Double Trouble
There's something delightful about the way women rally around when one of them is expecting or has given birth. It became clear to me what a natural, evolutionary strategy it is when from a safe distance I witnessed elephants do it while I was on safari in Botswana's Kalahari Desert. The baby elephant was scant hours old, the mother still had blood on her hind legs, and the "aunts" were gathered around, urging the newborn to take his first unsteady steps. It reminded me of watching a gaggle of Italian women hovering over an infant as the mother proudly displayed her pride and joy's genitalia while the friends oohed and aahed. Every culture celebrates its priorities.
posted by John M Crowther @ 7:29 AM
7 Comments:
Ah! The miracle of birth, the perpetuation of the species --the strongest instinct in all the animal kingdom! A mother lifts a truck to save her child trapped under the wheels, a lioness fights to her death to protect her cubs. In comparison what do we men do after we provide the seed? We watch the NFL, take out the garbage, and fix the DVD.
It is the "ability to nurture" that will ultimately see women inherit the earth. (Whether or not there will be much of it left to inherit by the time man is done with it tho is another question)
Women have been subject to such condescension since the dawn of time. Childbirth and the nurture of offspring may SEEM a somewhat "quaint" and endearing activity to the casual (usually male) observer... but the reality is that by virtue of their gender men will never get to experience the deep and lasting unconditional love that a mother has for her child. It is the only love that is completely and utterly selfless... but is by far the deepest love in the human experience. The miracle of motherhood is one of life's great mysteries... it's a world where no man can go... and perhaps this is why it is sometimes viewed with mirth and thinly veiled contempt.
I agree with the professor that with the exception of self preservation, the strongest instinct is perpetuation of the species.
That's why I'm still shocked when I hear that a couple has decided to remain childless. I find it unnatural, and especially so when a woman doesn't want children.
Another shocker to me is when a woman has a third or fourth child, then drops the kids in full time day care six weeks later. Yes, some women have to work, but geez, stop squirting out kids then! Why have a kid if you're handing the responsibility to raise it to some $5/hour high school drop out?
That said, I must say that there are many, many women I know, including my mother and my sisters, who should never have had children.
And there are many, many men who are as loving and as nurturing as any woman could be.
No mirth, contempt, nor condescension from me, Jean. I have nothing but admiration and awe for the miracle of motherhood, and the special bond between mothers and their children. Kate is, of course, quite right, there are women and men who shouldn't have children at all. Life is not equitable in this regard.
That might have sounded overly harsh on my part, as far as my family is concerned.
To my mother's credit, she never meant to have more that the obligatory boy and girl. But birth control wasn't too dependable half a century ago. I was always affectionately termed her "contraceptive foam baby".
And I wouldn't change anything about my childhood. Every day was an adventure, although it was often a bit, er...erratic.
I should have added that THEY would have been happier without children; not that it was bad for any of the kids involved.
My mother is the type who could have, and should have, been free to be the research field biologist she was meant to be, without the baggage of a gaggle of kids.
As far as my sisters, well, if they hadn't had children than I would not have had the joy of helping raise theirs.
>>but the reality is that by virtue of their gender men will never get to experience the deep and lasting unconditional love that a mother has for her child.<<
Jean, that may be true, but have you ever watched a group of men in a sports bar on a Sunday afternoon display their undying love for the New York Giants?
hahahaha... as an aussie Il Prof...I'm afraid I have been denied that! But a parallel could no doubt be drawn there with the AFL grand final! :-D
Post a Comment
<< Home