics Pertaining to Men
Notice:	Archived V1 - Current file is QUARK::MENNOTES
Moderator:	QUARK::LIONEL

Created:	Fri Nov 07 1986
Last Modified:	Tue Jan 26 1993
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	867
Total number of notes:	32923

604.0. "Environmentalism" by GEMVAX::HICKSCOURANT () Wed Jun 19 1991 11:44

I've looked through this conference for a note on environmental issues
and have found none. I have, however, noticed that the state of our
habitat gets mentioned occasionally as a peripheral topic.

Role modeling is a major part of adulthood, and we all do it,
regardless of how much thought we invest in its practice.

Among environmental activists, the majority of organizers/supporters
seem to be women, and the majority of those who perform the physical
work involved seem to be men.

The physical work is seldom "heavy," and the organizational work is
seldom more or less complicated than rudimentary sales or marketing
chores.

Perhaps I should have posted this under
"Sexism is alive and well in...,"
but I thought it deserved its own topic.

Our environment and the damage we've done know nothing of the
"patriarchy" so often discussed elsewhere, nor do the energy and
commitment needed to slow the demise of our habitat.

One could easily get the impression that "women nurture, and men
rescue." This seems wrong to me. I suspect it would seem wrong to a
lot of you as well.

Is environmentalism just another example of how insidiously artificial
gender differentiation plays out in the adult world?


John H-C

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
604.1		BIGUN::SIMPSON	Myopically Enhanced Person	`Wed Jun 19 1991 12:12`	24
	re .0 >One could easily get the impression that "women nurture, and men >rescue." This seems wrong to me. I suspect it would seem wrong to a >lot of you as well. It's not surprising that the elemental attributes should show themselves among a group of people in large part dedicated to a return to simpler, more traditional values. I assume you are unfamiliar with Jung, because the words you use are almost exactly his, yet you show surprise. He argued forcefully that the essential feminine quality is nurturing and relatedness (Eros/Luna) while the essential male attribute is intellect and logic (Logos/Sol). The wilfully ignorant instantly and deliberately misread the good doctor such that he appears to to be arguing that this rigid sexism means than only men have brains while women bring up the babies. Nothing could be further from the truth, since the guiding projection of the psyche in the male is the feminine animus, the correspondent for women is the male anima. As a psychologist, Dr Jung is concerned with how we integrate these complentary aspects of our psyche to achieve complete adulthood. What you are seeing is the living expression of these people's life-psyche.
604.2		VINO::XIA	In my beginning is my end.	`Wed Jun 19 1991 12:55`	5
	Environmental study is a serious scientific discipline, not a trifle ground to fight sex battles. Mother earth couldn't care less about us, let alone our petty gender issues. Eugene
604.3		BIGUN::SIMPSON	Myopically Enhanced Person	`Wed Jun 19 1991 13:00`	6
	re .2 > ground to fight sex battles. Mother earth couldn't care less about ^^^^^^^^^^^^ Are you aware of the implications of what you just said?
604.4	Mother earth does NOT love you.	VINO::XIA	In my beginning is my end.	`Wed Jun 19 1991 13:04`	6
	re .3, Oh yes, I do. I am always careful about the images I convey in my notes. Eugene
604.5	things seem different to me	CVG::THOMPSON	Semper Gumby	`Wed Jun 19 1991 16:52`	9
	>Among environmental activists, the majority of organizers/supporters >seem to be women, Interesting difference in perception. I have never had this perception. In fact the opposite is true. I've wondered why so many of the organizers are men and so few women. Your view is different. I don't know why though. Alfred