tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8497093028548856666.post6298764555652439455..comments2024-03-22T11:14:05.861-04:00Comments on UncleBob's Treehouse: Feminist Ant-Like SocietiesAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16046202647270439670noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8497093028548856666.post-64567644009200430732014-04-04T03:52:54.945-04:002014-04-04T03:52:54.945-04:00I'm a scholar specializing in feminist science...I'm a scholar specializing in feminist science fiction and I came across your blog. Please read some sf from Octavia E. Butler. Feminism is absolutely not what you guys are talking about at all. 2014 is a very different time than the 1960's, 70's, 80's, and even 90's. All these old debates about man-hating are dead. Nobody (taken seriously) thinks like that anymore. Feminist theory these days is about studying gender dynamics and power hierarchies. Who gets power in what ways? A woman CAN take on masculine authority and be just as bad as the male misogynists. Likewise, a man can be a feminist and question established authority structures. Men who practice femininity are often subject to the same kinds of violence that women who practice femininity are. The problem we work with these days is not men v. women, it's a lot about 'why is femininity stigmatized?' and 'what is really going on in the lives of women who are systematically prevented from achieving and getting the resources they need?' We try not to abstract but bring in concrete examples of suffering. For example, sometimes this will take the form of studying why women are being prevented from receiving education in a certain society. Modern feminist theory works to deconstruct "binary thinking" and "totalitarian thinking" so feminist utopias without men don't make much sense. Much more is gained from the concept of the 3rd gender, and gender bending in Octavia E. Butler's work. If you like really awesome sf, check it out!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8497093028548856666.post-21034054146142341942014-01-26T19:54:14.363-05:002014-01-26T19:54:14.363-05:00After reading your comment, I went and googled Ali...After reading your comment, I went and googled Alice Sheldon's image - she wasn't bad looking, though there is something a little strange behind the eyes. Also found that there's a biography out about her I'll have to read - Sheldon had a life both active and secretive, so the book should be interesting, if the author (also a woman) can stay away from irrelevancies.Cugelnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8497093028548856666.post-3331362004760834612014-01-25T15:52:12.079-05:002014-01-25T15:52:12.079-05:00I read "Consider Her Ways" when I was 12...I read "Consider Her Ways" when I was 12 or 13 and at that age it went over my head. Years later I understood it. <br /><br />I missed "Houston, Do You Read?" but I'll get around to it sooner or later.<br /><br />The first time I saw a picture of Seldon I thought, "This woman has problems just by the way she looks."Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16046202647270439670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8497093028548856666.post-14053380665608743192014-01-25T12:19:27.195-05:002014-01-25T12:19:27.195-05:00The classic SF story on this subject is "Cons...The classic SF story on this subject is "Consider Her Ways" by John Wyndham. In many SF stories of this type, you'll see that the imagined female society is similar to the societies of social insects, which of course are themselves almost entirely female. This fact is lampshaded in "Houston, Do You Read?" another fine story of this type by James Tiptree, Jr. (real name Alice Sheldon).Cugelnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8497093028548856666.post-48783340789726623102014-01-24T15:39:39.205-05:002014-01-24T15:39:39.205-05:00Does anyone remember "The Life of Julia"...Does anyone remember "The Life of Julia"? This was an Obama campaign composite character from 2012 which made some headlines at the time. It shows a faceless generic woman who, at various points of her life, depends on the government day after day. It was very strange and even creepy in a "Brave New World" sort of way. With a little work, this could make for the kind of science fiction that this thread is covering. Would the Obama camapaign have to be paid royalties if such a story were to be written?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8497093028548856666.post-59436747248376754172014-01-24T09:28:06.979-05:002014-01-24T09:28:06.979-05:00Joanna Russ, who was a lesbian, wrote about worlds...Joanna Russ, who was a lesbian, wrote about worlds without men - "The Female Man" and "When It Changed."<br /><br />This is a lot more - science fiction is a huge field, but those might be the most famous examples.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16046202647270439670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8497093028548856666.post-83844840753193848562014-01-24T09:06:17.579-05:002014-01-24T09:06:17.579-05:00Just curious: are there any science fiction novels...Just curious: are there any science fiction novels or even short stories written by feminists from the feminist perspective? Would be educational to read. Robert What?https://www.blogger.com/profile/03863449539859132763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8497093028548856666.post-76494042147960633962014-01-24T08:52:06.120-05:002014-01-24T08:52:06.120-05:00I've seen enough domestic violence to know it ...I've seen enough domestic violence to know it takes two to do that dance.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16046202647270439670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8497093028548856666.post-87022427679658159682014-01-24T05:36:08.672-05:002014-01-24T05:36:08.672-05:00Do you want to see the Utopian Female Society in a...Do you want to see the Utopian Female Society in action?<br /><br />I used to help my semi-retired father in law with volunteer work at the local battered women's shelter where he worked part-time. We moved heavy stuff, ran errands and collected charitable donations to the shelter from time to time. If you want to appreciate the The Modern Human Female Degenerate in all her glory - the so-called Battered Woman is the place to start.<br /><br />Bob - half of these women where stunned c***s that DESERVED to be slapped about! Granted that their men were no prize winning intellects - but good grief, most of those clot headed cankles goaded and taunted their 'abusers' until they snapped - and then played the victim! It would boggle your mind at how successful they have been with this deception.<br /><br />The female 'counsellors' were certifiable head cases and flakes themselves. Professional "social workers"? Hell - they were unionized pooch screwers that specialized in guiding angry, fat slags in the art of destroying their husbands through legal means. A lot of the victims there were druggies and addicts to boot. I got a lecture one day by the counsellors that these women could be forgiven their drug problems because they used drugs to cope with the problems posed by their abusive husbands. It was more like they got abused because they were fuggin druggies and turdies and refused to be wives or mothers. I got so damned mad I turned on my heel and left without saying a word. I refused to do any more volunteer work for them after that. If your local battered woman shelter comes around seeking charitable hand outs - tell them to FOAD. They are NOT helping women, they are enabling them to abuse their children and husbands and that is a fact! <br /><br />At first I didn't believe the magnitude of what I was seeing there. When I explained what I saw and heard to a friend who was a cop he put it this way: "Filthie, only you and a handful of others will ever know the truth about domestic violence. In a nutshell, domestic violence and spousal abuse is almost always a case of two idiots fighting, and the smaller idiot losing."<br /><br />And so it is for the Battle of the Sexes. Real, honest to goodness thinking men and women don't fight or engage in Game or power games. They partner up and love each other. As for the feminists, the alpha males and other idiots? They will fight and the smaller idiot will lose I suppose.<br /><br />Just my two cents, sorry for the novel. Glen Filthiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03256741311142364722noreply@blogger.com